I was surfing Netflix for something new and started watching Atelier out of curiosity. I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point I was drawn in and couldn't let go. I'll save you the trouble of looking it up: Atelier is a French word for an artist's workshop. The plot is a fairly predictable Cinderella story (even referred to in one episode): Young country girl just out of school goes to work in the big city. The store is a high-end custom lingerie shop. High-end meaning all hand made for an exclusive set of clients, and costing $500-$1000. Mayu is a fabric expert, not a designer. I think what kept me watching was that the show doesn't focus exclusively on young Mayu. There is strong character development of the whole cast as the series progresses. The obsessed and perfectionist owner, the assistant designers, the business manager, etc. I enjoyed watching how the story developed for many of the peripheral characters we see early on. We get to see how they are really integral to the story, and how they progress and influence things much later. My wife asked me why I was watching a chick flick and my only response was that I found it interesting even though I had to see the whole thing in subtitles. Kudos to the translator for bringing out a lot of subtleties, double entendre, and depth. I have heard the Japanese language is nothing but such things. The meaning is well-conveyed by the acting which was excellent across the board. The only weakness in the cast was that of Mirei Kiritani, the lead actress who plays Mayuko. In many scenes she just comes across as a stereotyped young Japanese girl, the kind we see portrayed too often. (Maybe that really is how they act? I don't know) My only other annoyance with the series was the strange time jumps that would sometimes occur without warning. They seemed to cut past some important developments or just jump too far ahead too fast. All in all I felt like Atelier was much like anything created by BBC -- It's better than 90% of any American commercial crap.
14 Reviews
It reminded me a of a live action anime! Cute!
Balsa517 March 2016
I love fashion, beauty, clothes etc. so when I saw this on Netflix, it piqued my interest. The show is pretty happy, lighthearted, kind of whimsical filled with pretty characters who are impeccably dressed-- I mean all the shirts are ironed, hair and makeup very clean and fresh with not a single hair out of place. All the clothing pieces are coordinated so everyone look super presentable like the posters.
Overall, it was an enjoyable watch for me because of the eye candies. The storyline was okay-- super straightforward, very simple... pace of the story is somewhat slow. characters are very manga like-> very happy and not multifaceted.
Love the soundtrack / music that they used. Would like to know where I can get a hold of them.
Overall, it was an enjoyable watch for me because of the eye candies. The storyline was okay-- super straightforward, very simple... pace of the story is somewhat slow. characters are very manga like-> very happy and not multifaceted.
Love the soundtrack / music that they used. Would like to know where I can get a hold of them.
You are what you wear
alaningle73 March 2021
A new employee at an exclusive lingerie shop is enamoured with the beautiful products the owner designs but has her own ideas on what is suitable for her. The series has a superb female cast and looks at the ethics of conglomerates stealing ideas from small independents and the struggles of artisans competing with mass production. The pace and character development is excellent and you become invested in the individuals and their futures.
Explores creativity, integrity and marketing in a fascinating way
Slingwing15 December 2015
I found this to be unexpectedly interesting, and was seduced into almost binge watching it on Netflix. Who knew lingerie was a secret affirmation of a woman's essence. Well maybe you did, but I didn't. Many little esoteric philosophical droppings along the way in this otherwise enchanting little story about a girl in a high end lingerie shop. I was quite willing to forgive the lapses into sentimentality. The acting was uniformly excellent although the lead girl was perhaps provided with a somewhat banal and underwritten script. For a westerner it was a nice contrast to see the thought patterns of the Japanese, whose politeness seemed interwoven with surprising directness and honesty. No slang, clichés, double entendres, sleaziness even among the nasty corporate brutes encountered along the way. For me a refreshing change of pace. Highly recommended.
underwear-based melodrama
ndk532 January 2016
Good to see content from Japan. Great production values.
I found the musical score intrusive and too 'on the nose'. Signaling what you should be feeling now in case you can't figure it out from the script - determination, inspiration, sadness etc. Lush, redundant and mostly saccharine. Especially that damn piano! Coincidentally just having rewatched The Birds which has no musical score at all. Wish there was a separate mute for the music.
Subtitles in yellow often lost on a light background.
A weirdly depopulated Ginza and too-blue sky over Tokyo. The distraction of anime-looking characters thanks to cosmetic surgery especially among the young actresses.
The melodramatic line readings and swelling music when someone said something like, I will make...bras that I like! The simpering overacting and fumbling by the doe Kiritani in the early episodes.
Male characters mostly emasculated or evil. What was up with the coffee guy? Poor schmuck.
Not crazy about the stereotypical work-life imbalance, would like to have seen some of the characters' lives outside of work.
Other than Kiritani, a great cast. In particular could watch Mao Daichi sew and drink coffee all day. Without music and maybe without that Anna Wintour haircut. Her 'regal bearing' is an inspiration, as is her enunciation which is great for students of the language.
I found the musical score intrusive and too 'on the nose'. Signaling what you should be feeling now in case you can't figure it out from the script - determination, inspiration, sadness etc. Lush, redundant and mostly saccharine. Especially that damn piano! Coincidentally just having rewatched The Birds which has no musical score at all. Wish there was a separate mute for the music.
Subtitles in yellow often lost on a light background.
A weirdly depopulated Ginza and too-blue sky over Tokyo. The distraction of anime-looking characters thanks to cosmetic surgery especially among the young actresses.
The melodramatic line readings and swelling music when someone said something like, I will make...bras that I like! The simpering overacting and fumbling by the doe Kiritani in the early episodes.
Male characters mostly emasculated or evil. What was up with the coffee guy? Poor schmuck.
Not crazy about the stereotypical work-life imbalance, would like to have seen some of the characters' lives outside of work.
Other than Kiritani, a great cast. In particular could watch Mao Daichi sew and drink coffee all day. Without music and maybe without that Anna Wintour haircut. Her 'regal bearing' is an inspiration, as is her enunciation which is great for students of the language.
Japanese show about lingerie - and I'm a fan
blanche-212 November 2016
The young and the old, both in transition, makes up the story of "Atelier" a 2015 miniseries from Japan.
Adorable Mirei Kiritani stars as Mayuko, a young woman who comes to work at the Emotion salon in the Ginza section of Tokyo. Her boss Mayumi (Mao Daichi), made up to look like Anna Wintour, is tough but fair. The lingerie is hand-made and exquisite, and Mayuko falls in love with the whole industry, to the point where she wants to create something herself.
Mayuko and Mayumi learn more from one another than either one thought possible, as Mayuko works to find out who she is and Mayumi realizes she needs to invent herself.
Lots goes on in these 13 episodes: designs stolen, a theme for a fashion show stolen, a child who is estranged from his mother who appears, going into mass marketing, and lots else.
I have never been to Tokyo - it looks so beautiful on this show - it's like watching Manhattan, where I have lived, on Suits or White Collar. At the end someone is out on the sidewalk and you can really see that the streets are crowded like New York in midtown.
Learning a little of the culture was amazing also - lots of bowing, not a huge amount of touching, people seem to treat one another with respect. It's a more formal culture.
Someone on this board said the show reminded them of anime because some of the younger women had plastic surgery. I was wondering during 13 episodes why some of the women seemed to be a mix of American and Japanese.
Mirei Kiritani is so pretty and played the part of a naive girl who wants to learn everything very well. Mao Daichi, who seems like Japan's answer to Joan Collins, is perfect in her role of an elegant, somewhat imperious woman who hides her vulnerability underneath. She wears an Anna Wintour wig -- I'm not sure if I saw her in something else if I would know her. I believe at one point the character is said to be 50, or maybe I misheard - Daichi is 60, and I could have believed she was late forties.
The other actors were all wonderful, including Mayuko Kawakita, Ken Kaito, and Wakana Sakai.
Highly recommended - and for those concerned about language and nudity - this is cleaner than a Disney film.
Adorable Mirei Kiritani stars as Mayuko, a young woman who comes to work at the Emotion salon in the Ginza section of Tokyo. Her boss Mayumi (Mao Daichi), made up to look like Anna Wintour, is tough but fair. The lingerie is hand-made and exquisite, and Mayuko falls in love with the whole industry, to the point where she wants to create something herself.
Mayuko and Mayumi learn more from one another than either one thought possible, as Mayuko works to find out who she is and Mayumi realizes she needs to invent herself.
Lots goes on in these 13 episodes: designs stolen, a theme for a fashion show stolen, a child who is estranged from his mother who appears, going into mass marketing, and lots else.
I have never been to Tokyo - it looks so beautiful on this show - it's like watching Manhattan, where I have lived, on Suits or White Collar. At the end someone is out on the sidewalk and you can really see that the streets are crowded like New York in midtown.
Learning a little of the culture was amazing also - lots of bowing, not a huge amount of touching, people seem to treat one another with respect. It's a more formal culture.
Someone on this board said the show reminded them of anime because some of the younger women had plastic surgery. I was wondering during 13 episodes why some of the women seemed to be a mix of American and Japanese.
Mirei Kiritani is so pretty and played the part of a naive girl who wants to learn everything very well. Mao Daichi, who seems like Japan's answer to Joan Collins, is perfect in her role of an elegant, somewhat imperious woman who hides her vulnerability underneath. She wears an Anna Wintour wig -- I'm not sure if I saw her in something else if I would know her. I believe at one point the character is said to be 50, or maybe I misheard - Daichi is 60, and I could have believed she was late forties.
The other actors were all wonderful, including Mayuko Kawakita, Ken Kaito, and Wakana Sakai.
Highly recommended - and for those concerned about language and nudity - this is cleaner than a Disney film.
depends on your tolerance for spunky underwear girls
cherold30 December 2016
Years ago there was a local PBS channel that was leased for Japanese broadcasts in its off-hours, and I saw so many great Japanese TV series. So I thought I'd check this out.
This silly show is about a young, eager woman who goes to work for a prickly lingerie fashion designer. The young woman is very passionate about textiles, and makes a number of speeches in the first episode about how wonderful some are, and the whole series portrays the creation of bras as this amazing, noble thing, and it's all rather odd.
Outside of the first meeting between the girl and her boss, who offers the wit and presence lacking from the rest of the series, there was nothing in the first episode that made me want to watch a second. It's not terrible, but it's a far cry from those series I saw in the 90s like Kagayaku Toki no Naka de or Furuhata Ninzaburō. I know there's good Japanese TV out there, but outside of anime it's hard to find.
This silly show is about a young, eager woman who goes to work for a prickly lingerie fashion designer. The young woman is very passionate about textiles, and makes a number of speeches in the first episode about how wonderful some are, and the whole series portrays the creation of bras as this amazing, noble thing, and it's all rather odd.
Outside of the first meeting between the girl and her boss, who offers the wit and presence lacking from the rest of the series, there was nothing in the first episode that made me want to watch a second. It's not terrible, but it's a far cry from those series I saw in the 90s like Kagayaku Toki no Naka de or Furuhata Ninzaburō. I know there's good Japanese TV out there, but outside of anime it's hard to find.
A relaxing watch that is perfect for learning Japanese as well
talesaboutus26 October 2020
This show (also named Atelier on Netflix) was recommended to me as I'm slowly improving my Japanese. The topic (fashion) seemed interesting to me so I started watching it and ended up falling in love with it. The characters are all pretty interesting. The story is well-written and delivered. And as a bonus, the type of conversations as well as the delivery is great for someone that's trying to learn the language like me. Highly recommend it!
Good Enough
PennyReviews16 June 2019
Underwear or Atelier was okay. It lacked some intensity, but the final ending was good.
I was expecting something better, sure, but, overall, it was entertaining. The story was not too compalling, but it had some nice aspects in it, like the underwear making progress and the relationship of the leading lady with her boss. The story had some unecessary drama in it and the romance was so so really. The performances, on the other hand, were really good from everyone in the cast.
So, six out of ten.
I was expecting something better, sure, but, overall, it was entertaining. The story was not too compalling, but it had some nice aspects in it, like the underwear making progress and the relationship of the leading lady with her boss. The story had some unecessary drama in it and the romance was so so really. The performances, on the other hand, were really good from everyone in the cast.
So, six out of ten.
So cute!
theshowofffanifacker22 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
It makes me want to apply for a job in an underwear shop! Seriously it's so well made and cute, So amazing! Also i really want to know the actor of Kaji, if you know it please let me know! Also it reminded me so so much of a real life anime. The expressions, sometimes over the top reactions, just simply brilliant. I'm sad that there isn't more. But the characters felt so real I felt like I was part of the series. I felt a connection with a series about underwear, i know right, so strange but so so right!
Totally drawn in to their world
maryjane_olson3 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I was home from work for two days, started watching this show from Japan, subtitles and all. I was so captivated by the charatures, the beautiful production settings, That I could not stop, watching the whole first season. I really felt the beautiful soul of the Japanese culture, The actors drew me in so I forgot I was reading their words. I felt inspired by the respect the charatures showed for each other. Much needed these days. I loved the series!
Sweet japanese "dorama"
tabara9 March 2019
My wife started watching this show, but I got hooked shorlty. I believe the values presentes in the script are one of its best features and production is very good. It really makes you appreciate the effort on lingerie creation.
I'm currently learning Japanese and the type of conversations taken on this show are perfect to get the feel of normal Japanese people (unlike anime) and tune the ear for the languaje. The respect and candor of the characters is just like many Japanese persons I met on a recent trip. Worth watching !
I'm currently learning Japanese and the type of conversations taken on this show are perfect to get the feel of normal Japanese people (unlike anime) and tune the ear for the languaje. The respect and candor of the characters is just like many Japanese persons I met on a recent trip. Worth watching !
An Amazingly Beautiful and Rich Exploration of Japanese Mind and Culture
tabuno13 January 2019
27 December 2015. This mini-television series explores in depth with a cinematographic photography and lush and landscape of beauty in an oftentimes stereotyped industry of lingerie. With an eye to detail as is Japanese, using an energized musical theme and inspired from The Devil Wears Prada (2006), this Japanese series (subtitled in English) offers up well-rounded characters as well as the subtle and complicated Japanese inter-relationships in a captivating and entertaining storyline. Like the classic Fear and Trembling (2003) that exposed the sharp East-West clashes in the corporate world in Japan, Atelier instead looks at the small and intimate world of high-class, small business industry of fashion. Without plunging into the soap opera of sex or the stylized drama of American mystery and thrills, Atelier retains a more vital human core of tradition and surprisingly individualism that may be a breakout for the Japanese film industry.
Interesting but a couple of loose ends should have been addressed.
kmhlbeavis6 July 2023
This starts out with a girl who just graduated and she and her friend go to Tokyo to find work. The girl Mayu eventually finds a job at a high end lingerie shop called emotion. There she starts to learn and also implement some of her ideas as well as get on the owners nerves from time to time. She reminded the owner of herself when she was younger. As the time goes by the business gets better and starts to grow. Mayu eventually finds out that Nanjo the owner was planning on retiring and possibly leaving the shop to her. So she tells nanjo that she is not going to feature her line as it is hers and not emotions and that she is going independent. She did this so that Nanjo wouldn't retire. Nanjo eventually gave her the sewing machine that she first used when she found out where mayu was. Mayu returned to the store to visit and also visit Nanjo. There she starts to cry and Nanjo assures her that she is not going anywhere. Nanjo realized that Mayu sacrificed herself to keep her from retiring. The loose ends that I am referring to is what happened to Mayu's mother. I kind of suspect that maybe Nanjo might have had her out of wedlock which led to the divorce from her husband and in the end what was the result of Mayu going independent? They only show her sewing a cloth and nothing else. That's why I rated it an 8. I would still recommend it though. It seems like the japanese dramas have more control over how to do a series and not let Netflix interfere which makes me happy.
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