Ayaka-chan wa Hiroko-senpai ni Koishiteru (2024)

slow, sweet, silly, sapphic.... superb!

Opened this one on a whim scrolling the Gaga homepage, and had such a lovely time. Tonally a workplace romcom, Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko encompasses an impressive breadth of lesbian community for such a short and simple series. Ayaka's seduction of her older, competent, and charming boss is so much fun to watch, while Hiroko's bittersweet experiences as a working, lesbian woman in a different generation provide an emotional foundation for the conflict. The acting is bright and lively, but never fails to deliver on softer story beats. It's really a gem of a show that I very much enjoyed.

-The Full Review-
STORY:
This story is a little bit cliche--a young, optimistic, and open lesbian pursues an older woman who has guarded her heart as a result of homophobia and sexism faced in the workplace. Despite this, I think the story delivers very well on it's premise. Ayaka and Hiroko change each other and inspire each other to live courageously and freely. I particularly like how much it is emphasized that it is Hiroko's own work to create an inviting and encouraging workplace for her employees that allows the culture to move beyond traditional values.
One of the strongest elements of this story is the inclusion of a wider lesbian community. Akira's lesbian bar and the friendships and safety it offers provides an outlet for Ayaka's aggressive pursuit and Hiroko's reluctance to be open. I loved getting to see Hiroko in a different light with her brash and goofy friends. Likewise, I loved Ayaka and her friend's shared experience with discovering your sexuality and finding a confidence in your identity.
While some people will disagree with a coming out/stop being so cautious narrative, I think it was presented quite neutrally. Characters who choose to remain closeted (for any length of time) are given grace and understanding, and the resulting issues from conflicting desires is treated with proper weight. I understand being tired of this narrative, but I don't think it is done poorly at all. And I really enjoy these character's journeys.

ACTING:
I loved this cast. The choice to pursue an expressive and exaggerated acting style worked very well for these lively characters and their colorful world. As the series progressed and settled, the leads were allowed several long scenes of a more natural, emotional nature that raised the stakes of the story in a very satisfying way.
Kato Shiho's bright and bubbly personality pulled me into Ayaka's quest right away, and always kept her balanced on the correct side of pursuit over pushy. She was very good at pulling off the charming, innocent, and mischievous that made it so easy to understand why Hiroko liked her.
Mori Kanna's elastic expressions were likewise infectious. While they could potentially come off as "too much," I found her style contributed to the humor of the piece perfectly--especially when Ayaka leaves the room and her blank, boss expression morphs into pure lesbian panic and despair. I loved getting to see her flashbacks to a younger and more vulnerable time in her life as well.
For standout ensembles, I have to go with Naka Bambi and Seto Kazuya because, oh my god. I am but one little lesbian. But truly, everyone here worked well together and had such a joyful chemistry between them. I have a great fondness for every character in this show.

PRODUCTION:
I loved the color! I tend to think of JQL as having rather bleak, brutalist color grading but Ayaka's world is full of personality and color. I particularly loved the way different office spaces were used to capture Hiroko's reluctance--always drawing away in tradition, cold meeting rooms and finding common ground in the open-plan teamwork-centric main room (particularly when her scenes with Chinatsu were the opposite).
Of course, Ayaka's wardrobe is an absolute masterpiece and so, so cute! The progression from the clothing she is wearing for attention to clothing that sits more comfortably in her personal style is likewise very important to the story. I thought her finale outfit was particularly good at bridging the gap between her extremes.

INTIMACY:
There's always a production when they don't kiss until the end, but I really liked the body language happening between these characters. The use of space and casual touch was really curated throughout the story. When Ayaka moves in, you really feel how close and overwhelming her presence is, and her way of melting into Hiroko is very sweet. On Hiroko's side, the tension in her body tells stories and it's so wonderful to see in progress. I loved their chemistry.

In all, I really, really enjoyed this piece. Without discounting the weariness/wariness of some of the comments on this show, I think it has done a lot of work to go beyond the basic and deliver a more thoughtful and rounded story. To do that without losing the humor and joy of a romcom is quite special. I hope to rewatch this again soon.

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JGL with JBL energy but with great pace

So for those of you who love a silly, funny type JBL this is for you.

You've got the energy / ridiculousness of Japanese BLs with the overthinking and misunderstanding but, so far, it's not dragging. The pace is really good and you're seeing the characters reveal more of themselves with each episode (no pun intended)

This is definitely great if you like silly Japanese shows where everyone gasps incredulously and acts over the top.

so far I'm hooked and it's refreshing to see a GL done so well

There is a dip in eps 6 and 7 so for some it may be worth bingeing through . The finale saves it

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That was entertaining!

That was my first japanese GL and I have to say, it was fun. While they had lots of comedy elements, they also tried to be mature and serious.

I loved the dynamics and chemestry of all the actresses/actors with the only minus point for me: the lackluster kissing... Either do it or don't but pressing lips together is a big no-no for me regardless of gender :) The second cringe moment was in the finale with the FLs kissing in the office. I guess they could have done that much better.

But overall an entertaining show with some laughs, production quality was very good too, costumes especially for Ayaka always interesting. So, if you never have tried a GL, this one is good starting point!

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an unapologetically lesbian show

ayaka is in love with hiroko is an unaplogetically lesbian show and i am unapologetically obsessed with it. there are a few things one should not before diving into this show: it will be frustrating, dramatic but also wholesome and funny. keep moderate expectations but also allow yourself to immerse in the hilarious chase between ayaka and hiroko. besides the wacky romance this show is also very cathartic for its inclusion of lesbian culture and it's a breath of fresh air in the genre where coming to terms with sexuality tends to be a central theme of the story rather than something the show begins with (ayahiro has both actually!) all in all it was an amazing show from start to finish but it could have benefitted for a few more episodes. i have heard a second season might be guaranteed if the sales of the bluray succeed so we will see ~

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Colourful!

Let me be shallow for a moment: Hiroko would absolutely be my type of woman, if I had a type. Competent, always friendly, a boiling mass of emotion behind a nice smile, and that hair? Mmh, yes.

Now on the the actual review:
From the first minute, this drama surprised me with its colourful design: From the worklpace and Ayaka's home to her clothes, the light outside and inside -- I think I've never seen a Japanese television series with such clear and crisp colours.
This colour scheme does fit the upbeat and light-hearted story -- only tempered by the past experience of discrimination of LGBTQ+ people and the subsequent emotional state of one of the characters.

This is one of the best points, story-wise: Discrimination of lesbian women (and also the inherent misogyny, heteronormativity and sexism that go with it) are not glossed over but are part of the story itself; and the positive outlook we get at the end does not detract from that.

On the other hand, Ayaka's character feels unfinished. Why was she the way she was before her transformation? Is her "new" self closer to who she really was all along or did she completely change her persona? How does she manage to go from uncommunicative and reserved to an outgoing and socially adept colleague? Something's missing here, which is why I had to subtract a point.

Mori Kanna's (Hiroko) acting is suberb; her comedic timing and her facial expressions are excellent. Especially the first part of the series (which is more hilarious than the serious latter part) lives because of her inner and outer reactions to Ayaka's flirting.

Overall, I think this is a series I could recommend for a first-time GL viewer.

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Comedy gold

I just loved how this made me laugh. This gave me 2000s vibes, but that’s just my opinion. Overall, some might think it was a bit over the top, but I enjoyed it very much.
I like Ayaka-chans persistence and positive energy. I also enjoyed the portrayal of Hiroko(senpai). I’m glad she was acting rational and didn’t assume that Ayaka is hitting on her. Because in reality, it could be really dangerous to think your colleague/friend is flirting with you then you make a move on them, only to realize they were just being friendly. It could lead to falling apart..
Lastly, I wish Risa had more screen time because she was so nice and unproblematic.

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An Endearing Sapphic Romance Indeed

“Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko!” (Ayaka-chan wa Hiroko-senpai ni Koishiteru) is an office romance between Ayaka (Kato Shiho) and her superior Hiroko (Mori Kanna). It starts off with Ayaka’s attempts to woo Hiroko and to get her to notice Ayaka’s feelings. Her initial attempts end up in comic failures because Hiroko presumes Ayaka is straight and her gestures don’t have any meaning behind them. As the show proceeds, we find that Hiroko’s supposed obliviousness is actually a defence mechanism of wilful ignorance that she puts up to shield herself.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/09/24/ayaka-is-in-love-with-hiroko-series-review-ep-3-to-8/

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Sweet and chaotic

I'm so pleasantly surprised by this, it was a simple and uncomplicated love story made so complicated and funny because of how chaotic the leads were.

And not just that, they avoided so many tropes I thought would definitely crop up, there was no love triangle, no exes popping up without reason, and while there was plenty of miscommunication and misunderstandings, it was most definitely part of the story's charm.

Though it got frustrating at times, Hiroko and Ayaka made it worth the watch. The charming mix of hopelessly crushing on each other inadvertently turning into panic in both of them was amazing to watch, and the tight script that made time for not just this but delved into their backstories, friendships and workplace histories meant that there wasn't a lot of time being spent on one storyline to the extent of it becoming boring and repetitive.

Hiroko was definitely the more frustrating lead, at least for me, because despite the fact that I could see where she was coming from and what she meant to express through her confusing actions, the lack of communication on her end sometimes made me genuinely angry.
They had a good balance though, Ayaka definitely knew what she wanted and went for it, and her positive, sunshine attitude was so refreshing to watch.

Even the supporting characters were exceptional, though we didn't get to see much of them, their presence in the story was irreplaceable and just made me more invested in them and the leads.

There was just so much to this series that I enjoyed and I highly recommend.

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A very cute gl (one of my favs!)

I may be hyping this show up too much but wow... I loved it. Everything about it! The characters, the plot, the humor, and of course the ost!! I've been listening to the ost a lot recently. I love it, it's so catchy. I mentioned humor; this show is really funny! I thought it was funny how Hiroko couldn't take the hints. I thought Ayaka was a nice, bubbly character. I loved the leads! They had great chemistry.

I am sad that this show was so short, but I also think it was the perfect length. I 100% recommend that anyone who likes GLS watch this! The couple is really cute, it is funny, and won't waste your time!

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Feel-good overload of cuteness

This show is the quickest way to cavities and diabetes. It's sweetness overload. It's cute, it's quirky, it's bubbly. It's anything you could ask for in a feel-good show, which this drama certainly was for me.

Both main characters are likeable and, despite their overexaggerated affect, don't feel disingenuous. It's pretty easy to cheer for Ayaka's efforts to win Hiroko-sempai's heart and to feel for Hiroko's internal struggle. It's also really entertaining to witness all of it. I have to command Hiroko, though. If I were in her position, I'd give in halfway through the story, if not sooner.

The show successfully avoids forced angst, artificial drama and unnecessary distractions. It's compact format makes it easy to binge, while completely immersing yourself in this lovely story.

What I appreciated was the absence of some plot devices that I noticed appear often in WLW dramas (maybe that's just my luck and not a genre trope, I don't know), such as toxicity and borderline bullying/aggression between protagonists or cheating on spouses/boyfriends.

Here, everything remains sweet and pure, and that's exactly how I enjoyed it!

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