I completed watching this wonderful Japanese drama series about forbidden love. Well, not really as aggressive as Majo no Jouken, but it may have exceeded that series in terms of chemistry, music, camera angles and overall plot. Chugakusei Nikki(中学生日記) is a 2018 drama, based from the manga of the same name. It stars Kasumi Arimura as Hijiri Suenaga and rookie actor Kenshi Okada as Akira Kuroiwa.
If you want some spoilers, a bit. But watch the whole drama!
Akira is a Middle HS student who is awkward and unpredictable, then one of their teachers was the much older but airhead Hijiri. Hijiri was engaged, supposed to be married to her man(Shotaro) who is secretly being flirted by the charismatic Haraguchi-san, who happens to be his superior at work. Things get complicated for both the awkward Akira and airhead Hijiri as their paths collide to the point that society tries to stop at first, Akira's advances, and then Hijiri's newfound resolve to become an adult(which she only gets at the last episode.) First half of the drama and then the second half, where even after 3 years being separated from each other, Akira is waiting for the moment to get Hijiri back. Despite her multiple resistance to his advances, she soon finds out that she is truly in love with Akira when she followed him to the ferry port by any means and finally acknowledges her feelings, wanting to be with Akira to the end.
Of course, Akira's mom would not let things happen the way the couple wanted, but fastforward 5 years later, the paper Hijiri signed not to meet Akira anymore, Aiko(Akira's mom) gives it to Akira, implying that he is free to be with "sensei" forever. They reunited in Thailand and embraced each other. Happy ending for a drama with the theme of forbidden love.
Overall, my rating is 9/10, about how Okada Kenshi played the role of a 15 year old, despite being 19 year old in real life, his chemistry with all the actors/actresses. The camera angles were great, storyline was awesome, filling it with continuous tensions and real life issues, and how two hearts were separated but not forever. It's true love and destiny. Oh, not to forget, the ending song which was sung by Uru, title of the song is "prologue."
Many Japanese netizens felt disgusted by the theme of the drama, and the huge age gap between Akira and Hijiri, cursing the drama and thus the 1st episode's rating was a 6%, not because of it's content but because only of the cover, but these same netizens enjoy a drama that the teacher is a male and the student is a female. Hypocrites for that matter.
Like Majo no Jouken, Chugakusei Nikki captured the imagination of reality and the enduring love of the couple, despite setbacks, multiple goodbyes and realities, albeit that CN has a happy ending.
Never judge a book by it's cover.
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