Bokura no Micro na Shuumatsu (2023)

Not for everone, but a gem for those who can appreciate it.

I actually really love this series. I feel that this kind of relationship does happen in real life, and it shows us how the characters grow over time, and that actions have consenquences. It's not typical and explores a genre people nowadays are too scared to show, which i hate. It's fiction, a place where we can explore tabboo topics in a safe way. The actors did a great job.

They showed hurt, betrayel, love, forgivness, crossdressing, suicide, regret, parental abuse and so much more in a direct yet sensitive manner which i appreciated.

I repeat, this is not for those that get sensitive about the media they are watching or those that can't handle a little bit of toxic love in a piece of FICTION.

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Wow what a wild ride it was !!! Highly recommend !!

I am very happy that i came across this one, since i always feel bored in everyday monotony yet afraid to venture out same as the lead. Both the lead actors portrayed very nice contrast in the flashback, where Masumi is the naive college guy and Ritsu as the heartless playboy. If there were no end of the world circumstance as shown in the drama I sincerely doubt if they would both get together and will Masumi ever have it in him to forgive Ritsu (Honestly I wouldn't).

The scene at the end where they both are in the stream made me realise how we dont really know what's there out until we step out and explore before its too late. The ending didnt bother me that much since Masumi and Ritsu had each other what may come their way and if they survive we can confidently say that they will live life to the fullest filled with love and happiness.

Ps- Really liked the supernatural angle with Yuma and his dramatics. Suprised with how the intimate scenes turned out realistic and depicted the typical college life of the leads.

All in all a very good watch !!

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aka: The End of the World With You ~ A surprising and very good watch

Done in typically Japanese fashion; a little quirky, gently paced, complex characters and mature content that never felt gratuitous, as can sometimes be the case in both gay and straight dramas/film.
There's nothing like the end of days to make one evaluate the past and face up to stuff. If not for that, I doubt Masumi's previous deception, youthful arrogance and cruelty would have been forgiven at all. I choose to think he changed and learnt from his past, and lonely present. I was rooting for them to have a happily ever after.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought Yuma was a delight... the bit where he blows at something, was genius. Very amusing, yet it fit right in.
I thought the Kagami brother/sister characters were excellently played by Idegami Baku and quite moving.
It might not be award winning, but it suited me and my mood perfectly!

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An Excellent Drama

I'll begin by saying. I did read the manga before I watched the drama. The drama kept true to the manga (original work). I'm glad that the drama kept true to the original work. So very glad. I thought the drama was excellent. I also thought the drama was raw, heavy, depressing, and pretty hardcore. The cinematography, color grading, and music were atmospheric.

Now onto the actors. The actors who played the main characters in the drama were good choices. They were pretty on point with the characters. And the same goes for the supporting actors. I think the main and supporting actors portray the characters really well. I think they did a phenomenal job.

Now, I want to talk about the NSFW scenes. The NSFW scenes were so intense. And also, the scenes were realistically shot. The kisses and sex were so raw and realistic. I must say, I was pretty hot and bothered by the kiss and sex scenes. I had to wash my eyes with holy water after watching those scenes (not literary). Moreover, the kiss scenes and sex scenes will live in my memory forever. Some scenes from the drama made me tear up.

I just want to say Nishina Masumi and Kusakabe Ritsu's relationship was troubled, complex, and bittersweet. And on that note. The drama made me an emotional wreck. Just so you know, the ending was ambiguous, but the last chapter of the manga was also ambiguous.

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Honestly it was a rollercoaster of emotions for me..

I loved this show, at first I absolutely hated Ritsu and didn't want him to end up with Masumi he was super toxic before.
But now I kinda get the point, the story really is 'basic' in the love sense, I've seen many "I cheated but I'm still in love" type tropes, but the story makes it more interesting and it plays out differently than the others.
I really like Yuuma and Meguru's roles.
To start not only is Yuuma somehow literally magical, he's sweet and pure contrary to the whole theme of the show. I loved how his character developed and how we got to see his personality along with his selflessness later on. I also really enjoyed how Ritsu, Masumi, and Yuuma we're like a family, I found it super wholesome and honestly adorable.
Meguru was also an amazing addition though he didn't have much of an impact in my opinion his story tied into Yuuma's story was super sweet, and made me smile.

The ending is the part that's thrown me off the most, I mean the cliffhanger is killing me. What happened? Did they die? Did they survive?
Also the dream Masumi had literally made me laugh so much.

This show was a rollercoaster of emotions, but it's definitely going on my "10 out of 10 would watch again" list!

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Definetly worth the watch

The show delivers really well on emotional notes and the main actor fits really well in this role, I've seen in another show and I though he was alright but he really shines in this role, especially in one of the first scenes of the show where he has a breakdown.
The impending sense of doom and despair also creats a really cool and unique atmosphere which leaves you thinking about the show for days.
I've seen some criticism of the main couple but I feel given their circumstances their relationship makes sense and feels natural and the progression of it is pretty well done.
I also really liked that the main charecters were older, it just fit better with the vibe of the show but I also liked that one of the main charecters was a kid, like you would see him learn or realise something life changing and then imedietly remember that he would die in a few days and it just crushes you.
My main issue with the show is the ending, I really hated that they didn't die. Throughout the show whenever they hinted they might not die I was praying they would but they didn't in the end. It kinda makes everything till this now feel pointless and the second last scene where the kid blows away the meteor is awful.
But yea, aside from the ending, a really good show, defenitly worth it.

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Got me wondering "What would i be doing when the end of the world nears?"

STORY (10/10)
The story was very very well developed. Unique idea portrayed very well without any confusion. Actually the flashbacks masumi gets in the library when he meets ritsu was a little confusing for me since i didn't realise that was his flashbacks i actually thought it's the continuation of what happened in the library but then later i got it and it was smooth since then.
At first i did feel like it was a little rushed for all the romance and sex because i didn't expect the tables to turn so quick Ofcourse I HATED Ritsu in the first few episodes he was a total jerk. and i should say that actually paved the way for such an amazing character development. I loved all the characters and how we got to know each of them in depth.

ACTING / CASTING (10/10)
okay trust me on this, absolutely priceless acting. This series sure offered splendid acting skills and such amazing portraying of emotions. You can really feel their emotions through the screens even without a single dialogue. Just simple glances and movement of iris are enough and the cast has payed attention to all the details they should cover and deliver as beautifully. One thing i always have in mind is, if any actor can deliver beautiful kiss scenes and sex scenes, they are god gifted actors. (personal opinion no offence to anyone or anything). The kiss scenes were so beautiful and tender and the explicit scenes got me GASPING FOR AIR!!

MUSIC (8/10)
The music is actually very good but am not someone who pays attention to the music in a series so don't take my rating on that into consideration.

REWATCH VALUE (9/10)
Just because I think you won't get the same feelings when rewatching since u already know what's up and again personal opinion don't take it into consideration if u don't want to.

OVERALL (9/10)
Wonderful series with an amazing storyline, great character development, wonderful production, acting and smooth delivering as well as pleasing filming excellence!!!

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Absolutely stunning

The OST is absolutely stunning, and captures the meaning of the series so well. The scenery and settings are all beautiful, and I love both the plot and script. The cinematography is high quality, which is very visible in the crisp and accurate shots. The acting is very good, and I like that it’s not all about the couple, but about the characters they meet on the way as well. Everyone got a character development, and made each other stronger for it.

The explicit scenes were very unexpected from a Japanese BL, and were well executed. The only downside is that it totally ruined the mood at the end. It was great for the start of the series, but they should've made it less graphic to preserve the special atmosphere that they had going on in the final episode.

Now, let’s talk about the ending… I don’t know what to say, except that it was super frustrating and unsatisfactory. Although I believe this was the best way to end the series, it still felt incomplete. The reason for this is most likely because there were a number of things that were left unsolved, not including the meteor situation. An example of this is Yuma's "powers". This phenomenon should have been explained before we reached the end of the series.
Nevertheless, it was so worth my time, and I will definitely rewatch it in the future.

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"The Necessary Enemy"

Like any other comments, I really did not expect that it would turn-out to be distinct from previous series with the same story. What makes it more unique is compressing the whole story in a 24-minute, 8-episode series. Not only that, the story unfolds as they thrive in their journey before the world ends. That would make you grasp to each and every episode while understanding the "why". Besides, you'll never expect how the story connects each and every character.

Among the casts, flashbacks of course evolves on the MLs but with their convo, it also reveals the story of SLs and the other person. Haters gonna hate but Ritso is the necessary enemy that intensifies the story; throw your morals aside because even Misumi's obsession (my personal bias) is another necessary enemy for them to beat in 10 days.

The music is too lovely that drives your emotion in each and every scene. Especially in their intimate moments, it alienates the vulgarity of the scene into lovely ambiance. From the beginning to end of each episode, plus the subbing, you can really feel the vibe especially when the world comes to an end soon.

Quite low in re-watch value because if you already know the story, everything will be predictable. But not that low because from the cast to production, surely you will miss them soon...and the steamy not too conservative moments...lol!

All in all, it is just a simple story as the title denotes with some countdown. But the execution of every counts matters. It made the simple to amazing. Things you would never expect that from a common countdown , it's not just about the journey but it's about the story behind every character portrays.

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Self-reflection, forgiveness, and miracles

This is one of those shows where you are either going to love it or you’re going to hate it. I… really liked it to be totally honest, and I went in with low expectations.

There’s just something very refreshing about the concept. What would you do if the world is ending, you don’t have any strong relationships, and someone from your past offers to ride out the final days together?

People that have close family and friends might find it far fetched that Masumi would follow Ritsu. However, it really just seemed like he was lonely and figured “screw it, the world’s ending anyway”.

Ritsu’s character could have been better fleshed out in terms of his motivations during their original relationship. At the beginning, he literally seems like he’s got some kind of personality disorder. But I think at his base he’s just kind of lonely and immature. Which is not an excuse for his actions, the characters around him don’t excuse him either.

There’s just a lot of exploration around the kind of things you reflect on at the end. Masumi talking about how he felt like he kind of wasted his life because all he did was work and go home… it felt very articulate and real. I really liked that.

Anyway… needless to say I’m in the camp of people that think this was solid. It’s definitely not for everyone though.

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My Thoughts on End Of the World With You:

Neither of the main characters are likeable. Ritsu is the worst but Matsumi is not much better. They are unlikeable in different ways. Ritsu is an awful person. He is the f*ck-boyest of all f*ck boys. Usually you either like a character, like to hate them or they are at least relatable. Neither of the characters are any of these things. They are just awful - to the point where you don’t care what happens to them. I’m not invested in anything they do, any hurt they feel or any hurt they do to others. This wouldn’t be a problem if the show didn’t keep trying to make you root for them. Nothing had the emotional impact needed. The only character I was rooting for was the meteor. And the fact that ‘that’ didn’t happen only makes this show that much worse.

It’s got a lot of very well executed nc scenes (probably some of the best in bl land), so you can watch it just for that and no hate to people who like it just for those. No hate either for the people who enjoyed the series. We all like different things. Each to their own and all that. I do think it does deserve an automatic 5 or 6 rating just for the production value, the plot (which is easy enough to follow) and the script (which is decent and the dialogue flows). It’s just everything else that it falls short on. They made the characters so unlikeable which affected the character development and drained all the heart and connection out of the story. Watching it feels really hollow as all I could think was, “I do not care for these people, I cannot warm to them even knowing they’re about to die. Why are you asking me to root for their survival??”

Matsumi had potential moments where I thought his character might become more likeable but as I said, he’s just awful (albeit in a different way to Ritsu). For example, there’s a scene where I guess the writers try to endear his character to the audience by making him ‘attempt’ to comfort a young boy. It was 6 parts tone deaf given the current situation and 4 parts hypocritical given how he’s been living his life. I kept thinking, “you’re in no position to be giving advice buddy, and have you looked outside lately?” As I said, it’s just hard to root for his character. There’s nothing that endears you to him.

That said, I think the worse thing about this series is that after watching everything on screen, the only take-away is that they will remain these awful people. I firmly believe that if the world was not ending or if the world didn’t end in the end they would revert to their same awful selves. I know writers can choose at the swoop of a pen, to make characters ‘live happily ever after’ but nothing onscreen suggests that these people have become better people and will stay together. I’m sure Ritsu would keep hurting Matsumi if the world doesn’t end. Case in point: Ritsu had remained the same person over the past decade and if you are inclined to believe he’s had some sort of awakening now due to the meteorite; it doesn’t explain why after meeting Matsumi again, he still manipulates him and still feels entitled to Matsumi’s time and presence. Brazen is the word that comes to mind. He is yet again using Matsumi exactly like he did ten years ago, which is to seduce Matsumi and use him for his own benefit. I sincerely believe that Ritsu likes Matsumi because Matsumi loves him. Even narcissists need love, even if they just feed off it. I’m never fully convinced that Ritsu grasps the depth of the damage he has done to Matsumi. He seems to centre himself and his feelings in every interaction with Matsumi, both in the past and even now. How can you truly be sorry if you’ve never taken the time to really self reflect on your actions, the damage you’ve caused and how the person you hurt might be feeling? It’s clear he hadn’t done so when you have scenes where a mutual friend had to point out to him that Matsumi might not want to see him. Scenes like in the library where he expected Matsumi to be ‘over it by now’. Sometimes understanding you’ve hurt someone is understanding that you shouldn’t ever show up in front of them again. Let alone force them to talk to you (even if it is the end of the world). The writers try to explain Ritsu’s shitty behaviour by adding that he’s su*cidal but even this feels self serving and like a throwaway explanation of why he is the way he is. There is no depth to this added plot point and just further establishes his selfishness (in contrast to the other character who followed through on her su*cidal ideation). His character being this way is not the issue. Not all characters are going to be decent people. I’m giving these examples to illustrate how little his character has actually changed from the start of the movie to the end. The issue is with the writers insulting the intelligence of the viewers and trying to gaslight them into accepting that Ritsu has had some sort of character development when that just doesn’t play out that way on screen.

I think the writers had a vision for these characters and their path to redemption and all that, unfortunately, they should have written better redemptive qualities into the characters for that to come across (It doesn’t). Instead they just remain awful characters that we’re supposed to pretend are the opposite and that’s what makes this series so awful.

Upon second viewing, there was something I could appreciate that I could not appreciate the first time around: the secondary characters make for a better story. Any emotional depth came from the relationship between the trans character and the young boy. The young boy was annoying at times but their characters are more aligned to what the story is telling you they are and are infinitely more interesting than the main characters. Their budding romance is endearing. I would gladly watch a series with the trans girl as the main character or watch a series that explores the ‘super’ abilities of the young boy. I thought that was really intriguing.
Also, in this second viewing I found everything more farcical. I could not take most of it seriously. Additionally, I didn’t notice it before but the main leads’ kisses are very awkward and fish-like. Matsumi always seems to be gulping for air like a fish out of water whenever he opens his mouth. Suffice to say, it held up even worse on second viewing.

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