oddsare

I am a half-Japanese American working in Tokyo. The question Maggie raised is precious to me because even though most people may not see a big issue with the casting choice of Koki's mother, the problem of ageism is much more severe in Japanese society than in the Western world, and I have firsthand experience of this. However, I want to focus on this particular BL drama.

We do not know what kind of person Koki's mother is in the story, but she is definitely not a pampered socialite. (I don't recall this BL being adapted from a novel. Is there a novel that exists? If my information is correct, then we don't know much about Koki's mom.) But we do know that she once lived with Koki in a stinky small room and currently runs a brothel in another city. Logically, she is not the typical housewife. I imagine she has hustled among men for a living. Her looks might have aged from smoking, drinking, and sleepless nights; even if she was naturally beautiful, life's hardships would have left their marks.

True, she makes her entrance like a gangster, rudely sitting on a tiny Japanese-style coffee table, and I don't question her character portrayal, the actress's performance is commendable. But Maggie's comment inspired me—what if the production had cast a 60-year-old Japanese actress who could also look younger than her years, but with more life weariness and the same fiery spirit?

Instantly, I envision many actresses over sixty, well-maintained but with visible traces of time and wisdom, joining the casting without the influence of ageism. Wouldn't that feel liberating? By choosing an older actress, the role gains depth, reflecting an authentic slice of life and offering a narrative against ageism. Each wrinkle tells a story, each expression a culmination of life's tales, inviting the audience to appreciate the layers of life beyond surface appearances. This isn't just about the suitability for the role but about respect for the journey of age and the rebellion against typecasting, creating a rich and genuine portrayal on screen.

Only Friends has been off the air for a week, and I'm still on the lookout for a BL that can fill its shoes.

So, episode one, and bam! It's a crash course in facial recognition! On one side, there's a volleyball team, spiking words like they're swatting flies, and on the other, a Jiujitsu club, grappling with grammar. The camera? It's having a field day! Zooming in, zooming out like it’s on a caffeine rush, throwing faces and names at you faster than you can say "double trouble." It's like a family reunion with subtitles!

Took a breather to feed my cat, came back to a father-son. The show lost me at the first spike, and now whenever someone asks me to remember names, I’m just gonna start naming volleyball moves for a sporting chance!

What does a love saga of two high school boys look like under the BL lens? A whirlwind of emotions or a flat soda fizz?

Let’s embark on a dramatic journey with Kanghan (Perth) and Sailom (Chimon) as they attempt to navigate the rough seas of teenage romance, with a script that seems to have a mind of its own.

Ah, the chemistry, or the lack thereof! Our lovebirds seem to have missed the memo that chemistry is not just a subject in school, but an essential ingredient in the cauldron of love. Despite their earnest attempts, the sparks between them fizzled out faster than a candle in a tornado.

Now, let’s wade into the murky waters of charity showcased in this drama. Kanghan, with his heart seemingly in the right place, decides to don the cape of a capitalist superhero, attempting to bridge the economic divide on a football field. But alas, his actions felt as genuine as a three-dollar bill, leaving us to ponder on the murky line between altruism and self-interest (getting into a prestigious university?)

The charity subplot seems to have been plucked from a different era altogether. In a world where professional tutors are just a call away, our drama takes a U-turn to Victorian times, bringing home a personal tutor. It’s as if the director decided to take a detour through the annals of history, only to return with a plot device laden with cobwebs.

The dramatic hurdles thrown in the path of our protagonists seemed to have been shot for the moon, but alas, they plummeted down into a puddle of mud. The recounting of their initial encounter from years ago was supposed to weave the red thread of fate between Sailom and Kanghan. However, it left me baffled rather than bewitched. Sailom’s fondness for Kanghan felt as though it leaped out of the pages of a whimsical romance novel, a stark contrast to Sailom’s otherwise pragmatic persona. Sailom, the boy with stellar grades, who never bowed to adversity, seemed to have suddenly donned rose-colored glasses, typically found in feminine literature. It left me wondering if Sailom had been reading one too many romance novels, veiling the reality with a mist of fanciful love, that seemed as fleeting as a mirage in the harsh light of day.

And oh, the ‘fight and then fall for each other’ cliché. Kanghan’s image as a bully clung to him like gum to a shoe, making his affection for Sailom as confusing as a maze with no exit. And the attempts to showcase the sweet nectar of love between them felt more like a bitter pill, highlighting the glaring absence of chemistry. Their banter, aimed to be sweet, felt more like a taste of sour grapes.

The escape on a heavy bike felt like a scene borrowed from a low-budget action flick. The dramatic run-ins with gangsters seemed to be the director’s way of adding spice, but it ended up being a recipe for disbelief. And when Kanghan and Sailom were carrying bags of clothes on their escape route, it felt like the drama was carrying the baggage of implausibility.

The concluding episodes, a concoction of misunderstandings and cliches, felt as stale as air in a sealed room. The affluent family’s lack of security seemed like a glaring oversight – were the bodyguards on a coffee break or just written out of the script?

As for Saifah, whether naive or just plain obtuse, his reaction to Name’s ludicrous suggestion of robbery was nothing short of face-palm worthy. Instead of questioning the sanity of the idea, his first impulse was to inform his boss. It was a moment where logic seemed to have left the chat, making one wonder if common sense was a rare commodity in this dramatic universe.

The wordplay around wind and windmills turned into a whirlwind of confusion, with turbines thrown into the mix. Was it a metaphorical dig at the gap between ideals and reality, or just a gust of misguided scriptwriting?

The drama stew cooked up by the scriptwriters and director seemed to have too many ingredients, some overcooked like our lead pair, while others were half-baked. The side stories felt like appetizers that arrived after the dessert, leaving the audience with a taste of dissatisfaction.

In the myriad of characters and subplots, Kanghan and Sailom’s story felt lost, much like a boat adrift in a storm. The drama, aiming to be a buffet of emotions and social commentary, ended up being a hodgepodge that left the audience hungry for something more grounded.

Oh boy, here we go… These two episodes seemed like they showed up uninvited, but hey, if our dear self-doubting Shunyu can come out of this angsty teenage drama cocoon as a bold butterfly, ready to stand toe to toe with Shangzhou against the naysayers, especially the looming mother-in-law-esque scrutiny from Shangzhou’s mom, then I say, bring on the heart-wrenching melodrama!

These two young hearts not only seem to traverse through time back to the Meiji era, but also navigate through the maze of desire to find the 'exit to innocence', leaving them amidst the sweet and crisp air of romance.

Oh, the convoluted choreography of Only Friends! It’s like a ballet, only with more bed-hopping and less tutus. Now, onto our dear Mew—Ah, Mew, the epitome of forgiveness... well, selectively, of course. He forgave Boston’s promenade into his romantic territory, yet chose to drop the curtain on their friendship. It’s like saying, “I forgive you for stealing my cookie, but we can’t share a cookie jar anymore.” A dramatic narrative of “forgive, not forget,” with a sprinkle of ‘no more cookies for you’.

Now, some may say Mew’s reaction was more of a ballet noir, while others might see it as a one-act play titled “The Unforgiving Friend”. But let’s not forget, in the grand theatre of life and love, sometimes it's not about the missteps, but how you move on from them. And Mew chose to pirouette away from Boston’s deceit, into a solo performance. A standing ovation for self-respect, perhaps? Or just a plot twist in the messy, sexy, no plot narrative of Only Friends? Bravo either way! Encore, anyone?

Oh, the world of BL dramas, where a lingering glance is the appetizer and the main course is served with a side of smoldering chemistry. But folks, sometimes the chemistry fizzles before the pot even boils! Take this show for instance, the name screams passion with a hint of peril, but the only danger here was the risk of dying from anticipation. The actors? Oh, they're like culinary artists, but together they couldn’t even cook up a half-baked love muffin. The fans dissecting their chemistry became like Gordon Ramsay in a bad kitchen, “Where’s the sizzle?!” We wanted flames, but got lukewarm tea. And the debates are endless. “His hugs were so cold, it could chill your drink,” they say. It’s like signing up for a fireworks show and getting sparklers. The journey from “Aww” to “Ahh” seems to have taken a detour to “Eh?” But hey, in the realm of BL, even a misfired chemistry has its own tale to tell!

Absolutely, I bet most of the fujoshi and fudanshi here are riding the same wavelength!

If Tew’s mafia rival gets a swoon-worthy makeover, we might just need a love geometry textbook to keep up! 📚😄

😅😅😂

I hear ya, Tew seems to be strolling around Loveville, but hasn’t bought the ticket to ride the Love Express just yet. He’s like a curious cat, tiptoeing around the edges of affection with Guy. 🐾 Maybe he’s just taking a scenic route to Loveland!

And about that ‘love look’, well, maybe Tew’s eyes are on a delay, like a live stream with slow internet, and the lovey-dovey gaze is still buffering!

Now, let’s not forget, if I tone down the exaggeration, it seems like I’d lose the vibe of this BL series. The high drama is the cherry on top of this love-struck saga, after all! 🍒

At first glimpse of that wig-wearing dude, I thought I'd spotted a John Lennon impersonator rocking the scene!😅😂

Oh, they clocked in one night together and whoosh, they're on the express lane to Lovetown. No complaints here, it’s a scenic route!

Now, picture this: Tew is in the kitchen, cooking up a storm for breakfast. But oh no, he won’t dirty those hands. His tactic to keep them squeaky clean? Pure artistry!

And Guy, our sleepyhead, murmurs sweet nothings in his sleep. Tew, the doting hopeful, takes notes as if it’s the morning news. Talk about taking “husband material” to a whole new level!

Enter Kenji with a strut that screams rock star, I blinked twice, was that John Lennon moonlighting on our screen?

Oh, and P.Insomnia, we’re vibing on the same frequency. I too have a Ph.D. in lovebird-watching, it’s a sport and an art, my friends!

Now rewind to when Guy first got tipsy, Tew was all swoon and stars. But at encore of Guy's liquid courage, here comes Wahl, striding in and suddenly, we're not just dancing a duo, we’re in a love triangle tango. So, what's Tew's next move on this sudsy, love-soaked chessboard? Oh dear, the love geometry is getting tipsy!

Anan is quite the nasty piece. The moment he sniffs out someone's queer or gay, he flips from angel to devil, tormenting them mercilessly. The 180-flip is downright eerie. If Trin ends up on his hit list, it's partly because Trin caught wind of his hush-hush romance with the lady teacher, and partly due to his deep-seated homophobia. I'm clueless about how they plan to redeem this guy. Are they going to pull at our heartstrings with a tale of his past sexual abuse, or throw in a redemption arc? Back in the 1998-1999 era, the vibes for the LGBT+ folks were pretty tear-jerking.

Anan is that character who just makes your teeth itch! At first, he's all sweet to Nai, giving me a tiny fujoshi flutter, especially with that look and smile before jetting off to the UK. But oh boy, does he flip the script later on, morphing into a total jerk. He's possibly got some dark murderer vibes (maybe more than one poor soul). Despite his rough edges, I can see how Dan might feel for him, after all, Anan's another sad case of daddy issues. And about his grand exit, I'm toying with a tragic, ghost-haunted tumble into a lake. Too harsh, or just deserts?

😅🙏🏻

The enigma of the Shadow that swirled around Dan's dreams, sights, and touches indeed sparks a whirlpool of conjectures! After a brain-wracking contemplation, a scintilla of possibility emerged:

Its genesis traced back to a chilling scene where a young Dan, tucked away in a closet, witnessed a fierce tussle between his parents over a gun. The accidental trigger pull by his mother sent a bullet zipping towards Dan, birthing the Shadow. Initially, it was a silhouette of fear.

As the tapestry of violence and abuse from his father wove into it, the Shadow morphed, seething with rage and loathing.

With every twist and turn in Dan's life journey, the Shadow thickened, absorbing the venom of schoolyard bullying, the eerie whispers of the lost souls (many locals, and possibly the ghost of the murdered Trin), and Dan's pent-up sexual angst.

After binging the first seven episodes, I'm on the edge of my seat awaiting the next seven alongside many others. Stellar acting, a tight script, and sharp direction make the marketing buzz well-deserved. Dropping these episodes around Halloween was a treat, almost like unboxing a full season all at once.

Should this series hit it big, a movie sequel or a spinoff is a must. It'd surely carve a spot on my Halloween movie roster.

Hamlet turns tool on stage, cleverly unveiling Dan's father-son saga. Three episodes in, I'm sold - Dan's childhood haunts cast a long, shadowy trail.

After watching the second episode, I really didn't want to stop. In a smoky veil, shadows dance, blurring the seen and the unseen, leading a whimsical play of mystery.