My Opinion on Last Cinderella

Promising start, sluggish development, unsatisfying ending. Very unsatisfying, and it isn’t just because my preferred OTP did not end up together.

Last Cinderella started very so well but it quickly fell and when it fell it slugged its way down which made the drama that much less satisfying to watch. The drama quickly assured its declining quality when I no longer looked forward to watching the next ep; it just didn’t kept my interest in. It wasn’t only just that, in fact, I felt it struggling to watch through each ep. I actually had to push myself to finish off the ep with numerous pauses in between. The drama started off well but once the complications started to kick in, the drama lost its sense of direction and had no idea how to build upon these complications. The drama ended up being quite flat and uninteresting.

I went into this knowing not to get my hopes up but despite that I was still disappointed, because even without putting in any hope towards this, it still fell under the radar. I didn’t expect much from the drama but the drama continued to let me down because the drama itself had no clue what it should do any more! Nearing the end of the drama’s run, it felt as if the writers had given up hope on the drama itself and just wrote whatever to get the OTP together. 

The biggest fallout of LC was between Toyama Sakura (Shinohara Ryoko) and Saeki Hiroto (Miura Haruma). Their relationship had the ability to create and elusive drama but it failed to do so because Ryoko and Haruma did not have any chemistry together! Watching their scenes together proved to be quite a challenging task because they didn’t sell it to me that they loved each other. I just didn’t feel any connection between them and this is not because Ryoko and Haruma are not good actors but rather it is because they just don’t work well together. It also doesn’t help that Sakura and Hiroto’s storyline was weakly developed.

There wasn’t anything in the relationship that allowed them to grow and see that they loved each other. Sakura is not a shallow girl but she never suspected why Hiroto loves her. She did question their age gap but suspicion regarding that was quickly dismissed. This age gap could have been a hurdle for them to jump over but it wasn’t used that way, instead it was just a tiny rock in their relationship. Sakura just accepted that he likes her and their relationship just preceded on like that. They never showed that they understood each other. Their relationship was more about acceptance and not allowing their hearts to grow for one another. Ultimately, the biggest problem in their relationship was that they never answered as to why they love each other. They just fell into a relationship without really knowing if they truly loved one another and because of this, they couldn’t really allow their relationship to blossom.

I really have to question why Sakura and Tachibana Rintaro (Fujiki Naohito) did not end up together because I rooted for them. They are much more suited together than Sakura is with Hiroto and furthermore they shared a chemistry which gives their relationship depth. Rintaro and Sakura may be a pair of bickering friends but they cared for each other. That alone was enough for their relationship to topple Sakura and Hitoro’s. They always helped out each other; when Sakura had her pregnancy scare he was the one standing by her side and giving her courage to face it and when Rintaro was missing a model for his competition, Sakura dropped everything to find one for him.

Poor Rintaro! While everyone received their happy ending he sacrificed his for Sakura to be happy. He was selfless in the act that he did because he understands Sakura and he truly loves her. It took him about eight episodes to realise that he has feelings for Sakura but then he doesn’t even get to have that feeling returned! Poor guy, what you do for your loved ones! Let me tell you, she will regret choosing Hitoro and then she shall fly to New York to be with Rintaro!

Probably the only relationship line which I was satisfied with the development was the friendship between Sakura, Takenouchi Miki (Otsuka Nene) and Hasegawa Shima (Iijima Naoko). I just love their constant support to one another regardless of whatever decision one decides to make. They were there for each other sharing their happiness as well as their sadness, and more so they stood by one another during their difficulties. They always give each other helpful advice and would always be the first there when either is in trouble. I really love that they are always there for each other despite any setbacks in their friendship. They have full faith with one another and knows that they will not hurt each other, even when their friendship becomes on edge. When Miki saw her husband, Takenouchi Kohei (Endo Shozo) with Shima, she had her suspicions but in the end she chose to believe that Shima would never do something like that to hurt her. The friendship between them three is just very heart-warming and sweet.

Initially, I wasn’t a fan of the whole Miki-Shima-Kohei fiasco but I grew warm towards it because it helped to build on the girls’ friendship. I really liked that Shima pushed Kohei back once she found out the relationship between them. She would never do something that would hurt Miki. She did what she did because she wanted to help Miki. I am just glad that this love triangle managed to bring the friends closer and improve the relationship between Miki and Kohei.

Oh, what’s with Masaomi (Yamamoto Yusuke)? I was sure he was going to play a role more than just a host considering his suspicion in helping Miki. He just seemed like he was going to play a bigger role but then he just disappeared.

Ekkk, ekkk, ekkkkkkkk! Hiroto’s relationship with Ogami Chiyoko (Nanao) is a very unhealthy one. Even if they are non-blood related siblings, they still are siblings, so for Hiroto to go pulling down her shirt and kissing her back is just wrong on so many levels. Hiroto may be resentful for causing that scar on her but him kissing her like that is just unnecessary and disgusting.

Ahhhh, Chiyoko. She is one creepy character isn’t she? She is not only creepy but also very unhealthy. She has a very intimate relationship with her brother which no siblings should ever partake in, plus she stalks Rintaro and does whatever she can to eliminate her competition despite not having a chance in winning his heart. This girl has got some very bad problems but I am glad that at the end she decided to move on with her life.

Last Cinderella was a good drama will ended up not delivering. The only good things that came out of the drama were Sakura and Rintaro’s relationship, Hiroto’s hot body and the friendship between the girls. This drama was definitely not worth my time but if you nitpick certain parts of the drama, it is actually worth the hours that I have spent on it.

[Credits: Pictures from https://www.facebook.com/LastCinderellaFujiTV]

Tagged: Japanese Dramas, Last Cinderella, My Opinion, Review