I’ve been writing and deleting every word I typed during this past 15 minutes, because I can’t easily explain what had just happen to me in the last episode of Zettai Kareshi.
Zettai Kareshi is 91% crap and 9% pure heart-wrenching goodness.
That nine percent is enough reason to put this drama in the should watch category.
Nine percent that proved Okaeri is not the only good thing about the show after all.
Nine percent that transformed Night and Riiko into most romantic couple of the season.
I’m getting annoyingly repetitious but bear with me. That last episode, believe it or not, is 100 times better than Last Friends finale and SP put together. Hayami Mokomichi, during that entire episode is Zettai Kareshi material. Gomen ne Nighto, I have been really harsh with you…to repeat Riiko’s words, “Why haven’t I’ve been kinder to you?” Here I am, attacking Riiko for being so insensitive and taking Night’s unconditional love for granted, but I’ve been doing the same thing, haven’t I?
Nighto was programmed to be in love with Riiko. To love someone with no foundation takes out the thrill factor. Riiko’s relationship with him is like one of those dating sim games that the Japanese otaku are so fond of playing. He says “I love you,” Riiko and I brush it off with annoyance. Who will fall for this guy who only has two shirts for a wardrobe? What happened to the “dashing” and the “shining armor” parts? This knight is more like an ambulance to the rescue. He was that appliance forced on you by the pushy salesman. You never wanted him in the first place.
However, by the time you realize you cannot live without him, it was already too late. In the final episode, every single “Aishteru” that Nighto has murmured echoed with such aching sweetness. Riiko, you were a big fool, and so was I.
Is it worth to go through those 10 episodes of pain in exchange for the ending? To borrow Mr. Big’s line – Absofu@kinlutely!
What a show. I cried like a baby. Even knowing how it’ll end didn’t slow down those tears. I never thought I’ll be saying this, but that’s one of the best endings I’ve seen in a jdrama.
Thank you SARS for another completed project!
that was short but that’s ok. what u wrote abt the 9% was true…
btw, i cried throughout the whole finale.. and reading this make me teary again.. guhhhhh
my earlier comment didnot go thru?
ah well.. now that im in a better mood.. (i was in tears again after reading yr entry). i agree with you abt the 9%.
i love the ending. heck, it was very sad & i cried throughout but im glad it keeps to the manga’s ending, to deviate wud be totally wrong.
riiko nvr really appreciate night when he’s ‘alive’ but it’s not her fault. he was supposed to be an electrical appliance, remember?
Deena: Sorry, I was in bed when you left the comment. When you read this post, I meant to update it the next morning. Now, it’s done.
i don’t know why but i didn’t cry at the end… lol i know i loved night but when i was about to cry when namikiri gave riiko the mother board or whatever i just thought that it was funny. he was a robot after all. ^__^ but yh it was kind of sad.
actually i liked zettai kareshi even though it was deceiving sometimes compared to the manga but i liked it anyways. just a personal opinion but i liked aibu and hayami 2gtr. not only because they matched but mostly because they were good actors… really mizushima hiro sucked at acting in this drama really. the only thing left is: is he even a good actor? I wasn’t impressed with his acting at all.
Sooo, I should have stuck with the drama despite it being crap when I dropped it?
Now you make me want to pick it up again!
I really really liked the ending, but what if you didn’t and I made you sit through the whole thing…please don’t kill me then XD. But I do think that you have to sit through all of it to appreciate the last episode, ( you can fastforward, if you want). That’s my best advice.
haha, I really am thinking of fast-forwarding through all the episodes to get to the ending because I’ve also read elsewhere that the ending was awesome.
Where do I see it??
hey
i was wondering if you’re the person who translated Save the Last Dance for Me. I will just assume that you are.
I was just watching it and I was really amused by yours comments at the end. You added some much needed comedy to a very gloomy section. I was starting to feel bad at one of character’s expressions and you actually made me chuckle aloud.
Your comments (if it is yours) are awesome. keep up the good work and thanks.
I like the show. i think this shows has a good mix of reality, “too good to be true”, ideal love; and such is the norm of most japanese idol dramas. =)
Other than the drama, the song adopted is fabulous! .. Okaeri.. simple but great lyrics and nice melody.
d/
I thought I made a big mistake by ‘peeking’ at your review before watching the finale. When my eyes laid on the first pic above, I was like, OH NO, I only have myself to blame! I beat myself for a day, then resigned to the fact that series was predictable anyway. BUT NO! I didn’t expect to cry like a little girl at the finale. I liked the way the series ended. And Ayaka’s “Okaeri”….
Btw, I’m on d-addicts and see your posts on there, too. I come here every now and then to check out your reviews and j-drama opinions. I think you write well, so keep it up!
Mabuhay!
It’s kind of my fault. I should have put a more “non-spoilerish” picture. Sorry
I love your reviews and Im very happy that this one sort of threw it right at your teeth. hehehe
I remember reading your reviews and how harsh you were thinking, “this guy will sooooo make a 360 degree turn by the end,”
What makes this drama so good is that you don’t really expect anything when it begins. It usually exudes the one-of-them-doramas kind of aura that just explodes right at your face.
Keep on posting nice reviews.
Ganbatte ne!
i tried to hold back my tears and pretend to be cool…but i failed. dammit.
hi,
i haven’t watch the drama and i’m thinking if i should watch it – or not.
i read the manga yesterday and the ending was really sad. it made me cry for hours.
really.
well, not that i didn’t see it coming but..
(note by jaycee05) Spoilers up ahead. Read at your own risk.
i dunno..just thinking about night not waking up again makes me feel so sad that i can’t hold back my tears no matter how hard i tried. well, as a reader, i always find it hard to accept the deaths of the characters i like. however, in night’s case, its quite different since he’s not a human. he’s a figure. and even though i don’t really believe in life after death, the fact that there’s no way for night to comeback or meet rikko in some other way makes it worse for me..
hmm..i don’t know about the jdrama but in the manga, rikko and soushi weren’t really declared as a couple in the end. but of course it does imply that they would, in the future.. (since that’s how night also wants it to be..) and i’m glad that the writer made it that way since it’ll really drive me mad if rikko replaces him so easily..
well, obviously, i’m a certified naito fan. XD not that soushi isn’t cute or something.. but then, naito is naito. i love his whole character and that’s it. and maybe because soushi is rikko’s childhood friend that i can’t accept him as her lover..
“even though youre not by my side, you will forever be my first man..my zettai kareshi” – rikko
note: sorry for making this too long. TT
I loved every episode of Zettai Kareshi. No one else may agree, but I had no problems. I love Hayami Mokomichi as Night. He brought the character to life for me more than anything.
I preferred Night in the manga, but Mokomichi-sama really made him top not in my books.
And yes, the last episode was by far the best. I have never ever cried that much. Even when characters that I thought I loved the most above all others died in other series, games, etc. I never bawled like that.
This series was not a waste of time for me. Every second was brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I’m just sad its over.
Have y’all watched Zettai Kareshi SP? The greatest episode of all! However the ending is still a cliffhanger, wanting me for more Zettai Kareshi. Does Namikiri really erased Night? Will Riiko marry Soushi? Oh, the SP just left me wanting for more! Zettai Kareshi Season 2 please!