I found out about this show while flying on ANA airlines and watched the movie they had made (Terrace House: Closing Door). The movie was very good, kind of like a long episode of a season, and I was instantly hooked. I was pretty stoked when I found out Netflix would be airing it. I watched 1 episode of "Boys and Girls in the City" and was instantly hooked. This is a reality Japanese show that puts 3 young adult guys and girls in a house together. The goal is to develop friendships and to eventually find love, if possible. Sometimes romance happens, other times it does not. The ages range from 18-30. The housemates are free to leave ("graduate") the show as they please. Every time someone leaves, they replace him/her with a new member, always keeping the same guy to girl ratio. Most of the members are in the acting/modeling industry, so many are good looking, are charming, and/or know how to provide entertainment. They all carry regular jobs (or are searching for one), so they live their normal lives but always come back to live at the house, where most of the conversation/events happen. Sometimes the camera will follow the outside, for when the members go to work (to give us a glimpse of their real world), go on dates, etc. The producers say that there is no script and nothing is rigged. I don't believe this 100% to be true, due to the certain situations that arise that seem a bit forced or suspicious, but it's fun to watch the show and think everything is unscripted. The commentators, famous actors/actresses/personalities in the entertainment industry, provide very entertaining, sometimes hilarious commentary about the members and what transpires everyday. Some of my friends skip through the commentary, but I really enjoy it. I particularly like the chemistry between Yu, Yamasato, and Torii. The subtitles are close to perfection and are able to catch and describe the context of each situation. If you get hooked on the show as much as me and my friends, you'll start rooting for certain people and rooting against others. It's also easy to get attached to them. I believe every member is on some kind of social media (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) so it is easy to see into their lives from a different angle, even after they graduate. Netflix has partnered with Fuji TV and have provided an excellent and entertaining show that gives us a fisheye view into the lives of Japanese young adults, how they interact, and an unobscured view into Japanese culture. What makes this show special for me is the pure, genuine relationships that develop between the members, and to get an interesting perspective into the minds of Japanese young adults.
