Sunao ni Narenakute [j-drama]

So it seems like lately I might be doing drama reviews here.  I know a lot of other blogs already do this, and a lot of people already have reviewed a lot of the series I have, but since I have so many, I might as well start somewhere.  :)

I just finished up a series called Sunao ni Narenakute, which translates to Can't Be Honest.  It's about a group of four people who meet each other via Twitter and become great friends.  They finally decide to meet up in real life and get to know each other.  It's about how they learn to be honest with each other and their feelings and how they live their lives.  It's a typical Japanese life drama, but the characters are lovable and ones you get attached to easily.  The cast includes some of the following super stars.

Ueno Juri (Nodame Cantabile, Last Friends)

She plays the main girl character (twitter name Haru) who is a provisional high school teacher who lies and says that she is a legit high school teacher.  She has feelings for her fellow twitter friend Nakaji, and can't wait to meet him.

Eita (Nodame Cantabile, Last Friends)

He plays the main guy character (twitter named Nakaji) who is a photographer for adult magazines, but he lies to his twitter friends saying that he photographs for magazines like Vogue and Elle.  His father was a war photographer and he also wants to follow in his father's footsteps but has a hard time getting into the industry.

Jae Joon (international superstar, part of Dong Bang Shin Ki)

He plays a character named Seonsu (twitter name Doctor) who is a sales guy for a medical company, but he lies and tells his twitter friends that he is actually a doctor.  He is incredibly shy and is often bullied by his coworkers for having the worst sales records.  But he has feelings for Haru before they meet in person and wants to act on them.

Tamayama Tetsuji (Nana)

He plays a character named Kaoru (twitter name Linda) who works at a magazine as he is trying to be an editor, but he lies and tells his twitter friends that he is the head editor of a magazine.  He would do anything to make it in the business, but is being blackmailed into sexual favors by the head editor.  He cares deeply about the friends that he has made and wants to do everything that he can to help them.

Seki Megumi (Ganbatte Ikimasho, Hachimitsu to Clover)

She plays a character named Hikari (named Peach for ever episode after the first) who is Haru's best friend and goes with her to the first twitter meet up.  She is the type of girl who always wants to be loved and is having an affair with her boss.  She has suicidal tendencies and tries to kill herself in the first episode, but her friends save her in time and she decides that she needs to change herself.  She decides to join them up on twitter and changes her name to Peach in a way to reinvent herself.

I originally picked up this drama because of the two main characters, Ueno Juri and Eita.  They have been together in at least 2 other dramas and always have a good chemistry.  I also saw pictures of Eita with a Nikon camera and was intrigued, and I found some nice hardsubs by GOE;SS (gods of the east subbing squad) and finished this series in only 3 days.  It had the typical drama elements of bad timing and misunderstandings, and the self-sacrificing love.  It might sound too girlish, but it was very nice and had a good morale.  Tell the truth about your experiences and feelings.  If you don't it can eat away at you and cause unnecessary pain.

The theme song is by Sugawara Sayuri and is called Sunao ni Narenakute.  The funny thing about drama music is that you might not like it upon first hearing, but by the time the series is done, you will be listening to it all the time.  This song is typical Japanese ballad, but the lyrics are what make the song.  I remember hearing this song before I even heard of the drama because I liked the album cover.  It's such a pretty picture and I tend to download songs just because of the album art.  XD

Sunao ni Narenakute; Sugawara Sayuri

I can just feel it if you protect me

Come and hold me close right now

I want to show you these feelings that were always dear to me
Because my heart couldn’t become honest “…I miss you”

We walked back home and within the silence there was no one
This beating heart feels like it will burst open
I wonder if you can hear it?

Is there a deep love for these closed lips of mine?
I cannot say anything in front of him

I always held in these gentle feelings that you had been deprived of
Because my heart cannot become honest “…I miss you”

I swore I’d live my life, never crying in front of others
But in front of you, my heart becomes overwhelmed with tears

Is there any meaning in the words you gave me in the warmth of your arms?
I held you from behind and muttered softly

I won’t ever let you be alone because I always want to be there for you
I want to feel all of your warmth, I believe you

Because miracles just happen, they are not guided by fate
I was drawn to you so we cannot drift apart

I always held in the gentle smile you wanted to see
Because I want my heart to become honest

I want to show you these feelings that were always dear to me
Because I want my heart to become honest “…I miss you”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I hope that if you watch this series it will be as good of an experience for you as it was for me.  The theme is close to people's hearts because we always hide our true feelings to keep ourselves from hurting, but in the end, you end up feeling worse.  It's a very nice series if you're looking for one that is a bit more drama like, without the super depressing Korean teary characters/endings.  Enjoy and happy watching!!


VERDICT
Characters: 4 out of 5 (nice variety of characters.  they feel insecure at first, but grow to trust each other)


Story: 3.5 out of 5 (it's a typical life story drama where the characters have to learn to trust their friends.  some of the relationships are a bit stereotypical drama)


Irritation Level: 2 out of 5 (quite low, but there is some of that self-sacrificing bits that some people find annonying)


Overall: 4 out of 5 (good series, great characters, good chemistry, mild irritation level because of typical misunderstandings)