Sometimes words aren’t enough to express the feelings inside us. Sometimes they aren’t sufficient to describe the desires we feel or the thoughts passing through our heads.

And nowhere is this more beautifully expressed than in the Japanese drama More than Words.

Starring actors Fujino Ryoko, Aoki Yuzu, Nakagawa Daisuke, and Kanechika Daiki, More Than Words is precisely what its title implies, a story of friendship and romance defined by feelings that can’t always be expressed in words.

Adapted from the manga series More than Words and In the Apartment by Etsuko, this dramatic adaptation is raw, and the connection between the leads is strong, but don’t expect to always feel good. The true power of this drama is in its realism, and it succeeds in taking viewers into the often awkward but relatable bittersweet interactions between characters dealing with coming out, love, and self.

Fujino Ryoko shines in her role as Mieko. Having been familiar with her after seeing Ryoko in the Japanese BL Fujoshi, Ukkari Gei ni Kokuru, I highly anticipated her in this, and I am not disappointed.

More than Words is told from Mieko’s point of view, expressing her complicated inner thoughts as she deals with feelings she doesn’t know how to express. After a traumatic interaction between herself and her boyfriend, she runs into her classmate Makio (Aoki Yuzu), and they become fast friends. They have an innate understanding of each other without needing to delve into their histories. Together, they look for a part-time job, which brings them close to Eiji (Nakagawa Daisuke), a man who has recently realized he’s gay.

By the end of the first two episodes, it’s apparent this story isn’t going to be driven by the character’s backstories, although they have a subtle way of being brought up, but by their present state of mind.

The storytelling is vivid and thought-provoking, and the cinematography is dark, which makes the lighter moments stand out.

I am inexplicably drawn to this story, to the unspoken things that draw people together, and to the bittersweet reality that love isn’t always pretty.

For a drama that promises to be emotionally riveting, check out More than Words on Amazon Prime Japan. For interfans, check it out on Furritsubs.

Rating- 4.5 out of 5