This is how you do romcom bl
I haven't laughed this much for a series recently. It's not about comedy scenes but they delivered it brilliantly.we can see the helplessness of the main lead (akafuji) to stay calm from his crush.. not just a crush, aoyagi is his everything. They are the perfect one's for this role. Because, not everyone can do the secret romance, tension, jealousy with humour in it, but they done it beautifully. I really loved the hidden aoyagi printed t shirt, the hand kiss, and his faint. omg I was laughing out loud and my parents came to me by asking whether you need to see a therapist or not....
I loved the whole cast. Mainly the dialogues of akafuji, 'today our eyes met for 2.7 seconds, I'm certain.. at that time my heart stopped beating'. Seriously who will count those seconds, he's head over heels for aoyagi.
it's a must watch guys.. but it only has 3 episodes... and that's the only negative here.
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stellar comedy, need a season 2
Overall: this crack comedy made me laugh but it also made me empathize with Aoyagi. 3 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3919/i-became-the-main-role-of-a-bl-drama-2023-e01What I Liked
- laughed many times, it has an exaggerated style of humor which I can struggle with, but they made it work
- the two managers (I need more info on their background)
- how they differentiated between the acting scenes and other scenes
- characters weren't unrealistically stupid, they figure things out
- sweet moments
Room For Improvement
- who falls asleep like that and then doesn't wake up in ep 1???
- needed 5 more seconds at the very end of episode 3
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Delightful
so stinking sweet I almost can’t stand it!!!the comedy is perfect. the leads are sweet. and production is good. the story is good. the comedy is PERFECT and the ending made me jump to clap.
a MUST watch for any BL fan.
my only complaint is it’s not long enough. I wanted to live in this story. although the story and plot are perfectly paced. the comic beats are perfection. it’s a wink and a nod to every over the top Japanese BL trope but done in a loving way. sigh. you guys. seriously. watch this. then rewatch it.
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Cute
This was just "ok" for me. There wasn't any depth to the story or the characters. Both the main actors were cute, but I have know idea if they had any chemistry as there were no scenes where they got that close. Maybe I watched a heavily edited version (?) but the version I watched was utterly dull as dish water regarding character building.The best part of the whole series was the two private scenes with the managers. Now that was chemistry!
I think the concept was good, but it was just to on-the-surface. Maybe a longer series would have worked better.
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This review may contain spoilers
Sweet balance between comedy and serious story
I was worried when I heard this story would only have 3 episodes but turns out each episode was twice longer than usual Jdrama so I was happy and had high hope for it.The story:
Their story was simple so this amount of time was just perfect. Both main characters got their equal screen time and control of narration to expressed their side and point of view. The genius switching between their thoughts and showed us how much they misunderstood each other without communicating was such a signature for JBL that I always loved, they made it both funny and heavy to watch.
The characters:
I can say that I love all the major characters in this drama despite the short amount of time seeing them. Start with both main characters, they had their flaw and they are self-aware quickly like adults which was refreshing to see. Hajime and Akafuji both had their backstory that explained so much why they are who they are and how they expressed their characters. Their supporting characters such as the girl, the idol and the managers are great additions and even they had the chance to have their own small part of the story.
The actors:
I feel like last year there are many up and down for me with JBL because they kept giving lead roles to actors who are too new to handle such role and I was having JBL fatigue for a while but this drama did a good job having actors who are capable of doing both the comedic and heavy parts of the story. I really have no complaint.
The music was just okay but I really wish the drama was longer even though I was also satisfied with this amount of story.
P.S. I really how there would be at least spin-off for the managers lol their love story seems… interesting.
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Cute and forgettable
I enjoyed this, and I would recommend it, but it's a bit of a missed opportunity. There is no character work at all - and before anyone says it, it had the same run-time as The Godfather, so don't tell me there wasn't time for character arcs.Its started off brilliantly, with the tsundere character actually being an insane fanboy barely repressing himself, which was genuinely funny - I even laughed out loud, which is unusual for me. The main character is surly, but in an interestingly masculine way even inside his cute boyish body.
But the entire plot is driven by misunderstanding, including implausible easily cleared up ones. A misunderstanding needs to be driven by the nature of the character, not just thrown in and not explained or dealt with, and the resolution also needs to be consistent with the characters. None of that is the case - the ending is just... the end. It happens suddenly and without any character progression or processing of anything, including the state of someone's apartment.
The chemistry between the leads was so-so - it wasn't unbelievable, but it also wasn't palpable.
This was cute and enjoyable, but I don't think I'll remember any of it in a month except for how delightfully weird Akafuji is and how it did things to me whenever Aoyanagi was angry.
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Now thats how you do a romcom!
Walking into this show was like taking a breath of fresh air and feeling that nice sensation in your body knowing you're in for a treat. From the start, the comedy always found a perfect beat and rarely got congested or cringe. They perfectly blended romance and comedy and made sure to balance them out. This show is so wholesome and feels genuine. The creators and actors made this feel like a love letter to BL. Giving us an inside look on the production and daily lives of these actors playing as actors made it feel like we're also apart of it, just watching behind the scenes. They put a lot of care into this and its very evident in how well they developed this series. It's a shame that it was so short, but they have potential in continuing this story. Though, this ending was satisfying enough. Overall, good pacing, and great acting. Very fun and uplifting. Definitely give this a watch, as for I will be returning to this drama often!Was this review helpful to you?
I have missed this kind of story in BL
The BL drama’s I have watched in the past either have unrealistic plots or no plot at all. This drama has just enough realistic feelings portrayed in a fun and yet, shy manner, that I looked forward to the next episode so I would find out how far the relationship had progressed. The actors are great and the characters they portray are very endearing. Throughout the series I only wanted good things to happen to them. There were no salacious villains to take away from the main characters, only pure relatable attraction between the characters.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
What a Gem of a Show
With only 3 episodes, each about 45 minutes long, IBTLIABLD hits hard in all aspects, specifically making me laugh my ass off, but also hitting you in the heart where it hurts. Both funny and a little tragic, this series has hit the nail on what's to come this year from Japan, and I'm so freaking excited!Let's Dive In.
Right off the bat, I knew something was up with Yuichiro when we're first introduced to his character. Very charming yet something slightly off, avoiding even looking at Hajime, the adorable other lead cast in his childhood shadow as always been known as the Orange Juice Boy. we find out later on that Yuichiro was actually a giant stan of his, having memorabilia on top of memorabilia, and leading to some fantastically hilarious moments between the two of them. Overall, their story was beautiful. You can see so easily how fond Yuichiro is of Hajime, and exactly when that switches to liking him. It took a lot longer for Hajime to realize it, but once he does, it's just a guessing game on when they'll eventually announce (not in secrecy) to each other on their feelings. This dynamic is so heartwarming to me. The perfect height difference, the perfect balance of cheeky and cute, portraying moments that made me pause so I could laugh, or moments when I had to pause so that I could regain my composure and not cry. A truly lovely pairing, played by some really fantastic actors.
The side romance was a surprise to me, but not a bad one. Both managers of the boys end up together, trying to be secretive about it until it's noticeable, and then on top of that, trying to keep their talents at bay with their antics and worries. All other side characters did a job well done too, being the driving force of our leads to get together while not having much of a story of their own, but I'm really not too mad at it.
A couple of negatives I had about this series: I absolutely hate that they threw in a misunderstanding in the very last episode, considering that we only had 3. And then Yuichiro not explaining that it was a misunderstanding to Hajime was even more aggravating. It's cheap writing for a moment that was resolved in like the next 5 minutes. Another would be that we don't get to see them kiss outside of their "characters". A lot of people complained that the kiss was super bland, and while it was, if you're considering that they were practicing for their roles, I doubt they would've gone all in, especially if it was their first kiss. I would've rather seen them kiss again once they were together; in fact, on the bridge would've been a perfect moment for it to happen. And then we get a cut-off kiss in the very last scene which is urgh, but overall, even with my negatives, this series really did it for me, and I loved it.
Ratings:
Story: 9/10 - super funny, super relatable, super good. Flowed well for the 3 episodes it got, and honestly, I don't really think it needed more time. If you know how to structure a plot perfectly, then you have a good story to tell, regardless of the time.
Acting: 9.5/10 - Fantastic! these actors really know how to play their characters. Alan (Yuirchiro) played his character to a T, with some fantastic moments portraying the usual over-the-top Japanese intricacy that I've come to love. Also, is it just me or does he look a lot like Johnny from NCT?!
Music: 6/10 - I don't remember any of the music, but it wasn't distracting so there's that.
Recommendation Value: 10/10 - very rare I give 10s out, but this was seriously so good. It's pretty short so it doesn't take forever to watch, and it keeps you entertained through it all. The romance is great, the characters are adoring, and you should definitely give this gem of a series a watch!
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Mini j-drama but it delivered BIG time
Loved the story/concept. What happens when you end up playing the main role in a bl drama? It first reminded me of 'A Man Who Defies the World of BL' and obviously 'Lovely Writer' that showed us the bad sides about the BL entertainment industry. But this was a totally different take. The show felt just so wholesome and all super natural, genuine and funny. And the story really went somewhere.. We get to know both actors and their backstories. And the actors did all great.. every actor in it delivered. Maybe it would have been nice if some characters got more air time but since there were only 3 episodes.. it makes sense? Nevertheless the two mains were truly great! Their facial expressions were on point, every time! And you bet I searched for the ost of this drama. It's very lovely. If it was possible I would even want to watch the bl drama they were supposed to shoot.. That even looked great! I wouldn't say no to a special episode with this content ?Was this review helpful to you?
Cotton Candy With a Cherry on Top
This is one of those fluffy dramas, a true cotton candy type of drama with some sweet insecurity, and lovely inner monolog and just enough drama to keep the cotton candy from melting in the sun.Though the characters are at time a little bit over the top in their execution of emotions and I am not really sure if this actually has any substance (it is cotton candy drama after all). I still enjoyed it as the over the top did not over top the fluff... And indeed I did feel like the show left me wanting more an not less...
So for those in need of a little extra dose of sugar this is a good place to find it.
P.s. the side characters are lovely, you may want to look at the vase on the table and there is a really pretty picture of an umbrella in the background.
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Short but Sweet - Captures the Fun and the Feels
I saw a few posts on the feeds praising “ BL Drama no Shuen ni Narimashita: Crank Up Hen”, so I decided to check it out. I’m glad I did. It’s an adorable drama about unrequited love in the world of filming a BL. Japan is known for some of the cutest and fluffiest BL dramas, along with some quirky ones.I really like being able to hear each male lead’s inner monologues. Oftentimes, you only get one perspective and maybe another perspective in the very last episode. These monologues greatly enhanced my viewing pleasure during both comedic and more emotional scenes. I also appreciate that both characters are pretty similar in personality. I was worried that Hajime is the typical naive, innocent and introverted character, and would be too shy to utter any word. Luckily, he was just starstruck in the beginning, and is able to actually hold a conversation like a normal person. Akafuji, on the other hand, is not the typical superstar but a crazy stan. I feel that because they have a pretty balanced personality, they are on equal footing in regards to their romance.
This drama special starts with a lot of comedic and typical Japanese over-the-top manga adaptation moments. But eventually it dives into the emotional side of each character. One of the reasons I really enjoy this special is because it has 2 of my favorite things - unrequited love + those mini heartaches, and the guessing of whether he likes me or not. Both of these elements give me all the feels I need and especially in a manga adaptation comedy.
The acting of the leads is good. There isn’t anyone annoying or super loud. I do find the suits too big on the guys and they look too old in these oversized suits. Does anyone find Hajime in glasses looks like Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter? LOL. Ok, maybe it’s just me.
This is a short 3-episode fun watch with a lot of laughs, a lot of feels and a lot of cuteness.
Completed: 1/14/2024 - Review #395
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