First Love : Hatsukoi — Is It Worth Your Time?

“ You will always be insidе my heart.

Here, thеre will always be a place just for you.

I hope that I have a place in your heart too. ”

From tumblr, credit belongs to owner.

My friend wouldn’t stop raving about this drama, but back then, I was not in the mood. My principle is: Do not force yourself, watch it when the mood comes. Fast forward nearly two years later, YouTube suddenly recommended me a fan-made video of this drama. The high school flashbacks with the adorable, younger versions of the main leads were too cute to resist! And before I know it, I binge-watched a couple more.

Sigh. Alright, universe, you win. Time to watch this drama!

Long story short, this drama dives into the unforgettable first love story of Namiki Harumichi, a security guard, and Noguchi Yae, a taxi driver. Their journey begins in the late 90s during their high school days. Their love for each other was so strong. But then something happened in 2000s and everything changed. Now years have passed, and their paths cross again.

Our male lead, Harumichi, is a firm believer in fate. And that was his answer when Yae’s father asked him why he likes Yae, “Fate.” But fate aside, he is also incredibly persistent, determined to achieve his goals with unwavering effort. And even though he fell for Yae at first sight, I think his feelings seem to deepen even more after he saw Yae communicating with his deaf sister, Yuu, through sign language. 

Our female lead, Yae, has been dreaming of becoming a flight attendant since childhood. She throws herself wholeheartedly into everything she loves. Having only been living with her mother, she longs for a warm, complete family. She is also loving and caring.

What I liked:

1. Harumichi and Yae in their younger days!!!!!!!

The fact that I can’t shut up about this is highly concerning. They have awaken my poor old soul. Watching them makes me feel like falling in love along with them. Here are the reasons:

            1. Perfect casting: Kido Taisei and Yagi Rikako

            2. Perfect location: Hokkaido in winter,

            3. Chemistry between the two,

            4. Youthful innocence,

            5. The soundtrack ‘First Love’, adding another layer of magic to their love story.

Oh how good it is to be young and experience love for the first time.

From tumblr, credit belongs to owner.

2. Satoh Takeru as the present day Harumichi

In dramas with flashbacks or time jumps, a common problem is seeing a drastic shift in a character’s personality between their younger and older selves. This could jolt viewers out of the narrative, making it harder to believe in the character’s growth or journey.

Here, Satoh Takeru’s portrayal of Harumichi perfectly captures Harumichi’s lively and playful spirit, without any sense of awkwardness or overacting. But viewers can still see that Harumichi as a person has changed.

3. The relationship between Yae and her son, Tsuzuru

Surprise! Yae has a teenage son. At the beginning, Tsuzuru was very indifferent and apathetic. It broke my heart to see Yae so excited to spend time with Tsuzuru, in the mean time Tsuzuru was constantly glued to his phone. However, their mother-son relationship grows and continues to grow when Yae supports Tsuzuru’s passion for music, something that his father is against of. Yae is so proud of her son, she plays his music on her taxi.

4. Transition between past and present days

Going back and forth between past and present can sometimes feel jarring. However, the transitions in this drama are so smooth and well-executed, seamlessly weaving between past and present without confusing the viewers.

From tumblr, credit belongs to owner.

5. Clever use of color

In the past, Yae’s wardrobe is a sea of blue, while Harumichi and his family are in bright red. But jump to the present, both Harumichi and Yae mainly wears muted, dull tones. Everything also looks more vibrant in the past than in the present, mirroring the emotional landscape of our leads.

6. Passion

This drama goes beyond just love. It explores the power of passion. It feels like a message to viewers to chase their dreams and ignite their own passions, for example, Harumichi: pilot, Yae: flight attendant, Tsuzuru: musician, and Komori: dancer.

Disappointments:

1. Present-day Harumichi already has a girlfriend

This point bothered me the most, because we learn early on that Harumichi has a girlfriend, Tsunemi. Even while on his way to meet her family, a chance encounter with Yae throws him off course. That means all this time (for the last what seven years?) that Harumichi and Tsunemi have been together, Harumichi’s heart still belongs to Yae. While it might sound romantic for Yae, the situation feels unfair for Tsunemi.

2. Harumichi’s story in the present days feels a bit underdeveloped

The drama doesn’t delve deeply into his life outside of his encounter with Yae, leaving his relationship with Tsunemi largely unseen. This lack of background makes it difficult, for me personally, to understand why their relationship becomes distant. As a result, the internal conflict Harumichi faces regarding his feelings for both Yae and Tsunemi didn’t resonate strongly with me. It could have been portrayed more effectively to create a stronger emotional impact on viewers.

3. Cliché plot

!!!SPOILER!!!!

A more original reason for Yae’s and Harumichi’s separation could have packed a stronger emotional impact. We’ve seen the “memory loss” storyline way too often.

!!!END!!! 

4. Rushed ending

What can I expect from nine episodes. While it’s a decent amount of time, it feels a bit short to fully explore every character’s journey and emotions.

Is it worth your time?

Yes, it’s definitely worth to watch, especially if you’re looking for a heartfelt story. 

This drama is available on Netflix.

My rating: 3.5 out of five.