Nobuta wo Produce, ep. 01-05 (spoilers)

[oyceter]

I think my favorite part so far was the 114 episode, with Nobuta standing there, unexpected flowers raining down on her. I love that in the end, it wasn't Shuuji's choice, it was what she did to change her own ending, I love that one of the biggest moments was Bando and Nobuta unexpectedly connecting. And oh, the ending, with all three of them picking up someone else's notebook, Nobuta finding out that Shuuji would have chosen the flowers, Akira seeing Nobuta's animated "Nobuta Power" henshin sequence, and Shuuji finding something about Akira that I'm still not sure about.

I have to say, Akira's grown incredibly on me. I hated him at first because he was so annoying, but oh man. The 114 episode! The trouble he goes through to make sure Nobuta won't be rejected! And then the date episode, when he immediately pops out to help her with the old man, the way the brings her hand up to his cheek!

I don't know if this will end up being a shippy show (DON'T TELL ME, EITHER WAY!), but I am now drawing little high school hearts around Akira and Nobuta.

I love love love that the show has taken Shuuji's original proclamation of "You can't change the world, you have to change yourself" and completely turned it around. I love that Shuuji went into the Nobuta Production project because he's producing himself, I love that the main conflict so far isn't about Nobuta and her popularity, it's about not needing that popularity and about how hollow it is.

I also love that another big turning point for Nobuta isn't that she successfully goes out with a guy, but that she makes a (female!) friend.

And I am sure there are fans who ship Shuuji/Akira like mad, but I love Nobuta best, because she is awkward and shy and still makes herself say "Ohayou gozaimasu" to people, because no matter how passive she is, she is still trying to write her own ending, because she is so brave and determined underneath the shuffle and the slumped shoulders.

Comments

[jain]

I'm so glad you're enjoying the show; it's easily my favorite drama, and I get very excited when other people love it, too.

And I am sure there are fans who ship Shuuji/Akira like mad, but I love Nobuta best

Oh, yes regarding the Shuuji/Akira fans (and I'm definitely one of them), but this show has such incredible characters that I, at least, ship over half a dozen pairings: slash, het, and femslash all represented. And Nobuta is incredible; I don't know anyone who's watched the show without loving her by the end.

[oyceter]

It is so cute! And oh man, I love Nobuta. Love love love.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

People do, indeed, ship Akira/Shuuji like mad...it only got worse when it was revealed that the 2 creatures in the credits were Shuuji and Akira, as opposed to one of them and Nobuta, as most had assumed.

But Nobuta is ONE OF THE BEST JDRAMAS EVER. And that's all there is to it.

[oyceter]

Ohhh =(. See, now I feel bad because I dislike it when two people in a trio end up getting together (even in credits) and leaving the third one out. Also known as my issue with all Samurai Champloo pairings that are not OT3s.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

The credits thing goes back to the fact that most of the jdramas that get big in the online community, no matter how good they are, boil down to being vehicles for whatever JE boy/s it stars. Nobuta, being a girl and therefore incapable of being a JE Boy, got shafted, despite being the center of the show.

I tend to think that any pairing in Samurai Champloo, including OT3, would end in someone dying. Likely at Fuu's hands. A girl can only handle so much.

[oyceter]

Ok, this is a stupid question, but what exactly is a JE Boy? I figured it is a male pop star/idol? But wasn't quite sure.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Ah, sorry. I'm so used to people I talk to about dramas knowing that I forget.

JE is Johnny's Entertainment, a huge talent agency for male Japanese stars, starting from kids and ranging to adults, most of their attention and hyping, though go to the 17~-24~ popstar range. They put hte bands together themselves, craft the public images, etc. There are also a lot of rumors surrounding it involving pedophilia and the like. It very much sells its talents as "boys" though, and not "men," even when they're in their 20s, and pretty much rules a big chunk of the drama market. To be honest, it kinda squicks me out.

There are a lot on my f-list who know a lot more about it than me, though, and if you want, I can make a post asking for a better, less biased explanation.

[oyceter]

Oohhhh, ok! Got it, thanks for the info!

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

I forgot about Nobuta Power!!! I need to rewatch this soon.

Nobuta, and her weird inability to smile. She's so my favourite.

Except that Akira's my favourite too. And Shuuji, with his ridiculous hair-tie, and Shuuji's adorable little brother, and their building-leaping vice-principal, and Bando's unexpected soft-heart, and Shuuji's obnoxious friends, and the annoying way they say 'bye-bye-cycle!'...

[oyceter]

Nobuta Power is so awesome! I love the way her mouth twitches when she smiles, and I love Shuuji's weird family and how his dad is the housedad and his mom goes off and leaves them behind for months and months.

[gyutto.livejournal.com]

Nobuta is definitely a gem in the land of high school doramas; not to mention ones starring guys from Johnny's Jimusho. I've watched it multiple times and I still get a smile every time I hear "Nobuta power...enter!". The friendship dynamics are a delight to watch as they develop.

[oyceter]

Yes! They are so cute! And I love the focus on friendship and finding yourself.

[raucousraven.livejournal.com]

I absolutely adore this show, and have from the moment Catherine backflipped off a rooftop. But what sold me was the Hallowe'en episode, which was ...unexpectedly beautiful, really. Kind of like Nobuta herself. Glad you like her too :)

[oyceter]

OMG Catherine is the best! I love the small grace notes in the series like the Halloween episode, especially how Shuuji goes in with his brother.

[cryptoxin.livejournal.com]

I really love this drama....

[oyceter]

It is so sweet!