4
10
1
1
awesome chemistry with unnecessary 3rd character
Overall: the beginning was very enjoyable with a clear premise and chemistry; however, interjecting a third character ruined the momentum. 5 episodes about 8 minutes each. Aired on Secret of Us YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7BSona1dmx50GA_E5MncPccjZdoNfjLn&si=BRP6NYZqmq5PrXoz The production has also made: Trapped in Osaka and Infidelity, It's a Disease.What I Liked
- clear premise
- their dynamic/opposite personalities
- production value (for what I assume is a very indie company)
Room For Improvement
- the third character took up way too much screen time (and was also the wannabe wife cliche), I was supposed to believe the two leads were meant for each other but I didn't see enough of their relationship progression
- kind of noble idiot trope at the end, though it didn't seem to last long
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This review may contain spoilers
Overall: it has a promising start with an established relationship (though I'm not 100% sure if they were boyfriends or best friends). It looks like there will be some twists but I have some fundamental issues with the plot and am dropping it. Watched on YouTube.Content Warnings: drugging, non con BDSM/physical assault, non con touching/sexual assault?, murder
What I Liked
- the plot was decently cohesive
- acting was fine for what I'm assuming is a low budget productions
Room For Improvement
- really disliked the stereotypical evil trans woman and the murder of a trans woman, it's not to say that there aren't trans women who do terrible things but it is way over represented in media compared to reality
- his boyfriend/friend is an idiot, he ran away to not be a burden and immediately became a burden to someone else?
- BDSM portrayed as non consensual, I think the BDSM is thrown in for shock value - people would still watch if it was consensual, I'm just tired of seeing non consensual BDSM and people who engage as BDSM portrayed as monsters
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This review may contain spoilers
First Impression Kei X Yaku - BL or Bromance? I don't care, it's interesting
Overall: I started by being really confused because there are time jumps but things fell into place during the second part of the 1st episode. It has some pretty violent parts which are a lot to see over and over again* but I really want to see what happens.Content Warnings: violence, murder, attempted suicide?, past trauma
What I Liked
- a mafia boss and police officer is a less common plot (Trapped is the only other series that fits this)
- the two main actors have good chemistry
- good production value
- Shiro and Ichiro are using their brains, I like smart characters
- stomach growling and bonus slip at the end of ep 2 were funny
Room For Improvement
- I was very confused for the first chunk of the first episode, I hate when time jumps are not made clear and also when I can't tell their start/stop points
- kind of bummed there is a possible female love interest
- *too many flashbacks especially of the sister during that one scene, I think they showed it 5 times during the 1st two episodes and it's so disturbing to watch
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This review may contain spoilers
trippy bait & switch
Overall: the promo pics showed 4 guys on top of each other, half naked and oiled up. I thought this would be a sci fi romance, but there was more het romance than m/m romance and the sci fi was confusing. Aired on Viu in a few countries like Thailand, no other release.Content Warnings: murders/deaths, suicide, blood, attempted murder, held against will
What I Liked
- would like to see all the actors in something else
- different premise
- landscape/setting
Room For Improvement
- a series can have plot twists but should still make sense in earlier episodes
- the riddle thing was kind of lame
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soap opera vertical series
Overall: I rate vertical series by other vertical series in a similar style and I quite liked this one. 55 episodes about 2 minutes each. Aired on WeTV (still have to rent it even if you have a paid subscription which is annoying) https://wetv.vip/en/play/w7xpce6favzdq5s/n4101zdymg0?ptag=3_5.28.5.16440_messagesContent Warnings: violence, sexual assault, drugging, kidnapping, beaten up
What I Liked
- visuals
- he rejected him the first time he was drugged
- the ending
Room For Improvement
- love rival
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boxing slice of life
Overall: it was a bit strange how in the last 8 minutes they went zero to 100 but...eh. About 70 minutes total runtime. Aired on Viu and 9NAA YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmOxMtX7dDsContent Warnings: beaten up, blood, past homophobia
What I Liked
- goofball/cool guy dynamic
- easy to understand premise
- visuals
Room For Improvement
- comedy sound effects/silly music didn't make things funny
- not sure why a character waited to intervene
- explained a story but didn't fully explain how that affected the present
- went from zero to 100, should have developed it more
- cliffhanger ending
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felt that I was missing the first part of the story
Overall: I was plopped into a story that didn't make a ton of sense. Why did a character love the other character? Maybe there were censorship/budget issues at play. 21 minutes long. It has a sequel. Watched on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/6067/find-you-in-the-crowd-one-2017Content Warning: slaps, homophobia
What I Liked
- wish the dream at the end had been reality
- music
Room For Improvement
- started in the present then flashback and then present
- choppy
- cliche evil woman character
- love rival (needed to focus on the two main characters)
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This review may contain spoilers
a soap opera-y vertical series
Overall: I rated this against other vertical series. It has that overly dramatic plot vibe. 52 short episodes 1-2 minutes each. Aired on WeTV, episodes 1-9 are free, the rest need to be rented https://wetv.vip/en/play/f91rzffyi42pq6s/c4101s5m9xe-EP01%3A_Spoiled_by_My_Mafia_BossContent Warnings: past murder, current murders, torture, blood, violence, manipulation, sexual assault, held against will, near rape, sex trafficking
What I Liked
- visuals
- that Ramin had some agency and wasn't a total shrinking violet
- kissing
- a character used his brain and actually put something on
Room For Improvement
- noble idiot trope
- a guy was obsessed at first sight with another guy, nonsense bracelet
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short series with a few NSFW scenes
Overall: I didn't like the one ML being coercive. 3 episodes about 10 minutes each. Available at https://likey.me/FlyingPenguinContent Warnings: coercion, love bombing
What I Liked
- visuals
- easy to understand premise
- in episode 2 there was communication and he took initiative
- Flying Penguin showed their own series on the TV
Room For Improvement
- the coercion/love bombing aspect
- the ending (total lack of communication was not appealing)
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cute main couple
Overall: I liked the main couple, but there was too much time spent on the antagonist. 43 1-2 minute episodes with 1-5 free https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwYMw24W9K4 Aired on the Shortime app (more info below). My invite link is https://playground.shortime.app/en/invite/NKNIWI - the code is NKNIWI (those are all capital letters, that's the capital letter i)Content Warning: manipulation, non con recording
What I Liked
- easy to understand premise
- visuals
- supportive friend
Room For Improvement
- too much time spent on the antagonist
- ghosting
- that they cut the kiss in ep 41 and there wasn't one at the end
- (neutral) I set aside the physical therapist/patient squickiness
My Watch For Free Plan (updated Feb 2025)
1 friend referral code = 20 (1 time bonus) My invite link is https://playground.shortime.app/en/invite/NKNIWI - the code is NKNIWI (those are all capital letters, that's the capital letter i)
On the Rewards (popcorn bag icon page)
- check in = 5 (increases over 7 days up to 25)
- create a login = 20? (I did create a login because otherwise you only get 1 Always Win box instead of 3 per day, I think this was 20 popcorn)
- do the 3 random popcorn from the daily Always Win box = 30 (I'd normally get 5, around 15 in total)
- Watch Ads, watch all 10 ads each day, have to wait 30 seconds in between ads = 110
When you run out of popcorn while watching, you can watch 5 episodes each day with ads
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This review may contain spoilers
a quirky short film
Overall: this is a 13 minute quirky short movie where condoms have voices. I first watched it on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/1207/dom-2017 It later aired on Shortime (it was 100 popcorn in 2025).What I Liked
- the way the guy bought it felt realistic
- made me chuckle a few times
- friendship
Room For Improvement
- them being very drunk beforehand
- the one guy trying to convince him not to use a condom
Note: this isn't a happily ever after, the main character's boyfriend cheats on him and then it's an open ending
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vertical series about step brothers
Overall: it was okay. 30 episodes about 1-2 minutes each. Episodes 1-5 (of 30 short episodes) on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4cN0VtI6fEAired on the Shortime app (more info below). My invite link is https://playground.shortime.app/en/invite/NKNIWI - the code is NKNIWI (those are all capital letters, that's the capital letter i)
Content Warnings: coercion, bullying, past injury, harassment, past death
What I Liked
- caring moments
- the parents
- there is a kiss
Room For Improvement
- a character being hot and cold and then when he grabbed/yelled at the other lead
- not much romance
My Watch For Free Plan (updated Feb 2025)
1 friend referral code = 20 (1 time bonus) My invite link is https://playground.shortime.app/en/invite/NKNIWI - the code is NKNIWI (those are all capital letters, that's the capital letter i)
On the Rewards (popcorn bag icon page)
- check in = 5 (increases over 7 days up to 25)
- create a login = 20? (I did create a login because otherwise you only get 1 Always Win box instead of 3 per day, I think this was 20 popcorn)
- do the 3 random popcorn from the daily Always Win box = 30 (I'd normally get 5-15, around 30 in total)
- Watch Ads, watch all 10 ads each day, have to wait 30 seconds in between ads = 110
When you run out of popcorn while watching, you can watch 5 episodes each day with ads
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a quirky short series
Overall: 3 episodes about 4 minutes each. Produced by Flying Penguin, originally released on Likey. Later released on Shortime app (app info below). My invite link is https://playground.shortime.app/en/invite/NKNIWI - the code is NKNIWI (those are all capital letters, that's the capital letter i)Content Warning: non con touching? (might not have actually touched)
What I Liked
- centered on 3 protagonists
- kissing
Room For Improvement
- that they didn't check for something and other nonsense stuff
- abrupt ending
My Watch For Free Plan (updated Feb 2025)
1 friend referral code = 20 (1 time bonus) My invite link is https://playground.shortime.app/en/invite/NKNIWI - the code is NKNIWI (those are all capital letters, that's the capital letter i)
On the Rewards (popcorn bag icon page)
- check in = 5 (increases over 7 days up to 25)
- create a login = 20? (I did create a login because otherwise you only get 1 Always Win box instead of 3 per day, I think this was 20 popcorn)
- do the 3 random popcorn from the daily Always Win box = 30 (I'd normally get 5-15, around 30 in total)
- Watch Ads, watch all 10 ads each day, have to wait 30 seconds in between ads = 110
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realistic portrayal of an unrealistic scenario
Overall: it was fine. Episodes 1-5 (of 40 short episodes) on YouTube https://youtu.be/4fBurNUWBQg?si=fE3XCNvFUlnJV6wwAired on the Shortime app (more info below). My invite link is https://playground.shortime.app/en/invite/NKNIWI - the code is NKNIWI (those are all capital letters, that's the capital letter i) Shortime also also has: Long Time No See, A First Love Story, Color Rush, As if You Whisper, Choco Milk Shake, Double Play, Please Teach Me, Falling For My Boss, Can a Freeloader Make it as a Secretary, Summer Indigo, The Secrets of Male Students, Accent, Ippon: Hold Me Tight, Star Struck, Once Again, That Nerd is My Brother in Law, I'm Your Pet, I'd Rather Quit Than Die Director, Influencer Love, Happy Ending Romance, Happy Ending, Romeo and Romeo and Juliet, Blue Complex, Gangster Like Me Got a Boyfriend, Buddy Boy and W King.
Content Warning: homophobia
What I Liked
- the dad "if it's someone you like, I'm fine with anyone"
- the sister
- the visual while they were changing facing away from each other
Room for Improvement
- more time spent with the end couple
- wanted something at the very end
My Watch For Free Plan (updated Feb 2025)
1 friend referral code = 20 (1 time bonus) My invite link is https://playground.shortime.app/en/invite/NKNIWI - the code is NKNIWI (those are all capital letters, that's the capital letter i)
On the Rewards (popcorn bag icon page)
- check in = 5 (increases over 7 days up to 25)
- create a login = 20? (I did create a login because otherwise you only get 1 Always Win box instead of 3 per day, I think this was 20 popcorn)
- do the 3 random popcorn from the daily Always Win box = 30 (I'd normally get 5-15, around 30 in total)
- Watch Ads, watch all 10 ads each day, have to wait 30 seconds in between ads = 110
When you run out of popcorn while watching, you can watch 5 episodes each day with ads
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a decent special
Overall: I'm happy it didn't rely on the too frequent "I'm planning a surprise for you so I'll make you super sad because it looks like I'm cheating and I won't tell you what's going on" special episode plot. Aired on WeTV https://wetv.vip/en/play/u23sfk7obd6z87j/o41013qcd2m-EP13%3A_Knock_OutContent Warning: intimate partner abuse briefly shown, non con turned consensual
- sweet moments
- steamy moment
- that it wasn't the normal special episode plot
Room For Improvement
- the non con which we were supposed to think was fine because it turned consensual
- not sure I believe the "neither person has to compromise and it's fine because even though they'll make each other unhappy they still love each other" message (mini rant, there was a super easy fix to their first issue)
- the comedy sound effects didn't make things funny
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