when i first saw the trailer i knew i was definitely going to be tuning in tho i do not know much of hikaru utada's songs, the trailer was enough to get me hooked. fist love stories may be cliche but it's a classic and if it's done well then im sold! what made me interest to even watch was the early 2000s/late 1990s setting (tho they can absolutely be heartbreaking - looking at you 2521 and 20th century girl) and the cinematography, let alone i had never seen a drama based on a song before. on an 'overall' note, the drama does not only touch on the main first love storyline, but as well as a youthful coming of age story of two people you see growing up and how it unfolds. it's also a story about a mother who works two jobs day and night to support her family. its about teenagers having dreams and goals of their own. it's about a man and woman finding themselves years later. i loved this drama on how it would give us a certain 'piece of the puzzle' then showing the backstory leading up to the exact 'moment'. i tried veryyy hard to avoid spoilers and the way yae (FL) got into the car crash and HER GETTING AMNSESIA??? had me shocked because i know the way dramas try to work around the trope and it sometimes does not end up as good as it should have been, but let me say that if yae never regained her memories with harumichi i would be pissed off and im so glad they did not do them dirty <3 i also loved harumichis relationship with his family (especially w/ his sister)

the cinematography was breathtaking, every shot was so beautifully done - i think one of the best this year! as well as the writing, it was so inspiring sometimes. the soundtrack was great as always i think using 'first love' by hikaru utada was a perfect option for a drama based on it. rewatch value 3/5, not bad i think i see myself rewatching on a cold or rainy day when im sad or bored a year from now since its such a quick watch anyways. it really sucks how little promo there's been for the drama but i better see more people watching so it gets higher ratings and im very content this was my first japanese drama for 2022!!