Drama Digest
Babel Kyusaku is adapted from a novel by the same name by Manabu Makime. The author was nominated for The Naoki Prize and is best known for his books Princess Toyotomi, Toppin parari no Pootaro and Kamogawa Horumo. The name of the drama is a five-story, 88-year-old multi-tenant building. Kusaku Mitsuhiro is the new building manager who aspires to be a screenwriter. This is where the normality ends as He loses himself in the world of Babel where all dreams come true. Not just him, but all the tenants of this place are people who couldn’t fulfill their dreams in the real world. Those lost in Babel preferred to stay lost. However, at some point, you can return to the world if you wish to unless you utter the word ‘ Babel’. Then you are stuck there forever. Watch this show to see how fast your fantasies can turn into your worst nightmares. Would you choose to stay lost in Babel forever or get out?
The Feel-Good Part
We’ve seen the concept taken from the reality of a struggling artist wanting to make it big, driving people to insanity far too many times in popular western movies such as Black Swan, Perfect Blue, Whiplash, etc. however, this drama is a refreshing take on the concept. It’s cute and eccentric, unlike the movies mentioned above, which border on discomfort. Additionally, this drama has just enough mystery to keep one hooked. The drama does a good job of not taking the eccentricity way too far and losing sight but sticking to delivering the message it wishes to provide. This fact lifts it above pure entertainment. The drama has a certain charm about its credits to the actors.
The Disappointing Factor
The drama has a good start; however, it goes a bit downhill and fails to pack the punch it possibly could have. The series format harms the narrative as certain parts feel like they are filler content written just to make up for the average time of each episode. Moreover, it feels aimed at the market for Sentai shows with its low-budget production and low-stake narration. The book would have transitioned well into a movie.
In-Depth Analysis
The drama leaves you thinking whether you would have left the Babel world to face the reality or choose to be forever lost in a fantasy world. It is also a strong look into how dramas adapt material from other sources and how it manages to keep the story alive in a different format from the original.
Star Power
Manabu Makime wrote the novel Babel Kyusaku which later got adapted into a series. He is well known for his books Princess Toyotomi, Toppin parari no Pootaro, and Kamogawa Horumo and was also nominated for The Naoki Prize (officially known as Naoki Sanjugo Prize, is a Japanese literary award presented bi-annually). Moreover, his filmography includes Death Stranding, Idainaru, Shurarabon, and Purinsesu Toyotomi. Kikuchi Fuma is famously known for his roles in dramas such as Algernon ni Hanataba wo, GTO: Remake Season 2, movies such as To a place that transcends more, and Gekijouban Kamen Teacher, and television series such as Ninosan, Love Music, Geinoujin ga Honki de Kangaeta Dokkiri GP and Hitome de Wakaru! among others. Moreover, we have Kochi Yugo, who is a young talent under the agency Johnny & Associates. He is currently a member of SixTONES. They sold 6.24 million physical copies in Japan alone. In addition to these talented men, we also have Satsukawa Aimi, who is a Japanese actress and idol. She came into the limelight via the Horipro talent scout. She started soon after she finished high school. Aimi has appeared in television shows such as Vs. Arashi and Kanani Janiben, movies such as Utamonogatari: cinema fighters project, welcome back home, and her list of dramas ranges from Pretty ga Osugiru, Kekkon AIte wa Chusen de, Yamagishi desu ga nani ka, and many others.
Overall Opinion
A fun, whimsical watch with a profound message. A must-watch for people who wish they could escape into Alice’s wonderland down the rabbit hole.
