25:00 in Akasaka is a meta-BL that explores the ambiguity of offscreen BL relationships and questions whether it’s possible for actors to completely extract themselves from the character they play. There are clever visual parallels as the filming sequences often mirror what actually unfolds in real life, only to be interrupted with an abrupt “CUT!” yelled by the director.

Unfortunately, the “I’ve loved you since the first time we met” trope is a wasted opportunity in this instance. 

In my opinion, it would have been far more interesting to watch their relationship develop organically from strangers to partners, driven mostly because of their on-set interactions. 

An underdeveloped theme of the series is how their (blossoming) personal relationship influences and affects their acting. Does the onscreen romance become more realistic if the intimacy grows? Or does the gaze just get more awkward? As they get more comfortable, how does that affect the way they move around each other?

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