RED BLUE (2024)

Did not know a thing about MMA but was properly entertained!

This series was really fun as it follows the journey of misfit high schooler Suzuki Aoba as he develops an interest into MMA in order to defeat his long lasting childhood Nemesis, last champion of the MMA highschooler tournament. Main character is a clear underdog, learning various techniques, increasing in strenght as he faces various opponents...All those elements are clear characteristics of shonen manga genre from which this series is an adaptation. It is rather well done, with a good pacing...However, it lacks a proper ending and feel like just an arc of the journey of the main character was adapted leaving the viewer without a convincing closure.

The acting was alright, a bit caricatural sometimes, especially for some of the most colourful opponents of the hero. But it is expected as it is an adaptation of a manga. I particularly enjoyed the bromance between the hero Suzuki Aoba and his first friend Iwase Sannosuke who bullied him at first and grew to admire and respect him as Aoba skills improved out of sheer will.

The production was okay : it is clearly low budget drama with not enough figurants to really amp up the fights during the tournament but the camera work while filming the fights make it not that noticeable. I truly enjoyed the fighting scenes : there was a lot of variety in the techniques showcased and it never felt repetitive despite the mecanics of the scenario remaining the same for most of the competition. I really enjoyed the opening song but the remainder of the soundtrack will not leave me a lasting memory.

I will recommend this to people that are looking for a shonen series. If you enjoy underdog story and misfit character growing through a journey, as well as fight scenes, this will be a good pick for you. I was a bit disappointed by the fact that the story does end on an open note rather than a fully satisfying conclusion, as it feels like the drama just addapted an arc of the manga rather than the complete story. However, I still found the series very entertaining and fun to follow despite its clear budget constraint and over the top acting.

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It’s a mix of fun, frustration, and fear. Am I excited?

It’s an interesting drama with captivating moments. I wonder how professional those fights are since I can’t validate them. Still, I admire the preparations behind the scenes, whether realistic or not. I see a lot of effort from all members, and all the fights were spectacular. I was mesmerised, which surprised me because I don’t watch anything like that. I can’t perform like that, so I have to respect them. My only question is about Hachiya (Hataya). He seems heavier and bulkier than the others. I was surprised they even let him compete in the same group. Is that okay? I heard there are weight categories in boxing, but MMA doesn’t have them I suppose?

It’s pure bromance, but no more than that. As expected from Japanese dramas, the chemistry between the main characters was high. I understand why Sannosuke took patronage over Aobe. Aobe wasn’t afraid of him even after being bullied, which already deserves respect. He probably was also intrigued by the spark in Aobe's eyes. Other fighters were shown short back-flashes that stimulated or explained why they were on the boxing ring. I liked that. The motivation of the main character was confusing to me. I couldn’t understand it and it didn’t make sense unless I missed something. It wasn’t a dream, revenge, or just a whim? Kenshin was respectful towards him, no mockery, just maybe condescending. Still, he was rightfully so. One thing - Kenshin didn’t provoke him. He told Aobe that he was empty (of goals), and I can’t disagree with that. So, it hardly can amass to such a strong desire to punch him. Until the end, Kenshin acted respectfully towards the main character.

Fun fact: The main character and other supporting male leads were already in the cast of my favourite BLs, so this series is somewhat like a fan service. It’s the second J-drama like that for me. The first was Rokuhodo Yotsuiro Biyori 2022, where most of the male leads had already acted in BLs.

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