This review may contain spoilers
Dark and hauntingly beautiful at its core.
A story of two men that should not be together, right? Well, that's only at the surface but there's so much more to this story. Haoren and Chihiro are two young men who are completely damaged: mentally, physically, and emotionally. One because of his tragic past and the other because his family is homophobic. When they first meet it leads to a toxic relationship where there's a lot of pain, abuse and humiliation in the beginning. The first 3 episodes are extremely hard to watch because of the emotional abuse. But in the end, it's a road that both Haoren and Chhiro needed. To a normal bystander this is a relationship that should not succeed. At least it's what it looks like at first. Underneath the toxicness that surrounds them at first both Haoren and Chichiro come to understand each other, value each other and heal together. Their journey takes them to a place where they can learn to love each other and make one another happy. Despite all the pain they have been thru in their lives they give each other a peace they have never had before. That peace is what not only becomes healing from one to the other but also within themselves.And that's the beauty of this story. The writers knew exactly what they were doing here and giving these characters character development in 8 episodes where the audience can feel that it's worth it to root for them. Not only as a couple but as individuals. It also leaves the viewers with hope that no matter how dark life may get there's always a light within a tunnel be it in the form of another person or your own persona.
Highly recommended tho it may trigger some esp in the first episode. All I'm going to say is stick with it because it's all worth it. The cast was amazing in this too. One of Japan's best BL's but it may not be for everyone, I enjoyed it fully.
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Dark and Deep
The narrative is characterized by its serious and contemplative nature.The plot is commendable.
I just finished watching this thought-provoking film, and I'm still processing everything. The serious and contemplative tone really resonated with me. The plot kept me engaged from beginning to end, kudos to the writers! 👏 And the acting was - so raw and authentic
It would have been preferable to have an additional episode to depict their lasting happiness..#MovieReview
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This review may contain spoilers
This was friggin beautiful
This story and the way the actors portray their characters pulls on my every heart string.Seldom was a couple this level of made for each other. In all their trauma, poverty and toxicity they manage to complement and fulfill each other while being healed (well, sort of).
This is by no means a fluffy cute BL. It's a story of abuse, friendship and love against all odds, while dealing with an almost unhealable trauma.
The actors (all of them!) portray their roles so perfectly they seem like they've been doing this forever. From the smallest looks, gestures to grand and grotesk, it's all equally awesome.
I binged the series in one night. Admittedly a bit much, but this also allowed for being completely submerged in their world and processes. It was a ride. One of the best of this year for sure!
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Not for the fainthearted
Recently, I've been complaining about the onslaught of insipid fluff, passing for BLs, that Japanese have been sending our way and regretting the good old times of the last year when their BLs were outstanding mostly!And then I watched this. And, oh boy, was I served! More than I ever asked for! This was dark, gritty, cruel, depressing, thought-provoking, disturbing and more! Completely unexpected.
The story of two completely broken people trying so hard to survive in the awful surroundings is extremely difficult to watch! This is everything but a BL (except for the last episode!);it's a psychological crime drama where the main characters happen to be gay. They were both cruelly abandoned by their own families and are forced to do anything and everything in order to survive.
How do you stay hopeful in such a desperate situation? They are barely keeping their heads above the water, hanging on, still wanting to survive in spite of everything,
It was expertly filmed, the atmosphere was sufficiently heavy and menacing, the empty side streets, the garbage, the neon signs - everything on screen was dehumanizing and hopeless, hell on earth. And still, they want to live! The hope that never dies! The music, heavy, adds to the overall feeling of banging your head agains the wall!
The acting is amazing: the blond guy does not change much, he is outgoing and somehow optimistic, but he is so thin that he looks sick! The other actor does not show much feeling before the ending, he is practically dead inside but spending time with the blond guy, he allows himself to feel.
This drama was awful and I almost regret watching it. But at the same time it shows the filth behind the shiny signs and pretty clothes. Most of all, it criticizes the Family and the whole society that is turning a blind eye to people suffering.
It was very hard to watch: I could not believe that they put certain scenes involving children, in this drama. I hope those child actors are taken care of by psychologists!
HOTE gets lighter only in the last episode and goes full BL: they meet again after a time jump and everything is so nice and they live happily ever after.....
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Toxic but immersing
Japanese BLs are very good at showing more serious or raw emotions. Actors surely did a good job with showing their characters and progression of their relationship and struggles was well executed. I wished they would be more story aside from showing only characters and a little bit of their background but for the limited time it was great watch.Was this review helpful to you?
A masterpiece
This series is soooo fucking goooood. That ex aint shit omw why is the rating so low. People missing out on a masterpiece. Just finished episode 4😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 i got nooooothing. You ever watched a series and it just had you all up in your feelings this is it. That episode 4 break me yes. This is why i love Japanese bl . It plays with your emotions. I really hope at the end they get a happily ever after because wow. These adults omw . They wasnt shit all of them deserved to DIE and i hope that pimp eventually get his that MF. Just finished episode 8 and i would say one of my favorite BL of 2024. Episode 8 literally had me crying. Glad maya got his even though he went out to fucking easy. He supposed to suffer a slow death . Loved how the met in the endingWas this review helpful to you?
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its so simple. its so fragile. its so hazardous.
this show was an artform, in and of itself. the way it showed these scenes of deep meaning and dark nature with such simplicity- from Haoren's repeated assaults as a part of a prostitute agency to Maya's suicide- not a single scene was shown to be exaggerated nor normalised. it was shown as the characters' perceived it- horrifying but with no luxury to linger.i have such deep respect for both the actors of Chihiro and Haoren. their performance was, hands down, one of the best acting performances there have ever existed. the amount of grace, light heartedness, breeze, depth, angst, longing, confusion and brutality they display in the span of 8 very short episodes is exemplary to say the least.
2 more things that i loved about this show are the color coding and the music.
the color coding is done with such care for the characters- chihiro's transition from brights to neutrals to semi darks and then brights again shows how he is never lost at hope. how he may not know anything except that there is still hope. on the other hand, haoren's dark normalcy taking a break after he returns from jail- a sign that for the first time in his life, he can hope for a better sunrise tomorrow, such such beauty. he returns to his dark colors when he revists what he thinks is his past- chihiro. a past that only had one light, a light that only chihiro could be. i believe that in their life from beyond where we saw is them existing bright and each others'.
now coming to the music- it is eery, it is indie, it is slightly up-beat, it bleeds from normalcy to brutality with ease and no wonder. it doesn't intensify to add value to the scene because this is their life, this is their horrifying reality and they dont get to change their music. it is so painful, it is so beautiful. thank you to the creatives behind this show- you have made a masterpiece of a lifetime.
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The ending is masterpiece.
After going through such a mess together... Being parted....and an unexpected meeting.... That first happy look on Haoren's face to see chihuri..... Its like butter..... Cant have more good ending of this show........ Of course i also want to see their happy life together.... But we can request for special episode.... But i can't question about the ending...... Its great one..... And yeah i want to hugg them for their suffering.... It was really a heart attack for me..... Great one... Keep it up. 🙂Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
JUST WATCH IT ( if you can stomach it READ TRIGGER WARNINGS)
okay...idk what to say exactly
this drama has made me feel a lot of stuff alot of different emotions
it made be feel disgusted,sad, happy, disturbed, grateful, ashamed everything
this drama has a lot of heavy topics and as I said please read the trigger warnings as some scenes were a bit triggering to me and I usually don't read trigger warnings...
this is definitely not a fluffy romance where two people who have a little trauma but alot of love and friendship coming together and dating ... this story is about two broken people finding a way to overcome their trauma and finnally living life atleast a little
episode 4 and 6 were a bit triggering for me ....
the villian should have had more consequences than what he got he should have regretted everything but they tried to make us feel sad and sympathetic towards him and yes I guarantee you won't feel that .....
there is alot of TRAUMA, homophobic people,CA,CSA,and abuse,manipulation and a whole lot more but
this drama has my heart it's deep dark yet it's beautiful.....
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Deep, dark and emotional
This drama was truly heartbreaking and powerful at the same time. I would definitely give a trigger warning to it but if you can watch dark and deep BL dramas like this one, I definitely recommend it. Everything that Chihiro and Haoren went through, especially Haoren made me just want to scoop them up and give them such a big hug. This drama was so powerful and the feelings I felt whilst watching it. Two people who have been through so much, find each other and realise there’s a possibility they can be happy in the end, but it’s going to be a long and tough journey to get there first. All the emotions in the drama, it definitely hit me at the end. The actors did an amazing job of portraying their characters. Would I have liked to see more of their happiness at the end? Probably. But was I satisfied by the ending? Yes. This drama will definitely be one I’ll remember for sure.Was this review helpful to you?
Dark, Disturbing, Pain, Sorrow, Healing, Brilliant!
Fluffy this is not. Talk about a roller-coaster of emotions! I have to say I didn't think I would like this one much, just by what I thought it would turn out to be I wasn't thinking much, wasn't sure if I wanted to watch it, but I am so glad I did.Both had a disturbing and traumatic past yet they as the story unfolds more and more, both of them start to fall in love with one another and by doing so each of them start to heal the other in the process.
No, it wasn't an easy love that they each gave and got, it only started that way, it got better through out the series. Even though it wasn't sweet love like most shows do, it was one of a kind love for them, and in the end it turned sweet enough for them both.
I o have to say that everyone did a really great job acting, I didn't see any faults in this wholes series, and at times there are some, but all of them did a great job.
Even though I wanted to beat the shit out of Maya every time I saw him
Asari Yosuke did an excellent job with acting this character!
All in all, job series, even being a Disturbing one where I was wanting to climb in there and kick some ass! LOL! Haven't seen this yet, well why not start it now?
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gostei
Eu particularmente não sou muito fã de Bls japoneses parece que eles estão sempre em slow motion, e normalmente eles adoram esses Bls de cozinha e friend to love que eu não gosto porém gostei desse que foge ao mais do mesmo, acho meio exagero falar que é vida real porque não é a maioria das pessoas que iram passar por isso porém, ele é brutal, pesado, diferente do que estamos acostumados, acho que só não gostei muito do final, mas em relação aos protagonistas tem umas cenas de sexo meio esquisitas, e acho que o ator que não é idol japonês ficou com as cenas piores, mas de resto eu gostei gosto quando foge do mais do mesmoWas this review helpful to you?
