That was my reaction after watching the first episode. But despite the full-on acting, I found the closing scenes really quite touching, so I decided to keep watching it.
Plus, of course, what a cast! Eita, Mitsushima Hikari, Aoi Yu, Nagasawa Masami. It’s as if the producers looked through this blog, made a list of all the actors I’ve raved about and then tried to put as many as possible into one drama.
Stylistically, it's quite different to what I'm used to. In the dramas I tend to watch, most emotions are pent up and suppressed, until they all come bursting out in the final scene. In Wakamonotachi, everyone's emotions are on display almost immediately. It's a rare scene in which one of the characters doesn't shout or cry. A lot of the emoting comes from Tsumabuki Satoshi, as the oldest brother in charge of his family. He must've been exhausted at the end of each days shooting, since he has very few lines where his character isn't reacting angrily to something.
It's not often I watch a drama like this but, so far, I'm finding it quite addictive. Also, despite each scene being played at full volume, there are moments of quite reflection, and it is during these scenes that the drama is at its most touching.
