is love better the second time around?
Overall: there was amazing tension but I needed more character growth and less love rivals. 6 episodes at 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala. ; re-released on Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/40574c-love-is-better-the-second-time-aroundContent Warnings: manipulation
What I Like
- tension/chemistry
- clear between what were flashbacks and the present
- end of episode 2 they explain what happened in the past and the time gap/why they each reacted how they did makes sense to me (unlike the majority of these types of plots)
- production value
Room For Improvement
- kind of an exposition dump in the first episode, but they didn't have much screen time so I understood why they did that
- too many love rivals (3) in just 6 episodes
- not enough character growth, I needed to see 1 character be real, everything had this fake veneer
- cliche plot point at the end of episode 5
- lack of consequences for some characters "gave me freedom" is NOT how I would describe what happened in high school
Thoughts on Grey Characters/Their Romantic Relationships
Sometimes these characters and their dynamic work for me and other times they don't. Here are the factors that I'm thinking about.
1. was there a realistic reason why the character/s acted the way they did in the past (yes)
2. were both characters grey or was one squeaky clean (they both had character flaws)
3. was there some kind of apology/amend making (kind of)
4. was there character growth (not really)
5. do I believe that the characters will stay together in a happy romantic relationship (maybe)
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This review may contain spoilers
Second chances
If you get a second chance to love, should you give it a pass or jump at the opportunity and finally be happy? That is the choice Miyata has been presented with when he suddenly meets his first love. They had not seen each other in 14 years and the break up had been sudden and without explanation. Now they are in their early 30s and the feelings seem to have only been dormant not gone. Slowly, they learn to trust and love each other again.The Japanese have done it again: the current BL masters are them! Their dramas are short, to the point with great storylines and excellent actors. Here, we have two parallel stories told at the same time: teens' and adults' love stories. The important fact is that as adults they won't let themselves be manipulated they way they were as teens. They stand up for themselves and decide that the most precious thing they have in the world is each other!
But because it is short, the issues here (homophobia, society pressure, family) are dealt with quickly and not really in depth. There was no need also, for the introduction of a manipulative brother (cousin?) in present day storyline. And even though he turns out to be on their side eventually, his sleeziness and unclear motivations (he has hots for his cousin?) created unnecessary complication and tension which was already high enough with the family history and a difficult mother.
The actors are amazing, very much at ease with each other. They managed to portray the main characters convincingly. Miyato is deceptively soft but has a strong backbone, while Iwanaga hides his weaknesses behind a cocky attitude. Their chemistry is just right and every time they were close to each other, just looking into the eyes, made me feel butterflies....
Please continue like this, Japan!
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'When it comes to love, the second time is better'
Everything starts (or should I say "continues"?) thanks to chance. Miyata Akihiro (Hasegawa Makoto) and Iwanaga Takashi (Furuya Robin) meet again when the former, a business magazine editor who has just begun the tenth year of his career, must start a new column and hires a popular university professor from the Faculty of Economics, who turns out to be his first love of youth.Takashi has changed his name from Hoshizawa to Iwanaga after being adopted by another family after finishing high school and the two having separated. This is the reason why Akihiro Miyata does not relate the boy he loved in the past with the person he is trying to locate to propose to be in charge of the new section in Tokyo Business magazine.
They immediately recognize each other. A decade has passed since they were dating and today they are around thirty years old and life has taken them on different paths and treated them in different ways. They look at each other, talk nonsense to avoid remembering the past, while they decide what topics will appear in the publication.
This is how 'Koi o Suru Nara Nidome ga Joto' begins, the live-action dramatic adaptation of the popular manga by Keiko Kinoshita that was serialized in "Chara Selection" (Tokuma Shoten) from 2018 to 2022.
Directed by Yuka Yasukawa, known for the drama 'Jack Frost' (MBS) and the film 'Yodaka no Unrequited Love', the series will tell us that that love story was not overcome by time and boredom, and the new meeting, Initially professional, it will begin a love relationship that is both old and new.
Skilled as usual when it comes to entertaining and awakening the audience's empathy, the director invites us to a series that lives up to the plot intensity proposed in the script by the talented Aya Watane, who worked on 'Yokai Share House' and 'One Room Angel', this time with Yasukawa himself.
Rich in hidden feelings, in hidden frustrations that will be revealed through the conversations of the protagonists and the evocation of times gone by, as well as current conflicts, such as editorial work, teaching work and university scientific research, the crisis of couple and the desolation behind a breakup, 'Koi o Suru Nara Nidome ga Joto' is told with great detail and care, and the music adds an overall air of reflection and empathy.
With a well-cared for story, full of hidden twists that are revealed to the extent that the paths of the two protagonists cross again, we will immerse ourselves in this journey of searching for happiness, reconciliation and, why not, forgiveness. .
The sound design, original music, editing and photography round out the script's discourse, making use of very interesting shots and high-flying staging solutions.
Regarding the drama adaptation, Keiko Kinoshita expressed: "As a viewer, I was able to see the monochromatic story of the manga colored by the hands of many people, including the cast and staff, and told in a different way in the form of images."
In his desire to achieve a "total split", in which each character he plays is unique and different from the others, has led Hasegawa Makoto to face a wide range of characters and challenges throughout his career. In this, his first leading role, he plays a serious boy who is very enthusiastic about his job as an editor, but when he reunites with his former love, his life falls apart due to his own dark history/trauma.
Likewise, in a constant search for diversity and authenticity in his acting work, Rotoshi Furuya, in his debut in a leading role, plays a university professor with a judicious and calm personality, who shows simple expressions of love when he reunites with Miyata, who has a personality completely opposite to him.
The relationship that the two will experience is very endearing and provoked a variety of moving emotions in me.
'Koi o Suru Nara Nidome ga Joto' shows two talented young actors, for the first time as co-stars, recreating an atmosphere of love and executing their roles with honesty. As they deepen their bond day by day, the viewer will be able to appreciate the pleasant changes in their expressions.
With lush and beautiful visual expressions, characteristic of Yuka Yasukawa's work, this realistic depiction of an adult love story follows ex-lovers who meet again for the first time in more than ten years, with a touch of reality exclusive to those in their thirties. .
One of the most romantic and exquisite Japanese dramas of the BL genre that, in addition to making you laugh and cry, will make you wonder how we deal with the loves of the past, those that appear by surprise and that, in many cases, we have not yet forgotten, because its protagonists are a couple that rekindles their relationship after more than 10 years.
How many times has Miyata wondered what happened to that person with whom he had a great love story during his adolescence and early youth? How many times did Iwanaga think what would happen if he saw again the person who has been and is his only love? Will they both be aware that first loves are never forgotten?
And Akihiro Miyata and Takashi Iwanaga loved each other very much, big time, and promised to elope in their high school years, but they made fun of it, which led to their eventual breakup. And that is why, throughout the 6 episodes, while they share time at the publishing house or outside, having dinner or enjoying a walk, those moments they spent together will come to light but also what led them to separate.
Initially, Miyata treats Iwanawa coldly, as a business partner, having promised never to fall in love with him again. However, he continues to appreciate her beauty, her talent and that character that he fell in love with when he was practically a teenager. Everything is intact, there, within reach of your eyes and your hands... your entire body, your entire being. And the other yearns for the same.
Because yes, they separated and their lives took a 180 degree turn: Akihiro Miyata, who also actively participates as an actor in The Rampage, is today an adult, serious and responsible man who is incapable of being honest with his first love again. after a decade of breaking up with him. Meanwhile, Takashi Iwanaga lives immersed in his work as a university professor and has a mature and relaxed personality. Both are still single and have problems facing maturity. Is it perhaps that they secretly hoped to meet again at some point in their lives?
But, despite being separated, they know that they are still the perfect couple, it is as if time has stopped for them and they continue enjoying the same songs they listened to on their headphones in high school, watching the same romantic movies lying in the floor of one of the two's rooms or playing a video game on their cell phone, while they kissed secretly from the others. Until something happens that will make the smiles and romance between them end up giving way to a series of reproaches related to what could have been and was not.
However, their characters do not exude bitterness or resentment, and, although they assume that loving each other is sometimes not enough and that "love stories only end well in the movies," they will fight with all their might so that, now, after meeting again and discover that your love has remained unscathed over time, the time has come to express: "When it comes to love, the second time is better" and make your love also like a movie... or rather, a television series .
Little by little, through seductive looks and tender gestures and subtle smiles, the lovers of yesteryear will reconcile with their past, to which they refer with flashbacks and sound evocations.
One of the strong points of 'Koi o Suru Nara Nidome ga Joto' are the dialogues between Akihiro Miyata and Takashi Iwanaga. Through what they say and what they keep quiet or hint at, we learn about their shared history and the personality of each one of them.
Sprinkled with a nostalgia that emerges throughout the series to make us recover that lost youthful feeling and the confusion caused by the arrival of adulthood, this would be the occasion to ask ourselves: What will happen to the boy over 30 years old who no longer Can you be as honest as before when you meet your soulmate again? What will happen to this "second" love, full of tactics and approaches with which it is expected to bear fruit and consolidate?
Note: With permission from the MDL administrators, I will leave the review open to, if appropriate, continue rating the series as the following episodes are broadcast.
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This review may contain spoilers
I was disappointed with this japanese BL
While the first episode did hype me up, it does go down till the finale.I would have know more about their past, I would have skipped the assistants love interest and I would concentrated more on charater growing because this series was so short and had too much unnecessary stuff in it, it does not explain Miyatas change very well. The chemistry between the grown up leads was medicore at best, the "young" ones had a more believable chemistry imho. Senpai did well, but Miyata lacked a lot. Also the kissing and "hot scenes" were not that believable for me.
While production value was good, the story and it's execution lacked too much for me, which makes me disappointing in this japanse BL. It's not bad, but it could have been so much more.
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Mixed
I didn't hate it, didn't love it. Honestly, I'm mixed about what score to give this because overall, it was good, but there is a giant glaring problem, and that's that it gets pretty meh during the last two episodes, which isn't good considering that there's only 6 episodes, 20 minutes long.Let's Dive In.
My initial take on this series was good, I enjoyed the plot, the build-up, the difference of seeing them as teenagers compared to adults and their getting back to knowing one another. I understand Miyata's past trauma with Takashi, but boy oh boy was it annoying to see him constantly being pushed away. I think this would've worked better had the episode been a bit longer, but for what we had, there just wasn't time for the back and forth. On top of that, the breakup and the getting back together all happen within the span of the last two episodes, which is where it starts to fall for me. But I loved their dynamic, I loved that their intimate scenes were handled so graciously, and enjoyed the majority of what I watched.
Ratings:
Story: 7.5/10 - It was good. Meh at some parts, but mostly good.
Acting: 8/10 - Good! There wasn't much room for super-heavy scenes, so most of the acting was mediocre.
Music: 6/10 - didn't pay attention to it.
Recommendation Value: 6.5/10 - Ehh, I've seen better J-BLs, but again, I didn't hate it. I still would say to give it a shot if you have time.
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Loved the intention of the story, the main actors chemistry...A bit too short to conclude solidly
A bitter sweet BL story where two former high school lovers meet again in their thirties after breaking up in quite ambiguous circumstances. I truly enjoyed the intention behind the script: to go from the nostalgia and bitterness of young love to the passion and uncertainty of love at adulthood.Given the short duration of the series, I felt the scenario managed to accomplish a lot in the development of the relationship, at least until its last episode where I felt the resolution of the external conflict a bit too easy. I would have prefer they kept the issue and evolution mainly internal to the couple because there were clearly not enough time to conclude properly on what felt as a last minute external obstacle.
I liked a lot the two main actors as well as their younger selfs counterparts. I found both iterations of the couple had great and palpable chemistry. The secondary roles were less convincing to me, they were either transparent (e.g. the office coworkers) or too caricatural (e.g. the "antagonists/rivals").
I enjoyed the original soundtrack, it was very slice-of-life, not that original but very pleasant and completely fitting the story. The production was quite standard for the genre with not a lot of variety in the sets and decors. There was obviously not that much budget but it was not detrimental to the storytelling.
I would recommend this to people looking for an adult BL story, which manage to bring together an innocent youth love with a mature romance when they reunite. It is a bit of shame that the last conflict and the conclusion are less solid than the introduction and middle part of the series but it is overall a very enjoyable watch.
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A very beautifully depicted BL drama
I'm kinda new to the BL dramaland but i dare say this drama exceeded my expectations.The plot and writing are good. no loose ends or loopholes, no extra dramas, and most importantly no love triangles and cringe-worthy scenes.
The leads have an awesome chemistry and the NC scenes are decent lol
It has a very beautiful background music and the quality of production is desirable.
Overall, another wonderful BL for BL lovers :)
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I really love the story line, acting, the actors are both handsome. .......
We really need more of this type of series more. After all Japanese series are the best!!
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A fascinating *mature* BL drama that's sensual, seductive and highly rewatchable
"HAI ! WE NEED A SEASON 2, KUDESAI !"The finest mature JBL of the year so far — This Is A Do Not Miss. Also extremely useful for language learners, as the conversation is normal polite pace and easy to follow.
Both leads, Furuya Robin and Hasegawa Makoto, play their roles to perfection as the highly likeable, playful eagle and his confused but willing prey. If you like jealous villains on the side, this is your show too!
Made for adults, with chemistry so electric you'll rewind the scenes that are dripping with sensuality and passion. Trust me, you'll hit replay within the same week, maybe even the same day. And fight the urge to skip ahead to the steamy scenes.
All 6 of the 25 minutes episodes dive deep. We witness both characters peel back each other's layers, leaving us wondering: is it manipulation, seduction, or revenge? The suspense, juicy dialogue and mystery will have you craving more.
Enjoy the fantastic assistant played to perfection by Takamatsu Aloha, with his razor sharp campy queen one liners; the little dashes of Japanese style symbolism throughout (the pursuer devouring a redundant engagement cake, matching yakuta gowns, etc), a fair bit of above waist action and plenty of oh so sensual kissing, a dash of gay guilt melodrama, and several amusing moments: this series is a delightful ride. Accomplished screenwriters Watatane Aya and Yasukawu Yuke have absolutely delivered quality in this series.
Also appreciated, is the beautifully edited sequence featuring both main characters and their younger selves, along with energetic opening and closing tunes and a romantic musical score throughout. Although the music occasionally drowns out the dialogue, hopefully this will be fixed next season.
Each episode closes to Ayumu Imazu's thumping dance track "Bandage", a toe tapper that perfectly suits the emotional rollercoaster and smouldering sexual energy of the show. I guarantee you will find yourself bopping along to it in the car or bus!
*** Thank You For Reading! "Follow" to be notified of the next review! ~Fuyimawagi
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Most underrated drama
This drama is really fantastic people who was Thai bl this seems bit different to them may be because of not much comedy scenes or kiss scenes but quite romantic and based on past bl this drama contains child hood crush, past memory and office relationship wow drama no much complicated twist simple and clear unfortunately we have very less episodes and if they make more episodes with 1 hr time it would have been good but still they covered all the plots without truncating I loved this drama and Japanese bl always have different vibe the voice of actors and the music story is a kind of silent I enjoyed it and recommend to all bl fansWas this review helpful to you?
Amazing chemistry and great early episodes, but with rushed ending.
I really enjoyed the first 4 episodes of “Love is Better the Second Time Around”, as I am a big fan of second-chance romance. Two high school sweethearts separated due to unconventional circumstances, reunited 14 years later as business partners. Miyata is the editor assigned to work with professor Takashi.Through flashbacks, we learned of their high school days and how close they were. They feel like two lost souls attracted to each other. They were young and made mistakes. Feelings were hurt but feelings never went away. When they reunite, sparks fly! The chemistry is so good! Takashi is flirty and has no trouble expressing his feelings and love for Miyata. On the other hand, Miyata is trying to keep things professional and avoid getting hurt again.
I am mesmerized by Takashi. He is handsome, successful and popular with men and women. He’s also gentle, even when he’s trying to set boundaries or yell at someone. But deep down, there’s a different side of him and he’s not who he appears to be. Contrasting Miyata’s awkwardness and nervousness, they make a fun pair to watch. 14 years later, they are both more mature and can cope with challenges better. I enjoy seeing their relationship develop as well as a couple sexy scenes. I do think the kisses could have been better, especially from Miyata. Maybe he’s so lost in Takashi’s mesmerizing eyes that he forgot to actually move his lips.
Unfortunately, the last two episodes are not as satisfying. The introduction of a ‘troublemaker’ in ep 5 makes everything feel rushed. I expected to find out Takashi’s backstory eventually, but having everything wrapped so quickly and easily in the last makes the initial cause of the leads’ breakup seem unimportant. I wish the drama had more episodes, or the episodes are longer.
Even with my criticisms, I really had a great time watching “Love is Better the Second Time Around”. I love a mature second-chance romance with sizzling chemistry. There are too many BL romantic comedies and once in a blue moon, a more mature and melodramatic one hits the right spot.
Completed: 4/9/2024 - Review #426
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simple, refined storytelling
I picked this one up on a whim, based on a couple of gifsets that caught my eye, and I really enjoyed it! This story a slow, thoughtful character piece that works with a very simple (though not unimportant) central conflict. The characters were charming and funny, with plenty of good chemistry to propel the story. The story-line was decently constructed and well suited to its short runtime, despite some moments that were a little more awkward than they needed to be. Like most JBL, the production design was nothing flashy, but competent and correct for the story. I enjoyed watching this story circle and am leaving with a great fondness for these characters.-The Full Review-
STORY:
What I really liked about this story is how pared down the conflict was. One simple decision representative of their characters respective weaknesses, followed by years of silence and a chance to start again. The crafting of the story around this question was masterful, and the staging of the ending really satisfied this arc.
What didn't work so well was the actual construction of these pieces. The pacing was occasionally odd and the story didn't quiet nail achieving a consistent tone throughout. I was somewhat of a let down to see the characters lose some of their humor in the end, and it cause the show to feel more disappointing than it actually was.
ACTING:
I loved these actors. I have nothing but praise for them. The subtlety to Robin's performance that was beautiful, and I truly enjoyed watching him have quiet, sad conversations with because so much was going on underneath. I also thought that he and his younger counterpart built a very believable character arc of growth together.
In contrast, Makoto brought an energy and movement to the story without going over the top or looking absurd next to Robin's subtlety. You could feel his youth, even in adulthood, in his restlessness and lack of confidence. The two styles played very well with each other and revealed the joy in the relationship, even as they were very rarely happy on screen.
PRODUCTION:
The production value of this show was solid, but I think they could have been a bit more creative, even without losing the realism. It often felt like we'd missed opportunities to tell more of a story or reveal characters by maintaining such simple design choices. Despite this, it worked. It told the story effectively and never detracted or caused confusion. I just wish they'd done... more.
INTIMACY:
I liked the intimacy in this show. I think it suited the characters and was used sparingly and when required by the plot to good effect. I also really enjoyed the threat of intimacy with other characters. Characters who know Takashi as an adult better than Akihiro are threatening to him, whether or not that intimacy was sexual. The series handled that distance and struggle well, allowing it to be mature and multifaceted (and not just about sex). I really enjoyed it.
In all, I would easily recommend this show, though I think some people looking for a more dramatic title may find it's simplicity underwhelming.
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