Kieta Hatsukoi (2021)

There is absolutely nothing I would change about this series.

Aspects I find especially outstanding:
* The class: Even the background characters had their own personality. They weren't just there, the actors seemed to know what their characters were like at any time. I found myself rewinding some scenes just to watch them doing their thing in the background. There's not only our favourite drama couple (the original Cinderella & her prince) but also look out for: the guy who alsways has his little notebook with him, the foodie, the two boys playing games... I would actually watch a second series just to see what they were all up to during the whole relationship drama of Aoki and Ida. (The same is true for the volleyball team btw.)

* The whole atmosphere in the class. It reminded me of my own last two years of school. We had much less dramatics, or at least I wasn't aware of any, but this is what it can be like if young people are allowed to be whoever they are and respect that about each other.

* I liked every single character in this show. Yes, even the student teacher. They were all genuinely trying to understand and to grow.

* The friendship between Aoki and Hashimoto. Hashimoto could easily have been that stereotypical love rival but she wasn't. I love how we gradually get to discover that she is more than just a timid or shy girl.

* I haven't even said anything about the two main leads. They earnestly try to discover how they feel and what to do about it. I like how the drama focuses on the awkwardness of trying to figure out who you can be as a romantic partner, and what you want your partner to be like. I remember being this awkward at 16 and 17, so for me, it's actually quite an accurate portayal of a first love, if a bit exaggerated -- but it IS a Japanese show and adapted from a manga, so it is kind of expected.

Overall, this little series has become of my favourites, and is one of the series I choose to watch if I need a pick-me-up.

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Started off strong, ended off weak

I was very looking forward to this drama series since October and since my school was still ongoing, I told myself to wait until December so I can watch it all together without having to look forward badly to the next episode. So the series finally ended and I watched it all at one go the past two days.

Story:
Like some comments mentioned, the series started off strongly but ended off weakly. The first few episodes were absolutely hilarious, witnessing all those misunderstandings everyone had and Aoki especially just being very cute and over-reacting to every situation.

Almost every episode left a sweet feeling in me after watching it because of the cute interactions between each character but episode 8 just didn't make it for me. The sudden appearance of the new teacher (who was played by one of the main characters in another BL if people noticed) and him being homophobic just didn't make sense at all and out of place, and only to not see him in the remaining episodes. It's as though the script writer just want to make it a 10-episode long drama and randomly fit a plot into the show, which like I said, is out of place.

Then came episodes 9 and 10, the scene cuts are way too short. You can suddenly go from one scene to another within a matter of seconds (not to mention the cut to black screen was pretty off-putting). Every scene just seems to only last a few seconds and then shift to another new scene. Overall I just felt like the last few episodes the script wasn't very well-written and well-filmed also. Not sure what went wrong there.

Acting/Cast:
All casts were very talented in trying to make this romance comedy film except I'm not sure if Ida's character is supposed to be this cold. I felt like he isn't expressing himself much and even he said he wanted to go out with Aoki, the expression doesn't change much and gives people the impression that he was unwilling to. That is the only flaw I feel in the acting, unless it is really a character he is playing.

Or I can see it another way that since he has not loved anyone before or been loved by others before, he does not know how to express his feelings hence everything new about romance to him appears to be foreign but he's trying to make sense of it.

Music:
Songs by both main characters. Absolutely delightful.

Rewatch?:
I mean I would rewatch because I really like to cuteness of both main characters and Japanese drama/movies in general as they tend to exaggerate the comedy part but I'm not very keen again to watch the last few episodes, especially seeing how it was so rushed and plot didn't really make much sense/not coherent rather.

I hope there's a Season 2 though which properly develops the romance between Aoki and Ida so that every Season 1 missing plot will make sense.

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Remained true to its cute nature

Kieta has always been a cute show, from episode 1. I mean, the whole show is based on a misunderstanding about an eraser with a name on it. Besides, this a 25 minute show, so there’s not much time to develop much. I personally think the show used well the runtime. But I wish they’d focus a bit less on some side plot stuff, like the running around the forest in the camp episode, and show more moments between Aoki and Ida. I don’t know if the homophobic teacher episode really fits well with the rest of Kieta. I don't dislike it, but I was surprised that they chose to tackle prejudice.

I like the 4 main characters and think they all have chemistry with each other. Aida e Hashimoto are great on their “sidekick” role but also have their own story going on. Aoki and Ida have great cute moments and explore well the shy/super expressive dynamics of the couple. All 4 actors are great on the roles, specially Shunsuke as Aoki. I also love the theme song by Snow Man.

I know some people were unhappy with the show ending without a kiss. I honestly was never expecting a kiss because that was not the vibe of the show. This is a Japanese show about first love in high school, plus the same sex aspect, so, when we got the whole holding hand incident on ep 8, I knew that we’d probably get the love confession and hug ending. I understand those people that were unhappy because they might have thought the show would maybe "push the limits". [Small Cherry Magic semi-spoiler] The issue didn’t bother we in other Japanese BL’s either, like Cherry Magic. But I think it’s more obvious that something is missing in that show, since it’s about people that are 30 and we know that thinks have changed by the end of the show.

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i fell in love with this show faster than i thought i would <3

ok, so i have a feeling this show will be criticized for the “slow pace” or the “overacting” of aoki, etc. just things that i know people will have a problem with. but in complete honesty, this show is giving me what i expected and more.

aoki starts off with feelings for hashimoto, then misunderstands and helps her with ida, then falls for ida. with the cute, cliche storyline i admit i wasn’t expecting a whole lot. but the chemisty between ida and aoki, the friendships between the four of them, and the non toxicity is soooo refreshing.

i also want to say how i absolutely ADORE the platonic chemistry between hashimoto and aoki. like i’m so glad they made her an adorable girl boss instead of an annoying character. they’re like chaotic besties and I’m here for it.

i recommend this 100% so if you’re thinking of watching it, don’t hesitate. go ahead and click on the first episode. and i guarantee you’ll end up loving it. if not…you’re favorite is probably tharntype *shrug* and you’re missing out.

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Very uplifting and cheerful

Wow that was so cute! The actors were adorable and actually had great chemistry. No nagging or toxic bullshit, just genuinely kind and supportive people. It was such a joy to watch. Very uplifting. Also pretty good production value for a J-drama.
It was so lovely to see how supportive everyone was to the idea of the two boys dating.
At one point One of the characters said: love can never be a bad thing. I was very moved. So true!
Also for anyone learning Japanese, it’s a great program to practice with. It had limited vocabulary and very easy grammar. Easy to follow along. I plan to rematch without subtitles! 頑張れ皆さん!

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My Second BL Drama & My Very First JBL and I Love It

#My Love Mix-Up I Watched yesterday
Aoki-kun and Hashimoto-chan are so cute
Mitchie, who plays Aoki, is very good at acting.
The expression of facial expressions is too good
Really with Aoki in the manga

I was laughing when I watched it alone
Very Funny Very Cute Very Heart Racing

The first JBL & the second BL drama in my life
You may have found the charm of BL lol

At the same time, it's a comedy romance,
But Sad for some reason
I want everyone to be able to walk hand in hand with their favorite people as soon as possible.

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My First Ever Japanese Drama to Watch and My Most Enjoyable Series!

Wow! I cannot count anymore the number of hours that I've spend re-watching this Most Lovable and Adorable Japanese BL Drama of my lifetime, which is also my First Ever Japanese Drama to watch! This is one drama which makes me so happy and in loved with! It is so wholesome, pleasant and so entertaining to watch all over!
** So, it is always a curiosity why I stumble on this wholesome drama, wondering how students' lives in Japan are being portrayed.
** Shensuku Michieda as Aoki is so funny and hilarious that I kept laughing even at work, much to the wonderment of my associates. He carried his role with perfect acting and emotion which makes him so adorable.
** Ren Meguro as Ida is a dashing figure of a guy whom you want to love. No wonder why Aoki fall in love with him.
** The other casts are all great. I loved them all!
** The storyline and its school settings is so perfect! I cannot ask for more.
*** If there is one drama that I like to recommend worth re-watching, this is it!

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I love it, I just love it

I literally just finished watching this now and it's really so so cute! It has so many laughs and embarrassing moments that really gives you 2nd hand embarrassment, it's very enjoyable!! I love it a lot. The main character Aoki is really cute!
But if you're curious, there's no kissing scene, it's still a good watch though! Definitely give it a try :)) it's a "don't care about what other people think" kinda thing :))

It's good to watch if you feel down or if you're just genuinely in a good mood and I can see how the lessons in this series can be applied in reality.

There's no rivalry here or any serious jealousy.

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Why is this so cute?

If you want to watch a show that just keeps you smiling the whole way through, this is the show for you. It's sweet, funny and it doesn't go out of its way to make you hate the female character to justify two dudes getting together. I was just as invested in Hashimoto and who she was crushing on, as I was in Aoki and his crush. I also thought that Hashimoto and Aoki ended up having the most wholesome friendship ever.
So, the story: due to a misunderstanding involving an eraser, Ida believes that Aoki has a crush on him, when really Aoki has a crush on Hashimoto. This same eraser is also why Aoki believes Hashimoto has a crush on Ida. Oh great, a love triangle, am I right? *spoiler, it's not a love triangle* You'll find out what I mean later in the story.
What really impressed me about this story, though, was Ida's reaction when he thought Aoki had a crush on him. Yes, he had a mini freak out but instead of the stereotypical reaction that most guys have when another guy likes them, he actually took the time to think it over. He was very respectful to Aoki and asked him to wait for his answer because he wanted to give Aoki an honest one. This is the start of Aoki discovering that this mix up was turning into something real.
There is a bit of drama but they managed to condense the drama into each episode, really making it feel like the episodic manga it was based off of. Everyone got their happy ending, even if they did rush Hashimoto's ending.

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