Kimi to Nara Koi wo Shite Mite mo

Seaside, friendship, and that inimitable summer feeling

This show is something truly special and by the time I heard the opening theme for the first time I was already head over heels in love with it. It takes a simple premise - two kids meeting and forming a friendship which then develops into romance - and elevates it to a new level.
Not only are the characters incredibly endearing, they are also given a level of complexity and depth which is rare for a romance centered around high school age characters.
For instance, Amane, who has put the idea of romance behind him after a brutal rejection, is not jaded, closed-off, and celibate. Instead he is portrayed as being happily sexually active and secure in his sexuality even if he does eschew romantic relationships.

Furthermore, the progression of Amane and Ryuji's relationship is phenomenal. We get to see Amane slowly opening up and become less defensive especially where his sexuality is concerned. He slowly stops hiding behind barbed quips and preemptive self-deprecation and starts to regain some of his faith in the people around him.
Meanwhile we get to watch Ryuji deliberately opening himself up to the possibility of romance with Amane while still staying true to himself and his own feelings, which he does by being unfailingly honest both with Amane and with himself.

Add to that a beautifully scenic seaside town and an incredible soundtrack and you get one of the most charming and genuine shows I've ever seen. It is truly a rare gem that deserves to be seen and appreciated by straight and queer folk alike.
I simply cannot recommend this story highly enough, I implore any- and everyone to watch it, watch it right now.

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ah I cried at almost every ep

ah I cried at almost every ep (not cuz of sad things but cuz it was so relatable, it's a good kind of cry ) The amount of kindness was so touching. I grew so found of them. Also honestly who wouldn't fall for Ruji-kun he is diligent, kind and understandings. I loved both mains first cuz I could relate with Amane so much but also Ruji's kindness melted my heart. I got attached to them in just 5 Ep I honestly wish this was like 30ep long and that we could follow more along their journey.

The story is very well done, it's rlly refreshing and heartwarming I was rlly touched. They made the story so intresting without using any clichés or toxic shit. I liked how honest they were and that they communicated clearly. The scenery was beautiful. Def will rewatch this in the futire when I feel down or need some comfort.

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For the second time, Enoshima, a small pilgrimage and tourist island visited annually by several million visitors and which is part of the Japanese city of Fujisawa with a population of half a million, is part of Greater Tokyo, the largest agglomeration in the world. For the first time in this beautiful place, the story of His: Koisuru Tsumori Nante Nakatta (2019) series unfolds, which is so great that it even slightly surpasses for me this nice, simple and honest series and two pure souls, which I deliberately chose for its shorter footage and I wanted to take a breather. That confession of love, of attraction, was "Japanese" to the core, so austere and slyly sweet that it put a smile on my face. And since I rated His: Koisiru ... 9.5, I also rate this darling serosh highly, 8.8


Už podruhé Enoshima, malý poutní a turistický ostrov, jež navštíví ročně několik milionů návštěvníků a který je součástí půlmilionového japonského města Fudžisawa, a to je součástí Velkého Tokia, největší aglomerace světa. Poprvé na tomto krásném místě se rozvíjí příběh seriálu His: Koisuru Tsumori Nante Nakatta (2019), který je skvělý tak, že ještě malinko u mě přebije tento pěkný, jednoduchý a upřímný seriál a dvou čistých duších, který jsem si schválně vybral pro jeho kratší stopáž a chtěl jsem si oddechnout. To vyznání lásky, přitažlivosti, bylo "japonské" až na půdu, tak stroze a toporně milé, až mi vykouzlilo úsměv na tváři. A protože His: Koisiru ... jsem hodnotil 9.5, tak tento miloučký seroš hodnotím také vysoko, 8.8

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A beautiful short series about teenagers high school love; left me wanting more

The whole thing was very soothing to the eye, this be what reviewers say "realistic" cause it talks about the struggle of a gay teen in a society that is not open-minded then meeting a person who is open-minded cause not everyone is the same even if there's a majority, someone out there will understand. So refreshing to see a bl made in japan that is not about being in-doubt when in a same-gender attraction or relationship and wanting to become "normal", this series finally went out of their way to put this out and get the stereotypes away.

Whole cast & film was *chef's kiss* beautiful! it was not hard for the eyes to take, don't have scenarios that makes me wanna keep pausing to take a moment to either get my anger out or stay away from the second-hand embarrassment. lol the only thing that was bad is that it only consists of 5 episodes, I really wish for a continuation cause there's a lot of things that they haven't figured out yet!!

What I like about the series:
1. True Love(?) - they say a lot that love at first sight is real but in here it definitely shows the cliche of it, showing Amane first seeing Ryuji as his type and someone to sleep with. No one can fall in love that fast, it's really quite the lustful thought that puts the interest first when it comes to "love at first sight". Progressively, him spending a lot of time together with Ryuji actually made his like turn to love, it was understandable cause I would also fall in love from the way Ryuji treats Amane, he was seriously just someone who understands and you can trust would be there for you till the end from the way he always reassures Amane to stop putting-on a fake smile that only hurts himself and not judging him cause he's gay. The same goes for the way Amane treats Ryuji, he lifted the pressure and pushes him to become a better person of himself when he made sure to not worry anymore about his dad and helping him with studying. They complimented each other well.
2. Nothing forced - The chemistry was very good but not that much, it's very understandable since they did give me friends vibes but not till the end, I think it was on purpose since Ryuji didn't see Amane the way Amane does at first until the end. Even without that much intimate scenes, their chemistry carried the show. No awkward interactions or second-hand embarrassment.
3. Relatable - Amane's struggles as a gay teenager is soo relatable! it's very hard to trust anyone cause of judgement so we put on something to hide it which amane does by joking about it all the time

What I don't like about the series:
1. Purpose - Some things that are there were there but like for what purpose? Amane's side guy who he sleeps with didn't become anything till the end other than being Amane's fulfillment when it comes to being lonely for being gay. Amane's grandmother is just his caretaker nothing else, shouldve shown what she and ryuji talked about while amane was sick and ryuji's family, which ik the purpose was because amane's family is broken it welcomed him to another home but like hello?? it's ryuji's first time bringing someone over and talking about them a lot but they had like 0 idea about the possibility that he might be liking amane but i guess if it's a girl then they would've. I wished these characters had like a role or play when it comes to their love life if there's a second season.
2. Ending - it really do just ended with their first day being together.. I wanted to see more like the shyness and first time going out and things to do as a a couple and maybe.. their way to become a stronger couple by getting through their judgemental society and to see if their family would accept their relationship.
3. Sexuality - One thing that didn't sit right with me is that Ryuji only accepted the confession cause he thinks it's okay if it's Amane, it's giving "I don't have interest in anyone but you" which is cringy lol. It's another reason why I want another season cause Ryuji hasn't fully looked to Amane as someone he would sleep with- not that it's important but yk it kinda is, it's like he hasn't fully "loved" him yet as much as Amane loves him. Also seems like he hasn't figured out his sexuality since he had no interest maybe on any guy or it's just amane at first then progressively liked him, there's no background about it which makes me question if he's willing to sacrifice everything for him.

I really love this series and really wishing for a continuation cause that was sooo short!!!!!

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Warm and earnest, short summer BL

A story between an earnest Enoshima local and a bubbly transfer student. This BL is rather short but it achieves everything it needed to. The pacing is good and all of the screen time is focused on the couple. The setting is enoshima, which felt personally enjoyable to me since I have been there and I was able to combine this BL with my own memories.

I am giving this a high rating simply for the enjoyability of it. While there are minimal skinship scenes and the kissing scene is a bit lacking, it is commendable how well the actors and team were able to convey deep and relatable characters and the forming of the bond between the two in the short 5 episodes. I recommend this BL. It is short and sweet and I dont have any gripes about it to lower the rating, other than comparing it with all the other amazing Japanese BLs out there. Enjoy!

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I Would Have Happily Taken Five More Episodes

If It's With You is one of those series that somehow makes five episodes feel both completely satisfying and nowhere near enough.

The setting alone had me immediately. Enoshima, the sea, the little restaurant, the summer light — there is something genuinely warm and unhurried about this series that makes it easy to sink into. And the characters carry that same quality. Ryuuji is a green flag in the truest sense — grounded, patient, someone who clearly had to grow up early after losing his father, taking on responsibility for his siblings and his mother without making a performance of it.

And then there is Amane.

What I appreciated most about him is that he is nothing like the typical naive, innocent Japanese BL protagonist. The first scene we see him in already tells us everything — he knows what he wants, he's been hurt before, and he has decided that serious love isn't worth the risk. His playfulness feels less like a personality trait and more like a carefully constructed shield. Which makes watching it slowly come down around Ryuuji all the more satisfying.

The series takes its time with them in the best way — small moments, shared routines, the quiet accumulation of closeness. It doesn't need dramatic declarations to make their feelings feel real.

My only genuine complaint is that it ends precisely where I wanted it to begin. The moment they finally become a couple, the credits roll. I would have loved to see what happens when summer ends — do they go back to school openly, or carefully? What does their actual relationship look like once the initial rush settles? And given that Amane already has experiences Ryuuji doesn't, how does that shape what they each expect from being together? Those questions felt like the most interesting part of their story, and the series leaves them entirely unanswered.

A few more episodes of quiet, organic closeness — not dramatic conflict, just them figuring each other out — would have made this something I'd return to again and again without hesitation.

As it stands, it's still very lovely. I just wanted more of it.

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Japanese BL are very different from other BLs.
I'm glad I watched it. It's a very sweet story. I stared watching this hoping the same. A very light and calming ending.
If you are looking for a refreshing series go for it.
Actors have done a good job. I personally feel that they have done justice to role. A high school romance.
The only drawback is that the series ends very suddenly. It leaves you wanting for more or may be this is the intension of the writer or production team.
But I wish that they would have written it for at least 8 episodes.

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Simple, sweet, and lighthearted

A simple story about a boy who had a crush on another and fell in love as they got closer and became friends. There's a little backstory about Amane as to why he acts like that. I understand Ryuji's struggle to express himself and how he feels.

I like how Ryuji handled Amane's confession. He takes the confession seriously and gives it a lot of careful consideration. He never ran away and always took Amane seriously and listened to him. They have good communication and no misunderstandings throughout the series. Their love story is so simple yet lovable.

The actors did a great job portraying their characters. I'll definitely be rewatching this.

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