Asian BL - BL/Gay Dramas and movies 1980's to 2021

Another "long short". Aboutish an hour long.

Not BL but gay theme (which is just a part of the much bigger picture), not light, not cute.
This is cinematic art at its best, in case you want to watch some true quality film-making.

LBGTQ Parenthood.

A rather good flick with some good acting, that highlights an issue that should be a given but unfortunately isn't. Sweet, heart-warming and just feel-good.

This is not even close to as good as some claim it is. It's barely mediocre.

The premise could've been nice and the creators make an effort to bring a decent idea, to life, but it just doesn't work. The production is absolutely horrible in quality--it doesn't get more low-budget than this. And it seriously impairs the end result. Add to that quite a few random and unnecessary scenes (i.e. = the result of a messy and badly planned script) and haphazard pacing which makes for a bumpy ride. 

The actors try their best, but don't quite reach the goal--which is probably due to bad directing. 

Ahh... it's just a really, really sloppy flick--to the degree where the story itself becomes non-enjoyable.

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Sequel to the short "Find You in the Crowd".

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Upcoming 2020.

I haven't read the novel on which this is based, but if to judge from previous productions on a more serious note, to come from China--this could be good. However, I wonder how it'll turn out due to the Chinese media ban on LGBTQ content.
There is a reason for most Chinese BL/Gay themed stuff being produced in Taiwan...

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Not BL - but has gay characters.

Short of the longer kind.

Old School Japan

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TBH, I don't remember a single thing about this flick. All I know is that I considered it to be junk already when I saw it, some 14-15 years ago. (Yes... I'm that old... lol)
But it seems that everyone else considers it quite good. That makes me wonder what the heck it was that I hated so much about it... 

Perhaps I should rewatch in order to justify my trashing of it--but considering that I set my bar much lower back in the days, and rated it this low even then... I'm not sure I feel like giving it another shot...

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Mini-mini-drama.

Drama featuring different couples, of which one is a gay one, in a circle of friends. 

I admit that I watched it for the gay part and especially the great BL-veteran Singto in yet another gay role, but the whole thing is decent, with very good acting from most involved and a good assortment of stories about different relationship troubles. 

My problem with it is that I found it... kind of boring. Since it IS good, from an objective POV, I suspect the reason might be precisely the fact that I went in looking for BL. This isn't as easy chew and simple as most dramas of this type, are. This is more mature and sober in tone--so I guess one has to be genuinely interested in the straight stories in order to get really engaged. 

(I'm definitely not the only one--but my life-long BL/Gay fixation seems, to a significant degree, have impaired my ability to get into any romance if it's not between guys... To the degree where I would be likely to not even notice if a guy was hitting on ME, because I would be too occupied thinking that it would be really hot if he'd make out with his guy friend. Or any dude in the vicinity. Which, from an objective POV--is more than a little bit screwed up. But let's just ignore that. Lol...)

I probably won't rewatch it (except possibly the BL parts) but I'll still watch the sequel season coming up this year. (2020.)

Second season for drama "Friend Zone".

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I haven't been able to get my hands on all episodes in subbed version--(1-4 are available fansubbed. I'm not sure if the episodes for sale on NHK web-tv are subbed) and even though I do speak some Japanese, I can't claim to understand more than part of the dialogue, when I watch eps 4-8 unsubbed. 

Even so--this drama is AWESOME. It's something unique, showing the confusion and coming of age of a gay teen in a society that does not accept homosexuality--from a totally different angle than anything we've seen before. 

The framework with Queen's music and all kinds of little poetic and philosophical adds (I loved the play between the leads when imagining love stories about the things around them...) gives a unique touch and the narrative voice/storytelling from the MC is done in a great and imaginative way. 

Some people have totally misunderstood the whole thing about "gay dude in a relationship with a fujoshi". Watch the damn thing before you draw conclusions. Wanna bet on how many gay kids have tried straight dating before they figure out what will work and what never will? And their relationship is beautiful--no matter if it's romantic or friends, because their connection is real. The point here is not to promote reprogramming gays, but to show how confusing it can be to accept oneself--and how pressure from society and family can make us try to fool ourselves and do things we don't truly wish to do.

This is definitely (based mainly on the episodes I have been able to watch with English subs) the best Gay themed story to come from Japan, to date. 

Upcoming 2020.

This isn't BL, this is Gay themed. Nothing fluffy about this--it's about real guys, real life, real stories and issues. And it's very good, if you want something more serious than cutesy fairytales.

The only reason I don't rate it higher, is because the entertainment value, such at it is, isn't all that high. It's rewarding, and definitely worth a watch--but it's so realistic that it becomes... plain? It's definitely one of the best Gay themed things Thailand has produced, and I recommend it to anyone except Fangirls/boys who exclusively want BL fantasies. It's just that it's somehow a bit TOO realistic to be something one gets all hyped up about. 

Which ever way I put it, it sounds like I'm complaining--but I'm not.
It just gets down to one's cravings, I guess. If you're in the mood for chocolate cake--you don't go for rye bread. But you go diabetic if you eat cake every day. Something like that.

Season 2. See S1 for comment.

First one in a series of compilation movies made up by shorts.

See "Gay Out Soon".

See "Gay Out Soon".

See "Gay Out Soon".

See "Gay Out Soon".

Upcoming 2020.

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Here's another one that I watched so long ago, that I can't even remember what it was about--even less why I disliked it enough to rate it this low. 

Someday when I have absolutely nothing else to watch, I guess I might have to rewatch all those oldies that I've trashed. Maybe. 

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Sequel (also a short) to "Good Loser".

This one is strange, too artsy (artsy is fine but it doesn't always work and here it doesn't) and just doesn't come through well enough. Acting is good and production is good for the most part. A couple of scenes are really hot, and to be honest, those are pretty much the only thing I'll remember.

Short film of the longer kind.

I did NOT expect to say this; I love it!
Overall, I dislike fantasy and gender-bender stuff pisses me off since they usually end up "hetero-cop-out-thank-god-you-were-actually-a-girl".  I was sure it was going to be crap, but this is one of the loveliest and most feel-good romcom-dramas I've seen in the department of not-all-that-dead-serious. The only flaw was really that a few parts were annoying, it would have been a 9 if they'd stayed clear of standard drama-plot-fillers.

James absolutely KILLS as a body swapped girl, I'm seriously impressed, he's usually so dudish in himself. But he's got the girly thing going on here, down to a T. He catches the smallest little details and never glitches--everything from expressions and mannerisms to body language. The acting overall is very good. Production is stylish, OST is great--especially the ending song is super-duper-catchy, and SFX are actually quite awesome for a tv-production.
It's about relationships--not just romantic love--but also love between friends and family.
It's funny, it's cute, it's engaging, it's deeper than one might have expected and it's just simply good.

It's BL and not BL at the same time. The romance is perhaps, technically, between females and males--since our MC is a girl originally, but it happens in male plus male forms, which gives us the boy-on-boy satisfaction. Plus, it's angled differently than these bodyswap-themes usually are. In GOOD ways. It doesn't cop out, it doesn't excuse itself with "Gay-4-U", it doesn't present a hetero-happy conclusion, NOR a gay one. Just a happy one. Because in the end, what the fuck does it even matter who's gay, straight, bi, girl, boy, unicorn, whatever, as long as everyone is happy?

The whole premise and theme of the drama is a division between genders--but ends up transforming into a theme that erases the lines altogether, making the characters learn to see things differently.

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Not BL. Adapted from Japanese manga "Hanazakari no Kimitachi e". See notes in list description.

Not BL. Japanese remake of "Hanazakari no Kimitachi e". See notes in list description. Skip this one and watch the original drama instead...

Not BL--but with a certain story component.  See notes in list description.
Silly, low-budget and quite corny--i.e. a pretty typical Japanese drama for that time. But it has heart and the Shoujo manga on which it's based, is a classic.

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For this short a short--you need to do something that's so poignant that it really pops out. This doesn't. It's cute, yeah, but it's also pointless.

Completely pointless mini-drama. I watch only to see guys smooching and that's pretty bad feedback for the producers.

Truly one of the most unique BL to date. Not only the theme, but also the way that it's told and unravels.
As everything else, it has flaws--at times, it can be a little bit melodramatic and slightly cheesy, but it's excusable since it's always heartfelt and genuine. The story might sound a bit too much for someone who's not a fan of supernatural themes--but believe me, you'll be okay with it. I'm REALLY not one for those themes, but I still fell for this one.

The acting is absolutely superb--Singto, being the veteran BL pro-in-every-inch that he is, as usual, shows his skills and versatility. And paired up with the raw and natural talent of Ohm--who is one of my favourite young actors on a global scale--it can become nothing but awesome. If Ohm doesn't give you goosebumps and a lump in your throat (or even make you cry--I did, several times) in a couple of his strongest scenes, I'd be surprised. He's one of those that doesn't even seem to act. He just is.
Side characters vary in delivery; Than's (Ohm) mom and friends (especially Sing, as Khiao-Khem) do a good job, while Mes' (Singto) ghost buddies bug the hell out of me. Especially Gunsmile, as Jeng, who once again goes haywire when put in a comedic role. It's too bad, because the guy CAN act. He just doesn't have any moderation when he goes comedy. 

There are heavy themes and sadness in this one, but overall, it's just really sweet and light-hearted. Actually, it's quite paradoxal. It's silly and filled with gags--yet profound and quite thought-provoking. Sad--yet very happy. But I guess that's fitting, since it's about life--and death.

The production... It's sufficient. The budget is probably low, but it doesn't matter because it doesn't affect the result. The 90s music sets a nice frame and atmosphere.

I didn't expect to like it and decided to watch it only because of Singto and Ohm--but it ended up as one of my all-time favs. It's just that special.

Short special connected to the web-drama/movie (exists in two versions) "Like Love"/"I Love You as a Man".

Movie sequel for the drama "His: I Didn't Think I Would Fall in Love".

It was really good, actually. Better than the drama. 

Like its previous installment, it continues that "organic" feel--realistic and sombre in tone and expression. It doesn't make a fuss of things, it doesn't stray into melodrama, it just tells the story of two guys and their relationship through ups and downs. Exactly my cup of tea.
The Japanese BL usually goes in one of two directions; either it really stacks up a shitton of enhancers as to reaaaally make the audience FEEL it--or it refrains from all of it, and lets the acting and scenes speak for themselves. This belongs to the latter category. It took me quite a while to react to the fact that there was absolutely no score whatsoever. (Later on, there was a bit.) And you know what--it wasn't needed. It actually even made it better.
When they get it right--no one does realism as well as the Japanese. 

I like cutesy and cheesy BL as well--but what I find most rewarding, are stories like this one. Fairytales can be nice, but what touches me--are the love stories that are relatable. 

Since I love this type of storytelling, I really appreciated the effect that the simplicity of direction and production, brought. The acting is good as well. 

Not to be missed. 

This was a breath of fresh air in the assortment of sweet teen BL. A simple little thing--light, (very) innocent and endearing. 

Japanese BL used to be so syrupy and manga-plastic-fake that I couldn't stand it (but one took what one could get, back in the days when Japan was the only go-to for a fix of boys-on-boys.) But nowadays, their style has started to change a lot.

My preference in BL/Gay themed things--even if I like everything from super-artsy stuff to braindead junk--are the stories of the more mellow and realistic kind, the everyday love stories of normal guys--because I find reality beautiful enough to be worth telling about. If it's too glossy, too shiny, too unrealistic--it doesn't get to me. But when the setting, and the people, are real--I can relate on a deeper level. 

This is a gentle little coming-of-age love story, set by the coast--in the Kamakura area, the surfing Mecca of Japan. The setting with surfing and the ocean, was something I've longed to see. There are quite a few surfer-BL mangas and I love surfing and especially I love the ocean. (One of my all-time-fav BL movies is a surfer one--the US indie flick "Shelter" from 2007. A simple, low budget little thing, but it's lovely.) We can all agree on that the sea always has had a special place in love stories. It's romantic, period. Here, it also gives a feel of youth and freedom. 

The production is simple, but sufficient and enhances the realism. The acting is very good from basically everyone but Kura Yuuki (Nagisa) has something special. (And the kid is ridiculously beautiful.)

The story is a bit oddly paced so it becomes too rushed in the conclusion--and the focus isn't really where it should have been, a lot of the time. Which is the only reason I don't rate this higher. 

A movie sequel was released this year, too. I'll be eagerly waiting for a subbed version.

All the HIStory installments are good, some are excellent. The two "HIStory 2" ones are very good, but not quite as great as the 2019 ones from "HIStory 3". 

This one is lovely. It's sad that there are so few episodes because both the stories explored could be great, but the time frame does not allow for an in-depth look at these two relationships. However, for the runtime and number of episodes, we're still given a very nice little drama that just makes you smile. I'm a total sucker for sports BL, so I'm thrilled every time we get that, and here we even get a nice story to go with it. 

The couples are very cute (even though we don't really get to know the side couple much) and the acting is very nice from several of the main leads. The production is low-budget but good, nothing wrong with it. The music is so catchy! I find myself humming the main theme for weeks every time I rewatch this. If to go into the more shallow aspects of BL, we have some nice smooching here :D Nothing explicit--but nice. 

2020 is supposed to see the release of a sequel movie, let's hope for that. (Update; The title is scratched from MDL so it probably fell through, as the discussions implied already early on).

Like most of the "HIStory" productions, here we have another one which is really good.

This story is a bit different in flavor compared to the other ones. A relationship with an age gap, between teacher and student, and a much more mellow feel. It's sweet, tender and the most realistic of all the "HIStory" installments. It's an everyday-type of love story and it's lovely. Acting is great, the story is well planned and the slow pacing is nice since it makes it feel real. 

The best word to describe it, would be "cozy". It makes you happy.

If you really can't take painful stuff--don't watch. (But I'm telling you, you are missing out on an absolute gem...) 

The audience went berserk in their anger about this. (So tiring when BL-fans want to live in a pink world and ignore everything that isn't happy-go-lucky...)
But yeah, it was heavy. I won't spoil but let's just say that not everything turns out as we'd wish. What made it so shocking was probably that it was so unexpected. I have no problem watching sad stuff since I want a good story--not just fantasies.
But one wasn't prepared. The overall feel of the series, turned abruptly--from simple, sweet teen love, to harsh reality--and it hurt. :S

But... I wouldn't want to change it. Because it made this even more memorable.

The drama starts off on a very light note--with a silly and shallow tone, but it develops into one of the most beautiful portrayals of puppy love, ever. Tender, sweet and just so real and honest. The side couple's story is engaging too, albeit not as notable. 

The acting is really good from all involved--stellar from some. Initially, I disliked one of the MCs and considered him a bad actor, until he just suddenly transformed and impressed the hell out of me--growing into being superb in the end. The performances from the main leads in emotional scenes--whether they are sweet, sad or horny--are just so raw that you'll get goosebumps. 

As quite a few other Taiwanese productions, this is graphic. One scene not visually so--just the content and raw feel of it. The other one very visually so. But it's not cheap nor gratuitous, it's beautiful even though it's pretty much softcore AV...
As for kissing--there's a lot. And it's good. One of--if not THE--best kiss scene in any BL to date, enhanced by beauuuutiful directing, editing and music. The OST is really good, BTW.

It's sad, yes, but it's also so tender, so beautiful, so sweet and so real, that it's pure stupidity to miss out on it.

Ah... something different. We got something a bit similar back in 2017 with "Advance Bravely" but here we have cops and robbers all the way. Almost. Good-guy-mobster?
It's entertaining, it's well-acted and the guys' chemistry builds all through the series--ending up awesome in the end. It's well produced, slick and simply good. (I'm more than a little bit biased towards mobsters and cops in gay-themed stories, though...) 

(Further rec; If you like those themes and if you liked this one; make sure to check out the Korean mini-drama "Long Time no See". Also on this list.)

In terms of the more shallow aspects that we all enjoy; you'll find a fair amount of smooching, of which two kisses are very memorable. One as truly, truly unique (and a bit gross, actually) and then the marathon-kissing-and-rolling-around-on-a-bed-for-several-minutes. That one rocked. Like, really. Something as rare as really romantic, yet really hot.
Since I'm a pervert I tend to scrutinize such scenes and I'm almost willing to bet that the actors got a bit carried away if you can figure out what I mean. Do you have a banana in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

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Series of shorts based on IRL stories.

The BL theme here is just one small part of the drama--but this is a must-watch, BL or not. Without a doubt the best teen series ever made. Globally. S2 is even better.
(S3 is good but most of the original actors are gone by then.)

The thing about the BL couple here--is that this is the start of it all. Phu and Thee were the first BL couple in a Thai teen drama, that got equal airtime compared to the straight pairings and characters. (The GL couple, too.) And their story was not treated in any way differently than the straight ones, and the director did not shy away from showing kissing and sexual content between a teen gay couple. (Actually, their physical scenes were the most graphic of all the couples'.) That had more or less never been done before. This was the first time a BL and a GL couple were really and truly included. As teens, not as gay teens. 

The drama caused a ruckus in many ways, considered scandalous and outrageous, because it handles heavy and "inappropriate" themes like teen sexuality, pregnancy, drugs, alcohol, homosexuality and whatnot. But it became a monster hit in Asia and reached a huge global fanbase as well.
It's that good. Phenomenal acting, great storylines, great OST, everything is just great, great, great. 

After Hormones, "Love Sick" was aired, and then the avalanche broke--and now, 2020, we're up to our necks in BL (all LGBTQ content, really). How great is that? Not just for our satisfaction, but also for normalizing LGBTQ in the eyes of the general public. The more you see it--the less you oppose it.

Even better than S1. Teen tv just doesn't get better than this.

Not even close to as good as the first two seasons, but still good. Most of the cast from S1 & S2 are gone. No BL, but a gay parent couple + gay teen character. 

Supposedly really crappy...

This... is what it is. 5 x 25 minutes of fanservice. A bunch of cute teen boys who aren't very restrained when it comes to finding reasons to act out their innate BL tendencies with each other--here, there and everywhere. It's retarded and cheap, production is crappy, plot is idiotic and acting wasn't that awesome. These boys have shaped up during the past couple of years and are considerably better in later roles...

Reasons to watch; 

1) Cute guys making out, stripping and being all kinds of outrageous and naughty.

2) Newyear. I'll support any BL actor who's brave enough to be out and open and refuse to hide their sexual orientation in fear of not getting roles. (Which he didn't, before this one. He got refused because he was openly gay. Thank God this is starting to change.) Besides, he's a decent actor and he's cute to look at. 

Don't expect greatness because this is pretty much junk. But the reasons above are enough for me, considering the short runtime and few episodes. But I'll rate it accordingly.
And even if the second season is aiming for "serious", I'd rather rewatch this one ten times before I force myself to watch S2 again.

I REALLY didn't like this. It's pretty astonishing how this season, that aimed so much higher than the first season, turned out this boring and meaningless. 

S1 was cheap, tacky, and just an excuse to show off a lot of kissing between cute guys--but it didn't aspire to be much more than that. This season tries to be serious and has a much higher budget and better production--yet the entertainment value is pretty much non-existent, IMO.

The first problem is that the theme is gone. Even if the game is still a part of the plot, it makes no sense here, like it did in S1. There the game continued into sober reality and really messed things up for the people involved. Here it's just a thing in the background, except for the three (I think it was) scenes when the game is played as an excuse to show drunken making out. The further use of the game as a plot component, is so slight and pointless that it's almost absent.

We are left with a bunch of people that have relationship issues--without even the game to blame it on. Enter second problem; these characters are not likable, memorable or even slightly engaging. Not for me, anyway. I don't like them, but worse than that--I don't care about them nor what happens to them. They just annoy me and they're pretty much A-holes, most of them.

Acting is okay for the most part, but really bad and unconvincing at other parts. I cringed at all the crying scenes, they were so horrendously fake. Music and score is outdated and cheesy. Production is okay. 

 I can't give it a worse rating than "mediocre"/"run-of-the-mill", since it is a fair production, but as for entertainment value; I wouldn't rewatch it if I was paid--while I would rewatch S1 even if it was utter junk. That says a lot.

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