Jero

It’s Kagamiya (Kagami). The JP translation app I’m using mixed up the romanization and I didn’t catch it at first. There’s no official English translation, I just used a translation app page by page when I read it years ago. I tried rereading the novel again few months ago to practice since I’m studying Japanese

Koichi’s POV is probably the best POV I’ve seen so far in a BL. This series is really such a masterpiece

I didn’t include some parts, like where Koichi’s body was found. In the novel, it was actually in his bedroom which I found a bit weird, especially since it was described as causing a big commotion at the time. So I just left that out here lol. I’m honestly glad the series changed it. Tho, I prefer this part in the novel, it gave me proper closure, showing that Micchan moved forward with his life

I rewatched this to sort out my feelings about which BL I find better competing for my second place as best Japanese BL, and it proved me wrong for putting School Trip higher because Cherry Magic remains the gold standard. It’s still my 2nd best Japanese BL and this rewatch only confirmed why

The writing is honestly weak and the actor playing Hiroshi could really use a few more acting workshops because a lot of his scenes just don’t land the way as they should. Still, I’ll give the show some credit for atleast trying to challenge one of the most tired misconceptions in the BL fandom. It doesn’t always have to be about who looks “dominant” or “submissive” or who looks more masculine or feminine. That obsession with strict roles is annoying and I actually appreciated how this story pushed back against that a bit. I also have to say, the NC scene surprisingly feels more believable than what we usually get from a lot of Japanese BLs

But beyond those few good points, the series is dragged down by messy storytelling, noticeable plot holes, and overall poor execution. So while there are elements worth acknowledging, it’s hard to ignore that and as a whole, it still ends up being pretty bad

Ikr! And I wish we’d get more introverted, grumpy characters in BLs

Okay-ish at best. But it absolutely doesn’t live up to the TikTok hype like everyone keeps talking about. Whatever potential this series had is pretty much wasted by several issues: the awkward fish kisses, the rushed and unsatisfying ending, and the constant lack of tension that makes the romance feel frustratingly one-sided for most of the run

If there’s one saving grace, it’s Episode 4... arguably the only point where the show finally feels grounded and honest about what Shuichi is going through with Ryohei. For once, it feels real. Beyond that, tho, it’s pretty disappointing

But I’ll give credit where it’s due. The cinematography is beautiful, the shooting locations are stunning, and the musical score is immaculate. Unfortunately, great visuals and sound can’t fully mask how wasted the story feels

It’s actually pretty good ngl. I’m not even someone who usually enjoys shows involving infidelity but the cheating itself wasn’t really my concern here (surprisingly) What really threw me off were their partners, Kaori and Fujisawa

I appreciated that they at least tried to explain Kaori’s situation, but the way her character was written and how some of her lines were delivered bit came off

Lines like:
“If you slept with a woman, I might be able to find a way to forget it, but I just don’t understand why it had to be a man… To touch each other’s body would be unbearable”

If you don’t try to understand what those lines intended, it can easily be read as lowkey homophobic. But from how I interpreted her, she feels closer to someone who’s possibly asexual or fraysexual and also masculinity-averse. But even with that reading, I still found it unfair that she kept him in a sexless relationship for a year without an honest communication or clarity about what she could and couldn’t give

Then there’s Fujisawa. His side of the story felt underdeveloped. Why was he avoiding intimacy? Was it trauma? The show never really commits to explaining him which weakens his role and the emotional weight he should’ve had

On top of that, I also felt like Sei and Hagiwara’s dynamic lacked the chemistry or maybe, sexual tension the story needed. And the ending left me a little unsatisfied. I genuinely wish they had been allotted one more episode to properly breathe

But, overall, it was still a solid watch.

Don’t pay attention to the haters who are trying to do a demolition job because it received a high MDL rating. The 8.7 overall score (and 8.8 at its peak) already speaks for itself

Oops, I just checked, and this actually aired about a month after Old Fashion Cupcake finished. And honestly, that was BL at its peak during that year, so the standards were already high and then this cringefest BL followed right after 😭

Well, the BL is from the Tunku Shower franchise, and honestly I feel like that era was when Japanese BLs started to decline. Around 80–90% of their shows felt limited in production. I mean... weak lighting, non-giving camera work, or not so much effort to make it atleast visually appealing. They also focused too much on hiring J-pop idols who couldn’t really act, which led to a lot of unfitting casting. It’s disappointing because many of the original stories were actually good, but the adaptations failed to do them justice. Tokyo in April Is is the best example

I actually came back to this forum because I saw so many people commenting about it, and I got curious. It received a lot of backlash back then while it was airing, so I just wanted to see what everyone was saying

Lol, the funny thing is this came out around the same time as Old Fashion Cupcake (if I’m remembering right), and honestly this one was such a hard watch in comparison. I even put it on hold for months and only pushed myself to finish it because of Komiya Rio, since I was still missing Eternal Yesterday back then

The ratings are going up, omg. Totally deserved!

And I also want to commend the pacing of the story, just like what the OP mentioned below before my comment. It’s genuinely ideal. The romance unfolds in a way that never feels rushed, but never drags into an excessive slow burn either (and don’t get me wrong, I love slow burn but a good slow burn lol)

I just finished it, and I really didn’t expect it to be this good. As someone who has no interest in punk fashion at all, I actually felt overwhelmed at first, so I held off on watching it because I prejudged it as something that would feel overly masculine (Idk the more accurate term)

What really stood out to me was the dynamic between Chiaki and Enaga. The chemistry is overflowing, and I wish we could’ve gotten more. It also feels like Chiaki falls in love with different versions of someone: AE gives him the excitement, the initial spark, that flutter or butterflies in your stomach kind of feeling. While with Enaga, there’s warmth, safety, and emotional security that feels like home. Or maybe that’s just my personal reading, but it also feels like the story wants to explore the idea of loving every version of a someone else, not just the polished or romanticized one.

Tbh, I’m still unsure if that ending will resonate with me for a long-term, but the whole story itself is strong enough to make an impression. I just kind of felt sad about the ending, idk lol. Since AE said he won’t hide it anymore, I’m not really sure what he meant, but it feels hinting at the possibility that Enaga might disappear in the next chapter

This definitely earns a place in my Top 10/15 Japanese BLs. Director Shindo Takehiro continues an impressive streak. 3 strong works in a row (even though I’m not the biggest fan of Cosmetic Playlover). You can tell the casting choices are excellent across School Trip, Punks Triangle, and Cosmetic Playlover. This is the power of chemistry holds, because all 3 lead couples have that undeniable connection

That’s why I’m in the minority who doesn’t really wish for a Season 2 lol. After reading the novel, the ex-girlfriend basically just exists to question the boys’ relationship and be homophobic, which isn’t something I want to see more of. There are so many better ways to write supporting female characters, and we’ve already seen great examples like Fujisaki from Cherry Magic and Hashimoto from My Love Mix-Up

I really loved Season 1 bc it was funny and unhinged like the OP said below. But with Season 2, I’m still stuck at Episode 3 because something just isn’t clicking anymore. The relationship doesn’t feel genuine and instead of growing, it kind of feels stuck in the same place. I still get the humor, but I wanted to see more progress between them. At this point, Yuichiro acting the same way isn’t cute or funny anymore, it’s starting to feel repetitive and a bit icky

Honestly, Eternal Yesterday and Monster are my top two queer media ever and they’re the only ones I’ve rated perfect 10 stars so far, and School Trip, Cherry Magic, and Kiekoi complete my Top 5 😂

I checked it out because it was directed by the same director as School Trip, and I ended up watching the whole thing in one sitting

And honestly, it’s not as bad as many people make it out to be. Tho I do have some issues and reservations with the acting, especially Toma, but Okuno really carried it a lot

I think my biggest problem is with the climax and revelations. They don’t really hit that hard, and some of the big moments feel a bit weak and forced. But compared to 90% of MBS BLs, this is still way better in quality. I feel like some people being harsh on it maybe haven’t seen shows like Sepakoi, Tokyo in April, or Candy Color Paradox etc. bc those were honestly much worse and horrible

After enjoying two of Shindo Takehiro’s works, I think I’ll try watching Punks Triangle next

It’s really impressive knowing he’s still a bit new to the industry. This is the ‘natural’ acting I’ve been looking for in other Japanese actors