BL Compilations

messy characters (watch suggestions for BL)

Overall: although I think they did a good job telling the story they wanted to tell, that story was not interesting to me with the amount of cheating and terrible decision-making. Note that every 4 episodes the story re-sets from other characters' perspectives (the middle 4 were my favorite episodes and I did like some plot lines in the ending 4). 12 episodes about 40 minutes each. Aired on Viu.

Content Warnings: near rape, sexual assault, minor?/non-minor, pregnancy loss, blood, manipulation, blackmail, addiction, vomiting, gaslighting

Watch Suggestions for BL Scenes
- episode 5, 24:40-25:40 & 32-33:40
- episode 6, 22:15-22:30 & 38:55-41
- episode 7, 28:10-33:05

What I Liked
- a trans character that felt like a real person instead of a stereotype
- diversity in sexual orientation
- I hated the beginning of episode 8 but I did like that they showed a 'freeze' response because most people just think of 'fight' or 'flight'
- showcased complicated emotions around pregnancy and pregnancy loss
- touched on struggles of being trans and also being in a relationship with a trans person
- production value (music, start was in gray scale, ending credits changed)

Room For Improvement
- there were 22 characters and it was impossible to remember who was married to who, exes with who, cheating with who, related to who, etc.
- I had no interest in a whole bunch of characters/their plots

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the one that started it all

Overall: there are parts that I liked more and parts that I liked less from the Ossan's Love 2018 series. 47 minute special/pilot. Watched on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3892/ossans-love-2016

Content Warning: non con touching

What I Liked
- his female friend was more supportive and less of a love rival in the pilot
- that a character was already divorced
- some funny parts like outside the shower scene

Room For Improvement
- the fight scene wasn't as epic/hilarious as some of the other ones
- that confession left a lot to be desired
- the almost non con kiss and the non con touching
- missed Maki's sass

Ossan's Love Franchise
Ossan's Love special/pilot, Japan, 2016 - don't really need to watch as the 2018 series is the same story
Ossan's Love, Japan, 2018 - full series
Ossan's Love, Hong Kong, 2021 - a remake of the 2018 series
Ossan's Love: In The Sky, Japan, 2019 - this has some of the same characters and kind of a similar overall plot, an alternate setting
Ossan's Love: In The Sky special, Japan, 2019 - goes along with In The Sky series
Ossan's Love: Love or Dead movie, Japan, 2019 - follows the 2018 Japanese series
Ossan's Love Return's, Japan, 2024 - follows the movie
Ossan's Love Returns Telasa Spin Off: Forbidden Gout/Temps Nouveau, Japan, 2024 - these are additional scenes that go along with the 2024 series
Ossan's Love Returns Spin-off Drama: Haruta to Maki no Shinkon Shoya, Japan, 2024 - this is a scene that goes along with the 2024 series
Ossan's Love, Thailand, 2024 - a remake of the 2018 series

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delightful characters but not delightful plot

Overall: we've seen this plot device in numerous specials but I enjoyed seeing the characters again. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3342/our-dining-table-spin-off-2023 My review of the series https://kisskh.at/profile/blcompilations/reviews/268835

What I Liked
- the supportive dad and that he gave them space in the hot spring
- Tane
- a couple sweet moments

Room For Improvement
- the premise/poor communication is a tired cliche in special episodes, wanted to see them growing more as a couple and a bunch of fluff

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an enjoyable special

Overall: if you liked the series, then you'll enjoy this 40 minute special episode as well. Aired on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/city-of-stars-dehsu9gh8g?lang=en_us Here is my review of the series https://kisskh.at/profile/blcompilations/reviews/336795/

What I Liked
- ongoing physical affection
- cute/sweet moments
- supportive friends
- laughed a couple of times (like when a character hid behind another character/pillar)

Room For Improvement
- again with the excessive comedy sound effects that often made things less funny for me
- voice over
- a main plot point is one we've seen countless times in specials and it annoys me every time, wish they had done something different
- (neutral), I enjoy GL rep but the way they explained it wasn't great

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better than the series (start at 17 min)

Overall: maybe because for once Dino wasn't a walking red flag and it was only 36 minutes (the rest is behind the scenes/talking with the cast) I found this easier to watch than the series. Aired on iQIYI (have to pay an additional amount, about $2.80 USD), heard it's also on Vimeo to buy but can't find it in the U.S.

What I Liked
- a few cute moments like the shopping trip

Room For Improvement
- the comedy sound effects didn't make anything funny
- almost nothing happened, watched it at 3x speed, they repeated almost the same conversation multiple times in a row

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better than the series...

Overall: these are slightly better than the series but maybe because it's just 2 episodes instead of 8. Each episode is about 45 minutes. Aired on iQIYI.

Watch Advice: final story 1, skip to 10 minutes and then 21 minutes; final story 2, skip to 8 minutes and then 39 minutes

Content Warnings: stalking, punch, non con video recording

What I Liked
- at least there is lip movement in the kisses
- a few sweet moments

Room For Improvement
- the first final story starts with Dino being manipulative and insecure and then later there is a random/not needed stalker plot, the second final story has a large chunk of the side characters talking about their own love stories and we never see their faces
- constant comedy sound effects

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feels dated (and not a BL)

Overall: this is a sitcom about two guys who pretend to be a couple for views/money. I did not interpret this as a BL or censored BL. There are maybe hints with one guy towards the other but it did not feel mutual. 12 episodes about 10 minutes each, on GagaOOLala.

Content Warnings: attempted self harm played as comedy, mentions of stalking, harassment, fight

What I Liked
- laughed 3 times
- abs
- the innuendo in the title (and at one point they cooked eggplant so maybe that was on purpose)
- translator notes

Room For Improvement
- did not see mutual attraction/love, definitely didn't see the same kind of hints/chemistry like in other censored things from China
- the laugh track, didn't find majority of their jokes funny
- making fun of masculine woman and effeminate men
- making fun of abusive contracts
- bad sound quality in episode 3

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sweet and fluffy moments from two couples of Coffee Melody

Overall: this is a follow up 1 year later of two couples from Coffee Melody the series. I rate the 1st episode 7 and 2nd 8 for an average of 7.5. Each episode is about 30 minutes long. Aired on YouTube.

Content Warnings: none

What I Liked
- the fluffy, domestic bliss and sweet moments (and there were quite a few)
- the teaching moments in episode 2
- same sex marriage advocacy in both episodes

Room For Improvement
- in both of these it felt like their dialogue and physical affection is what we'd see at the start of dating, not after 1 year, episode 1 had more physical affection but they felt unnaturally shy about it
- particularly in episode 1, scenes jumped around and lacked a coherent story line, episode 2 was less jumpy
- the road noise was a bit loud over some of the talking scenes outside
- the intro has a bunch of characters that aren't in either episode which seems strange (they were characters from the full series)
- a bit too slow paced for me which is reminiscent of the series

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The Love That Kind Of Speaks Its Name

Overall: These six 2-5 min episodes have a few cute moments but don't really satisfy in the end. Watched on Gagaoolala.

Content Warnings: none

What I Liked:
- for what I'm assuming is low budget, I thought the production value and acting is fairly good. I watched the Making Of video and it was one of the actors' first time acting.
- there is an apology in the story which I always appreciate

Room For Improvement:
- I wish they had had the flashback in episode 3 be the first episode so the viewer better understood their relationship from the beginning.
- In episode 4 why was one in a bed and the other sleeping on the floor? If they only had 1 bedroom, wouldn't they either have separate twin beds or a large bed and sleep in the same bed???
- why did they stop living together? It would save money and they were good friends...
- I would have liked the ending more if they had just reversed it, if the other guy had been the one to initiate things

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A beautiful story about family, love, self-acceptance, regret & atonement

Content Warnings: (not between m/m) character death, suicide (not shown and not sure if that's what happened)

Overall: I was moved to tears by a beautiful story about what it really means to be family (it's more than biology), how to accept oneself, and trying to right past wrongs. FYI the title on GagaOOLala is "On The Way Home."

What I Liked
- the themes of the story that I mentioned: family, love, self-acceptance, regret, atonement/2nd chances
- the friend's reactions were realistic, almost like going through stages of grief such as disbelief, anger, sadness and acceptance

Room For Improvement
- the m/m relationship was too off screen for me. It was a major factor of what happened, but if I hadn't read the synopsis, I wouldn't have even known anything until too far into the movie. I'm not saying that I wanted NSFW scenes, just to show the love between the characters and how the daughter was feeling left out (see below point)
- I realize the daughter was going through quite a lot, but there could have been additional motivation (like showing what was happening at school for example, was she being bullied? did she see classmates display homophobia and it made her worried?) to give her actions more reasoning behind them

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Short film about two best friends

Content Warnings: none 

Overall: This is basically the same story told in two parts with the difference being the setting and the endings. It gives a bit of art film vibes. There's nothing amazing here, but it doesn't make me scream into a void so maybe worth a watch...

What I Liked
- I generally like a best friends to something more plot
- the actors are cute
- music in the 2nd part was nice

Room For Improvement
- 1st part had music that I know I've heard before so they need something more unique
- the voice sound in the 2nd part wasn't as good
- wasn't totally convinced by the crying acting

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