Majo no jouken [魔女の条件] There are some spoilers [Rating: 8/10] I was actually hesitating to watch this drama since this is the first time I think that I've watched a series where a subject is a teacher-student romance. And I want to watch it cos I'm liking the actress Nanako. I'm actually trying not to expect much from the drama itself cos so far from I've watched in Japanese dramas , they usually started so slow, but actually this one moved really fast and focused more on the conflicts of having a teacher-student relationship. Also this is a drama that should be watched with open mind, while it's still not acceptable to have this kind of relationship to protect the students, certain circumstances may lead this to happen.
I actually liked the fact that they casted actors that are the same age as their supposed characters since we can see the stark difference, the main actor looks like a young guy and the teacher looks like an adult. I'm actually happy that they didn't get an actress that looked young to make this more acceptable. Though I have to admit having two quite attractive leads doesn't hurt the drama.
The story started when Hikaru driving a motorcycle hit Michi, then he turns out to be her new student. Then that started their interaction with each other at school and when the time Michi got bullied, they ditched school together and that started their attraction with each other, I think it started when they met but I think it was confirmed at that time.
I've thought Michi's character was weak especially at the beginning, she doesn't have control of her life, somehow she ended up accepting or more like forced to do things that were asked of her and the fact that she want to be accepted so much that she's handling things in a way that makes you just want to shake her. As one of her student said, she ran away when she encounters difficulties. She's quite impulsive too, she doesn't think of the consequences of her actions, there are so many times while watching this that I was like try to think of your actions more thoroughly since it's not only your life that gets affected. Announcing to a morning assembly that she's in love with Hikaru could quite possibly be the most romantic or stupidiest thing to do. I vote for idiocy on her part since like, was she stupid or what ; she's a teacher first and foremost, she should understand why there are rules that prohibits the teacher-student relationship since not many adults actually falls in love and just end up taking advantage of the student. I understand why she did this though, it's to show to herself , Hikaru and everyone that she made a decision and she's sticking through it, she's running from adrenaline now that she realized she can make her own decisions in life. She redeemed herself in the latter part of the show, the experiences she and Hikaru went through made her stronger and more mature, she knows she makes mistakes on her decisions and yet I don't think she ever regrets any of them. She has taken control of her life and one might say she can be rather reckless and irresponsible, but I believe that the's biggest turn in the story for me. She learned and accepted that there are consequences with her actions, she grew up.
Hikaru is a troubled student, while he may seem more mature than Michi since he comes off as serious and quiet, but for some reason I've never thought he was mature throughout the series, he's a young guy, he still needs a lot of guidance which he is not getting from her mother who seems to spoil him and had planned his life for him. He makes rash decisions too, I've thought he and Michi are like two adolescents trying to find their way in life except that Michi is supposedly the older one.
Now that I'm writing this review that I realized that aside from the love story between Hikari and Michi, the story has focus more in the development of Michi's character, could it be I'm bias on Nanako but nonetheless that's how I feel. Now to discuss their love story, it's sweet, poignant and makes you want to root for them. But there are many conflicts as well which is quite disturbing especially how Hikaru's mother treats him, there's a suggestion that the mother is in love with her own son. Then there's the fiancee and the best friend of Michi. I liked the side plot of her student who is being abused by her father, in a way she's instrumental in Michi's growth, she realized that more than focusing on being accepted, as a teacher her focus and priority should be her students. Then there is Michi's parents, the conflict in their family.
I rated this drama originally 9 but changed it to 8 because when I thought back on the story, while it tackled the difficulties that one may encounter if they pursue a teacher-student relationship, there are many parts of the story that I believed are used to detract from the taboo relationship, like to make it more acceptable, let's have a mother who's too possessive of her son's affection and the fiancee who turned violent when he can't get Michi back. It's like the direction is for the audience to root for the couple instead.
And really, is it like common for Japanese people to slap people around, why so violent, that really is disturbing and the fact that Michi was liked to be raped in the series and she didn't complain or report it to authorities, I don't know if it's because it's like an older drama but still I hope women and children and the weak are protected in their society because just basing on this drama, it's alarming to know that it's happening and that it's somehow acceptable.
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Majo no jouken [魔女の条件]
