Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko!

slow, sweet, silly, sapphic.... superb!

Opened this one on a whim scrolling the Gaga homepage, and had such a lovely time. Tonally a workplace romcom, Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko encompasses an impressive breadth of lesbian community for such a short and simple series. Ayaka's seduction of her older, competent, and charming boss is so much fun to watch, while Hiroko's bittersweet experiences as a working, lesbian woman in a different generation provide an emotional foundation for the conflict. The acting is bright and lively, but never fails to deliver on softer story beats. It's really a gem of a show that I very much enjoyed.

-The Full Review-
STORY:
This story is a little bit cliche--a young, optimistic, and open lesbian pursues an older woman who has guarded her heart as a result of homophobia and sexism faced in the workplace. Despite this, I think the story delivers very well on it's premise. Ayaka and Hiroko change each other and inspire each other to live courageously and freely. I particularly like how much it is emphasized that it is Hiroko's own work to create an inviting and encouraging workplace for her employees that allows the culture to move beyond traditional values.
One of the strongest elements of this story is the inclusion of a wider lesbian community. Akira's lesbian bar and the friendships and safety it offers provides an outlet for Ayaka's aggressive pursuit and Hiroko's reluctance to be open. I loved getting to see Hiroko in a different light with her brash and goofy friends. Likewise, I loved Ayaka and her friend's shared experience with discovering your sexuality and finding a confidence in your identity.
While some people will disagree with a coming out/stop being so cautious narrative, I think it was presented quite neutrally. Characters who choose to remain closeted (for any length of time) are given grace and understanding, and the resulting issues from conflicting desires is treated with proper weight. I understand being tired of this narrative, but I don't think it is done poorly at all. And I really enjoy these character's journeys.

ACTING:
I loved this cast. The choice to pursue an expressive and exaggerated acting style worked very well for these lively characters and their colorful world. As the series progressed and settled, the leads were allowed several long scenes of a more natural, emotional nature that raised the stakes of the story in a very satisfying way.
Kato Shiho's bright and bubbly personality pulled me into Ayaka's quest right away, and always kept her balanced on the correct side of pursuit over pushy. She was very good at pulling off the charming, innocent, and mischievous that made it so easy to understand why Hiroko liked her.
Mori Kanna's elastic expressions were likewise infectious. While they could potentially come off as "too much," I found her style contributed to the humor of the piece perfectly--especially when Ayaka leaves the room and her blank, boss expression morphs into pure lesbian panic and despair. I loved getting to see her flashbacks to a younger and more vulnerable time in her life as well.
For standout ensembles, I have to go with Naka Bambi and Seto Kazuya because, oh my god. I am but one little lesbian. But truly, everyone here worked well together and had such a joyful chemistry between them. I have a great fondness for every character in this show.

PRODUCTION:
I loved the color! I tend to think of JQL as having rather bleak, brutalist color grading but Ayaka's world is full of personality and color. I particularly loved the way different office spaces were used to capture Hiroko's reluctance--always drawing away in tradition, cold meeting rooms and finding common ground in the open-plan teamwork-centric main room (particularly when her scenes with Chinatsu were the opposite).
Of course, Ayaka's wardrobe is an absolute masterpiece and so, so cute! The progression from the clothing she is wearing for attention to clothing that sits more comfortably in her personal style is likewise very important to the story. I thought her finale outfit was particularly good at bridging the gap between her extremes.

INTIMACY:
There's always a production when they don't kiss until the end, but I really liked the body language happening between these characters. The use of space and casual touch was really curated throughout the story. When Ayaka moves in, you really feel how close and overwhelming her presence is, and her way of melting into Hiroko is very sweet. On Hiroko's side, the tension in her body tells stories and it's so wonderful to see in progress. I loved their chemistry.

In all, I really, really enjoyed this piece. Without discounting the weariness/wariness of some of the comments on this show, I think it has done a lot of work to go beyond the basic and deliver a more thoughtful and rounded story. To do that without losing the humor and joy of a romcom is quite special. I hope to rewatch this again soon.

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JGL with JBL energy but with great pace

So for those of you who love a silly, funny type JBL this is for you.

You've got the energy / ridiculousness of Japanese BLs with the overthinking and misunderstanding but, so far, it's not dragging. The pace is really good and you're seeing the characters reveal more of themselves with each episode (no pun intended)

This is definitely great if you like silly Japanese shows where everyone gasps incredulously and acts over the top.

so far I'm hooked and it's refreshing to see a GL done so well

There is a dip in eps 6 and 7 so for some it may be worth bingeing through . The finale saves it

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That was entertaining!

That was my first japanese GL and I have to say, it was fun. While they had lots of comedy elements, they also tried to be mature and serious.

I loved the dynamics and chemistry of all the actresses/actors with the only minus point for me: the lackluster kissing... Either do it or don't but pressing lips together (dead fish-kiss) is a big no-no for me regardless of gender :) The second cringe moment was in the finale with the FLs kissing in the office. I guess they could have done that much better.

But overall an entertaining show with some laughs, production quality was very good too, costumes especially for Ayaka always interesting. So, if you never have tried a GL, this one is good starting point!

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an unapologetically lesbian show

ayaka is in love with hiroko is an unaplogetically lesbian show and i am unapologetically obsessed with it. there are a few things one should not before diving into this show: it will be frustrating, dramatic but also wholesome and funny. keep moderate expectations but also allow yourself to immerse in the hilarious chase between ayaka and hiroko. besides the wacky romance this show is also very cathartic for its inclusion of lesbian culture and it's a breath of fresh air in the genre where coming to terms with sexuality tends to be a central theme of the story rather than something the show begins with (ayahiro has both actually!) all in all it was an amazing show from start to finish but it could have benefitted for a few more episodes. i have heard a second season might be guaranteed if the sales of the bluray succeed so we will see ~

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chaotic cuteness

Just a light, short, and fluffy watch. I really like both of the female leads and hope to see more of their work in the future. I also can't wait for the second season of this to see how their characters develop and how the relationship grows. This series was very cute. Idk what else to say, so this will be a short review.

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● REVIEW
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[ --LIKES-- ]

✔ Fun, silly vibes with lots of cuteness.

✔ I really like Ayaka. She takes initiative. She's brave, she's adamant, she's hardworking, and she also very understanding.

✔ I also like Hiroko when she's not burying her true feelings. She's also hardworking, kind, chill, and takes care of the people around her.

✔ Risu is also very likable even though she also like Ayaka. Though her love was unrequited, she continued to support her friend.

✔ A light-hearted series that also slightly touches upon some societal concerns.

✔ Supportive colleagues.


[ --DISLIKES-- ]

✖ One thing I don't like is when characters inflict suffering upon themselves and indirectly makes a certain choice for another character under the misguided notion that they are doing what's best for the other person. Let people make their own choices. While I can understand the reasoning and the logic, I find often times, it just makes both parties sad. Then it makes me sad and frustrated.


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● IN-DEPTH REVIEW
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[ --STORY/PLOT-- ]

I don't actually don't have much to say about the actual plot other than it's a very fun and chaotic office romance. I love the dynamic of our two leading ladies. We have Ayaka who is just trying to be noticed by her senpai Hiroko. She is pulling out as many tricks as she can in her art of seduction. Meanwhile, we have Hiroko, who is doing her best to resist all these advances, believing it's just all in her head as she believes Ayaka likes Yuya. It's just a funny situation.

[ --ACTING/CAST-- ]

Sometimes the Japanese brand of humor can be a hit or miss for me. There are times when it can to be too over the top and exaggerated and feel cringe. I think it has to do with how how the actor/actress deliver it and the expressions. I'm not entirely sure, but with this series, it never felt cringe. I very much enjoyed the chaotic vibe and humor. I think both the female leads acted well and I enjoyed the supporting cast as well.

[ --MUSIC/OST-- ]

Both the opening ('パレット(Palette)' from はしメロ(Hashimero)) and ending ('Vital' from Young Kee) theme songs are cute. Playlisted both.

[ --REWATCH VALUE-- ]

It was cute, funny, and a fun watch. It's also short. I think the chances of me rewatching this again at some point is pretty good. I can't really think of any reason why I wouldn't watch it again. It's just a matter of having time and being in the mood.

[ --FINAL THOUGHTS-- ]

So far, at the time of writing this, this GL is probably my favorite that I've seen. But be wary as I actually haven't seen that many yet, and I'm still kind of in the shallow end of the pool. With the few ones I've seen so far, the story tends to be more tone down, gentle, sophisticated, or mature as they are more romance drama rather than romance comedy, so it's not really fair to compare. However, I will say, this has appealed to me better than just the pure romances I've seen before this. I've also seen one or two GL romcoms but they were Thai and I don't think the comedy element of those hit it off with me as much. The characters have a fun dynamic and I liked the chemistry. Idk how this will hold up as I explore more in the genre, but as of right now, this one is at the top of my list.

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● NOTE
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I'll always conclude my review by saying that ratings and reviews is not really a indicator of whether you may enjoy something. We all have different criteria and standards. Don't let a bad rating, review, or comment discourage you from watching something. My advice will always be to give something a chance if the premise interests you, and only use the ratings/reviews to determine priority if you have a list, or if you're deciding if you want to continue it due to time limitations.

♥ Thanks for reading my review! Feel free to comment or hit me up if you want to discuss anything ♥

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Colourful!

Let me be shallow for a moment: Hiroko would absolutely be my type of woman, if I had a type. Competent, always friendly, a boiling mass of emotion behind a nice smile, and that hair? Mmh, yes.

Now on the the actual review:
From the first minute, this drama surprised me with its colourful design: From the worklpace and Ayaka's home to her clothes, the light outside and inside -- I think I've never seen a Japanese television series with such clear and crisp colours.
This colour scheme does fit the upbeat and light-hearted story -- only tempered by the past experience of discrimination of LGBTQ+ people and the subsequent emotional state of one of the characters.

This is one of the best points, story-wise: Discrimination of lesbian women (and also the inherent misogyny, heteronormativity and sexism that go with it) are not glossed over but are part of the story itself; and the positive outlook we get at the end does not detract from that.

On the other hand, Ayaka's character feels unfinished. Why was she the way she was before her transformation? Is her "new" self closer to who she really was all along or did she completely change her persona? How does she manage to go from uncommunicative and reserved to an outgoing and socially adept colleague? Something's missing here, which is why I had to subtract a point.

Mori Kanna's (Hiroko) acting is suberb; her comedic timing and her facial expressions are excellent. Especially the first part of the series (which is more hilarious than the serious latter part) lives because of her inner and outer reactions to Ayaka's flirting.

Overall, I think this is a series I could recommend for a first-time GL viewer.

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Laughs, feels, and chaos with Ayaka and Hiroko’s campy love story.

It was giving two extremely oblivious women who are crazy in love and it's extremely over the top (one of its charms and appeal of course). If you're looking for something fun and cheesy, Ayaka is In Love with Hiroko is definitely the watch for you. Yes, it's camp as hell.

As usual, the highly expressive acting style it has isn't for me, but it's what gave life to the show so it wasn't a downer, more like it made it more of an unserious watch for me and made it more of a watch for its enjoyability more than figuring out its quality as a series because it's way too short to be considered a great series to be quite honest. Acting also felt unnatural and stiff during the emotional scenes, but it's tolerable.

I mean what else can I say besides I was laughing, giggling, and kicking my feet during the entire thing. This is definitely one of those shows wherein you don't need to think at all and just enjoy the ride and shenanigans.

The story is quite cute, exploring themes such as inner feelings, self restraint, self expression, and going out of your shell, all these made the entire thing an easy watch. It also managed to get you in your feels whenever necessary which is something I always appreciate in shows.

As someone who deals with problems similarly to how Hiroko deals with hers, I felt seen and represented. Ayaka's dialogues and how she managed to open Hiroko's mind and eyes to the stuff she needs to work on with herself was such an important aspect of this story that's underrated.

Overall, it's an extremely adorable, enjoyable, enlightening show that's worth the watch for the laughs, feels, and realizations.

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Comedy gold

I just loved how this made me laugh. This gave me 2000s vibes, but that’s just my opinion. Overall, some might think it was a bit over the top, but I enjoyed it very much.
I like Ayaka-chans persistence and positive energy. I also enjoyed the portrayal of Hiroko(senpai). I’m glad she was acting rational and didn’t assume that Ayaka is hitting on her. Because in reality, it could be really dangerous to think your colleague/friend is flirting with you then you make a move on them, only to realize they were just being friendly. It could lead to falling apart..
Lastly, I wish Risa had more screen time because she was so nice and unproblematic.

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Feel-good overload of cuteness

This show is the quickest way to cavities and diabetes. It's sweetness overload. It's cute, it's quirky, it's bubbly. It's anything you could ask for in a feel-good show, which this drama certainly was for me.

Both main characters are likeable and, despite their overexaggerated affect, don't feel disingenuous. It's pretty easy to cheer for Ayaka's efforts to win Hiroko-sempai's heart and to feel for Hiroko's internal struggle. It's also really entertaining to witness all of it. I have to command Hiroko, though. If I were in her position, I'd give in halfway through the story, if not sooner.

The show successfully avoids forced angst, artificial drama and unnecessary distractions. It's compact format makes it easy to binge, while completely immersing yourself in this lovely story.

What I appreciated was the absence of some plot devices that I noticed appear often in WLW dramas (maybe that's just my luck and not a genre trope, I don't know), such as toxicity and borderline bullying/aggression between protagonists or cheating on spouses/boyfriends.

Here, everything remains sweet and pure, and that's exactly how I enjoyed it!

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An Endearing Sapphic Romance Indeed

“Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko!” (Ayaka-chan wa Hiroko-senpai ni Koishiteru) is an office romance between Ayaka (Kato Shiho) and her superior Hiroko (Mori Kanna). It starts off with Ayaka’s attempts to woo Hiroko and to get her to notice Ayaka’s feelings. Her initial attempts end up in comic failures because Hiroko presumes Ayaka is straight and her gestures don’t have any meaning behind them. As the show proceeds, we find that Hiroko’s supposed obliviousness is actually a defence mechanism of wilful ignorance that she puts up to shield herself.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/09/24/ayaka-is-in-love-with-hiroko-series-review-ep-3-to-8/

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