Mari Andrew Illustrations:

The trials and tribulations of life

Weakest Beast (Ep 10)

To those who just got laid off or quit a job, it’s not you, it’s them.

Just because your skills are no longer needed there or you have difficulty fitting in that company, doesn’t mean you’re not needed or can’t fit elsewhere.

There are thousands of companies, there will surely be one suitable for you.

Your job is not your life, your job is a part of your life.

The downside to having your job as your life is that when you lose it, you lose yourself and your identity, making you question your self-worth.

Weakest Beast (Ep 9)

Shuri just started work but struggles to keep up the demands of her toxic boss who kept messaging her work emails on weekends. She made a mistake on her first week at work as she has trouble juggling her tasks and could not focus as her boss kept yelling at her all day to do this and that.

Business articles often tell people that employee should not be afraid to make mistakes but none address the issue as to why they are afraid to do so, especially mistakes that could cost the company its business. Would you hire someone who unknowingly made a careless mistake that affects the company?

Although we all know mistakes are part of work life but often times we are more concerned with our image and reputation as we are afraid of being seen as an incompetent who cannot do a simple job or multi task which will affect our chances of getting promotion or even get employed in the future. 

Weakest Beast (Ep 9)

Kosei is blackmailed into conducting fraudulent accounting to hide an embezzlement but decided against it even though it cost him his career which he had spent years building it up diligently, working long hours. If was too much for him to handle that he attempted to commit suicide, until Akira arrives.

Akira caught him trying to do something stupid and decide to talk it out when Kosei realizes Akira is losing her job as well and is shocked to learn from her toxic boss that she is replaceable despite all the responsibilities accumulated over the years which almost led her to commit suicide at the train station.

Kosei saved Akira’s life and now Akira saved Kosei’s. 

The thing about rebound relationship is that it usually starts not because of love but loneliness. Both suffered a heartbreak from their respective relationship and is at the lowest point of their lives where they lose their jobs or even themselves so they don’t want to be in pain alone.

They need someone with a similar shared life experience to share their issues with as no one else knows what they’re going through but them. Like in this drama, both Kosei and Akira wanted someone they both couldn’t have, they both lost their career and they’re both alone, lost, confused and in pain.

Weakest Beast (Ep 9)

After years of enduring her toxic job for money to pay her monthly rent and other necessities, doing jobs that are not even hers, getting yelled at, Akira finally snaps at work after she had enough of her micro-management, perfectionist and toxic boss way of treating her and her co-workers. 

All the employees hated working there but stayed because they needed the money to survive in expensive Tokyo, and none dare to raise their voices. Unfortunately, such things are common in Asia where the cost of living are soaring and the jobs that are good for your mental health doesn’t pay much.

Weakest Beast (Ep 9)

Akari is a good natured “people pleaser” who has a habit of helping others even if cost her own wellbeing that she feels helpless when she is unable to help.

Kosei is a skeptic and jaded person who is weary of people’s behaviours and believes others will make of use of you if you show your weakness to them.

Ultimately, life is about balance. There are times you can help, there are times you have to help yourself first. Unfortunately, we are terrible at balancing.

Weakest Beast (Ep 9)

You can be in a relationship and still feel alone because you’re not comfortable being who you are now since you’ve changed for the sake of your partner.

You can be single and not feel alone because you can be yourself while attracting the right people in your life who accepts you for who you are.

Weakest Beast (Ep 9)

Difference between a love relationship and a rebound relationship is that in love relationship, one might have to lose himself or herself in search of being someone that is accepted and loved by the other.

In rebound relationship, there is no expectations, you can be yourself, say whatever you want and do whatever you want at any time, without offending or hurting the other because there is no commitment.

Weakest Beast (Ep 8)

This is probably the first J-drama that I have difficulty watching, because of this annoying character named, Shuri. She refuses to work and remains unemployed for five years while being a freeloader at her boyfriend’s house.

Even after they break up, she refuses to leave and her boyfriend still pays for expenses while she laze around all day playing games, not wanting to work like everyone else, as having to step out and work for others is a hassle.

The least she could do is a take a flexible part time job, maybe at a games or comics store since she love them so much, but to not even put in any effort or try at all and expecting her life to just change for the better is insane.

It gets more frustrating seeing her hating her boyfriend’s new girlfriend, Akira, who works her butts off in a toxic company where she end up doing all the work due to incompetent colleagues who always have excuses to avoid work.

And constantly getting yelled at by her boss despite being such a reliable company secretary who is becoming more than just a secretary doing other people’s job and getting spammed day and night about work matters.

Akira reached a breaking point several times wanting to quit or even commit suicide at the train station, getting drunk, while struggling to accept the fact that her boyfriend’s ex (Shuri) is still living with him (how do you think Akira feels?)

And Shuri got the nerve to say Akira’s life is going so smoothly without a hitch, calling her a showoff who tries too hard to be nice and liked by everyone, when Akira is just trying to stay positive despite all the shit that’s going on in her life.

So watching this scene of Shuri getting told by Kosei (Akira’s friend) who have a habit of telling things straight as it is, is really satisfying. He’s like “do you really think that you’re the only one here who is going through shit in life?”

Pretty Proofreader (Ep 10)

Etsuko Kono (Satomi Ishihara) is depressed when she misses her chance of getting her dream job as an editor that she’s been chasing after for many years as she was too focused on her current job as a proofreader.

She fears there will not be another opportunity but Hachiro Kaizuka (Munetaka Aoki) believes there will always be an opportunity but not the one we expect. 

He respects her for taking her current job seriously and professionally even though it wasn’t a job she wanted in the first place.

Acing a job that you love is natural but acing a job that you don’t even love but grow to like, that is extraordinary. 

Pretty Proofreader (Ep 10)

“Even at our age, isn’t it exciting to be chasing after a dream? Don’t let go of the dreams that didn’t come true.”

Pretty Proofreader (Ep 10)

With success, comes jealousy. Daisaku Hongo (Takeshi Kaga) is a successful writer who gains more popularity with every book release causing his friend to envy him as he too wanted to become a writer but did not managed to be one.

Problem with us is that we only see the highlight reels of others, especially on social media that we envy them for it and we want what they have but we did not realise the sacrifices and problems that comes along behind the scenes.

Pretty Proofreader (Ep 7)

“Living with you makes me realise a lot of things.”

Yukito Orihara (Masaki Suda) is a struggling writer who got kicked out of his apartment as he is unable to pay his monthly rents. 

Fate has it that Toyoko Morio (Tsubasa Honda) is on the lookout for a male model for her fashion magazine company and saw him by chance.

Failure to get a model will cost her job as she is already seen by her employers as no longer reliable in contributing to the company.

Morio offered Yukito to stay with her until he succeeded in becoming an official model for her company and earning his own paycheque.

Becoming a model is not an easy feat as it is more than just having good looks but other factors which requires Morio’s help in brushing up.

Yukito used to view her as a “successful” career woman who has everything but living with her makes him realise that she’s just as lost as he is.

I find their platonic relationship relatable and understandable, two lost souls putting up a fake image in public, pretending they are fine when they are not.

Afraid of being judged and criticised by others for not meeting their expectations of how a person of their age or gender should be.

Getting bombarded with questions that make you doubt your self worth like,
“Being a writer has no future. Your passion is useless. You should wake up.”
“What good is having a good career and own house if you are still single.”

Because of these, we tend to focus on the negative aspects as “pressured” by others instead of the positives ones. We can re-look them in a different way.

“Being a writer has no future. Your passion is useless. You should wake up.”

You HAVE a passion in something that others don’t. What makes you able to tolerate challenges and hardships is your passion in doing it.

What good is having a good career and own house if you are still single.”

You HAVE a career, you OWN a house, while others are still struggling to find a job or getting their own homes when property prices are soaring.

I guess this is what they mean by gratitude. Thankful for the things that you have, instead of focusing on things that you do not have.

Don’t let the noises of others weigh you down. They only judge based on what they see on the surface and based on their own life experiences. 

You know yourself. You know what you want.

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