I get that many would be disappointed in Tojo-san in the last few episodes; I was, too. But now that I have finished the whole series, I may have just been too idealistic with how I expected our 40-year-old cutie to develop. I will have to give him some slack; he was accustomed to living by himself for almost a decade. If you have never experienced this, then I'm sure it would indeed be hard for you to put yourself in his shoes. Now, regarding the "unnecessary" subplots, they were VERY MUCH needed, in my most humble opinion. The second half added more depth to the story and gave way to world-building. The list that started this all may have been set aside for a couple of episodes, but its eventual comeback made up for that absence. I would say it was intentional to ease us into the inevitable: the list is no longer necessary.
I will avoid comparing this to similar JBLs because it has a charm of its own. I definitely plan on rewatching the cute, fluffy episodes for that easy serotonin boost. I do wish we could have seen where Keishi lived to give us more of his personality. If it were up to my imagination alone, I could see his room having all sorts of posters, a bookshelf full of manga, and of course, a big wardrobe (if not a walk-in closet). This might just be the last JBL of its genre (office romance) I watched for a while. Any recommendations on other BL series with vastly different plotlines?
I'm only halfway through cuz I wanna savor every moment with Tojo-san and Keishi PLS WHY IS THIS UNDERRATED? More people need to see just how cute this couple is. Every interaction has me giggling my guts out.
OH HELL NAAAHHH. I just said I hate how short the original series is and finding this is making me FURIOUS. They cannot be serious. And with that cliffhanger? I know we can safely assume Nozue answered how we all know he would, but but BUT WE HAVE TO SEE IT. I'M A VISUAL LEARNER FFS AAAARRGHHHH
ugh I hate it. I HATE HOW SHORT IT IS. I also hate how I can simply say it's short but sweet. It really is that simple yet effective a series. I never knew I'd get so many giddies from a couple with a significant age gap. Call me an uncultured fudanshi, but hell, was I doubtful of their chemistry in the first episode. This will be going in my list of easy-to-rewatch, instant serotonin boost JBL series. I NEED MORE.
Despite the limited runtime, I would consider this complete. It is complete in the sense that it doesn't have to push for more episodes to explain a few plot points that others may see as unstrung. I believe the story accomplished getting its main message through to its target audience. That said, Love Begins in the World of If could have gone awry at the end, had it clumsily attempted to string us back to the whole "parallel timeline" shenanigan. It was nothing but a plot device that served its purpose. The way I took it was that the mirror or whatever mythical/supernatural power was behind the alternate world only intended to help Kano realize that change had to come from within. Kano was never meant to stay in that timeline, if we could even call it that. The fact is, whether or not we let the plot device complicate the way we perceive the story is entirely up to us. My interest was piqued, as someone who is easily fascinated by such fictitious themes, but I stayed present in what the story focused on. I have enough imagination to fill in the plot holes whenever I have nothing better to do. All that aside, I have to admit that I felt immersed, which made for an easy binge-watch. Frankly, I only started watching for the eye candy that is Ogami and how cute the height difference he has with Kano. So if you're into that, go give it a try. Enjoy!
so glad the story didn't force a redemption arc for hew sjink although I consider him a catalyst for the eventual endgame. FWYF is going in my shortlist of slowburn BLs that had me questioning my life choices related to family. much like how a pressure cooker slowly tenderizes meat to bring out its full, savory flavor, the plot REALLY took its time to stress just how much love Yu Lei and Chen Ke have for each other. definitely not one of those easy to rewatch but this series had some lovely visuals. I look forward to both Sun Cai Zhen and Liang Bei Yi's upcoming projects. They did a phenomenal job considering this is their debut drama.
I came here somewhat expecting the worst as someone who was traumatized by Once Again. To say the least, I'm happy with the ending. The plot definitely had holes you just can't ignore, but I have enough imagination to fill those in for myself. With that mentioned, I will be starting a discussion to also help me get through post-series depression.
Season 2. Now. Please. PLEASE. I. AM. BEGGING. AAARRGHHHHHH
That's enough to say that I absolutely LOVED this series. A sequel would make me LOVE IT MORE, if done right. I beg of the Japanese BL Gods, hear my plea. The actors had AMAZING chemistry. The writing was ALMOST flawless. The progression was paced JUST RIGHT. I just need to see more of them in their dating era. That's right, NEED, not want. I will die if it doesn't happen this year. PRAY WITH ME.
Beautifully concluded. I would love to see the special episode/s showcase how great a chemistry Fan Xiao, You Shulang, and TianTian have as a found family. I'm sure it would make me cry. Also, just wanna mention if no one has already, OUR TIANTIAN IS SET FOR LIFE! Fan def did not think twice before transferring all his wealth to Shulang, who, in turn, is holding on to that great fortune for their adopted son. I never would have imagined, having witnessed the black flag commit despicable and almost unspeakable deeds. But something in me feels that Fan Xiao is gonna be a good father to TianTian, whether or not he's acknowledged. PLEASE GIVE US THE FAMILY SCENES!!!
Boring? For people who have been too accustomed to overtly dramatic, almost nonsensical plotlines, that's for sure. I, for one, found this well-paced, cinematic brilliance of a Japanese BL series poetic and poignant. The latter only lingered as I wished the runtime was just a tad longer. But then again, as the final episode was ending, I didn't think I would want a sequel. I can't be too certain to say that they realistically portrayed a topic that may be taboo, as this is the first time I've seen it done. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed watching it all in one go. I'll definitely rewatch this to take in the little details I may have missed.
just wanna get this out there, LET LOVE IN WHEN IT COMES KNOCKING DOWN YOUR DOOR! love can teach us so much and refusing to experience it can truly be frustrating, just as we watched mob stress over avoiding or taking down the flags. if it comes to the point that love has to literally knock your door down, the only right thing to do then is to let it the f#@* in!
oh wow, going 30s and still looking like he's going through his best teenage years. Ryo did quite well as Hatano in the last season of A Man Who Defies the World of BL. I'm excited to more of him
not too disappointed because all I really wanted was for mob to actually FAIL getting caught up in BL. tho I was very much rooting for Kikuchi to be the endgame, Hatano's genuine intentions and the purity of it all seemed like the best match for somewhat of a malicious "background" character. all's well that ends well. there won't be a fifth season, that's for sure, but I would love to see a whole different series with Yutaro (Ayato) and Akihisa (Tojo). They had the BEST chemistry throughout the tetralogy.
This episode was indeed shattering. I should have known better than to avoid watching it before the finale was released. Now I shall spend the following days up to New Year's Eve to try and cleanse as to prevent myself from transitioning into 2026 with any form of negativity. You are a masterpiece in twisted emotional arcs, To My Shore. A worthy one-time watch for me.
Is it just me, or is anyone else wondering why Hayama never called Shirasaki by his first name? I don't mean to make a big deal out of it, but up to the last seconds of the special episode, I was like, "Asami-san, call him Yuki-kun."
Anyway, I agree with a lot of the comments here that say this season was A LOT more mature. Most definitely. And I love it for that very reason. The depth had me almost feeling like I was stuck in a well with no way out. I fell into this deep hole the moment I indulged in Shirasaki's expressive eyes and Hayama's complexities. A third season might not be warranted, but I doubt I'd hate it.
A masterclass! I had goosebumps all over. Just one question, though, what was Lu Zhen doing while Shu Lang banished Fan Xiao? I'm sorry, but imagining him just sitting there while all that emotion and drama panned out, I can't help but snicker. I would understand if he's all too shocked to move or react. But if he were to try to slime his way back into Shu Lang's life after this, I bet you could smash a ton of bricks on his face, and it'll still be intact.
Not gonna lie, out of all the episodes I've watched thus far, this one felt a bit off. At first, the pacing had me rechecking just how long the whole thing's gonna run. It did not feel like 23 minutes. Episode 8 had awkward moments with almost agonizing silence. Then, it hit me. The wait was worth it. The build-up felt earned and intricately planned. This series continues to make me wanna have more patience, because having to wait another week for the next episode is HARD.
I will avoid comparing this to similar JBLs because it has a charm of its own. I definitely plan on rewatching the cute, fluffy episodes for that easy serotonin boost. I do wish we could have seen where Keishi lived to give us more of his personality. If it were up to my imagination alone, I could see his room having all sorts of posters, a bookshelf full of manga, and of course, a big wardrobe (if not a walk-in closet). This might just be the last JBL of its genre (office romance) I watched for a while. Any recommendations on other BL series with vastly different plotlines?
That's enough to say that I absolutely LOVED this series. A sequel would make me LOVE IT MORE, if done right. I beg of the Japanese BL Gods, hear my plea. The actors had AMAZING chemistry. The writing was ALMOST flawless. The progression was paced JUST RIGHT. I just need to see more of them in their dating era. That's right, NEED, not want. I will die if it doesn't happen this year. PRAY WITH ME.
Anyway, I agree with a lot of the comments here that say this season was A LOT more mature. Most definitely. And I love it for that very reason. The depth had me almost feeling like I was stuck in a well with no way out. I fell into this deep hole the moment I indulged in Shirasaki's expressive eyes and Hayama's complexities. A third season might not be warranted, but I doubt I'd hate it.