dramatour
I was peripherally aware of this drama during when it was on air but I wrote it off initially because I thought it was gonna be another queerbait . I didn't believe a drama that actually went all the way with genuinely gay characters could penetrate mainstream with so much clout. But boy it did, and it's still a phenomenon now in freaking September, over 3 months after the last ep aired
Ossan's Love is very entertaining, and it's really all about the cast. Tanaka Kei is hilarious and loveable. Haruta's character in anyone's else hands would probably go south fast but Tanaka Kei really knows his stuff. His ridiculous acting combined with that suspense track they always use for the title call is comedy gold. Yoshida Kotaro is deservedly universally praised and I'm 100% here for Hayashi Kento and the revision of the Maki character. There are so many iconic lines because they're so SO funny in Japanese. The chief quoting a Nishino Kana song, Maki's big dick confession, Maro's "Choko Boom" etc. Rewatch value for Ossan's Love is sky high bc I just don't get tired of hearing the cast deliver their lines. The comedic appeal was so broad that it's touted in Japan as a gay drama men can enjoy. (and it's true bc even Katori Shingo was referencing line from the drama on TV lol)
Storywise, it's a funny story but also weird and nonsensical. Looking closely, the pacing and timeline is a major weak spot and the struggle with 7 eps really showed. IMO the best thing about the world of Ossan's Love is that it's one of acceptance. Despite some reservation and initial shock, all of the characters are open minded and kind people at heart, I think Japanese audiences can really appreciate that attitude about homosexual relationships.
And for BL fans waltzing in, I actually don't think this is BL, and it was never marketed as such. If you saw all the promos done, it was just advertised as a regular "who will he choose???" romcom. Obviously, the style, casting, and the presence of a character like the chief is really not common for BL productions. So a loooot were written as set up for jokes or get viewers hooked in suspense, not to create some deep love story with tons of moments. I think it's only about 25% rom and a whopping 75% com so buyer beware.
Ossan's Love is very entertaining, and it's really all about the cast. Tanaka Kei is hilarious and loveable. Haruta's character in anyone's else hands would probably go south fast but Tanaka Kei really knows his stuff. His ridiculous acting combined with that suspense track they always use for the title call is comedy gold. Yoshida Kotaro is deservedly universally praised and I'm 100% here for Hayashi Kento and the revision of the Maki character. There are so many iconic lines because they're so SO funny in Japanese. The chief quoting a Nishino Kana song, Maki's big dick confession, Maro's "Choko Boom" etc. Rewatch value for Ossan's Love is sky high bc I just don't get tired of hearing the cast deliver their lines. The comedic appeal was so broad that it's touted in Japan as a gay drama men can enjoy. (and it's true bc even Katori Shingo was referencing line from the drama on TV lol)
Storywise, it's a funny story but also weird and nonsensical. Looking closely, the pacing and timeline is a major weak spot and the struggle with 7 eps really showed. IMO the best thing about the world of Ossan's Love is that it's one of acceptance. Despite some reservation and initial shock, all of the characters are open minded and kind people at heart, I think Japanese audiences can really appreciate that attitude about homosexual relationships.
And for BL fans waltzing in, I actually don't think this is BL, and it was never marketed as such. If you saw all the promos done, it was just advertised as a regular "who will he choose???" romcom. Obviously, the style, casting, and the presence of a character like the chief is really not common for BL productions. So a loooot were written as set up for jokes or get viewers hooked in suspense, not to create some deep love story with tons of moments. I think it's only about 25% rom and a whopping 75% com so buyer beware.
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