‘Love Deeply!’ Netflix Series Review - Love Knows No Boundaries, Quite Literally

Right when you thought that dramas were becoming too real with their relatable real-life plot, Love Deeply! comes as a delightful change. With a slight touch of a Little Mermaid and The Legend of the Blue Sea, this show is a light watch if you wish to have your weekly dose of romantic dramas.

The premise follows the story of Mio Nagisa, an oceanographer at Shibaura University of Marine Science and Technology. She loves the sea and the marine life inhabiting it. However, there's a mysterious twist to her character – she possesses a unique ability to communicate with aquatic life. But wait, that’s a little suspicious, how can a human talk to marine life? That is a skill shrouded in intrigue and curiosity.

Enter Rintaro Hasuda, a wealthy man who returns to Japan upon learning about his father’s poor health. He is entrusted with overseeing a risky venture to build a resort in the sea at Hoshigahama Beach. This project is highly dangerous for the lives living underwater. Mio is hired by Rintaro’s elder brother Kotaro Hasuda to be their environmental advisor for this project. Mio, on the other hand, is vehemently against the construction of this resort. She tries ardently to explain to Rintaro the potential perils of developing this project. Will he listen to her or continue with the decision to build the resort? 

Now, it’s obvious that working together, our protagonists are bound to fall in love with each other, and rightly so. This is the start of a complex tale of conflicting interests and budding romance. Mio, with her compassionate nature, finds herself drawn to Rintaro. Rintaro is a tough nut on the outside but a soft person on the inside. Behind his no-nonsense demeanor lies a compassionate soul, one that Mio discovers and, inevitably, falls for. Their worlds collide as they fall in love with each other. Can they, like normal people, pursue their love? Is there something that Mio is hiding from the world? Will they a have fairytale ending?

The actors, Satomi Ishihara (Mio) and Go Ayano (Rintaro Hasuda) portray their characters well in the show. They play what is expected out of them, displaying the correct amount of emotions resulting in an effortlessly engaging viewing experience. The supporting cast too, does a good job of portraying what they play. While the cast excels, the storyline follows a predictable trajectory. The plot appears to amalgamate elements from various stories, creating a narrative that may feel like a synthesis of previously encountered themes. It’s the kind of story that is created every now and then in different kinds of dramas. One thing good about the drama is that it is fast-paced, so you won’t get bored. "Love Deeply!" emerges as a contemporary fairy tale with a noteworthy environmental message. It’s a feel-good, one-time watch drama.

Final Score- [6/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Choudhuri
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times