Blackboard: I won't make it justice... but it was amazing!!!

[ginger001]

For all Sho-kun has invested on this, all the effort, all the promotion, seriously it's worth it... because everybody should watch this! He is a great Kageyama and in comedy he is really good, but allow me to say that he simply is amazing here!!! I thought that being aired so close to Nazodi some people may have a problem changing from that character to this one, but not at all, there is no need of transition because the moment Blackboard started he wasn't Sho-kun or Kageyama or any body else, he became Shirahama sensei. I was speechless with the start and throughout it I kept being in awe of his work.

I cried, I worried, I got heartbroken... It's a fantastic drama, really touching telling a story of a man in a delicate/difficult moment in the story of Japan. I read, I think it was in the Cut interview (translated by lovely shojunniji), that he was interested because it was WWII and he liked it when he was a student and also war issues really matter to him... So this had all he had dreamt of and it gave him the chance (for being who he is) to reach viewers that maybe starring some other actor it wouldn't have been possible.

He is hurting so much during most of it trying to deal with his past for which he feels guilty (or seems so) and trying to see where he fits in the future...

Will just say this: there are a lot of scenes where you just want to hold him and tell him that everything will be okay. The moment with his mom (you'll know when you watch it) I was crying buckets!

There is this huge speech towards the end that I really wish I could get more of it... It's quite long and touching just for the way he delivers it but I didn't get too much. I had tears in my eyes anyway. And when he writes 'mirai' in the blackboard *cries* and what he says after that!! So beautiful!

I wrote in a previous post how he gave a book about Mindanao to the director of the drama and now I know why. It is supposed he lost his arm in that battle (I am currently reading about it at Wikipedia since although I love WWII, being in Europe we tend to focus in our front and the Pacific is a bit unknown to us).

I am not posting pics so I don't spoil too much. Just found funny that he even got the chance to speak English (the longest I've heard him!)

But please give this a chance, even if you don't like historic dramas or you think this is too serious for you, it is not! He is amazing! I won't get tired of saying so!

Well I am not making it justice anyway, but give it a try!

stuff removed and posted in a later post... sorry! (edited on April 7th)

Comments

[smapxorenji.livejournal.com]

all the emotions. i can't. T_T

[shunluv.livejournal.com]

glad to hear it is amazing^^
at first i kinda have mix feeling to watch this since i am not into history or very serious drama too much but if t have great storyline and acting of course i will still watch especially for Sho^^

[ninodaisuki83.livejournal.com]

I'm actually very scared to watch this because I think my hearts going to be torn into pieces. o.O



But you speak so highly of it that I will just have to mentally prepare beforehand for all the tears and heart-rendering sadness to come, armed with a new box of tissues....



Will DL tonight to watch, thank you dear Ginger-san for sharing! <3

[mugen-ai3.livejournal.com]

I only saw a bit of it, keyhole was being douchey. From what I did see, Sho-san is an amazing actor. I will download it soon I'm sure.

My focus on WWII has always been the mainly the German bits. The whole thing was senseless and heartbreaking. Thanks for sharing hun.

[kk4food.livejournal.com]

I think it's amazing (definitely worth waking up at 5am to watch XD)

I agree with you that I didn't cry as much as I thought I would, but this drama makes my heart ache instead of make me cry, which I think it's even harder to do. It touches me. I can feel the pain of Shirahama, his resentment and regret at the end.

I don't understand most of what Shirahama sensei was saying in his speeches to students, but his tone of voice, his facial expressions and the look in his eyes are very convincing, made you feel you have to listen to him.

The three scenes that I'm most impressed (after just watching once with keyhole) were 1) Shirahama's nightmare and embraced his SIL afterwards 2) stepped in front of the train and rescued by his mother 3) the last talk to his students admitting he was wrong.

Shirahama must be a person with lots of pride. Even after losing an arm to war, he still kept his belief at first. Realizing what he taught his students were wrong and more importantly, admitting it to his students must be quite a struggle internally. I think he delivered this part very well.

No matter how the rating turns out, I think this is one of the best performance Sho had made.

[sesquerdo.livejournal.com]

I am really glad to know that you liked it so much! ^.^
I was planning to watch it anyway, but knowing it is indeed really good just makes it easier! ^.~
Although, I will wait for the subbed version… Since it is a serious drama, I like to understand everything they are saying, especially if we have touching speeches from Sho-chan.
And I am sure I will cry a lot for everything you said… But it will be for a good reason! ^.^
Thanks for sharing it, Ginger-san and for your review! ^.^

[asaphira-sachi.livejournal.com]

Let me just tell you THANK YOU for all the Blackboard love cuz otherwise there hasn't been much hype on LJ on it. I can't wait to watch it, and I will certainly bawl my eyes out. And if there's any CUT copies left, I will very much want to order a copy now. And I hadn't realize the friending, mutually adding back, thank you! ♥

[kokeshi-gal.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for sharing!!!♥ I'll be sure to watch it tonight. I don't think I can wait for the subs ^^

[nekochan-lia.livejournal.com]

thank you
hoping for a subbed version too

[june-shower.livejournal.com]

I saw it and I liked it. The setting was done really well and I thought the tensions were great between all the characters. I don't love it yet because I need to know what they are saying for that but I was impressed. Sho's role really suited him...and the train part...he pulled it off.

I am a bit sad about the ratings but all in all I am glad that Sho did this SP. It seems different to what usually airs and very well done imo.

[jihunny.livejournal.com]

I think Sho did very well in this drama. Would need to watch with subs again, but even without, this was great story telling.
I am not a fan of the war genre, so I thought I might be fast forwarding through, but I didn't. Yeah, I even sat through the CMs cause I don't want to risk missing anything. Before I knew it, the credits rolled.

Viewer ratings don't mean much to me. You're missing out if you're swayed by the numbers. I think it might be harder to watch a production about the losing side than the winning side. Being in the winning side, you are seen as a hero. In the losing side, you're a monster.

Anyway, I think Sho was compelling as Shirahama Shouhei-sensei. It was a memorable character in an impressionable story. He definitely made an unforgettable teacher.

[thatamacedo.livejournal.com]

OMG. *getting a tissue box*

Thank you so much!

[chynnawitch.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for sharing.

[maricha74.livejournal.com]

i won't be taking your links because i've seen HQ elsewhere but i'm so grateful for all the BB related posts!

i think i'll watch it tomorrow even without the subs
now i need to find where to dl the other parts so i can watch them all
i so need to prepare my box of tissues

[klong1919.livejournal.com]

thank you so much!
i really love the story...i cried a lot especially at the end..
i can imagine myself being in that spot(shirahama)
p/s:by any chance are you going to upload 2nd and 3rd episode?(i'm so sorry if i don't suppose to ask you here)