Paradise Kiss

The Plot

Yukari is a typical high-school student who listens to her parents and attends school everyday. As she starts to question her way of life, she encounters a group of fashion design students who has a clothing label known as "Paradise Kiss". The group needs to find a model to showcase their designs in an up-coming fashion show and decides to pick Yukari instead. Initially, Yukari was reluctant to be associated with this seemingly eccentric group, but eventually, she realises that they are really nice people. Furthermore, their passion and enthusiasm to follow their ideals and dreams make Yukari realise that she has not been enjoying her life and this motivated her to pursue her own dreams. (Credit : Dramacrazy)

The Cast

Keiko Kitagawa as Yukari 'Caroline' Hayasaka
Osamu Mukai as Jouji 'George' Koizumi
Yusuke Yamamoto as Hiroyuki Tokumori
Shunji Igarashi as Isabella
Kento Kaku as Arashi Nagase
Aya Omasa as Miwako Sakurada
Natsuki Kato as Kaori Asou


Foxi Feels

I am a hopeless romantic. And with so many bad things happening around the world today, sue me if I happen to like Paradise Kiss the Movie's ending better than the manga/anime version :p

(Grins) but then again, I do know where the pro-ParaKiss-manga/anime lovers are coming from, but I just want Jorji and Carrie (George and Yukari from here-onwards) to be together, damn it!

So, ok, on with the review.

Dreaming of Straight As

As the plot stated, the story essentially told the coming of age tale of Yukari Hayasaka, an average student in one of Japan's top high school - working hard to make her grades meet, just to please her mother, with no real dream or ambitions to call her own.

Her life changed 360 degrees with her being accosted by a pin studded grunge who happened to be a member of a design-student group, made of eccentric and artistic individuals who called themselves Paradise Kiss. Their dream in life was to stay together and create beautiful clothes that will be hits in the market.

The leader of the group was highly attractive, mysterious and blessedly talented Jorji Kaizumi (or George), whom in his own way managed to tease (and shock) the REAL Yukari out of her then mundane existence. The group wanted Yukari to model their creations, with the culmination being the year end school design competition; but George realised her true potential and went on to push Yukari towards her independence and later to become a top Supermodel in her own right.

Colourful Bunch

The fashion design environment opened a new world to Yukari, whom in the past tried to be a blue-chipped student she really was not. The colourful and exciting, yet at times unhealthy fashion industry, gave Yukari a new lease of life.

Central to this story was the dynamics and yo-yo love relationship between Yukari and George. While the incomparable artisan in George somehow made him unpredictable but respected to his friends, peers and even teachers, Yukari found him perplexing and sometimes unkind. But yet it was George who managed to push Yukari to realise the stronger and unique side of herself. And that was where the movie failed.

Real or Reel?

Though you can not really blame the 180 minute-odd worth movie to compete the 12 episode manga/anime version, the movie should have really looked into the love-hate-obsessive aspects of the Yukari-George relationship, as that was the heart and soul of Paradise Kiss.

Funnily enough, the movie managed to neatly retell the other side-stories of the ParaKiss gang, namely Isabella's realisation of her girl-in-a-boy's body existence and the Mikawo-Agashi-Tokumori relationship.

(spoiler) Yet, it could not grasp the central Yukari-George (and even Kaori - George's friend / design rival) story. In fact, in the ParaKiss the Movie, Kaori was reduced to a mere design rival whereas in the anime/manga, she was more than that. In fact to a certain extent, I really do not mind being a Koari-George shipper myself (spoiler).

Mild Koizumi?

On Osmau Mukai, seriously I do acknowledge that this boy has single handedly pulled me back to the bosoms of my first love - Japanese Dorama. I watched ParaKiss in late December 2011 and has since watched Osamu in 2 other movies (Hanmizaki and Hanayome no Chichi), 2 full drama series (Atashinchi no Danshi and Hotaru no Hikari) and is following his current one dilligently - Hungry! (I am also waiting (im)patiently for a kind soul to sub and upload his 'We Can't Change The World but We Want To Build a School in Cambodia' - please, please anyone out there....) And I must say, I am totally hooked on this boy and his cute looks is definitely enhanced by his myriad of acting talent. 

Mystery Man in Blue

BUT he was totally wrong for George - sorry girls, but that is my take on this. Though I will be forever grateful to ParaKiss for introducing me to this boy, I do believe that Mukai-kun is too sweet and mild an actor to take on the role of George. And this is a compliment to George the Character.

George is as mysterious, erratic, eccentric, sometimes cruel and almost wrong for any girl, yet irresistibly beautiful, highly talented and sexy as the writer wants him to be. I seriously do not know who should have played him (maybe the likes of Takky @ Hideaki Takizawa, perhaps, though he has probably grown out of his high school/university acting days). But like I said, Mukai-kun somehow failed to bring out the dark and tormented side of George Kaizumi in his potrayal. All he did was stared at Yukari intensely (does drama makers think that staring excessively equates being mysterious...hmmm... I think not); and when he spoke his lines, it came out like from someone you want to cuddle and squeeze, and not someone who is alluringly dangerous.

Beautiful Keiko Kitagawa somehow passed better as Yukari, though we can do with less pouting at the photo shoot and runway sessions. But she managed to pull that petulant, confused and sometimes easily crushed teenager persona.

Pouting Beauty

(spoiler) But of course, the chemistry between the two leads cannot be denied, and even if Mukai-kun seemed ill-at-ease with his role most of the time, the sincerity in his action can actually be seen and felt at the very last scene of the movie. Another good scene between the two of them was the 'George putting on make up for Yukari before her date session' (spoiler).

However, apart from the scene where George told Yukari to 'walk' any which way she pleases at the Year End School Competition, not much could be felt on the part that George was responsible to Yukari's 'growth'.

One thing I don't get from the raves and rants of ParaKiss anime/manga fanatics, though, are the fact that they kept saying how cruel and aloof George was to Yukari and how Yukari was the only one chasing and pining after the former.

My Sweet Obsession

While it is true that Yukari often felt insecure about her relationship with George, and portrayed as the one who is always alternating from waiting and chasing the blue haired boy, I believe that that side of the relationship is the responsibility of Yukari herself. She was the one feeling insecure due to her own imagination and lack of confidence.

Runaway Love

Often a time, George displayed immense affection, love and concern for her and he even pushed her to what he knew was her true capabilities and potential. the manga/anime scenes prior to him leaving for Paris was proof of that. In fact, as I read and watched the manga and anime after I watched the movie, I seriously felt Yukari should chase after George once she was confident and has built her career well enough. I mean 10 years to still harbour that school girl insecurities, is a bit much, don't you think? And I don't believe that she loved Tokumori more that she did George. Her statement on the broadway tickets and her still wearing his creations were proof enough of her undying love for him.

So, in conclusion, I still preferred the movie ending, even if I feel that the manga/anime had more depth to it. Perhaps we should wait for the Koreans to take it up as a live action drama but with a different partner chosen at the end (smiles). Nickun SuJu would be great as George, you think?

Paradise Kiss Trailer - Yui, Hello