Les Gouttes de Dieu (Apple/Canal) can be tasted like a great vintage- Numerama

In 2008, manga fans discovered what would become one of the biggest seine (rather intended for adults) of all times: The Drops of God. Written by Tadashi Agi and enhanced by the illustrations of designer Shū Okimoto, this 44-volume epic has won over millions of readers and wine lovers around the world.

However, we would never have bet a single coin on the success of a manga around oenology. But it must be said that The Drops of God managed its suspense well around the merciless duel between Shizuku Kanzaki and Issei Tomine, his adoptive brother, in order to touch the wine heritage of their father.

The announcement of an adaptation live, the result of a long collaboration between France and Japan, has had the effect of a small bombshell in the world of series. And fortunately, the harvest was good. The first season of drops of godavailable from this Friday, April 21, 2023 on Apple TV+, can be tasted with great pleasure, despite a somewhat timid start.

Is the series faithful to the manga? No, and so much the better

Well, as much to lay your cards on the tables from the beginning: the assiduous fans of the manga will perhaps be disappointed by the direction taken by the series, so much it moves away from the original work. Shizuku Kanzaki thus leaves his place to Camille Léger, a Parisian whose father, Alexandre, a great oenologist, has just died. To touch his heritage, a collection made up of nearly 100,000 priceless wines, Camille will have to pass 3 tests against Issei Tomine, a young Japanese prodigy, considered the “spiritual son” of Alexandre. Problem: the duel will focus on their knowledge of wine and Camille does not drink a drop of alcohol…

Clearly, The Drops of God is more an original production, vaguely inspired by the manga, than a real faithful adaptation. But this creative freedom turns out to be ultimately beneficial for the series, which manages to find its own taste properties. Replacing the main character with a female figure thus stands out as one of the best ideas of this wine drama. Incarnated by the amazing Fleur Geffrier (Aim for the heart), Camille Léger modernizes this discovery of oenology, reduced to 3 tests, instead of 13 originally.

The series also has fun navigating between several countries, where the manga rather stayed with both feet on Japanese lands. During these 8 episodes, the languages ​​mix between French, English, Japanese and even Italian. A breath of fresh air for this international co-production between France and Japan, which largely makes up for the failure of the Franco-British Connectionalso on Apple TV+.

No need to be a wine expert

Between two estate visits and other tastings, The Drops of God manages however to transcribe the essence of the manga: an unprecedented dive into the very particular world of wine. My own knowledge in the field is limited to zero, so I can assure you one thing: you don’t need to be an expert to enjoy the series, far from it. This creation by Quoc Dang Tran (Parallels) thus masters the art of initiatory storytelling down to the fingertips (or lips, to enjoy good drinks on the way).

Camille’s quest, we also live it as spectators: spot the different aromas, recognize the right vintage, analyze the colors at a glance… Everything is perfectly executed so that The Drops of God becomes a sensory experience. The balance is always perfect between a completely playful narration for those who land (like me) in this universe but also instructive for experts on the subject.

Welcome to Camille’s mental palace

To never let go The Drops of God thus takes us into Camille’s head. By her side, we discover how she protected herself from a tyrannical father by storing all the wine training he subjected her to in the recesses of her mind. We travel with this character in his mental palace with a thousand flavors. All the tasting sequences are thus illustrated by magnificent explosions of colored powders, which allow Camille to distinguish each aroma from each glass with incredible precision.

We thus find there what made the salt of the manga: the scenes in which Shizuku compared great vintages to a Queen concert or to a field of strawberries. Overall, the achievement of drops of god honors this elegance. Constantly between shadow and light, the mastered planes finally evoke a glass of wine: the deepest shades of Bordeaux thus rub shoulders with the most dazzling reflection of the crystal that contains them. We owe this visual tour de force to Oded Ruskin, the Israeli director behind False Flag Or No Man’s Landwho once again reveals the extent of his talent.

Tomohisa Yamashitathe quiet charm

Obviously, with only 8 episodes, this duel between Issei Tomine, who favors theory, and Camille, more instinctive, is less epic than the longevity of the 44 volumes of drops of god. But the series manages to give us a furious desire to taste these alcoholic beverages again alongside these subtly written and interpreted characters.

Japanese star Tomohisa Yamashita, who was (literally) naked in season 2 ofAlice in Borderland finds a restrained role here with Issei. Her quiet charm and her unfailing calm offer a new perspective to this character, very different in the manga, but which complements her much better here with Camille.

We really believe in their relationship which becomes deeper and deeper over the episodes, until a moving conclusion, as balanced as everything else. We can’t wait to find this duo as iconic as a grand cru as soon as possible and continue our initiation full of intoxication.

The first season of Les Gouttes de Dieu is available on Apple TV+ and Canal+, with two new episodes every Friday, until June 2, 2023. Note that the series will also soon be broadcast free of charge by France Télévisions.

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