My Beautiful Man: Eternal

An ending and new beginning: the final piece to the trilogy of a touching romance between flawed men

‘My Beautiful Man’, or ‘Utsukushii Kare’, is a heavy series that requires deep analysis and empathy to understand the characters’ motives and emotional complexities. Its delicacy in poetic lines brings depth to the leads’ narrations and the beautiful cinematography touches scenes of intimacy with a serene taste of true love. This fragility, combined with the leads’ fiery romance, creates a very intricate yet powerful watch. The plot worked in unison with the characters to bring out their flaws, and doesn’t portray them as bad traits that serve no other purpose other than weakening. Instead, their vulnerability became their source of strength, fueling their chase for each other’s heart and intensifying the push and pull of their attraction.

Two teenagers—whose childhood traumas have distorted their perception of love, and whose lives thrive to satisfy their selfish desires—fall in love. Kyoyi, a famous idol and model, wants to be hidden from someone’s eyes for the first time. Because of his loneliness, he has always wanted to be the center of attention, and wishes to find a space for himself in someone’s world. Through the lens of his camera, Hira, an aspiring photographer, wishes to capture his newfound beauty in life. Kyoyi is the first person he lets into his world, but he keeps putting up walls between them, only wanting to admire him from a distance. Even so, the passion in Hira’s gaze ignites something within Kyoyi: the desire for their bond to transcend the camera that separates them; the desire to truly be discovered instead of just admired.

Their compassionate love for each other goes beyond the surface, and their realistically imperfect relationship defies the norms of typical healthy on-screen representations of couples. Their relationship is shaped by their insecurities that yearn to thrive off of someone strong and understanding enough to hold them close. One of the main messages the series conveys to its audience is that one doesn’t need to be perfect in order to be deserving of love. It also teaches us that flaws aren’t necessarily bad, but are representative of an opportunity for self-improvement. The unwavering care and support Kioyi and Hira provide each other with as they navigate through their struggles in identity leaves room for growth to sprout alongside their romance. This enables their scars from the past and fear for the future to flourish into beautiful and heartfelt moments where both slowly get closer and learn to break the barrier of secrecy between themselves.

When the characters collided with the storyline, everything, from their incessant pure love to their dangerous and obsessive desire to hold each other close, started making sense. It jumped into their unique relationship with a smart approach, using narration from both Kioyi and Hira to slowly unravel their backstories amidst their blossoming growth. The leads were put through many hardships to prove their love for one another, and all throughout the story, their flaws are what pushes their relationship forward instead of restraining them into an ordinary type of love that touches only the surfaces of their struggles and true personalities. Along self-discovery comes doubt, and their uncertainties in their relationship bring out their most vulnerable sides. Despite the fire of chaos they ignite in each other’s lives, their fear of losing each other only grew stronger day by day and laid bare their hidden but overbearing insecurities. Through the time they spent journeying the depths of their love for each other and weighing the possibilities of the future they can make out of their messy romance, one learns what it’s like to be loved rather than just admired, while the other learns how to love instead of just admiring.

There's this scene in the movie that perfectly captures the essence of this beautiful and thought-provoking series. When Anna dances in the rain, it represents something powerful that shines bright in the midst of a downpour. A beautiful outfit that should flow in the wind seems misplaced in the wet, with its color muted by the water's drench. Yet, it was so happy and messy all at once that it was enthralling, and just one look at the unusual scene wasn't enough for those witnessing the photo shoot, mesmerized by the contrast between the lady’s bright smile and the way her beauty bathed in darkness. This is reminiscent of the professional photographer who used the camera to get closer to the world and capture both its beauty, and its darkness. Similarly, Hiro's camera was no longer a shield or place to hide; it was an entryway to the discovery of the individual whose heart was fated to belong to him despite both the tears and the smiles that would accompany their journey to mentally reach each other.

In this series that explores themes of insecurity, the fan/idol industry, and first love, nothing is evident at first glance, and the characters’ aren’t meant for the viewers to like. Instead, their purpose is to bring a greater sense of understanding to the audience regarding stereotypes and insecurities. The series delves deep into the human aspect of vulnerability, using its well-crafted characters to convey the message that sometimes it’s the most vulnerable individuals who seem weak that are the most strong minded and confident in what they want, while those who do seem strong can be the most insecure, wearing only a facade of the strength they appear to have.

This lesson is embodied in the characters, particularly in Hira, who is portrayed as the most timid of all in his class but is secretly the most determined and assertive one. He’s always sure of himself and what it is that he wants, expressing this through his determination to physically protect Kyoyi, whom he deems his only true love. Hira always lessens Kyoyi of emotional burden, bringing him constant reassurance whenever he holds back, and never hesitating to abide by his pleas whenever he makes him promise to forever stay by his side. Something that also supports this ideology is Hira’s ‘top’ role is the intimate aspect of their relationship (which is more explored in the manga/light novel), in which he furthermore asserts his dominance and controlling nature. Additionally, another character whose main purpose is to foster this message through his actions would be the one portrayed as Anna’s utmost fan. He’s initially portrayed as timid and weak, but reveals himself to be brave and determined when driven by his feelings of love and admiration for his idol.

Both leads felt like they didn’t have their place in the world. His whole life, Kyoyi had been surrounded by people who wouldn’t hesitate to leave him in an instant, causing him trust issues. No one truly cared about what he felt or had to say, and weren’t interested in discovering his real self. Hira, on the other hand, felt like no one cared enough to wait and hear what he had to say because of his speech disorder. To summarize this brief overlook at the series’ main leads: both felt unvalued in their world. Hira felt worthless of finding his place in the world whereas Kyoyi felt worthless of being loved. Together, they turned each other's flaws into something beautiful. They came together like missing puzzle pieces, turning their flaws into a reason to love each other. Their flaws caused them to collide and laid the foundation for their strong and passionate romance, where both give and take and feel fully satisfied with what they share.

Their emotions both explain the way they act. One stalks because he feels he can never get close enough, while the other doesn’t have control over his emotions, so he exerts the power of dominance he does have physically. Kyoyi acts bossy and and rather mean, using this harshness to get closer to Hira without being vulnerable, though it is clear from the look in his eyes that he deliberately pushes this personality onto himself. While it may be controversial, without the physical aspect—which was ultimately a fundamental base to their relationship—they wouldn’t have a story. It was needed to show their relationship develop and reveal who truly had the hidden weakness.

Bossing Hira around was Kyoyi's way of getting closer to him without being vulnerable and making his fear of abandonment and need for love evident. This insecurity of Kyoyi's is furthermore explored later on when he is always asking for reassurance and for Hira to stay, begging in a way that doesn’t seem vulnerable or direct. Instead, he tries pulling Hira closer using this method to understand him more and see if his feelings were real before deciding to let him into his heart. Although Kyoyi was wrong for dealing with his frustration and personal insecurity through physical means, Hira was just as much in the wrong regarding habits in their relationship.

He did not give Kyoyi privacy or respect his boundaries, nor did consider his feelings. Instead, Hira only cared about satisfying his own desires without thinking of the consequences his actions and choices would have on Kyoyi. This reasoning stemmed from how highly Hira views him, giving light to the bad among his blind support towards Kyoyi. He never considered he’d influence Kyoyi’s thoughts or actions and would misunderstand whenever Kyoyi would try to inquire about what they were. He'd always just answer that Kyoyi was his favorite, etc., without seeming to have a desire for more. Kyoyi was being emotionally burdened with his ever-growing uncertainty and unreciprocated romantic feelings in contrast to Hira, who seemed content with merely being bossed around by him and satisfied with sharing an unhealthy relationship where only he was benefitting. So even though it seemed like Kyoyi was the one always getting served what he wanted whenever he’d ask for it, Hira was the one taking advantage of the latter.

The barrier Hira places between Kyoyi and himself is representative of problems individuals can experience in the entertainment industry. Although idols receive so much love, they have no one in particular to direct their love towards, out of uncertainty and fear. “Do they really love me for who I am, or just my image?” With these thoughts that separated him from the world around him, which he felt was full of fake people, Kioyi was truly just as lonely as Hira. “Can I truly trust them, or will they leave me in the dirt once my reputation hits rock bottom?” Kioyi asked himself endless questions as he fought to understand whether or not Hira’s feelings for him were genuine. Even once Kyoyi realised he could indeed trust him, Hira's mindset of Kyoyi being so superior compared to himself still separates them.

Despite all of the flaws in their connection—with his loving eyes and overwhelming and seemingly endless amount of support—Hira effortlessly and quickly slipped into Kyoyi’s heart before he even had the chance to notice. Even Kyoyi didn’t understand his own emotions, so not only was he not used to being loved since a young age, but he couldn't believe how spontaneous and sure of himself Hira was in his many confessions. In terms of what allowed someone so sure of his feelings to connect with someone who was hesitant in accepting his own and believing the other's, Hira’s personality was, in a way, a perfect match for Kyoyi, who took a lot of time to realize he truly liked someone. Hira, whose personality stayed constant and steady over the years, made the jump between their high school days and college years only deepen their connection. His certainty in his feelings allowed Kyoyito to fully grasp his own feelings before slowly gaining the courage to make little efforts to deepen their bond. In other words, Hira’s personality made it seem as if he was waiting for Kyoyi to gain the courage and get used to his new feelings so that Kyoyi could eventually be more certain in his confession and love for him.

Hira told his admirer he liked him, but even with his speech deficiency, the words were even harder for Kyoyi—who seemed confident on the outside than Hira—to say aloud. In reality, Kyoyi is weak, vulnerable, scared, and insecure—everything he doesn't seem like he'd be at first glance. These qualities show in his actions to push Hira away, his constant asking if he will stay by his side, and his hesitation in putting his true feelings out in the open. Hiro is selfless, while Kyoyi pays close attention to the way he acts, both in the professional and personal aspects of his life. His lack of confidence is shown when he tells Hira that the reason he doesn't want to understand him is because of his fear in bringing him down, which is more a question of self-esteem than anything else.

However, Hira isn’t any braver, even with his spontaneous words and assertiveness in his actions. He's scared to get closer to Kyoyi because it would elevate him, while on the contrary, he wishes to stay at the bottom of the social class and continue living in his own bubble. As the cameraman in the movie says, Hira sees himself as higher and better than everything else. He expressed how he feels Hira’s selfishness and disgust for the world through his photos; where he erases all people. “You haven’t succeeded at all, but you think you’re so amazing. But instead of showing it outright, you make a shell by belittling yourself. You look down on this world with youth, stupidity, and ambiguity.” On the other hand, Kyoyi is insecure and scared of being so high (in the celebrity world) because he is so lonely up there. Kyoyi's struggle is essentially shared with Hira, who is equally as lonely, but for different reasons—Hira’s loneliness stems from putting himself above everything else and thinking nothing else matters. The poetic lines in their narrations highlight the similarities they share despite their huge difference in popularity and rank in society.

As for the casting of the characters, the lead actors amazingly embodied Hira and Kyoyi, who share such an electrifying chemistry. Yagi Yusei truly stood out to me in terms of acting. Through his role as Kyoyi, he acted so ruthless and mean, yet held a look of intense fondness and love in his gaze that never ceased to linger on Hira. The stunning cinematography and pleasing music only add to the enigmatic and beautiful storytelling, deepening my love for the amazing trilogy that is ‘My Beautiful Man’.

12/16/2024

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I loved this movie, 10/10

I loved it so much that i cried when it was over and rewatched it 2 times in the same night. I will definetly be rewatching it again in the future.
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I personally have nothing bad to say about this, the story is interesting, the characters are interesting and the visuals are amazing. I loved watching the characters development, especially in kiyoi.
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You should watch the season 1 and season 2 before watching the movie, it continues the story. I have seen people complaining about the story but if you've come this far, watched both seasons, than you should know what to expect.

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this had the same vibe, of the 2nd season. reading the description was sure this was a retelling of the plot, with a happily ever after ending (as don't think, there will be a season 3 or another movie).
but it wasn't a retelling (+ summarization) of the BL series. one could just watch this movie & get a general background to how everything started (went on in the series), & considering the 1st season, it would save them a lot of headache lol (well i was the only one having a bad trip😅😂) if u know u know. 🙄

(pretty sure) was the odd one out, cause the 1st thing i did was search if Kazuki was in the character list. he's a side-character that has almost no screen time & yet he has always been my favorite (think mainly cause of how everyone kept bad-mouthing a pretty sane/normal/healthy in the head character) 😌🖐
also noticed Shitara & Anna; the sec saw them, was sure (what i thought would happen in season 2) would occur here. kinda hard not to come to that conclusions, as Shitara came off as even crazier then Hira (& that's saying something, dude obsessively addicted to Kiyoi).

having watched this, wont say this was perfect or loved every sec. it was good (for sure enjoyed it more then the 1st season) & thankful that now that we get Kiyoi's POV, it doesn't feel one-sided. where Hira is the subservient, pushover that's being taken advantage off & gaslit. like in season 2, u see that Kiyoi's as addicted & his attitude, actions in the 1st season stemmed from his insecurities. that he as addicted to Hira as Hira is to him. so putting the "drama" of the kidnapping aside the plot was cute & they both finally (in their own way) committed to each other.... "and they lived happily ever after".😊👍

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We Are Eternally Grateful For This Movie Continuation

I had zero clue where this film fell into the timeline of the series. I knew it was after season 1, but had zero clue it was after season 2 as well! Which I love, because seasons 1 and 2 were both great. This was even better, because of the added budget for the film. Some of the shots in this were incredible, super gorgeous seriously. The series has always had an aesthetic that I drooled over as a filmmaker, but this took the cake. That last shot of Hira and Kiyoi under the transparent sheet was literally like something out of BTS's "Blood, Sweat & Tears" which is one of my favorite music videos of all time. The film shows their relationship very well, how they've grown and how they will continue to grow now that they've confirmed their forever. The stuff intertwined within the story was good too, but lets all be honest. Were here for the coupleness that is Hira and Kiyoi! I know there's not really a "need" for another film/season in this series...but I want one. I really enjoy these two and want more artistic BL filmmaking like this, I Told Sunset About You, Colour Rush, Until We Meet Again, etc. Its just so much more meaningful than any cash grab could ever dream of being.

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absolutamente cinema

A história começou com um relacionamento "tóxico", mas os personagens foram sendo desenvolvidos no decorrer da série e a relação deles foi se tornando algo bonito e adorável. É bom perceber que eles não tiveram que mudar a essência de quem eles são para que isso ocorresse, houve um amadurecimento sutil no Hira que tornou o personagem muito melhor e eu já nem ligo para essa história de terapia, vamos permitir que ele seja louco pelo seu belo homem em paz, ele não precisa de mais nada.
É triste ter que dizer adeus, mas me conforta saber que eu sempre posso dar play novamente quando sentir saudade (e eu certamente sentirei).

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Una delle cose che ho sempre detto su questa serie e che continuerò a dire all’infinito è che my beautiful man deve essere compresa per vederne la vera bellezza.
Entrambi i personaggi, soprattutto Hira, devono essere compresi e visti oggettivamente senza farci distrarre da opinioni personali perchè vi giuro che se avessi visto il personaggio di Hira facendo riferimento a opinioni personali, l’avrei odiato e chiamato pazzo e assurdo.
Il suo personaggio sì è pazzo a modo suo, ma se lo guardassi con una certa soggettività lo troverei pazzo da ospedale psichiatrico dato il suo modo di vedere tutto e di comportarsi, solo nel momento in cui lo si vede così com’è e lo si cerca di comprendere ti rendi conto di chi sia veramente. Il suo modo di fare, dire e pensare è un modo decisamente poco comune, tanto da essere considerato assurdo e ossessivo ma a modo suo di base c’è un sentimento veramente forte e riservato. Amo il modo in cui tutto ciò che riguarda il suo amato è qualcosa di riservato tra loro e un sentimento così forte che non esiste nessuna altra persona al mondo che può fargli cambiare idea. Hira a modo suo ha una concezione di amore molto forte, una concezione che dovrebbe essere presa ad esempio almeno alla base, non condivido pienamente il modo in cui pensa e vede tutto ma di base l’amore che ha per Kyoi è un amore puro e forte. Un amore che ad oggi è raro, al giorno d’oggi pare che vada di moda l’amore occasionale o senza sentimenti e il tradimento, tutto ciò mi fa perdere speranza nell’essere umano. Così come nel mito dell’androgino, dovremmo cercare la nostra metà e amarla con tutti noi stessi, senza giochi o tradimenti, ma dovrebbe essere una ricerca disperata che poi si trasformerà in una felicità assoluta; dopo aver trovato la nostra metà dovremmo essere onesti e fedeli, dovremmo avere fiducia e trasmetterla, non scherzare con gli altri per il solo bisogno di compagnia.
In un certo senso penso di trovare una grande similitudine tra come vive l’amore Hira e l’amore spiegato da Platone: “Quando una persona vede un bel corpo o un volto dalle fattezze "divine", dapprima sente un brivido, poi, guardandolo, lo venera al pari di un dio e arriverebbe a offrirgli sacrifici come a un'immagine sacra.” (preso dal libro di filosofia).
Quando recentemente ho studiato la visione dell’amore di Platone, ho letto questa parte e ho subito pensato a Hira (in realtà prima ho pensato a una mia amica che tratta la sua crush peggio di un dio, poi mi è venuto in mente My Liberation Notes ma giusto per il fatto del “venerare” e infine ho pensato si adattasse perfettamente a Hira). E sinceramente dopo aver letto di questo delirio amoroso penso di aver compreso ancora meglio Hira.
Inutile dire che sin dalla prima stagione ho sempre pensato che questa serie fosse bella ma, a differenza degli altri, non l’ho mai sentita a me speciale o comunque pensarla come una serie da 5 stelle. Penso che questo sia dovuto molto da un fatto personale: la serie in sè è bella ma poco avvicinabile alla “realtà, normalità” (messo tra virgolette perchè non sono nessuno per definire cosa debba essere normale e cosa no), il modo di guardare all’altro è decisamente ossessivo, tanto che avvolte mi sembra esagerato, e in generale sono una persona che quando ama da tutta se stessa ma non a questo livello, trovo tutto il fatto del pensare all’altro come un dio un’assurdità, sì l’amore e l’essere fedeli sono importantissimi ma ciò non implica che debba venerare la persona che amo, secondo me ci sono modi e modi di amare ma questo mi pare il più assurdo, ovviamente da un punto di vista estremamente personale legato al mio modo di fare le cose.
Quindi per vari motivi non sono mai riuscita ad avvicinarmi completamente a questa serie e considerarla come una delle più belle. Sì è bella ma non stupenda ripensando anche ai mille problemi di comunicazione e di comprensione di loro stessi e dell’altro.
In tutto ciò dico che in generale mi sono sentita di apprezzare maggiormente questo film che le due stagioni, sicuramente sono maturati secondo certi aspetti e io in primis ho avuto modo di comprenderli di più.

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O ENCERRAMENTO DE UM CLÁSSICO

A história de amor entre Kiyoi e Hira foi algo incrível de se acompanhar e aqui vemos como sua relação será em direção a eternidade, pois o amor deles é eterno.
Aqui temos o tempo de tela dividido para que possamos acompanhar a história de amor da colega de trabalho do Kiyoi, a Anna, seus dilemas se espelham no que Kiyoi está passando no momento com o Hira, ele sente que o amor deles esta fragilizado. Ao mesmo tempo vemos como Hira começa a perder suas inseguranças com a relação a fotografia pois Kiyoi é seu rei e ele precisa ser o único a fotografá-lo.
Ao longo da história eles passam por problemas mas se entendem no final com uma prova de amor por parte do Hira, mostrando que seu amor segue tão forte quanto antes.
Esse é um final digno para um casal que é inesquecível.

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