Friendly to Friend
Cultural · Greeting
うわあ、何年ぶりだろう！全然変わってないね！ — Wow, how many years has it been?! You haven't changed at all! (Cultural · Greeting, Friendly to Friend, JLPT N3)
You
うわあ、何年ぶりだろう！全然変わってないね！
うわあ、なんねんぶりだろう！ぜんぜんかわってないね！
Wow, how many years has it been?! You haven't changed at all!
Romaji: Uwaa, nan-nen-buri darou! Zenzen kawatte nai ne! / Reply Romaji: Hontou ni hisashiburi! Sotchi mo zenzen kawatte nai!
Reply
本当に久しぶり！そっちも全然変わってない！
ほんとうにひさしぶり！そっちもぜんぜんかわってない！
Really, it's been so long! You haven't changed either!
Gesture & etiquette
Bright excited expression. Open arms (for hug-friendly relationships) or quick hand to chest in surprise. Loud, animated voice with genuine warmth. Casual physical contact (shoulder pat, light hug if comfortable). No bowing — this is friendly intimacy.
Reunion greetings with old friends drop the formality of business reunions ('gobusata') and lean into emotion. 'Nan-nen-buri darou' (how many years has it been?) is more a feeling than a real question. 'Zenzen kawatte nai' (you haven't changed at all) is a near-mandatory compliment — even if they obviously have. The exchange is reciprocal and slightly exaggerated — that's part of the warmth.