Ore Monogatari Battle Begins – Live Action vs Anime!

Yes, someone had to do it! What better person than me?! Objective? Of course not! Everything that I write is my opinion and I’m going to stick with it! It is rare that I watch a movie and absolutely love it. Wait, it is even rarer for that movie to be a High School movie and I enjoyed it immensely! So, why am I writing about this particular one? Because it is because of this movie, Ore Monogatari (or My Love Story!!) that I immediately wanted to watch the anime version. And I did! In 2 days! Wait for it……I loved it even more!!

The anime and the live action movie not only explored the relationship of a young man and his first crush, Rinko but it also showed us the evolution of two best friends that meet when they are younger and continue that relationship into secondary school. Sun and Gōda were two best friends that cared nothing about each other’s status, looks or popularity. They were friends first and foremost. I would even say that Sun was Gōda’s true first love. Let’s talk about the movie first.

My Love Story!! (2015)

Synopsis
Gōda Takeo is a freshman in high school. (Both estimates) Weight: 120kg, Height: 2 meters. He spends his days peacefully with his super-popular-with-girls, yet insensitive childhood friend, Sunakawa. One morning, on the train to school, Takeo saves a girl, Yamato, from being molested by a pervert. Could this be the beginning of spring for Takeo?

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Younger Rinko and Gōda

Stars
Suzuki Ryohei as Takeo Gōda
Nagano Mei as Rinko Yamato
Sakaguchi Kentaro as Makoto Sunakawa
Terawaki Yasufumi as Takeo’s father
Suzuki Sawa as Takeo’s mother
Kentaro as Kurihara

Sun, Gōda and Rinko eating one of the many desserts featured

My Thoughts
This movie was cuteness overload! I enjoyed from the beginning! I watched it not really knowing what to expect other than all the praise that some Facebook friends had mentioned about this movie in particular. Some liked and some liked the anime more which is understandable. What I liked about the movie was that the feelings and general story was definitely transformed into the movie in a short 2 hours.

It really is a herculean fete to condense a 25 episode, 22 minute anime into a simple 2 hour movie. It is literally impossible to get all of the fun moments of the anime into the movie. But I was happy to see that the movie basically covered the first 4-6 episodes of the anime with bits and pieces here and there but the funniest moments were kept and shown in the live action.

Suzuki Ryohei managed to capture the essence of Gōda in the live action. If you are not convinced, just think about the fact that Ryohei managed to gain an enormous amount of weight and muscle definition to represent Gōda through and through. I remember just months later watching an emaciated Ryuhei in the drama, Tenno no Ryoriban as the elder Akiyama brother. In addition, the age difference between Ryuhei and his leading lady is an astounding 17 years!!! No, I’m not kidding! Even I was amazed at that fact! You really don’t see it. The two blend together so well and managed to make you believe in love.

The infectious smile, the shy persona; Nagano Mei was truly Rinko Yamato to me. Her cuteness and brilliant smile when she would bring Gōda snacks, follow him incessantly, all the while poor Gōda would be clueless as to who Rinko truly loved. It was fun watching her attempt to get him to understand that it wasn’t Sun but him, the brute or the beast as her friend would refer to him.

This might be the first time ever seeing Sakaguchi Kentaro; however as the handsome but silent Makoto Sunakawa, it was a true, blue friend to Gōda and loved the brute as only a brother could. With all the girls surrounding him, he never forgot his friend. It would have been nice to see him in his own romance; but sadly not this time.

Okay, if the characters cannot woe you, the many desserts that were featured will definitely grab your attention. I think at one point, I tweeted that if Gōda didn’t love Rinko, I sure would!! Feast your eyes on all the wonderful desserts that Rinko prepared for her love!!




As you can imagine, I was thoroughly entranced with all the goodies on the screen! This cause a visit to my not-so local Tours Les Jours Korean Bakery! Yes, the trip was so worth my time and gasoline! Overall, I enjoyed the movie totally and as a result, searched for the anime and began to watch it too!
Rating: 9.5/10, because even High School movies can do romance well

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Sun and Gōda

Characters & Voice Actors
Gōda Takeo — Eguchi Takuya and Katou Ren
Sunakawa Makoto — Terasaki Yuka and Shimazaki Nobunaga
Yamato Rinko — Han Megumi
Sunakawa Ai — Inoue Kikuko
Episodes: 24
Length: 25 minutes

My Thoughts
Nothing could prepare me for the fact that I would not only love the anime but also watch it in 2 days! I loved that the story and the evolution of the romance was so complete, the story was easy to follow and you continue to love Rinko and Gōda just as much, if not more in the anime. There were so many more scenes in the anime as you can expect. From more development of the romance between Rinko and Gōda, additional information into the wonderful relationship that developed with Sun as well as a little more into the family dynamics. Gōda’s mother and father were fun! When the baby was born looking like a spitting image of her brother, you couldn’t help but chuckle a little as you imagine what it could have been like for Mama Takeo to deliver Gōda too! Also, we got to have a little love rivalry with the pastry chef that worked at the bakery where Rinko goes to work at later in the anime.

One of the funniest episodes was when the kids went on a trip to the beach. The preparations in picking out the right bathing suit! The food choices and games that they played but most of all, the look on Rinko’s face when Gōda took off his shirt and revealed his swimming trunks as well as the super body-builder body, her friends might have went ‘yuck’ but Rinko’s eyes were full of pure lust! Loved it! It actually came through in an anime!

But most of all, who would ever think that romance could translate so well into an anime? I saw and felt the love that these two young people had for each other. The scenes were well put together and I loved watching each and every one. Granted, we didn’t get any kissing in the live action (see age difference) but in the anime, we had our share of kisses between Gōda and Rinko!

You cannot go wrong watching the anime. It was hilarious at times, fun to watch and most of all, you will love the story! I did! I will even watch it again and again.
Rating: 10/10, because when have I ever watched an entire anime in 2 days?

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One more thing. THe best scene that both the anime and the live action did well was the “saran wrap” scene! When Gōda accosts poor Sun so that he can practice his kisses; he attacks poor unsuspecting Sun! In the anime it was hysterical and in the live action, if you didn’t watch past the credits, you’d missed it!!