Series Review: Minami kun no Koibito ~ My Little Lover

Minami kun no Koibito ~ My Little Lover is a 2015 series based on a manga of the same name by Shungiku Uchida, there were also 2 other live action versions.It tells the story of 2 childhood best friends who drifted a part over the years only to be brought back together by Chiyomi suddenly becoming 15 centimeters tall. I started this one when 4 episodes had aired and instantly fell in love with the story and the chemistry between the leads. 

Right away I have to say that our leading man isn't the cold type we've seen before, he's actually pretty human and his cold nature only comes from his father suddenly leaving. Shunichi Minami (Taishi Nakagawa) obviously has feelings and he's very protective over his family so he doesn't get close to others, even the known beauty in the school Sayori Nomura (Erina Nakayama) isn't enough to break through Minami's hard shell. Who has the ability to completely shatter this wall and capture his heart? His childhood friend and neighbor Chiyomi Horikiri (Maika Yamamoto) who he generally works to avoid even though they're in the same class. To others, they just hate each other, but their bond runs deeper than that and throughout the show we see he's always secretly watching her and is jealous over her close friendship with Riku Takagi (Mirai Suzuki). So what can actually make him face his problems? That comes in the form of Chiyomi going missing one day and him finding her at their childhood hideout, but she's 15 centimeters tall. 

Chiyomi shrinking is sort of a play on the unusual circumstances plot where our leads find themselves in a situation they'd rather not talk themselves out of. In this case, she was scared of what her family would say if she showed up not as tall as she was 15 hours before so she makes Minami promise not to say anything until she figures things out. Nothing can go wrong, right? Well they were so distant after some years, they had to find a balance to where they were able to successfully pull off Chiyomi living in his room for weeks until his grandma (Kazue Tsunogae) found out. No worries because for the first few times, she thought she was the One Inch Princess from the story she read to them as kids (although I still think she knew from the beginning & played that senile reaction). Whenever Grandma realized the truth, she never once said anything and even helped Minami when it was needed alongside Asuka (Riko Yoshida) when she found out. I understand Chiyomi's fear about no one believing her and going home after such a big fight in such a state, but I do like the tight knit bond those that knew early on formed and their aim to protect her. 

Minami was one who always did everything he could to protect her despite him constantly lying to himself (and to an extent others who asked) about his true feelings for his little friend. We're shown him always declining Nomura's affections and his thoughts were always with Chiyomi. I would have a lot to say about how Nomura threw herself at him, but when she was officially rejected she took it well. Minami doesn't officially confess until Riku barges into his room and forces him to say what's in his heart, from then Riku leaves his friend with Minami and even gives another hint at a way for her become big again. This plan basically fails and out of desperation, Chiyomi breaks up with Minami thinking he'd be burdened by her being so small even though he doesn't accept what she's saying. When he was hit and fell into a coma, I foresaw amnesia then I remembered this wasn't a K-Drama so I was glad when Chiyomi's kiss woke him up, it also made her normal sized again (cue her being nekkid in a hospital room on top of him..yeah...), luckily for them she covered herself in a blanket before their families returned. 

The drama did a good job with the (what I assume to be) hard work with showing both characters in the same room with one needing to be small. While you can tell it was majorly edited, you still felt their chemistry as if she was normal sized. I also appreciate the ending with them being married, it is completely opposite of how it's predecessor "Minami's Girlfriend" ended (that's all I will say). If you are looking for a cute drama  with a happy ending then this one is for you.