Fondueforkharpoon

Cozy Warmth for Cold Days

This show has quickly become a comfort watch for me. Something about the way the beautiful cinematography, the quiet intimacy of the dialogue, and even the big fluffy scarves and sweaters all add together... it's deeply soothing to me.

I really like the concept of the story. So many romance dramas focus on the couple getting together, so having the focus be on an existing couple is plenty unique on its own. Combined with the intimate exploration of one specific relationship as well as reflections on what makes relationships work or fall apart in general, this makes for a truly unique premise.
A premise that is then beautifully executed. The acting is stellar, the pacing is perfect, and the dialogues feel natural and realistic which is important for a quiet show like this that is quite dialogue-heavy.

I also especially love how much sense each individual character's actions make. Fumiya's desperation to preserve his relationship by concealing the past, Ritsu's quest to get his memories back, Shuji's concern over lying to his brother. All these motivations feel logical and realistic. The story as a whole is fairly grounded despite the slightly outlandish setting. The characters inhabit a real world with real issues and face real consequences for their decisions.
But at its core this is not a story about the tragic disintegration of a relationship; it's a story about love. About cherishing the people you hold dear, about openness and honesty, about the deliberate effort it takes to make a relationship work, and about the simple pleasures of spending time with the person you love.
There are no grand confessions, no unnecessarily dramatic fights, no meddling exes, no plot-convenient misunderstandings.

So if you're looking for a down-to-earth romantic drama with a cozy slice-of-life feel and not too much angst, then I would absolutely recommend this one. It is also simply a good queer love story so anyone who likes those will very likely enjoy this series as well.
As a side note - the music is also excellent and I could honestly listen to the opening and closing themes over and over again on repeat if that sways you either way.

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A sweet and intelligent little mini drama well worth watching

Ever since I first watched "She Makes My Heart Flutter" I've been a big "Soo not Sue" fan and this, their debut series to my knowledge, did not disappoint.
It's a short and sweet slice-of-life romance but it's also so much more than that. It's a show made by queer people for queer people and as such tackles topics that normally wouldn't be addressed in shows like this, or at least not in this way.
Out of Breath is heavily themed around the difficulties of not just coming out to a close circle of friends and loved ones, but to then actually live openly, deliberately and publicly out of the closet.
And it does this from a perspective I've personally never gotten to see before. It explores the struggles of someone who, while generally always having been open to the idea of being out publicly, was in a very secretive relationship for years and now has to navigate a new romance with someone who blatantly refuses to hide their orientation or their relationships.
It's a story about unlearning shame and fear which is often a slow and agonising process which is all too familiar to many a queer person.
So if you're in the market for something light and easy to watch which nonetheless tells an authentic queer story with real sensitivity and intelligence, then this show is for you.

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Short, sweet, authentically queer

Ah, but I will never get tired of stories that depict realistic queer characters facing realistic queer issues.
There's just nothing quite like that sudden flash of recognition, that moment of "Oh, that's me isn't it".
This series shows some of the realities of being in a queer relationship - the feeling of alienation, constantly being forced into constrictive hetero-normative roles, even misgendering.
It depicts all these things with great incisiveness and sensitivity, and quite honestly just seems presented from such a distinctly queer viewpoint that I would be surprised if there weren't queer people involved in this production. Which, to me, seems like a clear point in the show's favour.
If you're looking to spend half an hour watching two very likeable people fumble their way towards a romance with one another, then you've found what you've been searching for.
I would also just generally recommend this to anyone looking for a short, light watch which nevertheless feels firmly grounded in reality.

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More plot, more swords, more demons with cat-ears!

I liked this even more than season one.
The dynamic between the characters is already well established at this point and we are somewhat familiar with the world so there is a lot more space to develop complex plot lines and delve deeper into the characters' pasts.
I personally really enjoyed getting to know our two mains a bit better as I am quite fond of both of them by now. I also appreciate how well all the plot threads weave together by the end, even if there are just enough loose ends to make me hope for another season.
Overall this delivers more of what made the first season so fun - adventures, mysteries, beautiful outfits, cool swords, and even cooler girls to wield them - and, what's more, improves on some of it.
If you liked the prequel, you'll definitely enjoy this as well so give it a watch if you haven't already.

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Tooth-rottingly sweet

Well that was certainly the cutest ad I've seen in a hot minute.
Shakeshoulder films are always pretty hit or miss for me but I'm happy to say that this one hit just right.
To me, this captures the essence of queer friendship and romance perfectly. There's no huge dramatic confessions, no painfully oblivious love interests, it's just two girls toeing the line between romantic and platonic before quietly deciding to take the step towards romance. No frills, no awkward back and forth, just simple acknowledgement of feelings and an attitude of "okay, let's give this a try"
The physical affection between the two is also absolutely wonderful, I mean I'm a sucker for seeing characters cuddle anyway, but here all the casual intimacy just bowled me over in the best way.
I'd say definitely give this one a go if you don't mind being advertised to while watching.

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Ridiculous, Cheesy Fun

Ah, but there is just something special about these mini C-dramas.
It's true, they suffer from a lack of budget, a lack of plot, and a lack of being allowed to have their goddamn mains kiss on screen for once, but they are also incredibly skilled at circumventing all those issues.
Here, the plot, even if it is weak or densely packed into a very short runtime, is compelling and easy to follow and the likeable (and let's not kid ourselves - beautiful) characters are more than enough to keep the audience captivated and entertained for the, sadly all too brief, duration of the show's runtime.
Furthermore the series never takes itself too seriously. The team clearly knew exactly what kind of show they were making and they went all-in. And that's precisely what makes it work. It's that commitment, combined with just a few moments of tongue-in-cheek meta humour that makes the entire thing so wholly charming and fun to watch.
Yes, I wish there were more depictions of queer people in general and queer women specifically in our media and yes, I wish I could get to see the makers behind these shows get to produce something unafraid and wholly, explicitly queer and yes, it breaks my damn heart that, for now, we can't have any of those things.
But I also feel heartened by shows like this. They are ridiculous, bold, unflinching little acts of defiance and seeing more and more of them produced in the last few years has been a real treat.
For now, these will do. For now, we at least get to see cute girls with swords turning the world on its head to be with each other. And that's not nothing.

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A Diamond In The Rough

Oh but I'm so glad Love Class is back. I was one of the, apparently, few people who really loved season 1 but let me assure you even if you did not like season 1, you might just enjoy this anyway.
This show is tied to the original Love Class by the thinnest of threads, so much so that you won't have to have even read the synopsis of the original to understand this series.

This sequel is also tonally quite different from series 1. It's slightly more grounded and mature, not angstier, just a little quieter.
There is quite a nice soundtrack, but the music mostly takes a backseat and the characters are instead allowed to just exist, sometimes silently, without sound effects, without music telling the audience how to feel. It lends the show an almost whimsical indie feel, but also just a feeling of realism and gravity.

Just like the original Love Class, the highlights of this show are its characters. These six young people are portrayed with care and authenticity and their lives and experiences feel real even when they venture into the slightly contrived.
I specifically loved Lee Hyun and Kim An's roles and found their dynamic compelling and honestly just very sweet.
Kim An's "tragic backstory", for lack of a better term, didn't really work all that well for me, certainly not as well as Yu Na's story arc from season 1, but the writers still managed to tell a believable and touching story about overcoming grief and trauma and fighting tooth and nail for happiness in mundane, every-day ways.
The one draw-back of the cast is that they are all conspicuously male. Unlike Love Class 1, this season doesn't have any important female characters, much less ones central to the plot.
Disappointing as I find this fact, I did find myself quite fond of all six main characters fairly quickly which does somewhat speak to the quality of the writing.

I will admit that this show has its rough spots. The audio is at times incosistent, there even are one or two shots where a boom mic makes a surprise appearance, but personally I thought that just added to the nostalgic indie vibe of the whole thing.
What did bother me was the dreaded "sleeping kiss" cliche which suddenly reared its ugly head when I was least expecting it.

If however, you are willing to overlook these flaws, or quirks perhaps if you're feeling generous, then you will almost certainly find a hidden gem in this lovely little show.
As ever, Love Class stands out as somewhat unique amongst other shows in the genre and for that alone I'd say it's worth a watch.
Maybe you'll fall in love with it along the way, who knows.

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Lovely, Classy, Unexpected

I really, really like this one. When I first started watching it I couldn't even get through the first episode, but something convinced me to give it another shot and I'm so glad I did.
Once you get past the first episode, awkward and uncomfortable as it may be, you suddenly find yourself knee-deep in a compelling, well-written story with interesting and likeable characters that touches on some more mature topics which it handles quite deftly.

The show's strongest point are its characters. They all have interesting and realistic character arcs and grow significantly over the course of the series. The strong focus on friendship as well as relationships is especially wonderful.
What's also rare is the way the show centers its female characters. They both have agency, they both have their own very distinct personalities, they don't serve as mere plot-devices to further the main relationship, and the depictions of male-female friendships are just amazing.
The story also does a good job of exploring the realities of being a young woman and the constant looming threat of predatory men without ever getting too violent or reveling in the characters suffering. There is also nothing of the "damsel-in-distress" archetype about Yu Na's character even when she does ask for help, and this also makes that particular plot thread work much better than it might have done in a different show.

Another aspect of the series that I loved was its grounded and direct approach to queer characters and queer issues.
Ro Ah's relationship with his friend, for instance, is unique in that they are both queer, but while they both know that Nam Jun is romantically interested in Ro Ah, Ro Ah doesn't reciprocate these feelings and they simply stay friends and even live together with very few problems.
Ro Ah draws very clear boundaries and is incredibly direct about his wants and needs regarding their relationship and when Nam Jun oversteps those bounds, Ro Ah takes a very firm stand in how unacceptable such behaviour is.
I have never seen this sort of dynamic depicted in a queer drama before (unless the end-goal is for the two characters to end up together, of course) and I was very pleasantly surprised by it.
The characters also directly address the concept of coming out rather than just alluding to it which I have also not seen before and which I absolutely loved.

All in all there is a lot to love about this little series and I encourage you to give it a shot. If you can get past there first episode you will find a show full of realistic and charming characters, that knows how to inject subtle humour and genuine emotion into an interesting and somewhat unique storyline. It's an underrated gem of a show and if you let it, I think it might just charm you as thoroughly is it did me.

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A true gem of a romcom

This one became an instant classic for me, it's just that good.
To me this show is everything a romcom could and should be - the characters are believable and likable, the plot is compelling but does not take away from the romance, the pacing is well thought-out, and the romantic tension builds at a perfect speed.

But more than that this story has a deep understanding of not just its characters, but what being human means at large.
The characters are all vastly different personalities with their own unique charms and dynamics, but also each with their own unique set of flaws. They feel like real, actual people, and it is in that grounding connection to reality that the show really shines.
It makes the audience question things like "How do you deal with your life suddenly changing and starting down a path you never expected?", "What does loving someone really mean?", "How much are you letting the past control your current life?", and "What does forgiveness mean and whom exactly does it benefit?"

The show tells its story perfectly beat for beat and pulls the audience along on a ride that is in turns fun, emotional, captivating, and absolutely joyous. Add to that the lovely visuals, solid editing, and good music and you get a romantic drama par excellence.
I honestly can't think of any reason not to watch this show, I genuinely and wholeheartedly recommend it to any- and everyone. Go watch it already.

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A quiet, tender masterpiece

Ah, Blueming... what can I say about this show that hasn't already been said?
It is a wonderfully down-to-earth queer drama steeped in realism and tenderness in equal measure.

The visuals are gorgeous and combined with the excellent soundtrack create an atmosphere of quiet hopefulness and renewal, like the feeling of the first days of spring slowly creeping in to replace the winter cold.
That may sound overly poetic, but this story is so touching, so softly poignant that it just grabbed me by the heartstrings so tightly there is simply no other way to describe the impact it had other than through poeticism.
There are no great twists, no dramatic misunderstandings, no grand declarations of love and passion. There is just the slow and steady journey of a cast of achingly real people learning and growing and navigating their way towards happiness, which is portrayed with such raw emotional vulnerability it left me feeling cracked open a split apart in the best way possible.

This show will gently nudge you into reflecting on themes of love, self-image, societal pressures, and the mortifying ordeal of being known. It forgoes melancholy and angst and instead focuses on the raw, quiet joy of being alive and getting to grow and change and learn every day. Just watch it; everyone's soul needs to be wrung out and hung out to dry every once in a while and this story will do that for you.

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Paradoxically Underrated

This is one of my personal favourites and honestly one of the most criminally underrated shows on this entire site.
I have spent probably entirely too much time watching, rewatching, and analysing this show and I have a frankly unreasonable amount of opinions about the entire thing, so let me try and explain why I feel so strongly about what, to most people, seems to be nothing more than a mid-tier drama.

Let's start with the characters:
Onoe is unfailingly honest and direct, and wants to believe the best in everyone, which are qualities that frequently land him in trouble. He is earnest and sweet and does his job because he wants to genuinely help people.
Kaburagi meanwhile is the opposite. He is very quiet and jaded and has lost faith in the purpose of his job. He initially takes the job because, like Onoe, he wants to do good in the world and to learn how to peel back people's layers and find good there. Except he gets unlucky with his scoops, doesn't find that hoped for kindness and love anywhere and gets even more closed off and cynical as a result to the point where he essentially abandons all his ethics in the pursuit of newsworthy stories.
Their relationship could easily have been nothing more than a typical "complete opposites" dynamic, but the show opts for a much subtler and more low-key approach to this than usual and the dynamic quickly changes to the two characters balancing each other out more and more and making each other better.

This compelling subtlety permeates through all aspects of the show; the story touches on a lot of fascinating, complex, and serious topics, sometimes more in depth sometimes a bit less, in a very quiet and understated, but very deft way and then neatly ties every theme back to the characters and their personal growth and development.
Most of the "villains" the characters expose with their stories are much more than two- dimensional antagonists.
The show makes a point of showing that there is no such thing as clear-cut morality, that the "villains" aren't monsters beyond human comprehension, they're just people. There's a running theme of "Just because you did something evil doesn't mean you're not sympathetic" as well as "Just because I can empathise with you and understand your reason, you still did horrible things and that's not an excuse". To quote another clever show: "Cool motive, still murder"
As the story progresses it explores these topics in increasing depth and with such nuanced complexity that I found myself genuinely slack-jawed and amazed at times.

A further strong point of the show is Onoe and Kaburagi's relationship.
From the very beginning they communicate so openly with each other. Onoe, for example. figures out his attraction to Kaburagi very quickly, goes to ask his friend for advice, gives himself a bit of time to figure out the differences between platonic and romantic affection and once he does, is pretty much entirely upfront with Kaburagi about how he feels for the rest of the show.
Meanwhile Kaburagi is having a bit of a harder time figuring out what he's feeling but rather than letting their relationship devolve into an endless, angst-filled back and forth, he just tells Onoe how he feels.
He specifically tells Onoe "I like you! Probably" and every subsequent time Onoe confronts him about sending mixed signals or misunderstanding something, Kaburagi just very openly tells him "I don't know how I feel, I don't know what you are to me". They keep giving each other time and space to figure things out, which is such an unusual and healthy portrayal of a budding new relationship. I genuinely have never seen a romance drama paced like this before, it is a truly unique approach and a much-needed breath of fresh air for the genre.

In conclusion: This is a truly masterfully written and acted show, with solid visuals, an amazing cast of supporting characters, and an understated, deadpan type of humour that suits the story perfectly and which I personally find incredibly charming.
I keep coming back to this show again and again and the simple reason for this is that, to me, this show has an intrinsic and fundamental understanding of what it means to be human, flawed and multi-faceted and endlessly joyful.
I highly recommend you watch it.






Post-script with content warnings and mild spoilers:

One thing I feel like I have to address is the show's one unfortunate flaw - the source material.
There are two scenes in the show that I strongly disliked:
First, one in which Onoe is almost sexually assaulted by someone during an undercover operation, and while the show does acknowledge how bad that situation was, they sort of gloss over how serious and traumatising the experience should have been to Onoe.
Second, a scene in which Kaburagi's main informer lets him choose whether to pay for the intel with money or with sex and while Kaburagi does turn her down and only ever pays her in cash from then on out, the show never explicitly states how problematic such an arrangement is, nor do they condemn the informant specifically.
So why, where did those scenes come from, why do they feel so tonally inconsistent and out of place compared to the rest of the show?
This is where the source material becomes relevant. I got my hands on the manga on which the story is based, only to realise, with no small amount of horror, that the source material barely resembles the clever, heartfelt sensitivity of the show and is instead an incredibly run-of-the-mill, rapey yaoi trash-fire. That may sound harsh, but it is unfortunately accurate.
Seemingly the scriptwriters for the show did their level best to take the compelling concept of the manga while removing its glaring flaws. In their attempts to still remain as true to the original as possible, as fans so often demand, they only sanitised the scenes in question, rather than removing them completely. This doesn't excuse the inclusion of said scenes whatsoever, but it does contextualize them, and make them slightly easier to bear in my opinion.

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An Actual Masterpiece

This one is an absolute classic for a very good reason.
The setting and plot may be nothing new, but the show makes full use of them and breathes new life into well-established tropes until it all comes together to create something truly unique.
The music and camera work fit the story perfectly, the acting is excellent, the script is tight, and the clever writing infuses the whole story with a dry, understated humour which suits the characters perfectly.
In short - the show is technically excellent.

But it's not just the fact that the show is objectively good that has so successfully endeared it to viewers.
It's how lovable and relatable the characters are. They are all clearly their own people with their own unique personalities which clash often, but also often mesh together very well, allowing for interesting friendships to form.
They feel incredibly true to life and frankly, seem to me like the exact type of unusual yet charming weirdos you'd find at any university or college campus.

Another strong suit of the show is its depiction of queer people and friendships. You won't find any stale romance tropes here, no queer relationships forced into weird, heterosexual dynamics. The characters respect each other's boundaries and take care not to overstep them, even when they're actively making a nuisance of themselves.
Sangwoo asks Jaeyoung to warn him in advance before touching him, so Jaeyoung does. Jaeyoung asks Sangwoo to not completely push him away and Sangwoo agrees to take some time to think about their relationship going forward.
They both try their best to stick together and make things work between them, yet never fall into a co-dependent "I'd sacrifice everything to be with you" dynamic.
Add to that some stand-out supporting characters (Yu Na, my absolute favourite), healthy male-female friendships, and some truly wonderful casual queer representation, and you've got an undeniable recipe for success.

If you haven't seen this show yet, I highly recommend that you do. I envy anyone who gets to experience watching it for the first time.

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Big Win For The Country Gays

This is an understated, exceedingly tender slice-of-life story about finding where you belong and figuring out what brings you the most joy in life. So naturally I came running at top speed as soon as I heard about it and I was not disappointed.
The movie is visually stunning, which makes sense given the gorgeous scenery it has as a backdrop.
The writing and acting are both very solid, but what really surprised me was the quiet charm this movie brings to the table. This could easily have been nothing more than Japan's answer to God's Own Country (don't get me wrong, I love that movie but it does strike a very somber tone) but what we got instead is an absolutely heartwarming story with a very down-to-earth yet uplifting feel to it.

If you like looking at beautiful rural landscapes and/or watching sweet and sincere romances grounded in solid friendship, then this one is for you!

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Made my heart dance

What an utter joy this one was to watch.
Breathtaking visuals and lovely music underscore and enhance this beautiful, incredibly well-acted story. The writing is excellent, from the realistic and oftentimes genuinely hilarious dialogue, to the cleverly-utilised symbolism. The "red thread of fate" theme is woven into the story seamlessly and effectively and even made me tear up over a simple pinkie promise.
I also didn't think I'd ever feel particularly emotional about hard-boiled eggs, but here we are.
This is a deeply charming story about two people who utterly and completely fail to be normal about anything ever (in the best way possible, I promise) and still manage to find and hold onto each other in spite of every obstacle in their path.

If you're looking for a quick and easy watch with solid writing and gorgeous visuals, about two people and a love that all feel deeply real, then I cannot recommend this show more highly.

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Accidental Child Acquisition - The Show

This was an absolute delight of a special and serves as a perfect little epilogue for the main show. It's basically just a short glimpse into the domestic lives of Puen and Talay with an overarching theme of "Pursuing goals and self-fulfillment is a priority, but so is actively making time to spend with your partner and creating little moments of joy and togetherness because loving someone is important and meaningful". As someone who loves nothing more than soft, meandering explorations of ordinary people just loving each other, this was basically perfect for me and I honestly couldn't be more happy with it.
If you enjoyed the main show you'll definitely like this as well, so give it a shot.

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