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This review may contain spoilers
focused on the leads (watch suggestions)
Overall: I appreciated how it focused on the two characters and didn't have the poor communication trope/stupid plan trope that most specials have. My review of the series is here https://kisskh.at/profile/blcompilations/review/394426 - 2 episodes about 50 minutes each. Aired on WeTV https://wetv.vip/en/play/1ci6pha8sn1tf5h/f4101lm0t7l-Special_EP%3A_JohanNorth_EP1 and https://wetv.vip/en/play/1ci6pha8sn1tf5h/e4101ceao3h-Special_EP%3A_JohanNorth_EP2Watch Suggestions (to focus on cute moments/in person interactions)
Part 1
- watch beginning-2, 6-7, 11:20-12, 22:40-23:20, 31:30-35:55, 41:30-end
Part 2
- watch 10:10-12, 13:40-end
What I Liked
- sweet moments
- the camping was cute
Room For Improvement
- Johan acted like an idiot when he asked what was wrong, and then a minute later seemed to know what was wrong
- Johan didn't listen to what North said how an apology wouldn't be bought but then shortly after North was fine with the bought apology which didn't make sense character-wise
- how North said he wouldn't get a tattoo because Johan told him not to
- part 2 started in a totally different location and I was confused as to why
- why were the first 13 minutes of the episode not with the 2 leads in person, I was not into imagining the person being in person
- the comedy sound effects did not enhance the humor
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goofy ML vs stoic/horny ML
Overall: this is based on the book Counter Attack by Chai Jidan which I haven't read and I reviewed the series on its own merits. 8 episodes of 17 minutes of actual show (21 including intro/end credits). No official international release.Content Warning: non con touching multiple times
What I Liked
- the dynamics of both the main and side couples
- how one ML wasn't a damsel in distress, had some pluck
- showed that it wasn't a platonic relationship
- when the wig was gone
Room For Improvement
- made fun of a person with a disability in eps 1/8
- the side couple vanished
- plot was pretty choppy, guessing it was due to low budget and/or censorship
- the final episode didn't have one of the MLs in it which was strange
- (neutral) the friend, he was sometimes helpful but other times he was not
- 2 minutes and 20 seconds was too long of an intro for only 17 minutes of a show (didn't include the end credits), I didn't take off points for this
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A Man Who Defies the World of BL Season 2
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meta BL comedy continued
Overall: a fun meta story where the main character is in a BL comic/world which picks up where season 1 left off. 3 episodes about 22 minutes each. Aired on Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/38419c-a-man-who-defies-the-world-of-bl-2 and GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/2660/a-man-who-defies-the-world-of-bl-2021-s02e01Content Warning: dub/non con kiss
What I Liked
- awesome dance/music intro sequence
- the flowers and blinding light
- I chuckled a few times
- subverted the cliche ex character
Room For Improvement
- the beginning scene that picked up where season 1 left off
- wanted more focus on Mob & his brother instead of multiple couples I didn't care anything about like the hospital characters in ep 3
- lip press
- cliche running scene
- cut off something at the end
- (neutral) normally I'd take off a half point or more for a cliffhanger ending; however, there was a season 3 though as of 2025 it still hasn't had an international release
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the way to a man's heart is his stomach
Overall: the food looked delicious, but the chemistry was lacking. This series was based on a manga which I didn't read and I reviewed the series on its own merits. 7 episodes about 25 minutes each. No official international release.Content Warnings: non con touching, non con picture taking/sharing/outing, cyberbullying
What I Liked
- the bar owner
- the cooking
- I did laugh at the 'get me salt' part
- how the younger guy stood up to the ex
- that the time jump was realistic and not years later
Room For Improvement
- didn't really feel that romantic spark between the main leads, I don't have issues with an age gap with equal power dynamics so I'm not sure what wasn't working for me
- too much screentime spent with the ex
- had the cliche running scene
- something that was interrupted in the final episode
- the title made it sound as if the older person needed to be fed due to their advanced age (I didn't take off points though)
- lack of international release (didn't take off points)
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pretty good special episode
Overall: it's mostly domestic bliss and I appreciated not having a stupid "plan" that most special episodes center on. 1hr 20 minutes, can purchase on Vimeo https://vimeo.com/store/ondemand/buy/471490What I Liked
- mutual affection
- the oceanside/beach setting
- domestic bliss/fluff
- closure for the GL couple
- Ja cameo
Room For Improvement
- I was a little disappointed that there was just 1 short steamy scene, they definitely could have pulled off more
- there wasn't really any conflict/drama, which was mostly fine though it felt a bit draggy at times
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a short series about two men who reconnect years after highschool
Overall: I gave this series an indie rating boost as I'm sure they had no or little budget. 6 episodes about 10 minutes each. Aired on Our Golden Times YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFufJwmJC3ikoLWALvn4UXSAlCbJ3H1cg&si=Nx_xG51lWFPakGgDContent Warnings: manhandling, held against will, non con kiss
What I Liked
- sweet/caring moments
- the fiancee wasn't a completely cliched character
Room For Improvement
- not enough time spent with the main leads/their relationship development
- episode 6 drama with the brother felt tossed in/underdeveloped
- coworkers didn't feel realistic to me
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morality tale of pranks/cyberbulling
Overall: it was a decent morality tale though it could have been less soap opera style and more realistic. 8 episodes about 30 minutes each https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwPOcpjobYWXlLOVMc845oyIYC4i31tda&si=RpHtrwDD000GLBvQContent Warnings: murders, suicide, blood, cyberbullying, harassment
BL Couple Timings
episode 1 part 1 at 9:45, part 2 at 2 min
episode 2 part 1 at 5 min, part 2 beginning
episode 3 part 1 at 9 min, part 2 beginning and 6 min
episode 5 part 1 at 4 min
episode 8 part 2 at 3:15-5:50 min
What I Liked
- avoided a cliche with the queer couple
- cinematography/island setting
Room For Improvement
- a doctor drank water and then said it's clean
- too many deaths/soap opera stuff
- a character still doing pranks at the end
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unhinged explicit comedy movie
Overall: this is a Japanese pink film (i.e. it has a few extremely explicit scenes in it). The plot was....something. I think they were going for comedy but it wasn't my style of comedy. Aired in 2024 on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4644/hard-business-2018Content Warnings: a few major ones though I wasn't 100% sure what was fictional filming and what actually happened
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pandemic slice of life/BL
Overall: this is one of the slew of BL series (I.e. Gameboys, Quaranthings, See You After Quarantine, Boys' Lockdown) set during the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to others, it has an angstier more realistic vibe. First watched with an iWantTFC subscription and re-watched when it released on GagaOOLala in 2024 https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4287/my-lockdown-romance-2020What I Liked
- the supportive friend who was not a cliche female character
- supportive parents and how the dad said to not promise him grandkids but that the lead character would be safe and happy
- tech integrated fairly well
Room For Improvement
- why did he do the sales pitch, his character actions confused me at times
- odd that he didn't delete the post right away
- maybe because the actors weren't in person with each other, but the ending felt anti climactic
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artsy/realistic vibe
Overall: watched this 20 minute short movie on YouTube https://youtu.be/6wj77bybP_Y?si=IDX9OzVAx1rqmYmh According to MDL it was inspired by the song Rerun, the music video is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfaBrj275co&ab_channel=PPKritEntertainmentWhat I Liked
- hooked me with the beginning conversation
- how the painting was titled open-ended
- the vibe
Room For Improvement
- the timeline of the first 2 scenes after the voice over in the intro wasn't clear until later
- the romance was an undercurrent/spoken but not really shown
- open endings aren't my favorite
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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-2016Content 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/268835What 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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well done short movie
Overall: wish this could have had more episodes because the actors had great chemistry. 8 minutes long https://youtu.be/A-0hx6lKIM0?si=FVx55QsQpfWI3Khk - later aired at https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/5991/actoreal-2024What I Liked
- great way to start, hooked me right away
- chemistry/tension
- clever title
- production value for an indie project
Room For Improvement
- wish it was a bit longer, could definitely use more screen time with the leads
- would have liked a slightly less open ending
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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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