This review may contain spoilers
I am no cinema critic and I have no education in visual media or anything like that so I'm just gonna write this review as a 21-year-old gay man who was born in a heavily Catholic country and who's spent a good chunk of time in Japan, too.First, let me just get by the regular review-y things. The acting was great, not perfect, but still great. I especially loved how Kaneko Daichi played with his expressions, expressing a lot of emotion just by moving his eyes or changing his expression just enough to convey any changes in Jun's emotions. You probably won't get a 5-star-worth acting in this drama if that's what you're looking for, but it's decent enough to convey what the drama is going for so you won't be disappointed.
The music was fine, as they used a lot of Queen's songs in the making, and I especially liked the moments just before the more dramatic or sad scenes when the music swelled up, mixed with some white-noise-like sound effects, which I felt was the perfect expression of what a gay high-schooler might feel in moments of dread and sadness.
I will surely rewatch this drama someday, that's for sure, even if just to remind myself of what a lot of gay people have to go through, and that not everyone is so lucky as I am.
And now the story. Oh God, the story.
I watched all 8 episodes and I can say that it's a great description of what it is like to be gay in an unaccepting, especially high-school community. The dread of being found out, the uneasiness before coming out, the unquenched desire to end your own life – all of it resonated with me on a very personal level, so much that I had to take breaks while watching this drama so as to let myself calm down a little.
I assume that if you're reading this review, you're not afraid of spoilers so let me say it clearly: no, Jun didn't end up with a girl, and his self-introduction during his first day at University at the end of Episode 8 starting with "Nice to meet you, I'm Andou Jun from Tokyo and I am..." and cutting just at the end of the episode is a clear indication that what he intended to say was "I am gay," which means he most probably came to accept his own sexuality and Miura is now just a friend to him, a dear friend, but just a friend.
This drama brought up a lot of problems I encountered myself when growing up. Is it really impossible for me to date a girl? Will I never be able to have my own children? What will my parents say? Will they be mad at the fact that I will never be able to give them grandsons? Of course, not all gay people encounter these problems but a large chunk of them do, especially in a country like Japan which values (traditional) family a lot and has no partnership nor a same-sex marriage system, where adopting a child might prove to be a pretty tough task for same-sex couples. All of these problems were perfectly conveyed in Jun's story and I was really happy to watch all of it.
However, what I'm even more happy about is that Jun had friends, true friends like Miura and Ryouhei who accepted him as a gay man and supported him no matter what. I am very lucky to have had such friends and I wish Jun had realized that much earlier, too.
That's why I'm giving this drama 10/10. It's not exactly my kind of drama and if I followed the suggested score I would have to give it just 8.5/10. But the story felt so real to me as a gay man that I had no choice to give it an overall score of 10/10. I just feel that it's a drama that would be important for every person in the world to watch to understand gay people a little better.
If you bore with me till the end – thank you for listening to this young, gay man's rambling, and I hope you will watch this drama for yourself to find out what it really has to offer.
PS I am sorry for any mistakes I might have made – English is not my native language.
Have a very gay day,
R.
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This review may contain spoilers
Please bear with me as this is the first review that I have ever written. I usually see no need to let my personal thoughts on a series be known to the public, but this show was just exceptional.THE STORY
I binged the first 4 episodes with english subtitles, and by that point I was completely captivated by the story that I spent days searching for the rest of the show. The story explored issues in a way that I have never encountered before, and I found the drama and character settings to be awfully real. I fell in love with Mr Fahrenheit, I smiled every time I saw Ryouhei, and I really felt for Jun. I cried my eyes out at the end of the 4th episode. I cried for a second time when I rewatched it.
The first 4 episodes in itself got me dying to watch more, and once I finally watched the rest, it gave me a rollercoaster of emotions. I loved how everything felt genuine, and real. There were no stupid misunderstandings because of miscommunication. There were no convenient coincidences to move the story forward. There were no glitter and fluff to cover up the harsh nature of our world. Like this could be happening to someone right now.
The story made sure to explore everything in detail. There were no half-assed plot points that were thrown in and forgotten about. Jun and Makoto-san's relationship, the story of Mr Fahrenheit, Jun's mother, Ryouhei and Jun's backstory, and Miura-san, all were explored deeply, dynamically, and tied up neatly at the end. Even the smaller characters went through noticeable developments.
I felt very satisfied at the end of the show. I felt that everything was cleared up, and no questions went unanswered. Although, that abrupt ending made me want to punch the screen just a little bit.
ACTING/CAST
I found the acting to be really good. I'm not very good at telling apart good and bad acting, but I find a lot of Japanese acting to be cringey, but this definitely wasn't.
MUSIC
How could I not give this a 10? It was bloody QUEEN! The way that the show incorporated the queen songs and titles were so creative, and it really hit the mood of the scene perfectly every time. I didn't really notice the other music until I went back to search specifically for the music, and I guess that's a good sign, as the music didn't distract from the scenes, and instead enhanced the intended emotions.
REWATCH VALUE
I already rewatched the first 4 episodes while looking for the rest of the series, and I would definitely rewatch the entire thing again. Knowing the outcome of the story doesn't change the emotions it can make me feel. Oh god, I cried an unhealthy amount watching this (It's a happy ending tho, if that matters).
OVERALL
I loved this series so much, and I'm so glad I went back and found the un-subbed videos. It may be tough waiting for the english subtitles to come out, but I assure you, it will be worth the wait. Just make sure to see it through to the end, and you will not be disappointed.
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Typical storyline done brilliantly
If your'e new to Gay Films/BL movies/series then this is a 10/10. (don't read the rest and just watch it)If you're not new to the viewing scene, then I knocked off a star because the storyline itself is very typical and nothing unique. The storyline is the classic Gay lead is struggling to come to terms with coming out to society so he tries to prove to society (and himself) that he can convince himself to live a "normal" hetero life. We all know how every single movie/series that did this ends and this one is no different.
But I give the remaining full points because this did the typical storyline EXTREMELY well and has sort of a modern twist to it by giving the main female lead a love for BL. The main male lead also has a love for Queen and this series brilliantly has woven Queen's music and lyrics into the storyline and it is very tasteful. Using the idea of honing into what each character loves/obsessed with, gives each character the instant depth that is sometimes hard to achieve in storytelling. The layers of friendship and motherhood that tie into the main lead are also tastefully done!
I am a Gay, Japanese, & American, and I 100% recommend this series to anyone new and old.
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Very Touching And Emotional
This drama really touched my ❤️. It goes in depth what it must be like to be gay, but be afraid to come out. How he struggled with is sexual identity, and how society rejects someone when they are “different”. The story shared emotions that he went through, and how he tries to “conform “ to what he and everyone around him thinks he should be like. I thought the acting was really good, as was the awesome Queen music played throughout the Drama. Not a lot of skinship, but it gets the point across. I would highly recommend this drama, but gather some tissues.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A really good message behind it.
This BL is genuinely set my standards high. The plot and the messages behind it is just wow.The series follows Andou Jun's road to being confident in his own sexuality, having ups and downs along the way. I love how this show is showing real life events people part of the LGBTQ go through, all the homophobia and just plain rudeness people are treated like. I personally do not like the fact he slept with a married man, but the boy was obviously confused with being 18 and not growing up with a dad and so saw this man as a father figure (please don't take this the wrong way, he used Sasaki Makoto to talk to about his sexuality and to just talk about like, as he didn't come out to anyone yet.)
It also follows Miura Sae, a BL manga loving girl. I personally did not really like this character as I feel she only really saw Andou Jun as a 'BL character' (at this point not knowing he is gay), and shipped him with others. But as the show went on she began to grow likeable as she sort've started seeing Andou Jun as an actually person, not a 'manga character.'
Homophobia in Japan is so normalised and I really liked how this show showed what people part of the LGBTQ face in Japan, not having anyone to talk to, or anyone to come out to, comfortably.
The last couple episodes were reall tearjerkers, people in Andou Jun's class found out he is gay and one person in particular was really messing with him, Ono Yuusuke, who is really homophobic infront of Andou Jun's classmate and best friend, Takaoka Ryohei, who is acting different, despite knowing him all his life, again highlighting how homophobia is normalised. Classmates are now frightened and grossed out by Andou Jun's sexuality, which ends up in him trying to end his life. This scene was really heartbreaking, genuinely, as he says to his friends, being Miura Sae and Takaoka Ryohei, about how much he is sorry for being, and liking the people he likes.
In the last scene, it really touches on the impact, high school children and how many people in Japan are brought up, to hate people 'different' to the normal stereotypical people.
Andou Jun, end up in hospital after his attempt, seeming cold and doesn't really like talking. He tells his mum that he is gay and she is somewhat supportive (?) His friends, come visit him, which makes him miss being at school and miss being around his friends.
Overall this drama, is a really good example of how homophobia in Japan is normalised and how hard it must be for people part of the LGBTQ community to come out to friends and family. I would definitely watch this again, as I relate a lot with Andou Jun and his story.
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Depicts how mainstream Japanese culture and Japan's fujoshi subculture stigmatizes gay men.
This story depicts the classic struggle between being gay and wanting a “normal” place in society. Though there is something uniquely Japanese about this story. Fujoshi, Ukkari Gay ni Kokuru tells a story that almost any queer person could relate to on some emotional level, but this story gives insight on how homosexuality and homophobia manifests in Japan in particular.When I first started this show I was a bit wary because of the awkwardness that surrounds the fujoshi aspect and the depressing social climate that surrounds being gay in Japan. But isn't that is kind of the point? Living in an unaccepting society as a queer person can be awkward and depressing and unbearable.
As I continued watching, the story only got better and better as I got absorbed into the life of Jun and emotions of the characters. Personally, the appeal of the story is that it took every aspect into consideration by showing how being gay affects dating and family and friends. In other dramas centered around sexuality, the conflict after coming out usually boils down to a quarrel with family or friends or a lover, but in reality every aspect of your social life will be affected, especially in a society like Japan. Everything is laid out in tasteful dialogue and line delivery creating a multi-layered story that feels realistic, like the story is playing out somewhere in the world right now.
Aside from some of the fujoshi scenes, my only other complaints about the the story would be about the graduation scene. I found it to be a bit over the top/far-fetched compared to the rest of the story, but it is what it is and was a quick way to address what the story wanted to address.
The fujoshi aspect highlighted certain stereotypes and misconceptions common among BL fans and the general Japanese public. At times I did find the fujoshi aspect uncomfortable with all of the brazen dialogue and assumptions about gay people, but once again I’m certain that these are all things queer people in Japan have to deal with often. Since fujoshis were such a big aspect of the show I wish that they had addressed the problem with the “BL mindset” a lot of the fujoshis have. Despite this, I think part of the point is illustrating how cruel and dehumanizing it is when fujoshi's try to push their fantasies into reality. In the end, Jun and Miura were able to sympathize with each other and he even joked about visiting the "BL star." So regardless of some of the fujoshi's gross ignorance, I still found Miura very likable, and I absolutely loved her character development.
Overall, the acting was respectable with Kaneko Daichi being the star of the show. I often find Japanese acting to be over-animated and at times a little cringey, so I was pleasantly surprised by Kaneko’s portrayal of Jun. The way Kaneko used subtle changes in expressions and little shifts in movements made Jun’s feelings clear without having to slap it in your face. Everything about his portrayal was really well done and elevated the story to another level.
The other actors did a good job, but nothing quite stood out as much as Kaneko’s acting. I think a lot of the other great moments came from a solid script and character writing rather than the delivery itself. (Though I will give props to Naito Shuichiro because even as a side character, he did a great job playing Ono-kun). Every character felt grounded, like someone you would actually meet in their respective settings.
The music was good, better than what you see in most dramas. I enjoyed the use of Queen and liked how it played a part in the story, but occasionally it felt out of place.
Overall, it was definitely worth a watch, and I can see myself revisiting it again someday. I also noticed there is a new movie adaptation of the story. I wonder how that will turn out…. especially without one of my favorite aspects of the drama (Kaneko Daichi hehe).
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This review may contain spoilers
the most devastating BL I've seen in a long time
I went into this knowing very little aside from seeing the trailer for the movie version coming out later this year (2021) and looking up the characters and actors on Wikipedia. I thought it'd be a sweet and funny story about a Fujo and a gay guy, I was way wrong!! This show had me crying by the 4th episode, sobbing by the 6th and shouting at my screen by the end.I never expected Andou to jump like he did, I didn't expect Mr Fahrenheit to be younger that I thought, and I didn't expect all the devastation I'd feel from this.
It was so good though. The story is so well done (I'm definitely reading the manga later to compare and contrast), the acting is PHENOMINAL and the soundtrack is basically all Queen so of course it was worth watching!
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Interesting deepness of solitary hearts...
I've started watching this drama for it had a BL orientation, and I must say that I discovered much more than a classical story with BL theme...Really well acted, so to make possible perceive only by observing the eyes of the male protagonist all the pain of thinking oneself as "different"in the distracted and hurtful eyes of a "normal"world...It's also a deep story of real and disinterested friendship capable in the end to procure little breaches in the walls of hearts enclosed in solitary universes...Really a beautiful little drama...IMO only the end could have been made more incisive ...Was this review helpful to you?
It's got a point, it's an icon, it's a legend, and it is the moment.
Before I talk about this drama, may I say something controversial yet brave? Can we be vulnerable on this gay day?Japanese BLs have proven to be much better than Thai ones. And don't get me wrong, I love me some Thai BL, okay? There are some that have put me in a gay mood and there's no better mood to be in than the gay one. However, honestly, plot wise, Japan has left Thailand way behind. As of the writing of this review, I have only seen like 4 Japanese dramas with Boys Love thematic and... they are all so different from each other. She's showing the judges versatility! While in Thailand, most of them have the same tropes and storylines being recycled relentlessly. There's only a small handful of dramas that have actually gone out of their way to do something different.
That's it, just wanted to vent a little.
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Now, let's talk about this drama, shall we?
~Story:
You know what? Never in my gay life I thought I was going to willingly watch a drama about a fujoshi, but I admit I am glad I took that bullet because this was a whole experience. I still don't like fujoshis, though... except the main one here, she's nice.
For an eight-episode drama, I am very pleased with the writing and pacing of the story. It didn't beat around the bush and focused on the relevant info that's most needed to understand what is going on. Everything was placed right in front of you, so even a person who has no idea about what is like to be gay and a fujoshi, and the struggles that both of these types of human beings face in a conservative society as Japan's could have a clear idea of the basics.
By the time I reached episode seven, I realized how fond I became of these characters to the point I was on the edge of my seat wondering what the hell was going to happen next. I like the subtlety in which they began taking ahold of my feelings without me even noticing it.
The main thing that I enjoyed about all this is that even though it was clearly fiction, it still maintained a good level of realism. In my head, this feels real even though there were some parts that were too cliche to be real.
~Cast and Characters:
Yes. To be honest with you, I probably wouldn't have chosen a different set of actors, and what I really liked about them is how they didn't feel repetitive with each other. Every head was its own world giving a very good variety of reactions and emotions. I like how clear it was that there wasn't a sense of unrealistic unity and every character was allowed to feel their own individual set of emotions instead of just jumping into the bandwagon.
I love whoever the hell was playing as Sae, the fujoshi. She started quite weak, but she became the best, strongest and most solid character in the whole series. It was an excellent character development that outshone everyone else's.
Jun was also really good. The best thing about the actor is that he kept it very quiet and "unreachable," which made those moments when he snapped and showed his weakness very strong. Seeing this character struggle in silence is probably the most relatable part for anyone in the LGBTQ+ community. That anxiety and desperation was hard to see in the good way. Really, we got an excellent set of actors here.
If there's one thing that I feel a little weird about is the ending. It was a bittersweet ending cleverly disguised as a "happy" ending but, to me, it felt like we were back at square one. You will understand what I mean when you watch the last episode, pay close attention to the dialogues.
Mama this show has everything: Great cast, great writing and pacing, great plot, gay stuff, serious themes, good dramatic moments, daddy issues, shock value, and, most importantly, for a Japanese drama, the acting was pretty damn good compared to many other things I've watched. Totally recommended by yours truly.
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QUEEN
Ok so for the first time EVER I am reviewing a show I haven't completed and that's because I can't even deal anymore!Apparently 6-8 haven't been subbed yet(Taking FAR TOO LONG if you ask me) lol ANYWAY so I'm only going to review 1-5 and will come back and edit for my completed thoughts...
Most important thing to know....If you're not a die hard Queen fan GTFO cause you're in the wrong place!! I haven't even finished the show and from ep1 I knew I was head over heals just cause the music.lol But enough about the obvious...The actors are pretty convincing, I'm impressed by the level of comedy, mellowness and rage everyone can pull off without even really needing to say anything all while throwing good points. The show so far will make you a taste the bitterness of being gay in the Asian community while testing true friendship and love.
That's all for now I'll continue when I can say I've completed the show in sub...
*EDIT*
FINALLY, was able to find/watch the last episode and I gotta say I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Definitely wasn't basic at all (refreshing change) and the story is a bit of a heart ache but in all the right ways.
Enjoy...
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A Must Watch Series
This series is amazing for how realistic it is. The main character portrayed a young gay person's thoughts and feelings so well, it was scary how accurate it was. I am now writing this review months after watching it, and it is still memorable and it has good rewatch value.The story is extremely unique, I have not seen drama like this before where a gay boy meets a fujoshi with who he can share his feelings. The drama had funny scenes, emotional scenes, even nerve-wracking scenes, and they were all entertaining to watch. I was fully invested in the story all the way through.
The only part of this series that I (heavily) disliked was the sexual relationship with the older man. I do not live in Japan, nor do I know anyone who knows what the young gay experience is like over there, but I assume that this was included to give an even more realistic portrayal. I know that in our community, there is sadly a lot of intimacy between older men and young boys, it seems that this occurrence crosses borders.
Japan is doing great with their BLs, not sure if this counts as it has little of "Boys Love" in it, but the character is gay so there is that. Anyway, the quality of Japan's BLs is amazing, most of them are extremely well-acted, have interesting storylines and are groundbreaking because of it. These films are amazing works of art and should be watched by everyone, not just LGBTQ people.
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This review may contain spoilers
Complex, Twisted, and Brilliant
In its entirety, this is one of the finest BL series out there. It is so incredibly moving, complex, and filled with life’s accomplishments and utter failures. We see Jun in a totally new light from before. A person who has grown emotionally, psychologically, and is now secure in the knowledge of who he is and more importantly what he is. I think he will make it even though he lives is a society where such behaviors are still intolerable and repressed and thought to be an aberration. The final scene, as he introduces himself to his classmates, starts to perhaps reveal something of himself but fades to silence. You may interpret that as you wish but it left me in tears. We do not know but I am hoping it is the opening of a new beginning. If you want to see my full review of this amazing BL series, read it at ppbongi.medium.com. IWas this review helpful to you?
