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Yankee-kun to Megane-chan (2010)
Synopsis
A "yankii/yankee" (which is Japanese slang for a delinquent,) named Shinagawa (Narimiya Hiroki), meets an assertive girl named Adachi (Naka Riisa), on the first day of school. She struggles to forget her past and make friends with her classmates, including Shinagawa, who wants nothing to do with her.
Exciting moments
I picked this drama to watch because it was about a fighting delinquent who meets someone who pushes him to do better in life. Personally, I love fighting in dramas such as Angry Mom (2015) and Healer (2014). Luckily, there are fight scenes right away and consistently throughout the entire drama that are exciting to watch.
I also picked this drama because the plot reminded me of Gokusen (2002) [Please watch it if you haven't seen it before!]. I love Gokusen, but it was irritating that the main character was a teacher -- meaning there wasn't much romance involved (still really good though)[that was also my problem with Angry Mom (2015) as well since the main woman is a mom and not an actual high school student.]
In Yankee-kun to Megane-chan, the main girl, Adachi, is very similar to the main woman in Gokusen, Yamaguchi (not the famous figure skater :P). Adachi is like a younger version of Yamaguchi. They have a similar style of glasses and ponytails and are both determined to do what they put their minds to.
Shinagawa was funny and interesting in every scene he was in. His facial expressions were hilarious and his character progressed well from episode 1 to 10. If there were more episodes it would have been a better character arch.
I surprisingly enjoyed the friendships that are made throughout the drama. Adachi and Shinagawa (even though he's forced to do a lot of things) help out characters who fight with their pasts as well. Friendship and the struggle of finding yourself as a teenager is a big theme that worked well for the story. Likewise, Adachi's relationship with her goofy grandpa is heartwarming.
The cons
If it wasn't for the fighting I might not have finished the first episode -- due to Adachi's annoying personality. I didn't enjoy her character until episode 3 or 4. I felt bad for Shinagawa since Adachi was always chasing after him and nagging him to do what she wanted. In contrast, she pushed his character is a good direction overall.
Do Bong Soon
Adachi
I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't watched this drama yet, but Adachi is hiding something from everyone at school. She strives to be what she thinks is "normal" and acceptable to those around her. This reminds me of a Korean drama called Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (2017). Both female leads hide their strengths in order to fit the stereotype of being a "true woman", which seems to mean helpless.
Overall thoughts
If you're looking for a short (10 episode) drama with fighting and comedy, then this is the one for you. There isn't much romance, other than the characters fantasizing, but the story was interesting enough to keep me watching.
It has a good message to not put labels on yourself. Be comfortable with who you are and keep aiming to achieve your dream, even if it seems impossible. Now it's time to go check out more Narimiya Hiroki dramas and movies!
Final Score: 3 Pulses out of 5
Kiss-O-Meter
0/5
No kisses in this drama. There were cute moments where certain characters thought they were going to be confessed to, but it fizzles out quickly.
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