Silly & heartwarming

I'm really happy to see a show with no plot holes and a consistent story that is told in such a short form. The ending is only slightly open, but any questions you might have while watching will surely be answered by the end. Didn't get emtional while watching, but the story is still heartwarming with not too much dramatism.
Whatever people say about the plot or the romantic line, the comedy is the core of the show - and it's quite good and well-thought. Not to undervaluate the first two, but comedy is easily the most "special" thing about it, as the rest is almost overused in Japanese dramas these days.
P.S. For anyone out there curious, there is not even a hint of harem genre like in many other host club scenarios.

Read More

The characters are amazing, the story is mid. Worth watching tho

Great overall! Kind of harem-like romance but make it not annoying & realistic and you'll get this show exactly. The plot is there too, obviously, although sometimes a bit too predictable.
Big green flags I'd like to specifically point out:
- a bunch of different host characters for all those tropes you know but real-life versions;
- supporting characters have decent backstories and are actually interesting;
- LGBT representation done properly (pleasant surprise!);
- female MC is actually well-written and likable;
- Yagi Yusei as one of the MCs (I may be biased but guys, he's SO good, bless the casting managers)

However, sometimes I couldn't shrug off the weird feeling I'm watching a manga adaptation (despite it not being one). The camera angles, the storytelling patterns, some of the acting, even the plot itself was a bit too 2D for me. My guess is that at the end of the day, a harem-like host-club series would be inspired by mostly 2D tropes. It's not a big problem but something to keep in mind - if you're into more serious stuff you might get uncomfortable.

And just like many 2D works, the romance is thrilling, some moments are EXTREMELY cute, some are kinda hot, you get those butterflies for sure, but in the end plot-wise it's as predictable as always. I'm not leaving any spoilers here, but I'm pretty sure AT LEAST HALF of people will NOT like the ending.

Still, I do recommend it, it's fun in its simplicity and easy to watch. The tension is just right but I also didn't feel too anxious about stopping in the middle, aching to watch the next episode, so in case you don't have enough time to watch it one go, have no worries!

Read More

A good story with realistic depiction of being gay in Japan

My favorite thing about this movie is the fact that it's got barely any censorship. I have seen many works trying to imply different gay relationships in the plot without actually showing it even once, but this one's different. Everything, from illegal physical relationship to stupid homophobic comments, is depicted as it is.
Moreover, the characters' stories (and I want to specifically emphasize the MC's lover) are extremely accurate and sound like something totally happening somewhere in Japan (I live here so I know what I'm talking about). I actually find the movie a good piece of educational material on Japanese society and how LGBTQ+ fit in it.
The story is also very touching, you feel genuine satisfaction and peace after watching. The visuals are also quite above average. Not a masterpiece, but extremely enjoyable.

Read More

Good character development, but I was expecting more in general

Note: I went to see the movie in a Japanese cinema, the version most likely slightly differs from the net/DVD version.

Definitely can't say I liked this more that the TV series. The movie doesn't have much of what I was eager to know after the two seasons - no character backstories and surprisingly little communication about Hira and Kiyoi's relationship status. I was expecting some more development of this topic after S2. First thought it might be because of the focus on the character's feelings, but that wasn't the case either, unfortunately. There are so many things happening at once plot-wise that the production probably found it hard to emotionally stress everything properly. A little disappointing overall, but definitely not boring to watch.
I liked that there's more focus on Kiyoi's personality and feelings, but was a bit upset we didn't get to hear his thoughts like in S2. Also REALLY happy that he's not toxic anymore and focuses on proper communication (which obviosuly wasn't the case before).
Hira's character development: good. The strong supporting characters: amazing. I really enjoyed the photographer man and Anna's influence on the plot. The story was well-paced, but could be a bit more thrilling. But this franchise generally lacks powerful culminations, so it's not too noticeable.
Overall, very enjoyable! The cinematography in the movie was much more high-quality than in the series, now it's not only Kiyoi, but every third shot that you can feast your eyes on. Very easy and pleasant to watch, nice weekend movie. And obviously, if you enjoyed the series, this is a must-watch to calm your heart and observe that character development we've been waiting for for a whole two seasons.

Read More

Very sweet and fulfilling, good to watch with family

A 50-min movie tells a very consistent story that's easy to follow, there's no irrelevant info and the pace is just right. This isn't something made for the sake of fujoshis but rather a heartwarming story that you definitely can and should watch with your family or friends. The way the social issues are addressed is quite a rarity in Japanese media (not so much in the West maybe but still) so I'm pleasantly surprised to find a work like this.
The visuals and the lighting are really good and well-thought, almost surpring for such a low-budget project. My only problem was the acting that seemed a bit dry here and overly sentimental there - reminded me of older cheap dramas full of overacting. The story is also not that interesting because you can predict literally half of it from the start, but it still has a hearwarming message so you can easily ignore those drawbacks.
Unfortunately, I don't think I'd be motivated enough to ever rewatch it alone, but I might show it to my family or friends who don't enjoy your average BL content.

Read More

Best casual BL I've seen so far

This show is not perfect. It's not a masterpiece. But it's still extremely good for a BL.
The casting is GODLY, the "beautiful man" in question is extremely beautiful for real and plays it great, and the other male lead handles the stuttering character really well. The acting may feel off from time to time, but it was still good enough for me to think the actors have had BL roles before.
The soundtrack - don't even get me started. The instrumentals fit the mood so naturally. And the ED completely conveys the character's (Kiyoi's) feelings (if you know Japanese or happen to be curious enough to look for a translation).
Story-wise, it's not that complex or deep, but it's an interesting story, exciting and enticing, making you want more. Important point though, since the plot seems to be inspired by some of the classic BL and shojo-maga tropes, the relationship may seem quite toxic to the Westerners, so if you're overly sensitive about that kind of stuff it might not be a good choice for you. Still, the toxicity has some ground for it and understanding the toxic character was not too hard.
As for the pace of the plot, it was a tiny bit too fast for me, but on the other hand we can witness decent character development thanks to that. Still, depending on the translation you might find yourself lost in the events of the show so maybe pay extra attention to what the characters are saying because sometimes just one phrase completes a whole story arc. Thanks to this pacing, it's quite easy to rewatch it once or twice to fill in some of your personal plot holes.

Overall, a REALLY good show with high rewatch rate. Absolutely recommend unless you're allergic to toxic starts.

Read More