Never Let Tall Buildings Stand In The Way Of Your Dreams - A Review of 'Sign'

REVIEW 4

Sign

Above (left to right): Yoshizawa Ryo as Nagi, Sakurada Dori as Micchan, Uehara Takuys as Doji, Hirama Soichi as Tsuna and Terada Takuya as Tobi

I came across Sign after finishing Black Pearl and looking for other Uehara Takuya projects. It was only by accident that I found the series online and decided to give it a try. Suffice to say, Sign was to be my first ever J-drama series and I wasn't sure at the beginning if I would like it. I had previously heard from a friend that J-drama tended to be too overly dramatic and sometimes could be downright stupid, but thinking of Takuya, I decided to take that chance.

Unlike my previous reviews I will not be posting a "play-by-play" synopsis, mainly because Sign is only a nine episode series. It would take far to long for me to explain the plot from episode to episode, so if from the short synopsis below you find yourself interested, go and watch this short but powerful series.

Synopsis:

Above: Uehara Takuya (Doji)

Doji Oon appears to be an average high school kid, except that he is deaf. After losing his hearing to illness, Doji feels isolated from the world and constantly tries to run from his problems. When he one day visits his older brother Shinji's bar, he watches a group of guys take the stage and begin a dance show. Though deaf, Doji is able to feel the music through the vibrations in the floor and soon after takes up an interest in dancing. His handicap has always been a barrier, but through dance, will Doji be able to overcome everything and everyone that stands against him, and to do this, what will be the ultimate cost?

REVIEW

The Cast:
Douji Oon - Uehara Takuya
Shinji Oon - Takahiko Yanagisawa
Micchan - Sakurada Dori
Tsuna - Hirama Soichi
Tobi - Terada Takuya
Nagi - Yoshizawa Ryo
Taro - Hashimoto Atsushi

Casting & Individual Performances:

Like Black Pearl, Sign was produced and starred the same set of actors belonging to AMUSE. Filled with many familiar faces and some new, Sign proved itself to be a deep series despite its short run with a top notch cast.

The main star is none other than Uehara Takuya. Takuya's approach to Doji was very unique and it was obvious that he put a lot of effort into the research of the hearing impaired, as was evident in his speech and actions. I always find shows or plays that focus on disabilities such as this to be especially difficult, as it is easy to rub others the wrong way. Takuya however proved this to be untrue as he made Doji both a sympathetic and highly relatable character. Alongside Takuya was Takahiko, who played Takuya's older brother Shinji. The quote unquote "voice of wisdom" of the series Shinji was a great opposite to Doji, often balancing him out emotionally and having some of the hardest scenes to watch throughout the series. After seeing Takahiko in Black Pearl I was anxious to see him in a more series role and if he would be able to distinguish himself from his true strength in physical comedy. Suffice to say, I was thrilled by his overall performance. Supporting but not forgotten are the other members of the dance group, Micchan, Yuuli and Ibaraki. Each presented their own challenges which the respective actors met and ran with, but the performance of Dori as Micchan especially stood out. The most reserved character of the series and my first encounter with Sakurada Dori, I at first was turned off by the character and didn't want anything to do with him but as the series continued I grew to love and respect him. Without giving to much away, Micchan would become my second favorite character next to Doji. The cast overall gave great performances that were both entertaining and emotional, all while showing both the easy and difficult sides of life.

Other Thoughts:

Though it may not look it from the start, Sign centers completely around dance and music. Both art forms are very close to my heart as dancing was a huge part of my life for many years and I continue studying to be a professional performer. The ultimate message Sign sends is simple: you can do anything, no matter the obstacle. For Doji, the main obstacle is his deafness while other characters struggle with tough family situations, broken relationships, illness and even death. Through it all Sign shows that nothing should stand in the way of your dreams and no matter what anyone else says, you should pursue them.

Final Thoughts:

While points throughout the show were a little too over dramatic for my taste, this nine episode series was quite enjoyable and one I'm glad I stumbled on it. Between its message, its cast (TAKUYA!) and its extremely catchy theme song, Sign is a great series for any Amuse or J-drama fan.

The entire series of Sign can be found on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpQGrJPuEoU&list=PLzolcttNA5TkzQgd-c-greXn_l5Gl_K3d

Sign - PV Theme

Above (left to right): Shinji, Tobi, Micchan, Doji, Tsuna, Nagi, Taro

NEXT REVIEW:
Black & White: Akuma no Tenshi, Tenshi no Akuma