As far as holiday features go, Watashi ni Unmei no Koi Nante Arienaitte Omotteta is like that Hallmark romantic movie that one would occasionally indulge in and actually enjoy without the need to over analyze things. Sweet, warm and comforting in its predictability, it ticks all the boxes needed for a satisfying romantic comedy, right down to that premature wedding proposal, under the sponsorship of a popular jeweler with a flagship store in Motomachi. It's a neat and uncomplicated love story, anchored by charming performances from its lead actors who exude a natural rapport, making the supposed transition of the characters from friends to lovers a seamless development.
A delightful, romcom puff piece, this television special has characters that meet cute, fall in love, and surmount superficial conflict to presumably live happily ever after, under the warm glow of a Christmas tree. All things considered, it doesn't introduce anything new to the genre but it's cheeky enough to acknowledge its own trappings and cute enough to tide over any viewer who's experiencing heavy melodrama fatigue.
Shirano Riko (Tabe Mikako) is a career-driven, love game creator who gets commissioned to design a mobile game for an app development company that's looking to expand its female market. She meets the curt and condescending CEO, Kurokawa Seichiro (Takahashi Issei)---who initially ridicules the concept of cultivating unrealistic female fantasies but later relents to changing his attitude and approach, under Riko's guidance, to capture the attention of project leader, Momose Haruka (Oomasa Aya).
Riko sets Kurokawa to work, schooling him in romance inducing "patterns" found in trendy dramas and encouraging him to mimic and test out the behavior of the stereotypical male characters in her games in order to to determine which one would set Momose's heart aflutter. In acting as his dating guru and wingman, they become fast friends. They start talking about things that matter in between planning their next course of action as they continue on with the love and relationship mentoring.
When Kurokawa swoops in with impeccable timing to save Riko from an embarrassing situation, she becomes acutely aware of her growing feelings for her timid mentee. She's taken by surprise and simultaneously torn when all their preparations yield a positive response from their once oblivious and elusive co-worker.
Riko sets Kurokawa to work, schooling him in romance inducing "patterns" found in trendy dramas and encouraging him to mimic and test out the behavior of the stereotypical male characters in her games in order to to determine which one would set Momose's heart aflutter. In acting as his dating guru and wingman, they become fast friends. They start talking about things that matter in between planning their next course of action as they continue on with the love and relationship mentoring.
When Kurokawa swoops in with impeccable timing to save Riko from an embarrassing situation, she becomes acutely aware of her growing feelings for her timid mentee. She's taken by surprise and simultaneously torn when all their preparations yield a positive response from their once oblivious and elusive co-worker.
The setup for the show is nothing new but writer Oshima Satomi makes clever use of poking fun at trendy dramas and shoujo manga tropes without necessarily dismissing the reasons behind why they're so popular to female viewers and why such story devices endure. All the references to male stereotypes and variations to certain scenarios are done in good humor with the kind of self-awareness and self-deprecation that acknowledge their absurdity. But no matter how repetitive or contrived they may be, the show ultimately rises to the defense of such characters and situations, recognizing their power to enthrall and inspire, as can be gleaned from Riko's rebuttal of Kurokawa's flippant attempt to ridicule her work at the beginning of the program.
Watashi ni Unmei no Koi Nante Arienaitte Omotteta pays reverence to the romcom formula by going through the same motions of any such love story, selling the magic of romance even as it attempts to temper the fantasy. The show does not veer away from audience's expectations, opting for the most conventional ending, with the show's last fifteen minutes providing the most clichéd resolution to an otherwise decent and well done romcom.
The moment Riko blurts out her feelings, the show goes on autopilot to reach the anticipated ending. Running through decorated, tree-lit streets, across a famous shopping district, a lighted ring box would await our once loveless heroine. It's not a question of whether or not Kurokawa and Riko get together (because they do) but how they get together that will truly capture your attention. There's a lot to love about the said journey for the show excels in building upon light moments with honest dialogue to carry the scenes. The more elaborate and comic attempts at initiating romance are likewise memorable, of which there is Kurokawa's hilarious yet unsuccessful attempt at emulating character types and an all-night viewing marathon of a capsule, 90s-inspired trendy drama with Riko providing live commentary as an added treat. It's not perfect but it's good enough, in terms of viewer satisfaction, it's hard to find fault in it.
Watashi ni Unmei no Koi Nante Arienaitte Omotteta pays reverence to the romcom formula by going through the same motions of any such love story, selling the magic of romance even as it attempts to temper the fantasy. The show does not veer away from audience's expectations, opting for the most conventional ending, with the show's last fifteen minutes providing the most clichéd resolution to an otherwise decent and well done romcom.
The moment Riko blurts out her feelings, the show goes on autopilot to reach the anticipated ending. Running through decorated, tree-lit streets, across a famous shopping district, a lighted ring box would await our once loveless heroine. It's not a question of whether or not Kurokawa and Riko get together (because they do) but how they get together that will truly capture your attention. There's a lot to love about the said journey for the show excels in building upon light moments with honest dialogue to carry the scenes. The more elaborate and comic attempts at initiating romance are likewise memorable, of which there is Kurokawa's hilarious yet unsuccessful attempt at emulating character types and an all-night viewing marathon of a capsule, 90s-inspired trendy drama with Riko providing live commentary as an added treat. It's not perfect but it's good enough, in terms of viewer satisfaction, it's hard to find fault in it.
ENJOYABLE IN ITS PREDICTABILITY
CHARMING LEADS
CAPSULE TRENDY DRAMA
POKES FUN AT SHOJO MANGA TROPES
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