Season 1 |
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Episode Guide
Episode 1 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 2 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 3 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 5 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 6 -| Review Score – 2.5/5
Episode 7 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 8 -| Review Score – 2/5
Episode 9 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 10 -| Review Score – 3/5
Hitoshi Iwaaki’s Tanabata No Kuni or Land of Tanabata, is the second of his works to receive a live-action adaptation this year, following Netflix’s K-drama adaptation of his most popular manga, Parasyte.
Land of Tanabata, which concluded its finale on August 8th on Disney+ and Hulu, is a science fiction mystery drama centered around the supernatural abilities of certain residents of Marukami village and their distant relations. Minamimaru Yoji, known as Nanmaru, is a college student with the ability to create tiny holes in any object. Unbeknownst to him, this very ability threatens to destabilize the world.
Land of Tanabata is a fairly faithful adaptation, with scenes and dialogues closely mirroring the original manga. However, a faithful adaptation doesn’t always equate to a good one, as is evident in this live-action remake.
Iwaaki’s mangas are deeply philosophical, often pondering the meaning of human existence and life beyond. They also delve into profound dilemmas, which the remake attempts to convey. Yet, much of this depth is either “lost in adaptation” or insufficiently explored in the audio-visual format, unlike in the original manga.
One of the pitfalls of Land of Tanabata is its ambition to replicate the manga precisely, a feat fundamentally impossible due to the nature of the adaptation process. Iwaaki’s distinctive violence and personal art style are sufficient to create a mysterious, suspenseful, and dramatic atmosphere in the manga’s universe—an atmosphere the live-action remake fails to capture.
The remake is plagued with unmistakable tonal errors. While it attempts to evoke the same drama and suspense as the manga, the colourful cinematography and cheerful atmosphere ultimately create a sense of detachment from the story. Rarely do we feel any genuine suspense, mystery, or drama.
Furthermore, the show suffers from painfully slow pacing to the point where it becomes almost boring and uninteresting. The 10-episode plot could have easily been condensed into a 2-hour film or at least half the current episode length. In many 60-minute episodes, either nothing of significance occurs, or there are at most 20 minutes’ worth of notable events.
Coupled with the poor pacing, the lack of a relevant soundtrack to set the mood and the unremarkable performances from the cast further detract from the show. In fact, during tense situations, it’s almost painful to watch the characters act as they do.
For example, in a scene where Sachiko reveals the abuse she endured from her brother and the resulting trauma from her family’s unfortunate trajectory, the entire moment passes without evoking even an ounce of sympathy for the character. Similarly, Nanmaru’s final speech feels more dispassionate than intended, and the absence of an appropriate background score does nothing to enhance the show’s emotional impact.
On a brighter note, the show does feature better special effects in certain scenes, particularly those involving the dimensional ball, which help to portray Iwaaki’s stylistic gore and violence. However, due to the show’s many shortcomings, these effects do little to salvage what ultimately feels like a lost cause.
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Verdict - 5/10
5/10