More than Words (2022)

A VERY realistic take on Japanese LGBT life and its society that affects all the characters

Thanks for Furritsu for the subs. I finished watching the remaining episodes on Billi

So I really liked this drama, it’s different. To me depressing or not happy endings stories like this one really interest me. I don’t get emotionally affected by stories like these (because I don’t see it as real).

Oh yeah I am going to talk SPOILERS for this series.

Story: The good half of the story (episode 1 to 8) focus on Mieko and Makio, their friendship and their involvement with Eiji who they all met working part time in a restaurant. With the POV being on Mieko making her the main character of this series. This changes in the final two episodes (8 to 10) where the POV is more general and focus on Makio and Asato general relationship.

For me I liked how realistic and down to earth the story is. Mostly you are following the lives of Meiko, Makio and Eiji (in the 1st half) and Asato (in the later section). For me I don’t think this is a BL story, as while Makio relationships with Eiji and Asato are shown the story does’nt completely focus on Makio. As the story covers Meiko story as she progresses in her life. Also the portrayal of how society views LGBT relationship is completely realistic compared to the fantasy of BL. I just thought things
like this happens in real life and that’s fine, people are in one situation and the next moment they move on to another.

Characters

Meiko: Is such a refreshing female character, she's interesting character, but yes thinking about it she's really stupid for the actions that she did. What I like about her is that she's relatable and reminds me of myself, she is an observer but wants to help when she wants to. Her friendship with Makio is amazing. I understood her downfall when she volunteered to be a surrogate mother, thinking she would help Makio and Eiji’s relationship but as a result it was the one of the catalysts to cause the breakup of Makio and Eiji. Because I could see that is not what Makio wanted. Ok her actions were VERY selfish and egoistical of herself, but in a way she was'nt a baddie in my eyes, she really valued Makkio in her life and I see it as she did'nt mean to intentionally break the relationship between Makkio and Eiji. She's like WAY better than some toxic female characters in most BL dramas these days.

Makio: From the outside he’s a very happy go lucky kind of person. He also doesn’t think much when he decides to date Eiji. The thing is this series does'nt really show you what kind of person Makio really is so you have to judge from what you see him on the screen. But when he dated Eiji and moved on to Asato just shows that he really wants to get into a relationship with a guy the BL way lol (like date a guy with no judgement on his gay status, no child, just have the guy to himself)

Eiji: A really interesting character. I like how honest he is with himself but too shy to stand up for himself, like how he just confessed to Eiji after a misunderstanding and the same when he confessed to his parents but to me he feels like he rather please others rather than thinking about living in a way he wants to. But sadly he is a prime example of being influenced by how society views LGBT subjects. He wasn’t mentally strong to maintain the relationship he had with Makio.

Asato: A late comer into the story. He honestly needed more episodes than 2 to get to know his character. But he’s at least more emotionally stronger than Eiji, I liked how casual his relationship with Makio is and how naturally they became lovers. From being ex-classmates, to bickering about rubbish, to being casual friends and to being lovers. Felt natural and down to earth. He has his own personal problems career wise (and with his granddad) but not related to his sexuality.

Directing: Really slick and felt natural. I LOVE how the ending credits are shown.

Music: It's not really there, snice it's trying to show real life so most of the scenes have no music. I do like the ending themes tho.

Postives: Very high production values, very good acting, great directing and a very realistic story about LGBT life. I liked all of the characters in this story.

Negatives: The Asato and Makio storyline needed more episodes than two. It was a very sudden change of pace from the Makio, Meiko, Eiji storyline.

Overall: More than words IS NOT A BL drama in my view. It’s more like a slice of life drama with the characters being LGBT and how society affects them. Many BL fans might be disappointed in the way the story focuses on one couple for a good amount of episodes only for them to break them up and gives little time to set up for the second couple to form. But I found this story to be SUPER REALISITC because stories like this happens in real life. I don’t know if BL fans think the story is depressing/sad because one couple ending is not happy at all, I thought it ended on a happy hopeful tone to it.

But for those looking for a mellow down to earth slice of life drama with gay characters this series might be for you.

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They wish to have a different outcome.

I've been in the BL world for a long long time, and I have watched a huge amount of BL stories from many countries in many different settings. More Than Words (MTW) is a good BL series but nothing much for offering something new. Mieko is a character that is rare to see in most contemporary BLs. She is an ally, the main lead, with her fate going south. Makio is a boy, innocent young boy who gets crushed before entering adulthood. These two develop a friendship while getting to know Eiji. It takes more than 70% of the series to explore Eiji's intersection with Makio and Mieko before introducing Asato. Asato comes to enter Makio's shaky world, staying there where I, as an audience, see it too late, because I seal my faith to the first guy.

I recommend MTW to BL fans, even though I know, some maybe are disappointed with how the story goes. But, it's a very dedicated BL product with committed production outcome, set, and soundtracks.

Finally, I am with the trio of Eiji, Makio, and Mieko. They seem to wish to have a different outcome, so do I.

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