K-Drama 
This review may contain spoilers
So cute and fluffy
Jan. 6, 2025THIS IS SO CUTE AND FLUFFY. I love this Japanese BL, it is so simple yet it is so charming. There is something about the cast, the execution of the scenes that really carried out how to special this show to me.
The chemistry between the leads are off the charts, and it has attained such cuteness and fluff that I am not irked by it! Rather I am more hooked on as I move on the next episodes. It feels like I have found such show that has been kind of not as common recently.
This is one of those shows that I will definitely rewatch over and over again. I feel like I am such a child being amused with such joy. I am so happy to start of the year with this BL. I will definitely be putting this as those S-tier drama.
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I Loved It
This was the most classic, pitch perfect, high school BL we’ve gotten since I Cannot Reach You. About a sophomore boy separated from his geeky friends adopted by a quad of popular boys one of whom has a mad crush on him. Some how exactly that simple but also so much deeper and more special. This was charming and sweet and pining and everything I want in a BL including first love spilling over into awkwardness, glorious friendship groups, and bonus elder gay rep.Was this review helpful to you?
an overwhelmingly positive review (i love school dramas)
Hideyoshi Kan you have my heart. key tags: school life, fluffy, light-heartedStory 10/10: So cliché, so classic, so wonderful. Watching this genuinely I was kicking my feet like a little girl. This makes you feel like you're back in high school with a boy you have a crush on. Very reminiscent of boys over flowers or to all the boys i've loved before, follows the adorable Hioki and his sudden invitation with the four coolest, cutest, most popular boys in class and the coolest of them all, Watarai, has a sudden inexplicable interest in him. The pacing is great, the humor is there, the energy is high. The chemistry between Hioki and Watarai builds gradually, and I think the confession was timed well. The story feels cozy and full of youth mixed with a bit of drama to make it an incredibly easy, enjoyable watch.
Acting/Cast/Chemistry 10/10: I absolutely love this cast. Truly it is stacked with new comers on the BL scene that are all SO cute and great actors. Obviously our hard hitters Fujimoto Kodai (Hioki) and Kan Hideyoshi (Watarai) carry the show and do a wonderful job. I appreciate that they didn't make Hioki a total loser lol, sometimes with shows like this they make the main character a total nerd that has literally no friends and it feels a bit cringe. But Hioki just seems like a normal teenage boy, honestly, all of them do. Watarai doesn't feel overly mature and he stands out without him having to try too hard. You naturally gravitate towards him as a leader. The side cast are all great as well.
Music 10/10: Love the intro and the outro, and the background music is never off-putting or distracting.
Rewatch Value 10/10: Have already watched this multiple times, and season 2 coming out gave me an excuse to watch it again!
Overall Rating 10/10: I truly believe this show deserves the highest praise because there's literally nothing I would change! It's fantastic. 100% worth the watch and I would recommend it to anyone.
**Spice Meter 4/10: There's really not much to worry about here except the kiss I would classify as passionate and we DO see Watarai wearing very little clothing, but nothing that I would consider over PG-13.
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This review may contain spoilers
"What's so good about Hioki?" "Everything"
Is it cliche? Yes! Is it addicting anyways? Also yes. It's straight up butterflies and fluff, once you start there's no going back.- MC: Hioki Asahi
- ML: Watarai Tsukasa
- Friends: Morisaki, Hotta, Nakasato
What it does well:
- Cute scenes, not overdoing it but still never boring
- Friendships like the friend group was actually the sweetest. I think it was a cool move to make them look super scary to the MC at first bc they're popular but then reveal their soft sides. They're not scary at all.
- Theme of wanting to be seen as your own person. The ML deffo struggled with that (very cliche move) but you don't see this in BL much. It's the kind of drama you could give to younger audiences (especially queer teens who need this to feel less isolated) bc it does give fairytale vibes. DEFINITELY SKIP THE EXTRA EPISODES THO IF THE AUDIENCES ARE VERY YOUNG. Otherwise it's great for normalising queer in the world.
Js some critique
- I didn't like that line about "I'd like you whether you're a guy or a girl" it's not exactly wrong but felt... off-putting. Might need to avoid that next time
- Those girls were WAY too nosy, like I get it your eye candy (Watarai) found someone and it's not someone you'd think be a match, but like YOU'RE STILL IRRELEVANT TO THEIR LIVES. I guess the attention they were getting was... uhh cute-ish? Still could be better if they made it more subtle.
Overall, it's kind of reminds me of When I Fly Towards You (different plots, same warmth). I will gladly watch again!
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Hioki and Watarai, joining the list of most notable J-BL characters
I love everything about this show! This is super duper cute, and the whole ten episodes consistently feel so great. Even before airing, based on the promotion and teasers, I knew that this would be another J-BL masterpiece. They didn’t disappoint. I’ve already fallen in love since the beginning. The chemistry is top-notch!Taking inspiration from a popular “F4 concept,” focusing on BL without the touch of any form of bullying. It leads to my whole watching experience to be calm and touching. Watarai’s romantic scenes were so smooth, and I love a green flag man. Hioki, on the other hand, is the epitome of cuteness. Everything he does spells C.U.T.E. My baby is surrounded by love, and I am so proud of him.
One of the most beautiful plots from this drama is how Hioki found his people from his new class. He started being an introvert with no classmates as friends to hang out with, but thanks to the school trip, he met the four heavenly kings, who then became his squad afterwards. I remembered how exciting the scene of Hioki and Watarai sharing a bed in the hotel was.
Hioki’s inner dialogue is always so entertaining. His small panics when Watarai are directing to show him his love were so funny. The confession scene at the beach was also one of my favourites. Isn’t it just so romantic to open up your feelings with the soothing breeze of sea air?
Then, Watarai hugging Hioki behind the gymnasium curtains was also a highlight. They have so many scenes that are unforgettable and have created an impact on the viewers. And that kiss at the finale? Oh well, they served pretty well. Love it so much!
The overall feelings are so positive, and it is obvious that I enjoyed the series so much. There’s not too much drama involved here, just two young men who are slowly falling in love with one another. A school series done right, and they made it even more special for BL-fans.
Hioki and Watarai, you’ll always be special characters in my heart. I love you both!
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Loved the Anticipation of their Relationship
This was probably one of my favorite JBL's this year. I haven't seen them all, so I'm sure there are more. I always love an underdog story, where the unexpected happens that enriches a shy unassuming character. Feels like a JBL Boys Over Flowers type story. The popular handsome 4 take him in but little does Hioki know someone has been watching him for some time. The growth of the friendship with Watarai is beautiful to watch. As time goes by they both grow in their confidence. You won't be disappointed with the ending. Feel good seriesWas this review helpful to you?
um clichê que funciona muito bem
Um romance clichê bem executado nunca é demais, ainda mais quando falamos sobre relações lgbt. Esse bl japonês, mesmo que tenha um enredo simples, consegue uma boa pontuação em todos os seus aspectos. A atuação é muito boa, os atores cumprem suas funções e mantém o estilo japonês de forma que não fica cansativo nem vergonhoso de se assistir, a fotografia é bonita e alterna muito bem nas cenas que são necessários os tons frios ou quentes e a história é um básico que funciona muito bem, um romance adolescente entre dois colegas que se gostam genuinamente e optam por se conhecerem melhor. Obra muito boa, pretendo rever!Was this review helpful to you?
Tbh, every introvert watching this series had at least 1 moment of thinking: Oh no. That's me.
How do you review School Trip: Joined a Group I'm Not Close To when your main memories are secondhand embarrassment, unexpected friendships, and Asahi looking like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole for approximately half the series?This show really looked at every introvert's worst nightmare and said, "What if we made it gay?"
Asahi Hioki arrived at the school trip fully prepared to spend the entire time quietly existing in the background.
The universe looked at those plans and laughed.
Suddenly he finds himself grouped with the school's social elite.
The popular kids.
The influencers.
The "how do you have this much confidence at seventeen?" crowd.
Otherwise known as:
The Four Heavenly Kings.
And among them?
Watarai.
Charming.
Popular.
Dangerously good at making Asahi nervous.
The kind of person who walks into a room and somehow convinces everyone else to relax immediately.
Unfortunately for Asahi, this included him.
Watching Asahi slowly go from "please don't perceive me" to actually enjoying himself became one of the most satisfying parts of the series.
Because beneath all the awkwardness, this wasn't just a romance.
It was a story about belonging.
About realizing that maybe people like you more than you think they do.
About discovering that stepping outside your comfort zone doesn't always end in disaster.
Sometimes it ends in friendship.
Sometimes it ends in love.
And sometimes it ends with you accidentally getting adopted by an extrovert.
A tale as old as time.
The chemistry between Asahi and Watarai felt incredibly natural.
The teasing.
The awkward silences.
The tiny moments of courage.
The way Watarai seemed to understand Asahi long before Asahi understood himself.
It all felt wonderfully human.
And can we talk about the people behind the camera?
The production team understood exactly what this story needed: sincerity.
The school trip setting wasn't just a backdrop.
It became a character in itself.
The bus rides.
The shared hotel rooms.
The sightseeing stops.
The late-night conversations that only happen when you're away from home with people who suddenly feel a little less like strangers than they did that morning.
The cinematography leaned into warmth and nostalgia, making the entire series feel like a memory you haven't made yet but somehow miss already.
And the soundtrack?
The audio equivalent of your favorite high school memory.
School Trip: Joined a Group I'm Not Close To wasn't trying to reinvent the coming-of-age genre.
It didn't need to.
This wasn't mafia politics.
This wasn't corporate conspiracies.
This wasn't emotional warfare.
This was social anxiety × popular boy with excellent adoption instincts.
This was awkward smiles, shared experiences, and discovering that maybe you're not as alone as you thought you were.
10/10.
Would absolutely join the wrong group, panic for three business days, become emotionally attached to everyone involved, and watch Asahi get adopted by extroverts all over again.
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A feel-good series with cozy vibes, new friendships, and a touch of romance.You can find more of my reviews on Instagram. :D See my homepage about my Instagram account. Some of my reviews are under five hundred words so I can't post them here. (*^▽^)/★*☆♪(*^-゜)vThanks!
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THE CUTEST AND FLUFFIEST BL OF 2025
I was waiting for this to finish so I can binge watch this and ugh 😩♥️ The most heartwarming fluffiest BL ever 😭 Hioki is my absolute pookie and Watarai I can wholeheartedly understand why you fell for him 😭 He's a bunny in human form and I stand by it. I ABSOLUTELY ADORED THIS. The funniest part was "The Four Heavenly Kings" never having spoken to one another? 😂 And Hioki's internal monologue killed me. And this relationship was such a healthy one like y'all even adults hardly ever have such healthy relationships with communication and all. Honestly Hioki and Watarai are goals 🥺♥️ I was giggling and kicking my feet in the air the majority of the time while watching this cause it was so sweet. I want more 😭Was this review helpful to you?
This is like Style by hearts2hearts
Well, its a super refresh series, I watch with a big smile, I was worried that would be another dated story but it's not, it's good, the act was really awesome, the soundtrack was fun, they should ask SM permision to put style by hearts2hearts because damm, this series is good and worth your time watching.Was this review helpful to you?
Heartfelt friendship and heartwarming love
I started this series with no expectations and ended up loving it without restriction. From the actors to the story to the music - I loved everything.What I adore about this series is that there was so much love for the details - like the opening scene where you only know what it refers to: the scene where Watarai's and Hioki's eyes meet for the first time without knowing anything about each other, but it is the start for the whole relationship.
And how much love were put into the supporting characters! From Watarai's friends to Hioki's friends and even to Morisakis brother Ryoto. All so lovable where one wants a story for each of them. Simply great cast and acting from all of them!
And yes, the storyline is all about clichés (school trip, amusment park, going to the beach, autumn festival ect.) , but very well done!
All in all, a fantastic, heartwarming, fluffy series that I want to watch over and over again!
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