Aoshima-kun Is a Bully!

Nothing great but finally a coherent story in a Jdrama (for me)

My review will be biased because I've been so disappointed by Jdramas in the past that this seems gold, lol.
Finally, a coherent story that was also enjoyable. It is not the best story, and even the acting is not the best, but the ML really tried. And the story progression makes sense. For once I was not pulling my hair out while watching a Japanese drama.

I feel like the mother's drama was unnecessary and not needed a lot. It was pretty short to be fair, but in 9 episodes, even that seems long. Other than this one thing, I didn't really find anything to complain about per se.

For the FL to be experienced, her reactions to any sort of intimacy were quite hilarious. Nonetheless, a very easy and simple watch. :)

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How to make a noona romance work for 2 sweet and caring individuals

Subjective Gut Rating - 7.75

This is a simple Jdrama with a very common plot. If you like older women/younger men and fake relationships, then this is a decent watch. The plot is really nothing special but it’s comforting if you like certain tropes.

The leads have pretty good chemistry and the acting is decent. I would have liked to see Mizuki’s cold personality last a little longer before he falls so in love with Yukino. Afterall, the English title of this drama is “Aoshima-Kun is a Bully!” Well, he wasn’t really a bully and even if he was, it didn’t last long.

The drama focuses on two kind and considerate individuals at different stages of their lives. When they get together, their approaches to romance and relationships are quite different. There’s a lot of back-and-forth guessing each other’s feelings and getting stuck in their own thoughts, instead of communicating. I would not say there are many misunderstandings, and they do talk eventually and resolve conflicts quickly.

What I like about Yukino (FL) is that she is a regular, working woman. She dresses appropriately for work and also at home in her casual wear and PJs. I act just like her when I am lounging at home! LOL Her reservations of love given her past experiences, are totally understandable and age-appropriate. What’s not age-appropriate is the typical shy and somewhat coy behaviors for an experienced 35-year old who had multiple relationships in the past. She might take the initiative to reach out for a kiss or two, but for the most part, she appears inexperienced in PDA.

My biggest complaint is probably the side plot about the family member introduced in the last couple episodes. I don’t think that storyline is needed and it was not well-written.

This is a quick and OK watch. I enjoy the fake relationship trope (though it’s not really a big focus) and seeing how two sweet and caring people try to make the relationship work.


Completed: 9/21/2024 - Review #487

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When Self-Reliance Meets Shameless Flirting.

Proper noona romance. The age gap is decently big - enough to potentially cause problems, but not big enough to make the romance feel weird. What’s more? The characters actually acted their age and certain external conflicts were the results of their past experiences and the maturity levels.

One thing I for sure enjoyed a lot was the male lead who gets caught in his own trap. I adore how they handled him falling in love. Initially I kept questioning his motives - is he just using her for peace of mind at work? Was it love at first sight? Is he flirting just to have fun and from pure curiosity, or are his feelings deeper? I knew he was interested, but how much? And the performance? Perfection. I love when we can actually see the attraction in the characters’ eyes, even if the character himself is not aware of it yet.

Then we had the female lead, who was far more reserved - she was burned once, and preferred single stress free life. I like how she was not completely clueless about everything that is going on between her and Katsuragi Yukino - it was less about her denying he likes her, and more about her hesitation to allow herself to be in a relationship. I appreciated how in that aspect the dynamics between leads felt more mature and realistic.

We know Katsuragi Yukino has been in relationships, so if they tried to sell her as a character that is clueless about romance, it would not work. Rather than that they centered the story and the conflict on her self-reliance that she struggled to let go - being alone felt more comforting and comfortable and she was not sure she wanted to and was ready to change.

Sadly, I do not think Nakamura Anne did as much of a good job acting wise. She aced the majority of the scenes, but I feel she struggles with conveying fear - the moments where she should feel scared, whatever the reasons were, just did not land.

All that said, the chemistry between the leads was great. Mizuki shamelessly flirting and Yukino keeping her guard, but also going along with it to not blow their cover, while mentally probably wanting to strangle Mizuki was fun to witness. What’s more, from the start Yukino had the door to her heart closed, but not locked so while she was hesitant, she was not completely opposed to the idea of starting something with Mizuki. That created fun interactions that did not make me feel like Mizuki was pushing himself onto her without her consent.

Them kisses though… With how flirty and confident Mizuki was, and with Yukino who we knew had past experiences (so the “first kiss, don’t know what I am doing” excuse does not work) I do not understand these utterly disappointing kisses. Of course they could have been worse, they did not go fill “frozen surprised fish”, but in the context of the drama and the characters personalities, this just did not sit right with me.

As for the plot outside the romance: the drama added unnecessary spice concerning Mizuki’s family dynamics. At first it served as an outlet to verbalize Mizuki’s internal dialogue and doubts, allowing me to understand the character more. But then unexpectedly another element was added that existed purely to create mediocre chaos that led to nowhere.

For the production, one aspect I truly appreciated was the styling that was in fact age appropriate. Male lead dressed like a typical guy in his mid 20s, the female lead dressed like a typical officer worker in her mid 30s. What dramas sometimes try to do is make the age gap less apparent with the outfits by either dressing male leads into mature fits, or female leads into trendy outfits that were clearly targeted for someone 10 years younger.

Overall, it was fun and a light watch. It was not groundbreaking, it did not try to be more than it set out to be in episode 1 - entertaining rom-com.

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The tail wagged beautifully

I don't have a lot to say about this j-drama. Production value is decent. Acting is above average. The initial meet-cute is interesting enough to draw you in. The FL is the star of the show. Her acting is on point and anchors the series.

The A-plot is a noona romance set in a large company, so far so storyline du jour. There is the usual push-pull and confused feelings as our leads navigate a fake relationship that got real, fast. Their chemistry is good, and there is a decent amount of skinship.

However, the show lost some of the early momentum once they confirm their feelings and day-to-day work life reality starts to dim the initial glow. While their love is real, they mostly operate under misapprehension. It was a precarious situation.

For a period, the favourite reply of our FL is “what?”. No matter what the ML does, he seems to confuse and distress his dearest noona. It is further complicated by the intervention of his long-lost birth mother who is hellbent on reshaping his future under her control. While she is not evil in the classical sense, she certainly does more harm than good.

Thankfully, the last episode clears up all the misunderstandings and ties up the loose ends. While this type of 11th hour resolution is common, the writing in this case is heartfelt and effective. Rarely have I felt this satisfied after finishing a drama. Bravo!

On balance, I think this series exceeded my expectations. It is not perfect, and the late show drag is real, but some clever writing brought home the bacon. It is a solid production worthy of your consideration.

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Nice, even if not memorable :)

PLOT: FL, a 30-year-old, asks a young handsome colleague, 26-year-old , to be her fake boyfriend during a friend's wedding. It ends in a nice office romance. Lots of obstacles to this relationship: ML with father who divorced and remarried several times, age gap, authoritarian ML's mother return, FL full of doubts, ...

+++ Excellent actors and good direction
+++ Mature FL who embodies well the concerns and mindset of someone in their 30s.

### Some characters (ML's friend, work team, etc.) are very excessive.

=> Nice & cute noona romance
*******************************************************************
PLOT: La FL, une 30aire, demande à un jeune collègue, BG de 26 ans, d'être son fake boyfriend au mariage d'une amie. Cela finit en jolie romance de bureau. Bcp d'obstacles à cette relation : ML avec père qui a divorcé et s'est remarié plusieurs fois, age-gap, mère autoritaire du ML qui revient, FL pleine de doutes, ...

+++ Excellents acteurs et bonne réalis°
+++ FL mature qui reflète bien les préoccupations des 30aires.

### certains personnages (ML's friend, work team, etc.) très excessifs.

=> Sympa & cute noona romance

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A realistic take on age gap dating

Aoshima-kun Is a Bully is another manga-to-live adaptation of Aoshima-kun wa Ijiwaru, and honestly, it’s one of those dramas you don’t expect much from… and then it turns out to be really cute. It’s light, comforting, and surprisingly realistic when it comes to age-gap relationship challenges.

Plot*
The story follows Yukino, a woman about to turn 35, who has just been dumped by the boyfriend she was planning to marry. After that disappointment, she kind of gives up on marriage, on expectations, on doing what she’s “supposed” to do. She decides to enjoy being single, and her small daily pleasure becomes grabbing a drink after work at her favourite izakaya.
One night, she runs into Aoshima, a 26-year-old coworker. Even though they work at the same company, they’ve never really spoken because they’re complete opposites. Yukino is the dependable, mom-type employee who puts 100% into her job. Aoshima is the popular heartthrob everyone at work gushes over.
Their short interaction gets awkwardly interrupted when Yukino’s friend reminds her about an upcoming wedding and how excited everyone is to meet her boyfriend. Since Yukino was just dumped, she panics and impulsively asks Aoshima to pretend to be her boyfriend—for just one day.
That one lie quickly turns into a deal.
Aoshima wants to escape constant female attention, and Yukino wants to prove to others and maybe to herself that she can still be like anyother woman. Of course, what starts as a fake relationship slowly turns real as they begin catching feelings for each other.


Spoilers ahead*

The drama is genuinely cute, and the cast did a really good job. But what I enjoyed the most was how the age gap was handled. They don’t just mention it, they show it in everyday life.
Yukino has been single for most of her life, and by 35 she has built a solid routine. When she starts dating Aoshima for real, his constant visits to her home slowly exhaust her. She can’t sleep comfortably. She feels the need to dress up all the time. She loses that quiet space she used to recharge.
And honestly? That felt extremely real.
In your 20s, you’re flexible. You’re exploring, experimenting, and relationships flow without much thought. But in your 30s, you already have a life. You have a way you start your mornings and end your days. You’ve learned to enjoy being alone. There are parts of yourself you don’t want to show to anyone.
I really appreciated that the drama highlighted these aspects. They’re small, often overlooked details, but they matter. They show that an age gap isn’t just about numbers, it’s about rhythm, lifestyle, and emotional space.
Overall, Aoshima-kun Is a Bully is a soft, easy watch that still manages to feel relatable and honest. It doesn’t try to be deep, but it understands its characters, and sometimes that’s enough.

…Also, did anyone else notice the cameo from Usokon main lead ? That was such a fun little moment, considering Shota Watanabe( Aoshima-kun) also plays in that series.

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I liked it.

This was a very lovely drama about a romance between two co-workers who start as fake relationship for one day, only to become friends and slowly starting to fall in love. The biggest hurdle, in their relationship, I would say it's their age difference but the open communication and maturity from both of them, makes it easy to work things out any issues.

I like Yukino as a leading lady. I particularly like that she knows herself and it's aware of her shortcomings and strengths. She's also older and experienced, so while Yukino dreams of romance she has her feet on Earth and understands the realities of relationships and love.

Aoshima as a leading man is fun because of his confidence on his love for Yukino but he's also aware enough to have moments of doubt, not about her but about how to approach the relationships and I think that's quite relatable.

One of the small treats from Aoshima-kun wa Ijiwaru is finding out its the sister drama to The Reason We Fall In Love, as it takes place in the same world and even company,

Overall, this was a sweet and short drama to watch if you are looking for something calming.

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Maybe it's a cultural thing

I'll be honest here, I didn't get this drama. This could have been a drama from 20 years ago, given the struggles the protagonists go through.

First of all, I was excited about the age gap. It's something of a taboo even in western society, although we seem to be more accepting, it's generally the female who is younger.

That said, I was truly perplexed by the issues that moved the plot. I liked that they solved their issues through clear communication because it's realistic and to be honest a good thing to have in a relationship, but overall I thought the FL was much less mature than the ML. She bottled everything up.

Now, the issues. First the age gap. Ok, that is probably an issue overall and it was handled well. But then every other thing was all about how the guy had to adapt to her. I mean who thinks about marriage after dating for three months? How is it an issue in 2025, if you're living with someone but not married? And why does this seem to be a problem only for older women, as if marriage is the ultimate thing for females? This also was a thing with the FL best friend, who was promoted to Director, but was reluctant to accept because she wouldn't have time for tasks at home or for taking care of her daughter. Huh, girl it's the 21st century and you have a husband...

Also, why are granny panties even a problem? They're amazing, dude!

And finally... when is the guy a bully? I'd say he is a bit forward, but bully is a big, biiig stretch.

As for the acting, first I was a little turned off by the styling choices for the ML, his clothes here more fit for a 14 year old. The guy is 26, not in his teens.

People don't comment enough on acting in reviews and I understand that to an extent. The actors did their best. That said, the actress who portrayed the FL was overacting a bit and sometimes looked genuinely uncomfortable while she was supposed to be happy or relaxed basically when it involved skinship. Then again most J Dramas are overacted on purpose so who knows. Not knowing her work I can't say if she lacks in the acting department but I felt that in this role she was lacking a bit.

I guess this may be cultural, but the biggest problem I have with this drama is that the issues they had would be more relevant 20 years ago. Maybe they are still relevant in Japan, though, especially the gender roles and the emphasis on marriage as a life goal for women (not saying this isn't a problem still in Europe where I live, just not that big of a problem). I really don't know it's probably cultural divergence. As such the drama was a bit weird to watch.

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Soft and cute romance

Aoshima-kun Is a Bully is a charming and heartwarming office romance that sneaks up on you with its simplicity and sincerity (it did for me at least). At its core, it’s a sweet love story between two very different people — Yukino, the reserved office worker who has given up on love, and Aoshima, the seemingly aloof (slightly teasing) colleague who slowly reveals a softer side after their awkward first encounter. What made this series so enjoyable is how natural the relationship feels as it unfolds. It doesn’t rely on over-the-top drama like you sometimes see in series or grand gestures — instead, it leans into small moments, quiet growth, and the slow, beautiful process of two people truly getting to know one another better by opening up and sharing their thoughts and feelings. When Yukino and Aoshima finally start to understand each other on a deeper level, it feels incredibly genuine and well-earned. The dynamic between the leads is cute and lighthearted, with Aoshima’s playful teasing balanced by Yukino’s mature and as the series progress gradual confidence. Their personal growth is subtle but meaningful — you can really feel how being together helps them both become more comfortable and more open to connection. If you’re in the mood for a low-key but lovely romance that makes you smile without trying too hard, Aoshima-kun Is a Bully is a perfect pick. It’s a soft, feel-good series that reminds you how beautiful it can be when two people slowly but surely find their way to each other.

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Has potential but.... so so

What's funny about this drama is, i didn't really enjoy the storyline, but actually I'm quite related with what FL feels. Like, being single in 30s, have been enjoying living alone freely but somehow longing for soulmate, a bit, but then again being scared of losing this freedom. Lol. So which one do you want? I feel you sis. The difference between me and FL is, there's someone madly in love with her, while me, not a single guy, at least, not yet. Lol.

Let me start from the dislikes (bcoz i'm quite disappointed with the drama)
- considering the age gap & knowing each other recently, to me, the ML falls for FL too soon.
- ML is a perfect guy, but considering the fast burn feeling towards FL, it's just too good to be true. Not beliavable enough that he loves her that much.
- it's so unnecessary to make ML be jealous with 2ML. He's married after all. If the scriptwriter wants to make a plot of ML being jealous, they should've just made 2ML NOT married.

Likes:
- some of memorable quotes from ML: be more relax when you're with me, don't think by yourself, sometimes be spoiled isn't wrong, how can you think that the one i love is a burden?, for the first time i hate being 9 years younger <3
- the ending is simple but heartwarming

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