1This review may contain spoilers
A crime investigation with a strong theme of bromance.
Where do I begin with this series? Of course like many fans, I found out about this series on twitter and only knowing Inukai Atsuhiro. I went in and bought all of the source manga digitally. Reading the manga really excited me of what I call a mix of action thriller investigation and semi metaphoric romance between Ichirou and Shirou.The drama version of Kei x yaku is almost prefect. But because as a manga reader and knowing how good the drama could have been I can’t rate this series higher than 7.
I also have to warn that most will not like the ending. But it leaves a possiblity for season 2/movie follow up.
Kei x Yaku as a standalone drama is still very good, it’s got action, suspense, mystery but good chemistry between the two main leads.
Story
Kei x Yaku base story brings together Ichirou a public officer and Shirou a Yakuza gang leader together through one person they both know. It leads them to work undercover as a “couple” to find out the truth the story and from this unfolds into something more deep. As well as the bond between Ichirou and Shirou forming.
Acting/casting
One of the biggest positives/highlights of Kei x yaku is the cast. I have little complains (but in my ideal mind I would of casted an actor who’s the same height as Inukai). This would be my 1st introduction to Nobuyuki Suzuki in anything that he’s done, I will say Suzuki did great! He pulls off the soft but serious Ichirou, the best thing about his performance is that he can withhold his emotions in his acting.
I was more interested to see how Inukai Atsuhiro was going to act as Shirou, because I really like Shirou in the manga. Inukai blew those expectations out of the water, because Inukai is the perfect casting for Shirou and I couldn’t see anyone else but Inukai play as him. It’s amazing that dyeing your hair blond changes his whole image, but the slight gestures and attitude he displays screams Shirou. This so far is the like the best thing I’ve seen Inukai act and I would recommend 100% for Inukai fans just to watch him in this.
The rest of the cast is also very strong.
Music
I have to give a shoutout to composer Ryo Nobuguchi because the soundtrack to Kei x yaku is amazing. The main theme alone is enough to make you excited as well as 13th drums. An amazing mix of cello, violin, piano and drums. The music is one of the highlights of the show.
Positives
What I think the best thing about Kei x yaku is quality. The directing is amazing, the production is high quality, the cast/acting is amazing, and the music is amazing. Put it together and you get something like a semi action movie like drama. The 1st episode will always be the best one for me as it goes out with a bang.
I also like that the story doesn’t ignore the bond between Ichirou and Shirou, because the drama weaves in the investigation action with general scenes with just Ichirou and Shirou getting on with their lives.
Negatives
Kei x yaku honestly could have been something more special. One factor of the manga is that it has hints of showing something more between Ichirou and Shirou but the drama version doesn’t go beyond the “bromance” line. I assume it’s because they think the audience wouldn’t be able to tell what Ichirou and Shirou relationship is if they showed it like the manga. So face down the drama version is just a bromance, any BL drama fans looking for the next History Trapped this drama isn’t it.
Another factor is that the manga is WAY MORE ACTION PACKED. There’s a lot of action scenes in the manga that is gripping, I assume the drama didn’t have that much budget so these action scenes were reduced. But there’s an odd pacing to the investigation, like trial and error approach. The characters think they make progress but then they stumble and the progress they made is pushed back. There’s also way too many flashbacks to fill in screentime when they could of shown more new scenes.
Overall
Kei x yaku is a good investigation action thriller with bromance. If you are open to watching bromance then you are in for a ride! Any BL drama fans just looking for the romance I suggest to watch an actual BL drama.
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I really loved the drama. The story is really interesting, but not the most unique. I may not know about japanese dramas, but as a crime thriller lover, let me tell you we have seen this plot a lot. But it is used nicely here and with the bromance/BL element it is a unique combination. But, I agree with a lot of comments and reviews, in about the middle the drama started to lose its suspense and interest. And in a mystery/crime drama this is unacceptable. As for the bl/romance thing, even if I started the drama for this reason, I really don't care if it is more subtle or is just bromance. In this story works, because it is not the main plot. For me there is enough moments to understand how deeply Shiro and Ichiro care for one another.
It isn't a perfect drama by far, but the reason I wanted to write this review is more because I really enjoy japanese movies and dramas. Even the most low budget productions find a way to give a nice feeling. They have a really realistic texture and you can actually feel the people, the society, the real world. As oposed, for example, the overly glorified thai or chinese dramas, where you feel you are in an illustration and cannot connect with anything. What I mean, for example, in japanese productions the roads are dirty, the houses are messy or with bad lights, the public hospitals are a bit worn out, there is nothing perfect and these little details make you identify with the enviroment. Even the worst dramas have really good aesthetics. And this is the reason that lately I really enjoy japanese dramas and movies.
(P.S.: Is it really only me or the music theme for the sadder scenes (the one that starts with a beat) has really similar beat with Outro: Tear of BTS? Not shading anything and I don't want to start anything, just my observation. Had any fellow ARMY the same feeling?)
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The Bromance In The Embers Of My Mind
We have all been at this decent, imaginative intersection before, unsure whether to continue a title or drop it. Each path will eventually lead your way and you´ll most likely not spend too much time on the decision either. I´ve been processing my thoughts and decided to continue this walk with Shiro and Ichiro - until the very end.You might be wondering what led me to change my mind?
The seductive feeling of both betrayal and approval - a raging embrace - they press tightly together, but they don´t touch. The sensation escapes the senses, plunges into a story without depth, again it wants to rise. But something is holding back, holding you. Two eyes that have one goal, one reality and one purpose. A vibrant display of bromance, isn't it tempting? You´re lured by the vibrant red that burns like the fire in Shiro's heart and held by the appealing sight of Ichiro not only investigating the case but being a faint breath away from devouring the embers. This feeling alone is what held me.
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This review may contain spoilers
This was a great series. It seemed like the plot was simple but then came the big twist at the end and it left the plot open for a possible S2. Will there be S2? Did they plan the whole thing with the idea of another season already in mind? Or did they leave the ending open just in case it was a hit, so that they could bring it back if need be? Who knows? Not me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯There were two things that I truly loved about the series: the casting and then the music.
The drama introduced me to Inukai Atsuhiro and it showed me a very different side of Suzuki Nobuyuki whom I knew from High & Low and Tokyo Revengers. And I became a big - or a bigger - fan of both. I love when that happens, when I find new actors to follow. So... nice!
And the score! The score was so good. Unlike movies, dramas rarely have a great score but this one did. And for me, it certainly added a lot to the experience.
I'm very happy with how the drama turned out. The development of Shiro & Ichiro's relationship was simply amazing. The way they went from a simple cooperation/cohabitation over friendship to something much deeper was a thing to behold. The depth of their trust and love for each other... mwah! Outright romances have less romance than this drama. Their looks, their little touches, the things they did for each other, that all honestly gave me butterflies! So good.
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BL or not, it's a fricking gd show!
This is one of the best BL I've watched. Well, kinda implied BL. If you're expecting kisses and all, there's none. But, if you're expecting chemistry and love, I'm pretty sure it's there. In fact, its probably even the healthiest kind of love here!I love this show a lot, especially after watching so many school setting BL lol. It's nice to watch sth that's thrilling with some actions. Also,the storyline is pretty good. It kinda keeps me guessting till the end
Its easy watch, no drag.
I really love the 2 MLs and I'd be lying to say I want some kisses here and tehre or more...or at least a hug, coz they are so clearly in love!
Overall, enjoyable and refreshing watch. and SHiro is SO sexy, I died.
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This review may contain spoilers
Deserves Better
All the way around this drama deserves better. The rating of 7.7 that I had seen as of writing this review isn’t at all something I think this show is. Kei X Yaku is taken seriously and maintains the same tone throughout the show, which can be tricky with the type of show this comes from.The main plot of the show is easy to follow, I personally didn’t like how the sister was alive but that’s just what it was in the source material so I can bear with it. I wish this show would’ve stepped away from the source material so it could be better, like with a few characters that aren’t needed. The show could’ve fleshed out the male leads character more as Shiro’s was already so interesting. I feel like everything about the characters was fleshed out on a surface value and I wish it would’ve been deeper. As for what the show does do, the music is phoneomal. They add to the atmosphere and aren’t out of place. The violin scores in the show add such an emotional flare that the show needed.
I wish the relationship between Ichiro and Shiro could’ve been looked into more, as that was the one thing from the source material they didn’t follow completely it was disappointing. I get the whole bromance thing and their relationship is amazing when fully thought about, it just could’ve been more. There was many similarities between their situations but differences between how they went about them, they have a beautiful and mature relationship with communication and reassurance. It would’ve added a lot if they were together in a relationship, they could’ve had sincere scenes between the two, not that the show didn’t, but in the context of a relationship I would’ve liked to see that done with a show already so mature. I want to see a male x male relationship in a show that takes itself seriously, with a mature storyline. With that said I wouldn’t have wanted it to be the main focus of the show, I wanted it to show dynamics between people who have lost and how they deal with the losses together and grow to want to protect- and the show did that- but it could’ve been more fleshed out as with the characters.
The acting is impressive. Especially the two male leads, I love seeing actors pushed to their full potential and that is all part of the script and direction the show takes.
Shiro’s character design is flawless, he’s pretty and elegant but he’s a gang boss so he’s not girly. Ichiro is beyond handsome- besides their looks they are able to deliver in every scene and are scene stealers which is good considering they are the main characters.
Overall this show has so much potential and delivers, it’s worth the watch and has an interesting storyline that isn’t boring halfway through. It’s not a BL to me, I wouldn’t label it as anything other than a mystery/thriller with implied romance.
The ending was open and that’s because I think there will be a season two, if not I understand why this is underneath an 8 for most. Otherwise this show is delivers at moments it’s really good, at others it’s ok.
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Has the potential but failed to execute a clean flow of story
The genre is not my cup of tea but the storyline seems to be interesting but still fails to execute it in a cleaner way. The first half of the show is excellent however the way they solved the cases are too good to be true and mostly overwritten ideas. The plot twist is either cliche or another norm that I’ve seen from many other related categories of problem-solving cases.Destinies and coincidences in dramas are weird. Both of the main character shares the same birthday who also linked them to the day of the bombing incident 20 years ago which also turned out that the person who surrendered himself was related to the other guy as one of the staff who took care at them in the orphanage.
I didn't even feel any kind of shock the moment they revealed that the sister/senior is alive. The same goes with the rest of the revelations such as the reason behind the bombing, dual side of each characters, keeping the main character alive despite the risky things they did, and many other things. I laughed at how idiot most villains in the drama are. They have the capacity to kill the protagonist but choose to play with their lives that bite them back sooner. The difference between killing without a sense of doubt a minor character compared to those who have a big role is far too distant. Also, the son of the Prime Minister is bad at acting; his laughs are cringe.
The feeling of being bored all throughout their operational scenes. I’m getting tired of the never-ending search for the mastermind of the incident from the past. The last few episodes are a major downfall. Too many loopholes, ordinary turn of events, and below average resolving of the problem. The ending is too bad. They’re too many issues not yet resolved or maybe they’re planning for a second season.
The biggest debate of the viewers is whether the show is a bromance or BL. To be honest, I came here expecting a BL but sadly they only give us a bromance. Every episode I am anticipating a shift to real romance but they wasted several chances of showcasing a perfect bloom to make the character face their real feelings to each other. Until I lost all my excitement and watched the show at 2x speed.
The extra-scenes on each epilogue are the only thing that I am somehow relieved to stay until the end. My favorite is the hilarious rock-paper-scissor game. I only conclude that Ichiro and Shiro are in the stage of realizing that they have feelings for each other yet no one will admit or initiate to talk about it first. They definitely acquired the chemistry of a couple and their little intimate scenes are enough to send me butterflies.
Thank goodness that the OST isn’t bad compared to the other elements of the show. The transitioning, editing, visual, and cinematography are great as well. Unfortunately, there’s too many errors that make it hard not to notice from the story itself which also puts the whole show in a disadvantage.
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This review may contain spoilers
Criminal Investigation with bromance
yes, i said bromance. if you are looking for lovey dovey or atleast romance in this drama you will not find in this series.The story is truly delightful because it is well-crafted and engaging. Despite not having much exposure to Japanese criminal drama, I found this particular story to be thoroughly enjoyable. The foundation of the plot is meaningful and well-executed, and the added element of mystery adds an exciting twist to the drama, keeping the audience intrigued and invested in the storyline.
As for the production, I appreciate the variety of setups and locations used to complement the story. However, I believe there is potential for further improvement to fully satisfy my perspective. This could involve enhancing the visual elements, refining the cinematography, or exploring additional creative techniques to elevate the overall production quality.
The cast is exceptional, with each member delivering an exquisite performance. When I say the cast is exceptional, I mean that each actor brings a high level of skill and talent to their performance. Their portrayal of the characters is not only convincing but also captivating, drawing the audience into the story. The word "exquisite" emphasizes the exceptional quality of their acting, suggesting that their performances are not just good, but truly outstanding and finely crafted. This demonstrates the depth of their abilities and their dedication to their roles, which ultimately enhances the overall quality of the production.
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Dramatic and Engaging
Story= 9/10: I feel like my rating may be a little biased because I love these detective/crime/mafia stories and thrillers are one of my favourite genres, so having a *bromance?* themed mystery drama like this was so exciting for me. The first thing I could pick out was that the plot was well established from the very first episode. They immediately laid out the events prior to the storyline which was established as the main reason for these future events, so from this, we can work out exactly what cases this whole series focuses on, and we meet and get introduced to our main characters including their connections straight away. This is important for me because they haven’t wasted unnecessary time establishing the plot, they got straight into it and I don’t feel like any scenes were dragged out for no reason. Although a connection is built between Ichiro and Shiro very quickly, I don’t feel like it was too rushed or sudden because they brought in a backstory that helped their connection both form and makes sense. There’s a lot of violence that may make some people uncomfortable, but it just made the series exciting and more gripping for me. There were several great plot twists, especially in episode 5 as more information about the sister was revealed along with Taguchi’s knowledge of this incident. As the episodes go on more information is revealed to us. While I don’t think this is a series with dramatic twists and turns, the few plot twists they have are minimal and well thought out, whilst still establishing a crime that is mostly realistic and believable. I often find when a drama has too many plot twists it ends up becoming unrealistic and cheesy. I think one of the main reasons I have been loving this series is because the crime they are looking into is not confusing and all over the place, we know the perpetrators pretty early on so the majority of this series is finding a way to catch them and bring them to justice. I only have one complaint so far which is about the time skips, mainly in episode 1. For one thing, we don’t need several flashbacks of the same moment, and in episode 1 it was sometimes quite hard to tell if a scene was a flashback or happening in the present time, which got a bit confusing at stages.Acting/Cast:
—Suzuki Nobuyuki as Kunishita Ichiro = 9\10: I feel like I’m being a little harsh with the rating for Ichiro but there are times when Suzuki just feels completely expressionless and emotionless. I get the character he’s playing isn’t typically that emotional and I know how difficult it is to play an expressionless character without looking completely blank, but I think it could have been better. That being said we are only 1/3 of the way through this series so hopefully, this rating will increase very soon. Other than that he does a great job with the fight scenes and I love how much of a mother hen he turns into around Shiro.
—Inukai Atsuhiro as Hanabusa Shiro = 10/10: When I tell you that Inukai has RANGE I don’t think even those capital letters can convey just how amazing he is. I can hardly believe he is the same actor who was in Absolute BL and Grand Blue, which are just some of my favourite works of his. When he’s given a role he takes it over and makes it his own, the way he can manipulate his expressions and convey exactly what he needs to is just incredible. Although I’m still confused to whether this drama is going to be a bromance or BL, I love that his character is bisexual which is actually discussed in the show, along with his fear of coming out to his sister, it’s giving me hope that maybe there will be a romance between Shiro and Ichiro. I literally cannot come up with a single complaint with his acting and I will not be surprised if it stays that way.
—Kuriyama Chiaki as Nakaba Rion = 8.5/10: Although we haven’t seen much of her, after episode 5 I felt like adding her to my review. Honestly, I don’t know how to feel about the sister. On one hand, she’s clearly brave and caring, wanting to take her job seriously whilst still trying to take care of Ichiro and Shiro. However, are you seriously trying to tell me that she couldn’t send a single message with more information relating to this case before the events went down? Ichiro and Shiro basically had nothing to work from when she knew they would have tried to solve the case she was working on and she left next to nothing for them to work through. The actor herself is pretty good, but I’ll have to wait for further episodes before properly judging her acting.
Music= 8.5/10: OST was great, the background music isn’t that memorable though and there are very few sound effects which are a little disappointing but I’ll take that over the constant cringy sounds that get unnecessarily added in for “humour”.
Rewatch Value= 9/10: Obviously we’re only 1/3rd of the way through so this rating won’t be that accurate, but if the series stays consistent and the quality/plot doesn’t completely deteriorate then this rating could definitely increase further.
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Missed opportunity but amazing cast
I was excited about this drama since last year when it was announced and even talked to people who already read manga to understand the story before it aired so… my expectation was too height and It’s my own fault.The best point: cast and acting
Inukai and Nobuyuki has great chemistry and both are experienced with acting, I’m so in love with the actors and characters that they became the only reason that kept me watching until the end even after the story fell flat. If it was other drama without these cast I would’ve dropped a long time ago. I wish they had used this pair of actors better.
Story:
It wasn’t about bromance to romance even though for manga readers it was more clear as romance but it’s about how the writer for this drama changing order of event from the source and making it horrible pacing in the drama. It seems to be they were given too much budget and episodes and they didn’t know what to do with it. It seemed serious but goofy at the same time but not in a good way. I have to say I’m disappointed but again, the actors and characters saved it a lot. By the mid of the drama I started to stop caring for the plot and just watched for the main character.
Great music but I don’t think I would rewatch the drama, unless It’s just for seeing Inukai and Nobuyuki’s great performance as Shiro and Ichiro again lol
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Not what I had Expected ....
I had really high hopes for this drama, but sadly I felt short on what was to be expected. Its not really a BL Drama in my opinion, but it wasn't bad to say the least.The story was different from I had expected it to be, this is more like a thriller/ suspense kind of drama, which is a first for me in JDrama, this is more like a bromance element, with a bit of BL element to it, which is kind of different and unusual to see in a drama, although story did eventually lose its suspense interest and kind of went down hill after that, I found the episodes were getting to long with no actual content to it, the story started moving in the mafia direction with absolutely no purpose in sight, and it just felt like we going around in circles. it isn't a perfect drama by far, but its definitely a different content in JDrama that I have seen.
The cast and acting of the ML were not so bad, and you could feel or see the emotions/care between them, but it never seemed to go into that romance stage, and instead kept it in the bromance, which was kind of sad. Another let down of this drama was the time jump, and too many were focused on the sister, the disappearing after 3 years to return and not really say why but instead go another wild chase to find who the real culprit are, were for me wasted time screen.
The last 3 or 4 episodes were a real drag and didn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel.
Overall: This drama had a lot going for itself, if you want a suspense drama, also the music isn't to bad, however I cant see myself rewatching this anytime soon.
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Unfair to hold it to typical BL standards
You can’t go in expecting typical BL material. But if you appreciate two troubled guys finding comfort in each other, this is it.With a little reading between the lines, there is still plenty of evidence to suggest that their relationship goes beyond just friendship.
As a detective, Ichiro is a stickler for law and order. A lonely young man with a tragic past, he rarely lets anyone in, mostly keeping to himself. On the other side of the law, Shiro is a young and ruthless yakuza leader who turned to a life of vice and violence after his sister’s disappearance. While he has an outgoing exterior and nonchalant attitude, this only masks his deeper fears of abandonment.
Brought together by a chance encounter, the yakuza leader and the public security bureau officer discover a more profound connection than they expected. They are the unlikeliest of pairings but what can I say? Opposites attract.
A fairly wide range of characters propel the show forward. The backbone of the narrative is a sinister plot involving a network of politicians, agents and gang members. And this is really what drives the show. The relationship between Ichiro and Shiro is, unfortunately (and disappointingly for some), secondary.
But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the story for what it is. Even the is-this-BL-or-not ambiguity.
Read my full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/04/01/kei-x-yaku-review-2022-unfair-to-hold-it-to-typical-bl-standards/
Analysis of why I think they're more than friends: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/04/01/kei-x-yaku-episode-breakdown-why-theyre-more-than-just-friends/
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