Bokura no Shokutaku (2023)

Must Watch

To be honest I was waiting for the series to finish and had put it off even when it had finished as I have a long list of series. Something about this drama just really pulled me in, maybe it’s the acting, the storyline, the leads sweetness towards each other, etc. It just became one of my overall favorite dramas. I know some may think of this as “dry” or “boring”, personally I mainly see those who only watch for spicy scenes say this, but I hope their horizons broaden. This truly is such a heart warming drama. I most definitely will be rewatching this in the future.

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The most heart warming slice of life bl.

I loved this Japanese bl so much. It felt so realistic and true to life. I loved how it was slow paced and natural. The father was so understanding! I wish a lot of us have parents like that, parents who intuitively understand what their children need.
The child!! omg, he was the sweetest. he made the story so heartwarming.
I love the family vibe this bl gave. It gave us the warm fuzzy feeling of what family can and should be.

I will be rewatching this series more than once! The slice of life, warm and loving vibes with a happy ending is all I need to make a bad day good again.

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A bit disappointing

I expected more. This is just slow. The story progression is slower than a snail and it honestly just makes it dull to watch. I had to fast forward multiple times to get through the final three episodes.

And if you are watching it, expecting BL, then don't. The BL part of the story is at the last couple of episodes, and it honestly felt forced. It would've almost been better if they ended up as friends instead of lovers.

I finished the series because of Tane (he is such a precious angel). Yutaka was just annoying and made every situation awkward.
The dishes looked good tho.

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I have no words

I'm afraid I have no words to say how much I love this series, but I'll try my best. Saying that this is the most beautiful BL series I've ever watched is true, but still sounds like it isn't enough. So in this review I won't even try to be objective, because you can't be objective about someone or something you're head over heels with.

I wonder if the series can be categorized as ”BL” at all, as the main characters are 23 years old, so not really ”boys”, and in this series you won't find even a single of the numerous ”BL-tropes”. What does make it ”BL” is the fact that the main characters experience – as far as we learn in the series - their first love, and especially their first gay love.

I won't elaborate on the plot here – just so much: ”Our Dining Table” tells the story of two 23-year-old men who are utterly unhappy. Yutaka (Inukai Atsuhiro) is an outsider and isn't able to enjoy a meal with other persons as he suffers from a childhood trauma which was caused by his misconception that he wasn't welcomed in the family who adopted him after his parents' death. Minoru (Iijima Hiroki) stopped attending college after his mother's death and took up a part time job at a ramen restaurant to be there for his little brother Tane (Maeyama Kuuga) as their father doesn't have enough time for the little boy.

The series displays the way how Yutaka and Minoru help each other overcome their loneliness and sadness. The script must have been written by authors who experienced similar situations, because it is so sensitive and at the same time so true-to-life that the actions of the main characters are completely understandable, however awkward and clumsy they may appear.

Little Tane is the katalyst of Yutaka and Minoru's relationship. He's the one who asks Yutaka for his riceball, thus initiating Yutaka and Minoru's alleged first contact (although they had met before, but Yutaka forgot about it), and later it is again Tane who encourages Yutaka and Minoru to get closer.

There is a scene that made me cry like a baby, because it is so heartwarming: Tane notices that Yutaka has been crying, and he pats Yutaka's hair to console him. In another beautiful scene, Tane notices that Minoru is very sad. He asks him whether he had a fight with Yutaka, and again he made me cry when he hugs Minoru and says: ”I will go with you to apologize to him.”

The authors have found many subtle ways of making the viewer notice how Yutaka and Minoru cautiously, in tiny steps, get closer to each other, opening up to each other very slowly as not to destroy the little progress they have achieved. When Yutaka tells Minoru the sad story of his childhood, he hides his face behind a drawing of himself that Tane has made. In another scene, Yutaka instinctively pats Minoru's head which shocks both of them because the gesture reveals Yutaka's feelings for Minoru way too frankly and early.

The finale is another emotional highlight of the series. When Yutaka realizes how much he loves Minoru he is scared that they may separate one day. It is Minoru's father who reassures him, and it is no surprise, but a most beautiful moment, when Tane – asked by his classmate who Yutaka is – declares ”He is my family”. Yutaka finally overcomes his fear and asks Minoru to stay together forever. In every BL series, there should be a kiss in the final scene, but here the final minutes are so full of emotions and love that a kiss isn't needed.

The unique and beautiful script requires first class actors, and they all deliver perfectly. Inukai has proven that he is a great actor as he has been able to shine in many different roles, e.g. in the gorgeous comedy ”The Man Who Defies the World of BL” or as a Yakuza boss in ”Kei x Yaku”, so it's no surprise that he is able to show Yutaka's pain and panic, but also his cautious – and, given his trauma, brave - way of opening up to Minoru and to his own family.

I hadn't seen Iijima before ”Our Dining Table”, but he is a very experienced actor, too. It is amazing how he is able to express Minoru's inhibitions, fears, and the love of his little brother. Iijima is easily one of the best actors I've ever seen in a BL series. The supporting actors are on the same level, especially Harada Riuji, who plays Minoru and Tane's father, and Ichikawa Tomohiro (Yutaka's stepbrother).

But the actor who stole everybody's heart is Maeyama Kuuga. I am sure that one or all of the directors must have spent all their skills, patience, and love to make the little boy act the way he does, but he must also be a huge talent. The same can be said about the child actors who play young Minoru (Arata Hinata), Yutaka (Kobayashi Ikuma), and Hozumi (Nagano Sora).

The cinematography matches the beauty of the script and the brilliance of the acting, and the soundtrack is as sensitive as the series as a whole – it never intrudes the characters' intimacy.

This series is so well written, brilliantly acted, and heartwarming that I can only recommend you to watch it in case you haven't already done that. ”Our Dining Table” reminded me a little of the Taiwanese series ”Papa and Daddy” which had a season 2, and I'd love to see Yutaka, Minoru, and Tane in a season 2 as well.

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One of the most heartwarming, brave and beautiful stories I ever seen

See theses two fall in love with each other and deal with this in their own way was truly the most heartwarming story I ever seen, Heal all my feeling, because was the first time that I noticed how was I am dealing with all my feelings in my way and this is not wrong. The acting I have to be honest, is perfect. For me I didn't noticed any bad points, the ost was pretty good too, all good balanced. The rewatch value for me is funny because I'm "late" writing this review because I rewatch again just after the moment I finished. It's worth. The story was beyond off just a superficial love, we can fall in love for EVERY detail without forcing. I just want to say that I need more dramas like this and see them again and again.

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Trauma healing through love and found family

Wow, I really don’t have much to say about this drama than it’s very much a must watch if you love fluffy romance.

It’s rare that I love a Japanese bl as it’s uncommon for me to find one that doesn’t include ten thousand tropes or some kind of scene that makes me feel uncomfy. This show did great at balancing the trauma background with the wholesome sweet moments that helped heal that trauma.

First off I really want to speak on tane’s importance to the story. Some could argue that tane wasn’t as important to the plot as minoru, but after watching this, there really were so many moments where tane pulled the plot together in such a perfect way. the way tane was able to consistently break the tension when it got too thick was perfect, even if annoyed us because it always happened at what could be considered at the worst times. It was honestly necessary though, because I doubt minoru and yutaka would’ve been able to get as close as they did without him. I honestly feel that if minoru had to deep of a talk with yutaka too early, then it would’ve broken any sense of comfort yutaka built with minoru.

now on to the relationship side. For those who only consider a relationship in a drama real with a really apparent really big kiss scene, I doubt this is your drama. For those who like slow burn romances, this is definitely up your alley. This show is definitely for those that love a story where the characters heal each other, without it being obviously in a romantic way. Minoru and yutaka both had traumatic backgrounds, minoru’s being growing up in a family with a sick mother who passes early, leaving the oldest son to help take care of the younger sibling, and yutaka being the adopted kid who had trouble fitting into his new family. Minoru helped yutaka get over his trauma and find an understanding of what it means to be mutually important to someone, while yutaka helped minoru regain the smile he lost after losing his mother. Minoru’s family becoming yutaka’s family really honestly is the most important plot line in this drama, and the romance coming second if you ask me, but I also just have a weak spot for found family tropes.

All together, please give this drama a chance, especially if you’re tired of the gritty, painful bl dramas that can often be found within the Japan bl category. It was so sweet and wholesome and the way everything unfolded perfectly really kept me hanging onto to this drama for dear life. Even the sad parts of this drama come out with a heartwarming solution. Definitely going to be rewatching this drama so many times.

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One of the most wholesome BL series out there

Bokura No Shokutaku serves you great dose of wholesome and heart-warming plot. This series is full of elements that makes it an entertaining watch. We have characters with amazing back stories and their journey of changing each other for the better.

This series is about Yutaka who suffers from a childhood fear of eating in a group. He meets Tane and his older brother Minoru and every week he visits their place to cook them a meal. During his weekly visits he learns about Minoru and slowly opens himself up to new experiences including getting over his fear of eating with others. Minoru on the other hand learns to enjoy his life as he is looking forward to his weekly cooking sessions with Yutaka.

This series beautifully showcases the contrast in the family life of Yutaka and Minoru. Yutaka comes from a family who adopted him after his parents death, where his brother dislikes him causing him to distance himself from everyone. Meanwhile Minoru has a younger brother and father who love him. The loss of his mother has had an impact on his life and he has shut himself up. Together, Yutaka and Minoru learn to embrace life through the different delicacies they cook for Tane. While we see the friendship between Yutaka and Minoru slowly developing in to something far more, we also get to witness Yutaka’s apprehensions and his fear of losing something so precious.

Other than the support Yukata and Minoru give each other, we also get an ensemble of other characters that guide the main characters. We have Tane who is the cause of Yutaka and Minoru constantly meeting each other, Minoru’s dad who is caring and understanding, Yukata’s female colleague who indirectly dispenses some good advice to him and Minoru’s boss who is always available to guide him.

In conclusion, this series boasts some great performances from all the actors, a strong story-line, an entertaining plot that will keep you hooked and asking for more.

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"A warming hug whenever you need, a heartful show that heals your heart"

Since this one doesn't have many things for RFI (Room For Improvement), so I'll list the cons first, then end it with what I like about it:

+ First, it was too many flashbacks scenes, even though the show was more than enough length to contain them
+ Second, the talk to solve Hozumi's family problem near the end of the show wasn't satisfying enough
+ Third and last, the slowing pace, which usually saw in dramas that have life genre in it, could cause easy to boring feelings when we watch it -> Luckily, this one knows how to solve the plots before it came to boring

Here's what I loved about this show:
+ No twist, no pushy plots, no cringy. Just a peaceful, slow pace life genre drama, and you find love inside it
+ Although this one is adapted from manga, this one splendidly follows the original, even filling the lacks that the original was unable to do that
+ The interactions between the two MLs: based on their respect between them, peacefully and slowly came to each other, especially how Iijima made those eye-contact scenes and Inukai nailed emotional scenes. Most of all, the realistic day-to-day interactions, I truly love romance shows that use day-to-day interactions methods to bring two lead roles together
+ The OST, Andante ni Sunadokei and Tooi Kuni, perfectly fit the show, but the highlight truly belongs to Tooi Kuni, the ending song that roots me every time I watch it
+ Tane, the kid that brings Yutaka and Minoru together. I usually have an anxious feeling whenever I saw shows that use kids as a major part of the show, but Maeyama plays it perfectly, that I really think that this kid was the real-life Tane and he doesn't even need a try to act, he really plays it flawlessly lol

Overall, this one is a perfect show whenever you need something to refuel your heart, but don't overwatch it so many times, you'll find yourself bored watching it due to the slow pace.

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Home cooked meal

Jan. 29, 2023

Our Dining Table is a very cute and fluffy Japanese BL. The story is simple but the way the story unfolds is so pleasing. There are obviously some critiques that I personally found with this show.

To start off, I think they could have chilled down and tone down the amount of flashbacks. I understand that flashbacks are essential in delivering the plot and moving the storyline. However, I feel like some of the flashbacks itself are repetitive. It could have been less, it bothered me a bit so I had to fast forward those scenes.

However, in terms of everything else, I am at ease and amaze with the series. I think that the leads are very green flag coded couple, they know how to handle things. There are times where they might be slow with each other, but I love how they really emphasize on promoting positivity with each other. Definitely a breather given how toxicity is romanticized in many dramas. I am glad with how the writer took the wholesome approach. It definitely made me love the series more.

Also, the kid really puts flavour in the series. He is so cute and amazing. I love how his character added more dynamic to the couple. The family vibe was oozing. It was done so well. When I first saw the poster of this show, without reading the synopsis, I really thought he was the son.

Please, give this show lots of love that it deserves.

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cuteness overload you cant get enough of it

this is one of the best shows already, when i started with ep 1 i was hesitating, and it turned out to be so good
the plot doesnt have to be fast in order to enjoy this, as i see both MLS relationship develop over the time,its realistic serie where you watch how 2 people fall in love, they share their happiness and their dark times together..
i usually get annoyed about kids, but even this kid is adorable and im enjoying seeing those 3 together having fun and getting closer..
this is like a comfort show to me, i will probably watch it again in the future, i highly recommend this to you guys

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heartfelt and very sweet (minor spoilers)

Our Dining Table is a great mix of fluffy and emotional. The way their relationships (Yutaka and Minoru, and also Yutaka and Tane) grew from strangers to friends to honestly family was so touching. I loved all the hints we got of the relationship between Yutaka and Minoru growing, and getting to see them figure out how to be there for each other and communicate was really nice. The angsty moment they had was delicious too

Tane was such a bright spot, I loved every scene he was in. He was acted really well, not just when he was happy but when he was sad and sick too. I also really liked Mr. Ueda, he was funny and such a matchmaker, but when he did have more serious scenes he really nailed them. The memories of Mrs. Ueda were really touching too

I really loved everything about this show except that the actors had no chemistry when they kissed.... That one part was super awkward lmao and kind of disappointing! But everything else was so good that it didn't really hinder my experience much

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