Drama Digest
One day, Hiyama learns that he is pregnant.
Set in a world where men are the ones to get pregnant. Kentaro Hiyama and Aki Seto are a couple with neither marriage nor having kids as a priority despite the pressure from Seto’s family to marry. He works at an advertising company and she is a freelance writer and editor. Now, Hiyama is expecting and some social inequities must be confronted and both must decide whether to have the baby or not.
The Feel-Good Part
This was a refreshing watch. It is both a drama and comedy, as heartwarming as emotional. This is one of those dramas that has a bit of everything and the best part is it did not disappoint. This felt real, and with the roles reversed, how Hiyama had to go through the whole process of pregnancy, many real and important conversations were all carried out quite well. It definitely felt like the writers knew what they were doing, bringing awareness that is sometimes lacking in the real world. It is indeed a social commentary about various topics from pregnancies and parenthood to double standards. This drama was a pleasant surprise.
The Disappointing Factor
It did feel the drama glossed over some parts that could have had more exploring and could have been better towards the end with some alternate but Japanese dramas are known and admired for their fast pace. Other than these couple of very minor flaws, the drama can easily be called a perfect watch.
In-Depth Analysis
The drama portrays and makes an effort to explore various topics. The story was extremely well executed. This alternate reality indirectly shows the reality of trans men who may relate with the experiences of the cis men in the drama. It really makes one wonder if it is really required to have divided roles when having and raising a child, and how should the division of responsibilities look like, if any at all. This was experimental and new, both the main leads were not looking forward to having kids and the couple’s individual struggles and experiences were executed very well, the important conversations that take place during such times in real life and their spontaneity were shown. The reactions of the characters were realistic.
Star Power
All the actors and actresses did an excellent job, the male lead was a perfect fit for the character.
Overall Opinion
The drama tried to wrap up everything in it and did end up being quite flavourful. It is a worth-watching first watch and a far from disappointing rewatch. The story does a good job in raising awareness about a variety of issues and does teach a few valuable lessons. A season 2 might not be that unexpected as that would allow more exploration of certain topics and other subplots including other couples and friendships, and more about the main leads’ parents.
