I'm logging on here to talk about why I think the age gap discourse surrounding this show is complete nonsense and also why the show is complete trash in spite of it!!
If we're being realistic the only way a relationship between people of these ages would occur in a real life scenario is if it were grooming. It's a total fantasy. Two people get to know each other when the first is only 17 and the second is over ten years older??? And they start to date once that person hits legal age? Get real.
In my eyes only a deeply delusional person would write something like this. What's the point in portraying a relationship like this when you could write any other scenario about grown adults. And before you write what I'm saying off as a cultural misunderstanding, please know that I speak fluent Japanese and lived in Japan for a year. Believe me when I say that even within Japanese culture it's not acceptable for a high school aged child to date an adult, and just because it happens more often there does not make it okay.
Second, if we ignore the age gap, and accept the fact that Shin is the one who most wants the relationship to happen, the way he approaches trying to get with Minato is quite frankly gross. Minato repeatedly turns him down and yet Shin ATTACKS HIM and aggressively violates his consent (Minato says no over and over) many many times!!! That's not okay and it shouldn't be portrayed as if it's just some cutesy attempt at flirting. When they get together in the end it just feels like Minato was finally ground down and just gave in.
This bullshit should not fly and while I think there's many BL dramas that are bringing gay people into a positive light in mainstream Japanese culture, such as Cherry magic, What Did You Eat Yesterday, and Old Fashioned cupcake, I don't think we as a community who enjoys these shows should have to put up with this kind of nonsense and accept it as fluff when it's perpetuating harmful tropes and stereotypes about gay people.