Lighthouse 2023 Tv Series Review Trailer

It may seem like a contradiction, but the many technologies that make modern life so much easier than fifty years ago are also making the world more complicated with each passing day. The modern world can't help but add more and more layers of expression every second and provide more and more options for basically everything from food to jobs to romantic partners and everything in between. Such a massive load of information and choice can only lead to stress, anxiety, and mental struggles that are becoming more and more universal. 'Lighthouse', a new Netflix show, delves into the struggles of modern life in a very peculiar way.

'Lighthouse' is a new Japanese talk show originally produced for Netflix. The show stars Gen Hoshino and Masayasu Wakabayashi, two Japanese artists and performers who meet once a month to discuss the struggles of modern life and many other topics.

Creator: Nobuyuki Sakuma
Stars: Gen Hoshino, Masayasu Wakabayashi

Gen Hoshino is one of the most popular singer-songwriters in the country, and his songs often end up topping the Japanese charts. Meanwhile, Masayasu Wakabayashi is a master comedian and also a very popular radio host. The couple meet for the first time in the first episode and continue their strange relationship for six more months.

'Lighthouse' is a very Japanese show. In fact, the premise itself is something that could only come from Japan. It is well known that the Asian country loves its talk shows. There are many on both TV and radio. The variety of talk shows is immense, and there is arguably one for every member of the audience. However, the producers of 'Lighthouse' have managed to come up with a very original setup for the series, forcing two strangers to meet and talk only once a month. It's a very strange premise, but it works and just reflects how we build relationships in real life.

Hoshino and Wakabayashi don't meet during the first episode and because of that, the beginning of the show is about as awkward as you can imagine. The conversation is pointless, and if you're also not familiar with who these people are, then the question is: why should I care what they say? It will come to your mind. It's quite charming, though, as the conversation progresses through the first episode and then builds into future episodes, seeing these two go from strangers to acquaintances to potential friends.

This is the greatest strength of the program. His charm is undeniable, and of course, this is mainly due to having chosen these two men as the subjects of this experiment. Hoshino is laid back, talented, and opinionated about what he likes and what he doesn't. He is also very polite, the perfect example of the Japanese stereotype. You may find out that he just hates a lot of things as the episodes go on. However, the man is still charming and is the right man in the relationship. Hoshino also takes the time to write and perform a new song every month, drawing inspiration from his conversations with Wakabayashi.

Meanwhile, Wakabayashi is pure energy. He makes sense since he's a comedian by trade and his powers of observation are through the roof. He doesn't miss a beat when it comes to turning something into a joke. He has many stories to tell and he tells them very well. At first he may seem a bit over the top, but Wakabayashi never crosses the line into annoying territory. It's great to see him open up to Hoshino and make the more serious Hoshino laugh whenever he can. It was really great of the producers to have paired Wakabayashi with Hoshino as the straight guy/joking guy dynamic plays out beautifully.

As the conversations flow, getting to know those artists becomes quite interesting. Especially when they express themselves by talking about their creative process. You might think that for a musician and a comedian the processes would be very different from each other, but it's quite funny when they realize they have more in common than they thought. As the show progresses, it's pretty easy to relate to these two people and find common ground with them. I wish talking to strangers was something like this in real life.

The show focuses a lot on the Japanese situation. There seems to be this ideal Japanese standard of finding what you want to do and sticking with it. It is something that has allowed Japan to have so many experts in specific fields. However, what happens when you don't know what you want to be?

This is a question that torments young people today, and the answers that some people have when they ask what their dreams are, are quite sad. It's fascinating that the show is willing to go there when this kind of talk is not highly regarded.

And yet, while the show is charming in its own right and also very entertaining, especially in the later episodes when you've already established a relationship with these two. There's so much that gets lost in translation that it wouldn't be surprising if someone left the show after the first episode. There are a lot of nuances and double meanings in Japanese, and Wakabayashi especially seems to be doing a lot of this in his jokes. The subtitles fail to convey that. So expect a lot of situations where people are laughing and you don't know why.

In the end, 'Lighthouse' is a unique show with a unique premise. This makes for an interesting watch, and thankfully both hosts do a wonderful job of addressing these topics that aren't often talked about in Japanese society. However, this very uniqueness works against the show as it makes it very content specific. Most people won't give this a chance, but those who do will find it one of the most interesting Japanese shows on Netflix.

Watch Lighthouse 2023 Tv Series Trailer