Quick Review #50: Brush Up Life - Winter 2023

Title: Brush Up Life / ブラッシュアップライブ

Rating: 7 /10 

Recommended for: 

For those who like quirky stories about the what-ifs in life if different choices are made, fans of Baka Rhythm's storytelling style or are fans of the cast especially Ando Sakura

Liked:

- Stories about people making different life choices when given a second chance to redo their lives after dying suddenly or in unexpected circumstances are aplenty. What made this different from the offerings to date is probably Baka Rhythm's unique quirky, sometimes cynical and yet meaningful storytelling style. The thing is, the repeating of the lead character's life wasn't just to "improve" the quality or outcome of her life but also consciously affect or change the same for the people around her. As such, compared to other stories which may be wary of the ripple effect on other people when the lead character's life is changed in any way, the different choices in this drama were done on purpose with specific aims.

- A very interesting cast line-up with Ando Sakura leading the pack with her natural acting that makes her look and feel as if she is Asami herself. Her interactions and chemistry with her co-stars are also something to keep a lookout for.

Disliked: 

- Much as this drama had won so many accolades and praise, my biggest issue with this was the repetition. By the time Asami was in her third lifetime, I was a bit bored with the process and almost wanted to drop off. Not that the story was boring or that the developments that came out differently due to her new choices were bad, it's just that too much of a thing (even if it may be good) will be too overwhelming. If the story was a tad shorter or some parts could be glossed over more quickly and the attention focused more on the more critical parts, I might have enjoyed this better. As such, I do feel that this is a good drama but maybe not to the extent of being a top-notch classic for me.