I found the new episode very boring. And I don't understand these cuts when they're going to kiss.
The camera tricks for the kiss scenes are because the actor for "Poppy" is still a minor. As if there were no alternatives from all the guys who must have auditioned....
It's a cursed novel. no adaptation comes close to the 1st one that got axed by Chinese censorship.Nothing in this…
Right! Even with no overt affection in "Stay With Me", that version has more passion than this one. I actually think Poppy's acting is very good, but nobody can convince me that none of the auditioners who were of legal age were good enough to cast. (Or that someone younger and more rough around the edges could have been cast for Hero...)
What happened at the end of the episode with subtitles? Why it wasn't translated? :/
Yes, the subs suddenly stopped. Another way in which this version of the story just doesn't quite cut it. Fortunately, the scenes without subs were ones where it was pretty easy to guess what was going on.
In Smells Like Green Spirit, the first episode sets up a deeply personal conflict through Mishima’s long hair,…
I think when Kirino stepped forward to finish the job of cutting Mishima's hair, he did it to make it pretty -- his henchman had hacked it up so badly. And based on the result it looks like Kirino has quite a gift for hairdressing... 😆
I just wish that for a series so concerned with long hair they had invested in better wigs. Especially at the beginning, it looks like Mishima is wearing something he bought at a Halloween store.
Well, the "love music" for Phun and Noh is indeed one of the music clips that a production can use for free, as long as they give it credit. I'm not surprised since it makes sense for them to spend the money on other aspects of the series. And just about every series takes advantage of these -- often using the same exact music as others.
I noticed that the second time we hear it, when Noh is remembering back to the almost-kiss with Phun, they use the lush part where the melody blooms beautifully. For me it seems like a fine way to depict the growing impact that that moment has had on Noh.
This feels like a more romantic take on the story. The production is taking the legacy of the original series seriously and delivering in every way.
The ever-present Thai sound effects are thankfully used with restraint, whereas the use of background music is just wonderful, on another level entirely. I get the sense that this is an original score. (I'll have to look into that since so many BL series use generic music that's readily available for free use.)
I love that Phun and Noh have their own "love theme", the kind of romantic, Old Hollywood music that makes their near-kiss all the more intense. For me that moment easily surpasses many of the real kisses we see in BLs. My heart was pounding! No sneaky camera angles here --they let us see everything. The two boys take it as far as you'd expect when they've never had these kinds of feelings before, their faces touching, with Noh (very) slowly brushing his nose along Phun's cheek, and I didn't feel cheated at all when they were interrupted.
Then there's Noh's longing -- wow. It's so beautifully conveyed. Those sad eyes! That kid can act.
Meanwhile, Phun is the shrewd pursuer who even in the previous episode seemed ready to push things as far as Noh would let him. His sudden withdrawal in this episode seems to stem from the moment that Am cuts their near-kiss short, when Noh tries to act cool and brush it off like no big deal. I think most people can understand that reaction but Phun seems to feel betrayed. When he later sees Noh drawing his face close to Ohm's to see if the two of them generate the same electricity, Phun misunderstands and his resentment and jealousy take over.
I like that we get to see that Aim is someone with her own challenges. She's not being set up as a purely villainous character.
Whereas Ohm and Mick are being set up as the comic relief side couple. Ohm has been well cast, so I'm looking forward to watching that unfold too.
I was ready to hate this but wow, it's off to a great start. And age-appropriate actors! It *can* be done. I hope the other production companies are watching.
The last part of Episode 8 is one of the most moving things I've ever seen, in BL or anywhere. Just thinking about it chokes me up.
It occurred to me that they could have ended the series right there and I'd still feel fulfilled, but of course there's more to come and I'm grateful for that.
Only-Tiger is finally coming along, and it’s especially gratifying to see after the original series was cut off so abruptly and after the lack of any interest at all in a second couple in “Stay With Me”. Their little scene at the closing credits is also really cute.
The main couple have their moments but I’m still on the fence about their chemistry. I don’t think the series did enough to explain how Hero became so smitten with Pop.
Overall, though, I find I’m enjoying this more than I expected. Mac is doing a good job in his acting debut and August doesn’t look too old for his role.
Next up is the return of Pop’s gf. She looks pretty cute. Let’s hope it’s not a devious kind of cute. 😉
Such a realistic courtship. The two stubborn boys are warming up to each other in a realistic way, and it's such a refreshing change. The cute moments don't feel forced -- they happen organically.
Just a delightful and immersive series.
Simply imagining a BL universe where every series was this committed to excellence in every aspect gives me butterflies.
5 
6 
2 
I just wish that for a series so concerned with long hair they had invested in better wigs. Especially at the beginning, it looks like Mishima is wearing something he bought at a Halloween store.
Anyway, here it is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKlLbZ8KcWo
I noticed that the second time we hear it, when Noh is remembering back to the almost-kiss with Phun, they use the lush part where the melody blooms beautifully. For me it seems like a fine way to depict the growing impact that that moment has had on Noh.
The ever-present Thai sound effects are thankfully used with restraint, whereas the use of background music is just wonderful, on another level entirely. I get the sense that this is an original score. (I'll have to look into that since so many BL series use generic music that's readily available for free use.)
I love that Phun and Noh have their own "love theme", the kind of romantic, Old Hollywood music that makes their near-kiss all the more intense. For me that moment easily surpasses many of the real kisses we see in BLs. My heart was pounding! No sneaky camera angles here --they let us see everything. The two boys take it as far as you'd expect when they've never had these kinds of feelings before, their faces touching, with Noh (very) slowly brushing his nose along Phun's cheek, and I didn't feel cheated at all when they were interrupted.
Then there's Noh's longing -- wow. It's so beautifully conveyed. Those sad eyes! That kid can act.
Meanwhile, Phun is the shrewd pursuer who even in the previous episode seemed ready to push things as far as Noh would let him. His sudden withdrawal in this episode seems to stem from the moment that Am cuts their near-kiss short, when Noh tries to act cool and brush it off like no big deal. I think most people can understand that reaction but Phun seems to feel betrayed. When he later sees Noh drawing his face close to Ohm's to see if the two of them generate the same electricity, Phun misunderstands and his resentment and jealousy take over.
I like that we get to see that Aim is someone with her own challenges. She's not being set up as a purely villainous character.
Whereas Ohm and Mick are being set up as the comic relief side couple. Ohm has been well cast, so I'm looking forward to watching that unfold too.
It occurred to me that they could have ended the series right there and I'd still feel fulfilled, but of course there's more to come and I'm grateful for that.
The main couple have their moments but I’m still on the fence about their chemistry. I don’t think the series did enough to explain how Hero became so smitten with Pop.
Overall, though, I find I’m enjoying this more than I expected. Mac is doing a good job in his acting debut and August doesn’t look too old for his role.
Next up is the return of Pop’s gf. She looks pretty cute. Let’s hope it’s not a devious kind of cute. 😉
Just a delightful and immersive series.
Simply imagining a BL universe where every series was this committed to excellence in every aspect gives me butterflies.