Tokyo in April Is… Review – Nostalgically Bittersweet
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Takizawa Kazuma returns to Japan after spending years in America and runs into his school best-friend Ishihara Ren on the very first day of his new job. Surprised and happy at the incredible co-incidence, the two reignite their friendship, but the circumstances in which the two parted ways as teens continues to be a mystery and Ren seems to be hiding secrets.
Adapted from the manga series titled “4gatsu no Tokyo wa” (４月の東京は…) by Haru, the eight episode series is directed by Ishibashi Yuho, who was also behind the lens for the slowburn food themed romance “Our Dining Table” (original title – Bokura no Shokutaku). Sakurai Yuki plays the introverted Kazuma, while Takamatsu Aloha plays the more outgoing and confident Ren, but as the series progresses, it becomes apparent that men’s personalities run deeper than they let on. How these two different men rekindle their relationship and face new challenges together forms the bulk of the story.
While “Tokyo in April Is…” gives off the impression of being a nostalgic summer love story, it isn’t a typical breezy romance, but dwells into issues of workplace harassment, sexual abuse and childhood trauma. Unfortunately, the series isn’t able to do justice to all the themes it tries to explore, so the writers should’ve either tweaked the script to keep the focus limited to the lead pair’s romantic struggles or added a few more episodes to make the sub-plots stronger.
Teen actors Takeno Sena and Mitsunobu Jiyo, who portray the younger versions of Kazuma and Ren, deliver remarkably poignant performances as two students who swiftly develop a profound friendship, only to be thrust into an unfortunate situation that sends their world spiraling out of control. Mitsunobu Jiyo bears an uncanny resemblance to Takamatsu Aloha, and this casting choice significantly deepens Ren’s character. His evolution from a once cheerful teenage boy to a disillusioned adult, weary of romantic entanglements, becomes much more believable. Mahiro Tamaki shines in her brief cameo as Kazuma’s fiercely protective mother; she doesn’t hesitate to intimidate those who might pose a threat to her son.
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“Tokyo in April Is…” relies on the classic concept of “love conquers all” and doesn’t delve deeply into the dynamic between Kazuma and Ren, instead expecting viewers to rely on a few fleeting intimate moments and flashbacks to convince themselves that the leads are genuinely, deeply, and madly in love, deserving of the world. Takamatsu Aloha and Sakurai Yuki do have some sparks flying as the leading pair, but a few more concrete interactions would have helped establish their chemistry more effectively. After an interesting build-up, the last few episodes leave you feeling underwhelmed. Perhaps old school romance fans with a soft spot for melodrama might be a lot more happy with this series.
All that said, “Tokyo in April Is…” is gripping enough for a one-time watch.
Rating: 6.5/10
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