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I Can’t Believe This Has Such a High Rating on Here
Sooo...the acting was fine, and the girl friend character was funny and somewhat relatable at times, but that is where my praises end.This show is built around an abusive power dynamic between Segasaki—a conventionally attractive and well-liked weatherman—and Yoh, an unsuccessful, down on his luck ero-manga artist.
We learn early on that they met in college and that Segasaki told Yoh he could live with him on the condition that he would have to "do everything he says", and in return he could live there for free and work on his manga. It is made clear from the very first episode that they have a dynamic reminiscent of an abusive breadwinner husband and an old-timey trad wife, with Yoh being essentially a personal slave to Segasaki—cooking and cleaning for him everyday and following his every command no matter what.
The inciting conflict of the story is based around this dynamic, and especially the sexual aspect of their relationship. Over the course of the show, we see Segasaki getting more and more posessive and paranoid about where Yoh is when he goes out and what he's doing, etc. It gets to a point where he is constantly forcing him to cancel plans that relate to his personal friendships and career, even going so far as to put a tracking device in his bag and follow him in a later episode.
There are moments throughout the middle of the show that make you think Segasaki might be starting to change his ways, but that is all completely thrown out at the end of ep 7 / beginning of ep 8 when he suddenly ties Yoh's hands together and tells him to never go out or talk to anyone else ever again. When I say this part really shocked me, I mean it. It was disturbing to watch, and Yoh's character looked extremely uncomfortable, despite this shows efforts to make you believe that he secretly likes being obsessed over.
There are moments where this show attempts to be sweet (like in the backstory of how they met for example), but it just feels sour when you remember the situation they are in. Towards the end, I really felt like Yoh was developing stockholm syndrome, which sounds extreme, but I really do think is an accurate description for him.
I saw a lot of the negative reviews on this show saying that they could "look past the toxic relationship", and that they cared more about the fact that the story didn't really go anywhere, and that essentially this shows' worst crime was being boring. Now, while it's true this show kind of ends the same way it begins and no one really develops as a character, I certainly think that this shows' romanticized portrayal of abuse is its biggest issue. Shows like this perpetuate the normalization of abusive dynamics in gay media, and also the fetishization of gay relationships as a tool for straight women to project their fantasies onto.
This probably all sounds dramatic, but I think this show is an important example of what NOT to do when it comes to writing BL. This does not feel like a BL made for men who like other men. There was no romance, and the sex scenes did not feel sexy. It was just gross and uncomfortable overall (which sucks because obviously abusive relationships can be written well and this kind of subject matter can be interesting when it is treated properly).
Definitely one of the worst "BLs" I've watched (if you can even call it that). There are moments with the girl friend and her husband that make the show a little more bearable at times, but other than that, ehhhhh, not good.
I'll give it a 1.5, on par with Utsukushii Kare (my previously most-hated BL ever).
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girl what
the actors were just about the only good thing in this show. i have 2 major complaints:1. the romanticism of mizuki’s sexual coercion is horrendous. i know that’s pretty common in bls but that doesn’t make it any better, plus it’s not even used as a form of “character development” here because he keeps it up til the very end. i firmly believe they could’ve made the plot just as, if not way more, compelling by removing the whole obligatory sex thing and all the scenes where mizuki forces himself onto yoh.
2. the plot goes absolutely nowhere, in fact it goes in circles. every time it seems like they’ve communicated their feelings and things are looking up, one of them (usually mizuki) overreacts about a misunderstanding and then they’re back to square one. even by the end they haven’t communicated their feelings properly and are just in another lull phase whilst misunderstandings continue to brew underneath.
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Elements of power dynamics and dependency
Japanese BL series have a knack for venturing into uncharted territories when it comes to plotlines, and "Taikan Yoho" is no exception. The series presents a unique array of characters, albeit not entirely fleshed out, allowing viewers to gain a sense of their backgrounds. From the very first episode, it plunges into the heart of the main storyline, gradually peeling back the layers of our two central characters.The narrative revolves around Mizuki, a renowned and attractive weatherman, who shares his apartment with Yoh, an up-and-coming manga artist. Their peculiar connection is defined by a verbal contract, obligating Yoh to obey Mizuki's every command. As the story unfolds, we delve deeper into their relationship, largely through Yoh's introspective monologues and Mizuki's enigmatic backstory. While the initial premise appears distinct, the series eventually treads the familiar ground of miscommunication, misunderstandings, jealousy, and an ambiguous romantic relationship between the protagonists. Predictably, a supportive friend enters the scene to resolve the conflicts.
The series boasts a promising start. It effectively plants the seed of uncertainty regarding Mizuki's true feelings for Yoh. Is it genuine love, or merely a means to fulfill his desires? This lingering doubt could have been an excellent foundation if fully explored. Unfortunately, the plot at times trivializes significant issues, using them as instruments to convey one character's feelings for the other. Themes such as consent, depression, and abuse are woven within romantic contexts, which might give viewers pause and detract from their overall viewing experience.
The actors, Kouhei and Atsuki, perform commendably, given the characters they are tasked with. Mizuki emerges as an enigmatic figure with clear dependency issues, while Yoh embodies a simple, solitary individual who follows Mizuki's whims without protest. A deeper exploration of Yoh's backstory and more comprehensive character development for Mizuki would have been welcomed.
In conclusion, this suffers from shortcomings in character development and the reliance on conventional BL tropes. However, it is worth a watch for the actors' performances and an outstanding original soundtrack that accompanies the series.
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Silent & toxic
And another amazing butterflies inducing and very toxic and unhealthy BL is over. And I want more...This is a story of two men deeply in love with each other but who never ever talk to each other. Lack of communication leads to misunderstandings and a kind of very toxic master/slave relationship they both seem to be addicted to.
Usually this trope, lack of communication, is something I find really annoying but here I just accepted it since the whole story is based upon that. It brought forward another kind of love story which never got a solution in the end. They admit that they do not speak to each other about anything important, accept the status quo but made sure to show in a non verbal way that they have a strong attachment to each other which is as solid as a diamond and never to be broken. Those silences, those looks gave me butterflies.
Beside the main couple there were barely any other characters worth mentioning except for Yoh's friend and fellow mangaka who watches their relationship from outside and sees more than either of the other two!
The whole drama has very little dialogue but a lot of voiceover which explains the feelings, the situations, the relationships. The acting is excellent but I found Higuchi Kouhei, the actor playing Mizuki, too thin in spite of the abs. And since he wore oversized clothes outside work, he had added fragility so much so I thought he was going to break! Excellent costume designer.
Japan is taking the lead now for the complex and intriguing BL stories : which one is the next? I cannot wait!
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The best
I want everyone to watch this masterpiece, the chemistry between them is so amazing, the story is new and different, the characters and the acting are 10/10 like idk what to say more otherwise it’s so amazing to rewatch this after it’s finished..this series will be my first recommendation for people..everything is just different like personally im attracted to it and attached to them they are really perfect together that I will argue with anyone who hates this show i font usually rate any series a full rate but this one i just couldn’t stop myself from rating it a full one..i dont know what else to say except that its a MUST watch seriesWas this review helpful to you?
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How am I supposed to go on with my life now?
This series has been a huge surprise for me.It started with a bang, keeping me glued to the screen and eager to watch the next episode every week.
The characters are interesting (maybe a tad bit toxic... yes, I'm talking about Segasaki), and even though it is not the most sexy BL I've ever watched (the manga is way hotter/explicit), it was still great to watch.
Both main characters are just handsome af. There's no other way to describe them, they are just aesthetically super pleasing in their own way.
If I have to find faults, I must say that the misunderstandings between the 2 are a bit odd at times, but still have sense, and after episode 6 the story took a slower pace. I expected much more from the last episode, but, again, I'm satisfied with it and I highly recommend the series. I wish there was a little more time to explore better their relationship, and maybe have more steamy scenes in some points (like the manga), but given they are also at their first experience with BL... they did great!
In the manga there was a lot more sex and smutty scenes, there were a lot more discussions and the development of their relationship was a bit more clear: This was absent in the drama.
Even though some things were "not said" but clear between the couple, communication between the 2 was not their forte, and I wished that the director took more time to develop their story and explain how they arrive at this point - I mean, it seems almost like nothing happened from the time at school and the present time.
Other than that, I enjoyed the show due to the mysterious aura of it all and the great visuals. (But after episode 6 I was a bit disappointed, cannot deny it).
I cannot emphasize it more, but I think the actor who plays Yoh (Mashiko Atsuki) is incredibly cute, and from some angles he resembles WayV's YangYang. While Higuchi Kouhei, with his super defined features, is like a statue.
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Beautiful japan bl
As usual, japan never disappoint when it comes to its bl, good story feel good. I am waiting for their character development. When it comes to japan they make story based on a believe or stories no one ever touch and a blend of Japanese culture and i heard its a adaption. Waiting for the emotions to grow. I really don't know what to write but they are saying it should be atleast 500 words. So hello everyone hai hope all is fine from a bl friend..As usual, japan never disappoint when it comes to its bl, good story feel good. I am waiting for their character development. When it comes to japan they make story based on a believe or stories no one ever touch and a blend of Japanese culture and i heard its a adaption. Waiting for the emotions to grow. I really don't know what to write but they are saying it should be atleast 500 words. So hello everyone hai hope all is fine from a bl friend.........Was this review helpful to you?
So unique and fresh!
I love love loveee the vibe of this series! It's so unique!And the chemistry between the actors? Honestly so smooth and real you can't get enough of it.
It's like from the very first moment you know they both care for each other but simply don't know how to show it and are not so good in communicating their own emotions.
Everything's wrapped in that very specific vibe to it and while some may hate it and feel like there's so many things in plot that are missing, I'm a big fan of it.
So many things left unspoken but shown by their actions.
Sometimes you don't need to say something out loud - you can show it in many other ways and I feel like this series is all about it. All about two people so misunderstood by words that they no longer trust them. They have trust only in actions and that's what they're doing. Showing love in this specific way that only they themselves can understand.
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Groundbreaking
This is a sensitive exploration of DOM/SUB relationships with some hints of BD. It focuses on the core motivations of participants without resorting to the more sensationalist aspects. The couple are starting their first relationship seemingly unaware of their own interests, and discovering these aspects of their own identity as the series unfolds. As the series wraps up, you can see the beginnings of self-awareness in both of them. (Awareness of what each one actually wants from the other).If we are generally observant, during our first relationships we become more self aware, more aware of what we like and don't like, of our weaknesses and strengths and what we find interesting, stimulating and erotic.
While most of us would not want a relationship like the one shown, it reminds us that each of us are unique and should develop a solid understand of our needs and our partners.
The BL genre relies on some combination of lack of communication and miscommunication. And, there is rarely anything "realistic" about BL. Some will hate this series because they won't be able to see themselves in it. Maybe watching will cause us to ponder what specific psychological needs we have in our relationships that maybe aren't exactly "normal"? Given the number of categories / tags for porn and various highly specific dating groups on Facebook, I don't think it is reasonable to dismiss the series because of a "toxic" relationship and toss it in the rubbish heap.
I thought it was brilliant, though occasionally difficult to watch. [Much easier for me to watch than the violence-oriented BLs such as KinnPorsche]
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A wonderful masterclass in Unreliable Narrator
I'm actually rewatching this series right now, and I'm reminded how well-done this story was overall. I think, just to say a little bit here without really being spoiler-y, that the thing I love the most about this is that it's such a unique and interesting example of an unreliable narrator. I feel that some might get the wrong idea after the first episode based on the main character's inner narration; but watch closely and you'll start to notice that the action and dialogue do not align with what he's narrating. Rather, his narration becomes more like a reflection how he feels about himself, which becomes more evident through each episode. I just love the way that the story brings us into this relationship and shows us depth of character through that unreliable lens. Really just a masterclass in character-driven story in just 8 episodes.Was this review helpful to you?
When “Sunny” takes on new meaning…??
I really enjoy this series. Japanese BL dramas hit different. On the surface they are often comical with the anime-like expressions and inner dialogues, but the depth of the characters in these dramas sucks you in before you know it. I love Yoh so much. He’ frustratingly adorable and clueless. Segasaki is the type of needy controller you wouldn’t mind dealing with…Especially those little smirks he gives.Sometimes directors/writers put in too many flashbacks, but the ones added here really did give context to their initially confusing relationship.
I love the supporting bestie, Kanami. She offered just the right amount of support to both Yoh and the story. my fave scene is when she discovers who Yoh’s boyfriend is and Yoh gets drunk- Yoh drunk is the best. He’s so baby-core, all sulky and refreshingly honest about his feelings.
The kissing/bed scenes were done well, too (the first and last episode live in my head rent free). I had the appropriate amount of stomach drops and butterfly swarms to reel me in. 🦋🦋 The main leads have great on-screen chemistry. 🫠I hope I get to see them paired in future works.
Even though I’ve rewatched this series so many times, the feelings remain. I wish they’d do a second series.
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