Orange (2015)

First: I haven't read the manga, I just knew the general topic of this movie, not the outcome.

And I have to say - it was beautiful.

No Japanese goofyness, no exaggerated clichés that are played out. Just a story about friendship, love, emotions, suffering and happiness.

Sure, it is not a 100% real-life depiction, and of course the timidness of the main female character is difficult to understand for us Westerners, but this doesn't hinder us to feel the amazing sincere vibe that is portrayed here.

This really does not require any more elaborated words or descriptions - it is a movie that is an enrichment. Just go and watch it and feel the warmth of it in your heart.

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I just bumped into this and tried since many people are fully waiting for it. I knew it was a manga from reading the comments but I never have a clue what this movie all about and that makes it even special.

I simply loved it. It made my heart felt heavy all throughout the movie. it was raw, it was great, it was refreshing and they have captured the essence of friendship pretty well. It would be great if they had a drama version following the flow of the movie, it would be greater then. The movie would make you feel how awesome to have good friends beside you, how great it would be to fully understand other people and the fact that its ok to fully open to others. So sad that its only 2 hours and you can only make much with the given time but definitely one of the best manga adaptations I have watched. Now I fully have a grasp what a parallel universe is.

I'm satisfied with the ending but I dont know if I can be fully happy with it. I have mixed emotions really.

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After recently watching Hajimete Koi wo Shita Hi ni Yomu Hanashi and loving it so much that it rendered me to reacquaint myself with Japanese shows/films, I noticed they tend to get rated lower than those from other countries of the same level on this site. In a similar vein, I felt this film deserved significantly higher rating than it currently holds. This was not your garden-variety high school romance. It spanned beyond that to showcase the importance of friendship, self-love, and having the courage to face your fears, to live without regret; not just for yourself, but for those who you hold dear. The film follows a group of friends and how they come together in the hopes of changing the trajectory of a friend’s life to save him when given a second chance.

On the surface, Kakeru (Yamazaki Kento) appears like any other teenager. Though new to the school, he immediately connects with a group of classmates who welcomes him with open arms. They do not know, however, that he is putting on a veil of normalcy. I don't believe this is intentional; after all, he looks the happiest around them. And for this reason, they are oblivious to how dark his days can be, that he is grieving for a mother who has committed suicide. As an adult viewer, it is clear to me that his mother’s choice was years in the making, one who appears to have lost the fight with her internal demons. But how is a 17 year old boy who only ever had his mother as a parent supposed to make sense of that and move on? Kakeru is drowning in guilt and self-hate. And for his friends, how can they have the foresight to reach out to someone who is silently enduring and never voices his thoughts?

The answer comes in the form of mysterious letters to Naho (Tsuchiya Tao) from her future self, a decade from now, from a world in which Kakeru no longer exist. This is how the story of Kakeru and Naho begins. One of the girls in the group Kakeru befriends, Naho is soft-spoken, kind, and considerate. Their romance is sweet and filled with squeal-worthy moments. Set in a city in the valley of mountains, the cinematography beautifully captures the surrounding environment to create a warm atmosphere that complements well with the innocent and delicate nature of their romance.

As Naho learns more about the future and Kakeru, she realizes she needed to, and wanted to, break out of her reticent nature to reach him. This growth in her character is satisfying to see. But it isn’t a job she can accomplish alone, and so eventually, their four other friends partners up with her to be there for Kakeru before he is too far gone. This was the surprise element of the film that I wasn’t expecting, this wonderful display of group friendship. It was so heartwarming to watch them foster a supportive environment where Kakeru can feel comfortable opening up and sharing the challenges he faces; to show him that they care, that they will share his burden, that if there is a task he must do alone, they will be there to support him so he can accomplish his goal. And this outpouring of love and encouragement, and making memories together, are what ultimately shifts Kakeru’s mindset, saving him from the precipice. Watching these scenes made me feel a rush of emotions. Their elation was my euphoria; my feelings soared as I cheered alongside them, and for Kakeru.

I also felt traces of melancholy in the mist of the light atmosphere throughout the film, and this feeling never went away. But there is a message of optimism at the end. I read somewhere that the happiest people on earth are the ones surrounded by loved ones they hold meaningful relationships with. This film is evident of that, and that this belief is so powerful, it could even save a person’s life.

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I absolutely loved this movie.

This movie was a ride for sure. During this whole movie, it explores the struggles that the ML goes through, and what leads to the motives for the FL and their friends to be able to change his future and not let their regrets get to them; to save him.

I absolutely loved the strong friendship that has been expressed and their understanding, to be able to show their love and look out for each other. Although, I have some disappointment that the chemistry between the ML and FL were not explored some more. I wish that their romance was more flowed to bloom my expectations for them to eventually get together.

Though, I have not read the manga for “Orange,” I feel that this movie sent me to tears as the ML struggles with depression. This movie explores his struggles and impacts that he faces, which leads for a letter sent to his friends of regrets that they have. The ending had made me feel emotional.

The cast did such a great job in playing out their roles, they play out such healthy friendships and the chemistry with each other. There were a lot of emotions that you will feel when watching this movie. For me personally, I strongly relate with the movie.

I also feel that rewatching this movie wouldn’t let me feel the emotions that I felt when watching it for the first time. To me, blindly watching a series/movie for the first time with unexpected emotions or anything without much spoiler drives me to feel the emotion physically and emotionally if you push yourself to watch it from start to end.

Overall, I give this movie a 8/10 as there was some things that had disappointed me. But at the same time, this movie is amazing and gives representation to the struggles that the ML struggles with. Also, Dori; Tao; and Kento were in this movie so it gave me a strong motivation to watch this movie.

If you are looking for something that will send you into an emotional ride, the exploration of a friendship and to look out for each other then I strongly recommend this.

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8/10

Because plot holes are inevitable in time traveling dramas

Although this is an adaption, you wouldn't notice that unless you already knew about it before hand.
I think they did a very good job on this live action and the characters are very talented considering how young they are.

Like I said, there is some time manipulating going on in this drama so of course, plot holes are inevitable but if you see past that, I think you will enjoy this as much as I did. It's a very beautiful story with smooth progression and character development and I liked it to the very end.

ENJOY!

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Once I went to Japan, couldn't speak the language, and I got lost on the trains. I needed to get back to my hotel in Yakuska. Some Japanese high school students not only pointed me in the right direction, but they rode a hundred miles out of their way to make sure I got back to Yakuska. I never met good people like that in my life. The next day, I got lost on purpose and again people went way out of their way to get me back to Yakuska. For me, those people redeemed the human race. I doubt you would find people like that in Los Angeles to help you like that if it were you Japanese visitors who got lost in Los Angeles. There really are kindhearted, good Samaritans in the world. So I say this before you watch this movie because many of you will watch the movie and not believe real people would be as caring for one another as depicted in this movie. Had I not experienced that kind of decency from others myself, I would still be a feral animal living in a savage world. I feel sorry for the me that I was before my trip to Japan.

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Friendship & Regrets

LIKES: The main message of living without regrets and taking action even if the outcome of others doesn't change. ML Yamazaki Kento did a great job acting for his character Naruse Kakeru. The supporting cast also did a great job acting. Production was smooth, with no camera shakes and good scene transitions. Directing was okay too. Music I liked and for the most part didn't overpower the dialog of the characters. No FX that I noticed, unless that's the fireworks, lol. LOVED all the scenery shots, especially the cherry blossoms! The focus on how friendship is important and can help someone who is depressed, feeling isolated and suicidal. I also liked how they showed that sometimes what we think is going on, isn't the truth and running away from it, solves nothing. They showed us how important communication is in all relationships; friends, family, loved ones, etc.

DISLIKES: FL (Tsuchiya Tao) as Takamiya Naho, her voice was annoying in that it was very whispery or breathy (as if she was always running a marathon and then tried to talk).. The director failed when it came to this character too, as her reactions to situations were WAY TOO SLOW. So instead of making her seem shy and indecisive, they made her seem mentally handicapped. It became very frustrating to watch her scenes when alone with the ML. There still didn't seem like FL had any character growth, where as the ML did have moments of growth. The way ML depression was handled towards the end, seemed a little too quick or rushed.

Overall it was okay to watch, even though pacing was sometimes too slow and other parts too fast. I did tear up in the end, so you might want a box of tissues handy. I wont rewatch it, but others may want to. A solid 6/10

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This review is from someone who watched the anime and read the manga 5 years ago--

Cast/Acting:
There are some awkward moments, the acting isn't perfect, but I guess it's a pass since the last scenes got better and given that it's adapted from shoujo manga, the pacing is reeaal slooow that it makes it awkward

Story:
So, I did like the manga/anime a lot back then. Tho if I really think about it now, the plot is 1 big loophole. And there's just a few things that are totally out of place. Pointing them out would be spoiling the plot. Either way, the story was presented quite nicely in the movie and my rating is based on the few plot twists that are questionable. So like, is it ok to rate the movie this bad because I didn't like the questionable plot twists? Well, I think so, yeah, since the movie is loyal and didn't deviate much from the original. And tbh, I kind of wished it's not about character trauma and more on character development (it's all the questionable plot twist's fault)

Overall:
The OST is nice. Kento is handsome. The other cast did great. Tao Tsuchiya is ok. The acting can be improved. The story can be blamed on the original manga plot.

Is it worth watching?
If you like drama and slow-paced shoujo, it's not a waste of time. You might question the plot tho, if you haven't the slightest idea of the story (like I did just now after being brought a blast from the past that the younger me didn't see/realize).
Watch it if you're a fan of the genre (and Kento).

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