This review may contain spoilers
A Serious Question of Attraction
We often don’t realize how little we know about a person until we are in constant proximity with them.Living with Him, an adaptation of Miyata Toworu’s manga of the same name, explores just that: the complexities of friendship and attraction through the shared living arrangements of childhood friends Tanaka Kazuhito (Sato Ryuga) and Natsukawa Ryota (Sakai Sho) upon entering university. Ryota is reserved and accustomed to responsibility, whereas Kazuhito is outgoing and universally liked. Despite Kazuhito’s popularity and striking looks, his inability to sustain relationships confounds Ryota and sparks a journey of self-discovery. As Ryota probes the reasons behind Kazuhito’s fleeting relationships, he confronts his own emotions and insecurities.
Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/04/27/living-with-him-first-impressions-ep-1-2/
Was this review helpful to you?
Slow-burning love and a tangible chemistry that goes beyond the screen
Legend has it that thousands of years ago humans were made up of two people. That being had two heads as well as two pairs of arms and legs. His wisdom was delirious, his reasoning was precise, and in his body two hearts beat with harmony and fullness. The person was happy because he lived in love with his counterpart, but one day he defied the gods and received the most severe punishment: being separated from his other half. He was condemned to search for the one who was taken from him in order to feel whole again.From that moment on we wander the world looking for the ideal person, the perfect partner who will complement us.
What if love is not in that stranger but in someone very close? What if your childhood friend, the one who accompanied you since you were a child in childhood games and pranks, or who was a little older in high school or university, could be the perfect match? Couldn't the love of your life be that friend who has been there all the time, by your side, the one who listens to you, the one who knows you well, the one who gives you advice, a hug in the moment of triumph or a shoulder in the moment of pain and sadness? It may seem strange, but if he has been there for so many years to support us, maybe he is also there to love.
If there is a recurring trope in film and television, it is the movies and series of best friends who fall in love, something that is also very common in real life.
With this premise, Ayaka Kato, the director of the Japanese BL series 'My Personal Weatherman' and 'Zenra Meshi', called on the screenwriter Takeshi Miyamoto ('Perfect Propose') to work together, as they did in 'Old Fashion Cupcake' , to adapt and give life, in real action, to the characters and events of 'Kare no Iru Seikatsu' ('Living With Him'), the popular original manga by Toworu Miyata. Koji Nomura also joined in writing the scripts. Together they created a drama that exposes the complexities of love, painting a vivid picture of a relationship that evolves over just over a decade.
NBC Universal Entertainment Japan's romantic comedy-drama tells the story of two childhood friends who reunite after a few years apart and realize they have feelings for each other. As they navigate the challenges of early youth and the expectations of their respective social circles, they must decide if they are brave enough to risk everything for a chance at love.
The narrative, as the title suggests, offers snapshots of a life together, weaving together the shared experiences of Kazuhito and Ryo. Over the course of 10 half-hour episodes, the series encapsulates the bittersweet exploration of young adulthood, highlighting fleeting but impactful moments that shape their relationship.
In a total departure from his role in the 'Kamen Rider' franchise, Sato Ryuga, in his first leading role, plays Kazuhito Tanaka, a young man with a sparkling aura, good personality and physical appearance. This young man has had feelings for his friend Ryota for many years. There was a past between the two when he was a member of the baseball club, which could be the key to their union and attraction.
For his part, Sakai Sho, a Japanese social media influencer who turned to acting by participating in the film 'Tokyo, I Love You' and the series 'Jeanne no Sabaki' and 'Takara-kun to Amagi-kun' , the latter also from the BL genre, plays Ryota Natsukawa, a housewife-type boy who is good at household chores, such as cooking and washing clothes, with an honest and expressive personality.
They are both best friends since childhood and total opposites. Ryo, who in high school was part of the "normal" group, today longs to be independent from his parents and living in his own house while studying at university will give him the desired freedom. Meanwhile, Kazuhito, the one from the "popular" group "As he goes through high school, he is in need of a place to sleep. The turning point of this story begins when the two friends meet again.
Upon reconnecting, Ryota recognizes that, despite his perfect appearance and pleasant personality, Kazuhito does not have a girlfriend. Curious to know why he hasn't found his better half, he tries to point out his flaws from a girlfriend's point of view. But you can't see any imperfections.
This is how he proposes to have a date, with the pretext of finding him an ideal girl. However, Ryota finds his heart fluttering at Kazuhito's kind words and actions. As the two deepen their relationship and Ryota gets to know more about the young man with whom he shares a roof, he wonders if he is in love or if it is just a deep feeling of friendship.
As they share time together and the old friendship seems to have been rekindled, the spark will fan their hearts. Little by little they are getting closer. Kazuhito is the one who takes the first step, declaring his old and undying love to Ryo. He suddenly finds himself in the middle of a crossroads: not knowing whether or not to love his friend, or whether he is right or wrong. How can you find the answer to this great enigma?
As they deepen their friendship, love simmers. They will need time for everything to develop. The series shows us how little by little two souls recognize each other and a beautiful feeling is created in their hearts. Will they be ready to take the next step?
The interplay of love and memories of the past drive their individual and shared narratives. The uncomfortable initial encounter matures into meaningful dialogues, fostering the expected physical interactions on the part of the audience. Lovers of the BL genre will gladly receive this story about best friends who fall in love, for the innocence and development of their characters and for the dramatic and even fun situations that are generated when they discover that they are in love.
Kazuhito and Ryo are the clear example that shows that opposites attract, and that they can be very happy together. The reunion and living together under the same roof shakes the lives of the two young people. These events trigger a story marked by the complexity of human bonds, an aspect that, although typical of the romantic genre, in this work delves into love, friendship, discovery, acceptance, family relationships and reflection on complexities of being an LGBT person today.
The audience will obtain a lot of information about the hidden feelings and thoughts of the two, mainly those of Ryo, which will be revealed through the conversations of the protagonists and the evocation of the moments lived long ago since they met until their lives He set them on different paths. The viewer will find it nice to see the two of them together. The way their lives are told is actually very enjoyable and seems authentic. The flashbacks will help you travel to the past to learn that there was always something special between them.
The stories of the secondary characters offer the viewer even more information about their love story. The plot arc develops throughout the drama: the friends will meet again to become lovers and will have a very romantic ending.
There's something undeniably touching about watching two best friends fall in love. However, everything can be unpredictable when this happens. Will things work out because they know each other and have a deep enough connection to embark on the journey of love? Or, on the contrary, will one of them, or both, not take the step for fear of breaking the friendship? This is precisely a dilemma in which we can all be at some point.
Sato Ryuga is the star of the show. As Kamen Rider Geats, his transition into a romantic role as the young college student who falls in love with his best friend is believable. He has a strong screen presence and those romantic scenes can delight the audience.
The dramatization presents a peculiarity in its conception: it is a look at homosexual youth in a conservative society with strong patriarchal and heteronormative traditions in which discrimination against LGTB+ people persists and gay marriage or equal marriage is not recognized.
In order to bring together current generations and members of the LGBT community who are increasingly interested, some in understanding relationships between people of the same sex in a changing society and others in seeing themselves reflected in various audiovisual content and formats, the director He guided the production under certain influences from cinema and serial products of the moment. The creative photographic work, the use of lights and the unique transition curtains show a relationship with the plot.
'Kare no Iru Seikatsu' also surprises with one of the most original presentation designs of the latest JBL dramas, where even a minimal detail denotes intention, insight, while revealing identity elements of the work. Music, an essential complement in fiction, also fits like a perfect piece in the scenes, especially the romantic ones.
The narrative structure with the Chinese box technique constitutes another striking resource: new stories emerge from what is told, and characters who initially occupied a background gain more weight over time.
However, the true essence of the series lies in the tangible chemistry between the two characters. His portrayal of Ryo and Kazuhito's quiet, fun, and tender relationship transcends the screen, filled with raw emotions, chaos, and affection.
Was this review helpful to you?
Historians will say they were roommates
There is something about JBLs that just take the cake. There’s not much that I don’t like about this drama tbh. I say I’m not a friend of friends to lovers but lowkey it’s growing on me. Maybe I’m just not fond of Hetero friends to lovers lol.Anyways, the vibe you get is that the friend who seems so perfect can’t keep a girlfriend well bc it’s kinda obvious that he doesn’t want too. He swings the other way ya know. And he high key is in love with his roommate/friend and probably for a while now.
They have such a raw, natural and caring friendship which makes it a healthy journey for them both when discovering if they are ready for more than being just friends.
Anyways, the height difference is killing me in a good way and they’re so cute together.
Was this review helpful to you?
heartwarming slice of life/romance series
Overall: this might be one of my favorite friends/roommates turned into romantic partner stories so far. It is the definition of a slow burn done right. 8 episodes about 25 minutes each. Airing on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4215/living-with-him-2024-e01What I Liked
- caring/sweet moments
- that they had past history but also needed to learn things about each other due to their time apart
- clear flashbacks and enjoyed seeing them when they were young
- ex girlfriend wasn't a cliche, non-cliche female characters
- a character was a bit naive but he did figure things out and communicated
- supportive family members, dynamics felt realistic
- overall realistic with trying to maintain boundaries but also being jealous
- production value
Room For Improvement
- not a fan of starting a series with a voice over exposition dump
- episode 2 had a too long recap of episode 1 at the beginning
Was this review helpful to you?
This series is such a delight! Wholesome, sweet and refreshing
This series is such a delight! It's the common trope of childhood friends that have grown apart yet this story is told in such a wholesome, sweet and refreshing way. I think it quite accurately showcases the mental gymnastics and struggles of figuring out your feelings as an LGB person. We are three episodes in as of right now and each episode just keeps getting better and better!I hope that this series is able to maintain this momentum that they've built so far throughout the rest of the remaining episodes.
My only complaints so far are that ever single week the episodes are too short which makes the wait for the next episode even more difficult. Definitely worth a watch!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Living together with my childhood bestfriend
In the first episode, I am capturing the sweet, gentle, and heartwarming emotions of getting to know each other. Tanaka and Natsukawa, once very close childhood friends, are now living together due to their parents' arrangement for attending the same university. They are finding their way to be comfortable in each other's company after growing apart in middle school. The first episode shows how they care about each other despite growing apart.Sato Ryuga, who plays Tanaka, has impressed me with his acting so far. There is no awkwardness or stiffness in his performance. I appreciate how he portrays his character's kindness and caring through the expression in his eyes. He shows a lot of confidence in his first BL role, especially considering it is his first time portraying a romantic role.
Regarding Sakai Sho, who portrays Natsukawa, this is not his first rodeo in the BL world. Although his initial role in the BL series "Takara-kun to Amagi-kun" was minor as Tanaka's friend, I believe he gained valuable experience from it. He adeptly embodies a cute, kind, shy, and slightly low self-esteem character. I can clearly perceive the innocence in his character's eyes, showing his genuine desire to be of assistance to his friend.
The set stage in the first episode is promising as it shows a lot of movement to different sets in some scenes. However, as always, the first episode is the pilot of the series so the budget for the first episode is much higher. I just hope that as more episodes come out, the variety of the sets doesn't get reduced.
I'm a simp of a good opening or ending song as I discover my favorite artists through them. Unfortunately, this show only has one song for both the opening and ending. However, despite that, the song is quite catchy and I haven't heard of this group before, so I need to check out more of their music.
overall this drama is promising and i have a high hope for this drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Mais um Boys Love que não entra no conceito
Lamentável, mas este é mais um BL que não entra no meu conceito, e aqui o motivo é mais simples, existe nitidamente uma falta de conexão entre os atores que fazem o papel principal. Outro ponto que percebi acompanhando a série até agora é a razão é que às vezes Natsukawa age um pouco demais como um gato assustado, como quando ele quase (não) entra no restaurante, quando ele derrama a bebida, etc. Tudo bem não ficar confortável, mas ser tão constrangido ao ir sair para comer algo me parece problemático, e não, isso não faz parte da cultura japonesa, o que poderia ser para muitos uma justificativa. Normalmente, isso é possível conferir nos sites e outras plataformas, os BL’s que mais chama atenção são os que, atores se comunicam muito bem na atuação, uma história bem objetiva (enredo e roteiro), e personagens que conseguem cativar de modo geral seus fãs.Was this review helpful to you?
