Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo (2013–2015) User Reviews

Love's tenacity, persistence and patience wins over High IQ's emotional indifference?

[Mustang-17 · 9/10 · 23 October 2016]

We get to find out in this enjoyable Japanese TV series. Mr. High IQ (Naoki) appears to have been infected by Love (Kotoko) when he offers her his first kiss, almost as a token to keep her engaged in the chase. But after that, and with more gentle persistence by Kotoko, we get to watch to see if she's the only one captivated.

Some might think Naoki is just a high IQ abuser of others not as intelligent as himself, and that might be true if his behavior did not change over time. But what happens is totally fun to watch (even though I had to read sub-text, being English-Irish American). "Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo" (Season 1 & 2 on Netflix) is an absolutely wonderful TV series for those who enjoy romantic comedies.

Pretty great romantic comedy

[solid-rock800 · 8/10 · 5 August 2017]

I'll admit I started watching this just cos I wanted something fun and light, and didn't expect to like it un-ironically. But I got hooked on it pretty quickly. The actors all play their roles very well, and the characters are likable (even cold Naoki grows a bit). I love the over-the-top comedy acting and silly, clean humour of the show. The romance is played well, and the characters grow a little as the show goes on, so that you really get into their lives and wonder how things will turn out for them. It's just put together quite well, and is a really enjoyable show to watch.

Sweet romantic comedy

[soumyasriv · 8/10 · 31 May 2018]

The story is as cliche as it can get where two starkly opposite individuals are on a journey of love. The only difference is that the girl is the first one to fall in love with the cold hearted snob. The comic timing of the the lead actress is super fun to watch and is sure to put you in splits at various moments. The over the top love and clinging attitude of the girl is sometimes hard to comprehend but still i would say it is a light hearted watch. The male lead does justice to this character but I felt he was shown a bit too cold even as the show progressed. I really wished a more warmer side of his in the next season. It would have been lovely if a little bit of his emotional side were also conveyed to the audience.

This is one of my favourite shows.

[rj-dore · 10/10 · 2 January 2019]

Although you would need subtitles, unless you understand Japanese, it is well worth watching. This is one of my all time favourite shows. The comedy and romance is timeless, even if you watch it over and over like I have. Every time I watch this show it always feels like the first time and gets me all emotional. I would highly recommend if you love romantic comedies as much as I do.

Was indifferent for just about 10 minutes. A true revelation

[romanosdaniel · 10/10 · 16 June 2019]

I had read some of the manga that this show was based upon and this show more than any I can think of evokes the exact feeling of the comic. This is mostly brought about by the fact that the actors are exceptionally capable at reflecting this. It is like Kotoko has transformed out of the manga to be a real person and the same for Naoki. Kotoko is not a natural beauty, but she is cute and when she sets her mind to it she is, as Naoki says, quite literally a "force of nature". Her determination, positivity, and heartwarming personality make you want to root for her continuously, and Naoki definitely represents something perfectly unattainable that is a natural target for her puissance. A story universal in its appeal, where it is made clear that who you grow into is much more important than how you start off, and that you should never compromise on your dreams if you are prepared to work hard enough to attain them. Incidentally, I watched the Taiwanese version of this and found that even though I speak Chinese far better, I didn't enjoy it as much because the warmth of the characters just wasn't there; the Taiwanese girl was prettier, but she was not Kotoko and didn't have her spirit. Production values are, just like any Japanese TV show, very strong and show some interesting and lesser known parts of Tokyo. Fantastic show.

Best Version ever

[jarajeanina · 10/10 · 18 May 2017]

I really love the Itazura na kiss love in Tokyo, both season 1 and 2. For me this is the best version ever! I am really amaze how Furukawa Yuki and Honoka Miki portrayed the character so naturally! I cant remember how many times I've watched this already, I never get tired watching this. This series inspired me to study. I am also like kotoko's character, I am also not that good student before. But this story inspires me to have perseverance. This series really helped me to adjust in college and to have perseverance. This version is really the best! Still hoping for season 3 coz I really miss Kotoko and Naoki.

LOVELY, CUTE and BEAUTIFUL

[berkans-47978 · 10/10 · 19 September 2020]

This J-Drama is so addictive. The characters are what makes it so addicting. Funny, sad and heartbreaking moments, this J-Drama has it all.

Super cute

[misswritercreates · 10/10 · 4 January 2019]

This show was pretty good. Kotoko is super cute and happy go lucky, I loved her character. I wasn't thrilled about how much she daydreamed but she was cute nevertheless. Naoki was great and played his part really great. I did wish they'd show a little more affection towards Kotoko but it was clear he loved her and was falling in love with her even though he was too dense to see it at first.

Hard to Watch

[ahogan62 · 3/10 · 24 February 2019]

The comic relief aspect of this series is bareable, although, the series reinforces negative tropes about gender that make the show unbearable to watch: the manipulative, cold-hearted boy and the overly-eager and persistent girl. The series leading lady is one the audience will naturally root for. However, it gets to be ridiculous and redundant when tv tropes romantize toxic and unhealthy relationships. I don't find this series romantic. Kotoko's identity is manifested entirely around a boy who torments her emotionally. The first kiss between Kotoko and Naoki is a good example of this. Once Kotoko realizes her feelings are unrequited and decides to "give up", Naoki realizes this and decides to rope her back in with a kiss. He even says something along the lines of "try forgetting about me now". I realize this is a common theme in Japanese pop-culture media, especially within the domain of romance. The formula is scripted all the same: unrequited love, toxic relationship, "perfect" boy and "clumsy" girl. It's sad to see a woman being portrayed with little to no agency. Kotoko's whole development as a character is hyper-centered around a cruel, pretentious, and narcissistic boy who gaslights her almost every episode. Then you have a secondary male character who is compassionate and emphatic ( a love triangle design) who gets rejected for actually being a good guy? Anyways, if you want a light hearted series to watch. This would be it.

So cute and funny! A must watch!

[MsResponsible · 10/10 · 13 May 2021]

If you like Asian shows set in high school/college, you have to watch this series. I watched this and its sequel, Mischievous Kiss 2: Love in Tokyo, based on my sister's recommendation. She read the Japanese manga this series is based on growing up and has been a big fan. It's funny and heartwarming. I found myself laughing out loud and sometimes so hard it brought tears to my eyes. Great chemistry between the actors. I love the focus on family. There are Taiwanese, Korean, Thai and Chinese versions of this series. I've watched beginnings of the Taiwanese, Korean and Thai versions of this. None were as appealing or addictive as this Japanese version. Watch this. You won't regret it!

Kawaiiii💓

[ferihasheikh · 10/10 · 6 August 2020]

I love this drama, kotoko and Naoki is a perfect match. They portray their characters very well specially yuki(Naoki) act very well the way he used to be so cold I kinda like it he look so damn hottttt💜😭 plus kotoko is so expressive and cute! Their parents are cherry on the cake the way her mother in law support her is priceless...Tbh I didn't watch the other versions of "Itazura na kiss" But for me this one is best And I miss them already 🙈✨ ... Kudos to the team

Heartwarming -- but bad message for teens

[noleander-37517 · 5/10 · 30 May 2022]

This is a great love story, based in the manga "Itazura na Kiss" which was written in the 1990s. The manga is incredibly popular, and has been adapted into TV shows in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand.

The manga follows a classic shojo (teen girl) plot: young lovers meet, the boy is aloof and distant, but the cute young girl persists and overcomes his barriers to win his love.

The actress Honoka Miki is especially good: she hams it up as the determined "never give up" heroine. She is cute beyond belief ... she was only 15 years old when filming the first season.

The problem with this show is that it the boy treats the girl horribly: continually insulting her - yet she keeps coming back for more. To be fair, the TV show towns-down his cruelty: in the original manga, he slaps her a couple of times. The TV show "only" has him abusing her verbally and emotionally.

Over and over again, the boy tells the girl that she is stupid; he ignores her; he teases her into continuing her pursuit, and he breaks her heart ... over and over and over. Even after the marriage, he continues to ignore her.

The boy is not just a nerd, not just aloof, not just lacking in emotion: he is genuinely sadistic.

Yes, fiction often contains evil characters ... sometimes the viewers even root for the unethical character (anti-heroes). But this TV shows is aimed at an audience of young women and teens. What message is it sending to them?

I understand that Japan has a male-dominated society, but this TV show was made in 2013, and one would hope we are in more enlightened times. If the manga were adapted (as a show for teens) in Europe or North America, the emotional abuse inflicted on the girl would be eliminated or at least the boy would get some retribution.

Again, I understand this is fiction, and evil characters often make for exciting plots, but when a TV show is aimed at teens, such plots are simply not acceptable in the 21st century.

I HATE

[kellykim-66170 · 2/10 · 18 May 2024]

Hate is a strong word, but i absolutely despite this series, the male lead is narcissistic and annoying up until THE END. The female lead is just a sore loser everything she does is for him or relating to him her whole world revolves around him from start to finish. Which i am quite annoyed with because the male lead although i guess there was a little bit of character development in the end ish, and i guess they made sure in certain scene itll show that he does love her very much but he just cant express it properly, but it is VERY clear that he just doesn't care as much as Kotoko (female lead) does. I guess this is just not really my cup of tea but if you like it then you like it, overall one of my least favorite shoujo ever would not recommend.