FTLOD
Asia
AMEIRO PARADOX IS FAR BETTER THAN MANY POPULAR BLS
This is one of those times when MDL ratings do not make any sense to me…WHATSOVER!!! This drama deserves far more love and attention than what it’s getting. If this would’ve been a Thai BL it would’ve been at least 8-8.2. I’ve seen BL shows far more mediocre receiving better ratings. Well, in all honesty Japanese dramas face this problem of low ratings, which I have never understood…probably due to their lesser popularity in comparison to other Asian country dramas. Ameiro Paradox is a great watch and I’m going to give some reasons why it should not be missed by BL lovers (spoiler free):
• THE PRODUCTION: The show is produced well and by that, I mean they made the best of the budget they had. It did not boast of swanky sets or designer wear, but the makers made sure that the quality of the show remains high. It maintained the warmth & slice of life type of storytelling which Japanese shows are known for. A lot of outdoor shots & yellow or warm color grading is used in abundance. The boys were styled well based on the demands of their characters, the office looked pretty nice, and it had overall good direction.
• THE STORY: Yes, it’s about a virgin & playboy. Yes, it’s an office romance. Yes, its enemy to lover trope. However, the show is uniquely portrayed. The setup of a paparazzi office with a moral compass (kinda) and two boys in their late 20s trying to survive the demanding job while exploring their unexpected emotions for each other was refreshing. Almost every episode had a new scoop they covered together and while they explored the issues, they started understanding each other better. The show was easy to watch, and the narration was smooth with above average screenplay/editing. Many BLs face the problem of choppy narration and unresolved story arcs; however, Candy Paradox was well presented.
• THE ROMANCE: Kimura Keito as Onoe Satoshi and Yamanaka Jyutaro as Kaburagi Motoharu was great casting. Even though one could tell that they are young with limited acting experience, they showcased a natural talent to emote various nuances of their character. Satoshi, a young ambitious naïve man with limited to no experience in romance but a high ethical awareness struggled to have his professional moment. On the other hand, Kaburagi the ace of the magazine with questionable ethics, flirty persona & high drive for success was aware of the toll the job has had on him as a person. The two are opposing ends of a spectrum that cannot be more different. However, as a viewer, seeing them realize that they not only have special feelings but also deeply respect and value each other was enjoyable. There is a lot of chemistry between the two actors, and I think that was not only because the characters were well written but also due to the potential showcased by Keito & Jyutaro.
The show has great re-watch value because of the warmth, sweetness and magic the two leads create. The OST is an ear warm & I’ve already added it on my Spotify. If people do not like this show, then that’s just unfortunate as it most definitely deserves more hype. The kisses were adequate even if the show wasn’t as “HOT” as Thai BLs. The charm of this show is the romance which they’ve depicted well. If you want to watch a BL that has a high feel-good factor, leads with good chemistry & not a show that has mindless skinship for the sake of skinship or actors who can barely act….then this one is for you.
• THE PRODUCTION: The show is produced well and by that, I mean they made the best of the budget they had. It did not boast of swanky sets or designer wear, but the makers made sure that the quality of the show remains high. It maintained the warmth & slice of life type of storytelling which Japanese shows are known for. A lot of outdoor shots & yellow or warm color grading is used in abundance. The boys were styled well based on the demands of their characters, the office looked pretty nice, and it had overall good direction.
• THE STORY: Yes, it’s about a virgin & playboy. Yes, it’s an office romance. Yes, its enemy to lover trope. However, the show is uniquely portrayed. The setup of a paparazzi office with a moral compass (kinda) and two boys in their late 20s trying to survive the demanding job while exploring their unexpected emotions for each other was refreshing. Almost every episode had a new scoop they covered together and while they explored the issues, they started understanding each other better. The show was easy to watch, and the narration was smooth with above average screenplay/editing. Many BLs face the problem of choppy narration and unresolved story arcs; however, Candy Paradox was well presented.
• THE ROMANCE: Kimura Keito as Onoe Satoshi and Yamanaka Jyutaro as Kaburagi Motoharu was great casting. Even though one could tell that they are young with limited acting experience, they showcased a natural talent to emote various nuances of their character. Satoshi, a young ambitious naïve man with limited to no experience in romance but a high ethical awareness struggled to have his professional moment. On the other hand, Kaburagi the ace of the magazine with questionable ethics, flirty persona & high drive for success was aware of the toll the job has had on him as a person. The two are opposing ends of a spectrum that cannot be more different. However, as a viewer, seeing them realize that they not only have special feelings but also deeply respect and value each other was enjoyable. There is a lot of chemistry between the two actors, and I think that was not only because the characters were well written but also due to the potential showcased by Keito & Jyutaro.
The show has great re-watch value because of the warmth, sweetness and magic the two leads create. The OST is an ear warm & I’ve already added it on my Spotify. If people do not like this show, then that’s just unfortunate as it most definitely deserves more hype. The kisses were adequate even if the show wasn’t as “HOT” as Thai BLs. The charm of this show is the romance which they’ve depicted well. If you want to watch a BL that has a high feel-good factor, leads with good chemistry & not a show that has mindless skinship for the sake of skinship or actors who can barely act….then this one is for you.
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