Itazura na Kiss

Cast:
Sato Aiko as Aihara Kotoko
Kashiwabara Takashi as Irie Naoki

Genre: Jdrama, Romantic Comedy

Episodes: 9

Summary: At the beginning of high school, Kotoko, a girl who is neither good in sports or studies or anything really, while running in the hallway runs into Irie Naoki, a star student who is effortlessly good at everything, and somehow their lips collide. From that moment onwards she starts stalking him her one sided love for him. On her third year in high school, her house burns down so she and her father are forced to move in with her father's high school best friends who also happen to be Irie's parents. From then onwards she starts being a general annoyance and making his life a living hell trying to make him accept her feelings through her dedication and sincerity. But is bringing bad luck all she can do? yes, most likely Will Naoki ever like her? unlikely while he is still sane

Review: Warning~ There WILL be spoilers. (I lost the spoiler hiding tutorial thing that Fabler made for me since technology hates me, and well, I don't know how to anymore >_<)

Everyone in the freaking school seems to believe everything they see on the notice board >_>

The main character, Kotoko, is as annoying as Mary Kate and Ashley books combined with Britney Spears. (Not that I have tried that combo, not wanting to scar myself for life) Her screams still ring in my ears, in the most unpleasant way. (Don't even get me started on how annoying her whining 'Irie-kuuuun' all the time is >_<) I feel sorry for the guy, he always has a face like he has a humongous headache when ever she starts her screeching. And she stalks the guy, imposes her freakish notions and day dreams on him, misunderstands every single thing, and is a total shame to women everywhere. Her so called "dreams" (which everyone makes such a big deal out of) revolve around the guy, and everything is dependent on him. If he is a pilot she will be an air hostess, if he is a CEO she will be a secretary, if he is a doctor she will be a nurse, bleh. The idea of standing on equal footing does not even occur to her. -__-'

I feel sorry for the male lead character who has a pink fuzz ball of insanity for a mother who imposes her freakish out of the blue shojo fantasies on her eldest son. I mean the woman dressed him up as girl when he was young, coz she always wanted a girl, took PICTURES and shows them to people. Doesn't that strike you as slightly odd? AND if that wasn't bad enough she practically pushes him towards Kotoko (It's practically like the best friends forcing their kids to get married in a way) and makes up what he is supposedly feeling according to shojo manga structure. The poor boy tries to tell them its not like that, but the loons don't let him get a word in. -___-'

I don't understand the purpose of the Reiko (the pretty rival girl who is smart and in the A class with Naoki). Is she his girlfriend or is she another stalker? Its puzzling... *nods* very puzzling indeed...

Although I recall Kotoko faints when she sees Reiko's Christmas card, clear evidence that apparently they ARE going out after all, and she isn't a stalker. I also wonder what happens to Reiko in the end since she sorta is there till the last moment until she is no longer needed....

There were also certain things in this drama I did NOT want to see. *goes into gloomy dark corner and starts growing mushrooms*

*ahem* Anyway,

The stalker got her stalkee in the end by tormenting him with her maniac laughter inside his head, which somehow makes him fall in love with her in the last five minutes of the entire series. And they lived happily ever after, just as the pink shojo puffball mommy wanted.

Rating: 4/10 {I m being VERY generous here, one for the occasional wit and funniness (mostly contributed by the kid, and some being contributed by the sad dude whose name escapes me who chases after the Kotoko for some reason unknown to me), one for the theme song which was pretty nice, and one for the cool aloof main male lead, partly because I am in a fan girling mood and he was kinda cute and did the aloof distant angstyness in a cool way, and mostly just for his 'oh what the hell am I supposed to do with this much stupidity, disgusted to the point of puking' expression. And one very well deserved star for the kiddy. I loved his dry old man narration! ^_^}

Quotes: This Jdrama had a ton of quotes which deserve to be posted for utter stupidity and as proof of the characters baka-ness in the drama, but this is the only one I wrote down, coz I found it hilarious.

Yuki: Onee chan, didn't you say that "people should take more hardships when they are still young?"
Naoki : Yeah?
Yuki: It has been too smooth sailing for the both of us. I think that Kotoko is an ordeal god has sent to us.
Naoki: Ordeal...
Yuki: Don't avoid the ordeal and try to be more mature, onee chan
Naoki: If we think that way, her presence is very important...*nods*

(what makes me roll my eyes remembering this brilliant piece of six year old wisdom is that the girl they are referring to actually being HAPPY to be an ordeal. Hell, she even brings it up later with pride -__-')

Music: Steady by SPEED

Taglines:
Wait for meeee (said in annoying way)
Irie-Kuuuuuun (said in more annoying way)

Note: Although this is supposed to be a "romantic" comedy, I get the impression that the guy is being tortured for most of the drama..(which I enjoyed btw, since he made SUCH adorable tortured faces *oh ho ho ho ho* :P).

And is it just me or are most Japanese shojo stories advocating girls to stop trying to be good at anything and just be annoying morons? ~_~