Reviews

The movie that opened a new field of BL-science

Yes, we now have to study dance power-dynamics and dance-move innuendos to fully appreciate BL and that's fine.

BL has always been a field that thrives on hidden context (See: Untamed) and I think this movie has a lot to find in it for those willing to learn.
Where the story may sometimes skip some beats words-wise, the dance shown is basically its own language that that gives important clues on where the relationship is. In this movie, dance-language is stronger than words.

The actors are phenomenal and show off in ways rarely ever seen before in Japanese BL history. The sets and cinematography are gorgeous. Nobody could imagine this is where we would be at in 2025 when 2020 Machida Keita entered the JBL scene but here we are. I'd love to see a sequel of our grim reaper & angel dance duo.

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Please tell me that there's more!!!

I had been waiting for this one for more or less a year, and I did plan to read the manga but kept putting it off and I am so happy I did because I got to enjoy this completely unbiased and without any knowledge of the story.

I was blown away by how good the story is, the gorgeous imagery, the choreography and how sexy, steamy hot it was without being explicitly sexual. The way Suzuki sways his hips is so sexy and then Sugiki with his elegant sharp moves, both men experts in their dance styles come together and become literal fire, I was glued to the screen immersed so intensely in the story that I didn't even realize that 2 whole hours passed, I need more, now!! 😭😭😭😭

Also Suzuki speaking spanish, wow so freaking hot, I don't know if it was dubbed or the actor actually spoke the lines, but his pronunciation is nearly perfect and the tone of this voice... I'll stop here, go watch this movie if you haven't, it is fantastic!!!

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2 Hot Men, 10 Dance: A Work of Art

What I felt while watching this movie, I can’t explain it with words, but let me try.

This film is driven by music, movement, and intense emotion. And I felt every bit of it, every single bit of it.

The dancing is both sensual and powerful, not just because of the skill involved, but because of what it represents. They move through many styles; classic professional dances and then Latin dances filled with passion and intensity. And the actors nailed the performance. God, those men!!!!

At the center of this story are two men slowly falling in love. And this love is what will eventually give meaning to the dancing; it’s what turns technique into expression. We’re not just watching them dance, we feel their desire, vulnerability, and longing through every step.

By the end, the film leaves you inspired. It makes you feel like you could dance too, even if you never have before.

It’s emotional, beautifully crafted, and simply a very very good watch.

Can’t wait for the second season! 10/10 for this one!

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Two men navigating a delicate waltz of feelings and a fierce tango of longing!

When the trailer was out, I was expecting good things like great chemistry, impressive dance moves, clean aesthetics and a lot of tension. What I didn't expect was to come out this emotionally jumped and honestly, it delivered on almost all the fronts.
The movie thrived, flourished and floored me with tasteful slow burn, discomfort that ate, and proximity that had me holding my breath for no reason. They didn't need dialogue and honestly, no dialogue could convey what their eye contact did.

Who was the hero in the movie? The audacity. The audacity to let silence do the flirting. Audacity to assume that the audience will notice the small change in breathing, posture shifts and corrections that feel too personal and the way no man absolutely refused to blink. They assumed and we proved them right. These two grown men who know exactly what they were doing, risking and the awareness of that just every interaction so much heavier and meaningful.

We have our classic opposite attract set up where both the leads have contrasting personalities. And while I would have been happy with the cliche set-up too, they decided to test every ounce of sanity you have when you are watching it by showing the predictability of the characters in the most unpredictable way.

The best thing about this drama for me was THE HOLY CHEMISTRY! It deserves its own warning label. Everything was felt by the leads, and it translated 100% on the screen. It's not loud or trying to be instantly likeable. It builds through resistance, control, lack of it and two people constantly tests each other's boundaries. If you haven't realised, I am blown away by their chemistry.

Performance-wise, both the leads understood the assignment and stayed in the right ballpark. They didn't do too much or too little. Just perfect to make it swoon worthy. Machida Keita as Sugiki Shinya, all suited up with the tie and that domineering gaze was not on 2025 bingo but I am nothing but thankful. I know he is a great actor with a good range but this is not how I imagined him in any multiverse and I am glad we got it.
This was my first introduction to Takeuchi Ryoma and honestly, colour me impressed. He, as Suzuki Shinya, was wild, passionate and beautiful with that subtle vulnerability as he should have been.

Coming to the dance section, I am no professional, so I won't be judging by techniques but visually, I enjoyed everything. I am sure the actors worked very hard and it definitely deserves a special mention. This was about the dance and we see plenty of it.
Visually, it was rich and sleek. The camera work was amazing. Even a little change in hand gesture or posture was captured perfectly. Kudos to that! Money was not a problem for the production, and it reflected from the cast to the costume to the set design.

The supporting cast also did a great job. The women of 10Dance though, weren't in the limelight, but they did shine through whenever the focus was on them. I liked the friendship between Tajima Aki and Suzuki. In fact, the two ladies had such good chemistry with each other.

Now, after all that praise and positive points, if you ask me why it's not a 10, it comes down to a few things that lowkey bothered me. Not major enough to ruin my watching experience, but enough to not ignore.
- Starting with the background music. When you have such a stellar cast looking like Greek gods in such magnificent sets, why play the most generic music? It wasn't bad but compared to everything, it could have been better. Way better.
- Second was the lighting issue in a few scenes. A few scenes were a little too dark for my liking. Maybe it was more of a me problem.
- Third and the major issue, I was left wanting for more. When you build such delicious tension for 2 hours and somehow skip that in the most important final moments, it kind of stings. Narrative-wise, it did make sense and it was very thematic but it did annoy me. It diluted the character impact and skipped few important inner monologues that could have made this a masterpiece. And you know when the overall vibe is, of a lot what felt is unsaid , sometimes it paves way for miscommunication. And If you are familiar with J dramas, it is the most common trope and in few scene it does make an appearance.

Overall, desipte everything, this was an EXPERIENCE. From start to finish, I was entertained with good quality drama, acting and visuals. Will I recommend it? Hell yes! You will definitely not regret it.
Also, this is a Netflix-backed production, and one should ask the question, will it milk its golden goose yet again? Everyone knows the answer. And this time I really want them to.

Thank you for reading my review! <3

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“i’ll see you at the 10dance.”

oh my gosh. the tension, the passion fro dance, the acting, the chemistry; all of it pulled together is what makes this movie so great. i was worried as the manga was so strong on the sport that it would get done wrong… but i felt that it was so good in my opinion.

i chose to rewatch it twice before reviewing so i got every detail and i want to rewatch it again just for them. the chemistry these to have is INSANE. every single scene felt so perfect.

ive seen so many movies and shows but i dont think ive seen one this good in a long long time, where everything is enjoyable, nothing makes you feel uncomfortable or awkward, its all just perfection squeezed into 2 hours which i feel was a bit rushed but they did what the could and i appreciate that.

anyways… wheres the ACTUAL 10dance?? movie pt.2 …?

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Expectations unfortunately not met

Dance is neither about technique nor stamina. Love is what makes it whole

🕺🏻OK. Let's start with the good🕺🏻
The acting - The guys killed it. I have seen Keita before in Cherry Magic & Alice in Borderland and was excited to see him back in the BL realm. I knew he was good and my man; he did not disappoint. No notes
Ryoma is a new face to me, but he was amazing too. He expresses emotions so freaking well. It just grabs you. I could feel how much he hated Sugiki in the beginning, when he started wanting him; I was there with him—in that desire, denial, and confusion. And when Sugiki broke his heart, I felt that too. When he cried, when he made the choice to go back to competing after the heartbreak, when he struggled to walk away from Sugiki's honor dance, when he finally faced him on that floor. I felt it all. Hat's off to the man

The chemistry - My God!! It was palpable. Everyone has mentioned it, but that scene in the train... *fans self*. And the kiss scene towards the end. Also, I was mesmerised every time they danced together

Their type of dance matched their personalities beautifully - Sugiki does ballroom. Idk much about dance, but from what I saw in this, it's a very controlled type of dancing. Beautiful to look at, but rigid in its execution.
On the other hand, Suzuki is a free spirit. He also walks, breaths, moves like sex, and so is his dance style. It's fun and sexy, while Suguki's is very restrained.
Suzuki wants to have fun in his life, but Sugiki is very controlled and by the book. He knows what he wants, sees the goal, and will stick by it, everything else be damned.
How they dance spills into their personalities. Or is it vice versa?

The cinematography and the grandeur of it all - Are we surprised though? It's a Netflix production. You know the production budget be budgeting

🕺🏻What I didn't like🕺🏻
The title says it all. The movie did not match the expectations set by the trailer
When you watch the trailer, you expect the movie to be very sensual, very sexy. You expect their relationship to be very emotionally charged. A love that stems from hate, passion (for dance and Suzuki's hatred for Sugiki), desire, and an unwitting respect for each other's craft. I was at the edge of my seat waiting for such a story

Unfortunately, when you get to the story, this all kinda... fades away? A lot of the story is told in silence (?). There are a lot of looks to the other person, facial expressions, but very little in the way of actual communication. As the audience, you kinda have to connect the dots and guess what they are feeling and thinking. That removes the 'punch' of what this story could be

Their romance — if you could even call it that — doesn't progress much, and so by the end, everything feels unfinished. They kissed on the train. I thought things would get steamier, but they went their separate ways. Only to meet 2(?) months later in the UK with Suzuki thinking about how he wants Sugiki's eyes on him.... And then they break up

Girl... What?? What happened in the 2 months??? I have read some comments by the Manga readers that allude to what happened after the train, leading up to the breakup, and after, but if you're going to make a movie, shouldn't you include what happens in the source material in the show? I feel like cutting out major details does a disservice not only to the viewers who may not have checked out the book, but also to the readers who may want a better portrayal of a story they love

The ending was also very.... Ugh. It's open-ended. Not a fan of those. I hear it's because the manga isn't complete. Perhaps the manga shall end n we'll get a sequel. Hopefully, a better installation than this one

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10 Dance needed to be 11

10 Dance is a fantastic movie about dance with a side dish of erotic tension between our two male leads -- but lets be fair if this movie wasn't featuring Takeuchi Ryoma as the Latin Dance Pro & Machida Keita as the Ballroom Dance Pro the story wouldn't have been very impactful. Two Japanese men Tantalizingly Beautiful seemingly madly intoxicated with each other They teach the other in terms of dance 1st then life 2nd how to be different & maybe better -- There are a couple of scenes where they put their attraction into action but mostly it is Machida playing the aloof perfectionist and Takeuchi playing the uncontrolled bad boy -- I have no idea whether the movie is true to the Manga it is based upon or not. If it is there is a clear lacking in the unimaginative ending. You don't feel these characters will ride off into the sunset together but the fact that the Machida character sees having a romantic relationship with Takeuchi as life ending is worrysome -- as a bl watcher having them dance in front of their dance community isn't that a coming out of sorts and if it is why the ambigious ending They walk away it leaves you deflated and kind of misused. I mean all that sexual attraction for naught I will watch it again because the acting is superb the scenes the filming all fantastic It needs to be 11 because they need a sequel to finish the unfinished story

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Dance in the movie

I love how in 10dance love is shown with a forms of dance. I personaly love to watch people dance in every style possible. Their feelings are expressed throught dancing like touch, connection, emotions and passion. I think the movie shows the real meaning of dance. Both of the mains characters are bonded together with two different styles, but they get a chance to practise dancing together for 10Dance and actually dance at Asian Cup.

While i was watching i thought the directors brought a bit of homophobia into the film by making Sugiki think that two guys cant dance together as because their dancing styles need a gentleman AND a lady.
Also the statement "dance is neither about technique nor stamina. Love is what makes it whole." could have made Sugiki think that he can and should dance with Suzuki.

Sugiki made viewers feel the emotions he had while dancing, we can see the happiness the excitement or the love he showed while they were in the subway. Lets not forget Suzuki's feelings while they didnt meet (not gonna lie my eyes were wet at one moment), the movie showed us emotions without using words.

Actors build a strong tension between themselves while they were learning from eachother the dancing moves. The film made us more and more believe they got feelings without them having to say it.

The music obviously makes a lot, as in dancing we need to have music. The music was not only in parts when they were dancing, which made the movie in my opinion more calming and understandable.

In the end the music was fire and the tension while dancing oml im obsessed, both with their dancing their relationship their moves, everything. I will definitely rewatch (i literally watched it in one sitting not being able to take my eyes away and after it ended i lit didnt know what now, wanted to watch again..). Im giving it 10/10 loved it very very much ones of my favorite films probably.

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Could have been better.

This movie is being carried by its cast. Absolute standout in terms of acting and chemistry, which is to be expected because just look at who they cast. It is very obvious these two actors put in the work to embody their characters. I really, really wanted to love the movie, but I cannot overlook some aspects despite how much I did enjoy it.

Flaws: So many. I think it can be summarized as this movie felt like it did not know whether it wanted to be a Japanese movie or a Hollywood one, so what you get in terms of editing is a very strange mix that ends up appealing to neither audience sometimes.

- There were many times where weird editing choices brought me out of the story completely. One such example is the announcer at the 10Dance section in the end, where he both names the dance, and adds a very unnecessary quip afterwards. Another odd editing choice is to layer conflicting music on top of each other.

- The pacing at the end, absolutely rushed. This story would have benefitted from being a series. An extra 40-80 minutes of content would have fixed a lot.

- The English subtitles are also plain wrong occasionally.

- The music was either a full hit or a miss. Since this is a movie about dance, I would have hoped that they had a better selection for music choice and background tracks.

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Excellent acting

I enjoyed this so much. Both main leads did a fantastic job in their respective roles. Ryoma absolutely slayed his role as the passionate dancer in every scene. His expressions and movements portrayed Suzuki perfectly. And Keita Machida as the restrained and disciplined ballroom dancer portrayed his character well too. The dances were fantastic in themselves too.

But something that struck me while watching this and made me pause is where Ryoma describes what it takes to participate in these 10Dance competitions- it may look glamorous on the surface but it takes tremendous discipline and endurance to dance in 40 dances of different types and styles during the competition day. And when Machida describes how the lady dancing the ballroom dancing has to dance elegantly while wearing her high heels. Somehow these two points left a tremendous impression on me. In fact, this very well describes what all artist, dancers, actors, and so on must truly be experiencing - everything might look glamorous on the surface, but level of practice and discipline needed for it….

Takeuchi Ryoma and Keita Machida also do a phenomenal job of dancing. It must surely have taken them many days and hours of practice to be this good! And of course, the chemistry between these two was very visible every moment of the movie.

The time flew by so quickly as I was watching this. I can imagine that we would likely get a sequel for this (here’s me trying to manifest this🤣). I mean, I would like to see them participating in the actual 10Dance competition! And there is so much potential for further expanding this story anyway, that it would be such a waste to not explore this further in a sequel.

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Love is two souls dwelling in one body…

And when two matching pieces meet, the audience dies. For dance you need the restraint of passion. Sugiki Shinya had restraint and control, Suzuki Shinya had passion and expression, together they completed each other.

Why did my 30+ years old self felt like a teenage girl when I was watching it? All these proper and perfectly delivered romance themes just melted my brain. The tension, the chemistry, the perfect pacing - what more could I ask for (maybe better editing for the opening and ending, but that’s later to complain about)? They gave me all and more.

First of all, I went into the movie with an idea of who the characters are and the movie slowly destroyed my misconception. What I thought I was getting is the free-spirited man slowly breaking the walls of the stoic and restrained one. Boy I was wrong. Who was breaking whom, when and why and to what extent is a whole big part of the storytelling that held my mind captive for two hours. The one broken by the end was me.

The dynamic between the leads was just enticing. The question of who was in control - be it of the external factors, the other person, or their own feelings. The tension was tensioning so hard I might have pulled a muscle or two. Suzuki Shinya was the unrestrained seduction that set the screen on fire, while Sugiki Shinya was the domineering force that grabbed all the attention.

With the limited screentime it’s an amazing romance with interesting internal dilemmas. I was so entertained and fascinated by Sugiki Shinya’s character that I could write a psychoanalysis of him. There was so much more depth in both lead characters - I went into it for well delivered cliches, but was surprised by some twists and turns on that insanely captivating journey.

For the acting - damn. For everyone who is traumatized by closing elevators after Cherry Magic!, fear not - we for sure do not face the same issue here. They both committed. Putting the romance aside, the thing that I appreciate the most was the depiction of hesitation and fear. In the context of the movie it had to be obvious for the audience, but clear to be something they wanted to hide and they both performed it perfectly.

I cannot speak on the actual dancing, because I know less about it than the actors themselves. All I can say is - I enjoyed watching the dancing scenes and for a clueless person like me, they were beautifully shot and delivered. For the music though - I wish they went less “cliche” with their choices. I am sorry, but River Flows in You should be banned from being used in any cinematic project till the end of the universe - it has Twilight copywritten in the brains of millions.

Visually speaking - they knew exactly what they were doing. This movie for sure does not give cheap vibes, even if they use “cheap” moves - I do appreciate the abs on the forefront with hips not lying. Somehow they still made it feel expensive and tasteful. Maybe because they truly did take their time to build that tension and they were not rushing any scenes.

For the complaints I think my biggest issues were the editing for the opening and ending scene - the clear cut to the title screen just punched me in the face for no reason. The hard cut did not really fit the pace of the overall story. And as I already mentioned - the music. Could have gone a little bit more creative.

Overall, I feel blessed. That was the holy experience I needed before Christmas. We truly do not get movies and dramas that are so unapologetically focused on the romance, tension and connection between the characters.

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Japanese BL at Its Finest !

**Japanese BL never disappoints us. Ever.**
And this one? I am officially **HEAD OVER HEELS**.

This movie delivers a **truly unique story**, something you don’t come across easily. While watching it, I genuinely felt like I was witnessing something **intensely captivating**, almost unreal. The whole experience felt like a **fierce magical creation**, powerful, artistic, and emotionally consuming in the best way possible.

The **emotions** were deep and beautifully expressed, and the **dance sequences**? Absolutely top-notch. Every movement carried meaning, every expression told a story. I am not exaggerating when I say I was completely **obsessed**. This was worth every second of waiting.

There really isn’t much to explain about this masterpiece, because some things are simply meant to be *felt*, not analyzed. Think of it as a **gift**, a blessing dropped into the world of Japanese BL for us to cherish.

There is **no way** you can ignore this movie. It is **beautiful**, **stunning**, and visually mesmerizing. It pulls you in quietly and leaves a lasting impression on your heart.

So if you want to **bless your eyes**, your heart, and your soul with something genuinely good, *this is it*.

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This movie left me astonished!

All I can say is that this was just a fantastic movie. I have watched hundreds of Asian dramas and BL"s but I have never written a review for a single one. This movie literally made me just now create an account on kisskh just so I can tell everyone just how amazing this movie really is.

PLEASE READ IF PLANNING ON WATCHING:
Reading other people reviews was rather frustrating because of how they were rating the movie lower solely because of the fact it lacked a whole bunch of NC scenes. That is insane to me and saying things like "this movie isn't a real BL movie because they didn't focus on the romance aspect" is insane to me. The chemistry and romance was there, you felt all the emotions and could feel the yearning for each other. Yes, there were few kissing scenes, but the ones that they did have left a lasting impact and had purpose which made the impact of the kiss much more effective. The issue nowadays is people aren't looking for plot and story in relation to BL, they just want to see two guys all over each other, kissing and having sex. If that's the case go watch one of the many GMMTV shows where that's a good portion of the plot.

This was a beautifully produced movie with insanely good music and acting that is out of this world. And the male leads were the perfect mix of beautiful and handsome. If you are actually looking to see love blossom over a shared love for dance then this is 100% the movie for you. If you are looking for a movie where it's 70% sex and only 30% plot then I HIGHLY recommend for you to go find something else to watch.

I hope that people will get over their concerning need for sexually explicit content in BL dramas so they will be able to give this movie the rating to truly deserves which is a 10/10.

I will say that the ending did bother me a bit. Im glad it ended on a happy note but it felt as if that shouldn't have been the end and there's way more to their story that as a viewer I would love to see. So if they are planning on producing another movie then that was a great ending and if not then it could have been better. Still I would recommend this movie over and over again and will be rewatching it many times to come.

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mesmerizing, need a sequel movie and/or a full series

Overall: kudos to everyone involved in this because, wow, just wow. Aired on Netflix https://www.netflix.com/watch/81759550

Content Warnings: past PTSD, non/dub con kissing/touching, internalized homophobia

What I Liked
- tension, chemistry, kissing
- acting
- I can't even imagine how challenging the dance training was, they all looked great (not a pro, I had dance training)
- how supportive the women were (I'd love to see a future movie/series with the characters training and dancing m/m and f/f as well as m/f and m/f, it's my head cannon at least)

Room For Improvement
- started with the present then went to a one-year flashback
- the 2 guys that gave exposition dumps multiple times
- several scenes were too dark and more light was needed on faces
- the voice saying 10Dance at the beginning and end
- the ending was abrupt, definitely need a second movie or a series to flesh things out

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