Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
The basic premise of the 2023 Japanese series “Jack O’Frost” is somewhat far-fetched: it’s about an artist who partially loses his memory after an accident, but the only thing he cannot remember is his boyfriend. However, if you’re willing to overlook that, the six-episode series directed by Yasukawa Yuka and Takahashi Natsuki is a heartwarming romantic drama that explores what it’s like to start over with a loved one.
Kyoya Honda plays the protagonist Okusawa Ritsu, an artist who is in a live-in relationship with Ikegami Fumiya (played by Suzuki Kosuke), a salesman. The show starts with the couple celebrating Ritsu’s birthday; they are deeply in love with each other, but the night ends in an ugly fight that leads them to break up. Ritsu storms out of the house, meets with an accident, and loses his memory. Fumiya sees it as an opportunity to start anew with his lover, but how long can he keep up the charade of being a platonic flatmate?
I saw Suzuki Kosuke last in the forgettable high-school romance “Takara-Kun to Amagi-Kun”, where he played the rather memorable role of Katori, the protagonist’s best-friend. But unlike the wise, calm and mature Katori, Suzuki’s Fumiya is a lot more emotional. Both lead actors have a cozy endearing chemistry and the warm toned cinematography makes the series easy on the eyes.
Funnily, I wasn’t keen on watching “Jack O’Frost”, because the title and synopsis made it sound like a rather flimsy drama. But the creators slowly unravel an intimate story about two lovers trying to find their way back to each other. Except for the far-fetched memory loss bit, most of the plot is driven by realism and the leads make it worth your time.
It’s a 7 on 10.
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