Aira

I watched it from TVer but you'd be needing a Japanese IP address in order to access:
https://tver.jp/corner/f0088502
I believe it might be uploaded in Dailymotion shortly though.

Also I think they did a good job incorporating manga!Kokoro into this drama-only manager character (Kokomi), but I sincerely hope they will move the Aoki-Ida movie date to later episode (like how they moved Kokoro/Kokomi's arc) instead of skipping it!!

6th episode's Aoki must be my favorite so far, he's so funny. 😂 I cracked up a lot at his scenes despite barely understanding anything. 😂

Yes, exactly!! I was thinking the same thing especially when Hashi's friend mentioned about looking for her (I was like "??? so they can really choose who they want to do the activity with, right??") , and I think Ida could have gone with the guys he was walking with by the end of the 4th episode. It's just really a bit weird to see that Ida and Akkun are suddenly like BFFs doing the activity together (although they were really cute together too lol).

And yeah, thanks for reminding me that initially they were judged individually in the skiing activity and then were grouped based on that in the manga! I have no issues with the scavenger hunt in the drama tbh but it would have been great if there was a hint or an explanation why Akkun+Ida and Hashi+Aoki had to be separated doing it. XD

OK the only thing that bothered me a little in ep5 is the way they have been paired as Ida+Akkun and Aoki+Hashimoto when doing the orienteering activity lol. Like the four of them could have gone together so Ida and Akkun could help the other two?? If I haven't read the manga prior to the drama I'll be confused why Akkun and Ida are suddenly so close to the point of doing the activity together and leaving Aoki and Hashimoto behind lol.

I swear I remember it made sense in the manga during the skiing arc but in the drama there was no explanation whatsoever why the four of them couldn't do it together. XD

Other than that it was a cute episode and it was amazing to see how our three main guys look like giants when standing together with everyone in the class, haha!

Yeah regarding actors' age, I think it's kinda normal in Japan to have actors in their early to mid 20s play as high school students (in rare times even those in their 30s still get to play as HS students lol) because usually those are the ones who already have enough experience in acting or are famous enough to star in dramas so it doesn't really bother me anymore as long as they give justice to the characters.
And yes, exaggerated acting is also already kinda normal in Japan especially if the source material is from a comedy manga. 😅
(And I'm also curious about that part about Aida getting a gf, I wonder if they'll be able to include it in between but I also guess not anymore since there's not much effect in the plot?)

Oh I find your comment regarding Aida interesting because it's the opposite for me. I read the manga few months before the live-action was announced and during that time I actually didn't pay that much attention to him and would rarely reread the chapters focused on him (although I found him funny because he's so dumb haha). But now I find live-action Aida endearingly cute and dumb so for this version I'm more interested in him (despite Ida being my favorite in the manga) and has been rewatching his scenes more.
Although I understand why some would find manga!Aida cuter since the drama has skipped considerable amount of cute and funny
Aida moments/dialogues from the manga. 🥺

I think it's a bit reddish/dark brown, it sometimes changes in the official arts...
https://uploads.mangadex.org/covers/1a667dd0-36bf-4c0f-82a2-1067ccdbe5c0/e7e7627d-8692-4065-b8b2-83530c29b173.jpg (vol.3 cover)
https://uploads.mangadex.org/covers/1a667dd0-36bf-4c0f-82a2-1067ccdbe5c0/8dff1d6d-48bf-4264-be60-3aead7fe4685.jpg (vol.5 cover, spoiler-ish for those who haven't read the manga until end of volume 1/chapter 5)

OMG I thought I'm the only one who thinks he kinda has the same vibes as Yamada James Takeshi~!

OMG I've been thinking for hours now if where did I first hear that song and thanks to your comment I realized I heard it in Himura Hideo first!! XD Thank you, I'll have a peaceful sleep tonight haha!

So true, during the first 3 episodes I noticed they skipped a lot of Akkun scenes /dialogues from the manga (some of which are kinda important to show more his dynamics with Aoki) so I was thinking maybe they'll just totally focus on Aoki and Ida due to time constraints and got a bit sad/worried. But I'm glad they included all the significant Aoki+Akkun and Hashi+Akkun parts this time.

And yes, totally agree with you. KieKoi is being aired in TV Asahi which is also behind Ossan's Love that gained a very huge following in Japan (even those who are not BL fans became fans) and even became a social phenomenon back then (and a lot of BL/MLM dramas/movies featuring well-known actors and having good production soon followed) so I'm kinda sure they totally know what they're doing with KieKoi and I hope they will handle it well till the end.

It's the time Akkun invited Aoki to a mixer since he's feeling down and Ida+volleyball team ended up also being there. Then one of the girls took a liking to Ida. 🙂

Yeaah, I think so too... also might be because they'd be needing more people for that. I just hope they'll be able to blend in the important parts in the school trip instead (e.g. Ida watching Aoki, Aoki being jealous as well as relieved that Ida doesn't like anyone else, etc.)

Oh, I watched in TVer but it can only be accessed with Japan IP (I have paid VPN due to work).
https://tver.jp/corner/f0087482

Akkun's line about his 'normal' reaction being wrong.

Also they'll be skipping the mixer chapter?? 😳 I thought that part was important to show how Ida is slowly beginning to really like Aoki. Either way, so excited for the next episode!

Akkun finally getting the screentime he deserves after 3 episodes. 😆 Also, I'm so relieved they retained one of my favorite lines from Akkun. ✨

Hmmm I also apologize but I'm not sure if what kind of bi-representation you have in mind when you started reading the manga (or watching the drama) but the fact that it's being serialized under Bessatsu Margaret -- a shoujo manga magazine whose target audience seems to be girls aged 12 to 17 and almost purely houses M+F romance manga, I think it's already a great thing that they have KieKoi in their current lineup. :) I don't think it was ever advertised as something deep or thought-provoking so I guess this might be the reason why what you might be expecting or looking for is not present in this story.

I understand where you're coming from although personally I have the same thoughts with Slipperme. I also think Aoki only sees Hashimoto as a "crush" or an "idol" (there's even a panel in the manga that describes them as an idol and a fan later on) that's why he got over her faster than expected. It's like having a crush on a celebrity, we love and adore them because they make us happy and inspire us, then if they have bashers we have this urge to "protect" them in our own ways. And if they suddenly enter a relationship we'll be sad for a while but soon we'll root for them and wish for their happiness. Then there might also come a time that we'll come across another "idol" and suddenly change bias or something like that but it doesn't mean we stop liking our first idol.
Also, they're only in their 2nd year of high school and there might be times that teenagers are confused with their feelings (mistaking crush for love) especially Aoki who is kinda dumb as Akkun puts it (he can be also very dramatic lol). I actually think Aoki and Hashimoto's only significant interaction so far before the chaos with the eraser started is that time Hashi gave him the cupcake during Valentine's. Aoki was down that nobody gave him sweets so when Hashi gave him one he got so touched and started admiring her because of her kindness. Apart from that, I think there's not much chance for him to develop stronger feelings for Hashi since it seems they only really became good friends after the incident with the eraser. So I don't think he's "heavily in love" with her.
Whereas for Ida, right after the eraser incident, they immediately spent a lot of intimate/significant time together wherein Ida was able to show how kind and pure he is which made Aoki again, like him immediately (like how quickly he liked Hashi). It might only be a "crush" again at this point but since Ida considered Aoki's feelings seriously and is able to respond to it slowly but surely (unlike Hashimoto who only saw and treated Aoki as friend right from the start), I guess it's easier for Aoki to get to know Ida deeply and for his feelings for Ida to develop into real love eventually.

@aprilnwright I think you should mark this as a spoiler for people who are yet to watch the 3rd episode or for people planning to to watch this and checking MDL for some insights.

YAAAS I totally understand you!! Was meaning to mention in my earlier reply that since the drama is a double-starring between two Johnny's members, I kinda feel they'd skip some Akkun/Hashimoto+Akkun scenes to make room for more Ida-scenes compared to the manga (e.g. that volleyball scene in ep1 and the drawing scene in ep3) so him and Aoki will have equal amount of screentime. ^^;;;
(Actually my favorite character in the manga is Ida but I became a fan of Suzuki Jin after Given so in the drama version I'm more interested in Akkun HAHAHA! So we're kindred spirits lol!)