This review may contain spoilers
Perfect Low Stakes Slice of Life for a Casual Watch (One Real Spoiler, but I Think it is Important)
POSITIVES+ PhumPeem Storyline
The PhumPeem storyline is very sweet; however, full appreciation for it probably won't come until a second watch through due to the character backstories and the symbolism. Some say PondPhuwin lost their chemistry, but PhumPeem are simply a very different couple from their prior characters in Never Let Me Go. Bonus points for Peem, although encouraging Phum to forgive his parents, saying it is ultimately Phum’s decision.
+ TanFang Storyline
The TanFang storyline is cavity inducing, and AouBoom act them so well I’m half-convinced the production team stuck a go-pro on them and based it off them. That being said, when the show was airing some viewers believed Fang didn’t love Tan back, but Fang clearly loves Tan back it is simply shown in the microexpressions Boom does. Another couple where the true appreciation won’t come until a second watch through, due to revealed backstories.
+ The Third Act of the QToey Storyline
Once QToey get together, it is smooth sailing as they are very cute together; however, their getting together portion can be very rough (more detail later).
+ Accidental Demiromantic Representation in Q and Peem
I am not joking when I say Q and Peem read as demiromantic to a hilariously competent degree. I’m not surprised with Q, as the novel basically says it in all but name, but Peem reads as demiromantic too. It wasn’t intentional, so you don’t have to read them this way but I do encourage people to read them this way due to how right the scriptwriters got it.
+ Friendships
This is a New Siwaj production, so you know the friendships are going to be amazing. We Are is no exception, as even if you don’t like all of the couples you will like the friendships.
NEUTRALS
= ChainPun Storyline
I place the ChainPun story as a neutral, because I feel like it is a little unfair to critique it due to the behind the scenes mess. To make a long story short, production had to recast the actor for Pun after they did a great amount of shooting, so I believe they prioritize reshooting all the group scenes over the individual ChainPun scenes. I'm fairly sure we lost ChainPun scenes due to this, but for the scenes they kept and reshoot it is a cute story (although not to my personal tastes). This is marked as neutral due to the production hell behind them.
= First Act of the QToey Storyline
The first part of the QToey storyline is rather inoffensive, but when they set up the in-universe scheme the story revolves around there are several glaring questions the show doesn’t bother to try to explain away. This is marked as neutral because I don’t think the casual viewer will notice or care, but it might be distracting upon other watch throughs.
NEGATIVES
- Asexual Erasure
The show erases Toey’s novel canon asexuality (at minimum demisexuality). As someone on the ace spectrum, this feels important for me to note. It is worsen by the fact when We Are was airing Wandee Goodday was airing which had good asexual representation, so GMMTV is willing to portray and air asexual experiences. You might not find it important, but it does suck.
- Episode Five Continuity Errors
The fifth episode contains continuity errors with the TanFang and QToey plotlines, but you won’t notice unless you are me. Once again, willing to forgive due to reshoots.
- Forgiving the Parents for Literal Child Abandonment
As a victim of child neglect, I wasn’t fond of Phum forgiving his parents for dropping him as a child in another country and not retrieving him until secondary school (high school). That is child abandonment, and immensely strange to portray Phum as being in the wrong for holding a grudge about it and trying to cut his parents out of his life. Unfortunately, this is a New Siwaj production, so I expected it.
- Second Act of the QToey Storyline
To keep spoilers light, during the QToey plotline there are two halves to an in-universe scheme. By the time you make it to the second half, the characters involve come across more malicious than funny, especially since Q is in obvious duress, so it can negatively impact your view of QToey and their storyline. Personally, I maintain the characters are lucky this is a Boys Love, because if it was a little more realistic I feel like Q would have gotten hostile.
STAR EXPLANATIONS
Story knocked down a point for the QToey storyline issues.
Acting/Cast knocked down a point simply as I find Marc as Chain a bit boring, especially next to Poon as Pun.
Music is average, but gets an extra point since Pond and Aou became members of a boy group named jasp.er which retroactively makes their participation in the themes increase the value.
Rewatchability knocked down two points due to noticing flaws in the continuity, but retains an eight as it is a good comfort watch and putting together the grand scope of the PhumPeem and TanFang storylines.
Overall it is a nine as all the positives greatly outweigh the negatives.
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