Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka (2024)

started off well but cliched plot elements led it astray (watch suggestions)

Overall: I initially gave this a 9.5 because it was a peak Japanese romcom. However, cliched writing really let this series down. 10 episodes about 20 minutes each. The series is based on a manga which I haven't read and I'm reviewing the series based on its own merits. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3947/although-i-love-you-and-you-2024-e01

Content Warnings: manipulation

Watch Suggestions
- watch episodes 1-3
- end episode 4 at 22 minutes
- start episode 5 at 19:20
- watch episode 6 30 seconds to 1:30
- watch episode 7 11:02-11:40 and 17:30 to 21:55
- watch episode 8
- watch episode 9 until 15:50
- start episode 10 at 18 minutes

What I Liked
- funny parts
- sweet moments
- Sakae's friend
- restaurant regulars
- Soga's non cliched female coworker
- worked on their communication in episode 8 and Soga said what he wanted at the end of that episode

Room For Improvement
- confusing start, wasn't sure if that was a flash forward or flashback until they explained a little more later in the episode
- very cliched writing, spent way too much time on the ex, Sakae is shown as knowing what he wants until he suddenly doesn't, poor communication trope
- the comedy music was funny at first but it was overused
- thin plot stretched out over 10 episodes (needed to be 6 episodes instead), way too much time spent on side characters instead of developing the main couple
- what they pretended to do in episode 9 was stupid, the train ride is less than 3 hours, it wasn't as big of a deal as they made it seem
- 2nd couple came out of nowhere in episode 10, rather they had developed this couple instead of all the love rival nonsense

Read More

Did i read the same manga that the screenwriter ??

First i'm totally aware what "adapted a writed material" means ! Chnage need to make for the viewers to clearly watch what was written beforehand

So here my title and question : Did the screenwriter had read the same manga as me ? Because except their job, the place and theirs names so many change had make that the story doesn't even respect the essence of the manga

Surely the manga wasn't full of angst and more a slowburning love story but here to create something they think was more attractable for the audience they add dramas : exes, stupids break up, intrusive coworker

At some point they make the exploit to bring down one of the main character to the point he had less screentime and interesing story than the created side character !!!

Because let me be clear here : Sakae ex lover doesn't appear in the manga, not even sure he was mentioned ! Same with Soga ex wife she is only mentioned to explain why Soga is low self-esteem (because she want kid and Soga is sterile)

I really don't understand how you read a manga with likeable character and you make the exploit to write a serie where none of them is likeable anymore ?

I understand the need to adapt sometimes the serie is even better that the book (Not me for example) but sadly not here

Read More

I was promised food..

This may be one of my lowest rated J BLs. Sucks when something promising turns out that way. Nevermind that it was riddled with clichés like the returning ex, subpar communication, break ups over silly reasons just to reconcile, no, the biggest problem I had with this was somehow none of the above.

It was the leads. I still can't figure out why they liked each other, except for a small love at first sight moment. What came after was a cute beginning which then dove into the cliché landfill, only to come out with underdeveloped characters and an underwhelming relationship. It certainly didn't help that one of the male leads was so hot and cold, he was sure of what he wanted, until he wasn't.

Now all of this could have been slightly salvaged, if they had chemical. IF. They did for a while, too bad it was just in the last couple of episodes. It's a jump from not being able to understand why they like each other to believing they do, and it just didn't work.

I'm not really angry about the lack of food, (although it would have helped the rating) because there were tiny moments I guess. It sucks though, because I can appreciate a good love at first sight story, but they didn't quite nail it here.

Read More

I am disappointed by the drama. I've seen it, and I won't watch it again!

Some people said "it's so cute", but I cant even feel them as a couple. Soga Hisashi, a divorce employee who is supposed to be very cute with beautiful eyes. That how he was in the manga. But here, we have Nishiyama Jun not only doesn't look like the character. Matsumoto Sakae is also supposed to be nearly 26, but Kan Hideyoshi is just 21 and look very young. But out of the two, he was the best to fit the character.

And we can also see how much they've cut to fit the number of episodes. They've changed the story a bit, but the didn't even finish the side stories. The exes stories could have been more dramatic. Or, at least, with more feelings. But even that I couldn't feel it. It's more like you don't like the character because he's the one who did wrong, but the complexity of their relationship could have been clearer from the start, showing the flows of Matsumoto.

Read More

That's why I dropped (my opnion)

"Although I Love You and You" was a title that seemed to hang on cute discovery and happy end, but it wasn't. Suddenly the connections started to get (gratitously) deep and show us adult life traumas, don't get me wrong it was powerful to show off great characters, but they aren't.

As Sakae exposes his love for Soga, the only thing he does is start to feel jealous about someone who isn't even his partner, it seems like he hasn't real intention to think or give any answer, which made me at least very upset.

They still run in circles and show how it would be better if Sakae finds someone else or just gives up on Soga, but he doesn't do anything.

If they wanted to show how difficult is for an adult around 30 to start a relationship, they failed. Not by making Soga confused, or making Sakae wait, just because they didn't show any concern about being together or being left behind like what happened in the series.

Don't matter if you have great actors and songs, you can't catch people if you hide your protagonist's feelings.

Read More

Therapy and love in the Kansai dialect

From 'Gokusen' (2002) 'to Kimi wa Petto' (2003), 'Ichi Rittoru no Namida' or 'Hana Yori Dango' (2005) or, more recently, 'Otonari ni Ginga', 'Watashi ga Himo wo Kau Nante ' or 'Sweet Moratorium', and many more, Japanese dramas have captured the attention of audiences around the world with their splendid landscapes, the richness of that nation's culture, the way they approach romance, as well as the physical attractiveness of its actors and actresses.
Although many recognize in them the same formulas used over and over again in the plots of Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipino and Thai series, these works captivate the viewer due to the exotic components of the narrative, the precious photography, the use of the sets, the makeup, the hairdressing and the costumes, but, above all, for the possibility of viewing an idyllic and even unreal representation, on many occasions, of a country with an ancient culture and with an aura of mystery for the inhabitants of other regions of the planet.
For decades, the representation of homosexual couples and erotic scenes between men in television audiovisual productions was scarce, if not nonexistent, in correspondence with a policy of showing only the traditional family model and censoring any attitude or preference that escapes from the conventional, in nations such as Japan, Thailand and Korea, where LGBT+ people continue to be discriminated against today.
However, BL plots, the abbreviation of Boy's Love, originally defined as "male love from a female perspective", managed to make their way and prevail in markets in Japan and Taiwan, where there are numerous manga and anime stories with romance themes between guys.
BL have become both entertainment and a cultural, social and political phenomenon, for visualizing the struggle of LGBT+ groups in these countries.
Thailand is a separate case, since the BL of this country has as its purpose the profit of television companies and talent agencies, promoting advertisements for the marketing of various products, such as cosmetics, and the exaltation of the country as a paradise destination for homosexual tourists.

PLOT

Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka' ('好きやねんけどどうやろか') is a worthy example of the glamor characteristic of Japanese BL productions. Like so many others, it falls on a fairly well-worn theme in the universe of Japanese and Asian romantic dramas in general: Hisashi Soga, a divorced office worker who has been transferred from Tokyo to Osaka, surrenders to the love of Sakae, the 26-year-old years, owner of Tamae, a small restaurant located in the alleys of downtown Osaka that serves delicious and cheap home-cooked meals. The two will have to overcome a series of obstacles and overcome the obvious differences between them to stay together.
Kasae, who speaks the Kansai dialect perfectly, is friendly to everyone equally. Their cozy shop is always bustling with people. One day, Hisashi Soga goes to eat at his restaurant. Kasae can't take her eyes off his every move. Moved by his attitude, he falls in love with him.
Soga, who has not yet gotten over the divorce, only thinks about working, mastering Osaka speech so he can communicate better with the locals, and getting through the day. One of the things he enjoys the most is going to Sakae's restaurant and eating the delicious food he makes. Soga doesn't know that Sakae sees him as more than just a regular customer.
This series, practically responsible, along with so many others, for the consolidation of the BL genre in the Japanese drama market, addresses the complexity of the situation that heterosexual men face when they fall in love with a homosexual. And so a relationship that begins as a game of cat and mouse, or a simple friendship, little by little evolves to become something very special. Sakae has loved Soga since he met him. It's love at first sight, but Soga is heterosexual, in addition to having a recent divorce. As they spend time together, Soga will begin to develop feelings for each other.
From the first scenes, the connection and rapprochement between the protagonists becomes a reality. Sakae is more open to establishing romance, but Soga, who heals his broken heart, has only been in Osaka for a short time and has not yet gotten used to life in the area, much less loving another man, will find it difficult to recognize that He has fallen in love with his new friend. The relationship will take time and will to build.
The audience is faced with a simple love story between an office worker recovering from a divorce and the owner of a restaurant who cures him with food, walks around the city, games of squash and lessons in the Osaka dialect and, above all, with lots of love.
The sparks between them are undeniable as their relationship blossoms. It is deeply moving to witness loving couples whose unchanging feelings must coexist in a world of changing realities.
Kan Hideyoshi, in the role of Matsumoto Sakae, displays all his charisma and attractiveness to play a kind and hard-working young homosexual. Meanwhile, Nishiyama Jun's Hisashi Soga personifies the typical, heterosexual office worker, attracted by the smile, grace, kindness and flirtation of a homosexual man.
The television adaptation of the eponymous work by the famous Japanese writer and illustrator Chiba Ryoko, published in 2013 by Kaiousha Publishing House, is titled in English 'Although I Love You, and You?'.
The director, Shibata Keisuke, and the screenwriter, Morale, give us a media product with an undeniable communication effect, which is already being a success both for BL fans in Japan and beyond its borders.
Since I read its synopsis, several questions crossed my mind: Is Soga bisexual, a gay who deep down hides his homosexuality or a heterosexual who falls in love with a man? Will these two very different people have a future in common? What can connect an athletic type from Naniwa with a cultural type from Tokyo?
The chemistry of the protagonists and the delicacy of the story are gratifying. The audience, whether interested in BL themes or not, will definitely enjoy the romance between the two actors.
Social networks and Japanese media are echoing and, since its premiere, they have selected the five best charms of this drama. Although there may be several while the series is broadcast, these are:
1. The look of popular actor Kan Hideyoshi, who showed great acting skills in his role as Sakae.
2. Nishiyama Jun's believable portrayal of office worker Soga.
3. The construction of Soga's sexuality from heterosexuality to homosexuality, giving complexity to the story.
4. The music used that reflects the mood of the protagonists.
5. The detailed account of Sakae's feelings for Soga.
The opening theme is "I'll Be There" by GENIC, with lyrics written by its members Joe Nishizawa and Atsuki Mashiko. JBL lovers will be pleased: Acchan, the actor who plays Yoh in the 2023 series 'My Personal Weatherman', is co-author of the song that rolls the opening credits of 'Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka'. Precisely, the piece talks, as in the drama, about a boy who falls in love with a boy who speaks the Kansai dialect.
Many of the scenes take place in an office or office workers spend time inside a restaurant, with a young chef preparing food, while his customers eat and drink sake. And to top it all off, the poster announcing the series features a plate of TAKOYAKI! Well, I have no doubts: we are in the presence of one of those hybrids between office BL and food BL.
This series has another original point in its favor: the tendency of Japanese BLs is to pair an experienced actor with a less experienced one. Well, this time, the main couple is represented by a very talented and experienced actor, such as Nishiyama Jun, with one of the most popular, charismatic and talented actors in Japan, Hideyoshi Kan.
While Nishiyama began his artistic career in 2006 with the film 'Forbidden Siren', which was followed by the drama 'Sushi Oji!', on TV Asahi, and from there he has developed a dizzying and ascending career until today, Hideyoshi Kan is the current master and lord of the Kamen Rider universe, with titles such as 'Kamen Rider Geats', 'Kamen Rider Geats: The Movie', 'Kamen Rider the Winter Movie: Gotchard & Geats', and many more. He also acted in 'Ashita no Watashi e' and Dekiai Cinderella'.
The manga (available now in the Kindle Unlimited catalog) from which this series is adapted is of the yaoi genre. It has kisses and sex scenes, so, considering the story and the actors chosen, experienced and professional, we should expect to see a good representation of the intimate scenes.
His time in the BL series Kiss x Kiss x Kiss must serve as an experience for Hideyoshi Kan in the genre. With him as the protagonist, the manga could very well be adapted to television successfully.
I would also like to point out that the title of the series is in the Kansai dialect, so '好きやねんけどどうやろか' would translate to 'I love you, how are you?' or 'I love you, do you (love me too)?' However, the mangaka uses 'Although I love you, what about you?' in the original translation, which appears to be a transliteration of the Japanese title into English.
This very interesting story, a sure classic of the comedy-romance genre, with a very funny and at the same time dramatic plot, invites you.
If I had to define the work in a few words, they would be: “A therapeutic atmosphere and a moving romance in the Kansai dialect.”

Read More

Unnecessary changes of source material

First of all, I’m not strictly someone who demand that ALL show shall follow the source material because there are cases where the show did better than the manga/novel and that was awesome. However, this show, this DAMN show managed to pissed me off so much that I had to drop it so I don’t have to talk badly of it further because it had one actor who I like and always wanted to see in a BL or any drama.

I really had to praise them for their ability to adapt a manga where the characters and relationship was likable and healing into a drama where everyone EVERYONE was unlikable and annoying. Too much changes, too much rewriting just to stretch a one vol manga into 10 ep drama with their lazy writing because if someone’s first thought of making a drama longer was to add the evil ex plot to ruin an already healing and good relationship in the manga then they should’ve been stopped in the writing room already.

The main couple’s chemistry was bland as hell and it wasn’t because the ex was sexier or because they had kiss scene first but not even sex can save their chemistry. Sakae is played by an actor I like but he’s unbearable and has no backbone letting his ex ruins everything.

Yeah I will stop here because I dropped it and probably only hear about it from the people who still watch it to the end. Maybe I will pick it up again one day.
Wish the best luck to you guys.

Read More

Fun Kansai cultural references

I loved the representation of working class Kansai. The dialect was fun. The costuming for the restaurant patrons was absolutely accurate. Many of the criticisms made in other reviews are fair. Minimal and unfocused plot, differs substantially from the manga. Feelings between the couple are uneven and seem forced or maybe just uninspired. Episode 8 is definitely a low point.

But I still enjoyed it because it had a realness to some of the situations that resonated with my own experience living in Japan. Many Japanese BL series have a dreamy quality, which is nice, but seems like a world that doesn't exist. This series feels somewhat realistic. The somewhat chaotic plot, non sequiturs, people unsure of what they want was definitely something I experienced there.

The English title is wrong. It should be "I don't like it, but what do we do?"

I did not regret watching it. But not something I'd recommend either.

Read More

Worth the chance

I like Japanese BL even though it is not consistent in defining BL.
This series started and progressed slow for 8 episodes but it has an endearing story that did not get written well in my opinion.
Chemistry seems lacking at first for the main actors but towards the end, it felt like the story needed to evolve before the chemistry bloomed.
I have no complaints in how these artists did their job. I find all of them (from lead to support) expressed their characters well.
It is not on my top Japanese BL series but it is still a good watch for me.
I just wished the wardrobe for this series was done alittle better.

Read More

Quite a Disappointment

Love is an unpredictable journey that leaves a lot up to chance and complicated individual human emotions. We don’t choose who we fall in love with. Sometimes that leads to heartbreak. Other times, it leads to joy and healing.

Adapted from the manga Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka by Chiba Ryoko, the new Japanese BL Although I Love You, and You? tells the story of two men who find healing and new beginnings inside a love that takes them both by surprise. It follows Matsumoto Sakae (Kan Hideyoshi), a straightforward restaurant owner in Osaka, and Soga Hisashi (Nishiyama Jun), a shy, reserved office worker who instantly connect at Sakae’s restaurant before falling into a friendship that blooms into love.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/19/although-i-love-you-and-you-series-review-ep-3-to-10/

Read More

Why i didn't really liked it

For me this Japanese BL wasn't really for me...
At first i was into it but the more i watched all the episodes the more i was less and less into it. Im not saying that the actors weren't acting well that's the opposite they did act pretty well in my opinion but the only reason i didn't really liked it is because i didn't really find the story really logical, i was most of the time lost because i didn't understood a thing of what was happening do yeah it was difficult for me to keep watching the entire series without getting bored or lost at a point. But overall its not the worst Japanese BL i watched in like 6years..
Things to know is that probably some people will do like it of course but for me it didn't suit my taste.

Read More