Drama Digest
This story follows Haruka, a fisherman’s daughter, who loses her home in an earthquake and, as a result, is forced to live in temporary housing. Nearly a year later, inspired by a lighting store in Tokyo, she decides to work there and help the customers find their light in life. In assisting others in discovering themselves, Haruka begins to heal from her wounds and trauma and discovers her light.
The Feel-Good Part
The best part about this story is that it has a lot of heart and emotion. Like a cup of coffee, the story envelops the audience with a sense of warmth and beauty. Each episode is moving and meaningful, delivering a profound lesson. It gets made for fans of the slice-of-life genre. The cinematography of this drama is also excellent.
The Disappointing Factor
The weakest element of this drama is its pacing. The pacing is slow and could’ve been better. It is a bit uninteresting at times. It does get better as each episode progresses. People who prefer exciting dramas with fast-moving plots might not enjoy this.
In-Depth Analysis
This drama is all about trauma, healing, and growth. There is a lot of symbolism ascribed to lights. It takes something as mundane as lights and gives meaning, beauty and emotion. The light designs are fantastic and exciting. It is a unique plot point that a lot of people might enjoy.
Haruka’s journey is very touching, and her emotions and feelings surrounding the tragedy get explored well. The main message of this drama is about having hope, building yourself up again after life throws a curveball at you, and igniting a light inside you after you’ve forgotten that it existed. She is also a very believable and realistic protagonist.
Star Power
Both Kuroshima Yuina and Furutachi Kanji are excellent in their respective lead roles. The story gets enhanced by the performance of both the main and guest actors/actresses.
Overall Opinion
Haruka no Hikari is a peaceful and comforting show with a fantastic message. Quiet and ambient, it is aesthetically pleasing and well written with a brilliant female lead. Fans of the slice-of-genre will enjoy this one. It makes for a perfect cozy watch.
