Drama Digest:
Due to his rural birth, Kurose Reiji has lived his entire life under the illusion that he will never have to leave his hometown. He is unable to escape the grasp of Minegishi Gen, who keeps Reiji at his beck and call, or leaves his mother alone with his disabled brother and insane grandmother. In contrast, his childhood buddy Akiyama Sakuko dreams of the wild splendor of Tokyo and sees beyond the nothingness of their dismal town. Reiji finds solace in watching the performances of the idol group “Acrylic” and its most attractive member, Aoe Nagi, as a method to escape his mundane life. But when he runs into the renowned idol in his dreary village behind a convenience shop, he has no idea that he will soon become embroiled in a string of sensational incidents that seem to be the result of long-ago occurrences. After losing his innocence, Reiji fights to escape the depths of wickedness he has fallen into, all the while a complex web of deception, obsession, and treachery threatens to rip him apart.
The Feel-Good Part:
A positive was the production. The budget was unquestionably there, and this didn’t seem to be a low-budget drama. Each episode has a very stylized feel to it, with outstanding scenic design and the use of color to build the mood.
The Disappointing Factor:
It seemed like the author simply didn’t know how to employ his own characters; he kept dragging them around to fill in the plot’s holes.
In-Depth Analysis:
The desire to be somewhere else and the desire to move to a better and bigger city. That place is Tokyo for the two main characters, Reiji and Sakuko. Reiji portrays a devout son who assists his single mother in caring for the house and his ailing grandmother. Since his mother is constantly working and his older brother is a recluse who never leaves his room, the burden of responsibility falls entirely on him. Sakuko, a young woman from the little town where Reiji resides, is the only friend he has. Reiji and Sakuko have been friends since they were young.
Star Power:
The characters disturb us (Especially MC who just tries to please everyone but himself resulting in major shake ups to the status quo.) but also made sense given the various levels of abuse they all experience. Despite the inconsistent writing, the drama kept readers interested.
Overall Opinion:
Some people might not enjoy this drama. Shonen no Abyss is a drama/mystery at its core. Very eerie, moody, and atmospheric. The story was depressing but ultimately accurate in how it portrayed teenagers and how they deal with the problems that people around them place them in. The final episode did feel a little hurried, but that was about it.
