TBS's "Nichiyo Theater" Japanese drama "Dragon Sakura 2" (the original title of the TV series "Dragon Sakura", to distinguish the previous game, added "2") came to an end on June 27. Although it was criticized at the beginning of the broadcast that it was "too similar to the cast of "Naoki Hanzawa", the topicality and impact of "Ryuzakura 2" on contemporary Japan is also extremely prominent compared with its predecessor.
2021 Dragon Sakura 2. Image: Natalie
The final episode of the drama starring Hiroshi Abe set a record of 20.4% in the ratings, which not only surpassed the 20.1% rating set by the January Japanese drama "Heaven and Hell" in the final episode on March 20 of this year, becoming the highest rating of the Japanese drama this year, and surpassing the 20.3% record of the final episode of the previous 2005 film "Dragon Sakura". In the contemporary era of the popularization of the Internet and the increase in people's entertainment choices, it has to be said that it is a miracle that a TV series can surpass the glory of the past.
2005 Dragon Sakura. Image: Paravi
< h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="5" > sixteen years apart</h1>
As a manga adaptation, the first Japanese drama "Dragon Sakura" is adapted from the manga of the same name serialized in 2003-2007, while the second "Dragon Cherry 2" is adapted from the sequel of the same manga serialized in 2018-2021. Both comics and TV series are separated by about 16 years. So, has the story of Dragon Sakura changed in the past 16 years?
The core of the plot has not changed. Sakuragi (Hiroshi Abe), a former lawyer of the Runaway Clan, enters a high school with a deviation of about 30 and sets up a special class with the goal of entering the University of Tokyo, where he conducts special training for students and eventually sends them to UTokyo. The entire high school also gradually changed in the process. At the end of the story, there will be a scene of passing the entrance exam, and after several students have successfully entered the University of Tokyo, the protagonist Sakuragi will also leave. Whether it is "Dragon Cherry" in 2005 or 2021, the story is generally like this.
What has changed is, first of all, the state of the school. In the 2005 edition of Dragon Cherry Blossom, the high school was on the verge of bankruptcy due to the decline in enrollment. At this time, "cultivating qualified students admitted to UTokyo" has become a program and gimmick to save the school's student source and reputation. The high school in 2021's "Dragon Sakura 2" is also in the same crisis due to the decline in the number of students enrolled. However, this crisis will not only not become a long-standing problem in the work, as in the previous work, but will also be replaced by the conspiracy to "plan to sell the school". This problem of "selling schools" has become a huge proposition in the background of the 2021 version of the story of "Dragon Cherry Blossom 2".
Chairman of the 2005 edition (played by Yoko Noji). Image: Rubese
Closely related to the management of the school is the attitude of the head of the school, the chairman of the board. This key figure is also very different in both works. The chairman of the board of directors in the 2005 version is Yoko Noji, a "layman" who inherits the school's business due to the death of her husband and the removal of ducks. Always lamenting her reluctance to inherit, she often appears indecisive when facing school problems, so she has no practical and specific educational concepts, and it is easy to be coerced by the strong opinions of others when making decisions. However, she is not the "enemy of the University of Tokyo" who stands in front of the protagonists, and her attitude of support for the University of Tokyo's preparatory class has always been consistent.
The chairman of the 2021 version (played by Noriko Eguchi). Image: Ameba
The 2021 version of the board of directors (played by Noriko Eguchi) graduated from the University of Tokyo, and she regards "a free school spirit that respects individuality" as her absolute purpose. With this strong belief in running a gakuen, she was once firmly opposed to the plan to open a higher education class at UTokyo in order to pursue her academic achievements. That is to say, the chairman of the board of directors is a clear "enemy of the university" in the opening chapter. However, this enemy will gradually begin to change his hostile attitude after seeing the students of the Dongda Preparatory Class change in a good direction, and eventually become a partner of the Dongda Preparatory Class who supports the protagonist and others. In fact, this reversal of her attitude is also a portrayal of this work in 2021.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="13" > the "leopard change" and reversal between good and evil in 2021</h1>
The posture of the characters in the work will change, and even a kind of "leopard change", which is actually the difference between "Dragon Sakura 2" and "Dragon Sakura" in 2021. On the one hand, the members of the school party who are still enemies and the duo who play pranks on the protagonist will unconsciously become partners; on the other hand, people who were originally considered partners will also show their appearance as enemies at some point - what exists here is a change of position of good and evil.
A reformed. Image: Mantan-web
In addition, because the story is "preparing for the Tokyo University" and secretly promoting the plan of "selling gakuen", the protagonists are used without knowing it. At this time, the characters are also divided into the support for the preservation of the gakuen faction and the support for the selling of the gakuen faction, and the confrontation and tug-of-war between the two factions are changing rapidly, and this change also brings the attribute of "reversal drama" to the work, which becomes the focus of attention.
So why did Dragon Sakura 2 continue 16 years later in this form of a reversal drama? The answer lies in the timing of the tv series. 2005's "Dragon Sakura" was broadcast on the Jinyao TV series at 10 p.m. on Friday, while 2021's "Dragon Sakura 2" was broadcast on the Riyao Theater at 9 p.m. on Sundays. It is the popularity of these representative works in recent years, such as "Naoki Hanzawa", "Heaven and Hell", and "Shimomura Rocket", which has created the current situation that the Nisshiro Theater is dominated by "reversal dramas". In these works, the protagonists often return from the situation of being mistreated and discriminated against to their original positions - it is such a grievance-like narrative that has won the work popularity. Therefore, it is inevitable that the TV series schedule of the Nichiyo Theater will interpret and present "Dragon Cherry" in the form of a "reversal drama".
The image of Naoki Hanzawa can be regarded as the most typical in the reversal drama of the Nissaki Theater. Image: j-cast
Of course, changing the broadcast file of the TV series does not mean that it will change the original posture of the work. Originally, "Dragon Cherry" was a "reversal" drama from the tail of the crane to the students of Todai, and the background of the story of "Selling School" further strengthens this reversal element.
At the same time, cartoonists and TV series producers will also consider what kind of content will resonate with current readers and viewers. It is precisely because contemporary people will yearn for this refreshing "reversal", the Japanese dramatization of "Dragon Sakura 2" with the reversal element has won more popularity than the first part in 2005.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="21" > changing interpersonal relationships</h1>
In addition to the reversal, there is also a difference in the concentration of interpersonal relationships between the two works sixteen years apart.
The relationships in the 2005 edition of Dragon Sakura are relatively close. For example, students often join the UTokyo preparatory classes because "because friends have joined" and "because boyfriends have joined". Although these reasons are common from a Chinese perspective, they are clearly more humane than japan's current interpersonal relations.
Mizuno is in a difficult situation because his mother falls. Image: Amazonaws
In the penultimate episode of the 2005 version of Ryu Sakura, when Mizuno's (Masami Nagasawa) mother falls ill and the Mizuno family's tavern can no longer continue to operate, the partners of the Todai preparatory class volunteer to help the Mizuno family's tavern run for free. But because it is difficult to stand at the same time for work and further education, everyone gave up this kind of help after a while. In this plot, not only is the dialogue between the protagonists very touching, but also the natural behavior of "friends have difficulties, everyone should help", and it has to be said that it is very fresh in Japan, where there is also a sense of distance between friends today.
Sensei Ino (Kyoko Hasegawa) is a teacher who thinks about her students. Image: Yanki-Huryou
At the root of this intimate relationship is the presence of Ino Sensei (Kyoko Hasegawa). Although she opposed the "examination-oriented education" of school education as an important goal of herself, she still unconsciously helped the UTokyo preparatory class. She was always prone to emotional behavior, in a sense like a portrayal of Japanese society in 2005, which was more emotional than today. Not only is Ino-sensei sentimental, but there is also a strong emotional bond between the students— in Japanese society at that time, the act of putting oneself in the shoes of others to help, help others, and trouble with others is still alive.
Japan did not yet have smartphones in 2005. Although everyone has a mobile phone, social networks are still far from universal. Therefore, individuals cannot send their own messages on the Internet as freely as they do today, nor will they be kidnapped by the compulsive concept of "must make their own voices" brought about by the excess of information on social networks, and they will not lose themselves and fall into a desperate situation because of various complicated voices on the Internet. In this sense, the "living environment" of the Japanese in 2005 is much more peaceful, so people will have more energy to invest in the people around them.
In contrast, in 2021, Japan's interpersonal relationships will be much more indifferent, and people will unconsciously form a distance between them. In 2021, after the United Kingdom, Japan will become the second country in the world to set up a "lonely and isolated minister" to deal with the problem of the isolation of modern people. It can be said that the convenience of smart phones can help the students of "Dragon Sakura 2" acquire knowledge, but also bring distance between people.
Modern Japanese young people seem to be able to connect with each other as long as they are friends on social networks within smartphones, and they don't need to see each other regularly. For friends who are often in contact, they will not ask and understand each other's "personal information". Because the act of "asking a friend for personal information" itself is very rude to them. As a result, unless they are neighbors, young Japanese people, even if they become friends, rarely know where they live. In fact, this status quo does not come from the expectations of young people themselves, but from the silent "rules" of Japan, a society that has no chance of getting others into trouble. The mentality of young people also only reflects this society.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="31" > 2005 of "Tramman" and "Extreme Fresh Master"</h1>
2005's "Dragon Sakura" was broadcast during the summer, and the most popular Japanese drama of the season was "Train Man" starring Junji Ito and Mika Ito. The Japanese drama was later introduced into China and broadcast on many local television stations.
2005 'Tram Man'. Image: blogshigechan
As a work that put on the screen the post "Netizens Help Otaku Achieve Love" that actually existed in 2004 on Japan's largest BBS "2ch", "Tram Man" can be said to show an idealism that "the popularity of the Internet will bring a happy future". However, while the Internet brings convenience to individuals, it also causes many problems because of the excessive focus on the same topic and the complex virtual connection between users, which makes people ignore the real and simple face-to-face relationship. 2005's Dragon Sakura can be regarded as a work that represents the pre-network changes, and therefore feels closer to each other.
The second season of 2005's "Extreme Fresh Master". Image: Geikuchi
The highest-rated Japanese drama in 2005 was the second season of "Extreme Fresh Master" in January. Like Ryu Sakura, Kazuya Kameari and Tetsuhei Koike also play students in it. In the original 2005 "Dragon Sakura", the actions of other teachers other than Sakuragi Sensei appear childish and more childlike. This image can be said to be a continuation of the face-style teacher image that appears in "Extreme Dao Fresh Teacher". For example, in the 2005 edition of Dragon Sakura, the teachers were clearly ready for the welcome party and invited Sakuragi to attend, but suddenly changed their temper like children and let go of pigeons. This kind of performance is not because of the needs of the plot, but wants the audience to see "the kind of careless and rigid teacher that everyone often sees in similar works" to get a sense of peace of mind. This kind of intimate relationship that can still be interjected also shows that 2005's "Dragon Sakura" still retains the japanese feel of the Showa era.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="37" > unchanging elements and stories of "friendship, hard work, victory"</h1>
Of course, there are also elements in Dragon Sakura that have not changed in 16 years.
English composition should not use excessively complex performance, it is best to write simple content; mathematics is best to obtain "hidden knowledge" by doing a lot of problems; Chinese is best to start from the text with more basic problems; even if you get the "E judgment" in the first Todai mock exam, you don't need to worry - these skills about taking the test have not changed.
In addition, as a juvenile manga, the elements of "friendship, hard work, and victory" depicted in "Dragon Sakura" are also permanent. Originally, "exams" as a way of competition were easily considered to exist only for effort and victory, and did not require friendship. However, "Dragon Cherry" introduces a large number of "friendship" elements. Sakuragi-sensei, the protagonist played by Hiroshi Abe, often emphasizes this.
For example, Sakuragi-sensei pointed out from a practical point of view that being able to enter the UTokyo examination venue with a partner must be beneficial to the candidate's mental state. At the same time, he also pointed out categorically that people who do not think for the sake of others will definitely not be admitted to UTokyo.
From the perspective of adults who have already entered society, these statements are certainly justified. Lifestyles are translated into everyday attitudes that are ultimately reflected in learning methods. From exams to society, it is extremely important to implement a correct attitude from the beginning.
It is precisely because 2021's "Dragon Cherry Blossom 2" depicts a cold world where people are already at a distance from each other than in 2005, "active contact with others" will become a huge theme. At the same time, although there will be "candidates who will not think for the sake of others and be solipsistic" in the works of 2005 and 2021, only "Dragon Sakura 2" in 2021 will completely suppress it as an evil existence. Is this kind of candidate a portrayal of the modern people who lack practical communication with the outside world in the network society and gradually become solipsistic?
Dragon Sakura 2 depicts Fujii's growth and rehabilitation. Image: Youtube
Therefore, even if it makes people feel too idealistic, "Dragon Cherry Blossom 2" will focus on "candidates who think for others". It is also through the touching in this depiction that the work is conveyed to more audiences. In the 2021 edition, there is a candidate who was originally "solipsistic", but in the final words, he showed the posture of "fighting for the protection of his partners", which particularly touched the audience. He is fujii (played by Yoshi Suzuka), the seventh student in the Higashida Preparatory Class.
Fujii joined the Higashida Preparatory Class at the end of the sixth episode, and halfway through the plot of the ten episodes, he truly became everyone's partner. In contrast, in 2005's Dragon Sakura, Okuno, the last student in the UTokyo preparatory class, joined the work when he was not yet halfway through. The more ink spent on "Gathering Partners" in "Dragon Cherry Blossom 2" also reflects the current situation of "separation and opposition" between people.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="47" > theme is "change"</h1>
The biggest theme of Dragon Sakura 2 is "change". Compared to 2005's "Dragon Sakura" in which Okuno's brother who also wanted to take the Todai exam did not change his mind, and would give Okino an expired sandwich on the day of the exam to make him diarrhea, the characters who were originally on the evil side in 2021's "Dragon Sakura 2" (asshole, Fujii, thief, arsonist) will be rehabilitated at the end of the film and become partners. Sakuragi-sensei's old student, who initially appeared to be a partner but showed the face of an enemy in the middle, also reversed again at the end of the story and became a partner again. The change of the characters to the official change made the audience clap their hands and applaud.
"Dragon Cherry Blossom 2" is such a strong reminder of the variability of a person who "the prodigal son turns back to gold and does not change". This "change" also perfectly coincides with the reversal narrative of the Nisso Theater in recent years. It is precisely in this way that the candidates will give up everything to fight for the sake of their partners to leave such a deep impression on the audience. When we see that this spirit of reform is not limited to students, but also spreads to the adults around them, we will be further deeply moved.
The United UTokyo Preparatory Class. Image: MDPR
In this sense, Ryu sakura 2 is not simply an appendage and reproduction of the "reverse narrative" structure that made the Nissaki Theater famous, but uses this structure to make a very unique claim. This kind of proposition can ignore some of the complaints about "Ryu sakura 2" and "Naoki Hanzawa" cast is too similar" to bring this work more popularity than the previous game, the reason is that for the current situation of increasing division and confrontation in Japan and even the international community as the epidemic has fallen into darkness, "Dragon Sakura 2" shows the brilliance and hope that people will inevitably change from "indifferent confrontation" to "understanding cooperation" and from "evil" to "good".