BL Compilations

not the fun kind of messy

Overall: I don't care how much sex and skin a story shows, if I dislike the characters and plot the NC scenes are useless. Note there is something that might be triggering played as comedy in episode 9.13 episodes about 15 minutes each. Aired on Oxin's YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcQaxIPsTWdNIYHcBRfjlLX46Pm4vZt-z&si=VrUDYkjloUYpYCJL

Content Warnings: episode 9 had a fake gang rape played as comedy (which I found ZERO funny), punches, fight, manipulation, doctor/patient romantic relationship

What I Liked
- visuals
- the dad did talk to his son in episode 3 about what was happening
- not sure how the characters came to the decision but it was a good decision, episode 13 15:30-end

Room For Improvement
- 3 cis men fake gang raping a trans woman for comedy in episode 9 was atrocious
- episodes 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 were totally skippable
- NC scenes had zero impact since everyone was cheating/jumping to different partners
- was the intro made for 3D glasses, it hurt my eyes
- side eyeing a character who didn't bring another character to the hospital (was explained later, he should have his license revoked)
- cheating
- love triangles
- do not care about the boat boys & the captain
- not sure exactly what happened with the side couple's drama unless I missed a specific scene, one minute they were having a romantic dinner and then next everything went to crap, they kind of explained it later

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Ji Hun - you can do better!

Overall: follows a couple who dated for 5 years and then broke up. Aired on Shortime as part 1 with 3 episodes about 8 minutes each. My referral link is https://playground.shortime.en/invite/NKNIWI (all letters) which should get you a bonus.

Content Warning: vomiting in episode 3

What I Liked
- visuals
- acting

Room For Improvement
- Ji Hun needs to leave his ex in the dust and get with a nice boyfriend. When he ex filmed them having sex and then left right afterwards it was so gross. His ex couldn't even say "I love you" when he knew it was important to Ji Hun? Trash behavior. Really hope in part 2 Ji Hun ends up with a boyfriend who expresses his love.

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on hold - lack of official international release

Note: I have taken off a full point from my initial review for the unprofessionalism regarding the change of platform/airing plans. All of this should have been worked out before the series aired, not changed partway through. Currently only those in Japan and Thailand have a way to watch this series.

Overall: this appears to be a solid romcom with a dash of angst. First episode aired on YouTube, company posted they will not post future episodes on YouTube. 10 episodes about 40 minutes each.

Content Warnings: none so far

What I Liked
- clear set up and then that it was a flashback
- funny parts
- Bas's cameo
- a bit of mystery at the end of the beginning part in the present, and then we'll see later what exactly is happening between them
- sword scene was fun
- don't think we've had a romcom BL about a boyband group forming yet

Room For Improvement
- the hardcoded subtitles would be better as YouTube softsubs so they are larger, easier to see and people could auto translate into their own language
- felt a bit slow in parts and I watched on a faster speed

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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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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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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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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=QmOxMtX7dDs

Content 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-2017

Content 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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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_Boss

Content 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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