This review may contain spoilers
Light, comfy and warm
[no hard spoilers]After watching this, I came imediately back to MDL to rate this with a high score, then got surprised with the 6.7 rating.
I thing people here are just insufurable.
Usually, when most people search for BLs (especially japanese bls), they'll have high expectations for something with no censor or a very fan service type of dinamic.
With this piece, you will get a genuine story of teenagers being teenagers in high school. No sex, no jumping to "give the public what they want, dammit". It's just how they're learning about themselves and discovering love.
For many japanese bls, i feel like they try hard with a low budget but My Strawberry Summer showed simple/daily environments, without a large cost, and proved that is not a requirement for a good show.
The picture is simply amazing. I makes it so cozy to watch! The actors are also really good with the script - I'm sooo used to see them acting all awkward or with a very robotic style of overreacting or low effort on expressing the character's feeling. For this one, it feels like the cast genuinely liked working together.
[a little bit of the plot spoilers below]
So, for the plot... I found it quite a cliche. What added up was the girls liking each other. Despite the fact of the girl Mizuki's mom liked being her teacher, I liked how natural they made it seem. The students were very chill and understanding of it, and I think the whole lore had an impact on Hikaru. He then proceeded to talk to Ryo after, maybe, getting more comfortable to touch the subject.
Overall, I love how the happy ending was not necessaraly a happy couple. In fact, there were no couples. And that is fine :)
They worked on themselves and the most important job was done. They maintained the friendship and we, as the watchers, can just assume Ryo will learn how to deal with his feelings towards Hikaru as they grow up.
I would love to see what happens in the future, as they graduate. I hope they won't lose their friendship by going to different colleges (if that happens) :,)
Would be fine to have a 40min movie telling us about their college years, but still, if that ever happens, I would wish Ryo and Hikaru remain as friends, just because the show made it so natural how "ok" it is that the guy's friend won't end up falling for him like in many other dramas :D
[conclusion]
Definetely worth watching and deservers a higher score. MDL people are too harsh. It's simply a nice and cozy 8 episodes show with teenagers understanding love in all types of relationships :)
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