CoNeTrIC

Being a helpmate or a muse can be one of the best roles in life. Unfortunately, in reality, it's usually a thankless one. I'm not bitter though. No, not one bit. ;-)

That's understandable. But maybe Kurosawa is right. (His line to Adachi near the end of episode 8, right before the hand-holding) We might discover our dreams unexpectedly. Fingers crossed!

You guys are reminding me of Democrats freaking out over polling numbers before the US presidential election. Haha!

Interesting theory, but somehow Adachi getting Kurosawa drunk and pouncing on him seems kinda dark and out-of-character for a romantic and fluffy show like this one. Haha. Just my two cents.

And it was really cool when Adachi stopped caring about the people looking at them.

It's funny whenever Adachi gets a glimpse of Kurosawa being an over-the-top romantic or interested in sex. He freaks out. This dynamic and Kurosawa's teasing are super cute. I'm pretty sure they'll be together at show's end, and like you I really don't care whether they have sex or whether that's portrayed on screen. It's the romance and intimacy between them that's most important. However, whenever I imagine their long-term prospects, I wonder whether there can be a happily-ever-after for these two characters.

Is Adachi gay or bisexual, or is he asexual? (The "I'm gay for you" thing we often see in BL is not really a thing.) Most people here assume the only barrier to the happily-ever-after is Adachi's lack of self-confidence. Serious questions about sexual identity go beyond the scope of a show like this one, I guess. Still, I think Adachi's sexuality is worth thinking about.

Have you ever been in an intimate relationship with someone great, and then had to walk away only because you couldn't get on the same page or manage expectations about sex? It's gotta be even more of a concern if you're somewhere on the asexuality spectrum, right?

Just occurred to me, maybe that's why Barry was wearing a mask in the first episode. Foreshadowing!? I love it when a show works on multiple levels.

When I started watching this show, I did not expect Barry (Prince Charming) to suffer from narcissistic personality disorder. Interestingly, research has shown NPD to be associated with suicidal behavior (the especially lethal kind). Yikes! I hope Barry's parents were prepared to deal with this crisis and will intervene before it's too late. Also, I was glad when Mando resisted Barry's attempts to shift blame and manipulate him. That was some good and responsible writing.

In Life Senjou no Bokura, the main characters start as high schoolers, but then there are big time jumps between episodes. By the last episode, they are in their 30s. (The manga goes well beyond that into middle age.)

It really is shocking how thin most celebrities are, especially in Japan and Korea. I think Machida doesn't look too bad though.

Damn, Barbie Imperial's performance in that scene was amazing! Kudos to her. Wasn't too much or too little. Anyone who can't empathize with her character has a problem. The character is still underdeveloped, but Krisha has been supportive, loving, and strong up 'til now. I expect she'll deal the way Mando's father did. This experience may be harder to handle though since it's not just the cheating. A close sibling's betrayal can turn your whole world upside down.

Maybe Machida or Akaso will grant us an audience, like the Pope.

Did Rokkaku make the decision to serve a dessert he preferred instead of the usual Mont Blanc? That nearly caused Kurosawa to lose an account and his job. He means well, but the man is a scourge.

I met my Adachi more than two years ago. Just incredibly lucky. Somehow we created a spark and, from there, we've advanced to the end of episode 7 or beginning of episode 8. However, we're stuck there and our story's end is uncertain because of bad timing, long distance, the vagaries of immigration policy, a global pandemic, Adachi's anxiety and fear, plus the usual relationship stuff. (sigh) Hope springs eternal? I'm wishing the best for you too.

Don't worry. To me, it sounds like your love for him is very real and pure, even if you idealized him to some extent.

So relatable. Thanks for sharing your story. No regrets in your case. I'm glad. So often, it comes down to luck, just to get an opportunity to make ourselves known to someone special. Those episode 6 blues hit me hard.

Wow. I'm glad you're enjoying the show. Sounds like a vicarious pleasure for you. I identify with Kurosawa too. So, no regrets? What held you back? Did you fear rejection all that time? Did you decide that you just weren't right for one another? (I'm being nosy. Sorry.)

This show has a duality that makes it like art. The more I think about it, the more interpretations I come up with. (I see in the comments here that I'm not the only one thinking about it too much.) It's not hard to imagine different, equally plausible endings, including some unexpected ones.

Here's a radical, unpopular thought. We expect Adachi to want romance because we idealize it, and we think everyone should want to be "normal." What if Adachi and Fujisaki-san are the groundbreaking aromantic heroes we didn't know we needed in our lives? She's pretty confident about "not being normal" from the outset; he comes to understand and accept his aromantic orientation fully only by the end. Little-by-little, Adachi is gaining more self-confidence, which is great. Instead of helping him accept romance, that could be what leads him to embrace being aromantic (and/or asexual).

We'll have to wait and see what really happens. I expect a romantic storyline, and I'll enjoy any happy ending we get. I know I will continue to admire these characters -- especially this surprising version of Fujisaki-san, which is so different from the manga.

A kiss could tell us a lot about Adachi's character development, however I don't think a kiss is absolutely necessary for this show's ending to succeed. Other shows have pulled that off that kind of ending. (A recent successful Pinoy BL comes to mind.) If Adachi shows us the same kind of sexual interest, passion, and confidence that Kurosawa has shown already without getting physical, I'll be satisfied. Maybe that's just me. A passionate kiss would be great to see though.

Your question about whether Akaso is held in high esteem as an actor made me think about how challenging this role is. Even with good writing, it's not easy to make a sad-sack, hyper-anxious, resentful aromantic seem so sympathetic, adorable, and funny. If Akaso's acting wasn't good, people would be saying "yeah he's cute but what does Kurosawa see in Adachi?" From here to the end of the season, Akaso has an even bigger challenge, which is to show huge transformation and growth without losing the essence of his character. Again, not easy. If he pulls this off (and I believe he can), fans everywhere will shower him with love and acclaim.