Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 18

Sakamoto Days Episode 12 Review: Shin Unlocked!

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

This is how you come back from a break if you’re an action anime: with lots of gruesome deaths, blood, and a bunch of murderous psychos on the loose! Taro Sakamoto is back to catching bullets with chopsticks in part 2 of season 1 of the action anime series ‘Sakamoto Days’, while hundreds of assassins and hitmen look to finish him off.

Also Read: Sakamoto Days Season One Part One Review

Based on the Japanese manga series by Yuto Suzuki, the anime adaptation is directed by Masaki Watanabe and produced by TMS Entertainment. Titled ‘Overload’, episode 12 of ‘Sakamoto Days’ opens with back-to-back brutal killings carried out by a bunch of crazy death row convicts, all of whom are tasked with eliminating Sakamoto and team.

Almost all crucial characters of the show make an appearance in this edition, including the legendary members of the ‘Order’, the super-elite team of assassins that Sakamoto used to be a part of. The primary focus of this episode of ‘Sakamoto Days’ is on the death-row convicts and the carnage they cause. One of them called Saw, a dramatic bulky serial killer, goes after after Shin Asakura and Lu Shaotang, when the two of them are out shopping.

Just like most antagonistic assassins featured in the series so far, Saw is an overconfident killer, but he’s quite theatrical and talks non-stop about how he enjoys giving people an ‘exciting’ death. He humiliates Shin and Lu, hoping crushing them to their deaths would be a blink-and-miss job, but of course, it isn’t.

I think this was a great start to part 2 of the anime, it includes a generous dose of violent action, along with comedic moments. The animation quality remains the same, or if anything it might’ve gotten better, because I didn’t find any reason to complain. Now that all the primary character personalities are well-established for non-manga readers too, this comeback of ‘Sakamoto Days’ was very entertaining!

The episode wraps up with a thrilling twist, as Shin taps into newfound combat potential, setting the stage for an electrifying showdown between Sakamoto’s sidekicks and the deranged serial killer.

Watch Sakamoto Days on Netflix.

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Head Over Heels Episode 8 Review: Ghosts, Grudges & a Love Triangle

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Well, things are finally looking slightly bright for fairy shaman Seong-ah (Cho Yi-hyun) now! She isn’t the only one ‘Head Over Heels’ in love anymore, not since her first love, the handsome but cursed Bae Gyeon-woo (Choo Young-woo), candidly admitted his feelings for her. Poor Ji-ho (Cha Kang-yoon) is officially the third wheel now, although he decides to fight for his love. And there’s also the matter of the evil spirit Bong-su possessing Gyeon-woo, who may or may not kill the teen archer.

Recap of ‘Head Over Heels’ Episode 7

Gyeon-woo gets possessed by the haunted house spirit, Bong-su, kicking off a chaotic chase to expel him before he does serious harm. Seong-ha’s talismanic touch keeps the spirit in check, marking a resumption of trust between the two, while Ji-ho feels left out. As shamans scramble to contain the havoc-wreaking Bong-su, romantic sparks fly between Seong-ha and Gyeon-woo. Meanwhile, Dongcheon confronts Yeom-hwa in a tense side plot. Surprisingly, Bong-su isn’t a terrifying ghost but a spirit with a mission. The episode ends with Gyeon-woo giving Seong-ha a hug and confessing he likes her.

Episode 8 of ‘Head Over Heels’

This edition of the series opens with shamans Dongcheon (Kim Mi-kyung) and Do Ryeong (Yoon Byung-hee) performing a tense cleansing ritual on the unwilling Yeom-hwa (Chu Ja-hyeon). Furious, she vows revenge, and some of the focus shifts to her desperate efforts to turn Bong-su, the malevolent spirit now possessing Gyeon-woo, into her personal deity to carry out her dark ambitions. But it turns out to be a challenging task.

Meanwhile, protagonist Seong-ah is in constant physical contact with Gyeon-woo, so they’re hilariously always holding hands at school, even when Gyeon-woo goes for archery practice, much to Ji-ho’s annoyance, who feels left out and jealous. The main focus, of course, is on the teen shaman’s mission to expel Bong-su from her crush’s body, though this chapter of ‘Head Over Heels‘ also gives the lead pair plenty of cute romantic moments.

Cho Yi-hyun is adorable as ever in this episode as Seong-ah, but it’s Choo Young-woo who really brings the laughs, flipping between straight-laced Gyeon-woo and the cheeky ghost Bong-su. The senior shamans won’t stop stressing how deadly Bong-su is, but honestly, he feels more like a naughty prankster than a real threat. As someone who loves horror, I was hoping for some proper spooky mayhem, but I’ll admit, the goofy antics of Gyeon-woo’s possession is more entertaining and in sync with the tone of ‘Head Over Heels’ so far.

From serving up crucial flashbacks that explain how Yeom-hwa fell out with her former spirit-mother Dongcheon to stirring up some ‘love triangle’ drama between Seong-ah, Gyeon-woo, and Ji-ho, this episode moves at a brisk pace. The final moments deliver a major twist that could mean serious trouble for Gyeon-woo… but then again, when is he not in mortal danger on this show?!

Watch ‘Head Over Heels’ on Prime Video.

Find the writer on Twitter and Instagram for more pop culture chatter.

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It’s The Girlfriend vs the ‘Boy Mom’ in Prime Video’s New Thriller Teaser

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“This One Is Different”

Olivia Cooke stars as Cherry, the kind of ambitious, enigmatic woman that makes even the most seasoned playboys hit pause on their commitment issues, you know, the kind you take home to meet mom. But what happens when mom isn’t thrilled about the girlfriend or the fact that son might be finally putting someone else over her?

Prime Video dropped the teaser-trailer for its new upcoming series ‘The Girlfriend’, where Robin Wright plays Laura, a classic ‘boy mom’ who’s immediately on high alert when her son Daniel (Laurie Davidson), known for never being serious about anyone, suddenly falls hard. Olivia Cooke is red-hot and dangerous as Cherry, donning a stunning red dress in one scene that channels the classic femme fatale allure.

From the teaser-trailer alone, ‘The Girlfriend‘ looks like a saucy, slow-burn psychological thriller with just the right amount of emotional dysfunction. It’s giving ‘mommy issues’ and Mommy’s issues. “You are mummy’s boy, aren’t you?” Cherry asks in a scene. “Oh… sure,” Daniel laughs. Points to the man for self-awareness, at least.

With Olivia Cooke’s offbeat charm and Robin Wright’s intense screen presence, this could be your next Prime Video stream. The series drops September 20.

Watch the teaser of ‘The Girlfriend’ on YouTube, it’s also embedded below.

Boys in Love Review: Stayed for Chokun-Aston, Zoned Out the Rest

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

GMMTV has tasted so much success with pairing good-looking actors with each other and letting their looks pull the show, that sometimes they don’t even bother with a script. ‘Boys in Love’ is that kind of series, it’s cutesy because of the cute actors and a few fun moments here and there. A lot of it is just a repeat of every teen high-school romance we’ve already seen. Even the refreshing plot about one of the teens being open about his bisexuality and new boyfriend with his teacher mom isn’t as comedic or dramatic as it could’ve been.

Directed by Waa Waasuthep Ketpetch, ‘Boys in Love‘ (เปิดเทอมใหม่ หัวใจหัดรัก) spans 12 episodes and follows serious class topper Shane (Mick Metas Opas-iamkajorn), who is working hard for a college scholarship, as he starts to fall for the rich slacker Kit (Luke Peemsan Sotangkur), whom he has been tutoring for quick money. Yeah, we’ve seen that in 100 shows already, so it gets boring quickly. All the family drama that goes on in Shane’s house with his three other siblings is more entertaining. Another subplot follows Shane’s close friend Kim (Chokun Puttipong Jitbut), a romantic who always has his head in the air, and falls in love at first sight when he sees Mon (Aston Ratiphat Luengvoraphan), a gorgeous new student at their school.

The only reason I stuck around until the end of ‘Boys in Love‘ is because Chokun Puttipong Jitbut and Aston Ratiphat Luengvoraphan made a ridiculously cute onscreen pair as Kim and Mon. Their romance is also comically sweet for most of the series, and their chemistry has an endearing energy. But since there are a total of four couples in this high-school show, Kim and Mon don’t even get adequate screen time. One of the subplots follows an unlikely romance between nerdy math teacher Tan (Papang Phromphiriya Thongputtaruk) and new teacher Nat (Pod Suphakorn Sriphothong), which, although quite nice, didn’t need to be part of the series.

Mick Metas Opas-iamkajorn gives a convincing performance as an overthinking high-achiever, but his onscreen chemistry with Luke Peemsan Sotangkur feels inconsistent (definitely not a pairing I’d be interested in watching again). The last high-school based romantic-comedy BL from GMMTV that was high on entertainment was ‘My School President’. Even their Thai adaptation of high-school romcom ‘My Love Mix-Up’ (the Japanese original ‘Kieta Hatsukoi’ is excellent!) which starred Aston Ratiphat Luengvoraphan as the secondary lead wasn’t as fun.

Well, if you’re looking for a low-stakes, simple romantic-comedy with pretty faces, this show might be worth a watch.

Rating: 5.5 on 10. Watch ‘Boys in Love’ on YouTube.

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Head Over Heels Episode 7 Review: Possessed Gyeon-woo Is Hella Fun

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Demonic possession, evil shamans, lots of chasing, and some sweet romantic moments – this was a pretty entertaining edition of ‘Head Over Heels’, led by the super-cute Cho Yi-hyun as teen shaman protagonist Seong-ah, whose mission to save her “first love,” the cursed Bae Gyeon-woo (Choo Young-woo), is never-ending!

Recap of ‘Head Over Heels’ Episode 6

Seong-ah confronts malevolent shaman Yeom-hwa (Chu Ja-hyeon) for tormenting Gyeon-woo relentlessly throughout his life. Meanwhile, Gyeon-woo, who had lost trust after discovering she is a shaman, begins to see her in a favorable light again, especially after reading about her sad past as a child shaman exploited by her family. But since Seong-ah has no idea her crush is warming up to her again, she sends her friend Ji-ho (Cha Kang-yoon) to protect Gyeon-woo as a human talisman.

This episode of ‘Head Over Heels‘ was packed with hilarious moments of Ji-ho constantly touching and hugging Gyeon-woo. But things end on an ominous cliffhanger when classmate Kim Jin-ung (Kim Sung-jung… who some might recognize as the bully in ‘Weak Hero Class‘) enters the cursed haunted house sealed off by the shamans. Seong-ah enters the forbidden enclosure to save Kim Jin-ung, only for Gyeon-woo to follow, which can only spell doom since he is meant to be Yeom-hwa’s scapegoat.

Episode 7 of ‘Head over Heels’

Well, well, well! Episode 7 kicks off with Gyeon-woo getting possessed by the evil spirit from the haunted house. The focus is on Seong-ha’s efforts to expel the entity before it either completely takes over, or worse: kills Gyeon-woo! She is, of course, helped in the mission by her spirit mother Dongcheon (Kim Mi-kyung), shaman Do Ryeong (Yoon Byung-hee), and her aunt (Lee Soo Mi). Seong-ha also warns Ji-ho to steer clear of Gyeon-woo, who has no idea that his friend is now possessed.

In a fun twist, the evil spirit, whom Seong-ha names Bong-su, is unable to control Gyeon-woo’s body or mind whenever Seong-ha touches him, suggesting her powers as the human talisman have reawakened now that Gyeon-woo trusts her again. Choo Young-woo is excellent in this episode of ‘Head Over Heels’, delivering an entertaining portrayal of the evil entity inhabiting his character’s body. While Gyeon-woo is usually serious, broody, and moody, his possessed version is far more carefree, not excessively evil, but definitely mean-spirited, running around causing havoc as the shamans scramble to contain him.

This edition of ‘Head Over Heels’ delivers plenty of small romantic moments between Gyeon-woo and Seong-ha, since she has to be in constant physical contact with him to keep Bong-su locked in. The duo might just be on the verge of becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, once they get rid of Bong-su, of course, which is proving to be a very difficult task for the shamans, with even the powerful Dongcheon at a loss. A parallel sub-plot shows Dongcheon crossing paths with Yeom-hwa, and a clash between the two ladies lead to Yeom-hwa fainting. But instead of leaving the antagonist to her fate, Dongcheon takes her home.

Honestly, I was expecting the spirit from the haunted house to be a scary, murderous, spine-chilling ghost. However, it turns out he used to be a young man before becoming a spirit and has his own personal mission. So instead of a terrifying supernatural turn of events, viewers get a comedic-cute new chapter, which ends with the lead pair making up with each other.

Watch ‘Head Over Heels’ on Prime Video.

Find the writer on Twitter and Instagram for more pop culture chatter.

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Gachiakuta Episodes 1-2 Review: ‘Trash-Filled’ in the best way!

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Ah! Glad I waited to watch at least 2 episodes of ‘Gachiakuta’ before writing a review, because all the real action and spice is in the second chapter, even though the pilot gives the anime a solidly entertaining start for a dystopian-action series.

Based on the manga series written and illustrated by Kei Urana, ‘Gachiakuta’ (ガチアクタ) follows young protagonist Rudo (voiced by Aoi Ichikawa) quest for revenge, after he is falsely implicated for the murder of his beloved adoptive father Regto, and thrown to his death in ‘the pit’, a massive dumpsite below the city. However, Rudo survives the fall, finding himself in a ghastly world laden with trash heaps, monsters, and strange groups of people.

Directed by Fumihiko Suganuma, with animation by Bones Studio (My Hero Academia, Fullmetal Alchemist, Bungo Stray Dogs, etc.), Episode One of ‘Gachiakuta‘ grittily explains the divisive world Rudo lives in, with the city clearly split between the elite class and the slums inhabited by the less privileged, known as the “tribesfolk.” An orphan, Rudo is raised by Regto in the slums and taught to believe that if you take care of objects, they develop souls. Rudo, therefore, despises how easily the rich discard things without a second thought and often sneaks into the city to salvage useful ‘trash’. This becomes a key theme in this anime, and if you haven’t read the manga or seen the show yet, I’ll not reveal more!

The world of ‘Gachiakuta’ starkly highlights the divide between rich and poor, with the elite classes ironically dressed in sterile, uniform-like white outfits, a clever visual cue that reflects their lack of creativity and soul. And those living in the slums too wear off-white uniforms. I loved the animation for this series, the colors are slightly dull, a deliberate artistic choice to match the grim tone of the tale and the injustice Rudo faces. Rudo’s character design, with crazy big red eyes, is the best in the series so far.

While Episode 1 ends with Rudo being thrown into the pit, Episode 2 of ‘Gachiakuta’, titled ‘The Inhabited‘, is wildly entertaining, showing the aftermath of what unfolds as Rudo enters the realm of trash. There he sees the weirdest things, and meets the intriguing new character Enjin (Katsuyuki Konishi), who is clearly going to serve as Rudo’s mentor in the new place and maybe even help him extract his revenge against those who killed Regto.

The circumstances under which Rudo and Enjin meet are both alarmingly dangerous and mildly hilarious. Episode 2 is action-packed and exciting, and that’s where ‘Gachiakuta‘ really comes to life. If you’re a fan of dystopian action stories led by the ‘angry young man’ archetype, this is definitely a promising anime to check out.

Watch Gachiakuta on Crunchyroll.

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‘Good Boy’ Episode 14 Review: Lead Dong-Ju is the ‘King’ of Violent Showdowns

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

It’s time for the final showdown between the athlete cops and Joo-yeong’s (Oh Jung-se) thugs in Korean action-comedy ‘Good Boy’. And there’s no way golden boy Dong-ju (Park Bo-gum) is not going to be a part of it!

Recap of ‘Good Boy’ Episode 13

While Dong-ju is recovering from his injuries, Han-na (Kim So-hyun) goes on a shooting spree at Joo-yeong’s den, missing the villain by just a few inches. Jong-hyeon (Lee Sang-yi) soon arrives as her backup and starts fighting the thugs. In a clever twist, Han-na live-streams Joo-yeong talking about his criminal activities through a police cam, sending ripples through Insung City, with the clip going viral. This spells doom for both Joo-yeong’s illegal operations and his political immunity. In a twist, Leo (Go Joon), the Russian criminal, comes to Han-na’s aide, after finding out his father was murdered by Joo-yeong.

Meanwhile, Dong-ju wakes up (Wolverine this ‘Good Boy’ is, I’ll say it a hundred times) and heads to the police HQ, where he slaps the police commissioner. And even though he’s a wanted fugitive at this point, nobody tries to stop or contain him. He then heads out to rescue Han-na with senior cop Man-sik (Heo Sung-tae).

Episode 14 of ‘Good Boy’

“You’ve been through hell, but you seem to be doing fine.”

Villain Joo-yeong says this sarcastically to Dong-ju when they come face to face again. Have truer words ever been spoken? The guy’s constantly brushing shoulders with death and somehow always survives. So episode 14 is aptly titled ‘Kings Never Die‘ and it better not be just metaphorical. I’ve been complaining that it’s going to be very disappointing if they kill off Dong-ju, so I am hoping the episode title is a prophesy.

Viewers get a heavy dose of violence, knife fights, fistfights, gunfire, and even grenade blasts. A few flashbacks reveal murders committed by a younger Joo-yeong, but with just two episodes left, the backstory feels undercooked. The glimpses we get aren’t enough; the series should’ve shown more of his rise from a nobody customs officer to the city’s underworld kingpin with truckloads of cash.

Tae Won-seok’s portrayal of Shin Jae-hong has been the dullest part of ‘Good Boy‘, and his role could’ve easily been trimmed or pushed further into the background to make room for more compelling arcs. For example, we still don’t know why Han-na broke up with her ex, even though both are key characters.

Unfortunately, Joo-yeong manages to slip away again, so the second half of the episode follows Dong-ju and his team as they try to track him down. The team is also on the hunt for a police informant who’s clearly been helping the criminals. So this chapter of ‘Good Boy’ is a little bit of everything, some action, some investigative work, comedy, and some romantic moments between lead pair Dong-ju and Han-na too.

As always, Dong-ju and Jong-hyeon team up for ground work, delivering some classic love-rival comedy, especially since Han-na has made her growing fondness for the boxer clear to her ex-boyfriend. Park Bo-gum and Lee Sang-yi’s onscreen frenemy dynamic remains one of Good Boy‘s most entertaining highlights.

The final few minutes go completely over the top, but yo, no spoilers here! All you need to know is that Dong-ju gets smashed to a pulp again, but he’s basically but he’s our Terminator, our Wolverine, our Superman at this point… so yeah, he better walk this one off too.

Watch ‘Good Boy‘ on Prime Video.

Find the writer on Twitter and Instagram for more pop culture chatter.

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‘The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity’ Episode 1 Review

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Humans, why does this anime have such a long title?! And going by the first episode (I haven’t read the manga), it doesn’t even sound on brand. ‘The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity‘ makes the show sound like an Edo-era classic about some wronged character fighting against all odds for their honor. But this anime is about the blossoming friendship between an intimidating boy from a public boys’ school known for teen delinquents, and a cute girl studying at an elitist private girls’ school next door. The problem? The schools hate each other. Yes, the classic ‘rich versus poor’ divide, like the high school version of ‘Romeo and Juliet‘, but with warring schools.

Based on the Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Saka Mikami, the anime adaptation of ‘The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity’ is directed by Miyuki Kuroki, with animation by CloverWorks. Titled ‘Rintaro and Kaoruko’, the first episode quickly, cutely, and sentimentally, establishes the personalities of its primary protagonists. The animation is glossy, engaging, and the character designs are a slight improvement on the manga version, or it seems like it due to the bright colors.

Rintaro Tsumigu (voiced by Yoshinori Nakayama) looks tough on the outside, everybody is comically scared of the very sight of him, owing to his towering height and slightly rowdy look. He often helps out in his family-run cake shop after school hours, it’s there that he meets the short, pretty customer Kaoruku Waguri (voiced by Honoka Inoue). Unlike everybody else, Kaoruku isn’t scared of Rintaro, and even shows signs of wanting to befriend him, which really takes the boy aback.

Except for the last few minutes that get overtly sentimental, with Rintaro going on a self-deprecating thread about how everybody judges him based on his looks, the episode is an entertaining start to ‘The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity‘. It swiftly establishes that Kaoruko is a sweet, open-minded, honest teen girl who loves eating cakes, while Rintaro has a similar personality, except that he hides his soft side and is an introvert.

Kaoruko gave me flashbacks to the dessert-loving heroine from ‘Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary‘, a teen girl with a pastry obsession who’s often seen hopping from one cake shop to another. Kaoruko, however, is more devoted in her dessert habits, sticking loyally to one spot for her sweet fixes: Rintaro’s shop.

If you’re looking for soft-romantic teen comedy, check the show out.

‘The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity’ is streaming on Netflix.

Find the writer on Twitter and Instagram for more pop culture chatter.

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‘Desire’ Episodes 1-3 Review: Visuals & Exposition Overload

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Chinese series ‘Desire’ (垂涎) is set in the fictional Omegaverse universe, which luckily for viewers unfamiliar with the genre, is explained in great detail in the first episode of the drama. All you need to know is that humans can be divided in three biological classes: Alphas (dominant), Betas (neutral with low fertility), Omegas (submissive, fertile and can get pregnant regardless of gender).

Based on a novel by Nong Jian, ‘Desire‘ also introduces a fourth biological class: the extremely rare Enigma, a one-in-200-million rarity capable of dominating even Alphas. The story follows protagonist Hua Yong (Huang Xing), a beautiful, wealthy Enigma and heir to a business empire, who takes on a fake identity to romantically pursue Sheng Shao You (Qiu Ding Jie), a handsome, top-tier Alpha, and an influential pharmaceutical tycoon. Another subplot explores a possible romance between Shen Wen Lang (Jiang Heng), Shao’s business rival, and his assistant Gao Tu (Li Pei En), an Omega pretending to be a Beta due to family baggage and past trauma.

The first episode is slow, and serves a lot of exposition to explain everything in the plot. While the guide to it’s Omegaverse dynamics is necessary, a lot of other long explanations over character motivations and their work is far too wordy. Huang Xing as the mysterious enigma Hua Yong looks like a porcelain doll, he’d got eerily perfect features, not sure if it’s the make-up or some kind of post-production filter. That said, Huang Xing’s portrayal of Hua Yong is on point, he looks like a cold, scheming brat, almost-always in character as a ‘poor damsel in distress’ for Shao You, because that’s just his type.

Visually, ‘Desire‘ is stunning, with grand set designs that bring to life the glamorous world of powerful alpha men in a fictional country simply called “P.” Hua Yong resides in a jaw-dropping mansion, complete with infinity pools and breathtaking views. Much of the early story unfolds in sleek offices and luxurious lounges, all styled with a professionally polished, high-end aesthetic. The background music however doesn’t do much to elevate the mood in the series, dominated by bland piano pieces so far.

Hua Yong teams up with his buddy Shen Wen Lang and goes undercover as an intern at his firm, just so he can conveniently pop up wherever Shao You is. With sneaky charm and zero shame, Hua Yong starts low-key ‘training’ the Alpha like a Pavlovian pup, seducing him bit by bit with daily cookie deliveries and perfectly timed appearances. Interestingly, Yang Peng Cheng who plays Song Huan Cheng, manages to steal the scene in his very small appearance in the first episode of ‘Desire’ as Shao You’s ex. But after that, it’s a ‘Hua Yong-Shao You’ show.

Among the four leads, Li Pei En’s Gao Tu is the only working-class character, and also the one with most baggage. Gao Tu relies excessively on suppressants and painkillers to hide his Omega identity, while flashbacks reveal his mother encourages him to do so. In the present, he is clearly in love with his Shen Wen Lang, someone very vocal about hating Omegas, so it gives Gao Tu more reason to suppress himself.

A major subplot in ‘Desire‘ revolves around Shao You’s mission to find a cure for his father’s rare cancer. His pharmaceutical company is heavily investing in R&D while also eyeing rival firms for valuable research and breakthroughs. One name that catches his interest is the elusive, socially distant heir of a company called ‘X’, and of course, that mysterious billionaire is none other than Hua Yong. The best bit so far is how Hua Yong always stays in character of the ‘poor pretty boy’, almost always on the verge of tears, to milk Shao You’s emotions, while masking his manipulative, dominant, cold side with flair.

Going by the first three episodes, ‘Desire’ is rich in visual details, has a gorgeous cast, but the storytelling is choppy, the dialogues too long, over-explaining scenarios and slowing down the pace. But the whole ‘omegaverse’ setting gives ‘Desire’ an edge due to the novelty, with Thai-series ‘Pit Babe’ being the only other ongoing live-action title in this genre.

You can watch ‘Desire’ on YouTube, Youku, iQIYI and WeTV.

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‘The Summer Hikaru Died’ Episode 2 Review: Things Get Eerily Sensual

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Cops descend into the sleepy village of Kubitachi Village in episode 2 ‘The Summer Hikaru Died’, to investigate an old woman’s death. Meanwhile, a classmate asks Yoshiki Tsujinaka and a few others to accompany him back home through a forest path, claiming it’s too spooky for him to make the journey alone. In the forest, the one near where Hikaru Indo had gone missing before coming back changed, Yoshiki sees something strange…

Quick recap of ‘The Summer Hikaru Died’ Episode 1:

Protagonist Yoshiki, a high-school student, finds out his best-friend Hikaru is dead, and an unknown supernatural entity is pretending to be him. Devastated, grief-torn, Yoshiki decides to accept the new Hikaru, convincing himself it’s better to have his shell than nothing at all. But unknown to him, there are hunters about that kill entities like the one pretending to be a cheery Hikaru. The episode ends with the brutal murder of an old woman by a demonic being, attracting a hunter to Yoshiki’s sleepy village.

Back to Episode 2

Titled ‘Suspicion‘, Episode 2 of ‘The Summer Hikaru Died‘ once again blends horror and emotion in an gritty manner. The episode follows Yoshiki and Hikaru’s hike through a forest path, where something supernatural occurs, while a parallel subplot focuses on the carefree Tanaka, a hunter from “the company,” who arrives in Kubitachi Village to investigate the unnatural death of the old lady.

This chapter includes key flashbacks, the most important of which reveals a family belief passed down in the Indo household: members must marry as early as possible, or else the forest entities will take away the person closest to them. The Kubitachi Village is rife with several rumors and supernatural beliefs about the mountains and forests surrounding it, with more people convinced something unnatural has walked into their lives.

Things take an eerily sensual turn between Hikaru and Yoshiki in this episode, a combination of words (“eerily sensual”) I’ve perhaps never used before, but you’ll have to watch ‘The Summer Hikaru Died‘ to understand what I mean. Yoshiki, of course, is still struggling to come to terms with Hikaru’s death and the entity’s presence in his best friend’s body. But he can neither let go of his grief nor the new Hikaru, whatever he may be.

In an unsettling twist, a stranger named Rie senses something off about Yoshiki and warns him that he’s getting too close to something extremely dangerous. This happens towards the end of the episode, pushing Yoshiki into a new spiral of thoughts, making him question his proximity to Hikaru. There’s the familiar angst, loneliness, and desperation from the first chapter, and once again, it’s subtly established that the strangely evolving relationship between the teens isn’t going to end anytime soon, unless they’re torn apart by external forces.

Watch ‘The Summer Hikaru Died’ on Netflix.

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