I adore the wild, untamed nature and the deliciously macabre elements that define this series. Also, do not overlook the scene where the sexy Yamamoto Koji executes a dramatic and unforgettable gesture, gripping his crotch with a flair that is both bold and provocative.
Series completed. What a short yet emotional journey! Poor Gottsun got friendzoned again. Kei's innocent, oblivious words were rubbing salt into the would. Afterall, I felt the most for the supporting characters like Gottsun and Tamaki as their fates remained unresolved.
Episode 7 (the penultimate one): Tamaki's a true friend everyone wishes to have! Notwithstanding having her own demons, she stands by Akira without any judgement. So counting Tamaki, Gottsun, and Gottsun's kouhai, there are three people harboring unrequited love. What tragedies!
Episode 6: The siblings' secret is about to be discovered... I wonder why Kei's college friend had no idea who Akira was despite them having been close friends for a long time. It's worth noting that this series doesn't shy away from showing gay sexual encounters. I love how Gottsun's casual sex was depicted.
Episode 5: At length Kei had the backbone to accept the nature of his relationship with Akira. Gottsun's heartbreak was, however, what moved me to tears. Poor precious boy!
Episode 4: Gottsun is the epitome of the super devoted best friend who would never get the male lead. Despite the difference in height, Gottsun's falling out with Kei-chan was quite convincing. Nearly forgot to mention the siblings' long-awaited kiss!
I watched this movie back in 2006-2007, when being gay was still extremely discriminated against in most Asian…
Chapter 24 (end) "The Light Years of Summer" Du Huijia’s viewpoint (Carrie’s) This summer is coming to an end. How much longer will it be before we hear the familiar sound of cicadas, reminding us of those summer days we once experienced? I walked out of Kang Zhengxing's (Jonathan’s) house and saw Yu Shouheng (Shane’s) standing flabbergasted at the door, we hadn't seen each other for a long time and he was much more mature than I thought. He looked a little tired, but his eyes revealed a "warmth". I said hello to him, he just slightly lowered his head and smiled. That smile, I knew he remembered something. His mouth seemed to be humming a song of some kind, but I didn't hear it clearly. I had a thought for the next novel I was going to write. About the secrets that two boys, over many, many summers, kept from each other. Because of these secrets, the stories that happened during these summers will always be in their hearts. I imagine that when they first met on the top floor of the school, one of the boys, hummed a song in his mouth. And the other boy has been waiting all his life for this boy beside him to hum that melody in his ears once again. The title of the book, I think, is "Summer Light Years".
I watched this movie back in 2006-2007, when being gay was still extremely discriminated against in most Asian…
Chapter 23 "I think that's what nostalgia feels like”. Yu Shouheng’s viewpoint (Shane’s) The two of us went through a lot of hardship and finally got home. Luckily, it was only about an hour and a half later than originally estimated. I didn't say a word to Kang Zhengxing (Jonathan) during the whole train ride; I just slept for a few minutes while he looked out of the window with his head turned. When we got off the train, we walked along the path next to that train station, in the direction of the river bank. This road was also the route we had to take to get from home to Han Yang High School. We both looked rather wretched, but I thought, it's just a trip home anyway, there's no need to be shiny. We remained silent. Like we would never have anything to say again in our lives. We've grown up and said fewer words, not as much as when we were young, more just mumbling, trying to say everything to ourselves, because when we grow up, we finally realize that fewer and fewer people are willing to listen to others. The two of us stepped onto the river bank, stopped and watched the sun gradually turn towards the west, soon to sink into that hill. "That day, why did you leave without saying goodbye?" He suddenly spoke. "What day?" "September 21, 1999, the day we last saw each other." "I don't know, I just didn't think we needed to see each other anymore." "Because you found out you liked me?" He said with a smile. I didn't say anything. "Because you found out that we weren't friends anymore?" He laughed again. "Or, do you simply regret what happened and want to pretend it never happened?" I turned around and punched him. He fell backwards onto the embankment. "What the hell are you doing?" I began a series of angry rebukes. "Who the hell do you think you are?" "You're the one who told me you didn't even want to be my friend!" "You're the one who broke our friendship first!" "You're the one who said we weren't friends at all!" Pause. "Because I don't just want to be your friend." He said. I punched him again. "And you already knew that." I punched him again. "But you can't do it without me by your side." "I don't understand." I said. "You know, you've known since you were a kid, you're just used to fooling yourself." He said. "I don't understand!" I repeated. "You understand because you know that when you were in elementary school, you were also required by your teacher to be my friend, because at that time, you were a bad student, no other students wanted to care about you, you had no friends at all, so you promised your teacher that you would be my friend. " I didn't want to listen to him, I turned around and walked away. "You kept it a secret from elementary school until now because you were afraid that if you told me the secret, I wouldn't be good friends with you anymore. I couldn't understand, I couldn't understand, I couldn't understand anything. I walked home, leaving him behind, and the more I thought about it, the angrier I became. I turned my head to look at the riverbank, I wonder where Kang Zhengxing (Jonathan) had gotten to? Anyway, I don't care. Why do I have to go home? Why should I go home with Kang Zhengxing (Jonathan)? I don't need him by my side, I don't need a friend at all. Why do I have to go home? Why the hell do I want to go home? I walked up to Kang Zhengxing's (Jonathan's) house and stopped. The door of his house was hung with white curtains and a funeral service was being held, a very quiet, very quiet funeral service. There was a woman walking out of his house, it was Du Huijia (Carrie), her eyes were red from crying, and she looked at me. I paused for a moment, then took a long, deep breath. Why did I want to go home? Right. I suddenly remembered why I wanted to make a trip home. For what? Who was it for? It was June 3, 2005, and I had received an obituary last Wednesday. I opened it and it was a very familiar, very familiar name that I will never forget. He was killed in a very serious car accident. We hadn't seen each other in a long time. We hadn't heard each other's voices in a long time. We used to be best, best friends. I think a lot about the summers we spent together. And the reason I, this summer, came back was to attend his farewell. I remembered, what I was going to say to him. I wonder if someone else would have done the same as me and started mumbling and talking to themselves. Maybe Kang Zhengxing (Jonathan) used to, maybe Du Huijia (Carrie) did too. I think it was when I finally grew up that I finally became aware of the 'loneliness' thing. I think it's because we need company so much that we keep trying to say those monologues about ourselves. I think this is the feeling of "nostalgia", nostalgia for a person you once loved. When I started to learn to miss, I finally had the courage to say to him. I'll see you soon.
I watched this movie back in 2006-2007, when being gay was still extremely discriminated against in most Asian countries. Undoubtedly it had a huge impact on me at that time. Knowing that this was based on a Taiwanese novel, I tried every possible means back then to find a scanlation but to no avail. The year is 2023 now, and thanks to DeepL I finally had the chance to read the novel ending which I'll also post below for anyone who's interested.
Episode 3 explores the possible reason for which Gottsun feels strongly about Kei. Perhaps their connection stems from whom they love. I beleive Gottsun is the most pitiful character in the manga. As for Kei and Akira, their dilemma is loving each other and knowing their love is requited whilst being too scared to express their love in words.
Episode 2 dedicated considerable screentime to Gottsun's story and his sexuality. As expected, I love live-action Gottsun as much as manga Gottsun. If only the young actor were taller (than Kei) and bulkier as in the manga.
Watching Makishima's brief gaze at Kei made me wonder if Makishima's gay. Then I read the manga and my guess was correct. Anyway, the first episode's excellent. I'm a sucker for forbidden love.
Du Huijia’s viewpoint (Carrie’s)
This summer is coming to an end. How much longer will it be before we hear the familiar sound of cicadas, reminding us of those summer days we once experienced?
I walked out of Kang Zhengxing's (Jonathan’s) house and saw Yu Shouheng (Shane’s) standing flabbergasted at the door, we hadn't seen each other for a long time and he was much more mature than I thought.
He looked a little tired, but his eyes revealed a "warmth".
I said hello to him, he just slightly lowered his head and smiled.
That smile, I knew he remembered something.
His mouth seemed to be humming a song of some kind, but I didn't hear it clearly.
I had a thought for the next novel I was going to write.
About the secrets that two boys, over many, many summers, kept from each other.
Because of these secrets, the stories that happened during these summers will always be in their hearts.
I imagine that when they first met on the top floor of the school, one of the boys, hummed a song in his mouth. And the other boy has been waiting all his life for this boy beside him to hum that melody in his ears once again.
The title of the book, I think, is "Summer Light Years".
The End
Yu Shouheng’s viewpoint (Shane’s)
The two of us went through a lot of hardship and finally got home.
Luckily, it was only about an hour and a half later than originally estimated.
I didn't say a word to Kang Zhengxing (Jonathan) during the whole train ride; I just slept for a few minutes while he looked out of the window with his head turned.
When we got off the train, we walked along the path next to that train station, in the direction of the river bank.
This road was also the route we had to take to get from home to Han Yang High School.
We both looked rather wretched, but I thought, it's just a trip home anyway, there's no need to be shiny.
We remained silent. Like we would never have anything to say again in our lives.
We've grown up and said fewer words, not as much as when we were young, more just mumbling, trying to say everything to ourselves, because when we grow up, we finally realize that fewer and fewer people are willing to listen to others.
The two of us stepped onto the river bank, stopped and watched the sun gradually turn towards the west, soon to sink into that hill.
"That day, why did you leave without saying goodbye?" He suddenly spoke.
"What day?"
"September 21, 1999, the day we last saw each other."
"I don't know, I just didn't think we needed to see each other anymore."
"Because you found out you liked me?" He said with a smile.
I didn't say anything.
"Because you found out that we weren't friends anymore?" He laughed again.
"Or, do you simply regret what happened and want to pretend it never happened?"
I turned around and punched him.
He fell backwards onto the embankment.
"What the hell are you doing?" I began a series of angry rebukes.
"Who the hell do you think you are?"
"You're the one who told me you didn't even want to be my friend!"
"You're the one who broke our friendship first!"
"You're the one who said we weren't friends at all!"
Pause.
"Because I don't just want to be your friend." He said.
I punched him again.
"And you already knew that."
I punched him again.
"But you can't do it without me by your side."
"I don't understand." I said.
"You know, you've known since you were a kid, you're just used to fooling yourself." He said.
"I don't understand!" I repeated.
"You understand because you know that when you were in elementary school, you were also required by your teacher to be my friend, because at that time, you were a bad student, no other students wanted to care about you, you had no friends at all, so you promised your teacher that you would be my friend. "
I didn't want to listen to him, I turned around and walked away.
"You kept it a secret from elementary school until now because you were afraid that if you told me the secret, I wouldn't be good friends with you anymore.
I couldn't understand, I couldn't understand, I couldn't understand anything.
I walked home, leaving him behind, and the more I thought about it, the angrier I became.
I turned my head to look at the riverbank, I wonder where Kang Zhengxing (Jonathan) had gotten to?
Anyway, I don't care.
Why do I have to go home? Why should I go home with Kang Zhengxing (Jonathan)? I don't need him by my side, I don't need a friend at all.
Why do I have to go home?
Why the hell do I want to go home?
I walked up to Kang Zhengxing's (Jonathan's) house and stopped. The door of his house was hung with white curtains and a funeral service was being held, a very quiet, very quiet funeral service.
There was a woman walking out of his house, it was Du Huijia (Carrie), her eyes were red from crying, and she looked at me.
I paused for a moment, then took a long, deep breath.
Why did I want to go home? Right.
I suddenly remembered why I wanted to make a trip home.
For what? Who was it for?
It was June 3, 2005, and I had received an obituary last Wednesday.
I opened it and it was a very familiar, very familiar name that I will never forget.
He was killed in a very serious car accident.
We hadn't seen each other in a long time.
We hadn't heard each other's voices in a long time.
We used to be best, best friends.
I think a lot about the summers we spent together.
And the reason I, this summer, came back was to attend his farewell.
I remembered, what I was going to say to him.
I wonder if someone else would have done the same as me and started mumbling and talking to themselves.
Maybe Kang Zhengxing (Jonathan) used to, maybe Du Huijia (Carrie) did too.
I think it was when I finally grew up that I finally became aware of the 'loneliness' thing.
I think it's because we need company so much that we keep trying to say those monologues about ourselves.
I think this is the feeling of "nostalgia", nostalgia for a person you once loved.
When I started to learn to miss, I finally had the courage to say to him.
I'll see you soon.