Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 51

Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan Series Review

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Nagumo Shoma looked aptly cast as the hot, rich biker/mechanic in the trailer for Japanese series “Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan”, which is an adaptation of the 2022 Thai series of the same name. And I am willing to bet that a lot of viewers saw the show for the good-looking Nagumo Shoma. Guilty as charged. Although the biggest salient feature about this Japanese adaptation is the fact that it’s only eight episodes long, with about 26-30 minute long episodes, while the original packed 13 episodes that were almost hour long in duration.

Directed by Tomori Atsuki, “Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan” follows the chaotic, steamy romantic lives of architecture students Rei (Hamaya Takuto) and Kai (Nagatsuma Reo), who fall for flambyouyant biker-boys Arashi (Nagumo Shoma) and Fuma (Suzuki Asahi). Rei is a childlike, energetic, impish college student, whose romance with Arashi, a popular alumni from the same faculty, starts off on the wrong foot. Meanwhile, Rei’s friend Kai is shy, quiet, with a dark traumatic past, and even though he isn’t interested in a relationship, he is strongly pursued by Arashi’s biker friend Fuma.

The first 2-3 episodes of “Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan” were kind of entertaining, the makers of-course make a few tweaks to adjust the story to the Japanese settings, however, as the plot progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to be invested in the show. Nagatsuma Reo who plays Kai, is not convincing as a college student at all, and looks the oldest of the four lead actors. In-fact, in real life, he is the same age as actor Suzuki Asahi, who plays his romantic interest Fuma. I usually try to ignore such superficial details (of whether an actor looks the age of their character), however, it was hard to do so while watching this show.

Hamaya Takuto’s performance as Rei fluctuated between being endearingly cutesy and downright annoying, but that’s more a reflection of how the character is written. In fact, the actor Takuto, who is in his mid-twenties, looked more like a high school boy than a university student. Nagumo Shoma as Arashi does what his brief asks him to do – be the sexy, broody, intimidating, dominant boyfriend to the puppy-like Rei. Their chemistry is debatable: it’s hot and cold, they are cute sometimes, and cringe-y other times.

The collision of Rei and Kai’s straightforward college lives with the adrenaline-fueled world of bike racing, illegal gambling, and intense rivalries surrounding Rei and Fuma initially proves to be fun, but quickly runs out of steam. The antagonists of “Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan” are very exaggerated and caricature like, almost like they are starring in a parody of some sorts. Fuma’s evil, abusive ex-boyfriend looks alarmingly older, and looks like a bad adult comic-book villain. The abuse sub-plot seemed unrealistic, and felt forced into the plot so that a primary character could have some serious trauma and trust issues.

I kind of lost interest in the series midway and resumed watching the remaining after weeks only to see what happens in the end. There’s not a lot of fresh material in terms of plot: two hot men fall for “damsel-in-distress” sort of younger college kids. Things work out in the end, and there are some steamy scenes in between. I wouldn’t recommend the show, but go ahead and give it a chance if it sounds like the kind of romantic series you wouldn’t mind watching when you have some free time on your hands.

Read Next: Our Youth-Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu Review

Also Read: Shubeik Lubeik Review: Fantastic Blend of Magical Realism (audio version below)

GhostBox Issue #3 Review

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“It’s called the law of unintended consequences. Translation: you put one foot wrong and everything turns to shit”

If nothing else, at least the opening pages of the comic book series “GhostBox” in each issue has been fun. Created by Mike Carey, Pablo Raimondi, and Jose Villarruba, issue #3 begins with primary protagonist Chloe breaking out of jail and running for her life with the magical ‘ghost box’. Funnily enough, issue #2 too had started with Chloe running from the scene of her sister’s murder, only to run into cops who hold her responsible for the killing.

Quick recap: Chloe and her sister Jan inherit a remote, dilapidated property from a distant uncle and come into possession of a mysterious box that houses several dead souls. Jan is murdered by a dangerous shape-shifting monster hunting for the box and finds herself transported into it after death. Meanwhile, Chloe is accused of her sister’s murder, leaving her pursued by both the police and the monsters seeking the ghostbox. Issue #2 ends with the ghost of a knight saving Chloe from a ghastly monster and advising her to perform a “cleansing ceremony” to prevent the villains from tracking her.

The artwork continues to be engaging, although I still haven’t warmed up to either Chloe’s character design or her personality. So… I have mixed feelings about this issue. Most of it follows Chloe’s attempts to find a religious site where she can perform the ritual, all while the cops are searching for her everywhere. Meanwhile, a few strange events unfold inside the mystery box, where Jan’s soul tries to understand how an entire world of ghosts exists within the tiny container. However, the issue ends with an unexpected and creepy twist, so it will be interesting to see what happens next.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5. GhostBox is also available on Kindle Unlimited.

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Missing You Review: Where One Cop Has Too Many Mysteries to Solve

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Detective Kat Donovan has two mysteries she’s been struggling to solve for over ten years –

Why the criminal who confessed to murdering her father won’t reveal who ordered the killing or what the motive is.Why her fiance Josh, who was the love of her life, ghosted her completely without an explanation, soon after her father’s death.

Directed by Nimer Rashed and Isher Sahota, the Netflix limited series Missing You is based on a book by Harlan Coben and spans five episodes. Rosalind Eleazar plays protagonist Kat Donovan, a determined officer racing against time to get answers from her father’s killer, who is gravely ill and near death. Meanwhile, her world is upended when her ex-boyfriend – who had vanished without a trace (physical or digital) – appears on a dating app. Kat Donovan suddenly has several missing people to find: her father’s real killer, her ghost of an ex, and two other people who’ve gone missing.

As a viewer, the first thing you wonder is “what if the ex had something to do with the dad’s death?”. But the first few episodes establish Josh as a loving ex, a total hit with Kat’s parents, so there seems to be very little motive for him to murder the dad. Although some of the co-incidences in the series feel contrived, and the dialogues are very mundane. But thankfully, unlike most thriller that are annoying dark in color palette, “Missing You” sticks to what looks like natural lighting and an engaging amount of shades. Yeah, nothing noir, or ‘artsy’ about this one, and I am fine with that.

Rosalind Eleazar is the best bit about “Missing You”, from a tough detective in the present, to an vulnerable softie completely smitten with her man in romantic flashbacks, she displays the various layers of Kat’s character with ease. The worst thing about “Missing You” is how almost every character in the series seems to be either hiding things from Kat or outright lying to her face. For a grown, serious, hardworking, smart woman, Kat is often treated like a lost girl by people in her life and it’s outrageously frustrating to watch. “We wanted to protect you,” is everybody’s favorite excuse. The lady is a cop, she can do the protecting!

Nobody else in the cast stands out, although Richard Armitage, who has a small role as Kat’s senior at work, immediately seemed like a red-flag, since he was the bad guy in “Fool Me Once” too. For the uninitiated, “Fool Me Once” is also a eight-episode Netflix series (made by the same creators), and is a Harlan Coben thriller. The only reason I am rating “Missing You” a little higher than “Fool Me Once” was because it’s shorter, crisper, and doesn’t waste too much time on secondary characters. Those looking for a quick thriller, and don’t it being cookie-cutter, might find “Missing You” to be adequately entertaining.

Rating: 6 on 10. Watch the series on Netflix.

Also Read: Shubeik Lubeik Review: Fantastic Blend of Magical Realism (audio version below)

Closing Dynasty – Short Film Review

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“Can you spare a few dollars for my basketball team?”

Dressed in oversized shoes, ripped jeans, a bright yellow shirt, with a blue backpack almost as big as her, seven-year-old Queenie is a little hustler trying all kinds of tricks to make money. A stranger asks her why she isn’t at school on a Wednesday morning, and she spiritedly responds with, “I am trying to save it.”

Written and directed by Lloyd Lee Choi, the short film Closing Dynasty rests on the shoulders of child actor Milinka Winata, who plays protagonist Queenie, and immediately draws viewers into what a weekday in her life is like.

“You are adorbs,” a stranger tells Queenie, and that about sums up the little Chinese-American girl’s character. She is adorable but also a clever little hustler, who steals bouquets from a shop and then sells the flowers individually to strangers. Queenie bargains like an adult but also sees the world through childlike eyes, getting easily excited and optimistic about things. Sometimes, though, her antics get her into trouble.

Throughout its short 16-minute runtime, the creators maintain suspense over why Queenie is out on the streets of New York trying to earn a few dollars any way she can. The ending minute of Closing Dynasty subtly reveals the kind of influence her parents unwittingly have on Queenie’s behavior. For instance, she hums like her mother and stresses over things like her dad. Milinka Winata is confident, cheeky, and charming in all her scenes.

The short film subtly and entertainingly demonstrates how children imitate adults and how skipping important conversations with their kids can have a drastic impact on their psyche. Closing Dynasty ends with a simple scene of a tired Queenie laying her head down, drowning in her own worries. Is the next day going to be any better? Who knows.

Watch ‘Closing Dynasty’ on Netflix.

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The Hike Review – Beginner’s Trek to Dull Thrills

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Four very unlikable people go up for a hike in the mountains, but only two make it back. What’s the story? Are the other two lost, dead, or murdered?

“The Hike” by Susi Holliday is a thriller set in the Swiss Alps, flitting between the past and the present. It begins with a bruised and battered American pair heading to a police station to report their two ‘friends’ missing. Except they’re not their friends – the group of four included two sisters and their respective husbands. We don’t find out until the climactic chapters which sister and husband survive the treacherous hike. The cops also have a hard time ascertaining the identities of the survivors, who act skittish and refuse to be taken to the hospital, instead insisting on assistance from embassy officials. “Red flag,” the cop in charge immediately thinks.

The hiking holiday is planned by Cat, a businesswoman, who pitches the international trip to her husband Paul and sister Ginny as a way to spend some quality time with each other and repair both their strained marriage and strained sibling relationship. The sisters are awful to each other, and their husbands are barely better. Cat’s husband is a shady character, who had to quit his job under suspicious circumstances, while Ginny’s husband Tristan is a wealthy cheating prick. Basically, they are all such unlikable characters that you wouldn’t care about who actually survives the hazardous hike.

One of the bigger disappointments in the thriller is the fact that both Cat and Ginny sound almost the same. Even though Cat is the older, more ‘hard-working’ sister, while Ginny is the spoiled sibling who lives off her rich husband, their characters feel like slight variations of each other. Both sisters sound entitled, bitter, selfish, self-centered, whiny and unbearable. The most interesting thing about the hike is the introduction of a fifth mysterious character, somebody who stalks the sisters silently through the mountains, like a predator intending on playing with its prey before killing it. This silent stalker’s true identity reveal was a bummer.

This is an easy-to-read book, with plenty of twists, most of which are either predictable or far too contrived. The pace is slow, the characters are irredeemable, and the climactic twist is just frustratingly disappointing. But if you’re looking for a quick thriller that’s not too complex, and allows you to switch off your brain a bit, you could give “The Hike” a chance.

Rating: 2 on 5. “The Hike” is also on Kindle Unlimited.

Also Read: Shubeik Lubeik Review: Fantastic Blend of Magical Realism (audio version below)

Abigail Review: Kidnappers vs. Killer Ballerina

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

A bunch of seasoned criminals are hired to kidnap a little girl for a fifty million dollar ransom, only to realize they have a devious little monster on their hands! Will they survive 24 hours to collect their bounty?

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the horror movie Abigail, starring Alisha Weir as the titular protagonist, boasts a solid cast and a fantastic premise for a horror film – little vampire girl versus kidnappers. However, the film has a slow start, testing viewer’s patience on when all the real action will start. Although, once the vampire wickedness begins, it rains blood, bodies, screams, and horror goodness, along with some pretty fun comedic moments.

Alisha Weir is the breakout star of the film; she is fantastic as Abigail, a ballerina who loves dancing. She is introduced as a scared, screaming little girl and transforms into a creepy, unhinged, cold-blooded killer. However, too much time is spent on introducing the kidnappers: former Army medic Joey with a drug problem (Melissa Barrera); former NYPD detective Frank (Dan Stevens), who has anger issues; hacker Sammy (Kathryn Newton), who’s in it for the thrills; mean-looking sniper Rickles (William Catlett); dumb muscleman Peter (Kevin Durand, who weirdly looks like Elon Musk on steroids); and getaway driver Dean (Angus Cloud), who is no smarty-pants either and awkwardly tries to flirt with Sammy. Their names are fake aliases, nobody is supposed to know each other’s real names or identities to keep the operation clean, but they obviously have no idea how bloody messy things are going to get.

One of the main reasons the first half of the film feels so tedious is the prolonged suspense over Abigail’s identity, which drags on for over an hour. This wouldn’t be an issue if the creators hadn’t already revealed the truth in the trailer. As a viewer, you’re left waiting for the horror madness to kick off, wondering why the film insists on pretending the ‘cat isn’t already out of the bag.’ Despite the very slow start, the second half shifts gears into an entertaining ‘cat and mouse’ chase, as the criminals scramble to outwit and defeat Abigail. At one point, someone asks, “What do we know about vampires?” only to be met with the hilarious response, “That they’re not real?”

Abigail nods to established vampire lore while introducing its own unique rules about the legendary creatures’ powers. The special effects in the violent scenes may not be top-notch, but their over-the-top ridiculousness makes them entertaining in a delightfully absurd way. Perhaps the film would have worked better as an all-out horror comedy rather than attempting a slow-burn thriller approach at the start. Alisha Weir is fantastic as Abigail, making a strong case for an origin story or prequel for her character. I’d totally love to see more of her!

Rating: 6 on 10. Watch Abigail on JioCinema or rent it on Prime Video.

Also Read: Shubeik Lubeik Review: Fantastic Blend of Magical Realism (audio version below)

Baban Baban Ban Vampire Episode One Review

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Ahahahaha, this is an offbeat vampire-show that’s not meant for kids. It’s a wacky comedy about a vampire who loves drinking the blood of pure, virginal, 18-year-old boys.

Based on a manga series written and illustrated by Hiromasa Okujima, the anime adaptation of Baban Baban Ban Vampire (ババンババンバンバンパイア) is directed by Itsuro Kawasaki. The story follows Ranmaru Mori (voiced by Daisuke Namikawa), a 450-year-old vampire who works in a Japanese bathhouse, with his eyes on the owner’s teen son, Rihito Tatsuno (Yûsuke Kobayashi). Ranmaru cannot wait to sink his fangs into Rihito’s neck, but he must wait until the latter turns 18 – that’s his rule. Until then, he will have to fight off others who want to date Rihito.

Titled The Vampire of the Public Bathhouse, the first episode of Baban Baban Ban Vampire opens with a funny sequence of Ranmaru dancing to a track called Bad Vampy after tidying up the bathhouse. His moves, reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s iconic dance steps, are paired with music that feels like a playful variation of Smooth Criminal. It’s undoubtedly a subtle tribute to the pop icon, who, as many anime fans point out – looks like the inspiration for Muzan Kibutsuji, the popular vampire antagonist from Demon Slayer. Ranmaru’s dance is interrupted by the wide-eyed Rihito, who is excited about starting high-school.

Ranmaru the protagonist also serves as the primary narrator for the tale, revealing to the viewers how unlike other vampires who prefer to drink the blood of young virgin girls, he prefers ‘pure’ boys. Rihito is his ideal victim, who according to Ranmaru is an ‘unsullied soul’, with a ‘beautiful, un-corrupted body’. On the surface, the two are friends, Ranmaru is like an elder brother or guardian to Rihito, having worked for almost ten years at the same bathhouse, but nobody has a clue about Ranmaru’s real identity or evil intentions.

The animation looks a little dated, like it’s from the early 2000s, but it is engaging, and the character designs stay loyal to the manga. Episode one does a fun job of setting up the primary premise and principal characters of Baban Baban Ban Vampire. While Ranmaru is a laid-back, conniving vampire who hunts for other human prey at night, Rihito is a simple, sweet boy who falls in love on his very first day of high school. It’s not going to be an easy job for Ranmaru to ensure Rihito remains ‘innocent’ until he turns 18. There are only a few ways this story can possibly end, but it’s going to be entertaining to see how the journey to the end unfolds.

You can watch Baban Baban Ban Vampire on Netflix.

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Too Cool to Be Forgotten – Graphic Novel Review

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

When I first saw the cover of “Too Cool to Be Forgotten” by Alex Robinson, it didn’t look very exciting. But since Alex also created the pretty entertaining “Box Office Poison”, I decided to give it a shot. Only after reading the plot did I realize that the cover is supposed to look like a cigarette pack! A cool decision, since the story is about a man trying to quit smoking.

“Too Cool to Be Forgotten” opens with a scene of protagonist Andy Wicks, a father of two in his forties, smoking a cigarette outside a center where Dr. Alcola, a specialist, is supposed to help him kick his nicotine habit. Dr. Alcola attempts to hypnotize Andy, who is convinced it’s all mumbo-jumbo, however, he suddenly finds himself transported to the past – it’s 1985, and he’s back in high school, just days before trying his first cigarette. The experience feels disturbingly real, leaving him uncertain whether it’s part of the hypnosis to help him quit smoking or if he’ll be forced to relive life as an awkward teen all over again.

The best thing about “Too Cool to Be Forgotten” is Alex Robinson’s black-and-white artwork; it’s vivid, expressive, and very retro-cool. Some character designs look familiar to those who appeared in “Box Office Poison,” but it doesn’t matter much. Just like in his other works, I like the fact that it’s easy to recognize and differentiate the characters throughout the tale, especially since there are plenty of new teens in the high-school time-travel part of the story.

Alex Robinson doesn’t fully exploit the potential of the ’40-something dude back to being a teen’ trope. The story could have been hilarious, chaotic, or even traumatic, but it ends up as a tepid tale that manages to keep viewers engaged primarily due to the time-travel suspense. You obviously want to know what really happens to Andy: Is he stuck in the past forever? Is he simply having an elaborate dream? And the biggest question of all – will he really be able to quit smoking?

There are some interesting emotional scenes in the story, and Alex Robinson deftly displays how being young again isn’t all that exciting. Andy is mortified to be back in high-school, and has a hard time enduring boring classes. However, he is able to see his parents and siblings in a new light, and gains new appreciation for his future self. Unlike the title though, Andy isn’t all that cool, and can be a pretty annoying protagonist. Overall, this a decent one-time read, with a not so convincing ending.

Rating: 3 on 5. “Too Cool to Be Forgotten” is on Kindle Unlimited.

Also Read: Shubeik Lubeik Review: Fantastic Blend of Magical Realism (audio version below)

Sakamoto Days Episode 1 Review

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Taro Sakamoto is the ultimate hitman, a mash of Jackie Chan, John Wick, and Rajinikanth (and Tom Cruise if you’re a Mission Impossible fan). Mr. Sakamoto can take down a building full of armed assassins with the ease of stealing candy from a baby. But after falling in love and leaving behind his violent past to run a quiet convenience store with his wife, his old bosses and former enemies are out for his blood.

Based on the Japanese manga series by Yuto Suzuki, the 2025 anime adaptation of Sakamoto Days is directed by Masaki Watanabe and produced by TMS Entertainment, the studio behind popular titles like Anpanman, Detective Conan, and Fruits Basket. Titled “The Legendary Hit Man,” episode one begins with an intense sequence of a younger Sakamoto effortlessly killing a horde of hitmen.

The first episode of Sakamoto Days quickly establishes the legend of Taro Sakamoto, even though the violence sequence wasn’t as dynamic as it could’ve been, the scene switches to hilariously introducing the present Sakamoto as a content, fat, convenience store owner, who looks like a retired grandpa living his best life. But a former colleague comes looking for him, and not with good intent!

The animation is pretty engaging, even though some secondary character movements were on the plainer side. Going just by the first episode days “Sakamoto Days” seems to be a mildly fun anime, with a few laughs here & there, but not so gritty fights. But the premise is definitely fun – a vicious retired hitman, who is now a fat, sweet-natured convenience store owner, must protect his family-man life from his brutal past.

Here’s hoping the next few episodes pick up pac

Watch the series on Netflix.

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Our Youth-Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu Review

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

“There are three types of people in the world, the perpetrators, the victims, and the bystanders. Each lives in their own sea, separately. And the waters will never mix.”

Minase Jin is a serious, intelligent high school student, almost always nose-deep in books, sticking to his small clique of three nerds and considering himself a bystander in the world. Nothing exciting happens in his life – there’s no romance, no drama, just a steady thrum of books, grades, homework, exams, and the occasional hangout with friends to discuss cram school and future academic goals. And then there’s Hirukawa Haruki, the class delinquent – rarely at school, often covered in bruises, assumed to be from street fights. The boys live in the same area, and even though Minase does his best to stay away from troublemakers like Hirukawa, their paths collide, and an unlikely deep bond grows between the two.

Directed by Shibata Keisuke and Makino Masaruthe, the Japanese drama Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu has been adapted from the Korean webtoon Our Youth (미성년) by Hi Noon. Spanning eleven episodes, the show stars Motojima Junsei as the highbrowed Minase, while Kamimura Kenshin plays problem-child Hirukawa. Seemingly from very different worlds, can their waters truly meet at the same shore to find lasting happiness?

The perceptive Minase often regards Hirukawa with disdain, largely indifferent to his presence. However, an unexpected incident reveals that Hirukawa is not the feared school rogue or troublemaker but rather a victim of a broken home, deserving pity rather than judgment. Initially, Minase helps Hirukawa out of a sense of pity – much like a child aiding a stray. As the series unfolds, it delicately charts the evolution of Minase’s feelings for Hirukawa. What begins as fear and indifference shifts to pity and empathy, only to leave Minase increasingly unsettled by Hirukawa’s bold advances, irresistible charm, and unapologetically direct seductions. Even as they grow closer, both acknowledge the need to keep an an arm’s length from each other at school.

‘Our Youth’ (Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu) poignantly captures the confusing exhilaration of first love with the bitter realities of growing up in broken homes. While Hirukawa’s parents are divorced, his father a raging, abusive alcoholic, Minase’s parents are never around, so he practically lives alone most of the time. Both Motojima Junsei and Kamimura Kenshin deliver standout performances as leads Minase and Hirukawa respectively. Motojima Junsei especially stands out in the first half of the show, gradually transforming from the class Ice King with no time for emotional entanglements, let alone romance, to becoming vulnerable, distracted, and helplessly in love. Kamimura Kenshin is consistently engaging as Hirukawa, deceptively portraying the ‘bad boy’ look at first, and then unraveling as a sensitive soul with an artistic heart. The onscreen chemistry is close to crackling, and the ‘serious nerd falls for slacker’ makes their dynamic more electric.

I wasn’t expecting the time jump in the second half of the series, which shifts focus to the protagonists’ lives through college and as working adults. A bit more screen time for the adult versions of Hirukawa and Minase would have been welcome. The creators could’ve considered tweaking the mood of the series along with the timeline shift too. While the leads as teens go through a turbulent and grim time in high school, they live pretty relaxed, albeit hectic, lives as university students, but viewers aren’t allowed to savor the more stable phase of their relationship.

Surprisingly, although Motojima Junsei seemed like the stronger performer of the two, he isn’t as convincing as an older working man, retaining a youthful, innocent vulnerability even in the latter half. Thankfully, this doesn’t feel too discordant, as his character evolves into someone slightly insecure and a bit petulant. Kamimura Kenshin continues to be charming and casually confident as adult Hirukawa. ‘Our Youth’ (Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu) flits between the perspectives of both protagonists, even though Minase tends to be the dominant narrator of the tale.

Overall, this is a well-executed, understated, angsty teen romance, which keeps a razor-sharp focus on its lead pair, rarely distracting viewers from the primary story. Blending poetic reflections with delicate oceanic imagery, Our Youth dives deep into the turbulence and tenderness of teenage love.

Rating: 8.5 on 10. Watch the series on TVer.