Depth of Field

very heartwarming and relaxing bl

tbh I think not much people would like this cuz the Japanese culture in dramas and all is usually slow, calming, and yk that sleepy dreamy cozy vibes, also they're so popular with that typa beach

Story: 8.5
I liked the story cuz like hayakawa is like too innocent (apart from sex heh) like he felt guilty because of someone misunderstanding his motive that's yamashita thinking hayakawa was pitying him and then hayakawa decided to not play music or get related to it just to feel what Yama had always felt, I found that like a little sad but yk hayakawa looked so adorable like a sad heart patootie I wanted to hug him so bad but konno already did that for me heh, also I know the ending was a bit rushed but I still liked it, also the little details when konno wipes hayakawa's tears was so cuteeee, then the cuddling scene after they did ehm ehm hit the spot, I have a soft spot for cuddling and haya looked so cute and smol in konno's arms I LOVED THAT SCENE PLEASE MAKE MORE BLS WITH SOFT CUDDLING

Acting: 9
acting was really good, haya totally ate that crying scene, it literally remind me of 'cries cutely' IT WAS LITERALLY THE DEFINITION OF THAT

Casting: 9.5
visuals 💋
I love how cute soft features haya got
konno looked a bit old heh but in some scenes he looked pretty and handsome

Music: 8.5
I'm not a big fan of music in all bls like you'd find me skipping it but this one... this took my heart..

Rewatch value: 8.0
why did this have the smallest number? cuz most bls nowadays would be like so chaotic and all so this would've been forgotten, but after all that chaos, and you need a calming watch, this and sugar dog hit the spot

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wow. just wow.

honestly, I watched this JBL mainly because I have been following Usa Takuma's work for a while, especially since his appearance in "At 25:00, in Akasaka" and the "Kiss x Kiss x Kiss" series; his acting is genuinely so captivating to me.

"captivating" is also the word I would use to describe this drama - cinematography-wise its visually stunning, whoever was in charge of picking the place to shoot should have their salary/payment doubled immediately. then there's the acting, which was top notch from both leads, and also from the extras themselves. genuinely speaking, the visuals and acting alone is enough for me to want to rewatch it again

the story itself is fine, though i might have to dock some points mainly because the entire series is way too short for the story; 6 20ish-minute episodes is genuinely not enough content for this story specifically... the ending felt rushed as a result :(

nevertheless, you (the reader) should still give it a watch!

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refreshing story with good start but underwhelming ending

i started watching this on a whim, hearing it was one of the better jbls of 2025
scroll to bottom for summary
i'll try to go deep into some things i noticed about this drama
things i liked
-interesting backstory with hayakawa and his love for music
to me it wasn't tropey and it felt original
i feel like it could have been fleshed out a little more to add more like depth to the way hayakawa acts in the beginning
like maybe they could have added more scenes with him and yama chan (forgot his full name) to make his actions later on make more sense like showing their relationship more so that the betrayal in the end hits harder
at times i could see an effort to create a complex character using his backstory but it somewhat fell flat as well for hard hitting scenes where the directors wanted us to feel something but it's not hitting the way i felt like it could have
but either way hayakawa as a character was quite interesting and was well rounded compared to some other jbls where the mc is just one dimensional
-in the beginning the music was well done, especially with the crescendos of the piano in the bgm during tense moments
or in the first episode where we see how hayakawa seems basically depressed
however one thing i noticed is near the end the choice of music somewhat felt a little out of place compared to the choices the directors had made earlier in the show
like (spoiler) at the end of the last episode we see them lying in bed together after konno stayed the night and for some reason the poppy happy music they had been playing during their kiss scenes was still playing during that calm scene
for me it just kinda threw me off and felt odd since i'm used to bed scenes like that having softer music especially in jbls
-the shots were well done, nothing felt off in terms of the cinematography which in fact i enjoyed a lot
many pretty shots with hayakawa in yellow lighting (that actor is so fine btw)
-the tension (not sexual more like just their dynamic) between hirukawa and konno was well written like hayakawa feeling happy around konno but still having that frustration with him

things i didn't like as much
-that scene with the girl in ep 1
see at first i was like chill with it cuz okay the directors wanna show that he's like unfeeling and depressed and lets himself please others
however, (spoiler) they included a scene where hayakawa imagined konno instead of the girl with him and to me i thought that scene would somewhat set up a tension later on. they did attempt it with him kissing konno later on and him constantly having dreams about him, but it felt kinda underwhelming. it was more romantic tension than sexual tension to me
more like he was realizing his feelings but the writers decided that they should start that realization with that scene, which felt out of place by the end to me because nothing between them was inherently sexual at any time
except one scene which connects to this scene with the girl
-the scene where hayakawa bursts out at konno and kisses him (TW and spoiler)
i won't say much about the actual scene but to me hayakawa asking konno that and pushing himself onto him felt so odd to me
like one second he was mad and upset at him and just frustrated and then the next second he's pushing himself onto him
like i can somewhat understand the kiss, hayakawa wanted to see konno not composed as he always was
but the question afterward really felt confusing to me
i wasn't sure if the writers wanted us to understand that hayakawa was escaping his truth again and resorting to distractions like he's seen doing earlier with a girl, or if he just wants to shake konno up more because he was frustrated and annoyed at him
either way i hope it's the latter reason because if it was the former reason , the writers could have developed that point about hayakawa a lot more
-the last two episodes (lots of spoilers here)
honestly during these two episodes i was just kinda confused with the mcs
it all felt a little fast and not as developed at the first 4 episodes
i feel like they needed to add at least 2 more episodes to flesh out that misunderstanding that hayakawa had and konno's realization
-also the new york thing, i heard that wasn't even in the novel and genuinely i wish it wasn't in the drama
-i'm sorry but the kiss/confession scene in the last episode made me cringe
like one second konno is confessing that yeah i kissed you cuz i wanted to and then the next second, like a flash of realization and suddenly hayakawa is like joking around and asking to kiss him
i felt like considering all that hayakawa went through, they should have slowed down that realization a little more and also not have made that weird dialogue where it sounds like he's asking a teacher or smth, lwk ruined the tone of that moment
it would have made more sense in a cute scene between them but this was a vital scene
also the part after he kisses him and hugs him and then says i want kisses from the last 3 years
i'm sorry i could not handle that i legit paused the drama and i was just cringing
like it could have been cute but idk it felt so odd and also a little cringe
reading that dialogue doesn't sound weird but the way the dialogue was made to be said sounded so off compared to the emotional scene he just had
that might have just been me thought but that part of the drama, if i rewatch it i'd prob skip it


in conclusion
watch this show if you want a refreshing interesting story, but don't expect much from the last two episodes
good cinematography, cool premise, amazing music, and cute chemistry too
no dumb one dimensional mcs hereeee
this bl will stay in your head for some time

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Strong essence in tiny bottle

Just like with When it rains it pours Japan gifts us again a strong, intense essence in a teeny tiny bottle. We’re already used to it, we’re used to their gorgeous cinematography (that terrace view is nothing short of breathtaking) , to excellent acting and music and to the complex feelings and emotions. They always manage to create meaningful stories with depth in just a handful of episodes and even if we always end up complaining about the number of episodes and the rushed and somehow abrupt endings we wouldn’t change a damn thing abt it. This one didn’t reach the When it rains it pours greatness but it’s just as heartwarming and intense and it shows again why I’m so in love with Japanese BLs and why they’re always my preferred choice .

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Good love story, but with little depth to it

Hayakawa and Konno's love story has its unique charm, though it felt a bit surface-level at times.

Hayakawa struggles with self-esteem, which leads him to make some challenging choices throughout his school experience. On the other hand, Konno is the quiet yet supportive classmate who consistently stands by him. I wished for a deeper development in their relationship, if I’m honest.


While they shared some meaningful moments, I found myself yearning for those heartfelt conversations where they could explore their feelings and issues more openly. When Hayakawa finally admits his feelings for Konno, I thought, "This is it!" But then, he jokingly retracts that moment, which left me a bit puzzled. It felt like a lost opportunity for real connection. The story progressed quickly after that, with their reunion, confrontations, and realisations compressed into a whirlwind of emotions.


I understand it’s only six episodes long and requires a brisk pace, but the slow burn approach in the earlier episodes felt a bit conflicted when layered over such a rapid conclusion.


Despite these critiques, I wouldn’t completely rule out a re-watch, as the series has its merits. It’s a quick and enjoyable watch that might pass the time pleasantly. Overall, while it may not have fully met my expectations, I still think it can resonate with others looking for a light and engaging story.

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A drama with a strong start and a weaker end

I didn’t really know what to expect when I started this drama, but I ended up liking it way more than I thought I would. The first three episodes, in particular, were absolutely phenomenal. They delivered angst in the best way possible.

We have Hayakawa, a deeply traumatized mc who’s just drifting through life, unable to truly feel happiness. Then comes Konno, who's calm, sweet, and understanding. The way their relationship developed was so beautifully done. Watching Hayakawa work through his trauma and grief, slowly beginning to heal with Konno’s support, and seeing him process his feelings; it was chef’s kiss. I was completely immersed in their story and could genuinely empathize with both of them.

Then came the last three episodes… and that’s where things went downhill for me. I really didn’t like the time jump. It felt unnatural and rushed, like the first and second halves belonged to two completely different dramas. The emotional depth and pacing that made the first half so strong just weren’t there anymore. We never really got to see how Konno fell for Hayakawa or what actually happened with his whole New York storyline.

Honestly, I wish they’d continued with the high school timeline, letting the second half focus on Konno processing Hayakawa’s confession and exploring his own feelings. If they had done that, this would’ve easily been a 10/10 drama for me.

That said, it still had plenty of strengths: beautiful cinematography, wonderful acting, a great background score, and a sensitive portrayal of grief and trauma. Overall, I’d give it an 8/10. It's just a pity because this drama had soo much potential😭 I'm kinda mad tbh because I love the first half so much. The second half isn't bad per se, but when compared to the first half, it's just quite frustrating. Still, I highly recommend giving this a watch because I believe the quality of this drama is quite good.

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Slow at first but worth it

Great premise with very slow start, it picks up through the first couple of episodes, and the end is beautifully tied up.

Probably I'm the only one who loved how short and kinda rushed the story is, because everything is very slow, and the more you watch, the more you want to see how will this end.

Story is great and I really loved Konno, he is straightforward, true to self and very very kind and lovely, probably one of my favourite characters ever in a BL, the perfect man. And as much as ( or as little as) we know about him, I couldn't find one thing to hate about him also his disappointed/ concerned side eye when hayakawa lies or show his fake smile is just amazing, I loved his minute facial expressions when hayakawa kissed him. Let's just say Hirano Koshu gained a new fan here ~~

Sadly I can't say the same thing for Hayakawa, he was mediocre, slightly irritating and self conscious but nonetheless, still likable.

It's a very soft, light love story with slightly vague end but a happy one ~

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Another Japanese BL giving all the feels!

The one thing I love about Japanese Bls is the ability to hit you right in the heart (in a good way).
Depth of field is no different, in that it follows all the typical norms of a Japanese BL. Yes it's slow paced, and a little rushed at the end but every episode continues to hit you n the feels. I love watching this kind of BL after watching Thai Bls that are completely different. I'm glad I got to see Usa Takuma again and in a full length series this time. I loved him in Hitochigai kara Hajimaru Koi mo Aru and its so great to see him in another BL. I hope he continues to do them because he always portrays his characters so damn well.

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Because the depth of field is pretty shallow ...

"Because the depth of field is pretty shallow. So this kind of blur actually becomes a unique feature."

Alright, who is the depth of field here—Konno or Hayakawa? My first impression is that it's Hayakawa, as he seems to have lost his focus, while Konno appears to know exactly what he wants next. This kind of dynamic is typical in Japanese BL: one character is well-rounded and grounded, while the other is more uncertain or emotionally shaken. It creates an organic chemistry that feels fresh to watch.

Konno is extremely good-looking—the kind of dreamy boyfriend everyone wants. Hayakawa, on the other hand, is a fresh take on the BL archetype. He has a lot going on internally and approaches his reality with awareness and agency. He’s not a boring character by any means. He definitely won’t just take a hit—he’ll strike back, as we see at the end of episode two when he tests Konno’s limits by confronting him directly. His intention is clear: if Konno can’t handle it, then so be it—Hayakawa is ready to move on and sail in whatever direction he needs to.

This twist is something I hope younger viewers take note of—having the clarity and courage to assert your position in a relationship, especially when it counts, is powerful and necessary. You reveal your emotions and get real, the only way to find out a real relationship sometimes.

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It's a Real Depth of Feeling

I always love a coming of age Film -- it's nostalgic & the innocent awakening to your true self is always the best
When a BL is done correctly as this on most certainly has been, your drawn into the story & there does not need to be graphic sexual scenes. This story is acted so well that the feeling of both actors and the angst of the lead loving his friend. I love that it came full circle & when they reunited as adults you are hooked into their love story & if feels great to see they both realize that it was love all along. This is definitely a feel good movie, it doesn't shy away from allowing the teenagers to be teenagers with all the flaws showing. I think that the Japanese Actors I like are the very best at body & face acting, no words or ev en actions it is all displayed in their body movements, eyes and facial expression. Love it recommend it for a light watching time

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