This review may contain spoilers
a real thought-provoking show
This is definitely one of the best Japanese BLs I've ever seen. The acting was top tier, the story was excellent, it was psychological and a really fun and engaging watch.
Writing: I thought this show was wonderfully written. The dialogue made sense yet didn't reveal too much about what the characters were thinking or feeling. The writers made it the watchers' job to analyze what the characters said and did and interpret that into what they were feeling, instead of just saying it outright or showing it in obvious ways. I found this to be really really engaging, and paired with the fantastic chemistry between the actors, it was a very satisfying watch. However, if you are expecting a romance, that is not what you are going to get from this show. It's a show about manipulation, loneliness, and obsession. The relationship depicted in this show is by no means healthy at all, but it was shown in a more objective way. There was no trying to justify what the characters did and give them a "redemption arc", it was as if we were following real people who are going through character development not through "getting better", but through us, the watchers, learning more about them and their motivations and inner feelings. So in all, it does feel as if the characters go through significant changes and development (which they do), but it isn't in a way that feels like "the right thing to do" to make a satisfying ending. Honestly, the only thing I didn't like about the plot was the ending. I thought it was too happy for this story! I don't think I have ever complained about a happy ending in my whole life, but it felt like the whole plot was leading to a different ending than what we actually got. I really wasn't expecting them to stay in touch. I feel like a better ending would be how the last episode went with them making up and him coming 6 times, then they never speak again. I think this relationship would be better as a memory for both of them - the story felt very suspended from reality, that I think it should have stayed in that dream-like disconnect in their memories. But hey, there's a reason that I don't write the scripts for these shows.
Acting: the chemistry was outstanding. The sex scenes were all fantastic (honestly I was expecting more sex from a show called "The Pornographer", however, there is still PLENTY of sex.) All of the characters played their roles absolutely flawlessly. Surprisingly, the side character, Kido, was fantastic! First of all, he was absolutely hot as fuck walking in there with his deep voice and dark eyes, but second of all, I was completely immersed in the story when he was acting. There wasn't a single scene that he didn't do perfectly. Our main couple was also fantastic. I was completely immersed for the entire show. Really, the only part that I found distraction was just the inner monologue coming from Kuzumi because I thought his voice sounded weird and dramatic, but that's pretty typical for Japanese shows. The acting wasn't over the top, and Takezai Terunosuke especially played his part perfectly. I just kept thinking to myself, wow this dynamic between the older guy and the younger guy is just played perfectly. This is honestly how (in my limited experience) age gaps work in real life. When Kijima would laugh at Kuzumi's naivety, when Kuzumi would offer to do something like making the coffee and Kijima would allow him without the "oh no!! I got it!! don't bother!!!" - back and forth that usually happens in real life when doing a favor, etc etc etc, this all felt very real and perfectly executed. I also thought that Kuzumi had the exact right amount of shyness. It wasn't so overly shy where you get annoyed, but he wasn't so open that it was boring.
Music: I actually noticed the music in this show, and I thought it was all very fitting and sounded good. It wasn't over or underused.
Rewatch value: I would actually rewatch this (I really don't rewatch shows), but this one is short enough and deep enough where a second watch would add even more meaning to the story, catching details I might have missed in the first watch.
random note - this show almost felt like reading a book in a way. I can't describe why or how it just does. I'm assuming that whatever they did to make it feel book-like was on purpose, because it's about writing books.
If you are looking for an actual book recommendation that is weirdly very very similar in vibe to this show, read "A Single Man" by Christopher Isherwood. I read that book like more than a year ago and it kept reminding me of random details about that story that I hadn't thought about probably since I put the book down right after I finished reading. The vibe is honestly spot on. It looks like there is a movie based off this book as well (called "A Single Man", it even has good reviews), but I haven't watched it, so can't say if the vibe matches or not.
Writing: I thought this show was wonderfully written. The dialogue made sense yet didn't reveal too much about what the characters were thinking or feeling. The writers made it the watchers' job to analyze what the characters said and did and interpret that into what they were feeling, instead of just saying it outright or showing it in obvious ways. I found this to be really really engaging, and paired with the fantastic chemistry between the actors, it was a very satisfying watch. However, if you are expecting a romance, that is not what you are going to get from this show. It's a show about manipulation, loneliness, and obsession. The relationship depicted in this show is by no means healthy at all, but it was shown in a more objective way. There was no trying to justify what the characters did and give them a "redemption arc", it was as if we were following real people who are going through character development not through "getting better", but through us, the watchers, learning more about them and their motivations and inner feelings. So in all, it does feel as if the characters go through significant changes and development (which they do), but it isn't in a way that feels like "the right thing to do" to make a satisfying ending. Honestly, the only thing I didn't like about the plot was the ending. I thought it was too happy for this story! I don't think I have ever complained about a happy ending in my whole life, but it felt like the whole plot was leading to a different ending than what we actually got. I really wasn't expecting them to stay in touch. I feel like a better ending would be how the last episode went with them making up and him coming 6 times, then they never speak again. I think this relationship would be better as a memory for both of them - the story felt very suspended from reality, that I think it should have stayed in that dream-like disconnect in their memories. But hey, there's a reason that I don't write the scripts for these shows.
Acting: the chemistry was outstanding. The sex scenes were all fantastic (honestly I was expecting more sex from a show called "The Pornographer", however, there is still PLENTY of sex.) All of the characters played their roles absolutely flawlessly. Surprisingly, the side character, Kido, was fantastic! First of all, he was absolutely hot as fuck walking in there with his deep voice and dark eyes, but second of all, I was completely immersed in the story when he was acting. There wasn't a single scene that he didn't do perfectly. Our main couple was also fantastic. I was completely immersed for the entire show. Really, the only part that I found distraction was just the inner monologue coming from Kuzumi because I thought his voice sounded weird and dramatic, but that's pretty typical for Japanese shows. The acting wasn't over the top, and Takezai Terunosuke especially played his part perfectly. I just kept thinking to myself, wow this dynamic between the older guy and the younger guy is just played perfectly. This is honestly how (in my limited experience) age gaps work in real life. When Kijima would laugh at Kuzumi's naivety, when Kuzumi would offer to do something like making the coffee and Kijima would allow him without the "oh no!! I got it!! don't bother!!!" - back and forth that usually happens in real life when doing a favor, etc etc etc, this all felt very real and perfectly executed. I also thought that Kuzumi had the exact right amount of shyness. It wasn't so overly shy where you get annoyed, but he wasn't so open that it was boring.
Music: I actually noticed the music in this show, and I thought it was all very fitting and sounded good. It wasn't over or underused.
Rewatch value: I would actually rewatch this (I really don't rewatch shows), but this one is short enough and deep enough where a second watch would add even more meaning to the story, catching details I might have missed in the first watch.
random note - this show almost felt like reading a book in a way. I can't describe why or how it just does. I'm assuming that whatever they did to make it feel book-like was on purpose, because it's about writing books.
If you are looking for an actual book recommendation that is weirdly very very similar in vibe to this show, read "A Single Man" by Christopher Isherwood. I read that book like more than a year ago and it kept reminding me of random details about that story that I hadn't thought about probably since I put the book down right after I finished reading. The vibe is honestly spot on. It looks like there is a movie based off this book as well (called "A Single Man", it even has good reviews), but I haven't watched it, so can't say if the vibe matches or not.
Was this review helpful to you?