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Mature cheating let's be gay
This is a story about two separate people who are unfulfilled in their relationships. Both have partners who do not want to have sex with them, and after being together for years, their relationships feel shallow. By chance, the two come into contact with each other and can be honest about their desires and thoughts. They end up being coworkers and start a physical relationship. After feeling rejected by both of their partners, they feel that their new relationship together is more honest and real, and they end up together.This drama is an odd one for me. The kissing and romantic scenes suffice, considering this is a 7-episode drama. Still, I feel that the drama is focused on the two people as individuals with their relationship struggles, and the final pairing feels more like a band-aid or rebound rather than a fresh and new love. This could be seen as a more "realistic" or mature take on a BL story, but it does put the focus more on adult struggles rather than love between two men.
I do recommend this as a watch, but I would put it on a lower priority since there are so many great Japanese BLs already.
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This review may contain spoilers
Wow they're so cute together... wait what was the story about again?
I watched the re-edited version with 6 episodes and this story still did not make any sense at all. The only reason I watched is because of the hot trainer. The drama is very short yet feels slow and was not an enjoyable watch for me. With some editing and better pacing this could easily be an 8/10.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
For this review, I will focus on my opinion of the drama rather than the storyline and will not name the actors, but the characters of the series. Let me start by saying that the acting in this series is unsatisfying, bordering on bad. Taishin specifically seems way too awkward in his mannerisms and facial expressions. Taishin's acting could be a result of the manga, since they seem so manga-like. His constant hesitance and reluctance are also not fun character traits to watch for the majority of the episodes. "Is it okay if I speak to you at school?" "Is it okay for you to date me?" It just made for a tiring watch. As for Takara, I believe he did a much better job in this drama. While he is very stern and mysterious, he always remains natural in his acting. Takara is also much better-looking than Taishin, to the point where it feels like the casting doesn't quite make sense. Taishin is not ugly, but I'm sure they could've found a better fit for the crazy visual that Takara has.
Other than these gripes, I feel like they could have done much more with 10 episodes and a special episode. There were a total of 3 kissing scenes, but they all felt out of place and lacked tension. The first seven episodes were very slow and made me forget that I started this series. The last 3 episodes were the best part of the series, but still felt lacking to me. I don't know whether to blame the source material or the actors for this. Honestly speaking, Takara's visual brings this review up by one point. I hope that we will see better from the actors in the future.
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This review may contain spoilers
Gay people in the Japanese countryside
This is a coming-of-age story set in the 1990s in a countryside town in Japan. It follows an outcast with long hair, Mishima, a pretty boy called Kirino, and a rough, foul-mouthed boy named Yumeno. I'll skip further details of the story as quite a lot happens. Keep in mind that this is not a BL drama but rather a story about gay people in high school.The acting is comical and feels intentionally exaggerated, resulting in a drama that feels more fictional than realistic. I have seen other similar Japanese dramas about gay people in high school that felt a lot more realistic because of the themes, acting, and expressions. I'm kind of comparing it to "Fujoshi, ukkari gei ni kokuru/what she likes" which was released in 2019 with barely any love focus but a realistic yet interesting gay focus. Back to Smells Like Green Spirit, the way they handle the setting is just a bit off for me. Like, I don't know if I should laugh or feel sentimental.
Either way, this is still an interesting watch. The teacher surprised me, and so did Kirino and Yumeno. I think that's the biggest charm about the drama. Like life in a small town, you think you know how everything goes, yet it catches you by surprise.
I believe that this drama is ultimately intended for Japanese viewers who share similar experiences of being gay in a small town. The lighthearted yet realistic approach of the drama could ease their minds and make them feel seen and not alone.
The ending is interesting, it shows how people can make different decisions in their lives. Kirino's decision to have a family with a child (meaning married to a woman in Japan's context) is a bit unsatisfying in my opinion. I can understand some want to fit in to society and be seen as normal, but the marriage is a sham in my eyes. When I lived in Japan, I was surprised to find out that a majority of gay people think this is a perfectly understandable decision, so this is mostly a matter of cultural acceptance. Kirino's decision may not be as sad to Japanese viewers for this reason.
Yumeno and Mishima end up together without much romantic buildup. Yumeno likes Mishima, so he goes for it. The scene between Yumeno and his mother, and Yumeno and Mishima on the bridge, is the romance you get. Later, the two are in Tokyo, Omotesando or Shibuya to be exact, and they are living together. Just a kiss on the street and an explanation of their life is what we see. This is not a bad thing; it just further emphasises how this is not a romance drama or a BL, but a coming-of-age story about decisions in life while being gay.
To conclude my personal thoughts, the pacing was alright, the acting was passable, the characters were interesting, and the setting was charming. I do recommend it a view if you are interested, as it is quite different than other Japanese gay dramas. After watching the drama until the end, I was left feeling unsatisfied with the drama in many ways.
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Fluffy and wonderful!
This BL has elements that seem very drama and manga-like but it is still very real and you can imagine the story as real occurences. The characters are balanced and the screen time shared between the characters is pretty even.I loved the main couple, they had a lot of chemistry and they look gorgeous together. I do wish there was a little more editing and a little more peaks and valleys in their connection. I feel like it could have somehow been even more fluffy while also being more intimate and romantic.
The soundtrack wasnt my favorite and I was a little bothered by the sound affects for the phone, I heard the ringtone basically every episode lol. The lighting and scenery is very pretty, great job!
Overall this is a great BL that should be somewhere on your watchlist especially if you like softer themes.
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Strong beginning and end, overall a cosy watch!
This BL is 6 episodes long, and it focused on one couple and a little of their personal life and past. Hirokuni is friendly and social, and Kai is quiet and used to being by himself. The couple look cute together, but only the first and last episodes are strong in terms of chemistry. The other episodes don't do much, and there were too many of Hirokuni's office scenes. This kinda makes sense as Hirokuni's storyline is that he is being overworked and doesn't see the joy in life until he meets with Kai again. Still, I would've enjoyed more scenes of the two doing something together. Every character was likable, and the ending was very satisfying. I loved Hirokuni's "proposal" to Kai, hearing what he said in Japanese was beautiful.Overall I am pleased with this BL. The acting is fine, Kai is kind of monotone but I guess that's his vibe. I look forward to seeing more of the two. The biggest issue I had with this drama was the lack of interesting environments and episodes. It somehow felt too short while still having too much filler. I still recommend this a watch.
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Too Short, Chemistry is lacking, handsome actors
This drama is too short and the storyline is all over the place. While I wouldn't say it is outright a bad drama, the beginning isn't strong enough to where I cared to get the know the pair and their struggle. They really shouldvé put all the high school scenes before the college scenes, and allowed for longer episodes.The side characters are decent. They don't stand out much but they're nice. The chemistry of the main couple is a little bland. I don't really understand the great reviews here to be frank. I hoped there would be more time for the two to get warm and lovely so the viewer cared more for the outcome.
I don't recommend this watch unless you feel like watching a confusing and weak basketball related Korean BL drama. I know Ill forget almost everything about this really soon. I do think the actors have a lot to show, and the cinematography was good.
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Not bad, but the source material deserved more
While the story itself is not outright bad, it felt a little empty to me. The drama is not fully cute and cozy or fully angsty, theres bits of everything. Normally this would make for a balanced story but somehow this BL feels like it's missing something. I dont know how much to fault the actors or the manhwa it is based on, but I heard a lot about the manhwa and expected this BL to be a hit. The kiss at the end is the last mediocre cherry on top for this drama.Another gripe I had with this BL is the casting, while the Seoul guy is alright, the farmer guy feels too normally sized. The manhwa version was a lot bigger and the drama also references him as a person with a large frame. I think that either the farm guy should have been bigger, or the Seoul guy should have been more petite to have some size difference. Not that it is the most important part of the drama, but the size difference was one of the expectations I had with the casting.
Overall, I think the story, characters, acting and length to be mediocre. The underlying message is hard to see and I feel like I will forget this drama quickly. Watch if you are interested, but if you are looking for a solid and memorable BL, look elsewhere.
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Cute couple but a little short
This BL has a bubbly feel to it, and all the characters add to this feeling. All actors were a joy to watch which made this drama flow very well. I do think that 15 minute episodes is too short for the story, especially with this cute pairing. I would have liked the episodes to be more around 20 minutes at least and for the first two episodes to focus deeply on the school era. a longer focus would have made the impact of the two being apart and then meeting again bigger.There are two kissing scenes and they are both good. While the drama is short, the skinship is plentiful and feels natural. Overall, this is a rather calm and simple drama with no heavy conflicts or fights. Easy to watch in one or two days.
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Better than expected, but a little all over the place
I have not heard a thing of this drama other than one tiktok about the shower scene so I didnt have an idea of what to expect. I liked the drama for its lighthearted moments and the actors felt quite sincere, espescially the chef. Still, I feel like there was too much going on with the introduction of the ex and the intern, and all the office scenes. Nothing was bad per se, I think even the office colleagues were acting good and left an interesting impression. I guess I just felt it was a bit much for the length of the drama.I do recommend a watch, the pacing is quite good so it does feel pleasant to watch from start to end. The couple seemed nice and warm, but like they were still trying to get to know each other near the end, they didn't feel like a real couple quite yet. Another thing, maybe it would have been nice to have a side couple we could have focused on. It doesn't fit with the main couple, the other love interests and the colleagues, but if it was edited differently maybe it would have felt more like a complete story.
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Slow start, but good binge!
I started reading reviews after the first 2 episodes because I was wondering if it got any better. Thankfully I did because the rest of the BL is quite solid! The three couples have strong chemistry, but my favourite are the friends to lovers and the student and teacher. The last couple has a somewhat dark storyline which I didn't think added much to this drama particularly. One small thing that took me out of the experience was that I saw the big fuzzy microphone that they use in dramas and films peek out from the top of the screen two times. This is something I can overlook but still a negative in my eyes.Overall, this drama has good love buildup for the two couples I mentioned, but the main couple left a bit much to be desired. The kissing and intimate scenes from the two couples were also a lot better than the main couple. Still, I recommend this a watch as it felt sizable enough to where it feels like a solid and complete short drama, but not too short like some of these BLs can be.
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Leaves a lot to be desired
Simple BL with some attractive actors, actually the most handsome one is the evil ex in my opion. This BL is about a traumatized guy with a suprisingly super supportive friend (also very handsome). the trauma guy falls for another person and he is fearful it will end up like his previous love and is hesitant, but the new guy has good intentions. That is the entire story. The whole thing is not bad, but it's very short and so the viewer feels like there's just a lot happening in a short amount of time. I would have liked more focus on the best friend character and their connection, that was the most interesting part of the drama for me. Overall, another simple BL you can watch if you have nothing to watch, but I would rather rewatch a great one like Blueming or Unintentional Love Story.Was this review helpful to you?
Interesting storyline, amazing acting and chemistry. Difficult pill to swallow.
This is a rather short BL like most Japanese BLs but I felt that the story and characters were well portrayed in the total run time. Koichi is a cheerful and likeable student while Mitsuru is shy and has a wall around him. Koichi manages to get closer to Mitsuru and the two become lovers. Unfortunately, Koichi suffers a car accident trying to shield Mitsuru.The central concept of this BL is about loss of a loved one as well as life and death. While every episode has both of the characters in them, I wouldn't consider this as a focused a love story because it is about accepting the other has passed and moving on while remembering them. This of course is insanely difficult, I cannot imagine doing this myself.
The actors have done an amazing job at portraying the story well. You can tell that the main characters love and care for each other, and that this is difficult for both of them. This is obviously fiction, which makes the story a little more magical and less depressing. I think this BL is for when you want to watch something more serious and deep. Now excuse me while I watch something lighthearted to cheer me up because this ending is as hard to accept as it is for Mitsuru.
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Fluffy, fun, deep, but a little slow
I enjoyed this drama for a lot of reasons. The cinematography is beautiful, capturing scenes from a variety of angles and in nice lighting. The acting is really good and enjoyable, everyone was pretty formidable. Every episode was fun to watch and the story is an enjoyable length. The main issue I have with this drama is that nothing really happens until the very end. The two do flirt and touch each other in the first few episodes but it takes a really long time for the two to do more together. It is a little more fluffy than I expected.That being said, this drama is fun to watch and has a variety of themes and characters. The kiss at the end wasnt the most passionate and sexy, but it was full of love and built up feelings. I recommend everyone to watch this BL.
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What the hell...
So I have been putting this BL off ever since its release and finally decided to watch 2 years after release. This BL is not good. I do not know if you can even call this a BL. First of all, the main cast's relationship is extremely toxic. The tall dude treats the short guy like shit for the first like 6 eps and then magically they get together? Its so weird. What baffles me most is that Sangha is in such a shitty situation and the other dude does nothing to console Sangha. It just made it uncomfortable to watch. The acting is pretty good for how short it is and the music is good. Sangha also randomly kisses his senior without consent which just makes it a shitshow. Honestly I do not know how others have liked this. Probably just because the actors look decent and are Korean.Please watch other BLs. An example of a great Korean BL is Blueming. Beautiful, deep, fleshed out, understandable, better chemistry, and more handsome actors on top of this. Dont waste your time with this, even if you are a BL fan.
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