Drama Digest
Takeuchi Ryoma no Satsukyu is a story about an actor and how he spends his breaks in between filming periods. Each of the eight episodes is a stand-alone story with no continuity. The fictionalised version of Takeuchi Ryoma is at the centre of the slice of life drama. The show has two predecessors and has a similar structure with different actors. The other two prequels are called Arimura Kasumi no Satsukyu and Kamiki Ryunosuke no Satsukyu.
The Feel-Good Part
The concept is quite intriguing as it takes fiction and blends it with reality through the actor’s real life persona. Anthology series like this one are rare and are quite fun to watch as it works with the information and perception the audience has of the real actor and twists in different directions. It’s an extremely fascinating show to watch as each story has a flavour of its own and reveals a new facet of the main character with each passing episode. It balances the heavy and lighter elements of life and hardships beautifully. The blend gives the audience a variety of elements to analyse and enjoy as well as changes the tone of the show seamlessly to represent the complexities of life. The slice of life aspect of the show is easy-going as it has a narrative structure that it maintains throughout ad doesn’t stray away from it. It’s also quite comforting to watch the series of episodes as it explores the joy that a mundane life can bring people. The soundtrack of the show goes well with the script and expresses the show’s message articulately.
The Disappointing Factor
The only shortcoming of the show is that not all episodes are equally good, some are better than the others. Other than that, the show may be enjoyed more by people who have information about the actor as the show plays on Takeuchi Ryoma’s real life persona. The anthology episode structure may not be enjoyed by everyone.
In-Depth Analysis
The show may require the audience to have some degree of familiarity for it to maximise impact but it can still be enjoyed by people who have little to no knowledge about the actor. The structure of the show is the same throughout, which allowed the creators on executing the more important aspects of the show such as the emotional connect it needs to have with the audience.
Star Power
All the performances were excellent. Takeuchi Ryoma is playing himself but not really at the same time. He dabbles with the real and the fictional so seamlessly, it is hard to pin-point what is a performance and what isn’t, which is fascinating to watch. The actors who played side characters were great as they are really entertaining.
Overall Opinion
The show is a must-watch as it is really entertaining. It’s truly an underrated gem as it takes a promising story and executes it incredibly. The show is so easy to watch and is rewarding as it leaves the audience with many emotions. All the serious and the humorous elements in the show give viewers the perfect package. It makes for a short and comforting watch when you don’t want to go into intense plot driven shows.
