Life: Senjou no Bokura (2020)

Such a Refreshing Watch

Phenomenal. Absolutely awe striking. I loved every single second of this show, I would not have changed anything outside the fact that it might have been better if it were more than 4 episodes.

Though the series was great, I believe it would have had a bigger emotional impact if it had maybe 5 or 6 episodes? I would have loved to see more of how Ito and Nishi were like during their early thirties. Outside that though, the actors were amazing. The acting was so raw and real I had to pause several times because seeing these two characters go through something so tragic(though realistic) is not what I often see in the BL industry. It touches the realism of same sex couples which I don't often see in other shows, and for that I am grateful.

I don't write reviews, but I truly believe everyone should give it a watch. I might be a little biased because I relate to the characters to well, but trust me when I say you should not skip this. It is such a bittersweet and beautiful love story I believe nobody should miss out on. Check it out! You won't regret it :)

(I've seen people say they dislike the OST and i respectfully disagree, I loved it!!)

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If you are sad after watching HIStory 3:MODC, THIS IS A MUST WATCH

I really loved the concept of the line. They have beautifully portrayed being manipulated and emotionally blackmailed into following society's norms, and losing your own happiness over it.
It was also very refreshing and uplifting for me to see Yu Xigu and Xiang Hao Ting of HIStory 3: Make our days count. After that open and very confusing ending, seeing them together patched up my heart quite a bit.
It is a happy ending, despite what a lot of other people may tell you, so go ahead and watch it! You will gain a deep understanding of how hard it is for LGBTQ+ couples to be considered "normal", and also about how it is toxic for you to follow others' opinion on how one should live life.
Overall, it is a watch worth your time, and i say, go for it! :)

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Real Love

This series was incredible. It was one of the first series that I watched and it actually depicted a real relationship, and how they can sometimes be. The concept of the show was beautiful, and all acting was amazing as well. This served as my very first Japanese series, and they absolutely killed it, I'm so excited to dive in and see more of what Japan has to offer.

Let's dive in.

This is one of the first series that I’ve seen where the couple actually grows with each other and gets older. Seeing them go through high school and college and then adulthood really added some needed flavor to this series. I think that aspect of the story was the best, and it made me fall more in love with this couple as they progressed.

This was a really beautiful story that was told. Ito Akira had me feeling so bad for him, but at the same time, I was so upset with him and society. He saw all of his other coworkers getting married and having kids, and he felt like he couldn’t do that with a man, no matter how in love he was. Raiku did an amazing job at paying Nishi. My favorite characters are always the ones that are the happiest and the bubbliest and I fell in love with him as soon as I saw his childlike ways.

My favorite part was definitely the end when they meet back up at the northern lights. It was also nice to see the little cameo of Wayne and Huang from MODC, it was definitely not expected.

The only thing I would argue about is the fact that Nishi had the exact same hairstyle for 20 years. Even though he is childlike and always bubbly, he still had a maturity growth somewhere in there, and even though this is a bit nit-picky, I just really wanted to see more of his growth throughout his adulthood, and some of that starts in his hair.

The show was real and raw, but cinematically perfect. This is definitely now one of my all-time favorite series.

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It has been a while since I've watched this but...

⚠️HEAVY SPOILER ⚠️
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It has been a while since I've watched this but i really felt the need to write my review on this BL. So all I remember is that Itou betrayed his boyfriend (Nishi) by leaving him for a woman to built a family because of his mom (if I'm not mistaken). And that alone, makes the story, sadly, so realistic. The 2 things i remember not liking was the way Itou ''pressured'' Nishi to kiss him/ be his boyfriend, than has the audacity to leave Nishi like an old smelly sock. ? And i didn't like the ending, because they shouldn't have gone back together. But overall it was great, i don't regret watching it but i won't rewatch this again.

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A satisfying watch

Unlike most short dramas that feel 'too short' ...this drama was actually able to give me the satisfaction, which I always expect from most short dramas.
This drama felt complete. (I won't mind a sequel though...)

The character development was so on point I believe. The character from whom I expected the outmost maturity, cheated on me.... nevermind...but one thing I learned from this drama: those innocent child like people feel way more than those of the mature kind. So...

It was such a beautiful... heartbreaking....heartfixing....love story.

A worthy..binge watch.

A perfect way to end your weekend...

- Maaya

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Nice but...

It was a beautiful journey to follow Yuki and Akira. I love this kind of stories "slice of life" both sweet and painful.
I specify that I read and reread the manga and necessarily I compared the two.
I really appreciated that they respect the original story. It was so soft, and real. It is the story of two people who love each other, who tear each other apart, who make choices, who find themselves ...

At the beginning, I was not very convinced by the performance of the two MLs but I found them later much better. However, I was not as touched as reading the manga. There was a good chemistry between Shirasu and Raiku but I missed an "je ne sais quoi" to melt me ​​completely. But this is a very personal feeling.

I liked the pace of the production, like the passing of time in the series. I regretted that they do not show the last scenes of the manga which make all the beauty of the story and which make me cry sometimes (I confess) but I can understand the technical constraints that that implies.
The last episode was completely pleasing.
The OST was beautiful.
I really really appreciated the cameo of Wayne Song and Huang Juan Zhi. It was a very pleasant surprise.

In short, in the end, a very nice series, very well done, very well played even if it was not the roller-coaster of emotions that I expected (I repeat it is my feeling) but I really encourage you to look at it !

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Beautiful Japanese love story

What can be said that has not already been said here? Seriously, this is a must watch! One of the most bittersweet, romantic dramas i've seen in a while. It's amazing how much story they put into just 4 episodes.

Well acted by the two main leads and you go on a journey through the characters lives. Ups and downs and insecurities are wonderfully portrayed. You will feel every type of emotion (yes you will laugh and cry) and bane of societal pressure that can be so smothering.

This had great direction and one of the most beautiful shot scenes that has been put onto screen. It was revelatory between the characters and you will know it when you see it. Simply beautiful!

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Watch The Director's Cut For An Extended, More Satisfying Ending!

Realistic, honest, and overall heart-warming.
General spoilers. The biggest thing is that the director's cut has an extra 10 min that makes the end immensely more satisfying than the rushed & abrupt series end! 2 mins of slightly extended scenes (without dialogue) within the series and then 8 mins at the end that's a mix of extensions and completely new material!

The cinematography and coloring were symbolic and beautifully done. Yuuki is like the sun and brings soft orange warmth. When he and Akira aren't together, life is a lonely cold-blue.

The mental conflict Akira went through was so realistic and hit home for me. Though it was hard to forgive the character it was an honest portrayal of a struggle that, sadly, not everyone conquers. At least Akira finds a way through it, as messy as it is for multiple people's lives.

The screenplay did a great job with that moment one realizes the ideology behind their thoughts and actions are not actually their own, but rather learned from family or society. And then also with the moment where something snaps and the determination to finally accept and choose what's best for oneself leads to the resolve to stop pretending to be "normal" and stand up for oneself.

For those struggling to understand certain actions of Akira, keep in mind that in Asian culture especially, there is tremendous pressure to marry and have children because society (and even status) is extremely family-oriented. This pressure is not emphasized in the screenplay because, I believe, it is already a cultural understanding.

Raiku as Yuuki was perfect. Yuuki didn't have as big of an arc in character growth to go through, but Raiku embodied all of his emotions deeply. It came through in his face, voice, and body. Every emotion he felt, especially when he was hurting, I felt deeply too.

Shirasu Jin was very good but his emotional experience as Akira felt flatter even though the character had more emotional arcs to go through. There was just a little something missing in nuances and behind the eyes for me. It was largely because of this that the shorter series end wasn't satisfying. Continued below but there is a spoiler on the ending...

ENDING SPOILER.
I needed to see more than 1min of them being happy in their life together to be able to feel their happiness myself after the 8(?) years of pain Akira put Yuuki through before going back to him. The director's cut gave me that.

The music fit well and was often beautiful. There were two specific songs I added to my playlist.

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"We're just little dots that were forced into a world like this. That's why someday we search for another dot to connect with. Someone that we can form a line with and live on."

Disclaimer: I have not read the manga that this is based on, so this is purely based on the live action adaptation.

This is a sweet miniseries about being true to your happiness and not living your life according to others expectations. It was cute, happy, and sad. I couldn't help but be angered at the sudden in life makes mistakes. The story line is a little rushed along the way, but it is only four episodes, so I wasn't surprised. The development of their lives together was lovely, and for the most part adorable. Make sure to watch past the credits in the last episodes as there are two more scenes that really tie up the drama nicely.

The acting was done well. At no point did I feel it was lacking. The ML's had lovely chemistry and conveyed their emotions across the screen. The music was very pretty and suited Life nicely.

Also, if you're a fan of Make Our Days Count, but dissatisfied at the ending, the last episode has a very random, but awesome easter egg.

All in all, a nice watch. It was romantic and heartwarming with a touch of angst for conflict. I would give it a go if you're looking for a short and sweet BL to watch.

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I highly recommend this mini series

This was such a good Japanese BL mini-series, it was so cute and go to the point. I was so impressed with the acting and how the script was written. If you are looking for a happy ending you found the right BL to watch. I would rewatch this again if I was bored or just want to feel soft again. The only downside about this mini-series was too short, I wish the episodes were longer and had more ep. 30 mins per ep 4 eps each was not enough for me and I would have loved to see the main characters develop more while falling in love because with the 4 eps they did a huge jump every couple of years of them being together. They covered about 20+ years in 4 eps other than that I would still recommend this to anyone who loves to watch cute love stories. This should have been made into a movie with how short the series is.

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