But taking the plot into consideration as well, I'm gonna give this drama an 8/10.
The male lead is supposed to be bisexual but for me, his attraction towards men doesn't seem that genuine. Haruta and Maki looked cute together but they would have looked better if the relationship didn't look too platonic. I felt like Maki was putting more of an effort while Haruta looked like he was just forcing himself. That mostly disappointed me..
Also, the last episode was a bit too ridiculous. xD Haruta is clearly a foolish guy who can't say "no" to anyone...but did he have to really go that far? *facepalm* But still it didn't stop me from laughing at the ridiculousness so I'm not that bummed.
Haruta's exaggerated facial expressions and over-the-top reactions made the drama so much fun to watch. :D And I really like Maki...he was just so adorable!! *-* ♡♡
**Edit: I was wondering why the plot is so silly (in an amusing way) and only then I noticed that all the trending tropes and cliches that are usually seen in shojo mangas have been added to this drama...that's what makes the story seem ridiculous and hilarious at the same time. xD
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I was worried initially because finding actual LGBT+ representation in Asian media is difficult, especially when the drama is centered on gay men, most often it turns out that it's just BL fanservice meant for heterosexual women, or campy humor meant to stereotype for laughs. This drama was walking on thin ice for a good while but it redeemed itself in moments of introspection and had a very satisfying emotional ending, so I'd say it's worth enduring the rest.
There's a lot of harassment disguised as humor in this drama, though. Hayashi Kento's character initially is a bit inappropriate but redeems himself soon after and continues developing steadily, so don't lose your hope after episode one if it made you uncomfortable. It could be argued that he is a bit stereotypical in the domestic dynamic, but it pays off narratively for me, so he was a delight.
Yoshida Kotaro's character made me extremely uncomfortable throughout, as did Mashima Hidekazu's. I understand that the tone was meant as comedic at times, but since there were so many emotional moments and deep sincere things, the power dynamics of the situations and the level of pushing and forcing they inflicted made me feel off, to be honest.
I did like Uchida Rio's character, how they used her as a good female support character whose feelings are explored and she isn't a mere "obstacle" of a male narrative, or someone for female fans to hate, she was very dimensional and I appreciated that.
There were other characters and narratives I wasn't too interested in but, for the most part, this was a good drama and it was worth whatever I didn't agree with. I think the entire narrative was well focused, it had some cliches and simplifications, but it wasn't devoid of development, and it's a rom com where I had reasons to root for a couple because I could see them go through different stages of a relationship, rather than just longing looks and misunderstandings.
I'd recommend this to those who like rom coms with a bit of an extra spice, and as an LGBT+ drama, it isn't perfect but it's a good step forward. And, after all, I have to admit, the ending got me smiling for a while.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Most Endearing Romantic Classic Ever
This story is a classic one as it reflects an age-old tale of a ‘mid-life’ crisis. While season one is 5 years and the sequel movie is 4 years ago, both ‘hold up’ today as being relevant, funny, and still charming. Beyond that, both are wondrously entertaining. My husband, by all accounts, is a movie buff, and when it comes to watching movies, he calls me an ‘old curmudgeon’. For those of you unfamiliar with that term, it means someone who is a faulter, grumpy, and a whiner, especially about comedies. They never hold my interest for very long. I proved him wrong not just with “Love or Dead” but with season one as well. It is funny. Very funny – throughout. And it completely held my attention. That is hard to do. To sustain a level of humor and constantly recreating realities that are funny is not easy to do, but this series and movie does so with great skill. The comedic timing is sheer perfection, and the physical comedy is outstanding especially for Tanaka Kei as Haruta Sochi. Many others also displayed great comedic timing as well. That is a reflection not only of good acting talent but also of exemplary directing.Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/23/ossans-love-season-1-and-love-or-dead-2018-19/
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The Main Slayer of pre-Japanese BL worldwide mainstream.
I'm so confused about the ratings! I was living, laughing, and loving. This has to be one of the best BLs out there and a damn funny one. The romance was funny, the characters are incredibly memorable, and the plot is whacky. Even better, the story and the side stories really add depth and flavor to an already full pot of excellence. Shoutout to Tanaka Kei who knocked out his role out the park. That's what we call a MAIN SLAYER!Haruta's weird antics and personality really set the stage for future BLs to come. To me, personally, he walked so Adachi (Cherry Magic) and Mob (Man who Defies the World of the BL) could run! All I'm gonna say is that Ossan's Love really set the stage for mainstream Japanese BLs.
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Adrenaline on max
A few random thoughts:1. This is the most ridiculous Asian show, be it drama or movie, I’ve ever watched. Everything is beyond over-the-top, the OTT train basically went off the cliff.
2. Talking in normal tones is not allowed, one must scream or shout AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE otherwise nothing is taken seriously.
3. There’s a lot of sacrifice in this drama, you’re not worthy if you’re not willing to sacrifice, be it your dignity, love, pride, time, you get the gist.
4. The boss is SUPER CREEPY.
5. have no idea how Haruta went through life without any sense.
6. Maki, Maki, MAKI is the best thing in this drama. He’s purposeful, firm, loving, he brightens the whole show.
7. I can finally rest my ears.
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Parody or Satire?
I'd like to give a fair warning here that I'm coming to Ossan's love after a marathon of Pornographer series so I might have gone into the series with some lingering elements from there. I'm trying to be as unbiased as I can. At 7 episodes, Ossan's love seemed an easy rainy day watch but the story managed to get problematic by the 4th ep. And that's not even because the story seemed to lack a direction. We've seen shows go berserk before setting themselves on the track, or have the berserk happen for a reason, but OL falls under neither category. It was probably my mistake for expecting the breaking point to come mid season and then thinking the remaining episodes would be "heal".Sadly, no.
A large part of it was because of the characterisation of Haruta. He was depicted to be capable professionally but an utter disaster in every other aspect. It's an interesting prologue to the main character. But, he is inconsistent. It's not just his house and life that he needs to get together and that shows, all the way till the last episode. (If the duration of the show was any longer, it would have been a frustrating melodrama so I'm glad the show ended when it did). Haruta, at 33, is in emergent need of a complete makeover of his psyche, of his understanding of himself. While his kindness was intelligently portrayed to be a stumbling block in his self discovery, it was not convincing enough. After a point, it became difficult to say if Haruta had a problem coming out or accepting his feelings, or even realising he had those feelings in the first place and what those feelings meant, thereby making it hard to empathise with him in spite of the initial laughter his confusion elicited. Even towards the end, I had to wonder what changed in him and why he did what he did. I'm already half convinced if the other person hadn't given up, Haruta would have just gone along with the flow. Frankly, it looked like the coming out Haruta needed was him being an indecisive Aro/Ace ass. His sexuality aside, I wish the writers worked on him more. I wish more detail went into creating his character than the various theatrical expressions he gives. The actor makes brilliant faces, no doubt, but that's not what he's here to do?
This is not to say that the show wasn't good. There is a decent amount of well placed situational humour that will crack you up until your sides hurt. The dance at the end was memorable. The setting is convenient and suitable to the story. I wouldn't exactly say that midlife crisis was addressed but it was probably there in the subtext for us to figure out. The three statements that redeem the show somewhat are:
What is love?
What is marriage?
Love is not such a neat thing.
However, the questions remain unanswered, both for good and bad- good, because most of us don't know the answers ourselves, and bad because it complicates an already complex plot, unnecessarily. Another good thing is that, the story bares open how love changes over time- as the chief's wife explains to Maro, who is my favourite character in the show. He is consistent, mature, and has a clear growth curve, be it when he advices Chizu or when he pursues Choko. Maki is equally amazing and stuns us with his clarity in an otherwise ambiguous story. The actors who play them are excellent too.
Secondly, Chizu's entire storyline was half baked and way too typical. She enjoys Haruta's attention and repeatedly rejects him but begins to covet him when he gives up. I'm not even going to talk about how unfair she was in her brief relationship. She's selfish and about as stable as Haruta. They are two peas in a pod. The difference is Haruta knows he's self destructive. Chizu doesn't and doesn't even realise until much later. The only sensible female character was Maika-san and I rooted for her from the beginning till the end.
My third point of discontent will be the chief. Oh where to begin with him! He's a can of worms that is better left unopened and untouched. His obsession with Haruta is downright creepy and borderline stalkerish and the reason for his love is never explained. Yes, love doesn't need explanations, but I demand some when one minute he's celebrating his anniversary and the next he's thinking of Haruta. Additionally, there were never any indications that his marriage was unsteady or unhappy. I also have to wonder if in all his years of married life he ever heard of "consent". Right from the beginning, he's always seen doing what he wants- be it liking someone or giving up someone. It's always his call when it comes to his relationships. And that he calls "love"? What kind of proposal was it anyway? It was eerily similar to Mr. Darcy's for Lizzy and bizzare to the extent that even Haruta notes that the word "crazy" appears often. Also, was he never taught the meaning of "No"? Here, his wife needs to be given special applause for encouraging her husband and wishing for his happiness so much that she helps formulate the plan to grab Haruta. Wasn't this stereotyping wives as sacrificing for the sake of their husbands? And where is her sense of self?
Which is why I'd like an answer to my question- was this show a satire or a parody?
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Hilariously Fun
Despite the slightly-above-average rating I gave this one, I still really enjoyed it. Endearingly sentimental and hilariously amusing in a way that only jdoramas can be, this had me laughing in every episode. This is one where the acting is over the top, so if you're not a fan of that, you probably won't enjoy this. I, however, loved it and thought all of the actors did an amazing job.I took off some points because the plot at times seemed a bit all over the place and lacking direction, especially in the middle. The "romance" felt, dare I say, contrived, and like it existed solely to create this particular plot line. In particular, the origins of Maki's feelings, while convincingly sincere, aren't really explained and seemingly came out of nowhere. I kept waiting for some backstory to explain how they came to be, as it seemed like I was missing something. Or maybe the reason for his attraction was so subtle that I inadvertently overlooked it. Also, Haruto lacked the character development and growth I needed from him to believe the ending (I won't say who he ended up with so as to avoid spoilers). As a result, the romance in episode 7 still felt just as one-sided as it did in episode 1. To me, his relationship with the other felt more like parent-child (because the other was taking care of him and his needs after his mother stopped doing so) rather than truly equal romantic partners. I'm still unsure if this was in fact meant to be (at least in part) romance drama or a parody of sorts, but I view it mainly as a comedy.
So in sum, as a comedy, this is gold. As a romance, it could do better. Still, overall highly entertaining and one I'd recommend, especially if you love those doramas that feel like live-action animes.
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Binged this one
This was better than I expected. I ended up watching this staight throug. I just couldnt wait for the next episode. I had to know how this rollercoaster was going to end. I laughed and cried. This show was a bit over the top at some points but that was mostly the comedy part of it. It was a bit of a ride with the love triangle then square then who knows.I love Japanese shows probably the most out of the asian genre. I have yet to find one I don't like on some level. If you like Japanese shows and have watched the range of them you will probably enjoy this but if you haven't had a lot of exposure you may find it annoying.
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The last episode is the decisive factor of the overall rating.
Romantic relationship between a very old man and a single 33-year-old man is indeed a fresh idea that really interests me in watching this series. But who would've thought that there are more intriguing subplots within this series? As the series passed through its mid episode, everything suddenly becomes more emotional to the love interests of Haruta Soichi. All of my emotions are rooting for someone else. The last episode had my heart stopped beating during entire episode. I didn't even know if I will be happy, shocked or maddened. That was the longest heart-stopping moment that I experienced while watching a BL series.This series has the most inconsistent and confusing plots that I watched in BL world (disregarding the Mystery BL dramas). I really love how this series played my emotions and mind like I was dancing on its palm.
This is an extreme catchy series. I RECOMMEND this.
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Ossan’s Love is one for the books!
Love my Maki and Harutan :P I love the cast. They did a wonderful job and I enjoyed all aspects of this drama. I love how over the top Tanaka Kei can be. He really shines in this drama. I wish there was more installments of this series, I know there are movies, which I’ve seen both. This is a very easy drama to watch and easily binge able. Highly recommended.I know the chief gets a bad reputation from many viewers, but he’s actually cute in his own way. Yes, this series is a love triangle, but it’s a pretty unique one in my opinion.
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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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Where do I start?
I realise that this was meant to be comedy - and in many ways it was (at least there were lots of comedic scenes, particularly in the beginning) but there was also a lot of quite disconcerting material presented for laughs.The pinnacle of that is the chief, who incomprehensibly decides he's 'in love' with our hero and then proceeds to stalk him (he has a whole file of paparazzi style photos) declare his love and grab at/press himself against him at every opportunity.
True, the employee doesn't make it clear he's not interested (though even when he does the chief is having none of it) but neither does he show any sort of enthusiasm. I suspect that if the subordinate had been female there would be lots of uses of the word 'toxic' and 'sexual assault' but somehow its OK because the victim is male.
Our hero - he's funny and nice-looking but also one of the most passive characters I've ever seen in a real drama; things happen to him but he does almost nothing to respond to his environment or the multiple declarations of love he gets. Even now, I think he was looking for a Mum replacement - someone to cook and clean and pick up after him - rather than a lover. He wants to be loved - but doesn't want to love back. He also spends quite a lot of time screaming, often about nothing.
As for the other characters, we have 2 noble idiots, your basic BL bitch, a fat office gossip and a few hangers-on.
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