etoks21

I 99% gave up on Thai BLs beginning about 18 months ago. Each one I tried was so predictably bad and awful in every way that I realized even watching the entire first episode to find out HOW bad and awful, was not a good use of my time.

Now I merely keep my eyes open here and if it sounds like a decent show accidentally slid off the Thai BL Assembly Line, I try it out. Usually I drop within the first couple episodes. I have dropped Thai shows within the first half-hour. :D You can tell from the tone, even that early on, if something is a stinker.

Yes, I love watching toxic characters interact too. Of course, it's in HOW they interact and what they say/do that makes that situation fascinating. That's where writers like you come in. :)

So would you just have them walk hand-in-hand through parks, cook dinner together, garden, go boating, meet for lunch, etc. and the audience just...what's interesting about that? That scenario is called romantic comedy. Or I guess they could turn out to be cops and it becomes a thriller/action show...

How do you add emojis to your comments? I can't get that option to appear for me.

Glad to entertain you! :D

MDL comment threads are generally like fields of extremely delicate flowers. You're expected to tip-toe through without disturbing even the smallest petal on the tiniest bloom.

Me, I wear combat boots and walk without looking down. :)

To me, that scene was brave but nowhere near shocking. I caught myself feeling icky at first, but then thought, "what exactly is it that's "icky?" I realized it was simply my ingrained Puritanical upbringing regarding anything sexual rearing its head once again. After that, the scene made perfect sense and was even in some sense beautiful.

But this is MDL, so there are likely people below freaking out about it anyway because it involves S-E-X. :) Have you noticed all the commenters who refuse to spell out words like "sex," "rape," "sexual assault," and "pedophilia" here? They think someone might have a stroke if they read the word "sex," even though when they write the word as "s@x" those people still know exactly what is being said? It's downright creepy.

My only problems with this film are two extremely convenient plot contrivances that could have been written differently to make them plausible. I'm talking about the photograph and the husband's mask.

Acting was great. And I love complicated questions like "if we devote ourselves to righting a past wrong by directly intervening in the life of our victim to greatly improve their circumstances and thus atoning, is the good we've done negated by the fact that we feel better?" I don't believe so.

To want someone to continue suffering after they have been punished-and this woman has been punishing herself for years-even after they have MADE UP for their wrongs is a very KOREAN way of thinking. It's exactly why celebrities and entertainers who smoke a joint or date someone while they're an idol or do something much more serious and are punished for it, continue to be hounded, abused, and degraded if they dare to live a happy productive life, even long after the fact.

It's a part of why the suicide rate in Korea, and especially among celebs who have been thru "scandals," is so high. There is no FORGIVENESS, only rage and resentment and hatred.

OK, I get it. I thought you were being confrontational. But truly, I dislike this film a lot and don't want to put that much time into listing the many reasons why.

PRECISELY. :)

Though, given the vibes of the dynamic between them, he probably should have grabbed his ass. ;O

Oh...I see. Your's is a well-thought-out statement which contributed greatly to this conversation.

wth are you talking about?
Suggesting Taishin become a sex slave to Takara is called a "joke." Look it up.

"... but this is a take that people would not express to others, So think it through a bit." I just expressed it is and I am a "people," therefore you are incorrect. And take your self-righteous lecturing somewhere it might be appreciated. I don't care what you think.

Nothing I have written in any way prevents you from appreciating this show. If you're one of those who feel they have a right to never see comments they disagree with, I don't care.

There is nothing in my comment that suggests I believe"...everything should go my way," so I won't be accepting that either. You need to learn to read the words in front of you, not the ones you make up in your head.

Thanks for the compliment. lol A LOT of MDLers would readily disagree with you on that. :) It's become a hate-watch for me, I guess. It's fascinating how bad it is.

I have to wonder why the father hasn't killed the guy. Or better yet, hire some first-rate Yakuza thugs to do it right and make it look like a suicide or something. Just flabbergasting.

"Masterpiece." The most over-used and abused word on MDL.

Yeah, she's about as much a cardboard cut-out, cock-blocking BL bitch as I've ever seen. Plus, her almost psycho rant at Taichi and her suddenly aggressive actions in pursuit of Kohei came out of the blue and didn't fit what we'd seen of her prior.

Thanks for saying this clearly and more distinctly than I could. I totally agree. When everyone's happy halfway through, I yawn...

"Life: Senjou no Bokura" is one of my faves too.

You should write a screenplay! Seriously though, if the focus were just showing them being blissfully happy, walking in the park, holding hands on the beach, giggling over meals, doing the laundry, and attending Pride parades, how interesting would that be?

BL by definition has almost always been about surprising desires, the fight for self when faced with the truth of one's sexual orientation, self-acceptance, conflict with others through those processes, and either bliss or disaster at the end. I probably wouldn't consider a show such as you describe to be a BL, which doesn't mean it couldn't be good as whatever genre it is.

It is still not easy to be gay in most parts of the world. Fantasizing that two male college students could be openly gay and together in Tokyo without facing conflict leaves us with tripe like Thailand's "Secret Crush On You" (shoot me now) or other pseudo BLs in which everyone is either blissfully gay or joyously accepting of those who are, which is not the real world.

Plus, I'm the type who lives for angst, pain, suffering, frustration, tragedy, and darkness in my movies and series. What can I say? :D

Episode 8:

Grandpa and Mom know what's up. So do Taichi's buddies.
Why would handsome, tall, sweet Satoshi be interested in that conniving, pale midget?

Taichi is becoming one of my all-time favorite BL protagonists. He is quirky without being obnoxious, smart-alecky but also kind, cares about people near him, is loud and joyful by nature, goofy, and adorable when jealous/pouty. I bet he has a little, rockin' bod under all those Japanese, baggy, oversized clothes.

Regarding the midget: What's with Japanese women/girls who talk without moving their lips?

Different people show themselves at different paces...and people perceive things about others at their own speed. Besides, all Takara knows of Taishin at this point is that he can't put together a complete sentence in one breath, speaks and moves like the most timid of Japanese housewives, and gets fevers from anxiety. What's to be attracted to?

I keep thinking maybe Taishin will reveal more interesting and stronger layers of himself as he gets used to being around Takara, but he's still acting like a shy 12-year-old girl on her first date with the most popular boy in middle school.

Episode 7 title: "Psycho Deaf Bitch"
"What can YOU do for Senior...?!"
I'm pretty sure there are a couple of things Taichi is equipped to do for Senior. that she can't compete with. ;P

Pouty Taichi is heartbreaking...