yangsing

Getting straight to the point, Shiroi Haru is one of the best Japense dramas I have seen in quite some time. You know you are watching something special when you canft stop watching until youfve reached the end. Shiroi Haru pulls you in emotionally and is intriguing enough to have watchers glued to their televisions; qualities which you will find in any admirable drama. That is not to say Shiroi Haru is perfect, it has a couple drawbacks that brings it down a peg.

Shiroi Harufs story is compelling albeit dragged out on occasion and predictable; something most avid fans of Asian dramas are familiar with. Viewers witness Abe Hiroshifs character struggle to readjust to normal life after prison, dealing with unanswered questions, and a few big surprises thrown in for good measure. The trials the characters go through in Shiroi Haru can be depressing at times but also uplifting at times. Some characters in the drama stick out like a thorn which will have viewers question their necessity in the story. The only real big negative in the drama as a whole is the ending; unnecessary and tacked on.

Where the story and plot fail at times, it is the actors in Shiroi Haru that propel this drama. The actors in Shiroi Haru perform exceptionally. Abe Hiroshi shows audiences again why he is one of the best Japanese actors. Hiroshifs portrayal of Sakura Haruo is outstanding and viewers will invest emotionally into his character. Ohashi Nozomi also did a fine job as Sachi, her smile could light up a room.

One more thing to mention, music in a drama can hurt or bring life to it. Yokogao by Sakai Ayumi is the perfect song that expresses the emotions in Shiroi Haru.

Summary: An emotional story and characters that pull you in. Not perfect but a must see if you consider yourself an avid drama fan.