How a Netflix series turned two iconic songs into a sweeping romance
In short: Inspired by the music of Hikaru Utada, the 2022 series First Love explores the enduring power of memory. It follows two teenagers whose lives diverge in the late 1990s, only to find their paths crossing again fifteen years later in a story of lost dreams and rekindled passion.
Released by Netflix on 24 November 2022, the Japanese television series First Love (Hatsukoi) draws its creative essence from two songs by Hikaru Utada: "First Love" and "Hatsukoi." The narrative centers on the evolving relationship between Yae and Harumichi, who first met as teenagers during the late 1990s and continued growing up together into the early 2000s.
The plot is driven by the divergence of their ambitions and the weight of past trauma. Yae aspired to become a flight attendant, but her journey was interrupted by an accident. Meanwhile, Harumichi pursued a career as a pilot within the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), though his life ultimately took a different trajectory than expected. After a fifteen-year separation, the pair reunites to navigate their shared history.
Critical reception for the series has been varied, reflecting its highly stylized approach to the romance genre. Phil Harrison of The Guardian characterized the production as tasteful and idealized, suggesting it felt like "romance as designed by Marie Kondo." While James Hadfield of The Japan Times found the series to be luscious and spectacularly silly, other critics were more measured. Jonathon Wilson of Ready Steady Cut offered praise for the performances of the lead actors, Hikari Mitsushima and Takeru Satoh, noting their ability to convey emotional highs and lows, even while suggesting the plot's familiar beats were spread across an overly spacious runtime.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: First Love (2022 TV series)
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