Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Kohei is a handsome but asocial University student, who finds himself misunderstood due to his hearing loss problems. He strikes an unlikely friendship with the loud, friendly, extroverted Taichi, when the two meet by accident on campus and Taichi volunteers to take notes for Kohei in exchange of food.
Based on the Japanese manga series by Yuki Fumino, the 12-episode long series ‘I Hear the Sunspot’ (Hidamari ga Kikoeru – (ひだまりが聴こえる) has been directed by Yaegashi Fuga, Makino Masaru, and Harashima Takanobu. Actor Nakazawa Motoki plays the hearing impaired Sugihara Kohei, while Kobayashi Toranosuke is the energetically optimistic Sagawa Taichi. Poles apart in personalities, how a quiet friendship and a possible feelings of love stir between the two forms the plot of ‘I Hear the Sunspot’/’Hidamari ga Kikoeru’
I have read both the manga and seen the live action movie ‘I Hear the Sunspot’ (2017), so I had higher expectations from the series, and somehow, Kobayashi Toranosuke’s portrayal of the playful Taichi didn’t seem convincing enough. Toranosuke’s onscreen personality seemed more suited for action-themed stories, or where gets to play the confident lead, instead of the naive, dense, silly Taichi in ‘I Hear the Sunspot’, who’s unable to read Kohei’s feelings, even after the latter clearly confesses them. He sometimes came across as an older person trying to hard to emulate a carefree college kid. That wasn’t the case with Onodera Akira’s (he also played Yuki in ‘Given’) portrayal of Taichi in the movie. Nakazawa Motoki is a lot more effortless in his part as Kohei, who starts out as a loner with insecurities, but slowly comes of his shell as he spends more time with the bright Taichi.
Also Read: Eien No Kinou Review: Eccentrically Engrossing
The blooming friendship between Taichi and Kohei is heartwarming, especially when they share meals, laugh over food, and bond through their lecture notes. Motoki’s Kohei lights up whenever Taichi is around, like a sunflower turning toward the sun—it’s undeniably adorable. However, there’s a strong ‘platonic friendship’ vibe between the two, and I Hear the Sunspot (Hidamari ga Kikoeru) might have been more engaging if it focused purely on friendship and the struggles of hearing-impaired youth.
A major subplot introduces Kohei’s new friend, Maya (Shiraishi Yua), who comes across as annoyingly passive-aggressive—sometimes just outright mean—toward Taichi. I wasn’t a fan of Maya and even Taichi becomes not so likable as the show progresses – his character inconsistencies become frustrating in the second half of ‘I Hear the Sunspot’/’Hidamari ga Kikoeru’. Taichi is portrayed as a loud, boisterous, no-filter kind of guy who always speaks his mind. However, to add conflict to the story, Taichi virtually ghosts Kohei for a while, causing both of them to suffer from the lack of communication—for no good reason.
The romance is far too slow-paced, you can say it’s almost non-existent, which is why this should’ve been a simple ‘slice of life’ story about a group of college friends. Regardless, there’s a lot like in I Hear the Sunspot (Hidamari ga Kikoeru), especially it’s summer-themed laid-back University atmosphere and the friendly banter between its characters.
Rating: 6 on 10. You can stream the series on iQIYI.
Read Next: Cosmetic Playlover Review – Romance in the Makeup Aisle
Also Read: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Series Review (Short Audio Version Below)