Interesting BL Variant

This is better than an average Thai BL, probably due to the efforts of "Aof" Noppharnach Chaiyahwimhon (Director). The developmental arc for the relationships seem reasonable. Emotional expressions seem authentic and unforced. Acting seems good. Cinematography is okay, interior shots are generally good, exterior work is mixed.

Its a great blend of modern and traditional with lots of nostalgia bits thrown in. It should have a wide appeal across generations and demographics. Thankfully not an exercise in conspicuous consumption. The heavier reliance on Thai Buddhist cultural conventions will result in a higher level of acceptance of the subject matter.

What's not to like? Logical inconsistencies. You'll enjoy this a lot more if you resist picking apart what ghosts can and cannot do in real life. After considering the limited lifespan all of us have and the effect on our relationships (a box of tissues should be close-by), the series suddenly goes for a magical happy ending. It is a shame because up to that point it seemed like the story fit within a reasonable Thai Buddhist tradition, but the ending was clearly fan service. The reticence of Med is a bit too much so the couple doesn't quite seem suitable for each other, however on multiple occasions, this contrast allows the characters to express opposing viewpoints which then allow the audience to "see both sides". Nevertheless, in the most intimate scenes, there is some confusion about when Med is really committing, which takes away a bit from the dramatic importance of those moments.

Ultimately, the message of the series is to value every day, every hour and every moment. It is a good message, and well done exploration of that space from different angles. In the top 10% of Thai BL.

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Best Thai BL

The best Thai BL series. Not the usual BL. Though it is clearly a take on the enemy to lover trope, other tropes are used sparingly, and not the cringey ones. The acting (directing) is excellent. I felt like they were an actual, real-life couple. The series shows the couple not only dealing with recognizing their own feelings, and the recognition of the fact that they ARE a couple, but then moves on to them balancing the fantasy world they aspire to, with the reality of the world they live in. I was surprised how good this was. 90% LGBTQ, 10% BL. 100% pure joy.

I don't really want to mention negatives, since this series is so much better than 90% of the rest of Thai BL, but here goes.
Product placement is better than average, though still heavy-handed. I'd be amazed if viewers didn't roll their eyes at some of the advertising. Some placements are so extended as to break the third wall. Music is generally better than average, especially music that suits a particular scene without being heavy handed. However, there are a few moments where you notice it because of unexpected jumps in volume, or a bit too much repetition of one particular song. Violence/fighting is used to elevate tension and ramp up emotions. and feels gratuitous.

But all of the negatives aside, the acting and the story telling is so good, that I still think this is the best Thai BL series so far.

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Beautiful Men - Unusual Story

This is not a BL. It is more or less a story of young people growing up. One interpretation is as a snapshot of young life where people are trying to figure out who they are, who they love and how to make decisions in life. It shows indecision, inability to communicate feelings, inability to be honest, callous, selfish and thoughtless behavior. It shows lying and cheating.

In the beginning, Jimmy, Yan Fei and especially Hai Qing are not people you would want to know, let alone date. In contrast, Ping Jun is presented as an angelic perfect boyfriend. As the plot moves along, Jimmy gets better, then Yan Fei. And even Hai Qing does show some consideration and empathy for Ping Jun. For Yan Fei who initially seems cold and heartless, after he feels romantic chemistry for Hai Qing does he start to become a better person. This drama is realistic in that first relationships are usually a mess. I think older people (such as yours truly) can recognize this truth.

SPOILER

Hai Qing as the main character is so insufferable. Why anyone would want to date him.... its just hard to believe. Yes, he is gorgeous (I mean, they all are). But his personality is dreadful. Everyone around Hai Qing has to guess what he is thinking and feeling. Even his father has to out him because Hai Qing doesn't have the courage to even come out to his father.

BIGGER SPOILER

At the VERY end, Hai Qing leaves to study in the US, having apparently left not just Ping Jun, but also Yan Fei (at least temporarily anyway). This unexpected turn, communicates that Hai Qing is not SO head-over-heels in love with Yan Fei that he feels he has to stay. Not really surprising, Hai Qing has been ambivalent about almost everything. This shift tells me that the story is NOT a love story, but rather a story of growing up in general, and specifically the pains of first love. Hai Qing's note to Ping Jun telling him that love is not limited but can be limitless shows Hai Qing is growing as well.

Couples get together for lots of different reasons: friendship, companionship, mutual caring, compatibility, romantic chemistry or sexual chemistry. The affair between Yan Fei and Hai Qing seems to have been rooted in sexual and/or romantic chemistry. After experiencing that, they seem to have become less selfish and more compassionate, patient and understanding.

The production has a lot of flaws, but the actors are lovely to look at, and the music is nice here and there, so we stuck it out. The story had so many unexpected turns and unsatisfying moments, it felt more like someone's personal biography, and not a work of fiction.

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Cute and quirky.

Cute, cringe-worthy, hot in a vague way, over-the-top in other ways, but ultimately endearing and human. As in many Anime/BL works, high school is a useful construction for exploring human communication around feelings. But this series seems more sophisticated than most. Love the way competing inner monologues show the vast gaps in perception. Low self-esteem, excessive concern for others perceptions, fear of rejection, impact of childhood on ability to accept love. Some reviewers complain that nothing happens, but what is happening is entirely inside the characters heads. Characters develop a depth of love, learn what they need to do in order to build and maintain their relationship. Develop a larger definition of love that stretches beyond their own needs and even their own relationship. Love that Katori is the voice of the author/adult in the room, gently advising the characters, providing hints to the audience , and making vague snarky comments about the genre. Realistic ? No. But that's not the point.

Usually, conflicts in BL seem improbable, that real adults would never have those sorts of misunderstandings over such trivial matters. But in this case, around episode 6, I came to the embarrassing realization that I still think the way Amagi does, even at 3x his age. I wonder whether its just me (probably), and that for others, the typical BL misunderstandings are real to them.

One way to interpret Amagi's skipping around with arms waving and his continuous talking is as hyperactivity, and his constant running away (giving up) as rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD).

Maybe because I related so much to Amagi, I have a certain awe for a series that can speak to me across generations as well as cultures. Thank you Yoshino-san, Oriyama, Sato, Suzuki, Komiya and rest of the cast and crew.

Also, loved the slow beat dance club music brought out whenever there is sexual tension between Takara and Amagi. It was subtle but delightfully camp.

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Comic Manga Style Pseudo BL

Ojisan means Uncle in Japanese, and Ossan is non-complimentary slang for middle aged men. So Ossan's Love is "Middle Aged Man's Love".

Primarily a farce, this series is in the comic manga style with the usual slapstick and absurd antics. The main character Haruta is loud, course and has poor life skills. So be prepared to dislike him. I found it a delightful mix of over the top craziness mixed with a few tender moments. This is not a typical BL. While it ticks off a few boxes, if you want a tender love story, this is not it.

While the series is a send up of middle aged men and their midlife fantasies as well as society's hopelessly messed up views of romance, sex and gender, the social commentary is perhaps less accessible to non-Japanese audiences. Choko's reactions to her husband are so delicious, especially the scene at the Azalea diner.

What seems like overacting to some is actually the genre. The acting is superb all around. Tanaka Kei was great as the lead (Haruta), Kotaro Yoshida is, of course, superb. Great work by Kento Hayashi, Rio Uchida and Hidekazu Mashima. Ito Shuko does an unbelievable job combining cute with creepy. And I loved Nene Ohtsuka as Kurosawa's wife.

If there is a shortcoming, it is the last scene of episode 7 the transition is just a bit too abrupt. Haruta's romantic voice comes out of nowhere. It needed one or two more seconds to show Haruta changing. I think the abrupt transition is meant to be funny, but its just so out of character and so fast that it is beyond plausible even in a comic manga universe.

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Lots to like. A few quibbles.

There is a lot to like in this as another reviewer has pointed out (Theophilus Silas). Clever writing so that character stories interact between loops. Intellectually engaging. Pacing is generally good through the first half with just a few moments of scene stretching to inflate emotional impact (a pet peeve of mine in Thai dramas). However, in the last episodes, things get a little unsure, scenes that don't add much to the story and seem to just run out the clock. The mental stimulation solows down and I found myself looking for meaningful bits, and being a bit disappointed. Its mainly just "holding your breath" waiting for the final reveal. Also, a bit more scene stretching which, for me, gets a bit tiresome. Probably the most irritating is nobody calling the police in the last episode. Ever. In the day of ubiquitous smart phones, having named characters not call emergency services is just too much, especially when the scenes are stretched, and viewers begin to expect something to happen. A lot of standing around staring at each other. Better editing would have avoided that. I think the same material could be edited down for a (longish) movie, and it would be dynamite.

Even so, a clever and interesting BL. If you have recently lost a loved one, this could be a very emotional watch. I cried quite a bit. I don't know if I have the energy to do a re-watch. Time will tell.

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