"To You, Shining" has ended. M-man is in a state of loss, but Ms. N seems to be in a state of deep loss. The best way to get out of this loss is to talk about our passionate feelings about the drama. So, this time, we'll be talking about "To You, Shining, trivial matters."
It may have struck a chord with female viewers who have never watched a historical drama before.
N child"It's finally over."
M man"The sense of loss is overwhelming"
N child"The number of streams is the highest ever."
M man"But the ratings are the second worst after 'Idaten.' I can't believe it."
N child"These days, a lot of people record and watch, so I don't think the ratings numbers mean much."
M man"Even when it comes to streaming, that's only within the last 10 years, so even if it's said to be number one of all time..."
N child"That's right, so I think it's pointless to nitpick about the numbers. But I think it definitely resonated with the female demographic who had never watched a taiga drama before."
M man"Indeed, it seems like it's more girls who are into it."
Shouldn't taiga dramas be enjoyed as historical entertainment?
M man"There are a lot of comments about 'To You,' even on note, but from what I can see, it seems like 7% are overjoyed and 3% are critical."
N child"There are people who criticize."
M man"The majority of critics seem to be of the opinion that taiga dramas should be historical dramas, and that the plot, which is far too unconventional, including the fact that Michinaga and Murasaki Shikibu were in a relationship and that Kenko was Michinaga's child, is questionable."
N child"But even in the previous taiga dramas, the only historical facts were that the Taira clan was destroyed at Dannoura and Yoshitsune died at Hiraizumi, and the characters were all fiction created from the imagination."
M man"In historical fact, Sakamoto Ryoma was just an errand boy for Saigo Takamori, and was far from being a key figure in the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance. So he's not worth studying historically, and I don't think he's even mentioned in textbooks. And yet he's the protagonist of the taiga drama."
N child"That's right, so taiga dramas should be enjoyed as historical entertainment. However, as I wrote many times at the beginning, even if she was the daughter of a lower-ranking aristocrat, I don't think she would be walking around Heian-kyo alone at night, and I was a little concerned about scenes that deviated greatly from the lifestyle of the time, such as the role of a scrivener."
M man"At first, I also had some issues with the language being too modern, and how the heirs of aristocrats would actually ride horses. But gradually, I stopped caring about those nitpicks, and I became more and more absorbed in the drama."
There was plenty of sex and violence in some ways.
N child"That's true. In the beginning, it was a bit stagnant. I think it started to move more dynamically after the Echizen arc."
M man"The Echizen arc itself wasn't that great, since it only featured the seaside, the governor's mansion, and Shumei."
N child"When Oishi Shizuka said at the press conference announcing the production, 'This time it's about sex and violence,' I honestly thought, what on earth is that? But from the Echizen arc onwards, that's certainly what it was."
M man"There were a lot of risqué scenes."
N child"M-san was often angry."
M man"It was 8 o'clock on a Sunday night, when elementary school children were in front of the TV with their parents. I'm sure there were many parents who were flustered by Emperor Huasan's perversion."
N child"It was certainly a bold move for NHK. But if you think about it, the role of the Empress who entered the Imperial Court was to give birth to a son, and for the Emperor and Empress, that was her biggest job. It was only natural that Ise relentlessly pressured Sadashi to 'have a child, have a child,' and in a sense, the Imperial Palace was filled with a sex-filled mood. The scene where Emperor Ichijo and Sadashi said 'just a moment' and went inside in front of Kikyo was really obvious."
M man"There was no direct violence, but there was plenty of violence in the sense of political intrigue. Partway through, I thought this was just like 'The Godfather,' and it seems Oishi had already said so at the press conference."
N child"That's right. It's just like The Godfather. Just like Al Pacino who gradually changes from an innocent young man to a mafia member, Michinaga was a good guy in the first half, but in the second half he becomes more and more evil, and the darker he becomes the more interesting it gets. Also, the energy of Akiko's "grudge" in the first half and Ise's from the middle onwards was incredible."
M man"There was something terrifying about it."
N child"I think Akiko's position was changed midway through. At the production announcement, I think there was an explanation that Akiko was in a position similar to Lady Rokujo in The Tale of Genji, and that her resentment extended to Mahiro. But that didn't happen, so maybe they changed it a bit."
I was deeply moved by the warm regard and respect shown towards Heian period women's literature!!
N child"The greatest feature of 'To You,' and what made me happiest, is the warmth with which it looks at the 'story.' To put it more simply, it shows a deep respect for Heian period women's literature."
M man"I agree"
N child"When Oishi-san said at the press conference that 'we won't be using The Tale of Genji in a play within a play,' I was very worried about whether we could make it through a year without using that technique. From the very first episode, there were a few scenes that were based on or paid homage to The Tale of Genji, such as when Mahiro meets Saburo while searching for a bird that had escaped from its cage, so I had expected that to some extent, but I never imagined that there would be such a grand underlying theme as a comprehensive survey of Heian period women's literature."
M man"I also thought, 'Oh, is that so?' when it was explained that Takako, Michitaka's wife who was there to look after him, was in fact the same person as the mother of Sanshi Gido, the author of the Hyakunin Isshu poems. At the same time, I thought they didn't need to go to such lengths, but now that I think about it, this may have been one more part of the comprehensive overview of women's literature."
N child"The Diary of Lady Murasaki was published quite early on as well."
M man"I knew the name 'Kagerou Nikki', but I was really moved when I found out that the author was one of the wives of Michinaga's father, and also the mother of the Right General Michitsuna, who also appears in the Hyakunin Isshu. What was wonderful about this taiga drama was that the people of the Heian period, who I only knew in writing, such as Emperor Kazan, Emperor Ichijo, Emperor Sanjo, the mother of the Right General Michitsuna, and Fujiwara no Kinto, felt real. Of course, through the actors who played them."
N child"That's right. I felt like I had a vague idea of what Nobunaga, Ieyasu, Yoshitsune, and Yoritomo were like in my mind thanks to the many dramas that have been aired up until now and the actors who played them. It feels like the people of the Heian period have finally joined that group this time."
M man"Emperor Ichijo, in the portraits on Wikipedia, he's not that good looking."
N child"That's out of the question."
I never thought I would be able to watch the creation of "The Pillow Book" on TV.
M man"I was surprised to learn that Sei Shonagon wrote The Pillow Book to comfort Sadashi, who was in a dire situation, because I had always thought it was written around the same time that her salon was in full bloom."
N child"Apparently, it's not clear why The Pillow Book has the character 'pillow' in its title, or even when it was written. But the scene where the bellflower quietly places it outside the blinds to comfort the sick Teishi, and every time she reads it, Teishi gradually becomes healthier as the seasons change, was truly moving. Whether it's based on historical fact or not, I think it was a wonderful interpretation and direction. Even if it may not be based on historical fact, I never thought I'd be able to see the creation of The Pillow Book on TV."
M man"To be honest, I was a little moved too. Although many people said that the scene where colorful paper flutters down from above Mahiro's head, inspired by The Tale of Genji, wasn't that moving."
N-ko:Starting with "The Diary of Lady Rosalind," "The Pillow Book," "The Tale of Genji," "The Diary of Izumi Shikibu," "Eiga Monogatari," and the final episode, "Sarashina Diary," it was a veritable parade of Heian period women's literature. After the Heian period, there were no female writers in the Middle Ages, Warring States, Edo period, or even the Meiji period, so if you think about it, this is a unique or wonderful era. It was clear to see that the production team respected the atmosphere and flow of that era, and I was very happy every time I felt this sense of respect."
Masochist man: "When the final episode came, 'The rest of this will be shown tomorrow,' I was surprised, thinking it might be an homage to The Thousand and One Nights of the Arabian Nights. Oh, right, Mahiro was Scheherazade."
N child"The power of stories. It is stories that move people's hearts. I think that was the main theme of this production. Japanese classics, like honkadori, are based on past stories, and new stories are born by reinterpreting them, and these stories give birth to new stories, in a continuous, continuous flow. If you think about it that way, I think that this "Hikaru Kimi e" is also a new story that Oishi has spun for the Reiwa era, based on "The Tale of Genji."
M man"It sounds like a very grandiose story, but it may well be so. And the Chinese poetry and waka poems that appear from time to time must have been well thought out as well, right? I can't read them, though, so I didn't understand them at all."
N child"When I was watching the TV broadcast with my X running, as soon as a Chinese poem or a Japanese poem appeared on the screen, several people uploaded comments like, 'That's something by Bai Juyi,' or 'This is how you read it.' They also explained the content, which linked perfectly with the scene, which was wonderful."
M man"That's amazing. It seems to have resonated with classics nerds too. Whenever I see a scene where Mahiro is writing smoothly with his brush, I often think, "Oh, I wish I could read that!"
N child"It seems that this drama has inspired many people to start calligraphy."
The best scene is the morning after they spent the night at Ishiyama-dera Temple. Pay attention to Mahiro's big toe.
M man"Now, as is customary when we look back, what is your favorite scene, Ms. N?"
N child"Maybe it's the rendezvous between Mahiro and Michinaga at Ishiyama-dera Temple."
M man"When Michinaga appeared with the glittering silver powder."
N child"No, it's not that scene, it's the scene after they've spent the night together. When they're lying on the bed, not only is Mahiro's leg entangled with Michinaga's, but her big toe is also pressing down on Michinaga's leg. I was shocked when I noticed this while watching the video."
M man"Is that it?!"
N child"The two of them had been dying to meet, and by chance, they met for the first time in years and were able to spend the night together. Her legs spoke of the joy and the intense feeling of having spent that night. There may have been acting direction given as part of the production, but if Yoshitaka had done it herself, that's amazing."
M man"I'm sorry. I didn't notice at all. I was just staring blankly, thinking that the masochist man never takes off his eboshi hat."
N child"What's your favorite, M-man?"
M man"The scene where Mahiro visits Michinaga, who is ill in Uji, and the two of them go out to the river and have an incredibly intense and dangerous conversation, with Mahiro saying, "I'll join you. Why don't we both be swept away down this river?" and "Don't die before me," was great, but what struck me the most was the scene at the boathouse the night before they are caught up in the Toi invasion. "I don't have the energy to write anything anymore. I'm finished." It seems like he is talking about the origin of the act of writing, and these are words that only Oishi, who has been writing at the forefront for many years while wearing his soul out, could come up with. And it seems to connect to the important theme of this film, weaving a 'story,' and I was moved by that."
N child"There were also occasional homages to The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. The Tale of Genji certainly owes a lot to Murasaki Shikibu's individual talent, but it is also part of a lineage of stories that began with The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter and The Diary of Lady Rosalind, and it was really wonderful to see how the play properly took that into account."
Tasuku Emoto's facial expressions and the wonderful casting of Ryuji Akiyama
Masochist man:The actors were also fantastic."
N child"First of all, Emoto Tasuku. From the gentle third son in the first half to the dark side in the middle, and then to the second half where he gets flustered when Mahiro isn't around, he was amazing. In particular, his acting in the second half, where he expresses his feelings for Mahiro just through facial expressions, was amazing."
M man"For me, it's Yoshitaka-san. In the second half, there were many scenes where she acted not with lines but with the expression of her eyes, and she was very good at it. At the beginning, I said that Riho Yoshioka should have played Mahiro, but I take back what I said."
N child"Miura Shohei, who played Ishu, was also amazing. Akiyama Ryuji was also outstanding. The idea of casting Akiyama as Sanesuke was brilliant. Kuroki Haru was also wonderful as a dignified northerner. Her slightly scary side was also great. Although they were fictional characters, Yabe, who played Otomaru, and Nobukawa, who played Ito, both brought a great flavor to the film."
M man"It was certainly heartwarming. But if I may be so bold as to criticize the fictional characters, I am a little concerned that three fictional characters play very important roles in the story - Naohide in the first half, Echizen, Shumei in Dazaifu, and Sojumaru at the end."
N child"If it was just a story about the Imperial Court and real people, the drama wouldn't move forward dramatically, so I think they needed a powerful character to act as a game changer. And all three of them are good-looking, so it's OK for girls."
Thank you so much to Oishi Shizuka, the director and the rest of the production staff for a wonderful year of drama.
M man"Maybe because I was constantly searching for information related to 'To You Who Shines,' related blogs and articles started appearing automatically, and I enjoyed reading them, seeing what all kinds of people had to say."
N child"There are a fair number of articles and blogs related to the Taiga drama every year, but this may be the first time that we have seen so many different comments from various quarters, including on social media. Even in the much talked about scene in the final episode, some people say that Mahiro and Otomaru were already dead at the time and were just ghosts. This is because Sojumaru was the only warrior who returned the horse, and this tells us that only he, who had a connection with the two, was able to see their ghosts. There is also a theory that when he handed Kenko the waka poems that would become the Murasaki Shikibu Collection, it was Mahiro's ghost that appeared."
M man"Not at all. It's not like The Sixth Sense. But it's true that many people have enjoyed interpreting it in different ways, such as Abe no Seimei's line in the first episode echoing Mahiro's line at the end, or Otomaru calling her "Princess" in the final episode, or how this part was resolved, or that scene actually had this meaning."
N child"If Oishi and the rest of the production team had planned all of that out in advance, that would be amazing."
M man"Speaking of the end, I was surprised to see the appearance of Murasaki Shikibu's "Meguriate..." from the Hyakunin Isshu here. Up until then, it had been interpreted as a poem addressed to a deceased friend, but when it appears in that setting, that friend is Michinaga, and the meaning of the poem becomes much deeper. Then, as if to overlap with that, Kenko nonchalantly says, "Your mother also had friends." I couldn't help wanting to interject, "Hey, that friend is your father." Even this one scene leaves room for various interpretations, which is very interesting. For example, the hands that appear in the background of the opening music could actually be Michinaga's hand sticking out from under his futon in the final episode, and Mahiro's hand holding it."
N child"The music was great too. I have so much more to say about the gorgeous sets and costumes, the wonderful reproductions of the Gosetsu Dance and Kyokusui-no-Utage, and so on, but I'll stop here because I'll just end up feeling more and more disappointed."
M man"The best way to get over this loss might be to get hooked on the next big river as soon as possible."
N child"That's true. As a literature enthusiast, I'm really looking forward to seeing how Edo comic writers are treated. But in closing, I want to say loud and clear: I'd like to thank Oishi Shizuka, the director and the rest of the production staff for a year of wonderful drama."
What is the review of “To Shining You”?
"Premium Japan Literature Club" (exaggeration) was formed by people who love literature within the Premium Japan editorial department. For literature lovers, the 2024 taiga drama ``Hikaru Kimi e'' was a perfect opportunity to discuss this and that. Volunteers from the editorial department will continue to freely review articles. Editor S and Editor N reviewed the differences between historical facts and dramas, a deep dive into foreshadowing, and more!
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