A daring idea as a wholesome experience!
The Promise of the Soul - Ep.12 Final REVIEWNow with Episode 12 this very challenging topic was resolved. I know some disliked the premise, but as some who enjoys... how can I say - broad perspectives on life, I really enjoyed this series a lot.
For all those who followed it to the end and liked it like me, I wonder if you found the ending a Happy one? For I surely did. I was really afraid at Ep.11, the famous drama apex. I feared, shall we say morality would hold them back. First, it was well acted, beautiful set in scene and the difficult part of the one MC was well played by the actor. It does have a sad element, and I am usually one to quickly find such... dilemmas bad. But I felt it was finished wholesome and meaningful and I for one shall keep this in fond memory for a long time, as wholesome hope giving story. For in the end, as it was wrapped up, I feel it was a good ending for everyone.
For the courage to seek out different perspectives, without regret I give
10/10
Life is large. 🥰
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This review may contain spoilers
THE NEXT PRINCE - 14 Episode Final Review
THE NEXT PRINCE - 14 Episode Final ReviewSPOILER WARNING! --- SPOILER WARNING! ---- SPOILER WARNING!
Okay, this was a REALLY long run. Is that good or bad? I am somewhat uncertain, it depends on my current mood, the series itself, but I usually like balanced length, and this - similar like REVENGED LOVE before was really on the "too much" and I just gave it a very good rating because it was really excellent. Still it is as much as I would wish to see, tbh, given on average we have one hour per Episode and a lot of characters.
ACTING:
On the acting I think this was a very good show, beautiful, distinct characters, the good, the gray and the evil characters alike. Still I felt it was not on par with the superb acting of other series, some emotions remained very good but not top. Especially the two MC's who were supposed to carry the show, seemed a bit too much "characters" and too less "persons". Just a tad so ACTING 8/10
VISUALS:
Whee, this highly depends on your taste. It was in a fairy tale like Kingdom, some sort of modern with still a highly fantasy tough. Personally, I am not a fan of prince costume fests, but I found nothing objectively to criticize in this. There were many different places, tons of gorgeous costumes, almost perfect camera and lighting, so within the given aim of Fantasy Kingdom I find nothing lacking in terms of the lush visuals: 10/10
STORY:
Also a hard one for me to judge. See I REALLY passionately dislike Feudalism or Oligarchy in any age or form. With duties and serfs and absolutist feudal lords, even in the best sense, I just dislike that. Still, the story had many interesting plot-lines, unexpected twists, good character development arcs, thought as in other long shows, the non BL tended to overshadow the BL, which as ever you prefer may be good or bad. I usually LIKE that, for when a story is basically only about the BL, the characters tend to remain a bit two-dimensional, so for me that was a bonus, as we come to understand the MC love and the two also interesting side-couples. I had wished in the end we would have seen the two side-couples with a hint into their futures though. If I push aside with much effort my Feudalism dislike, the story itself is a good 9/10.
OVERALL:
It was a story and show worthy to watch, even though the MC, especially the older "knight", I didn't really get the vibe why to root for him as a lover so much to be honest. I understand his position in a feudal society made him act stern, but I did subtract a bit from his potential charm. On the other side the Prince made it up all the way, as a charming, lovable character. Again, I had wished to see more hints of the future of the Kingdom and side couples, but I guess that is standard in BLs. I don't think it left that much of an impression to me that I will "forever remember", but in itself it invested MUCH into displaying an entire realm with MANY places and setups, and I grow tired of BLs having basically only 3-4 places, which boosts this one a lot in my book. Weighing all the aspects, and trying not to give my preferences missed (Feudalism) too much space, I am willing to give it a solid
9/10
Recommended
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Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice but to Kiss!
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This review may contain spoilers
Mr. Unlucky has no choice but to Kiss! - Vintage BL review
Fukuhara Kota (Sota Ryosuke) is a living danger zone of constant catastrophes happening to him and often enough involving those around him. As he meets Mr Lucky Naoya Shinomiya (Yusuke Sato) an interesting story evolves around them."Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice but to Kiss!" is a nice Japanese BL series, which I enjoyed to watch, especially I remember the Manga, which I liked. Given, it is a short series and more a snippet of a story. What was there was enjoyable and the actors, especially Kota's two personalities, how he deals with his permanent real bad luck.
While it is nothing big to write home about, and alas, we get no real BL scenes, I could... "assume" they were in love, and they say it, at least. Still the lack of intimacy if there had been no dialogues just watching might have just the same been good friendship, which in BL I am getting a bit tired of. As such between having fun and lack, I am not clear of a rating. But since unlike others I use the full spectrum of 1-10, despite enjoying it, and recommending it for a lazy day or to steam off after deeply emotionally pushed by some uber emotional BL to relax, I shall give it a
6/10
considering it has barely real BL, but the story and acting is alright and fun enough in itself. Whether you like it or not will however highly depend on what you expect in this more than in other shows. (Note: It has the typical retro Japanese Anime over-acting, which you may like or hate.)
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More a very good teaser that a real story.
Eight episodes of each 10 minutes, so we get some real short series here. Sometimes I felt it was more long trailers of an actual series, like skipping so much content, which is "between the lines" of what we do not see. Or think of it is an 80 minutes long good music video.I am not sure why this story with potential was so short and skipped so many possible moments. What was there is good, even thought the BL element was until the end more "in the imagination"; not in a bad way, but still kinda unmanifested. The highlight of the series was aptly to the theme and title the really beautiful music, which truly stood out.
Still, it was a good appetizer for a full show that this wasn't. But what it was were 80 good minutes to spend.
As such
7.5 of 10
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A nihilistic nightmare that will drain your happiness out of your soul!
tldr: STAY WAYGods above! I rarely so much wanted my time back I wasted here. It is by far the worst BL I have seen so far (which isn't so long but still). Actually it has BL slapped on but it is just a drama with gay characters and love in it.
Where to begin... okay the acting is good. That's is the good. Like all of it. What the studio tried to pull off was a Greek Tragedy or a Shakespearen Drama like Lear or Hamlet. And sorry, nameless studio, whose name I shall not look for to waste MORE time, YOU ARE NOT HOMER OR SHAKESPEARE!
What I saw was a nihilistic, depressive dark meta-message about life. As if I needed more! There was nothing dark in the sense of rape or violence. But the dark that ruins your feels.
The MC starts with his boyfriend breaking off, and a Cupid Reaper appears, giving the MC 7 people in the coming 7 nights before Valentine can "make vanish" whom he thinks will bring his BF back. And BOY this MC is an unbearable character! What starts as nuisance quickly descents into chaos and nihilistic horror. There is NOTHING interesting or even remotely entertaining in seeing this unfolding. So I broke up at the recent Episode 10, and I should slap myself for being too dumb to see there is nothing rewarding coming. I am really ANGRY about having watched this, since the idea could have been used for a fascinating plot. This series will literally suck joy out of your soul. Avoid it at any cost. As such
1/10
Stay away!
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A must have seen series - a new gold standard for BL Series!
REVENGED LOVE – ReviewA must have seen series - a new gold standard for BL Series!
A first long go, now showered out in fast pace, we came to an end of something which set nothing less than a new Gold Standard for BL Series. Given my rating system, I must admit, this series crashed rating system of mine. What a run! What is there to say that can give justice to this? To paraphrase the words of Aragorn from Lord of the Rings: A day may come where we see a better BL Series, but it is not this day – and it will hardly be one I can foresee.
First, the daring to go through such a long and complex story of no less that 24 episodes each around 40 minutes is much time to fill, and it wasn't a single minute I felt was uninteresting or anything but breathtaking. It is probably what Lord of the Rings is for Fantasy for Boys Love. In a year blessed with many new great series and a generally huge step up for the BL genre, I have no doubt this will long be remembered as THE series that demonstrated how well BL stories in more than „mere love“ can be. The many ups and downs of each of the character, the development of both characters and story were all nothing short of breathtaking. A cast entirely perfectly chosen, and I am sure few can doubt that Zi Yu, the actor of Wu Suo Wei demonstrated a range of acting worth any great movie or series production you can imagine, and despite all MCs being very good, he shines over the entire series giving it his imprint and in many ways making it his story. So we can only wish that this series brings to him and all MC actors a well deserved career in the future.
The music scores, the camera use, the many sets and places – all are of equal high quality, convincing and superb. From the side streets where Wu Suo Wei sold his sweets over his mother's family house and garden, the 181s clinic serving as a story hub to the many houses, clubs and landscapes; nothing of this was other than perfect, as was the pacing and change from drama to happiness, back and forth to a nice and well deserved happy ending for everyone who deserved so. I tried to think of the best moments, but the show had so many, I can't pinpoint any. Each meeting, each conversation, each glance and look so subtle to emotional strong scenes of crying and joy, all were in so many variations, it satiated every desire and style.
The one sad thought is as commonly known, that mainland China while bringing forth such great actors and so perfectly a series, does not recognize it, but we from outside China can hope and wish that „Revenged Love“ will contribute to a change both in the making of BL and maybe in a bit more acceptance of gay people someday, someway. For, as once I read, politics is downstream of culture, and were it not bards of old, the storytellers from times immemorial whose stories shaped minds? Plato once said, those who tell the stories rule the world. And as such I hope it changes hearts and attracts people to watch it, who maybe usually not find BL interesting. At least that is what I wish and this series is a great ambassador for both BL series, for the art of great storytelling and acting, and what Chinese culture can bring forth, if they put their effort into it. Revenged Love will be a game changer, a measure to which all who aspire for great BL series – or even series at large – have to measure themselves with. And while surely the small stories, the short wholesome others have equal place in the BL universe, this was like reading one of a great drama of epochal measure, put into the frame of a Asian-Chinese modern BL story. It is one of these series which after the end leaves the watcher with a longing, and empty place and a great memory. If I could I would change the rating scale just to highlight this series with all aspects. While we don't know what the future holds for actors and crew, I wish their careers find justice in their future as it left us with a great memory of what I regard as nothing but perfect BL story which goes way beyond the boundaries of BL itself. As such my rating is a glowing “must have seen”
10/10
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