Idk if it's too early to say since we've only had 3 eps, but the way people on this platform rate BLs needs to be studied because why is this only at 7.7 on MDL?
Anyways, THIS is why you hire actors who can actually act in a BL. Whoever decided to cast Hidekazu as Ao deserves a raise because the man is a pretty crier AND his facial expressions??? I love when good actors who can actually make me feel something just by looking at them. And looking at his showography, he's from toku... Well, you know how that goes
If I had one nitpicky complaint, maybe they could've gone with a different styling for Naoya bc he looks a little too mature for the middle school flashbacks. But, that's just me being nitpicky tho
That ending felt like a special episode threw in at the last minute. It's a bit corny and this type of writing just fits with anime
Anyway, if I'm being harsher, the technicals were a mess. The writing was messy, the acting felt stiff and the main couple had zero chemistry. Even the cinematography looked terrible. I have no idea how this show is sitting at a 8.3 bc it does not live up to that hype
The only reason I'm adding a 1 bias star to my original score is bc the supporting characters completely carried the entire show. I grew so attached to them and watching them actually healed something in me
Brace yourselves bc the most annoying part of this season hasn't even started yet. The ex-gf is annoying as hell in the novel, that if the show follows it faithfully
The confession would've hit harder if it was just the two of them tbh. Confessing in front of your whole friend…
I'm disappointed bc I kept saying during the first few episodes that the writing seemed better than School Trip, but I was wrong. The only thing I preferred was the friend group (tho don't get me wrong, I like the friend group in School Trip too, it's just that the show doesn't flesh out their dynamic as much as the novel does)
I'm usually not a fan of a GOOD BL getting a second season because I'm afraid it will ruin what it started. But, ig it's not that bad, I actually quite enjoyed the first episode of this new season but Watarai needs to chill out a bit, okay 😅
The confession scene could better tho, it lacks of heartwarming, romantic , intimate moment for me😥wth they…
The confession would've hit harder if it was just the two of them tbh. Confessing in front of your whole friend group kinda takes away that intimate and genuine feel for me
Kan Hideyoshi is a fudanshi irl so bro KNOWS how to deliver a bl kiss lol. But what I need to see in S2 is Kodai actually reciprocating those kisses instead of keeping his lips sealed lol
Thank you for speaking the truth🙏😭this is what i feel about the latest episode too...
It lowkey icks me seeing people on twt say Ryota is a good actor like be so fr??? 😭 Yes, he's an eye candy and nobody's denying that. But why do some bl fans automatically go into denial the moment someone points out that their fave cannot act that well? Like, suddenly mediocre or below mediocre acting becomes good just bc the man is pretty? Beauty privilege is REAL bc some of y'all would rather lie to yourselves than admit that your fave is lacking in the acting department
(The man can't even pull off a basic bl cliché like headpats without looking stiff)
Btw, I'm just pointing out Ryota's acting, but that doesn't mean I'm satisfied with Kou-chan's acting either. It's just that I'm seeing people on twt straight-up denying how mediocre Ryota's acting is
I hope this series holds its quality until the final episode. We've seen too many Japanese BLs this year start off incredibly well only to fall apart halfway through and turned into slo[ during the last few episodes
Hear me out... if you're going to attempt a second kiss at least make it just one passionate kiss. Those stiff, mannequin-style pecks are sending me lol
And pls stop casting rookie actors who treat Japanese bls like an acting workshop next time. Idc if Ryota is an eye candy, his performance is stiff as a board from start until now, Kou-chan needs some work too
It's frustrating bc the show genuinely had potential, the friend group dynamic is honestly better than School Trip. But it's completely derailed by non-existent chemistry, leads below mediocre acting, bad writing in the halfway through. The supporting cast utterly outshine the main leads tho it is a good thing and kinda compensates for what the show is lacking and I think the exact reason why it is still watchable
If this somehow gets renewed for Season 2, shift the spotlight to Takeuchi and Iwasaki. Since the writer already confirmed they’re canon and they served more natural chemistry
Honestly the 2 things best about this epi is suzuki reunited back with matsuno and takeuchi having crush on his…
You're so real for that lol. I'd probably drop this tbh if the story just revolved around the main leads. What I like here is that the supporting cast is actually doing its job and they kinda compensate for the lack of chemistry I'm looking for between Serizawa and Suzuki
No Japanese BL has really resonated with me yet from this yr. I've read the 2nd volume and honestly, I'm not that much of a fan of the 2nd volume but I'm still trusting this one. One thing I really liked about School Trip was the acting and I love when the main leads can actually act. The trailer looks so good too… (well, except for their new ugly haircuts lol)
I kind agree with you...ryoto acting feel stiff and he looks like he just reading all the script that kinda bother…
It just doesn't feel natural to me and he kinda looks stiff most of the time. He definitely needs more work, especially when the rest of the cast can at least meet the bare minimum and some of them are idols too. Maybe I'm just this demanding when it comes to acting bc I've already seen quite a lot of Japanese BL actors who can genuinely act but I really hope we don't get to the point where because we're getting a good amount of Japanese BLs now, the overall quality starts to go down and down and these Japanese BLs end up becoming a training ground for these rookies
Iwasaki to Takeuchi: "You look cute without those glasses" 😭
Serizawa, take notes from these two on how to have chemistry with Suzuki, okay
Idc if the Serizawa truthers jump me for this, but I honestly think the biggest reason I dont feel chemistry between Serizawa and Suzuki is Serizawa's actor. For me, the problem is the acting. He kinda lacks that intensity in his eyes, facial expressions, and even the way he delivers certain lines. Like when he's trying to act cool and mature, especially in his scenes with Matsuno, the conviction sometimes feels too anime-like
And I'm actually used to that kind of animated acting because of My Love Mix-Up, but I think it worked there bc like 3 of the main characters were acting that way. Here, the other actors aren't doing it, so Serizawa's acting kinda look unusual and makes his scenes feel even more disconnected to me
I think that's probably why some of us just cant feel their chemistry. And honestly, I also wonder if some people overlook it because the Serizawa actor is REALLY visually appealing. Let's not lie, visuals can sometimes compensate for acting but apparently not for me
What I like: The LGBTQ+ topics actually feel pretty relatable
What I don't like: The miscommunication The awkwardness during the NC scenes, the fish kisses The way Harutora is STILL using honorifics like babe… why is there still a wall between you two??? The ending… I really think the whole resolution with Sui's mom should’ve happened in another episode Im also still not over how the story sanitized the bullies. Sorry but I don't think I could ever forgive someone who outed me and mocked my sexuality that easily
There's honestly A LOT here that didnt work for me, but it's not a bad series. 7.5/10 + 0.5 bias stars (a total of 8 stars) bc if I'm being real, it's still better than a good chunk of the BLs on MDL with higher ratings that are bland, unwatchable, and hard to finish. atp I genuinely think some of y'all are just watching because the actors are pretty
K-Drama 
Anyways, THIS is why you hire actors who can actually act in a BL. Whoever decided to cast Hidekazu as Ao deserves a raise because the man is a pretty crier AND his facial expressions??? I love when good actors who can actually make me feel something just by looking at them. And looking at his showography, he's from toku... Well, you know how that goes
If I had one nitpicky complaint, maybe they could've gone with a different styling for Naoya bc he looks a little too mature for the middle school flashbacks. But, that's just me being nitpicky tho
Anyway, if I'm being harsher, the technicals were a mess. The writing was messy, the acting felt stiff and the main couple had zero chemistry. Even the cinematography looked terrible. I have no idea how this show is sitting at a 8.3 bc it does not live up to that hype
The only reason I'm adding a 1 bias star to my original score is bc the supporting characters completely carried the entire show. I grew so attached to them and watching them actually healed something in me
6.5 (og score) + 1 (bias star) = 7.5/10
Kan Hideyoshi is a fudanshi irl so bro KNOWS how to deliver a bl kiss lol. But what I need to see in S2 is Kodai actually reciprocating those kisses instead of keeping his lips sealed lol
(The man can't even pull off a basic bl cliché like headpats without looking stiff)
Btw, I'm just pointing out Ryota's acting, but that doesn't mean I'm satisfied with Kou-chan's acting either. It's just that I'm seeing people on twt straight-up denying how mediocre Ryota's acting is
And pls stop casting rookie actors who treat Japanese bls like an acting workshop next time. Idc if Ryota is an eye candy, his performance is stiff as a board from start until now, Kou-chan needs some work too
It's frustrating bc the show genuinely had potential, the friend group dynamic is honestly better than School Trip. But it's completely derailed by non-existent chemistry, leads below mediocre acting, bad writing in the halfway through. The supporting cast utterly outshine the main leads tho it is a good thing and kinda compensates for what the show is lacking and I think the exact reason why it is still watchable
If this somehow gets renewed for Season 2, shift the spotlight to Takeuchi and Iwasaki. Since the writer already confirmed they’re canon and they served more natural chemistry
Serizawa, take notes from these two on how to have chemistry with Suzuki, okay
Idc if the Serizawa truthers jump me for this, but I honestly think the biggest reason I dont feel chemistry between Serizawa and Suzuki is Serizawa's actor. For me, the problem is the acting. He kinda lacks that intensity in his eyes, facial expressions, and even the way he delivers certain lines. Like when he's trying to act cool and mature, especially in his scenes with Matsuno, the conviction sometimes feels too anime-like
And I'm actually used to that kind of animated acting because of My Love Mix-Up, but I think it worked there bc like 3 of the main characters were acting that way. Here, the other actors aren't doing it, so Serizawa's acting kinda look unusual and makes his scenes feel even more disconnected to me
I think that's probably why some of us just cant feel their chemistry. And honestly, I also wonder if some people overlook it because the Serizawa actor is REALLY visually appealing. Let's not lie, visuals can sometimes compensate for acting but apparently not for me
The LGBTQ+ topics actually feel pretty relatable
What I don't like:
The miscommunication
The awkwardness during the NC scenes, the fish kisses
The way Harutora is STILL using honorifics like babe… why is there still a wall between you two???
The ending… I really think the whole resolution with Sui's mom should’ve happened in another episode
Im also still not over how the story sanitized the bullies. Sorry but I don't think I could ever forgive someone who outed me and mocked my sexuality that easily
There's honestly A LOT here that didnt work for me, but it's not a bad series. 7.5/10 + 0.5 bias stars (a total of 8 stars) bc if I'm being real, it's still better than a good chunk of the BLs on MDL with higher ratings that are bland, unwatchable, and hard to finish. atp I genuinely think some of y'all are just watching because the actors are pretty