Ximmich

The person who made this comment is so cool. Oh God, this comment really made me laugh.

Thank you for sharing this.
I did some research about the manga too, and is always nice to see someone actually reveal more about what happens in the manga.
The manga is tagged as shounen ai in mangaupdates, however the manga Sankaku Mado no Sotogawa wa Yoru is also tagged as shounen ai and i personally didn`t consider it to be shounen ai, not by the way it ended at least. I still enjoyed the manga too.
This is an ongoing manga with 6 volumes released until now,so we will see if the mangaka will make those two end up together or not, or if it will give them an open to interpretation ending. From what i saw the mangaka don`t usually write shounen ai mangas, but neither did Mizushiro Setona, and she writed Kyuuso wa Cheese no Yume o Miru and it`s sequel, so we will see.
Anyway, the drama will more likely be bromance, especially as the manga is still ongoing and there is nothing certain about how those two will end up, so i think they will go with letting things be open to interpretation.

OH. You`re right. Cold case is one of the best crime/mystery series Japan has done, so i really have high hopes for this now.
Initially i planned to only watch for the story, and the fact that i really like Suzuki Nobuyuki acting, but now i am going to go in knowing it may get better than what it looks from what the story is about.

Guys. I just stupidly noticed now, and i think it has happened for a long time, but i didn`t noticed. Since when the synopsis of the drama was changed?
This new synopsis is really good and accurate, so i want to thank the person who changed it.

Usually, japanese audio dramas, being BL or not, don`t have english subtitles, because there is not one who has the time and dedication to do a translation for them. All websites where the BLCDs can be accessed only has the CDs in japanese. There can`t even be found transcripts on english for the CDs. For this, only the first audio drama has an spanish transcript of the content.

I have tried to make people understand the characters better, in the hope that they will like the drama better, but my enthusiasm has gone, and i don`t bother anymore. It`s time to let other people do it, if they still feel like it, hahaha.
I will take this occasion to address some things that i observed for a long time, and it keeps bothering me, which it don`t necessarily has to do with your post, but is a bit related too.

I know how a movie/drama is perceived also depends of the personal life experiences everyone has, their worldview etc, but i hope people will take into consideration more the home country audience that asian movies/dramas are made for, the cultural and social aspects that come as a package when watching a drama/movie from those countries.
After all, asian BL or BG movies/dramas are made for their home countries, if international audience like their dramas or not, is something that they shouldn`t take in consideration. People should also take into account what kind of drama/movie they watch are, think about stuff like: it`s a BL, it`s a LGBTQ movie/drama, it`s something in between?, it`s original content or is based on a source material like manga/novel/comic?. Those kind of things are important too, is not fair to judge and interpret every drama and movie in the same way.

I also wish people would take in consideration the overall production quality, how well fimed is, how well the acting is, do the characters relationship seems believable, do the relationship development makes sense, how well a story is told and evolves over the course of the story while taking in consideration the premise, when they give a rating or when they express an opinion about a BL drama/movie. If people did that more, maybe the rating for BL dramas and movies in MDL will reflect more the production quality and artistic value a drama/movie is. For exemple, i think the way the chinese fans rate their chinese dramas/movies in douban really reflects the quality of their dramas and movies overall.

But, yes things are the way they are, people are watching dramas and movies for different reasons, and liking a drama/movie is also a matter of taste, i just wish people would stop giving dramas and movies a low rating just because they are bothered by how a character is behaving, or how the story has more flawed, problematic or controversial characters, and disregarding everything that the drama and movie tries to tell and differentiate from others. I usually come to like more dramas/movies that tries to tell a similar story compared with other movies/dramas, since in a way is hard to find something really original those days, but while i am watching i notice that it has a story that goes in a direction that feels original, because is executed differently from others, basically tries to differentiate from others in some way.
It`s impossible to like everything about a drama/movie, almost all of my favorite dramas and movies has things that i think they could be better, but this don`t mean that all the other things that it tried to tell/convey are less brilliant, or other aspects of the drama/movie is less good.

Utsukushii kare is still doing well in MDL, but i will give for exemple the rating the movie The cournered mouse dreams of cheese has and the mixed reviews/comments the movie has in MDL. This movie is very well produced, filmed and writed, the characters are so complex, flawed and so lacking in the way they take decisions and they behave, that i agree that they are not so likable, but is the complexity of them that is what makes the characters so fascinating to watch. The fact that the characters are like that, and carry on with their life the way they are while changing along the way little by little, it`s what makes this movie so freaking realistic, that it hurts sometimes just thinking about it. This movie has done really well at the box office in Japan when it was released, considering it features graphic sex scenes, and it`s in between a BL and LGBTQ movie, but in MDL it has a rating as low as how some TAKUMI KUN movies has, who deserves the low rating, as the production and acting in those movies are really lacking, they are really old movies in the end.

Utsukushii kare, even through is a really short drama, has a production that is really good, one of the best among all BL dramas and even movies that Japan has released until know, and is definitely better or similar to any other BL drama that was released last year, so it definitely deserves a much higher rating. While is obviously the drama didn`t have a big budget, i can see almost all has gone to the essential stuff like camera work, editing, lightness, make up, styling. Even through the sets are no that unique, and are a few, it don`t feels that poor of a production, which is impressive.
Anyway, this is what i wanted to tell.
This is the end of my rant.

Yep. Japan invented this term, and while those kind of characters can be encountered in BL dramas/movies from other countries, no one has managed to portray them as raw, real, and true to the term as Japan. If a character is writed to be tsundere in a japanese production, being BL or BG, they don`t hold back from showing all the traits of this kind of character. Not matter how hard to like the character might come across, they still go for showing them the way they are.
Kamiki Ryunosuke and Masaki Suda has played some really impactful and touching tsundere characters.
This is why i love watching japanese movies and dramas, they always try to remain true to the way they want to tell the story, and don`t compromise in how the story should be told, for the story to be liked more by the audience.
Seriously, i hope JAPAN never change this part of making their dramas and movies, and don`t lose their passion and creative ways in which they bring their stories into the world.

Read this thread. But basically there is not yet available a completely english translation of the novel.
https://kisskh.at/discussions/utsukushii-kare/67669-utsukushii-kare-english-novel

No. From ep 3 until 6, and she said she will translate ep 1 and 2 too, but it might take a while.
I made this thread too, for people to access the eps more easily.
https://kisskh.at/discussions/utsukushii-kare/68303-links-where-the-drama-can-be-watched-with-great-eng-subs

Yes. I also know quite a lot of what happens in the second novel.
But there are a lot of spoilers in twitter which accurately reveal what happens in the first and second novel.
There is this person who has described everything that happens in the first and two volumes/novels in detail, which i think you come across too.

For people who didn`t noticed, lollilop has translated the 3 minutes bonus clip too.
https://lollipopsub.tumblr.com/tagged/utsukushii%20kare

Exactly. I couldn`t have put it better myself.
It`s always a joy reading your comments.

Oh. God. HAHAHAHHHHHHHHHH.
The comment you made is so entertaining and funny, because you have writed it in such a serious tone, but at the same time you are "dissing" Hira lovely.
I have done the same in a recently made comment.
I have mentioned about Hira behaviour and love towards Kiyoi being this way several times, because this is obvious to me from watching the drama, and that from what i know, this is how it`s writed to be in the novel, and that it will be continuing to still be there in the same way in the second novel though.
This is something that Hira will have to overcome and he is fortunate to have Kiyoi desperately trying to keep them together. Poor baby, hopefully, they will make a second season only for people to realise more just how many things Kiyoi will have to compromise for his relationship with Hira.
From what i listened from the second CD, i honestly liked more the story in the second novel, and this is such a good sign, since usually after the characters gets together, things are not that exciting to read, but in this novel is the opposite for me.

I forget to mention this when it comes to The cornered mouse dreams of cheese. You know how i writed that japanese BLs are really faithful adaptation of the source material, for this movie, they did make one small change, they changed the ending a bit, is not as happy as in the BL manga, it`s left to interpretation. But i still liked this movie so much, it shows how well done is. This is the only BL where i saw a change of this kind, and i read it was because the scriptwriter wanted to make the story more realistic.
About the previous post you made, it`s a habit of mind, i expand on things even through aren`t needed. Usually i do it to avoid people misunderstanding on what i`ve said.

https://kisskh.at/discussions/japanese-drama-movies/28121-japanese-bl-dramas-films
This list has all the japanese BL dramas and movies released, check it and compare it with what i watched in my watching list. I update regularly my watching list, it has almost everything i watched being BL or not.
If a japanese BL is not in my watchlist, it means i really disliked it or, i didn`t liked the story at all, and i didn`t watch it.
You will see my comments in almost every japanese BL page hahaha, especially in The cornered mouse dreams of cheese page ( the manga this movie is adapted from is one of my favorites), i am a big fan of japanese BL.
Don`t be surprised on how low the rating is for japanese BLs, it has been like this for a long time. Usually, japanese BL s are perceived quite differently by people, probably because of how different they are compared to what other countries usually release.
I will only mention my favorites, which i consider the best, and if you need my opinion over something write me.
- Restart after come back home
- The cornered mouse dreams of cheese - this is situated between a BL and LGBTQ movie, even through is based on a BL manga, it has sexual content too

The two movies above has really well known and experienced actors, you will find out if you search their names. This was a shock for me, since it has never happened before for japanese BLs to cast such a well known and experienced actors, so the acting is top notch.

- Pornographer and Moon indigo. It has a movie released this year named Pornographer playback that is not subbed yet, and two short specials. Similar with The cornered mouse... between BL and LGBTQ and has sexual content.
- Given. THE ANIME is better, but the drama is worth enough, at least for the stunning cinematography.
- Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai
- Life Senjou No Bokura - the same, between BL and LGBTQ
-Sei no Gekiyaku - i really liked this movie, but is not for everyone. It has sexual content. Some trigger warnings like sexual abuse, depression and suicide attempts.
- Seven Days: Friday - Sunday and Seven Days: Monday - Thursday
- No Touching At All
- Itsuka no kimi e - this movie is so old, but so psychological and so haunting, i remember it ever now. It ends well though.

No. It was fun having this conversation, don`t worry.
It shows how different people are, because as you said how we interpret things depends on our life experiences, feelings, what we see around us.
Maybe what i said will become more apparent if they will make a second season, because Hira idolization for Kiyoi is shown in the second novel too, The story told in the novels is really realistic, this idolization Hira has for Kiyoi will get better, but it will not go away entirely.

I have mentioned before in a post that one of the things Japanese cinema is the best at, is staying true to itself, they aren`t afraid about how a movie/drama is perceived by the audience. The producers and directors don`t take in consideration anything when they decide to do a BL ( or any drama and movie in general, since this is a characteristic of the entertainment industry, not only BL), but the story they want to tell, they don`t shy away from exploring all different kind of relationships, and they go deep on why the characters behave the way they are. The majority of japanese BLs has a writing style of showing the actions the characters takes and the interactions with other people and for everything else, it feels like the production team have decided they won`t interfere more than this, so the conclusion of what the story wants to tell, what kind of persons the characters are will depend on every viewer intepretation. You know how there are some dramas and movies where you feel you are spoon-feed and they are telling a story where there is almost nothing left to be adressed or open to intepretation, this is definitely not the Japan style.
This is why japanese BLs are perceived quite differently by people, and this is what is probably happening here.
And happy rewatching.

Yes, i think that the fact that i interpret almost all Hira actions as not being normal to a certain degree, while you think that every action he does is normal, is where we disagree.
For me, from almost the beginning, i felt that Hira`s way of seeing things are a bit different from other people around him.
Just think about it, even before he knows Kiyoi on a more personal level, ever before interacting with him, he has a love so intense for him that he does things that are unusual. Other people wouldn`t approach Kiyoi how he does it, like almost anyone wouldn`t have been this bold to actually look at Kiyoi the way he did and say he is beautiful, even if Kiyoi was "pretending" to be sleeping ( i am refering to the first time they interact), then after while he doesn`t likes being the errand boy for others, he does it willingly for Kiyoi. He also actually stalked Kiyoi when he goes after him in the dance studio, like i have had a crush on someone when i was i high school too, but i wouldn`t follow them like this.
Another important thing is that while he is usually quiet, don`t like to be noticed by others, he is totally opposite while he is with Kiyoi, he keeps telling him he is beautiful, that he likes him. Hira is also forceful towards him when he says that he likes him when Kiyoi is pushing him to the ground after he loses his competition. Sometimes he comes across like he is a crazy fan, not wonder Kiyoi is put off by him at the beginning. And if he don`t do strange actions Kiyoi wouldn`t has pushed him to the ground, and would have behaved more normaly towards him ( i refer to the first 3 eps only).
When he fights with Shirota, the way he is behaving is not normal. Kiyoi is right when he says that he looks like those crazy fans.
In that scene where he loses control of himself and licks Kira finger, he don`t looks that normal, is like he is a trance. That moment to me looked like he couldn`t control his desire to touch Kiyoi anymore.
The moment after, when he keeps saying that he is wrong, and that he shouldn`t have done that, and then saying that he don`t wants to be Kiyoi boyfriend even after he has said in the past that he loves him and has done that thing before, looks to me that he was so used to his idolization and worship of Hira that the ideea to take the chance and date Kiyoi is foreign to him.
Like i said, the reasons of Hira loving Kiyoi like this are realistic, and while at the beginning, it don`t seem something big, in the time that Hira was apart from Kiyoi especially, his longing, not being able to see him, has make his idolization and worship even worse, probably because he couldn`t see him anymore. Now, that i remember, do you remember the scene where Hira was looking at Kiyoi in that add, he looked strange, like he was almost in a trance.

The first novel is really similar, the drama is a really really faithful adaptation, they have adapted all the most important scenes and maybe because i know more things that were in the novel, and weren`t adapted, i have a really firm believe in this.

The below part has some minimum spoilers from the novel, i really tried to keep it to the minimum.
In the novel, they were more intimate than just a licking of a finger and many times, and even in that context Hira tought that all the times that he was intimate with Kiyoi, that it was him serving him, him doing his duty, he didn`t even let Kiyoi touch him too, because he didn`t wanted his "king" to become dirty for someone like himself, this is not normal not matter how you look at it. How oblivious and low self-esteem a person has to have to want to turn down a person who confess to you and wants to be your boyfriend even after all that . So i think the main reasons for Hira behaving like that is him becoming too used to idolize Kiyoi and telling himself that he shouldn`t expect nothing more, who have become such a big issue that Hira needed to have a really harsh wake up call, which he had.
They haven`t have the time to show all the things that Kiyoi has done to make Hira his boyfriend, but i really wanted to hit Hira in the novel, lol. He has hurt Kiyoi much more in the novel, he had literally cried. Hira replies in the scene where he rejects Kiyoi as his boyfriend are more strange than what is shown in the drama, i was like what the hell is wrong with this guy.

I forget to clarify that i do think that Hira really loves Kiyoi, don`t think i don`t see that. He loves Kiyoi, the problem is that he loves him too much, his love is mixed with idolization, which has made him to put Kiyoi in this pedestal. This is all i wanted to point out. He does loves him, and i mentioned before that they have this genuinely bond that they formed in high school, they have both found comfort in being in the presence in the other. I mentioned this in all the comments i made previously, but i can`t explain everything, because this post will never end.

All i wrote about Hira is me dissing Hira in a lovable way, it means i really care about him. I really empathize with Hira a lot, but i am also able to see just how many stupid things he does, and i can`t let him off the hook.

Honestly, now that you mentioned this, i personally consider japanese BLs to be a subgenre of it`s own, since even since Japan started everything by making and releasing Takumi kun series, the way they keep adapting their BL mangas hasn`t changed at all, while other countries tends to make big changes compared to the source material or be based on original content.
Japan hasn`t changed at all in how they adapt their mangas, they try to adapt them as faithful as they can, and this makes the difference. The only thing that changed in japanese BLs is that the BLs have more support now than in their past, and recently i can tell they are made with more care, is easy to spot that they are trying to be more serious with how they are making them now.

Hahaaaha.
So agree on this. Japan takes the number on spot when it comes to this.
And this is because japanese BLs are adapted from BL mangas , sometimes novels, which are quite different from the source materials used to make BLs by other asian countries.
Japanese BL mangas and novels are in a league of their own, almost each of them has that something unique to them, which differentiate them from other mangas, but at the same time the content, tropes, dynamics are similar to all of them.
I love that JAPAN has continued until now to make their BLs as adaptations from mangas and novels, rather than them being based on an original script, since this is what it differentiate Japan from other countries.
Let`s hope the next japanese BL adaptations will only get better or be as good as this one.

In my opinion , Hira love for Kiyoi is a bit obsessive, and his obssesion is part of his idolization and worship for Kiyoi. What Hira is feeling for Kiyoi in my opinion is not a normal feeling, and there are a lot of moments in the drama where we can spot this.
This is the way Hira is writed in the novel too, this is the biggest struggle that Narita Yuu has associated with him. In the novel, both the author and the characters know the relationship is not exactly healthy. This is why i love the novels, there is constant growth while reading, because the characters were writed with a lot of issues that they have to work on.
Now, letting the novel aside, i will only talk about the drama.

Hira is still a bit obssesed with Kiyoi even at the end of the drama, and it`s something that he still has to work in the future. But, just too clarify, his obsession is not that big, and is harmless, is similar with how fans likes to idolize their idols.
If his love for Kiyoi wasn`t mixed with idolization, worship, which in essence it entails an obsessive kind of like for someone, it wouldn`t explain many things that Hira does in the drama.
His love being like this explains why in time Hira don`t pursue Kiyoi more actively after they are reunited ( he knows his like is not that normal and he don`t wants to bother Kiyoi), and it explains why he keeps hesitating in being honest with Kiyoi, and in the end it also explains why he don`t wants to consider his relationship of Kiyoi as more than , we both know what ( i don`t want to mention it, so i don`t want to put the comment in spoiler)
Hira love for Kiyoi stems from realistic emotions, Hira develops this kind of love because he is afraid to get hurt and he don`t thinks he deserves to have someone like Kiyoi, he don`t thinks he has the right to reach for Kiyoi, but it don`t change the fact that his love is not normal.

I mentioned this in a lot of my previous made posts, and i also mentioned that this is why i agree the beginning of their relationship is unhealthy, but not toxic. The relationship is a bit unhealthy, because both of them have issues they have to overcome, but is not toxic, because they both recognize their issues and know where to start to make the changes for things to get better, and things do get a bit better by the end of the drama too.

I also want to mention that in this post and in general, i never consider the word unhealthy as a negative one, because most relationships in real life are not perfect and definitely not always healthy, and things always get better as people are willing to work on their issues. I usually only respond to people who attach to the characters relationship the word unhealthy in a context in which i don`t think is right. In this case, i replied because i like to discuss with you.

This is my take on this, not everyone has to agree on this, and i only hope i will be able to clear some uncertainties people have about this