When It Rains, It Pours

The thaumaturgic power of rain and electronic messages

The tetrad made up of a man who lives a life without intimacy with his girlfriend, a man unilaterally in love with his childhood friend, the development of a romance through words and rain as a symbol of renewal and growth is totally for me new in the film and television world.
Such a simple premise is served in 'Futtara Doshaburi' ('When It Rains It Pours') by Japanese directors Takahashi Natsuki, Tomita Miki and the team behind 'Jack O' Frost', 'My Personal Weatherman' and 'Takara no Vidro', with enormous tranquility and serenity, taking its time, simmering a dramatic crescendo that does not squeak in a single moment, to tell a complicated story that explores the complexities of unrequited love, stagnant relationships, and adult sexuality.
Based on the novel of the same name by Michiho Michi and scripted by Hiraki Mari, the starting point is stated by Hagiwara Kazuaki in the first minutes of the pilot episode, when he tells his girlfriend Mizutani Kaori (Akita Shiori): "I sent an email restaurant list for the coworkers meeting. I was going to email it to myself, but I sent it to the wrong email address".
The plot immediately introduces us to the personal history of each protagonist: Hagiwara Kazuaki has a two-year relationship with his girlfriend, but they have grown apart. The magic disappeared long ago and commitment has replaced love. He wants to have sex with her, but she subtly rejects him without saying a single word. It looks like a marriage headed for divorce. First separate beds, then separate rooms.
If Hagiwara Kazuaki and his girlfriend's relationship died a long time ago, why haven't they done anything about it, when they are both painfully aware of it? Haven't they broken up for good because they both know they can't fix it anymore, but they also don't want to move on and break up? Do they choose to stay tied in a relationship that is no longer working for either of them because they are afraid of being alone afterwards and afraid of starting over with someone else? Are they waiting for a push to break up? These are questions that run through my head.
Sei, the person who mistakenly receives the email, shares a flat with his platonic love Fujisawa Kazuaki (Matsumoto Hiroki), who, despite knowing that his roommate is in love with him, ignores his intentions and has declared that he will always be there for him his side to take care of him, but despising a romantic relationship.
Is Fujisawa Kazuaki asexual and aromantic? Is he in love with Sei but not able to admit it, or does the deal he proposed somehow work for him while not satisfying Sei, who wants a real connection and needs to feel physically loved to be happy? Isn't his accepting such an agreement a sign of how much Fujisawa Kazuaki means to him and how much he should love himself more? These and other questions I ask myself as the images pass before my eyes.
Despite working in the same company, Hagiwara Kazuaki and Nakarai Sei are two strangers who regularly have a conversation at their workplace about work issues.
Since the mistake with the email, both continue to have a strange relationship in which they confide their concerns by email, without knowing the other's true identities. At first, the two meet secretly in that dangerous and romantic place, such as an electronic message, to get to know each other better, but without intentions of any kind.
The friendship between both protagonists is built little by little. They match at a work party where the two drink alcohol and chat pleasantly, and then share an umbrella in the rain. Finally, they visit a museum where they observe, ecstatic, a female statue, seeing it reminds them of their own lives, realizing that people can never escape sexual frustration.
And what begins as a simple message quickly becomes an open and liberating connection between two people who want love, sex and living a passion. A passion of two people wondering if it is okay to continue with one of them with their partner and the other tied to their platonic love, or to let themselves be carried away by what they feel for each other.
The first thing that strikes you when watching 'Futtara Doshaburi' is its complete lack of pretensions. The directors have a great asset in their leading couple, the immense Muto Jun, known for being a member of Genin wa Jibun ni Aru and for participating in the series 'Given', and Ito Asahi, popular among lovers of the genre for giving life to Kikuchi in 'Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko'), as Hagiwara Kazuaki and Sei, respectively, who as great actors, set aside all the possible divism, appearing on screen as what they really intend: two characters faced with the great doubt of their lives.
Over time, their relationship becomes a romantic love story that will take them away from their routine lives and end up forcing them to make the decision to stop seeing each other or break up, one with his girlfriend and the other with the boy he has been in love with for some time.
The simplicity - a term that fits the series perfectly - with which both performers bring their characters to life is perfectly combined with the staging of Takahashi Natsuki and Tomita Miki, who use many extremely subtle resources to tell a story outlined to showcase the two charismatic and popular actors, and also demonstrate on screen the enormous rapport they have.
The respective personal lives of the protagonists with the person they have tied to their side are shown, at first, with each of the couples within two different planes. However, after the first approach between the two, the directors show you again in their lives, and separate them from their partners, with a simple cut to the shot. Subtle and clear way to show the beginning of the breakdown of relationships.
Ito Asahi and Muto Jun achieve such a degree of chemistry and complicity in the series that it is impossible not to see the love that exists between them. Both create a couple of ordinary human beings in all the complexity of their character, without us viewers knowing, even in general terms, significant details of their pasts.
It is in the way they listen to each other, speak, laugh, move, look at each other, and surprise each other when they discover each other as the person with whom they have been having a relationship by email when they send each other a message while both are close, where we see the whole person and the conflicts they face, which are something as close as what to do when love appears in a life established in the comfortable routine, and how to deal with feelings once they have altered our existence.
Matching the lives of the two protagonists, the series talks about clouds (Kumo, 雲), which in Japan symbolize the impermanence and transience of life, reflecting the Buddhist concept that everything changes constantly, and rain does not change only as a symbol, but also for its ritual and acting character.
The creators have taken a very Japanese concept about the power of rain to capture it in the series: the two main characters need to renew their worn-out relationships, green their meaningless lives.
And rain, due to its incessant repetition, has a purifying effect that washes away human miseries.
'Futtara Doshaburi' is a perfect example of portraying a story about loving relationships in which social conventions—one of the great enemies of what we call love—are ruthlessly questioned.
The series talks about how great love is when it comes, at the least expected moment, into the lives of two people. The Japanese directors idealize the feeling, almost in a transcendental way, as the greatest thing that the two characters experience in their routine lives.
Knowing that these two will end up in a romance, I would only like to ask for true peace of mind when the two previous relationships end, without going into unnecessary moral or ethical pamphlets. If things ended differently than Hagiwara Kazuaki and Nakarai Sei initially planned, it is because they were both not just looking for sex, but also love, connection, validation and acceptance.
It is well known that love does not understand ages, marital statuses or social conventions and everything seems to indicate that 'Futtara Doshaburi' corroborates this for the umpteenth time.
An excellent romantic series in which the thaumaturgic power of rain and electronic messages contributes to two people with their respective responsibilities within a failed relationship, one, and the other without even starting, ending up madly in love with each other and facing the eternal dilemma of deciding whether to end their courtship or their platonic relationship, because third ways are usually deeply unsatisfactory.

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A Quiet Yearning Between Nakarai & Hagiwara

When It Rains, It Pours feels incredibly grounded. One of the main characters is in a relationship where his girlfriend still loves him, but—like many couples—the intimacy has faded. Their relationship has lost its spark; they’re basically just living under the same roof with a completely dead sex life.

Then there’s Nakarai—a guy who craves attention, affection, and intimacy. But his best friend can’t give him any of that because he doesn’t love Nakarai romantically; he only looks after him out of guilt.

Yes, the series involves cheating, but it’s hard to put the blame entirely on the main characters. Let’s be honest: sex and emotional intimacy are essential parts of a relationship.

I genuinely love this series because of its unique premise—I haven’t seen anything quite like it. It’s not a feel-good story, but it tackles the complexity of relationships so well. The characters are morally grey and imperfect, just like real people. Nakarai and Hagirawa’s relationship starts as a professional one before gradually deepening. It isn’t rushed; it’s built on friendship and trust. Their consensual intimacy makes sense because they’re on the same page and they both need that connection.

This is one of those shows where every character has depth. If you’re open-minded, you’ll understand what each of them is going through.

Cheating is wrong, but it happens in real life, and I don’t see any issue with it being portrayed in media—especially when it’s done thoughtfully and realistically. However, for me, if you feel your relationship drifting and you’re tempted to cheat, it’s better to end the relationship first.

Overall, this series is truly compelling. It kept me hooked from start to finish. Both leads and supporting actors did an amazing job—their performances feel natural and grounded. The cinematography, direction and OST are perfect, and the rainy-season concept adds a unique touch. It's truly a must-watch. 💖 🌧️

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not great but also not bad, watchable

so i will start with what i disliked then go back to what i liked

disliked:
-the chemistry, idk they do look awkward together
-im not a fan of the ending, i dont like when they get together at the last minute as i want to see their lives and issues as a couple and how they make up
-someone got away with r*pe so easily
-Fujisawa's reason for holding back and not loving the ml properly wasnt convincing to me

what i liked:
-the plot does look interesting and mostly realistic
- the characters look more human, i like watching gray characters even if its the mls, no one is perfect they dont have to be either white or black nor a hero or villain
-i was thinking that the actor Ito Asahi looked familiar to me so it turned out he acted in A Man Who Defies the World of BL, thats a pleasant surprise

*notes: if you are planning to watch , be aware that there is miscommunication, r*pe, cheating, this is a mature serie that mention/hint those topics

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Bonding through Sexual Frustration

What happens when two sexually frustrated men find each other accidentally and open up honestly to each other? Sizzling chemistry and sexual tension!

Cheating is never the answer to the problem 99.9% of the time and we all know that. “When It Rains, It Pours” does successfully paint a sympathetic picture on our main leads for me (and probably most viewers) to not hate them, but to root for them to be together.

The acting all around is great. I am quite attracted to Muto Jun, and I’ve never seen him in any other drama. His portrayal of Hagiwara Kazuaki shows sincerity and he’s just so darn handsome. Hagiwara Kazuaki is a warm and kind-hearted person. Aside from the fact that he cheated on his girlfriend, he’s a sweetheart and a great boyfriend. His warmness contrasts with Nakarai Sei’s more guarded personality. Although the real life initial meeting is a little weird and awkward, the accidental emails are sincere and honest. I’m so glad that once the masks behind the emails were taken off, it did not dampen their honesty and chemistry. In fact, their scenes together are sizzling with chemistry. When they finally opened up to each other emotionally and physically, it was beautiful and sensual. The tenderness that Hagiwara shows contrasts big time with the jealousy that the boyfriend shows Nakarai Sei.

The drama is not without faults though. Due to the short runtime, there’s not enough screen time dedicated to the other halves of the leads. The drama is not making me sympathetic to them not wanting to get intimate. I needed more background story so that I could maybe feel more conflicted. But with how the drama goes, rooting for breakups is a no brainer. I also wanted a little more of the leads together in the last episode. They spent way too much time apart and as a fan rooting for them, I feel a little cheated and dissatisfied.

Overall, I have a great time watching “When It Rains, It Pours”. It’s a short and easy binge, with excellent chemistry and acting. The drama doesn’t make me hate anyone but instead wanting to root for resolution, release and happiness for all parties.



Completed: 3/21/2025 - Review #558

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So beautiful yet so broken

This is one of those drama that so beautiful, that I think as a sucker romantic, could be one of my favorite. It have a lot of impact, deep meaningful conversation between the MLs.
Yet somehow, this drama so broken, that have a lot of TW: cheating, sexual assault.

I want to preface this by saying I do not condone the cheating part, but I can tell that this drama telling us that this is what happen when you don't appreciate your partner, you taking them for granted, you don't communicate to each other.

That last episode though, it really gives perfect ending to all the character, and also shining hagiwara's love to sei.

And the soundtrack... The ending soundtrack is what makes it perfect of ending every episode, and even in between scenes.

Last, I want to thank you to the writer, the director, and the actors, who make this drama awesome and makes me catch all the feeling from it.

If you are like me, that a sucker for romantic, please give this a try to watch, just remember the TWs!

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IT'S WORTH WATCHING

So .... this drama revolves around two men, both in relationships: Nakarai Sei with a man and Hagiwara Kazuaki with a woman. ........ and both work in the same company, but in different departments. Both have been in their relationships for a long time, one could say stable relationships, but there is no longer sexual intimacy in any relationship, and there goes the frustration.
At the beginning, Kazuaki's relationship was normal, his partner still seems to like sex with Kazuaki, but somehow along the way she started not wanting any physical touch, something that obviously frustrates Kazuaki to the maximum (in my opinion, I think it would frustrate anyone). He keeps trying, but she always refuses without saying clearly that she wants a relationship without sex.
On the other hand is Nakarai Sei's relationship with his partner, which from the beginning was established that there would be no sexual contact, which at that time Nakarai Sei agreed to because of the abuses and his situation - him being gay.
And somehow, by a funny coincidence of fate, the two (coworkers and sexually frustrated) start to communicate through e-mails, that's how they discover that the heterosexual does not have sex with his girlfriend, and him, the gay, does not have sex with his partner. After discovering who is on the other end of the e-mail, they accept each other and somehow starts a friendship and continues to talk by e-mail and phone. I liked this moment because it was something very normal, like ... ok ... this is us.
And on a rainy night ... Hagiwara Kazuaki, after being rejected again by his girlfriend, calls Nakarai Sei and they meet ... and went to a hotel where they had sex. Here ... although very normal and expected, but in reality how many heterosexuals would accept so easily to have sex with another man, even out of frustration. Somehow here it seemed to me that Hagiwara Kazuaki really wanted to have sex with Nakarai Sei ... and not out of frustration, but that he simply wanted this. Probably for this reason they stayed at the hotel for 2 days and had sex non-stop. And even if they discuss that nothing will change in their relationship, everything will remain as "one weekend stand" it seems that they develop feelings for each other, from here I wonder how heterosexual the heterosexual was and obviously their partners find out about the escapade. And we have 2 situations:
1. - Hagiwara Kazuaki ' s lover is very forgiving and somehow she tries to reconcile with him, maybe because she realizes that she is the one to blame in their relationship, being the one who refuses sexual intimacy, but obviously he breaks up with her, because he already had feelings for Nakarai Sei.
2. - Nakarai Sei's partner rapes him in a moment of anger and jealousy. And even if everyone was upset that he could do something like that... well rage is surprising ... but in reality something like this is very possible to happen. So Nakarai Sei's partner told him from the beginning that he doesn't want sex, that it's a barrier he can't cross, and Nakarai Sei was ok with this. Soooooo ..... Nakarai Sei's partner didn't have the right to feel lied to, cheated on, angry? (in reality I really think that this was a scene that could really happen between a couple in this situation - and even worse).

The ending was beautiful. Not too syrupy, they took their time, not too little, not too much, exactly as it should be.
Except that obviously we would have needed one more episode in which we could see them together in everyday life as a couple who love each other and have sex and accept each other.

So the beauty of this series, I think, consisted in the realistic description of this 2 different couples and their lives, how non-communication ruins the relationship, how compromises ruin the relationship and that in fact you have to accept what you are, as you are and what you want (from yourself, from the relationship), and that you actually have to communicate to have a successful relationship.

It was beautiful!

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When Staying Becomes the True Compromise

Futtara Doshaburi takes us on a rollercoaster ride through the messy grey areas of love, loyalty, and self-denial. At what point does a connection cross the line? The show doesn’t just ask the hard questions—it forces us to sit with the answers, all while balancing tension and raw emotion.

We have two individuals in very loveless situations—I wouldn’t even call what they have going on a relationship. To me, they’ve done no wrong. In fact, the only wrong they’ve done is betraying themselves and how they truly feel by not prioritizing their happiness and walking away from their current situations. But we all know that, for some, it’s not the easiest thing to do.

My favorite aspect of this series so far is how it portrays these complex emotions and encourages viewers to reflect on them. I know some might be quick to judge or invalidate their feelings because of their own beliefs and ideas of “infidelity,” but the show challenges us to look beyond that and consider the deeper struggles they face.

All I can hope for in the upcoming episodes is for them to become a tad bit braver and finally put themselves first.

I’d love to mention the amazing cinematography and pacing, but I’ll save that for after the series ends, because I’ll definitely be back to write another review.

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When Silence Hurts More Than Words

It was heavy from the beginning. You can feel the misunderstanding between both couples. I was feeling very weird watching it, like my heart and head were somewhere else, and it made me feel very sad. As the story goes on, the tension keeps building, and the lack of communication becomes more painful to watch. Every small moment feels loaded with emotion, like things could fall apart at any second. The characters don’t say what they really mean, and that silence hurts more than any argument. By the end, it really shows how misunderstandings and unspoken feelings can slowly ruin relationships. The film leaves you with a heavy feeling, almost like the rain never really stops, and it makes you reflect on how fragile love and connection can be.

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Not the usual JBL that I watch

Disclaimer

What I am writing here are my views and thoughts about this series. Some of you may not like it. That does not give you the right to try to come at me with your opinions on why this series should get a higher or lower score and why it is better/worse than I think it is. You have your own opinions, and I have mine. Kindly respect that.

I would first like to say that I usually don't like series/movies that deal with cheating unless the cheater gets their just desserts. That being said, I actually like this series. It's more than two men, who are both in relationships with other people, coming together and cheating. Both of their relationships are not offering something that they both desire/crave/want – intimacy with their loved ones. And yes, it may be a shock to some viewers, but I honestly believe that they do love their respective partners.

I mean, I personally believe that they should have broken up with their partners before this relationship developed as far as it did – but, as I mentioned before, they loved their significant others. In the span of seven episodes, we the viewers are able to see how much time they have expressed their desires to be intimate with them. I understand the reason for Kaori and her desires for no intimacy. I honestly didn't fully comprehend Fujisawa's own, though. But what I took from this was that these two couples knew that they had an intimacy problem. One partner wanted it, while the next one didn't. As such, someone from the two relationships should have called for a breakup, or at least Kario/Fujisawa should have explained to their boyfriends the reason behind why they don't want to have any intimacy with them.

That being said, I can understand why some people love this series and why some don't. I'm not here to try to change anyone's mind for them to either love or hate this series, as we all may understand this series differently. I'm just here to say that I liked it, and if anyone wants a JBL recommendation that's a bit different from what is usually portrayed, I will recommend this series to them.

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