Kateikyoshi no Kishi Knight desu. (2026)

SPOILER: THIS IS NOT A BL

Let me say this first so we can get it out of the way - this is not a BL, Its not even an LGBTQ story.

The show is based on a very short manga which is also not a BL - i wondered if we really need 10 episodes to flush out the story it wants to tell. Its a slice of life of a directionless Toru and how he was inspired by his private tutor Kishi to do better at school.

I would have been perfectly ok with the show if they DIDNT LABEL it as a BL. This is the reason why this one is so hard to rate - on one side its an effective funny comedy show but on the other hand it clickbaited and exploited BL fans because of the history of the 2 leads - put the sides together and we have an enjoyable show that simply doesnt quench the thirst of BL fans.

All their teasers, promotions and episode cliffhangers always point out to an episode when the 2 leads will finally be together or do something couples do only to find the next episode that its all in one of the character's imagination.

Yes, i probably wouldnt have watched it if it wasnt labeled as a BL.

Im specially sad for the show because it featured very good performances from Tanaka Koki as Toru and from Sawamura Rei as Kishi - both characters are so far from the characters they played in their previous series, and the comedic execution is very reminiscent of a funny anime. Both leads looked really good in the series and both showed they have some range and depth and i will not be surprised (and would love) to see them in more shows in the future.

Will i recommend? NO. Will i rewatch. NO. Forgetable series with forgetable plot BUT because of the very good actors im giving it a 7.

Read More

Kateikyoshi no Kishi: Knight desu — Selling a BL Without the BL

I went into Kateikyoshi no Kishi: Knight desu expecting an adaptation that would at least capture the energy of the manga. Not necessarily a perfect copy — adaptations always change things — but something that understands the spirit of the original story. Unfortunately, what we got feels more like a show that wanted to market itself as BL without actually committing to the BL part.

The biggest issue starts with the casting. Sawamura Rei as Kishi Naito and Tanaka Koki as Takasugi Toru simply don’t resemble the characters they are supposed to portray. In the manga, these two have a very specific presence. They are intimidating, rough around the edges, almost delinquent-like in attitude and appearance. That contrast is part of what creates the tension and the attraction between them. Here, that whole dynamic disappears. Instead of looking like two guys you would avoid in a dark alley, they look more like two very different high school stereotypes: one feels like the comic relief of the class, the other like the guy who might get bullied rather than feared. The physicality, the attitude, the dangerous edge the manga characters had — none of it really translates on screen.

Because of that, the relationship also never feels convincing. The director clearly tries to hint at attraction through visual cues — pink lighting, framing, slow moments that are supposed to suggest tension — but it never actually lands. It feels like the production is saying “this is BL” without building the emotional or physical chemistry that would make it believable. The result is strange: scenes that are clearly designed to look romantic, yet feel completely empty.

At times, the two leads honestly come across like cosplayers trying to imitate the manga versions of their characters rather than actors embodying them. Everything feels exaggerated, slightly over the top, but not in a way that becomes entertaining. More like they are playing roles that don’t really fit them. And the lack of genuine chemistry makes the whole BL angle feel even more artificial. It reminded me of the same issue that appeared in Mr. Sahara & Toki-kun, where the show technically presents a BL setup but the actors never seem comfortable inhabiting that kind of relationship. When the emotional truth isn’t there, no amount of visual hints can compensate.

The story itself isn’t terrible. It follows the basic structure of the manga and the concept still works at a surface level, which is why I can’t rate it lower. But without believable characters and without a real emotional connection between the leads, the narrative loses the thing that should have made it interesting in the first place.

Final thought

This adaptation feels like a BL that is afraid of its own identity. The story exists, the references to the manga exist, and the hints of attraction exist — but the heart of the relationship never really appears. And when the central relationship is missing, everything else ends up feeling like an imitation rather than a story.

Read More