30Sai made Doteida to Mahotsukai ni Narerurashi (2020)

Mesmo após anos vendo dramas ainda não me acostumei com os jdramas, as atuações exageradas, mas este ano vi um outro que pude descobrir que sim, há dramas sérios, é uma questão de gosto pessoal, porém não abro mão de um enredo interessante e queria um dorama especial para ser meu vigésimo japonês, é o caso aqui, meu primeiro BL não censurado como bromance.

Não posso falar muito sobre BL por ser um dos meus primeiros, mas me importo muito com o desenvolvimento, não sou tão fã de romance assim, por isso apenas encher cenas de contatos físicos não são suficientes para me prender, então me veio este enredo que sem enfeites, bem cotidiano e natural. Adachi sendo facilmente uma pessoa que conhece, pode ser um amigo, vizinho, você. Não me arrependo de dar uma chance.

Se busca algo fofo onde o desenvolvimento do relacionamento é bom, mas que não necessita ter algo sexual, com certeza amará Cherry Magic, é uma ótima forma de começar a ver BL. Kurosawa é super respeitoso, atencioso com o Adachi e o mesmo super fofo.

Sei que é uma resenha pequena, com poucos detalhes, mas tenho certeza que aqui, é mais importante descobrir sobre os personagens aos poucos e deixar que eles falem por si, do que saber tudo antes.

Lire davantage

I am new to watching BL series even though I am gay but this was such a light-hearted drama, it's a cool way to start my ventures towards the sea of BL dramas with this. I like the acting, I think it suits them very well, the story was a bit straight-forward but it's good and I loved the drama. The ending was a bit empty for me, well not that empty but it feels incomplete? Maybe it's just me wanting more of them but I've watched the special episode already and it looks good. The story about Adachi's friend and the delivery man is what makes me feel off with the drama, although it's good, I always seem to skip parts whenever it's just about Adachi's friend love story, it felt creepy to me in some ways, maybe because of the casting of the guy but nonetheless it is a great drama to watch if you're starting to watch or new to BL series. The entire premise of the drama too is about virginity but they didn't have a full-on kissing scene or at least a light erotic scene relating to that which is underwhelming but it is what it is then.

The highlights of the drama for me is Rokkaku's character, I love him so much, he doesn't feel like one of those annoying characters for me even though his characters acts like that, I think he played the character well and I love it. I also like the song and especially Adachi's and Kurosawa's acting.

Lire davantage

Sugar, spice and everything nice - Key secrets to a quaint midnight drama’s success

This review will be mainly about the main characters and actors.

There is something about Cherry Magic that is definitely binge-watch and rewatch worthy. No villains, no fuss and minimal angst throughout. The opening and ending songs are nice, although the overall soundtrack wasn’t as memorable to me but somewhat fits with the drama’s quirks.

The love between colleagues, friends and partners presented in this drama is as universal as it gets. It lets the viewers know it is okay to have no romantic attachment to anyone as long as you valued and be content with yourself. It lets the viewers know it is okay to shamelessly chasing your dreams as well as abandoning your past dreams in pursuit of something new and exciting. It lets the viewers know the importance of mutual consent, patience, understanding and good communication when it comes to loving someone who valued less of themselves.

As the actors of Kurosawa and Adachi, Machida Keita and Akaso Eiji put a lot of thoughts into how their actions correspond with each other whether those scenes are improv or not. Most of the scenes were delivered well non-verbally and voiceovers were added in later to showcase Adachi’s mind reading ability. Viewers who rewatch would definitely notice the slight touches added to the characters throughout the episodes.

Kurosawa is the character that some viewers could easily relate to if they have yearned and loved someone the same way Kurosawa did. Machida’s rendition of Kurosawa did bore some resemblance from Oliver in “Call Me By Your Name” - both characters possessed the same gentlemanly charms, the earnest to love wholeheartedly and the unfortunately good facade to maintain people’s expectations. It seems Machida might have drew some inspiration from CMBYN. Be rest assured that Cherry Magic’s screenwriter didn’t pull out an Oliver move in the end, or else the viewers would have gone full Elio mode.
Machida did micro-expression quite well and delivered his scenes with proper tension and impeccable chemistry when it comes to Akaso. It was a joy to see Machida’s soft and courteous mannerism after seeing many of his aggressive roles in other LDH-produced films or series.
Kurosawa could have easily become many viewers’ favourite and could have completely overshadow Adachi in this drama.
That’s what I have predicted initially and luckily that didn’t happened.

Akaso’s rendition of Adachi at first seemed to be a bit overly comical in first few episodes but gradually improving as Adachi gets closer with his peers. Some of Adachi’s comical scenes reminded me of Haruta from “Ossan’s Love” - as it turns out both actors are from the same talent agency.
Nonetheless there seemed to be some bits of Akaso in Adachi. In contrast with some of Akaso’s past acting roles, his other roles didn’t feel the same way as Adachi did. It felt as if Akaso has fully immersed himself in the role of Adachi, delivering Adachi’s vulnerability in a way that shines most during these crucial scenes with Machida (Note: confession scene in Episode 7; breakdown scene in Episode 11; rooftop scene in Episode 12).
Akaso’s innate boyish flairs and doe-like eyes emote awkwardly shy Adachi adorably despite being dressed less fashionable than his peers. Seeing how Adachi wavers emotionally and gradually becoming more braver and livelier because of the people around him is what made this drama worthwhile til the end.

Here’s my 2 cents to wrap up this review, there are some things that screenwriter, director or producer have to take note of when it comes to maintaining their viewers’ expectation. Teasing viewers with certain scenes that didn’t end up being delivered in the end could easily hampered with viewers’ overall experience of the drama. It is better not to tease at something that was never intended to be shown or included in script in the end.
Being able to show Adachi’s bit of validation towards Kurosawa like a peck on the forehead would have been a full circle to this story. Plus it could easily make my queer heart weak and this drama could have been an easy 10.

Special thanks to everyone who were involved in the making of this drama in the amidst of pandemic. It was enjoyable to have something endearing to look forward to every week.

Lire davantage

Cherry Magic!

"Cherry Magic" is a unique and heartwarming Japanese series that follows Adachi, a shy 30-year-old man who has never been in a relationship. On his 30th birthday, he magically gains the ability to read people's thoughts through touch. This power turns his life upside down, especially when he accidentally touches his co-worker, Kurosawa, who harbors romantic feelings for him.The series blends humor, romance, and fantasy in a light yet emotional way. Adachi’s innocence and Kurosawa’s caring nature create a sweet dynamic that makes the story even more touching. Viewers will be moved by Adachi’s journey.

Lire davantage

A disappointment. And yes, my rating is lower because of the cat.

I heard a lot of positive opinions about CM and couldn't wait to watch it but instead of a beautiful love story, I got one of the most weird and unbalanced relationships in my BL history. All Adachi does throughout the show is being awkward, nervous and tense around the person he is supposedly falling for. It's absolutely understandable at the beginning, but I really hoped that he would be very very slowly opening to Kurosawa. But no. Nothing changes when he admits that he likes him too. Nothing changes when they are in a relationship. Nothing changes when they finally have sex, which should theoretically bring them closer, make him feel more comfortable. I mean, he doesn't even want to hold Kurosawa's hand. To cuddle. To be close. Nothing. It seems to me that he didn't really fall in love, he just knew that Kurosawa truly loves him and would never hurt him and decided that being who he is, his chances to find a better, safer person are close to zero.

Kurosawa in turn is loving, patient, noble, handsome, hard-working, sensitive, smart, kind... put any positive characteristic here and yes, he has it all. He's been pining for Adachi for years, had his heart broken a number of times and he never wavers. Like seriously, is he even human? Why wasn't he even a little angry when Adachi chose his gift (which he wanted to get rid of anyway) over him? Why didn't he get even a little bit frustrated when he showered Adachi with love and affection and got absolutely nothing in return? I cannot say that his love is entirely healthy, because he is willing to sacrifice anything for Adachi, to the point where he actually loses himself and any remains of self-esteem he could have had.

I liked Tsuge as a character, he was perhaps a little too expressive, but overall him being a confined, awkward virgin was portrayed quite well. I don't really understand why Minato looked like a 15 year old, the actor himself is much older so I guess it was intentional, but it made Tsuge look exactly like a creepy uncle he didn't want to be.

And the last straw, Udon the cat. I felt so uncomfortable watching episode 5, I mean the scene when Minato visits Tsuge and plays with the cat. There is a moment when he holds Udon in his arms and the cat is twisting and squirming to get free, but Minato just grips it tighter. For a few moments the cat ends up hanging in the air, while Minato only holds it by one leg, and it looked really painful. I don't even want to think what happened to that poor animal behind the scenes.

Lire davantage

Awkwardly sweet

I think this is THE best Japanese BL out there. I've seen many LGBTQ dramas and all those dramas have similar aspects. Yet this drama is so refreshing. Something not done before. (I will spare you a detailed explanation of the story)

In this story there are two male (lead) characters. One of the guys can read minds and discovers that his colleague (aka the other lead) likes him. The best part is that he is totally nonjudgmental against his colleague being gay or even himself being potentially being gay. This makes the story just really sweet and a light-hearted watch.

The contrast between the two male leads, one of them being shy and one of them being confident, is reallyy cute and it is really well portrayed.

I really liked the side couple too. It made the story a whole lot funnier. Just seeing the male's best friend struggling with life and in his love life.. in my country (The NL) we call it "leedvermaak" (enjoying someone's pain-ish and struggles haha)

Overall, I'd recommend this drama. I'd recommend it more as a light watch than a really deep story (though it is about learning how to be confident and speaking up for yourself; so it has some deep subjects).

If you want to enjoy yourself and feel your heart flutter, than I'd say: "Watch this story!"

Spoiler!:
There are no kisses but the tension between the male leads makes it unnecessary. It's sweet enough! It was so sweet that I didn't even notice that there was no kiss!

Lire davantage

¿El mejor BL que existe? Puede ser.

Por si no lo saben, en esta serie existe una leyenda urbana que dice que si llegas virgen a los 30, te convertís en mago. Adachi, nuestro protagonista, cumple 30 años un día y se da cuenta de que ahora puede leer la mente de las personas que toca, de esa manera descubre que Kurosawa, el hombre más popular de su oficina, está enmorado de él.

Yo sé que la trama parece una estupidez, pero no les puedo explicar lo hermoso que es este dorama, lo adorables que son los personajes y lo sana y bella que es la relación que se nos muestra. Estuve gritando como fan loca desde el primer capítulo porque el fangirleo que me generaba tenía que abandonar mi cuerpo de alguna manera. Así de mucho me gustó.

Adachi y Kurosawa se convirtieron en mi pareja favorita del 2020 (y puede que de la vida, porque no tengo nada que criticarles). Además, los sentimientos de los personajes están tan bien plasmados que es imposible no creerles todo 😍
La pareja secundaria (sí, hay pareja secundaria) no tiene desperdicio, es una lástima que no aparezcan un poquito más, pero al menos tienen un capítulo especial dedicado a ellos (los spin-off también son una maravilla).

Es una serie súper sencilla, son solo 12 capítulos de 23min aprox c/u, pero a pesar de esto logra contar una historia divertida, entretenida y adorable que les va a sacar muchas (en serio, muchas) sonrisas y unos cuantos "aaawww".

Creo entonces que podría decir que Cherry Magic es más sobre lo que te hace sentir, que sobre lo que es en sí, y eso viene re bien de vez en cuando (ojo que con esto no quiero decir que se descuiden otros aspectos, nada que ver, la trama está muy bien manejada, los tiempos se llevan bien y al final se llega de la mejor manera posible).

Las actuaciones son buenas, visualmente está muy bien, los clichés que metieron me dieron vida, los personajes (incluso los terciarios) me encantaron... La amé por completo, así de simple. TODOS TIENEN QUE IR A VERLA YA.
Para cerrar solo me resta decir que si no puedo tener a Kurosawa, entonces no quiero a nadie.

IG de reseñas cortas: @altoplottwist

Lire davantage

BL school dramas are starting to get tiresome for me so it's really exciting to watch productions with adult characters. Usually these relationships are more mature and there is no room for toxic behavior in them, which I really like.

The actors played their roles very well. I like the lead couple better mainly because they weren't as chaotic as the second couple. I also like the fact that there was asexual character, which I think is rare in East Asian productions.

In my opinion, having magic like mind reading, the problems and positive things associated with it, is a good metaphor of how important communication is in relationships.

I really love this drama. It was cute but emotional.

Lire davantage

The journey of a first love, but most of all, the joy of loving and being loved

I can't believe I put this show off for so long. It's truly one of the greats among BL dramas but I think just in general with romance (Japanese) dramas, it's incredibly well done in such a short amount of time. This drama is only 10 episodes (with 2 extras) and about 23 minutes. The progression of their relationship still felt very natural.

I watched all the episodes in one go and it gave me the fullest enjoyment: I cried when there was heartbreak and fear, I laughed at Adachi's panics but also just the awkward but sincere attempts to meet each other halfway, and I smiled so much during all the sweet and cathartic moments.

Cherry Magic is about the fumbles to first love, in which Adachi Kiyoshi, a thirty-year-old virgin--who has never been in a relationship--gains the magical ability to hear people's thoughts through touch and tries to figure out himself and how he feels about his handsome and cool co-worker Kurosawa Yuichi--who is in love with him.

Adachi Kiyoshi's growth from his shell to becoming more confident & his consideration and gradual intimacy with Kurosawa Yuichi is so satisfying. Also, to see that Kurosawa Yuichi is such a wholesome and thoughtful man toward Adachi, wanting the best for Adachi--it's so wonderful to see.

There isn't angst as in a lot of bitter and angry fighting or dumb jealousies & misunderstands but more of a lot of internal struggles and overcoming one's own insecurities, especially on Adachi's part who hasn't been in a relationship before and thus feels insecure about the right thing to say or do.

This drama has everything and is so delightful. It's emotional and uplifting.

I really wish I could see these actors in another production again--with the same crew and director as well. I'm so grateful to the whole production: the great directing, the fantastic acting, and of course, much love to the creator of the manga and also the writers that adapted it to this live adaptation. This whole drama is perfect.

An additional note: BL dramas sometimes lean too heavily on their own tropes or feels a bit too cliché but this drama was able to feel very natural and, when it does have a cliché, it's still refreshing. Also, what I'm saying is that in BL drama world, sometimes there's an expectation that the couples will face backlash from the homophobic society. I get it. That's a realistic part of society. However, I also enjoy BL dramas that say "nah. we're not going to let homophobes have a chance in this story" and just doesn't put our characters through that. Good for them.

Lire davantage

Must watch! (Not so helpful review, but you might find it entertaining to read... maybe)

As I was an avid fan of Thai BL, I completed most that were accessible to me. Although I must say, I was getting quite bored of the same plot being reused repeatedly. Therefore I had to find new BL, this search led me to Japanese BL. I have only completed a few, but I can say that I am truly satisfied. After a few Youtube searches and a couple Instagram scrolls later, I found this. Cherry Magic! Now, I won't lie, at first I was not interested in this BL at all. From the content I saw based on the drama and my desperate needs of a new show, I gave it a try. I absolutely fell in love. I have never been the type to watch this type of BL, so it was a new experience for me. I found it so unique. The whole 12 episodes made me laugh and smile, exception given to episode 11 & 12 though haha. I could not imagine this drama with different actors, and yes, it is most likely because I'm attached to them but putting that fact aside, the actors suit the characters and portrayed them so well! This drama was so worth the 6 hours I spent watching it today. My review might not be very helpful, but I like writing them anyways because if I didn't write my thoughts down I might just explode hahaha. So overall, Cherry Magic!, was refreshing to watch and definitely raised my standards.

Lire davantage