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This review may contain spoilers
This is so cute. I can't wait for the next episode. I don't know how I stumbled upon this, but it showed up on my YT recommendations (my history is turned off, so I don't know how). It is such a cute story.
Shun - so shy, so cute, so quiet. But his face says it all. I don't know if everyone else has been feeling the same.
Nagisa - this one is harder to read at first, but there's this softness to him when he's with Shun alone.
Chika - This girl. OMG. Obsession much? She literally stalked Shun when Nagisa asked him to meet up. And then invited herself after Nagisa broke things off with his ex. I get her. But at the same time, you can't force someone to like you. I feel bad for her because Nagisa totally used her, and that was so not cool of him. -- ETA -- I totally take this back. She is so cool. Ep 5 makes her totally bad ass.
Ayo - This girl is so cute. I feel so bad for her, but at the same time I feel like she is the most relatable character in this show. The one who wants to be better - the one who finds herself too plain and too boring. I love this girl. And I love how Shun is with her in 2-4. From telling her she is far from plain and has character, to telling her that she is better than him because she is taking action to be more like the person she wants to be. I love how he builds up her confidence. And I totally get why she falls for him. -- ETA -- I just watched Ep 5. And this episode just cemented the fact that I love her. I absolutely love this girl. She is me. Like 3000%. This is totally what I would have done, because I have in the past. When I love someone I just want them to be happy even if it means the person they are happy with is not me. Why are there not more characters like her.
Chika's Parents - How cute are they - from how in love with each other they are. To how open they are about sex and sex education. I totally dig them and their vibe. SO COOL.
Shun's dad - no comment. I guess if he hadn't left none of this would have happened.
If you know that this is the prequel to the movie, you know that between the mini series and the movie there isn't a happy ending even if they both might individually have happy endings. I haven't seen the movie so I cannot say - but it seems like it's a heart-wrencher. I really hope someone subs and uploads it some day - It looks soooo good. And the guy who plays Shun in that is so good looking.
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Sweet
What a poignant coming-of-age story. I love how nothing is overblown here unlike in many Asian LGBTQ stories.Two boys experiencing love for the first time. Secondary characters who are not annoying or over exaggerating. I loved how Shun processed his emotions for Nagisa. Secondary characters’ parents are hilarious.
The only con is I would’ve liked their budding relationship to be explored further, as much time was given to them accepting their mutual feelings.
Good leads, especially Kura Yuki.
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Isabella xx
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This review may contain spoilers
I watched this without watching the original movie first. With that being said I came into this without knowing anything. I was expecting a BL, and what I got was so much more. With themes of exploring sexuality they do it so well, with Nagisa really stealing the show for me. Some people have commented how they don’t like his behavior, with him coming across that he doesn’t care about how his actions affect people. He clearly does, he is so restrained and holds his feelings back in fear he doesn’t hurt others. He is trying to change for others, and it was heartwarming to see the two finally embrace each other. The acting for Nagisa is really good, I am surprised I haven’t seen more of him. Was this review helpful to you?
Ost!/ sound track
Since it was not easy to find the sound track I wanna make it easier for others who are searching for it cause I know the struggle lol ! I love the ost of this drama so much so here it is. : https://youtu.be/-ACD3zMxxV4.
I love the character of Shun sm.. I relate to his a lot! Idk how to express how I feel and sometimes I don’t even realise how I feel so i found comfort in his character… and the movie is so emotional I cried a lot!
The thing I love the most about this drama is how it’s not a typical BL … like there is no assigning of roles . It’s just two boys growing and realising their love for each other and it’s so cute . I’m making this review sound so dumb cause idk how to write reviews and they are asking me to write a five hundred word one so - the main purpose of this review is anyways the soundtrack so you don’t have to read all this cause idk how to write / express what I feel about this . Overall I love it and make sure to check out Onen’only s music (shuns band)
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Bittersweet moments - don't skip this one, BL fans
Been a while since I've finished watching this and waiting for the movie to become available to me I thought I needed to write a quick review.The standout performance in this comes imho from Kura Yuki. That rooftop scene will not leave the back of my mind, it hit me that hard. This young actor could portray so much pain and longing in this short scene with just a his eyes, it stabbed me right in the heart.
This isn't your average BL movie with tons of innuendo or kiss scenes or outraged family. This is a subtle tale of two boys dancing the edge of friendship amd love, almost too young to grasp the feeling. I am a little bit sad that we get only this short drama that wnds just when it gets really good amd thr movie will be a timeskip one that shows them as adults. I just wanted to see the boys performances some more, I was enchanted.
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calm, chill, coastal vibe
This is a coming-of-age tale for our four main characters. It deals with the theme of young, innocent love and the ambiguous feelings between young adults. It touches upon youth, self-discovery, fear, and acceptance. It's not just about self-acceptance, but also accepting the possibility that others may not reciprocate your love. I liked this a lot. It doesn't feel dramatic or exaggerated, overall very calm vibe. My only complaint is that it's too short. A lot of things could have been developed more, especially Nagisa and Shun's relationship.-------------------------------------------
● REVIEW
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[ --LIKES-- ]
✔ Surfing! :D
✔ Very natural and subtle development of the story and relationships. The story and atmosphere feels very down to earth. Very calm and chill. I'm also a sucker for the coastal vibes.
✔ Characters feels real and relatable.
✔ Some sweet moments between different characters.
✔ I liked the OST: ガラパゴス(Galapagos) - '黒い酸素(Black Oxygen)'
✔ Very chill, supportive parents. Chika's parents are supportive of her relationship and even got her a present (just in case).
✔ Nagisa tells Shun the story about the monk and the boy to Shun to gauge Shun's feelings. I like that it somewhat gets applied to Nagisa's situation. Like the boy in the story, Nagisa doesn't know what to do with his feelings for Shun and jumps into the ocean. In his case, the ocean is him starting a relationship Chika to get over Shun.
[ --DISLIKES-- ]
✖ Ending feels abrupt. I wish the series itself was a little longer or that it got a second season. I know there is a movie sequel, but there is a lot of time between where this series end and when the movie starts. I think the beginnings of their relationship could be explored a little bit more.
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● NOTE
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I'll always conclude my review by saying that ratings and reviews is not really a indicator of whether you may enjoy something. We all have different criteria and standards. Don't let a bad rating, review, or comment discourage you from watching something. My advice will always be to give something a chance if the premise interests you, and only use the ratings/reviews to determine priority if you have a list, or if you're deciding if you want to continue it due to time limitations.
♥ Thanks for reading my review! Feel free to comment or hit me up if you want to discuss anything ♥
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I loved every second of it and I really want to watch it again. The two mains actors have this very calm atmosphere around them which contrasts with the people surrounding them. The portrayal of LGBT+ characters is handled in a serious way which really helps to understand the characters’ feelings and doesn’t feel insulting or fetishising to me. It reminds me a little of Make it right after having finished it as His tackle the story for accepting oneself and Make it right was about how sometimes feelings are hard to control and understand. The only thing that really took me aback was the music. It may add to the peacefulness but I would have like it if there was a bit more music to really grasp what each character is thinking, it wasn’t bothering though and more of a preference. I think this story is especially worth watching for the friendships that the characters form or just the encounters they make that somehow changes them. I like how it is about plain people trying to find a way to live. It has a raw energy I wish I could see more in LGBT+ shows.
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Understated and relaxing
I really enjoyed this - it was very understated and although it was short I felt like the characters developed well.From the first few scenes I was expecting the main focus to be on Shun and I couldn't read Nagisa at first, he came across as the typical 'aloof and mysterious' guy. However this changed by episode 2, although he doesn't say much you can see how he is feeling from his expressions which he is trying not to let show. I really enjoyed watching the actor for Nagisa and I felt like the plot of him coming to accept himself was really well done. I personally don't like the trend of overacted and unrealistic dramas so this was perfect for me.
The side characters were good, I liked Ako but not so much Chika but she sort of redeems herself by the end. The setting was also great, the beachy vibes were perfect for the summer romance plot!
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cutest feel good series ever
I really enjoyed this sweet little series. Japanese are great film makers the atmosphere is for me that draws me into their particular style . Lovely characters and a positive, realistic spin on two teenage boys falling in love. Its definitely something special, The acting is wonderful from everyone and its so heartfelt. The pace is slower but this just enhances the overall tension, making it that more enjoyable to watch.I now need to watch the movie (His) which is kind of a sequel if not a rewriting of the same story with different actors.
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Unforgettable coming of age series!
Going into "His - I Didn't Think I Would Fall in Love", I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, as the reviews were certainly mixed, waning negative. I even considered skipping it due to some of the criticism that I heard, but having watched it three times now, I'm so incredibly thankful I didn't. This series is a true, true, gem. The feeling I was left with after I watched it for the first time was something I don't think I'll ever forget, it just struck such a profound chord with me that I just can't fully explain.Before I delve specifically into the story, characters, etc., I'd like to give a few disclaimers for those planning to watch this series:
1. "His - I Didn't Think I Would Fall in Love" is a coming of age story first, and a romance second. If you're looking for a story with tons of gooey romantic fluff and lovey-dovey scenes, this series may not be fully satisfying to you (that's not to say there aren't plenty share of sweet moments, but it's definitely not the focus). However, if you're looking for a beautiful coming of age story about courage, growth, and self acceptance, you've come to the right place.
2. I have NOT seen the sequel film to this series, but from what I've heard, the characters and story bare essentially no similarities, so if you've already seen the film and you're anticipating this series as a prequel to that story, I urge you to look at this as a separate project.
Now that that's out of the way, here are my individual thoughts!
Story - Definitely a little slow at first, but once it gets going, it really hits. There's not too much to say here, as the story is definitely not the driving factor with this series, especially with the length being so short. In fact, I personally feel like this drama would've worked much much better as a film.
Characters/acting - This is where the show really really shines for me. Most of the criticism I saw prior to watching "His" was that the characters, especially the two leads, where bland and one dimensional/unrealistic. Personally, I couldn't disagree more. In my opinion, Nagisa, Shun, Chika, and Ako are some of the most realistically written and acted teenage characters in any drama I've seen thus far. I really loved the conclusions they were all able to individually reach by the end of the series, particularly Nagisa's, which, without giving to much away, resulted in one of the most genuinely heartbreaking representations of internalized homophobia I've ever seen on screen, but I'll go into that more later.
Rewatch value: Although watching this series for the first time is really something else, the rewatch value is also extremely high. The simplicity of the story paired with the genuine emotion of the characters creates make this series absolutely timeless. You're unlikely to get anything new on rewatches with this one, but if you're looking for a nostalgic cozy feeling, you will most certainly get that.
FINAL VERDICT:
If you can't tell, I'm absolutely in love with this drama. The atmosphere, the characters, the score, the acting, it just all works for me. Not to mention the honest and genuine representation of young queer individuals, whose sexuality is not only acknowledged, but openly discussed and explored. Based on the comments and reviews I've seen, it's clearly not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but to those of you looking for a well-acted, nostalgic, queer coming of age story, I personally cannot recommend this series enough!
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