This review may contain spoilers
I really liked this but...
The story felt a bit lacking if I had to be completely honest. Of course, this often happens when you condense the source material to make it easier for drama run times, so my stubborn heart refuses to review this without thinking about the manga first. I love everything about the manga and this was a faithful adaptation overall. I wish the romance between Tsuge and Minato could've been more fleshed out instead of everything falling into place at the end. Not to mention the dramatic elements like that kiss scene with Minato and his friend in front of Tsuge was a bit much for me. As well as the bar scene where Adachi was trying to hide from Kurosawa. I am not a big fan of melodrama so it's probably my pet peeve. But there are many positives about this that I cannot ignore. the casting for this was amazing, especially Adachi and Kurosawa. Their actors brought the characters to life on screen in their own way. The romantic chemistry between them was great! I could see the real KuroAda in their dynamic. The soundtrack and BGM were pretty decent and it set the mood. But now that the anime has come out, I cannot help but wish it was more like the anime adaptation with the writing and pacing. But it was pretty enjoyable nonetheless.Was this review helpful to you?
A Dose of Serotonin
Have you ever watched something and it was so good you wanted to erase it from your memory just so you could experience watching it for the first time all over again? This is one of only a few dramas that have made me feel that way. Never in my drama watching days has anything made me genuinely smile as much as this. I swear I was either smiling, laughing or getting a bit misty-eyed the whole time I was watching. While it is a light romance, there were also many touching moments that balanced everything out. It kept the whole thing grounded. There was really good balance of comedy, romance, and solemnity brought to life by some really loveable characters.Adachi made me laugh out loud with his reactions and facial expressions. It was really endearing to see him grow as a person and try to come out of his shell. Kurosawa was the main reason I was smiling so much while watching. His smile is seriously contagious. He smiles with his whole being and just radiates happiness. A really talented actor that can show every emotion without uttering a word. The way he looked at Adachi made me melt into a puddle. Their relationship was so wholesome and pure. It was heart warming to see how they just brought out the best in each other. I also loved all the other characters particularly Fujisaki who was such a sweet and supportive friend.
This drama managed to stay engaging from beginning to end with zero antagonistic characters and no love triangle. It can be done! Who knew? This will be my go to re-watch drama from now on when I really need a dose of serotonin. It just made me happy.
Was this review helpful to you?
MY FAVVV….
This is definitely one of my fav Japanese BLs…it is so cute plus the story has a unique touch to it. Most people will read the title and think that it’s cringy but it truly isn’t. The main couple is so cute and i love how they work on their communication throughout the show. The side couple is also cute but most people don’t like them (cause of the age gap). I liked the second couple though and i thought they were really cute together. Overall, it was a good show with a good plot. It wasn’t lacking at times but there was some parts were the communication was lacking (but that’s how it is for many bls). Still one of my favs and if you get time, you should watch the anime version (also really good).Was this review helpful to you?
Sweet BL office romance with engaging premise but failing to exploit properly its concept
The drama depicts a sweet office romance between the two male leads with a super interesting fantastic premise. The story was promising and started super light and cute. However, it missed the mark along the way as it failed to exploit properly and in a mature way their concept. It stays platonic (-which is totally fine) but given the thematic, I would have expected a bit more concrete steps in the physical part of the relationship.The central plot stayed quite superficial with relationship conflicts feeling a bit too artificial. Given the number of episodes, I would have expected more character development and growth between the heroes in order to believe more in their couple. It is also unfortunate that the screenwriters decided to spend time on not the right side-story. Instead of focusing on the friend writer of the hero, I think they should have focus more on the office colleagues who were some pretty intriguing side-characters.
The acting was not the strongest suit of the series. I found the actors overacting quite a bit, especially for one of the secondary characters: the best friend played by Asaka Kodai. Each one of his scenes brought a high level of cringe because of his over-the-top acting. As explained above, I would have honestly preferred for his narrative arc to be removed totally from the series. Regarding the main leads, I think their performance was okay but not great. Overall, their chemistry together was lacking sparks and the very few little skinship moments felt awkward to me.
I liked the opening song of the show, it suited very well the atmosphere of the story with the pop-rock vibe and the sweet and bright generic. Other than that, the soundtrack was quite subdue and not that memorable. The production was quite standard, and it is a bit of a shame that the directing team did not make more adventurous choices to exploit further their quite "magical" concept.
I would recommend this drama if you are looking for a short and platonic BL romance in an office environment. If you liked movie such as "What Women Wants" or tv-show like "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist", it could totally be your cup of tea. However, if you are looking for something deeper or more mature overall, it is not the one to watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
My 1st Japanese BL binge watch
As I was browsing last night for another BL series after finishing My Sweet Dear which is a KBL drama, I stumbled upon this title and got intrigued by how long it was, at first I felt like I'm cheating from my 1st love which is kdramas but then after just a few minutes into the 1st episode, I got hooked already. Not only do the actors offered a different type of visuals, which isn't bad by the way, but the acting and nuances of Adachi is really engaging and endearing. The story gives you something for the imagination and doesn't show everything as you wish it would. This series did not disappoint and lived up to my expectations and more. Thrilled that there is a movie coming out soon because I'm really craving for more scenes with KuroDachi and their journey as a couple. Let there be season 2 of the series as well because these 2 deserve it.Was this review helpful to you?
So cute!!!
I just finished this few weeks ago and still can't find anything to fill the emptiness after the goodbye .I guess i liked this one the most among all of Japanese bl drama and it's definitely einterd my top 10 bl drama of all the time!! It's just so smooth and cute to watch and the cemetery between the couple is soo good.
i really wanted s2 instead of the movie cuz isn't enough.
Ok first i highly recommended this and second if u guys know any good bl drama similar to this please recommend it to me .
Was this review helpful to you?
EVERYONE WATCH THIS
SOOO GOOD!!!! i cant explain how much I loved this, the chemistry between the two main leads was amazing and I finished this show all in one night. Their relationship was so healthy and personally ive never been a fan of shows with some type of superpower but regardless I still enjoyed it. For the side couple I found myself skipping a few scenes with them…. idk I wasn’t that interested but the cats were cute …?? The episodes never felt dragged on and it followed a great pace. I am picky when it comes to bls but this was one of the first ones that ranked really high in my opinion. i wish I could watch the movie so badly I miss themWas this review helpful to you?
Just a sweet lovely love story
OMG!! I kept seeing tons of YouTubbers recommending "Cherry Magic" for almost 6 months, but I was hesitant to watch, since it seemed like BL saga with 30 year olds, but I was proven wrong and I freely admit it.The situation of two men, Adachi and Tsuge that have focused on the development of their individual careers over their love lives to they finally hit the age of 30 seems like something that can happen to anyone, especially folks that do not have the best self-image of themselves.
How they are able to see beyond what they believe and think are their "limitations" is wonderful to see in this love story.
The supporting characters are ALL wonderful, I even loved the full of himself Urabe. Adachi's sweet co-workers Rokkaku and Fujisaki are absolutely wonderful and help Adachi see himself in a clearer, sharper, and better eye.
Their love interests Kurasowa and Minato are both dishy in wonderfully different ways and I loved how they were written and how their characters were fleshed out, so that we ALL wanted everything to work out for Adachi and Tsuge.
It also doesn't hurt that Machida Keita reminds me of the Hollywood Classic Leading Male Actor, Gregory Peck when he was very young!! My word, Machida is a gorgeous man.
Was this review helpful to you?
So fun!
This show is very heartwarming and wholesome. The cast are the perfect choices as the chemistry is amazing. The story itself is really unique, and the creators clearly had a nice time with the concept. Usually in this type of show, something feels unrealistic, however, everything in the show makes sense. The character motivations are clear and realistic - the only thing I'd say didn't make sense was just before the ending when the characters made up but it's a minute detail.I'd recommend this show as a light watch; it's not something to take too seriously as it's fun, silly and light-hearted. The romance is cute, the character interactions are hilarious, and I always found myself smiling.
Overall, the show is fun, entertaining and heartwarming. It needs a season 2!
Was this review helpful to you?
Heartwarming and sweet
The premise of the drama sounded like the kind of story I don't want anything to do with, but the positive reviews convinced me to give it a try. Was not disappointed, it's going to become one of my favorite BLs.The only thing that I didn't like too much was the secondary couple (wasn't very interested in it, moreover the dramatic acting of Tsuge made it more awkward than cute), but everything else? A delight. I'll try to list what to look forward to without spoilers.
- Healthy development of a relationship without characters being overly thirsty for each other;
- Nice introspection of the characters and their nuances, highlighting how certain thoughts and acts can be good or bad depending on the situation;
- Character development. The protagonists grow so much throughout the drama and it's beautiful.
- NO useless love triangles, and when there are moments of jealousy they aren't dragged for longer than a single episode.
- A BL that is all about its plot and not the "moments" with the characters. I recommend against watching this one if you're looking for something steamy, because the characters barely kiss.
Overall, it checks most of my favorite things to see in a romantic story, so I highly recommend it!
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
the ultimate sweet comfort watch
there are various genres in bl and this is one of the dominators in cutesy, soft for sure, i watched it a few years ago with two of my best friends and couldn't take the smile off my face, it's honestly a pretty generalised recommendation for anyone who is just feeling a bit low and wants a sweet watch. the fact that it explores love in your 30's is something lacking in a lot of bls, who tend to focus on high school/college/straight out of college ages. It's important to explore because experiencing difficulties with identity, sexuality, and love in general is expanded to any age.Was this review helpful to you?
