First Love S1
Director: Yuri Kanchiku
Cast: Hikari Mitsushima, Rikako Yagi, Takeru Satoh, Taisei Kido, Kaho, Minami, Akiyoshi Nakao, Towa Araki, Aoi Yamada, Gaku Hamada
First Love (2022) is a Japanese limited series directed and written by Yuri Kanchiku, inspired by Hikaru Utada’s iconic songs “First Love” (1999) and “Hatsukoi” (2018). The story spans from the late 1990s through the early 2000s to the present day, weaving a poignant narrative of memory, fate, and enduring emotion.
In the late 1990s, Yae Noguchi (young Yae played by Rikako Yagi; adult Yae by Hikari Mitsushima) meets Harumichi Namiki (young – Taisei Kido; adult – Takeru Sato) in their snowy hometown. The two share a winter confession under lilac blossoms, forging an early bond. Fate intervenes when Yae suffers a car accident that leaves her with retrograde amnesia, severing contact and disrupting their trajectory toward shared dreams. Harumichi trains as a pilot in the Japan Air Self‑Defense Force, while Yae becomes a taxi driver and a mother, both carrying remnants of their past lives. Wikipediadmtalkies.com
After fifteen years apart, they cross paths again through a mediated reunion tied to Yae’s teenage son. Harumichi’s unresolved longing and Yae’s lost memories collide, setting off a journey of recollection and redemption. Themes of first love, memory’s fragility, regret, and second chances resonate throughout. dmtalkies.com
Direction is emotionally immersive, deploying layered timelines and lyrical visuals—snowy Hokkaido landscapes, warm domestic scenes, and intimate moments in transit reflect character interiors. Performance is superb: Mitsushima anchors Yae’s soulful resilience while Sato embodies Harumichi’s quiet determination and yearning. Supporting cast—including Kaho, Minami, and Gaku Hamada—contribute textured subplots and underscore the series’ generational and familial dynamics. Wikipedia
Production values are elegant and meticulous: cinematography oscillates between dreamlike flashbacks and muted present-day realism; editing gently bridges eras, while a subtle score complemented by Utada’s thematic inspiration enhances emotional impact.
In sum, First Love: Season 1 is a refined, emotionally affecting romance–drama that gracefully examines how time, loss, and memory shape the heart. With impressive acting, thoughtful direction, and a poetic structural design, the series delivers a bittersweet meditation on how first love can endure across decades.
First Love (2022) is a Japanese limited series directed and written by Yuri Kanchiku, inspired by Hikaru Utada’s iconic songs “First Love” (1999) and “Hatsukoi” (2018). The story spans from the late 1990s through the early 2000s to the present day, weaving a poignant narrative of memory, fate, and enduring emotion.
In the late 1990s, Yae Noguchi (young Yae played by Rikako Yagi; adult Yae by Hikari Mitsushima) meets Harumichi Namiki (young – Taisei Kido; adult – Takeru Sato) in their snowy hometown. The two share a winter confession under lilac blossoms, forging an early bond. Fate intervenes when Yae suffers a car accident that leaves her with retrograde amnesia, severing contact and disrupting their trajectory toward shared dreams. Harumichi trains as a pilot in the Japan Air Self‑Defense Force, while Yae becomes a taxi driver and a mother, both carrying remnants of their past lives. Wikipediadmtalkies.com
After fifteen years apart, they cross paths again through a mediated reunion tied to Yae’s teenage son. Harumichi’s unresolved longing and Yae’s lost memories collide, setting off a journey of recollection and redemption. Themes of first love, memory’s fragility, regret, and second chances resonate throughout. dmtalkies.com
Direction is emotionally immersive, deploying layered timelines and lyrical visuals—snowy Hokkaido landscapes, warm domestic scenes, and intimate moments in transit reflect character interiors. Performance is superb: Mitsushima anchors Yae’s soulful resilience while Sato embodies Harumichi’s quiet determination and yearning. Supporting cast—including Kaho, Minami, and Gaku Hamada—contribute textured subplots and underscore the series’ generational and familial dynamics. Wikipedia
Production values are elegant and meticulous: cinematography oscillates between dreamlike flashbacks and muted present-day realism; editing gently bridges eras, while a subtle score complemented by Utada’s thematic inspiration enhances emotional impact.
In sum, First Love: Season 1 is a refined, emotionally affecting romance–drama that gracefully examines how time, loss, and memory shape the heart. With impressive acting, thoughtful direction, and a poetic structural design, the series delivers a bittersweet meditation on how first love can endure across decades.