Minato's Laundromat

There is no relationship of abuse of power...if it has been reversed

In the world there are certain types of taboo around romantic relationships, because the influence of "what they will say" and how they will be seen in society has a lot of weight when making a decision as a couple.
In film and television, love is fertile ground for telling stories that transcend the barriers of time, distance and even the age difference. Relationships between characters that have been going on for several years tend to be a somewhat controversial topic. On some occasions this is evident and criticized while on other occasions the distance does not draw as much attention.
Fortunately, with the passage of time the rejection of this issue has decreased and there are more and more cases of couples who have been together for many years. In fact, some directors have wanted to portray the age difference through romantic and dramatic films and series that show that age is just a number.
The script of the Japanese BL series 'Minato Shouji Coin Laundry', also written by its directors, Kanai Junichi, Eda Yuuka and Hiroaki Yuasa, tells the love story between Minato Akira, the heir to his grandfather's coin laundry, and high school student, Katsuki Shintaro, who despite the age difference, quickly become friends.
The romance between these two young people raises doubts about the appropriateness of their age difference (one of them being a minor), at a time, also, that of Me Too, in which many classics were being questioned by the intergenerational relationships between mature men and young women. With 'Lolita', 'The Idea of You' (2024), 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950), 'Water for Elephants' (2011), 'Magic in the Moonlight' (2014), 'Lost in Translation' (2003), 'Crazy Heart' (2009), 'All That Heaven Allows' (1955), 'The Graduate' (1967), 'Harold and Maude' (1971), 'Bull Durham' (1988), 'Thelma & Louise' (1991), 'How Stella Got Her Groove Back' (1998), 'Notes on a Scandal' (2006), 'Don Jon' (2013), 'Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool' (2017), 'Good Luck to You, Leo Grande' (2022), 'May December' (2023), as the most mentioned examples.
As I explore the 12 episodes of the first season, I wonder: Is there a relationship of abuse of power between Minato and Shin?
I don't believe it. I understand that this is a concern for many people, but that is not the story being told here. Katsuki Shintaro (from now on Shin) is a young boy who is very mature for his age (he is 17 years old), he is the best student in his class.
How should you act if from the age of 7 you fell in love with a 17-year-old teenager, whom you never saw again and whose name you did not even know until they met again when one returned to his hometown to inherit a laundry and the other is on the verge of entering medical school?
That is to say, for 10 years the underage boy in the story has kept a deep love for Minato in his heart when he saved him from drowning on the beach. Shin is a character who knows what he wants and does not hesitate before anything or anyone to get it. He never seems to be in a vulnerable position. Quite the opposite. The "aggressive" Shin is the pursuer, while the timid Minato is the pursued. The dominance and audacity shown by Shin when courting Minato, added to the way he did not hesitate to reject Asuka, his classmate, clearly demonstrates that he is not easy prey for any sexual predator.
Minato is not even his teacher, nor is he stationed like a predator at the school gates looking for easy prey.
Very cleverly, the creators use Shin's direct and bold personality to generate humor, romantic moments, and to lessen the power imbalance in their relationship.
The series gains followers by showing the viewer how there is a genuine attraction and chemistry between our two protagonists in a very natural way through the tension generated by their age difference.
The series quickly eliminates many reasons that will make people worry that Shin is in a vulnerable position as a minor in this relationship dynamic, as the character states that he never feels alone and lives with a large family that supports him in his relationship with Minato. The early appearance of his sister at the laundry in episode 2, the invitation to Minato to come to the family home to celebrate Shin's 18th birthday (in episode 7) and letters sent by the teenager's mother to Minato in support of the existing relationship between the two, confirms that Shin is supported by his family.
On other occasions we can see that Shin is very popular, pursued by the girls whom he kindly rejects, because he is clear about who he loves. Both examples tell us that Shin is not pursuing Minato out of desperation and loneliness.
For his part, Minato, who recognizes the age difference, does not ignore this reality and is scared of Shin's intentions; he did not want any romantic connection, much less sexual at first, he did not even want to talk about it. Shin is the one who goes to his laundry room and basically pushes him over and over to start a romance. Minato could be a predator but I don't think he is at all. This is a consensual relationship between two adult-thinking men who know what they want.
Minato acts like a respectable person who knows how to reject his crush and has never intentionally induced Shin's feelings.
It is suggestive how the series establishes an interesting parallel between the blossoming romantic relationship between the two main characters and Minato's infatuation with Sakuma Takayuki (Fukushi Seiji), his teacher during his high school years. Unlike his teacher, Minato is not in a position of power in his relationship with Shin.
In the same way that Minato invaded Sakuma's space in the past to demand attention, it is Shin who acts in the same way to flirt with Minato and ask him to start a romantic relationship with him.
On the other hand, Akira and Shin's is not an intergenerational relationship, because they both belong to the same generation.

THOUGHTS… DIVAGATIONS

Abuse of power can occur in all relationships. It doesn't necessarily have to do with age. It seems important to me to see what position each member of the couple is in and what type of power game, seduction and even avoidance takes place. You have to see if there is an asymmetry in the relationship and how it is managed, if it is denied, if it is compensated...
It strikes me that many who propose the existence of a relationship of abuse of power in a gay relationship solely due to the fact that one of the members of the couple is a minor, do not show a single symptom of alarm when in other film and television productions an age difference appears when the couple is heterosexual.
What if we made a comparison of all these themes with the classic imaginary between the older man and the young woman? In the heterosexual couples there would be a double asymmetry, one of age and another of power. On the other hand, in an intergenerational gay relationship there would only be an asymmetry, although hypothetical, because it does not always occur.
In any case, gay couples are also plagued by gender stereotypes and myths of romantic love, constructions that society gives us as molds for living love. Until very recently there was no social model of how to be or how to experience love in a gay couple, and it is something that is being built. This makes an important issue such as intragender violence remain invisible. As we see, it is a debate with more questions than answers, but they all point to the same thing: relating better within the gay community.

BACK TO THE SERIES

Luckily for them, there aren't many social prejudices to face. Shin and Minato do not have to manage the challenges of social pressure and other people's gaze. They are not required to normalize any type of external situation that may arise nor do they have to turn a deaf ear to hurtful comments.
The series also shows how both characters seek to have things in common, share joint projects, goals and life expectations.
Although both have different life plans, as one dreams of studying medicine, while the other maintains his interest in working in the laundry, the series offers us details about how Minato and Shin are willing to accompany the other in their respective interests.
Love has no age, they say, and Minato and Shin don't care about the difference between them to let the feelings flow.
Ironically, the age difference between the two lead actors is only four and a half years.
In my opinion, when taking stock of the positive and negative issues that each member of a couple has in a situation like the one Minato and Shin are experiencing, age does not have to be a limitation to continue a bond.
The constructive factors and traits, as well as the virtues that make the person, should have greater weight than the age difference when betting on the couple.
It is known that there are no couples who agree on all aspects of life. However, finding balance in how discrepancies are faced, whether it is the way in which free time is used or the way in which each person expresses themselves, will be essential to overcome any obstacle.
I enjoy the series, and age differences neither in fiction nor in real life bother me, unless there is a clear power imbalance, which in this case, if anything, the power imbalance is reversed.

ONE LAST QUESTION BY WAY OF CONCLUSION

Finishing writing the review, there is a question that floats in my head: Is Shin and Minato's romance comparable to others in popular culture, if we take into account that there are different nuances in the relationships between men and women?

Read More

It's really enjoyable overall, except for some parts

I really like it for the 1st 7 episodes or so and it just dropped....I mainly love how fluffy and cute they are at beginning, esp when they are bickering and teasing each other. I especially love Shin's attitude. He seems to be way more mature than Minato despite the age gap!

I'm glad eventually Minato sort things out and it all work out, but the drag makes me feel a bit frustrated at some point, honestly. I continued watching bcoz I wanna know the ending, which luckily didn't disappoint

I'll still say its worth the watch overall. I was really really happy for most part, just a bit draggy towards the end, which actually is so common in many dramas. Or maybe, im just impatient lol

Oh, I love the music, its so cute that I didn't skip the intro and actually enjoy watching. I also love the setting where we keep seeing ocean, makes me feel like im healing too. Makes me wonder how it feels like to stay in a town like that where the beach is clean. not overly commercialized, just locals hanging out, like big communal family. Must have been nice

Shuuu sensei is so cute!! Thats a brownie point as to why I keep on watching too

Read More

regarding the adaptation

I was very interested in watching this, as I am a big fan of the original manga, and was curious on how they'll adapt a story that had 3 volumes when the show first aired. My guess was that they would either stretch the plot out or expand the story, and they went with the ladder, which can sometimes lead to the adaptation straying too much from the source material, or in this case, risking the possibility to include any future material in sequel seasons.
While I haven't watched the second season yet, the first one managed to blend the original pieces and side stories wonderfully with the main plot, expanding the overall universe and characters in a way that doesn't ruin the story, but makes the fans of the manga feel like they received bunus content (if that makes sense).
What also helped the show keep that "Minato Shoji" feeling was the main cast's ability to perfectly portray our lead characters, as well as the editing and music that kept the summer nonchalant, slow life type of vibes.
Can't wait to watch season 2!!!

Read More

This feels like remembering a summer you never actually had.

How do you review Minato's Laundromat when your main memories are spinning washing machines, awkward flirting, and Minato spending an entire season losing arguments against a teenager with unlimited determination?

This series really looked at the slice-of-life romance genre and said, "What if we replaced drama with vibes, added a laundromat, and weaponized yearning?"

Akira Minato inherited a small neighborhood laundromat and was fully prepared to spend the rest of his life quietly folding clothes and avoiding emotional vulnerability.

Then Shintaro Katsuki walked through the door and immediately made that everyone else's problem.

The man saw an attractive laundromat owner and apparently decided persistence was a lifestyle choice.

And honestly?

Respect.

Nishigaki Sho brought so much warmth, awkwardness, and quiet loneliness to Minato that watching him slowly open himself up to love felt incredibly rewarding.

And Kusakawa Takuya as Shin?

The king of confidence.

The emperor of flirting.

The CEO of looking at someone like they hung the moon and then acting surprised when they noticed.

Watching Shin patiently chip away at Minato's walls while Minato continuously attempted—and failed—to remain unaffected became one of the most entertaining parts of the series.

Their relationship wasn't built on grand declarations or dramatic twists.

It was built on small moments.

Sharing meals.

Walking home together.

Conversations in front of washing machines.

The kind of ordinary moments that somehow become extraordinary when you're with the right person.

And can we please talk about the side characters?

Asuka understood the assignment.

Sakuma understood the assignment.

Honestly, everyone in this town seemed personally invested in making sure Minato stopped running away from his feelings.

Community effort.

We love to see it.

And can we talk about the people behind the camera?

The directors understood exactly what this story needed: patience.

The pacing was slow, intentional, and wonderfully unhurried.

The series trusted silence.

It trusted small gestures.

It trusted the audience to sit with the characters instead of rushing them toward the next plot point.

The cinematography deserves special praise.

The summer sunsets.

The quiet streets.

The laundromat lights.

The feeling of warm evenings that you somehow know you'll miss before they've even ended.

Every frame felt nostalgic.

And the soundtrack?

The audio equivalent of sitting outside at sunset with nowhere you need to be.

Minato's Laundromat wasn't trying to shock you.

It wasn't trying to emotionally destroy you.

It wasn't trying to save the world.

This was comfort.

Pure, gentle comfort.

This was a story about timing.

About courage.

About allowing yourself to want something even when you're scared of what happens next.

This wasn't enemies-to-lovers.

This wasn't rivals-to-lovers.

This was laundromat owner × human embodiment of persistence and sunshine.

10/10.

Would absolutely spend an entire summer at that laundromat, become emotionally attached to the entire neighborhood, and watch Minato lose the battle against his own feelings all over again.

Read More

Unexpectantly nice

When I first read the description for the series, I wasn’t sure what to think of it. I don’t enjoy minor–adult romance stories and was expecting a series following this kind of narrative. And oh boy, I am so glad Minato Shouji Coin Laundry didn’t turn out to be like this! Instead of a weird age-gap, adult-falling-for-minor-though-he isn’t-supposed-to story, we got an adorable series.

Things I liked:

- What I probably liked the most, is that Akira never made a move on Shin before he turned 18. This is a huge deal to me since many series don’t seem to care about legal dating ages in their storylines. It is a huge part of their love story, as Shin feels mature enough to date the 10 years older Akira, who on the other hand did fall for the younger but keeps to his morals of not dating a minor.

- The intro video. A very sweet and cute, simple one that fits perfectly for the story.

- Homophobia is not displayed in this one. Holy shit I love this so much. As a member of the lgbtqia+ community seeing the characters just being able to love whatever gender they want without experiencing hatred is so amazing. The arrival of the ex-girlfriend kind of made me worry about possible homophobia happening, I’m so glad it didn’t go down this road. And though insults never happen, the directors decided to keep the inner conflicts of the characters (e.g., Akira being worried about his former classmates finding out he is gay), which is awesome. Love this.

- The main- and subplot. Both plots are good(one more than the other though), as they all connect and don’t add unnecessary characters. Let’s talk about the Akira and Sakuma-Sensei plot first. When Akira was still a student he fell madly in love with Sakuma-Sensei and even confessed to him on his last day of school. After 10 years of not seeing his former teacher, Akira thought he had overcome his feelings and moved on. But then Sakuma returns to teach, and Akira realizes he still has feelings for him. Tough this messes with Shin’s plans of pursuing Akira, he starts to root for the two, wishing his crush a happy life. Long story short, after nervously avoiding Sakuma for some time, Akira decides to finally tell him that he still likes him but is turned down. Not long after Akira realizes his feelings for Shin. You can feel the inner conflict that Akira has and feel for him since Sakuma is a likable character and lovely person. Also, seeing Shin heartbrokenly rooting for his crush warmed my heart because it shows that he is trying to mature as a person, so he can have a chance with Akira.
The subplot is about Shin's best friend Asuka and his sister Sakurako both falling for Hiiragi, an architect. Sakurako and Asuka have already become good friends when Asuka finds out about her crush on Hiiragi. He doesn’t interfere much with it, as he knows that Hiiragi will reject the girl. The architect and the student share a past as friends, so he hopes that Hiiragi will choose him as his lover. This subplot works well, I enjoyed the scenes with Sakurako and Asuka bonding as friends.

Things I didn’t like:

- This might be an unpopular opinion, but Akira’s character being all immature and goofy was a bit draining, especially when he said himself, that he wanted to be more responsible. At some point his behavior just got annoying.

- Unhealthy start of a relationship. In the earlier episodes it seemed like Shin wasn’t all that much into Akira, but more into the idea of being in a relationship. Later this of course gets explained, still, the first episodes felt weird because of that.

- The inclusion of Akira’s ex-girlfriend wasn’t necessary in my opinion. It was nice to learn about his life before the laundry store, but it didn’t contribute to the series. The ex-GF felt like a character that was only there for explaining some stuff and throwing in unnecessary clichés to make Shin feel intimidated and jealous.

- Shin leaving in the 11th episode felt forced to me as if they felt like they had to throw in another cliché, just for the sake of having one.

- Shin's personality at some points in the series (not all the time!). Oh my god, if he doesn't want to kiss you, take a goddamn hint. Akira always acted reluctant to perform skin-ship with Shin which I, as said before, loved. The counterpart to that is that Shin always seemed to force himself onto Akira, trying to make him uncomfortable BEFORE becoming an adult(!!!). Didn't like that at all.


To sum up, I did enjoy watching it, it’s very sweet and wholesome (The scene when they held hands in bed>>>). Though I wish I would’ve watched it once all the episodes were released because waiting made me forget some stuff about the previous episodes. Not really rewatchable IMO, but lovely for a one-time-experience.

Read More

This is going to make your heart flutter

This is cute and filled with a lot of emotions, with each episode they touch on topics of heartbreak, love, jealousy, self-love, friendship, and family, Now, I would recommend watching if you're looking for a Japanese bl that has that soft melodrama romance with some funny scenes in between filled with all sorts of emotions with a teen and an adult at the center of it all.

The age cap is alright and pretty much valid from Minato's perspective, for reasons I will explain:
Majority of the show (mostly in the beginning cause this is still ongoing) Minato is very reluctant to show any emotions towards Shin regardless of how he feels when he's with him. Minato is more mature and an adult, who's outgrown his teens and is going through that self-acceptance stage in his life after overcoming his past. He's well aware that his actions will have repercussions he'll have to face and live with for the rest of his life and as such he is very cautious with the choices he makes.

(Take my word for it your going to fall in love with Shin's death stare) Shin is super charming yet aggressive at times and somewhat overly protective with his love for Minato-San. I do think Shin will at least wait another year before anything too serious he's still a high schooler after all. Minato-san is not overly dramatic but has super high gay panic with Shin that will make you smile at your computer screen like crazy.

The storyline is short and cute with sad moments here and there. We get to see both Shin and Minato's stories and Minato-san's past with his sensei. Shin's friendship with Asuka is super adorable and their bickering is not overbearing it's cute. Asuka is so precious we also get to see his side story too.

I think you should give it a watch, it's going to make your heart flutter, and who knows this might be the cutest Japanese bl you watch this year.

Read More

Heart-Fluttering Moments Ahead in this

I'm not lying when I tell you that this series has made my heart flutter several times within these first 2 eps. And that rarely happens. The acting and dialogue at the most significant parts catch me off guard in the best way possible, just like they do for Minato!!!

Something else I find very charming and unique is the heart-warming moments from Minato interacting with the older adults and everyone else in the town. It's common for BLs to forget that their characters are real people who interact with and live lives that don't solely revolve around their love interest,😭 so this smaller detail is really refreshing. And the story has already progressed so much in only 2 eps that I feel like I've watched an entire season - no need to worry about being bored or feeling like no progress is being made! The only negative I can see is that Shintaro (the love interest) is a minor (17 yr), but I'm hoping the series handles that aspect well.

Overall, I'd recommend this Japanese BL to anyone looking for something youthful, light-hearted, funny, calm, and slice-of-life.

Read More

A shame

It's a lovely drama. I binge watched all 4 episodes in one night. You don't even realize there aren't anymore episodes left because it's so heart fluttering. I can feel that episode 5 and the next next few ones are gonna be rather emotional. I got goosebumps by the end of episode 4. I could really sense Minatos feeling and how much of a weight he must have been going around with.

Its such a shame that people only pay attention to their age gap. 10 years really isn't anything and it wouldn't matter either way if they both want it. Minato also scolded himself for finding a minor attractive. The Series doesn't make the relationship between a minor and an adult look normal. They don't romantice it. Obviously they know what they're doing.

Read More

I had to drop this, one episode was enough.

I know that a lot of people love this show but I simply can't get over the fact that an adult (who's nearly 30) is into someone who's still in high school.

I know that this is not reality, it's only series, but I have met way too many creepy men when I was a teen, I have heard way too many real life grooming stories. I find this concept creepy and disturbing. As someone mentioned to me, there might be a time skip but I'll still know that almost a 30 year old man used to like a teen who's below 18... there are way too many real life people who are only counting down the days for someone to become legal. Maybe to teen viewers such concept can still be cute. Because I know that I had celebrity crushes as a teen, and those celebs were +10, 15 years older than me. But as an adult I think it's disturbing when an adult goes after teens.

I don't know if the older love interest acts creepy, like I said I dropped the show because I simply would not be able to enjoy the show because of teen-adult love interest concept.
I don't judge anyone who likes this show, because like I said it's not the reality. Some people just want to watch cute guys and fluffy scenes. But I do judge everyone who's in their late 20's or 30's (and older) and finds teens attractive. Or the ones that romanticize teen-adult relationships.

Read More

wonderful series!

After having a burnout in his office job in Tokyo, 30-year old Akira Minato returns to his hometown by the sea and runs a laundromat that he inherited from his grandfather. Life is quiet and Akira is happy. That is, until 17-year old student Shintaro shows up. Not only is Akira's life and feelings turned upside down, he also begins to realize that he has been running away from himself and his feelings for too long. Will he finally face his past?
Oh boy, is this one about crushes. We have teenagers crushing on adults, students on teachers and colleagues on ... well, colleagues.
But what I found intriguing was the unusual constellation of the two main couples: Usually, and that would have made me so uncomfortable that I probably would have quit the series in episode one, it is the older part pursuing the younger. The responsible adult grooms and seduces the inexperienced teenager.
But. This is not Lolita and thank God.
Instead, in both main couples, the younger part is the pursuer (and quite an aggressive pursuer for his young age sometimes, something which I haven't seen yet), and the adult pursued behaves like a kid.
Akira behaves and screams around like a 5-year old (which, l must admit, was a tad annoying sometimes). He runs away from his feelings, from his past and from his responsibilities.
The other adult in the side couple, SEEMS like a responsible adult, but he lives in his own world and is, in every way, innocent. It is, again, the younger half of the couple that awakens new feelings and an outlook on reality in him.
The teenagers, on the other hand, are more mature and serious. Or so it seems. Thank God, the script lets them also be teenagers inbetween. They are overemotional sometimes, letting their feelings and first love consume them completely.
I know, some viewers have a problem with the age gap, or more specifically the ages of the age gap. In the end, Shin is 13 years younger than Akira, and just turns 18 in the run of the series. And I do agree. 17 and 30 are like different worlds. I recall that when I was 17, I was a completely different person than I am now. Like Shin, I used to have a crush on a much older man and today, in retrospective, 1 am glad he didn't act on it.
What makes it different here, is that Akira tries not to encourage the crush too much. He is instantly drawn to Shin, because Shin is his type (not because he is a teenager), but he at least tries to keep his distance. It is already a big deal when Shin simply wants to hold Akira's hand and their first kiss happens when Shin is over 18.
It is just that in the end, both men have gone through development, Akira was finally able to confront the one he had been running from since he was a teenager, realizing that he is finally over him, and Shin is on the verge of entering university, a new chapter in his life, an important step into adulthood. Still, Akira always supports him, does not force him into anything (it is rather SHIN who constantly tries to seduce him), and says that he will wait for him no matter how long it takes.
That was what drew me to this couple and made me root for them until the beautiful end. That there is always a mutual respect and cautious tenderness.
Okay, enough with the analysis, let's face the facts: Both main actors are fantastic, especially Sho in the role of Shin has impressed me. He shows wonderful depths for his age (23 during production), but Takuya can easily hold his own.
Both show emotions wonderfully and naturally and when they cry, it breaks your heart.
The production is absolutely lovely and heartwarming and I especially loved the effects when there was a flashback.
Also, you will fall in love with the whole cast, who are just adorable.
What can I say? I laughed, I cried (or rather bawled my eyes out, when you see the scene in question, you will understand) and I had a good time watching the show. I give it a 9/10 because of some lengths and repetitions, but overall it's a must watch that I would absolutely recommend.
And I am hoping for a second season, I'd love to see how Akira's and Shin's story goes on.

Read More