jpny01

The reviews are extremely positive. The ep doesn't end on a happy note, but just watch the scenes from next week afterwards and that will cure you. This episode shows what a strong actor Nanon is (we already knew Ohm is) and is well-written.

I don't think he does - check the scenes from next week.

That was nothing like I was expecting based on the comments. Nanon was fantastic like everyone said, and he played his feeling very well and with great subtlety, but it wasn't THAT bad what happened.

And Drake did absolutely nothing wrong. He had no idea Pran's shoulder was hurt and all he was just playing the game.

The cinematography and directing in this were great - they get some credit for how effective Nanon was. Notice that in almost every scene he's wearing unflattering colors that make him look washed-out, and I think he had paler makeup on - and when he's close to Ohm, you can see he has little or nothing on his lips whereas Ohm's were shiny. That's a good trick to make Nanon look wilted. I think that may be why some people commented that Nanon is too unattractive compared to Ohm. I disagree, I think he's beautiful, although Ohm takes the hot body category by a mile.

In future episodes where he's happy, it will be pretty obvious he's a match for Ohm in beauty.

This is really well-written - no seme/uke nonsense, and general avoidance of tropes, although yet again, nobody can go anywhere near an athletic field without an injury happening. At least they're playing rugby where it's believable.

THIS is what a good slow-burn looks like.

Are people saying that? He looks a little plain in this ep because he's depressed and they made his makeup a little pale and dressed him in an unflattering way. But he's adorable and his eyes are like black holes that you can't escape the gravity of. The audience is mostly female and Ohm is tall, so he's always going to have an advantage, and I'll say it - that body.

Oh. Thanks.

This is probably a dumb question. But pick it for what?

OMG, that was perfect.

I don't understand what you mean by "inspiration/imitation" - those don't seem related to me. Also, can you give an example of what you mean by lack of motivation and development? That's often a problem in BL, particularly near the end of a series when everyone acts like a completely different person to serve an artifical drama-generating plot point, but I didn't see it here.

Come on - that's not really constructive. I'm sure we've all been on the wrong side of the majority opinion at least once. Example: I don't think Saint is a good actor and eveything he touches turns dull. If you'll excuse me I have to go hide now while everyone gathers their pitchforks and torches.

This series is likely going to be more substantial than KH, and probably more memorable, but I like both. KH is a comedy, this is a drama - I don't think they're easily compared. I'm the outlier that didn't really like CM all that much - I liked it, but I enjoye both of these more. And I'm the one always whining about too many school dramas. Irony.

Fair enough, and I agree there was some over-the-line behavior. While Hira likes being ordererd around, they didn't know that, and it's still a bit low to go after someone for a disability - it's a minor one but he can't help it.

That's mild teasing to me, and they stop doing after the first intro - after that his nickname is based on his stutter, but that's what nicknames are, at least for boys - we all dread the day we make a mistake when we're that age, because it becomes your name for life. I don't think teasing is the same as bullying, and I think all of us have had a school experience like that. Teasing is part of the socialization process that makes you one of the group.

I got a very strong impression the warping thing was related to his social anxiety disorder, not being teased. There's probably a relation between the two, but he never "thinks" about the teasing, he thinks about having to be noticed, which he repeatedly says he doesn't like.

Again, I'm not saying there's a lack of problemmatic behavior, but I don't think it rises to bullying, and the time it did, it was Kiyoi who stopped it, and demonstrated to the class that Hira is under his protection. Some of the translation is too strong, too - e.g. Kiyoi didn't say "gross", he said effectively "blech" as in "too cheesy", which was his embarassment at being called beautiful.

Equal =/= healthy. An unequal relationship can be exactly what both want and makes them happy, whereas equal may (or may not) lead to misery and abuse. I like that Kiyoi doesn't allow anyone else to boss Hira around, but I can't call this healthy until it's clear that there's love and consent from both of them for the way their relationship works. Right now it's still lowkey bullying.

They order him around, but they don't insult or demean him other than that. And he can say no - in theory. Maybe he can't, but we haven't seen any sign that he dislikes it, and we're hearing his internal monologue. Submission isn't always low self-esteem or lack of love for oneself. Hira mentions when he's uncomfortable, but he never mentions unhappiness or self-hate - and none of his discomfort is ever caused by obeying Kiyoi. And, he's relatively fearless about expressing himself - it's just that he has a stutter and can't get words out. "You're very beautiful" is a very bold and confident thing to say.

I'm not saying there's nothing problemmatic here - I just don't think it's even close to irredeemable. Sometimes BLs give us a seme who is so horrible that you almost have to erase his behavior from your memory in order to accept them ever getting together.

I thought that was very mild bullying - it's really more D/s to me. Notice how Kiyoi does not allow anyone else to order him around.

I'm not sure it's so much the vibe as the central theme. Let's see if they're brave enough to go there.

They had better! Or it would be a pretty miserable experience for us to watch! But I'm confident it will be good. Can you go wrong with Boun?

That's fair enough - I guess lately there have been a lot of BLs that ran in circles for the entire series and I have a little PTSD that sets me off when something is vaguely repetitive. But for me Japanese BLs are the best written (by far - there are exceptional non-Japanese BLs, but Japan rarely misfires. Nobody is ever a match for the Japanese in humor. That's not an opinion, it's fact. :) ) so I shouldn't worry. I can't really get too much of Ida and his sad soulful eyes in any case.

I don't really know anything about Japanese music. I looked up Johnny's Entertainment and it looked like boy bands. I'm not Japanese, so it's definitely an age thing - how would I have listened to them way back? Streaming has only been a thing for 15 years.

And my text was poking fun at my own age, not a criticism. in case it wasn't totally obvious.

Thank you for the context. For me, I don't so much have a problem with things being drawn out, but I'd like them to move on to some other problem - you mentioned initiative & intimacy, which are more interesting than insecurity over what someone means when they say "I want to date you".

I want to see what happens when Best comes in - he was so good in Checkout and the other things he's been in. But if that doesn't jump-start it, I can pull the plug.