This review may contain spoilers
Would be an amazing prequel
This would not be everyone's cup of tea but this sure is mine. I think the biggest issue with this series is that this is not a fully fleshed-out story, this feels more like a set-up to a really amazing story.
Let's start out with the really good - because the good are so good:
- Tension between the two leads are amazing.
- The complexity and background of the story is fleshed out very organically - they peeled each layer one by one and not presented as a huge exposition monologue.
- Acting is so so so superb, both actors are so good with micro-expressions.
- All scenes are made with intention and contributes to the story. No scenes felt like a filler to me.
- A lot of impactful shots that are incredibly memorable such as the typhoon laundry scene, the curry scene, and the bed sheet scene.
- Well written characters and increasingly complex dimension to each character as we continue to watch.
- Cinematography is kind of excellent to me.
- Actors are both beautiful. I just have to put this out there.
Now moving on the the good, but can be improved:
- Depiction of the BDSM relationship: by the end of the series, we can clearly see that this relationship is not as toxic as what was initially presented, and that they are in some sort of a BDSM relationship agreement. However, there is a huge room for improvement because they should work towards communicating on a clearer relationship contract so there is no ambiguity on what is still within their role as a dom and a sub. I am assuming that Dayo is a bratty sub who loves to push Segasaki's buttons and Segasaki is a brat tamer but even in the end I feel like both of them are still unsure of their limits. This would be acceptable if this is only a prequel but if this is a standalone drama, then this is a huge room for improvement.
- Dayo and Segasaki are very complex characters. Dayo in this still has a huge level of self-acceptance that he needs to do - we see how much internalized homophobia he has and his reluctance to make BL comics even though his strength (as mentioned by the editor) is not in ero-manga. There is a huge storyline they could have developed out of his journey of self-acceptance and the simultaneous finding who he is as a mangaka. Segasaki is someone who masks so much in social situations and builds up such a high wall. Eventhough he said that he doesn't have his walls up with Dayo, he is also unconscious of his lack of communication. There is so much character development that is needed because for a BDSM relationship to be successful, both parties need to be good at communicating their needs and limits, but these two are a bit of a trainwreck at the moment. As I have said multiple times in this review, this series is an amazing set-up, but now we need more.
Unto the bad (there's only one):
The whole series feels like a set-up for another follow-up series. The story does not go anywhere far because the whole thing just does not feel finished. They have set up a conflict, built characters, established the current relationship dynamics, but there has not been any climax or resolution at all. I think this is the main reason people's opinions are so divided on this. Because there is no confirmed sequel, I have to rate the story on the lower end because there isn't much of a story here.
I need a sequel to this. There is so much potential to the story that they could make as a sequel, because we still have so many unresolved conflict. I want to know more about Dayo's future as a mangaka, their relationship evolution, and character development. All in all though, I absolutely adore this series for what it is and I will continue to rewatch because all in all, the good really trumps the bad.
Let's start out with the really good - because the good are so good:
- Tension between the two leads are amazing.
- The complexity and background of the story is fleshed out very organically - they peeled each layer one by one and not presented as a huge exposition monologue.
- Acting is so so so superb, both actors are so good with micro-expressions.
- All scenes are made with intention and contributes to the story. No scenes felt like a filler to me.
- A lot of impactful shots that are incredibly memorable such as the typhoon laundry scene, the curry scene, and the bed sheet scene.
- Well written characters and increasingly complex dimension to each character as we continue to watch.
- Cinematography is kind of excellent to me.
- Actors are both beautiful. I just have to put this out there.
Now moving on the the good, but can be improved:
- Depiction of the BDSM relationship: by the end of the series, we can clearly see that this relationship is not as toxic as what was initially presented, and that they are in some sort of a BDSM relationship agreement. However, there is a huge room for improvement because they should work towards communicating on a clearer relationship contract so there is no ambiguity on what is still within their role as a dom and a sub. I am assuming that Dayo is a bratty sub who loves to push Segasaki's buttons and Segasaki is a brat tamer but even in the end I feel like both of them are still unsure of their limits. This would be acceptable if this is only a prequel but if this is a standalone drama, then this is a huge room for improvement.
- Dayo and Segasaki are very complex characters. Dayo in this still has a huge level of self-acceptance that he needs to do - we see how much internalized homophobia he has and his reluctance to make BL comics even though his strength (as mentioned by the editor) is not in ero-manga. There is a huge storyline they could have developed out of his journey of self-acceptance and the simultaneous finding who he is as a mangaka. Segasaki is someone who masks so much in social situations and builds up such a high wall. Eventhough he said that he doesn't have his walls up with Dayo, he is also unconscious of his lack of communication. There is so much character development that is needed because for a BDSM relationship to be successful, both parties need to be good at communicating their needs and limits, but these two are a bit of a trainwreck at the moment. As I have said multiple times in this review, this series is an amazing set-up, but now we need more.
Unto the bad (there's only one):
The whole series feels like a set-up for another follow-up series. The story does not go anywhere far because the whole thing just does not feel finished. They have set up a conflict, built characters, established the current relationship dynamics, but there has not been any climax or resolution at all. I think this is the main reason people's opinions are so divided on this. Because there is no confirmed sequel, I have to rate the story on the lower end because there isn't much of a story here.
I need a sequel to this. There is so much potential to the story that they could make as a sequel, because we still have so many unresolved conflict. I want to know more about Dayo's future as a mangaka, their relationship evolution, and character development. All in all though, I absolutely adore this series for what it is and I will continue to rewatch because all in all, the good really trumps the bad.
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