kennethivan

held off watching this for so long and then finished it in a day

i can’t believe i waited so long to watch this, this might be one of the best JBLs maybe even one of the best BLs i’ve watched. they really fleshed out the characters, there was so much depth to the story and a surprising amount of darkness to it but it was written very very well. i’ve never experienced such heartache when it came to a JBL so this was so refreshing to watch.

i really enjoyed the transition from high school to adulthood too! i didn’t see the story going in that direction as when watching most highschool based bls it usually ends while they’re still in highschool. i usually love JBLs where the characters are already adults do i absolutely loved this transition as i always wonder how highschool bl characters would fare when they’re older! i did wish that we could have seen some more scenes of haruki and jin yearning for each other within the time skip but all in all 10/10

wish someone could wipe my memory and i could rewatch this again

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i regret watching this too fast

this is the first bl i’ve completed in a LONG time. i’m so surprised at how forward the intimate scenes were considering it’s a KBL, but since it’s been a couple of years since my last KBL i may have missed out on a lot of this new openness. it had a great balance between the plots, just enough of each and switched between it really well. the actual plots and pacing were also really good, probably the reason why i watched it so fast. i’m so jealous of past me right now, he gets to experience watching this for the first time. i’m so mad that there are no more episode for me to watch. i wish i watched it slower, im now at a high and now afraid of the crash, will need to find another bl to fill this upcoming void 😭

TLDR; savour this show, i wish i did, it reignited my love for BLs, definitely felt like a breath of fresh air. and the ACTING, i usually have low standards for acting in BLs but this one was genuinely so good

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i would have loved to have loved this show more

don't get me wrong, contrast is a really strong watch and a high recommend, i just have a personal gripe with bls that push the confession to the very end. it's not a writing flaw, just my own preference, because this show had the ideal setup for a development > confession > conflict > resolution > outcome > ending progression.

i understand why the narrative kept them apart, the core conflict revolved around akira's low self-worth and his complicated history with kanda. however, i would have much preferred if they confessed mid-series, and possibly the conflict coming from akira secretly going to kanda behind kanata's back for advice on his insecurities or how to handle a relationship. having kanata spot them together (knowing about their past) , similar to that scene where akira lied about meeting his brother only for kanata to see him with kanda, would have created such great angst while they were already dating. that way, they could work through the fallout together and still leave us with a rewarding ending to enjoy their dynamic once the dust settled.

my only real discomfort with the show was the weird age gap dynamic between akira and kanda. it felt unnecessary and could have been so easily resolved by just making kanda a former high school upperclassman instead of an adult tutor, keeping the exact same emotional baggage without the unsettling power imbalance.

on a much brighter note, i really loved the supporting cast, especially mizuki. she actually felt vital to the story's development rather than just existing as background filler. it's so refreshing to see side characters written with real weight and a meaningful impact on the main plot.

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