Utsukushii Kare (2021)

What A Beautiful Set Of Bois

Had no idea what I was jumping into with this one. I've had mixed reactions to Japanese BL's. Loved ones like "Cherry Magic", "Love On The Line" and "The Novelist" , but sometimes they get quite repetitive. As well as now really showing the leads dynamic very well, aka they don't have much chemistry. Well this show definitely was a pleasant surprise!

First things first. I really like the animation aesthetics in this. They really added to the storytelling, it also made me think of "Heartstopper". I love how our main character Hira is so shy and awkward. He really is one of the most awkward main characters in a BL I've ever seen and that's saying something! So high praise to the actor. Though one plot device with the character I didn't like. I understand the violence symbolism of the gun motif was him expressing his inner thoughts and feelings. However, it was still too much lol. I live in America, that sh** is too serious.

Kiyoi's development with Hira is interesting. I saw little nuances of him liking him back from the start. Sticking up for him, the little smiles and wanting to just be around him. So I could tell something was up from the beginning, which is a good thing. It shouldn't just be completely one sided infatuation. I love that ep 5 is completely dedicated to Kiyoi and his backstory. We saw everything from his POV too now which is what I wanted. I also love seeing Hira kicking booty in this episode! We got to see our shy boy screaming and I loved it. At first I thought their first kiss seemed so out of left field, but if this is how Kiyoi has been feeling this entire time. Totally makes sense now. Boy is in love and the jealous type! I was frustrated thinking Kiyoi needed to stop being so chill or acting chill about everything. However ep 5 on explained this very well and I understood where he was coming from in his reservations.

Moving on. The intro of Koyami (our official love triangle boy) was interesting. I really like him and he clearly likes Hira a lot. So I felt conflicted. But because the love Hira has for Kiyoi I knew the switch up could never be. However, all I'm saying is but THE TINY CAKE Hira got himmmm. So sweet! The final talk between Hira and Koyami hurt my heart, but it was really well done. Koyami is genuinely also a good person, like he wants Hira to be happy, Koyami FOR THE WIN. It was nice to see the other love interest not be shady for a change. We got our happy ending and I hope Koyami gets a boo too! He deserves it.

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very toxic

this show has a lot of cute moments and i think the actors have good chemistry, but it is really tough to ignore the very toxic nature of their relationship. i understand that shows are not real life and they can explore an aspect of toxicity without people actually having that in their relationships, but it crosses a line and becomes hard to watch at points. i think if at some point the character fundamentally learned to change their view, this would receive a higher rating. unfortunately the sequels only doubled down on the toxic parts so take that into consideration. with all that said, I would not mind seeing these actors in completely new story.

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A Plot with a different Twist

This was a very lovely drama that I started watching a couple of times and was finally quite happy with it when I finally saw it through. We have a family member who stuttered from when he could first mouth words and through high school. It can be a very frustrating disability. Fortunately, he outgrew his and is now a middle school principal. This drama handled it quite well and accurately. The protagonists had such great chemistry. You couldn't help but love both of them. They had an air of naivety and in their own way expressed it in two totally different ways, one like a child and the other with a bit of anger adolescence. I've completed watching it but will watch it again as soon as I'm finished with this review because it is such a short drama and I enjoyed it so much the first time. I always write my reviews before reading others because I don't want to be influenced by other's feelings. I honestly don't care if someone liked a drama or disliked it. After all that's why we were given minds of our own. I hope you give it a shot and get some enjoyment out of it.

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Love or hate it, but I adored it.

As in many Japanese storytelling, this felt real, with many many layers and subtleties. In my experience Japan is never afraid to go outside the box with flawed characters and dark tropes, or tell a story others might not be brave enough to.
The acting is superb, and the character complexities are subtle. I can see why the boldness of narration in this story might trigger people to be mad and leave a lower rating, but sticking with this show to the end, looking behind a character's exterior to the emotions lying underneath each interaction, will bring all its light and beauty to the forefront. As I read recently, you'd rather a piece of art provoke 1/10s and 10/10s than all 5s.
As with reality, people are flawed. There are misunderstandings, nerves and social pressure getting in the way of honest communication, weird and creepy sides to us we rather others not see, insecurities and a lack of awareness of our own shortcomings. If you want an escape from reality with fluffy characters and story, this isn't it. Personally I find happy stories off-putting unless there's a journey to get there. These are people you might be able to relate to that we can empathize with. It explores neurodiversity and potentially slight personality disabilities in a way I've not seen. Lighting, scenery, settings and music all play a part in feeling enclosed within their story and evoking our senses. The subtleties behind the conversations, but also the tones of voice, the nuanced expressions - they stick with you to the point where I think rewatching you would pick up on so much more.

There's probably more I could say, but I hope you give it a go. It deserves the spotlight. I'm a sucker for subtle art, one that doesn't feel pressured to scream to the masses, one where the characters are followed through properly. 10/10, go watch it ? it's stuck with me all day.
Looking forward to the movie.

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Hmmmm

I never read the manga before watching this, so that said, it was weird for me lol. I did enjoy watching it. Here's the reasons.

1. The storyline was certainly unique even if the setting and initial set up of character dynamics was not. As the story played out it was a strange but original development.

2. The acting was good. It was believable. Believable acting just makes shiws easier to watch.

3. The chemistry was there. Good chemistry makes me root for the main couple no matter what.

Now, reasons why it was weird.

1. I dont mind problematic characters because they're realistic. But at times the dynamic was unsettling for me. I felt iffy about wanting to see a happy ending here.

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You really don't know what to think

When I was watching the first couple episodes, I was a little on the fence because I didn't know what this relationship was. Was it an obsession? What's happening between the two? The first half is one view point and the second half is another viewpoint, from both main leads. I think when the second viewpoint started, I understood it more. In a way, it is kind of a relationship that healed both of them. They understood what each other was thinking by the end and got together. I think that you should watch it. It was a nice series to watch when you have burnt out from thriller,psychological and murder mystery kind of dramas.

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When y’all say Iconic it’s Iconic

I wished I could rate one show out of a 100 instead of a 10 because I feel this show would be it. Also trust anyone who says that this is one of the most iconic and best Japanese Bl’s because it’s the truth. I mean they made this show good because most high school BL’s aren’t played off (Thailand) and it was nice to see how Hira showed off his introvert self and was at least able to tell Kiyoi he loves him about a thousand times. I do have to say I would totally act like Hira with his BB gun imagination because it showed that he would protect Kiyoi no matter what even if someone talked the slightest bit wrong about him. It was nice that at the middle of the series they showed Kiyoi’s side of the story I do think all the times he called Hira creepy it was his way to say I love you, but couldn’t actually say it. I felt bad that Koyama had to end with not being friends with Hira, and not seeing him at the club, but it was nice that he at least understood how he felt and left him to pursue the one he really loved and most characters aren’t like that. Also Mr Kiyoi is so baby girl coded in both the first and second season, like you can’t get anymore baby girl than him. Also them wildin in the basement and the classroom was actually kinda iconic and nice to watch because it was nice actually seeing them having their moments instead of Kiyoi having his anger issues towards Hira. This was a masterpiece and I do recommend this series.

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This BL Does Well For What It Is - It’s Become An All Time Fave

What starts off as purely a servant/master dynamic, slowly develops into a genuine deep care for each other. When Hira looks into Kiyoi’s eyes you get a sense of why he’s able to fall so deep. The actor who plays Kiyoi has the most expressive eyes that swallow you up. And like the ying to his yang, Hira’s eyes are so piercing you feel like he really sees you when he looks at you. Its the feeling of having all his focus, love and admiration. That’s a powerful feeling. So much is conveyed in a single look so you can also understand why Kiyoi becomes attracted to Hira and falls for his piercing gaze, because Hira is someone who really sees him and is someone who appreciates him for the first time in his life without wanting anything back. You really buy into these two characters from different worlds. That they are able to fall in love with each other. It’s believable that they each get from one another, something that was missing before. It’s not perfect but I think it does a good job of balancing flawed characters who have toxic coping mechanisms and it does so with sincerity and honest emotions. Having good chemistry goes a long way to making these characters feel real and grounded. Their chemistry is one of the best I’ve seen in bl land. They have the perfect amount of tension that keeps you hooked until they finally get together. They’re two people who shouldn’t work on paper but they manage to carve out a space where they both fit together for each other.

In reality, I’d rate this an 8.6 but MDL doesn’t give that option.

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Unique and Beautiful

This series isn't for everyone, if you don't like a relationship that begins from a toxic situation, this series isn't for you. I have watched a lot of bl series and this one is certainly unique and very beautifully made. How their relationship starts definitely isn't healthy, with the bullying, but Hira's and Kiyoi's character development is good, which is by communicating and showing their feelings in the end. This series also shows both character's perspective which is very rare and refreshing. The plot is really clear, and acting is also very great. Although I'm not sure most of their feelings can be called love, but watching from the novel, I think I'm going to wait and see for the continuation of their story in Eternal. Overall, it was a great story.

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