J-Drama (2024) | College, Romance, Youth

‘Nevertheless — The Shapes of Love’…A lukewarm adaptation that dials down the oomph of the original.

Also known in romaji as ‘Wakatte Ite Mo’.

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Spoilers Ahead…

It seems fitting to return to the blog with the review of the Japanese adaptation of *Nevertheless, which was my last review back in 2022. But to truly experience this version, you need to forget about the Korean one, as The Shapes of Love* is not a remake per se, but inspired by the latter and attempts to tell its own story.

Note: I have not read the Webtoon, and so the differences in the Japanese screenplay could be owed to adapting directly from the Webtoon rather than the Korean Drama, but in my review, I am only presenting comparisons made with the Korean adaptation.

It’s not fair I know, but the original though frustrating, was still somewhat captivating. It had anchored a solid conflict through the character of Jae Eon (played by Song Kang), and it’s only expected that Na Bi (Han So Hee), who is attracted to him, despite him dating other girls, is in two minds about their relationship. On the other hand, in The Shapes of Love, Ren’s (played by Yokohama Ryusei) only fault seems to be that he is distant with Miu (Minami Sara) and doesn’t open up to her. Just like Jae Eon, he attracts a lot of female attention, but unlike Jae Eon who openly flirts, kisses and dates these girls while also pursuing Na Bi, Ren doesn’t seem much interested in them and just strikes a polite, friendly (not flirtatious) conversation when approached, just as expected from a professor in a university. Pair this with a short runtime and limited interaction between the characters, I could not empathize with Miu’s frustration with Ren and the status of their relationship.

The drama plays the conflict straight — it’s about artists exploring, engaging and surrendering to their art, trying to encapsulate their internal emotions into wood, concrete, stone, into a more robust and solid form. Most conversations revolve around this idea, as Miu often expresses how she is not able to see Ren’s true self in his artwork. That’s why in the very last episode, we are exposed to Ren’s thoughts explicitly, giving reason to why he is cold, distant and unable to commit to Miu. Likewise, Hikari (Fukuchi Momoko) verbalizes how despite dating apps and casual relationships, she is seeking something real and grounded, nudging her to date Osakabe (Asano Shunya), whose wooden sculpture of Buddha — which he chips away with great patience — reflects his composed and balanced personality. And Saki (Asakura Aki) who had stepped away from the art world, returns to it, mimicking a return to her true self, and her true love Manami (Natsuko). Even Ruki (Sano Reo) is able to express his creativity through food.

Regardless of all these attributes, I was bored. I sound harsh, but I just wasn’t interested in the characters or the story, as it all unfolded in a matter-of-fact manner, without any thrill or excitement. This drama could have greatly benefitted from a longer runtime, which could have better showcased the titular Shapes of Love .

The one thing I will take away from this drama is that Kamakura is a very beautiful city and if I ever visit Japan one day, I hope to visit the city!