Orange Days (2004)

I LOVED this drama.Now lemme tell you why
This drama may seem like a typical love story with the guy falling in love with a girl but it is so MUCH more.

This is indeed a love story and one of the best out there.Im officially stalking Erika Keitagawa,the script writer of this drama.Do not drop it thinking that the girl is deaf so it would be filled with lots of tears and angst.It definately has its share of that too but its more about this group of youngsters not knowing their place in the world and actually working towards it by being together and finding out their place and making the friendships in life matter.

The depiction of friendship is one of the best.I could feel the care and friendship when the guys stole each others food or when they pulled each others leg because in reality that's what guys do.Tease and play and make fun and still have the bromance going on.The friendship between the girls was heartfelt too.Ozawa Akane learned sign language just becuse she wanted to converse with her friend.How sweet is that.These people will give their lives for each other and that's how strong the friendship is.

Sae is not the typical heroine.She's arrogant,moody and full of her own insecurities and issues.Shibasaki Kou is simply amazing as Sae.Without her voice she can still make us feel all her emotions.Her eyes speak and so does her sign language.I never knew one could express so many emotions through sign languge.You can feel her frustration and anger when her hands speak fast and her sadness when they are barely moving.she brought something fresh to my screen and all her dilemna about falling in love with a normal guy seems so real and touching.After she worked through her insecurities and emotions she came out as just another girl with dreams and fantasy of prince charming and not someone physically handicapped but someone just like you or me.

Kai is the type of guy we can be friends with and eventually fall in love.The one with whom falling in love is as easy as breathing.He gives a warm feeling and with whom you could talk about anything for hours and still won't get bored.The one who'll piggyback you when your feet hurt and the type of guy who'll fight for your honour even when he knows he'll get beaten up in return :D
Its not that he has no flaws but his flaws are so minimal.I LOVE his character and how he doesnt pity Sae for being the way she is but treats her like he would any other girl.Tsumabuki Satoshi as Kai was so cute.

The leads romance was filled with light and sweet moments.They had a few tearjerker scenes which brought more emotion to the story.The subplot of Akane and Sano falling in love was interesting too.Sano being a playboy and how Akane actually turns this good for nothing guy who considers himself worthless into someone who can actually learn to love and care was good to watch.

What i also liked and could connect with is how none of them knew what they had to do with their lives and how after they came together they solved each question,each problem together and came out victorious.Their dilemna in thinking what career to choose or their stress over not finding a job is so real and so relatable that i saw myself in them with the same aspirations and dreams in life.

The music was soothing and beautiful.

All addicts know that at some point every drama drags and this did too but only in the later few episodes.Its pretty well made so there aren't much flaws here even when i tried to find some.

Romance,friendship and teenage angst in one gifted Package deserves to be watched by all
Go and watch it NOW..:P

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This drama is in my top 3 and I've seen more than 400 of them (of course some I dnf) I watched this more than 8 years ago for the first time and I'm still absolutely in love with Satoshi Tsumabuki's character. He's the kindest and realest drama hero I've seen. This drama made me a fan for a lifetime. The love story is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen and the struggles the characters face, still hit home to anyone in their twenties. I was in my early twenties when I watched this and I seeked comfort from this drama. It also made me envious. I wished for such an amazing group of friends and such a love story.

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I just finished watching this drama and I am very happy I finally decided to start it. I was doubtful at first because I had some kind of feeling that this story would be too shallow, but I was absolutely wrong. To all of you who is reading this, just give this drama a try, I think it is worth and beautiful.

"Orange days" is the story of a very easy-going and kind boy who is attending university and is uncertain about the future; it is also about a girl who lost her hearing and who's trying to get herself back together through her passion and dreams. And therefore, it is about their friends and their time spent together. Sometimes I am not sure to watch dramas whose focus is a story about a few characters, because I usually think there is a risk of losing its effectiveness, but that's not the case. Yes, there are a few characters here, but the story is a whole: it is a whole because it perfectly portraits various shades of life, it has youthful vibes, talks about friendship, love, sorrow, goodwill. It shows us all these things without effort, smoothly. You don't feel stranded or confused, following one character or another. It is like a photograph, every part of it matters and gives the whole.

CAST AND CHARACTERS: All the actors were absolutely brilliant: I felt that each one of them added something precious to their characters, and it was wonderful to watch. Therefore, the way they communicated (with and without sign language) was real and powerful. Even though sometimes the characters acted recklessly or showed selfishness, I still think they were amazing.
I loved Kai and Sae, but I also liked Shoei so much!!!

MUSIC: The OST was very enjoyable: it was part of the whole because it expressed a lot and it was never left behind.

In short, I loved this drama and I think I will be rewatching it soon.

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University set drama with the energy and vibe of a High School CDrama

( Mentally ) I'm , sheepishly , dragging the toes of my shoes left-to-right in the dust. See, the thing is this: this is the drama which got me interested in Japan - oh, how my wallet still weeps!! I , now, have 2 1/2 copies on DVD. I have two CD soundtracks. too. Now pay attention to my name, folks!!! I changed my name to KAI because of the main character. I am not only a fan of this drama; I'm a connoisseur. The only way to watch this is by binging. Give yourself over to it. All 11 episodes of it. Back -to - back. And......keep watching past the end credits of episode 11. That last minute ties-up all the other 11 episodes like a smooth, comforting, safe and loving ribbon. I love that last minute. Like Kai and Sia it is perfect as well as made for them. Last thing, folks: the music. The original OST is beautiful. You will reflect on your life. You will want to better yourself. You will want to be in love. And you will cry. However....you'll want to run out and buy yourself a baseball cap and wear in back-to-front in order to dance like you are on a ship during a storm the moment Orange Range start performing 'Shanghai Honey '.

Overall: ' Orange Days ' is about people learning to learn about themselves and about each other. You don't have to watch it. But you must watch it.

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Immerse yourself in your student years and in a magnificent love story

Interesting Japanese drama, a little outdated (clothes, hairstyles), which talks about disability (loss of hearing for a musician), and the uncertainties of a group of 5 students, at the end of their studies facing entry into work life .

PLOT: At university, meeting between ML, a 4th year student with girlfriend and a 22 year old FL, violinist who has become deaf. Despite himself and in spite of herself, their lives will be turned upside down.

PROS:
+ I don't know the actors, but they are very talented. they make us experience this poignant story with intensity. We immerse ourselves (or re-immerse in my case) in this time of student life, where everyone seeks their own path, with carefreeness, but also hesitations, anxieties, friendship, love, ...
+ Themes approached in detail, with intelligence.

CONS:
- the actors look a little old for their role, but that is not the case. They were actually in the right age range, in their twenties. But in 2024, actors playing student roles have a much more youthful appearance; wich is why older dramas can induce some confusion (with their hairstyles and whatnot).

=> You should not miss this gem!! ♡o｡(๑๏‿ฺ๏๑)｡o♡

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Japanese Drama intéressant, un peu daté, qui aborde les thèmes du handicap (perte de l'ouïe pour une musicienne), et les incertitudes d'un groupe de 5 étudiants, en fin d'études face à l'entrée dans la vie active.

PLOT: A l'université, rencontre entre un étudiant de 4e année (avec petite amie) et une FL de 22 ans, violoniste qui est devenue sourde. Malgré lui et malgré elle, leur vie va être bouleversée.

PROS:
+ je ne connais pas les acteurs, mais ils ont beaucoup de talent. ils nous font vivre cette histoire poignante avec intensité. On se plonge (ou re-plonge pour mon cas) dans cette époque de la vie étudiante, où chacun cherche sa voie, avec l'insouciance, mais aussi les hésitations, les angoisses, l'amitié, l'amour, ...
+ Thèmes abordés finement, avec intelligence.

CONS:
- les acteurs font un peu âgés pour leur rôle, ce qui n'est pourtant pas le cas en réalité. Mais en 2024, les acteurs ayant un rôle d'étudiants, ont un aspect beaucoup plus juvénile.

=> Il ne faut pas passer à côté de ce joyau !! ♡o｡(๑๏‿ฺ๏๑)｡o♡

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Orange Days is an even-paced, bittersweet drama that causes us to reflect on our youth, be it middle school, high school, or college. The setting of the show is at a university, and the story revolves around what comes to be known as "Orange no Kai," the Orange Society. The small club is composed of five members and together they live out their last year on campus, their primary goal is to create many good memories before they graduate. Of particular focus is Sae, a deaf girl capable of hearing the occasional high pitch sound or vibration who is still trying to cope with her 4 year bout with her disability, and Kai, a student who's thoughts are dwindling between his carefree days as a student and the uncertainty of his future as an adult.

This drama is reminiscent of Asunaro Hakusho which has a similar setting without a member with a disability. While Asunaro Hakusho thrives on it's jilting melodramatics and intense character situations, Orange Days shines in it's subdued situations and subtle but powerful moments of emotion. In this respect, Orange Days is calm and serene and urges us that while there are many hardships that we as members of society have to overcome, as long as one has the strength to rely on others as much as ourselves, we will have a fighting chance at overcoming the hurdles presented to us.

The storyline was very well-written and absolutely never overdone. In fact, I'm somewhat surprised that something like this could come out of Japan as I am so used to dramas relying on shocking moments and "evil" characters to accentuate the happy moments they present. The only thing I didn't like were some of the actions of Sae's mother, who in later episodes did things almost opposite of what her character originally did -- it made me seem like I thought I knew her but didn't.

It's very refreshing to see that no awkward zoom-ins or traditional Japanese-ish camera angles were used... if there was English dialogue, this could definitely pass as a Western show. However, the Japanese setting and social actions by the characters are what attracts me to these dramas in the first place, and are very welcome.

Also of particular interest was the mild and emotionally sublime soundtrack. Naoki Sato did an incredible job of capturing the essence of the memories of college life. The feel-good mood of the entire series can be heavily attributed to the soundtrack. The end song Sign by Mr. Children was very well chosen and complimented each episode. And while some people thought Shanghai Honey by Orange Range was jarring in the middle of a particular episode, I thought it did well creating a specific memory for Orange no Kai. It's moments like those that make you wish you could relive your youth.

Shibasaki Kou did a very good job at portraying a jilted, once-famous deaf person. Her character was annoying at times and forced the audience to feel what she herself was going through. At times I wish she could tear up a bit more, as I probably would have cried more myself if she did... it would have made her performance top notch. Tsumabuki Satoshi did very well himself. He never overacted and was able to convey every emotion required of his character. All the other actors did well, too, notably all of Orange no Kai.

One of the few things the show lacked was a strong ending. I suppose this is hard to do with such a subdued, realistic story line. While I enjoyed the series from beginning to end, I think certain plot points could have been resolved in a way that could evoke more emotion than it did. Having been written more realistically, I felt I could associate myself with the main characters, but there were times where I wanted to cry more but realized there's no point in doing so if the character wasn't going to (although there were several points where they did emote well).

Still, Orange Days is a refreshingly subdued drama that never overdoes the dramatics. It does a wonderful job of creating the memories that form the backbone of it's story and development of it's characters. For this reason alone, you maintain a good feeling after each episode and complete the series with a good memory yourself -- watching Orange Days.

(Originally posted August 9th, 2006.)

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Vecchio non è sinonimo di brutto

Quando mi sono approcciata a questo drama non mi aspettavo molto. Ero in preda ad una crisi perchè tutte le opere recenti che stavo guardando non mi convincevano e più volte ho gettato la spugna. Sono felice di essere una di quelle persone che non si fanno spaventare dalla vecchiaia delle opere.
Il drama è un concentrato di amore, sogni, decisioni per il futuro, accettazione di sè, amicizia, speranze.
I protagonisti sono giovani a cavallo tra la scuola e il mondo del lavoro e in parte incerti su quello che davvero vogliono sia da loro stessi che dalla vita. Kai è il classico belloccio di turno con un futuro davanti di cui sembra sicuro ma ci penserà Sae a fargli mettere in discussione tutto quello che per lui è sempre stata una certezza e sarà per lei che il tutto inizierà coinvolgendo anche altri personaggi che all'inizio sembrano comparse ma che mano a mano risulteranno sempre più di spessore. Il fatto che Sae sia sorda e usi la lingua dei segni per esprimersi è stato il motivo per cui ne ho iniziato la visione perchè amo questa caratteristica in un personaggio ed anche lo stesso per cui avrei pianto alla fine della serie.

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Portrayal of irrationality in the best way possible

LEAST SPOILER REVIEW :

Orange Days is a classic women's fantasy.
But what it does great is the portrayal of irrationality in the best way possible.

There's MC who's committed to a 3 yr elder girlfriend.
There's an FMC who's deaf.

There's a playboy character,
FMC's friend who's eyed by the playboy.

And the general supportive 3rd friend who likes FMC's friend but is a wussy.

Now this drama is spot on with human relationships and how they pan out except for the MC and FMC which is a fantasy sort of, the damsel in distress whom the MC can't help but get infatuated with.

MC's girlfriend is always insecure about the age difference with the MC, and this pans out in the end.
She ends up going to someone else as she sees her boyfriend get swayed.
Basically, women always have an option even when they don't.

The player gets the normal girl who will fix him or perhaps.
And the 3rd friend, well I guess we don't know when he'll get a girl coz he's never dated before and that starts a love triangle with the playboy, FMC's friend and this guy .

So now you may ask where this drama lacks.
The script, I would say.
The starting episodes are strong after which it falls out .

In short, Orange Days is an average drama but a good learning curve on irrationality and how it pans out.


5.5/10

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What a beautiful story. You must watch it!

It’s a 2004 drama, but it doesn’t feel like that old story. Anyone can enjoy this drama even in 2023. You can watch it at YouTube.

I don’t usually like college story but this one was exception. I felt how all of them went thought during the college year then onto working. It made me cry through many episode. Story itself was so realistic and you can relate to each characters.

Especially main CP’s feelings towards to each other were gradually developed. It’s romance but it’s not like wanting to see hugs and kisses. It’s more like real human drama with romance.

It is really heart warming drama. I recommend to watch it.

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