Final thoughts

Firstly, how the writers used Shirasaki character did not frustrate but rather confused me. It is established that Shirasaki is an awkward character who is very impulsive and candid about his thoughts and feelings regardless of the social atmosphere. We see this in many instances; one example is how back in college he voiced is objections to script changes regardless of who is in charge. Therefore what confused me is how this same individual did a complete 180 turn and became so hesitant in voicing his feelings openly. At first I summed it up to him being in love and its effects but later on I found that I was just making an excuse for this contradicting characterisation by the writers. If I am to stick to characterisation of Shirasaki in the beginning of the series as well as every other instance in the series that does not include romance, I expect him to just blurt out his feelings unabashed. Him being candid and awkward is his whole personality so could liking someone be that substantial that he becomes a reluctant personality? Yes, he thought that Hayama had long lasting feelings for someone else and yes, he is inexperienced in love but again with his demeanour one would expect him to blurt out something of the effect to, "I think I am starting to like you!", the moment he had an inkling that he liked Hayama. Could it be that JBL writers are so dedicated to the penchant of making characters stubborn, hesitant and frustrating that charactersation is bound to bend to its will?

Secondly, while I understood the reason for Hayama being aloof, I felt that its justification could have been explored a little more. His mother's failing modelling career, if I remember correctly, caused her to become depressed which affected how he was socialised. She told him to smile and not show his teeth and how she placed such great emphasis that he was a pretty face that he internalised that he was a pretty face to everyone and no one cared to see beyond his attractiveness. We see where in his adult life in college and even after becoming a celebrity he was adulated to the point that he became a cynosure. However this had an adverse effect on Hayama as it solidified what his mother ingrained causing him to become an eccedentesiast. Now ,what I would have liked to see is an interaction between his mother and him during high school to see how her words on him just being an attractive face affected him. This is his teenage years, a very critical time in one's development into adulthood where a lot of socailisation takes place so I would have loved to see how his mother's influence further ingrained the belief that he is just a pretty face. I also would have loved to see an in person interaction or phone call between his mother and him during the shooting of the series starring Shirasaki and himself to see how her words still affect him.

This all brings me to my major point which is that Shirasaki's personality being the opposite to Hayama's should have been the push towards Hayama defrosting. This patent antithesis was the reason why Hayama fell for Shirasaki in the first place, and the fact that this was established should have been built on to show how Shirasaki broke down Hayama's walls gradually instead of them just showing these walls shaking in reaction to jealousy, but lo and behold in true Japanese fashion Shirasaki had to become this stubborn and reluctant character right up until the very end.

Anyways, onto some minor points (I am rapping it up I promise lol), I did not like the theme song because I thought it did not fit the atmosphere of the series. However what I did like most about the series is that it was original in story-line in how it intertwined the romantic development of the characters with the characters they were acting as in the series they where filming. I also liked how they explored the effects and experiences of becoming an actor and celebrity through Shirasaki, and the fact that it was not only his first big role but he was also paired with a celebrity provided for a unique perspective of things; especially since right now Net is paired with a new actor due to the split of NetJames (Bed Friend) and his new acting partner has been receiving some unwarranted backlash.

yup that's it lol

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