karmyk

This is my #1 most favorite j-dorama so far... and I'd go as far as saying that it's my favorite television show ever. Water Boys has a timeless appeal that reaches out to people of all ages... and it manages to be entertaining practically the whole way through. While it has a few similarities to the movie, it still managed to surprise me again and again. =)

I went into this dorama only being familiar with one of the actors: Kubozuka Yosuke (from GTO). Thus, I didn't really have any preconcieved notions about what to expect from the other actors or actresses.

I say this dorama was unintentionally interesting because I didn't really care much for the main characters, who not only bored me, but annoyed me to the point that I almost stopped watching the Dorama. I understand that Manato (Takizawa) was playing the part of someone who was more or less an emotional coward.. so I don't blame Manato's overwhelming dullness on the actor.. But for some reason, I'm convinced that I was supposed to see Yui (Fukada) as an innocent and cute angel... but she came across to me like an annoying, spoiled brat.

What I found more interesting, instead, was how the personalities and relationships of two of the supporting characters, Haruka (Uchiyama) and Saeki (Kubozuka), developed as a result of their involvement in the lives of the main characters... Sawamura Haruka being the most interesting because she seems to be the one who actually changes and develops as a character the most throughout the show (and quite possibly the only one who really matures as a character).

The pace was slow... but it made sense. The series lasted only 10 episodes, but it ends well-- somewhat open-ended, but with a fair amount of closure. Actually, what I found out in the real end-- the one that came after the credits on episode 10, specifically about the fates of Haruka and Saeki-- actually was what gave the series a satisfying amount of closure to me.

Thus, MAKE SURE YOU WATCH AFTER THE CREDITS ON THE LAST EPISODE!!!!