Zack

not to start a war, but, I’m curious why you love it yet think 8.9 is too much

The beginning of EP 11 seems proof positive that a S2 could work. But the ending feels like, well, and ending. Finite.

I think what this drama did best was depict some of the realities of life, in Japan and elsewhere.
- You can't choose your parents. And you have to try to live your life as best you can in spite of them. Haruki's father was an abusive bastard, and his mother, while definitely the better of the two, still prioritized her life and her new family's life over Haruki--He had to become scarce if her husband was in town.

Jin's mother was a hypocrite wanting him to get married when she had a failed marriage and did such a good job of being around and a parent when her child was growing up. His father prioritized his career over his family.

- Being an out Queer person isn't easy, especially when you live in a society that doesn't see you/treat you equally as your Cis/heterosexual counterparts. Where you're surrounded by heterosexual privilege and you can't do or it's difficult to do the same.

The contrast between eps 10 and 11 is stark. It goes from a hopeful, let's get married, to the reality of, let's get married when it becomes legal and society doesn't stigmatize and ostracize us. Where their coworkers can easily express their love by making wedding announcements and you can't. Forget wedding announcements. When Haruki was flirting with outing Jin and their relationship to Jin's friends, Jin shut it down. Thankfully, Haruki stopped. But it's incredibly frustrating when you're in a relationship and have to deal with friends and family trying to pressure you into relationships and marriage, even more so when you're already in a relationship and want to get married, but can't. This risk is high, especially depending on your circumstances. Granted, yes, there are times when they did take risks, like PDA in public. Gosh, I hope that Japan can be more accepting of Queer society. And I say that with the understanding that even in countries where gay marriage is legal for example, you can still face significant homophobia etc.

I appreciate works like this and Happy of the End which don't shy away from realities of life. They portray a lot of it for what it is, but at the same times, it's not all doom and gloom. While you don't need a relationship to have a fulfilled life, a relationship that makes you thrive can help you get through life, even with all the shit around you.

EP 11 is on GaGa now

This drama just works.
+ Super talented actors who have hopeful bight futures ahead. I believe what they're selling me.
+ Very solid writing, many aspects of which are relatable.
+ Production is quite good.

One of those shows where you wonder why there isn't a Season 2 (yet).

He's pretty talented. I hope he gets more roles.

Thinking about it, reminds me of the beginning where Haruki wet himself at school when they first met. This is a different experience for both of them though.

Makes sense. Makes a lot of sense.

There's so, so, so much one can analyze in this beautifully done Queer drama. That's a testament to the writing, acting, and production.

Ah. I get you.

Given your write-ups, it reminds me how much I appreciate the writing (for the most part). There's so much that can be analyzed, especially because it makes sense (for the most part). Haoren is not magically healed because of Chihiro, but he can get support. While I might be tempted to say the same of Chihiro, some of his actions throughout reflect his previous actions earlier in his life and how he too sees himself, which led to some of my frustrations in EP 7.

Can I nominate this drama for an international film/media festival somewhere? How does one go about doing that?

I loved the fact they the characters were complex. More than that, they were consistent and most of their actions made sense, both rational and irrational. It helped maintain the realistic tone that they were going for. They didn't soften the realities of the Haoren's early life too much. It was necessary to understand who he is as a character now.

Really appreciate your review.

Your statement, "his awareness of having no future" really got me thinking. Throughout the drama, we've seen that effects of Haoren being abandoned at an early age. Chihiro got an education, Haoren didn't. We've been shown this difference with Chihiro playing Saigo, and with the trip to the beach. After Haoren came out of prison, he's doing manual labor to sustain himself, whereas Chihiro is on the road to achieving his dreams of being a photographer.

I'd argue though that the chances of Chihiro getting to the point where he is now would have been significantly lower had he not have gotten the support he did from Haoren, financial, emotional (sometimes problematic, sure), and otherwise.

I think now, given that Chihiro has more stability in life, he can help Haoren achieve some degree of stability himself. Although, the man need psychological help, which I doubt he'd ever get. Which makes me think, it'd be an awesome idea for a Season 2. Exploring their relationship as a couple and Haoren's mental health.

For me, it was in-keeping with his character and made sense in that way. Having said that, I can get why it may not have been satisfying for you. I was more frustrated with the ending. It made sense, sure. But I wanted more interaction between the two. But, at least we understand that they love each other a lot.

EP 1. Seems like money well spent. Surprised by the quality of most of the costumes, sets, and CGI. Could actually be a good live action.

Their dynamic is dysfunctional and toxic and we're given clear explanations why. One can argue that the toxicity comes disproportionately from Chihiro. He's been on his own since he was a kid and started working in the sex industry at a young age with no support and had a brutal handler. It's frankly a miracle that he didn't become a total monster.

You could seriously write essays on the drama. It's that well written and executed imo. Not perfect, but damn close.

The dark and mature themes aren't there for shock value. The sex scenes aren't there just for the high. Most everything serves a purpose. To have a drama with dark themes carry intended weight but not feel oppressive is a triumph.

Yes, this series does address homophobia and the difficulty of being Queer in Japan. But they have support in a found family of sorts like with Kaji. Kaji is one of the most important support characters in that, he's not perfect, but, he's that person who helps Hoaren and Chihiro feel normal. He's the contrast to Hoaren and Chihiro's families.

It should also be noted that this drama does an AMAZING job of portraying Queer characters IN society and they do not exist in a bubble. Hoaren and Chihiro are not ashamed of their sexuality and being a couple. They've shown this a few times before with PDA in public or when they're about to enter into public spaces. For a show with the realistic and dark tone it has, it's hopeful. This means so, so, so much, especially in a conservative society like Japan.

Michael Chang, the actor playing Sea did a real good job portraying a super hormonal young adult last episode. And the writing made sense too.

Well done ep this week. They made some smart decisions in the writing to not frustrate the viewer, or me at the very least. And I appreciate how they portrayed Sea's young adult hormones. And how they balanced that with Neil projecting calmness. Looking forward to the next ep.

Ohhhhhh. This makes so much sense.