The Novelist: Playback (2021)

I really like it

If you watched Pornographer, you “must” watch Playback and Spring Life Continued. I posted before, according to the Twitter of the production company, the correct order to watch is Pornographer, Mood Indigo, Spring Life, Playback and Spring Life Continued. I didn’t know this and watched SLC first before Playback because SLC was available. Not a big deal but watching SLC the last will definitely give you a better feeling of completion. I have to admit I haven’t watched Indigo because Kido creeps me out. I will probably watch it eventually.
Now about Playback, I love this better than Pornographer. This dives deeper into the personality of Rio and the development of their relationship. I think the whole series is a 9 for me. But bear in mind this is a movie, so compared to the series, everything here is a little rushed. I still think it showed everything needed to be told. I don’t really think I have spoiler in this review but I checked that anyway. ☺️

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A Perfect Conclusion

First thing to say is powerful acting like holy hell. It's no surprise the great chemistry our leads have in this like before. I liked that each character is very nuanced in their own ways. We saw bits of that in the Pornographer but in this is so powerful. We get a real deep dive into Kijima's character which is exactly what I wanted! The romance aspect is messy but love it. It's not sugar coated at all and shows the issues at hand up, close and personal. So this movie isn't exactly just a romance all the way through. Much of it is the characters needing to grow separated in order to come back together. However, Kuzumi is the only person that could handle this situation. Its game over if not. So when we get that happy ending with a legit love confession FINALLY from Kijima its intense! Dude breaks down and everything! I don't wanna spoil everything in this movie though because you really have to see it for the full experience.

The ending I think is meant to be long distance again for the time being but with trust embedded now. Technically this ends in a way where it doesn't need the final added epilogue they put out. But that's nice that they did, basically a bookmark for even more context if desired! So watch everything in sequence and experience the beautiful craziness that is this series!

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A great film but...

I'll first get all the technical thoughts aside before I delve into some of the more vague and story-like issues that I have with this movie.

Overall, I adore the Pornographer (or "The Novelist") series. I fell in love so hard with the TV series and, to this day, I rewatch it again and again. It is a masterpiece, and truly a cut above all other BL series, and movies, that I've seen. Given that, I can wholeheartedly say I loved this movie! It was so great to finally be able to watch it. On a technical scale, it's beautifully shot and directed. The music is suburb and it features the very memorable score from the series,. It never falls into traps of awkward background music or forcing themes or feelings down an audiences throat through very explicit scores. I don't even think anything needs to be said about the acting! It felt real and raw, and the actors really spared no expense when it came to drilling down deep into their emotions. Not to mention, the more explicit scenes weren't overdone or panned away from. They were well timed, well shot, and they felt really appropriate to the characters and the story.

Those things aside: the story for this movie is where I have a couple of issues. I'll preface it by saying that I've read the manga, so I was aware of where the story was headed after the series ended and after watching Spring Life. Even then, I think the movie suffered from struggles typical to sequels....where, I just don't know why this movie had to happen the way it did. Or really, why it was necessary. As a fan, sure. I can always watch more of Kijima and Kuzumi, and Kido and all of them. They are great, and complex, characters. But...the way the series ended off was vauge in a good way. It set up Kijima on this path for self-reflection and a lot of inner character work. He had to face his insecurities, find his purpose in life, and wrestle with quite a large amount of trauma and inner demonds. Things could have remained the way they were, and the implication that Kijima went off on a journey of self discovery, and Kuzumi moved on with his life in some way or another (I dunno...in some aspect that grew him into more than Kijimia's stan).
I know the film is an adaptation, so it is limited to the source materal. Even in saying that, this film really didn't seem to do a whole lot. Things end in the film almost similar to how they start. Kijima's own growth is minimal to none, and Kuzumi is an accessory who doesn't seem to learn or grow much at all. He starts, and ends, completely whipped for a manipulative and insecure man. I suppose what bothers me most is the lack of believability in how they move past these issues both as individuals, and as a "couple". Kijima can do the bare minimum and be rewarded and forgiven, whilst Kuzumi can go above and beyond and remain quite unnoticed. It might be that chemistry, or dynamic, that made this film much harder to watch than the series. At least within the series, the dynamic between the two of them (although quite problematic and rife with the same manipulation as in this film) can be somewhat justified by the falling-in-love stages, and the subsequent vague "they met and now they will move on to better their lives" sort of ending. In the film, they are labelled as not quite seeing each other (because even at the end you have characters asking 'are you officially seeing each other?') whilst still being beholden to the same standards of a relationship - or at least, Kuzumi is. As a result, Kijima's own personal growth is awkwardly tied to Kuzumi somehow, or at least, he keeps showing up in it when really...you could cut him out and somehow, Kijima's trajectory could still be the same.
That might be the crux of my disatisfaction when it comes to this movie. Really, it was a struggle for the reason that the film couldn't justify why the two of them should be together. Kijima, after 2 and a half years (or so) had not changed in any way as a person, and the only thing that inspired some semblence of change was Kuzumi deciding to "leave" (if you can even call it that) him. Kijima barely explains himself or aims to rectify his actions (beyond an "i'm sorry") and Kuzumi, somehow, goes along with it. All I could think was, "It'd be so much better if they simply parted ways." By the end of the film, it felt like I was watching a lesser and less interesting version of the series. As though the strong story dynamics and big emotional features that made it compelling were severely watered down and muddled in the film. Another odd point was after Kijima's insane, massive, betrayal - the moment seems to fade so quickly? Or it loses it's impact. Such a momentous point in the story is never referenced directly after the scene ends, and instead, we're caught up in the story of Haruka and her son.
That brings me to the point of Haruka and her story. They are lovely characters, don't get me wrong! I think the actress who played Haruka is fantastic, and I could watch her all day long. But, I was constantly wondering why I was watching them. Shizuo was there to make Kuzumi jealous and Haruka...was just...there to get sick? And maybe drop a wisom bomb? They had such potential, but their story was so out of place and Kijima's sudden affection for the family felt the same. During most of their scenes, I couldn't really get behind any of their interactions or care much about them at all. Their purpose felt far too 2 dimensional, and it ended up taking away from the story of the film as a whole.

Overall, the film had a lot of potential. The story was rich in a lot of interesting themes that could've been explored in a much more griping way if there hadn't been 1 dimensional side characters, and restrictive love-tropes in the story telling. I wanted to root for Kuzumi and Kijima just as I did in the series, and get excited for their journey together. But, by the end of the film all I could feel was unsettled and unsure. The film tries hard to convince you that they are supposed to be together, but I couldn't quite see it. There were huge gaps in Kijima's character that needed proper time and space to address well (the issues with his family, his feeling out of place, his lack of purpose, his insecurity etc). The series set up that journey, and the film failed to deliver. Instead, there are bland side stories and underused side characters. In doing so, the film also sidelines the other "main" character - Kuzumi - into someone that is just an accessory. I suppose, one thought against that might be that this film takes place from Kijima's point of view, so Kuzumi's own character development doesn't really need to feature that much. I suppose...I can understand that, however, that still doesn't justify why Kijima is so lacking of personal substance, and why he and Kuzumi should end up together. I really wanted to love it as much as the series, and it is disappointing how much I felt the film was lacking...there was so much potential but...ah well.

It does still rate quite highly because, these issues aside, it is a good piece of work. However, I can't see myself rewatching it or fawning over it the same way I do with the series.

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I can hardly believe it all started with a bike bump.

A story that began a few years ago in 2018 when Japan gave the world: Pornographer, looking back at the truth is I did not expect that in what at that time was just a small story about a lonely erotic writer, he would become something so great and it was something that would continue for so long, but here I am 3 years later.

Pornographer: Playback continues with the foundations laid by its predecessors (especially Pornographer: the series and Pornographer: spring life) a couple of years have passed since the last meeting between Kijima and Kuzumi, until now they have only maintained contact through letters and once again they meet again, now the conditions have changed; Kijima is still a writer, but he is not as lonely as before, now he lives with his family outside of Tokyo and on the other hand Kuzumi has grown up, now he is no longer a student, he is a worker who seeks to have a more stable relationship with Kijima.

From the beginning we have something very clear, Kijima wants to be with Kuzumi but his fears, insecurities and prejudices still do not let him trust the child at all, although Kuzumi makes clear the efforts he makes to maintain their relationship, but still so seems that Kijima is just waiting for the moment when the other leaves him, despite these situations they seem to have a certain "stability" until one day they have a misunderstanding that quickly escalates into a fight, where Kijima refuses to listen to Kuzumi and the two are injured.

Kijima, as we know from other installments of the franchise, is a broken person, he costs him too much work to trust others and is an expert in sabotaging his own happiness before someone else does do it, for this reason after going through the fight with Kuzumi and for an argument with his sister, he has no choice but to flee.

Due to life circumstances, he ends up at Haruko and Shizuo's house, where he cuts off all communication with his family and of course with Kuzumi, but the latter does not remain calm with the apparent disappearance of Kijima and with all the difficulties that it generates in his daily life goes to look for him, only to find him being helped by another young man to write his books, as he did in the past, I consider that this is one of the ugliest things that Kijima does to Kuzumi because supposed to be something special among them and much of why they had fallen in love.

With the help of Haruko, Kijima reflects on his true feelings and goes in search of Kuzumi, where finally after years and a back-and-forth relationship he confesses that he loves him and that he is afraid of losing him, he asks him not to leave and we see that in the end Kuzumi is the one who gives him the courage to fix many of the disasters in his life, it is true we all suffer and feel alone at times, but it does not have to be like that always and we cannot close ourselves to all love just for the possibility of not being loved one day.

In the end, Kijima and Kuzumi return to the house of the first, where their family welcomes them with open arms and although apparently they continue to maintain a long-distance relationship, it is implied that this will not be for long since, just as Kijima was ready to face his feelings, he will soon be to go fully after Kuzumi and finally live together.

The plot is very good, and manages to perfectly fit all the plots and conflicts seen in previous installments, the new characters are pleasant and you manage to connect with them in a short time and it leaves a bit of the "murky" of Mood Indigo that at the less for me it was a success, we saw even Kijima much more cheerful and relaxed at times and thank you very much for that after seeing him 3 years tormented it was what I needed.

The performances are very good, both Takezai Terunosuke and Izuka Kenta do a great job, especially the first one, well is their story and each and every one of the installments of the franchise has been stolen by him, their chemistry is explosive and here they had a chance to have more scenes together, from very hot to tender or dramatic; the other actors also do a very good job, my only complaint is that Kuzumi's family is somewhat wasted, I would have liked to see more of their coexistence.

I know that maybe many Pornographer fans would like to see another type of story (something more between Kido and Kijima) but sorry I can't be on that team, it always seemed to me that the connection they created between Kijima and Kuzumi was healthier and more redemptive for Kijima, while it is true that Mood Indigo gave us much more context between Kido and Kijima for me it always felt like a story that came from the past and that somehow had destroyed them both, so in the end Pornographer: Playback seems like a very fair ending for his main character, Kijima, after all he deserves a happy and peaceful life and I think that was just what he found.

I don't know how many times to write Kijima in this review, outrageous.

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Beautiful Truths In a BL

I love this as a stand alone in the series. If you can, watch the short prelude to this (its about 10 minutes) as its gives a little more of Haruhiko’s point of view. I wasn’t a fan of the other movies in the series. I like the characters in this part of the narrative better. I think they fit at a better part in Rio’s life. He even says that when his old lover (from Mood Indigo) briefly reenters and basically asks why they can’t work instead. Because they are too much alike. That simple. Their time has passed.

There were some really deep thoughts in this movie that went beyond a typical BL. It really made me think. Why we are drawn to people we love, for instance. Its a thinking persons BL and just a really well written movie no matter what genre it calls itself. Its also sexy, romantic, and introspective. Well worth it if you can find a subbed version out there!

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Loved it

This is a sequel to the original pornographer series and in my opinion this is the best out of the pornographer francize. I loved how the pornographer francize are told from the pov of one of the main characters. Mood indigo from the pov of Kido, Pornographer from the pov of Kuzumi and finally here from the pov of Kijima. We finally come to know the thoughts of Kijima, who is such a mysterious character even till now. He tend to keep stuff to himself and has a hard time to depend on someone. We come to know that Kijima is very lonely and afraid. He is afraid and not confident in himself that Kuzumi would need someone like him. He gets irritated and lashed out or runs away without notifying anyone. He also doesn't think about Kuzumi's feeling and he gets the consequences of it. So I really liked it when he went to Kuzumi and apologized to him without expecting him to forgive him and to get back together again. It was really wonderful.I also loved it that Kijima tried hard on his work so that he is not totally dependent on Kuzumi. A really wonderful sequel.

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This was on friend's rec list and I was intrigued enough to see a story about a porn writer to check it out. My review might be colored by the unconventional order I watched the franchise: this movie first then the Novelist drama, and skimming through Mood Indigo. It's essentially a character study on Kijima the titular character, and the story, like the character, is highly flawed. The 2 most poignant scenes that pretty much sums up everything comes towards the end of this movie and an after-credits scene in MI, of all things:
-When Kijima finally says "I love you" to Kuzumi and says "I can't even express how much I love you."
-Kijima's response to Kuzumi's flowery profession of love: "Words are amazing aren't they? I didn't really understand that, even though I'm a writer."

Those 2 scenes/lines is Kijima in a nutshell. The inherent contradiction of a writer, who desperately wants to write with everything he is, but being unable to express the finer emotions of life because he is scared of actually experiencing those emotions packs an emotional punch in its simplicity.

But this gets lost in the execution and that's the problem. I don't know if it's because the way it's formatted, 2 short dramas, a movie, miscellaneous scenes etc. Taken as a whole series, I found the story repetitive and aimless, or plain unnecessary at points. That "words are amazing but I didn't understand" scene should be more than a throwaway scene at the end of a prequel. Kijima's struggles and personality came through in vague and not so vague hints and suggestions and would've been better to leave it at that. Seeing it play out over and over again got tiresome and that by the time I got to Indigo, thought it was largely unnecessary.

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Good but could be better.

6/10

Negative

1. The implementation wasn´t very good.
2. That Rio has reinstated his old role. (accident)
3. That he could not express his feelings to Haruhiko.
4. Too few kisses
5. The Music during the lovescenes were not fitting.


Positive

1. The Maincouple
2. Acting (especially the Kissing and Lovescene). It was excellent. i don't even want to know how hard that was.
3. That the two became a couple towards the end.
4. Finally few Lovescenes. I have been desperately waiting for this (already in the series). The Lovescenes was excellent from the Quality and the duration. Iam Very satisfied.
5. The duration of the kisses. I loved it. They killed me right away. Lol

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Like a vinyl on a record player, his life was spinning on and on

SPOILERS, A LOT ACTUALLY SO READ IF U WANT TO
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Finally, after all we went through, a happy ending. It was all worth it.

Just like Kijima's first love that betrays him, the whole the pornographer series is his journey on finally healing and moving on it was a long adventure that had a lot of obstacles but even with a clear path, just like when he met Kuzumi accidentally, he wasn't facing forward, made excuses and even re-enacted his moments with other people (maybe cause he deeply missed KZ) but during this movie, is finally the time KZ showed how fed up he was, for once he didn't do things to please KJ, that was so sweet to make him taste his own medice!! Which resulted in KJ finding courage and went on face forward towards KZ and you don't know how even that little action made me so giggly and happy that he finally made a decision for himself and for KZ rather than keep making excuses which the akemi family helped him a lot with.

It made me question if he was still stuck on Kido which is his past. He may never be fully healed as something they experienced was something both cherishes, they filled each other's void during their weakest point and it was passionate which ended with KJ just accepting it and put it on the past and focusing on the future instead. It's quite bittersweet but it's the best, KD made decisions he cannot go back from and he must take responsibility of so I'm happy KJ is the one with the choice of letting go cause he was the one badly hurt and have nothing to lose.

It's quite nice that KZ wasn't so into KJ's past with KD. Although I would've loved it more if he knew about them, I just thought that the story of KJ and KD is only theirs and theirs and so is KZ and KJ's are theirs and theirs only as well.

KZ might've lowkey cheat on KJ by going to a bar but they weren't quite official that time and KZ was indeed young, KJ taught him a lot of erotic things then left him after their first time doing it, I'm not surprised that he wanted more and ended up finding an alternative way to get off just like KJ when he was young, him and KD kept on at it which you can see when KZ went to KJ, they went at it so darn fast lol it was still a mistake though which KZ felt embarrassed for and kept apologizing for and saying he won't do it ever again if KJ dislikes it.

I like the ending, I finally got to see them both smile and that just made me so freaking happy and refreshed! Finally able to rest in peace knowing they are finally together :')

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The beautiful closure we all needed!!

Wow just WOW, I love the manga and the series wholeheartedly, I expected the best in this movie and I was just completely blown away!! This was just 100x better than what I expected!!

First off, this review wouldn't be focusing on the story, this is mainly dedicated to the whole prod team who created such an amazing job of bringing Marikudo-sensei's work to life. I have to be honest I love the manga but Takezai, Izuka and Yoshida made the whole series unforgettable for me. It's rare for an adaptation to surpass the original, but the series did that and gave us more than we could ever ask for, so thank you so much for bringing the characters to life.

The movie gave us yet another spectacular performance between Takezai-san and Izuka-san (especially Izuka, the man probably gave the acting of his lifetime here, my heart breaks in every scene he's in, seriously this man is a gem, I'm just stunned by his range!!) All the passionate erotic scenes were amazing here, they completely outstand the erotic scenes from Mood Indigo (seriously I never thought the day would come that Kuzumi can beat Kido in terms of erotic scenes with Kijima but damn, I was stunned, speechless and blushing like a complete fool).

There were just some parts from the manga that would have been nice to see in the movie, like them having couple rings and finally living together (they celebrated Kijima's bday too!!) But all in all this was a beautiful adaptation of the most complicated yet interesting life story of Kijima. There's nothing that I could've asked for more, the series has become very dear to me that it's hard to accept that their story is finally over. It has been a wild ride, and my adoration for this series will never fade, they left such a huge impression on my mind that I will think of this for years to come.

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Good.

-Neg:

1. That Rio has reinstated his old role. (accident)
2. That he could not express his feelings to Haruhiko.
3. Too few kisses
4. The Music during the lovescenes were not fitting.


+Pos:

1. The Maincouple
2. Acting (especially the Kissing and Lovescene). It was excellent. i don't even want to know how hard that was.
3. That the two became a couple towards the end.
4. Finally few Lovescenes. I have been desperately waiting for this (already in the series). The Lovescenes was excellent from the Quality and the duration. Iam Very satisfied.
5. The duration of the kisses. I loved it. They killed me right away. Lol

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