Drama: Over TimeJapanese: オーバー・タイムScreenwriter: Kitagawa ErikoNetwork: Fuji TVActors: Sorimachi Takashi, Esumi Makiko, Kimura Yoshino, Ishida Yuriko, Shiina Kippei, Nishida NaomiLet me give you a fair warning most people I see hated the ending but for me they just don't understand the theme the writer is trying to convey. Not all romance dramas should stay the same creativity is what I value the most which ironically I found it with these old dramas, modern dramas don't take as much risks anymore. Written by Kitagawa Eriko which is known for writing some of the best Japanese dramas of the 90s this drama is no different from the vibe of great dramas of that era in fact this maybe controversial take but I like this drama more than Long Vacation, yes I just said it.I was afraid at first when I saw that cast of 8 because I know huge cast for a romance genre is a formula for a disaster so I am glad they just focus to only 4. I am mostly glad that they drop the infidelity scenario for that one side character right away and that character became integral part of the show. There are triangles but the not the annoying kind of triangle, two relationships here represents the most common struggles real life couples experience. Dialogue is very grounded, romantic with metaphors sprinkled on top and you may not like the ending but thematically it makes sense. The drama tries to answer the question, can a man and a woman truly became friends without falling in love?This is an old drama but the production quality is high for the time. Very good cinematography the drama really captures the scenic sides of Tokyo. Acting is on point just not the best acting in the world but chemistry wise they torch any modern Japanese dramas in comparison like seriously they don't stand a chance. And what can I say about the music, the song Kaede by Spitz is perhaps my top 3 insert songs in history of Japanese dramas. They don't make something like this anymore, insert songs like they created the song first the scene second pretty much a music video vibe.No one takes risks more than Japanese writers, thematically and execution wise it is perfect from beginning to end. Love the use of pictures and Tokyo Tower as symbolism. Did I like the ending? I absolutely love it because it makes sense. I do think the ending is a product of its time in a different world or era the ending would be different.

ThatJapaneseDramaGuy