Mature, gentle, calm, yet ultimately quite forgettable
I went into this drama with high expectations, but it gradually turned into something different from what I initially anticipated. Takeda looks remarkably youthful here, despite his role emphasizing adulthood and maturity. In contrast, his partner often appeared weighed down and emotionally exhausted. Interestingly, his younger self, when he was still working as a medical representative, looked fresher and more vibrant compared to his present-day version as a writer. In which the obvious explanation of the eight-year timeskip.One of my main complaints about the series is the lack of intimacy between the leads. The dry kisses throughout the entire show felt disappointing, and I understand the frustration some viewers experienced. I felt the same way after finishing all the episodes.
Putting that aside and focusing on the story itself, I appreciated the message that people can still feel lost regardless of their age. The sense of emptiness that slowly consumes us and leaves us searching for meaning was portrayed in a relatable and thoughtful way.
I also enjoyed seeing the world of literary translation. It was refreshing to watch a drama explore how translators work to preserve an author’s intended message while adapting it into their native language. That aspect of the story was genuinely interesting and one of the show’s highlights for me.
The drama has its ups and downs, mostly downs, if I’m being honest. But it remains a decent watch for those who enjoy melancholic and reflective stories. Much like its title suggests, life is not always filled with bright rays of sunshine. There are moments when smoky blues settle in, forcing us to reflect on ourselves. Yet through those periods of sadness and uncertainty, we eventually find the strength to rise again and continue living, carrying our own colors through everyday life.
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a lot of people might find it boring or uninteresting. but for me it was just such a comforting thing to watch. the story was so simple, but so relatable. the aesthetics and the cinematography were so soothing to watch. I fell in love with the house, and the people living in it!
I will miss Azuma and Kuji🥹💙
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Life In Beautiful Blue
This unfolding of the story of two men will not move mountains but it will present a reality that for many is what is happening to them. It is a transition of them getting older and the realization that they are gay and are now coming to terms with it and learning to accept its reality. In a society that still does not accommodate it. Each must take their individual journey down a very lonely path. But the beauty of this legendry is that their paths once crossed when they were younger, intersected again when they are older. And their joint path may now be going down the same road together. Softly, gently. Each holds the hand of the other and along the way, they are inviting trusted friends and family members to join them in their peaceful journey to seeking a life of fulfillment together. This is a wonderfully rich story in exploring the beauty of living life together, taking pleasures with being with one another, and knowing that the other person is exactly where you are as well. You can read the full review at BLBliss.com.Was this review helpful to you?
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Finally, a Japanese BL that I genuinely loved. 😊
And an extra bonus for having older main characters. It’s refreshing to see a story that focuses on adults rather than the usual school or university setting, and it made the series even more enjoyable for me. 🤍✨
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This review may contain spoilers
The adult way of love
Categorizing this show as BL might actually be an insult to the show since we're not talking about "Boys" here.It's a story about and between two grown-up men. Two men with their own separate histories and struggles.
They meet,and it's not the puppy-love-fairytale-sparkling kind of romance you would expect from a BL.
It's a beautiful story about two people finding their own way in a modern society while slowly getting to know and learning to rely on each other. No big drama, no burning desire, just two human beings. Based on my perceptions so far, I would say this drama is as close to reality as a drama can be.
Acting and music were perfect for me as I found the whole story pretty convincing and well done.
What I found most interesting as an european was the fact that the older someone gets, the more similar the worries get across all cultures - I could easily identify with a lot of doubts the main protagonists had. That's a thing I rarely experienced with dramas in a younger age group.
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Sweet relationship of mature adults (refreshing vibe)
The series follow two adults, former colleagues, who meet each other again after some years.We are witnessing a mature relationship as it unfolds between two grown adults. No unnecessary drama, no fury in the plot, just surfing their life as they grow attached to one another.
Recommend 100% if you enjoy watching for the whole and don't need twists and turns to keep you into it.
10/10 worth it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Amazingly Beautiful
I placed spoilers at the end of this review.It is always refreshing to watch a BL series with a more mature story concept. I also love how this BL series focused on many other underline themes about one’s own struggles. The artful simplicity of this script was incredible. Everything from the relationship development to the overall themes about family was well paced. The entire cast did an outstanding job with their characters. Unfortunately, there is one exception with the male leads which is very puzzling to me. The cinematography was beautiful and helped capture the undertone mood while the events unfolded.
Random Note:
I originally was undecided about watching this because the MDL series synopsis, which is very inaccurate, scared me. The one on GagaOOLala is much better.
******Potential Spoiler Alert******
The exception was the very inconstant chemistry between the two lead actors during the more intimate scenes. There were times that they were great, but then we get the standard dead lip kiss scenes that you usually see in Korean BL series. Although very puzzling to me, this was only a minor irritation.
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This is so incredibly beautiful
I wasn't planning to give this a 10. That's a rating I reserve for my absolute favorites: My Personal Weatherman and Khemjira. But then I started selecting the star rating for this review and thought, well damn, I really loved this one!Full disclosure, I'm an older BL watcher and probably have more in common with the leads here than with most of you reading this. Maybe that's part of the appeal for me. But I also think they did a great job. The acting was so good. The storytelling was lovely. There was tension and release but no sharp peaks and valleys. Just the undulating tale of two lovers finding each other and themselves.
I love so many things about this. The chemistry and intimacy was great. The love they showed for each other and the people around them was so real and unadorned. I loved how beautiful their mature faces were. I loved the way they looked at each other.
Watching this one was like a long, warm hug. I didn't know I needed it, but I did.
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This review may contain spoilers
What am I expecting??
The simplicity of this series carries such deep emotions. This is why I fell in love with JBL, and honestly, it's been a while since I last felt this way about one.I fell in love with it in the first episode, then slowly fell out of love after two or three episodes. But then I stopped and asked myself: What exactly was I expecting from this series?
The characters are literally in their late 30s. So what was I expecting? Fluff? Pick-up lines? Cringey romantic moments?
And that's when I fell in love with it all over again.
This series is not for everyone. As I've mentioned before, this isn't your usual fluffy, student-themed BL. This is real life. There's very little fantasy in it. Instead, it hits hard with themes like midlife crises, the struggle between choosing stability or happiness, the pain of slowly losing people through death, falling apart, and of course, love and marriage—especially as a queer person.
So yeah, it's not for everyone, but I'll definitely recommend it to all of you.
Bye and peace
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Yay, grown-up men in a BL - unfortunately, the characters and kisses are not
Your typical Japanese non-plot, where characters silently suffer from being horrible at communicating. And life in general. There is barely a main plot, more of a slice-of-life story. And while I often enjoy those and while I wasn't bored per se, I also wasn't entertained or inspired by it.The technical stuff like acting, cinematography, set design ... are all solid. Except when it comes to intimacy, were they give you dead fish kisses and a few seconds of the most uninspired humping action here and there.
All the side characters are nicely done! If only the main characters wouln't have been this lacking ...
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A Healing Hug
This show is completely grounded, no flash bang dramatics and very rewarding.The story is primarily from the point of view of Azuma, who is recovering from a mental breakdown. He runs into a former colleague, Kuji, whom he had a one-night stand with and hasn't seen in 8 years. Kuji saves him from an SA incident at a bar, and they rekindle their relationship from there.
This show has been full of rewarding and well-earned growth for the characters as individuals and as a couple. The slow and deliberate construction of the show allows the audience to trust that when we walk away after the final episode, our couple have a loving relationship built on a solid foundation. It's easy to believe in a happy ever after for them.
When the show ended, I felt like I had been given a warm hug, like I had healed along with Azuma and Kuji. It left me wanting more.
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Two Men, Good Chemistry and BOOKS…
I like the first episode and I’m hopeful I’ll like the other episodes.The story is different in a good way. Two matured men reconnecting and we will watch how love will bloom between them.
Also, as a book lover, I love the literature theme in this story. Love how art is positioned as a thing that heals and will bring the two men together.
I won’t say much yet to avoid spoilers but will come back to edit this when I’ve watched all the episodes because I’m certain I’ll watch this one till the end.
For anyone trying to decide if this is worth watching, it is. Give it a chance and you will be glad you did.
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