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Heart Warming and Simple
Like the title says, this series is just such a good break from some of the more angsty bl series we've been getting here recently. And although i tend to enjoy the more complex series, this show was such a nice watch.It was cute, with cute characters, a simple and yet endearing and funny plot line, good acting, and just overall am enjoyable atmosphere.
I REALLY enjoy the relationship between the main character and the supporting female role. I was so scared that there would be a jealousy or cheating plot line but instead we got a very endearing male and female friendship with good female representation. (Rare for a bl series)
The production quality was good, not once did i ever think, "Oh goodness this looks low-budget." Which is a plus for me.
Anyways, very cute, please watch.
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An overall enjoyable experience
I really liked this drama! It started off very strong in the first half and I confess I did feel a bit frustrated by the pace of the plot in the 2nd half, but it wasn't enough to detract from my enjoyment of the series overall.the plot is very simple and has little to no angst that doesn't get resolved almost immediately which could be refreshing if you are looking to step away from all the angst filled content out there these days. the characters are fun and loveable and main couples are very sweet and endearing to watch. i always had a smile on my face watching every week and i confess i will miss watching this cute little show every Saturday.
if you're looking for something much like cherry magic (or even just a lighthearted BL), but a little different this is the show for you! it's only 10 episodes at 20ish mins per ep and it doesn't require much of a time commitment nor will it feel like one once you jump in and start watching these characters navigate through a love mix up and the hijinks that follows.
highly recommended :)
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aoki and ida BEST BOYS
This was one of those dramas that you simply want to enjoy watching for the acting and cuteness and the feeling of happiness that the plot changes bring about. I absolutely enjoyed watching this and fell in love with the entire cast. every character was so precious and the cast was exactly what this drama needed. Michieda was PHENOMENAL and arguably the life of this show. Meguro Ren gave exactly what was required of him and made all his scenes with aoki look so swoon-worthy! along with stunning visuals from both the main leads, aoki's hilarious and on-point facial expressions, and the comedic timing of literally every character, this was THE perfect drama I needed to binge-watch. sometimes you just want pure fluff and humor like this and kieta hatsukoi gave EXACTLY that. my favorite character has got to be aoki, the precious precious little silly bean.some of the things i loved about this show aside from the main leads whom i ADORE:
- HASHIMOTO!! she was an amazing friend to aoki and a cute character who was sometimes silly and all the time adorable. loved the scene where she slapped aida because he was badmouthing aoki. WE LOVE A TRUE FRIEND! Her story arc with aida was cute too.
- Ida's friend circle! That scene in episode 10 where they were celebrating ida's and aoki's relationship? wholesome. also the way ida's friend advised him? when will i get a friend a like that damn.
- the tackling of some irl situations done in the later episodes. very sensibly and smartly done. especially liked the way the different preferences of ramen were used to talk about how every preference when it comes to love is valid. very well explained.
all in all, this is def one of those dramas i will rewatch whenever i miss these characters. It's so easy to fall in love with them and their relationships with each other!
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Refresher for BL Series
This is such a refresher for BL series.Remember how we started watching BL series?
Sweet high school romance.
With lots of BL series nowadays, different genre, different story line. It is so nice to come back with the sweet high school romance. Less drama, less complicated. I remembered how I love 'Love Sick' so much. I even felt blank for days after watching it. Hoping for season 2 and more please.
Kudos as well to the actors, they did it really well. Looking forwards for more japanese BL. 🤘🤘
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A serotonin boost
Kieta Hatsukoi is by far the cutest and fluffiest drama I've come across. It is short, incredibly sweet, and very very, very enjoyable. Waiting for a 20 min episode every week was pure torture but also very rewarding.In reality, there's not much to the story at all. It is cliche, and generic, nothing much to be impressed with. But the way the show was shot is an absolute joy. One can't help but smile their way through the entire show and squeal in delight every time something fluffy happens. The acting was exaggerated, but not in a way that made one cringe. The OST is catchy, and I would totally rewatch this show whenever I feel down.
It is no doubt one of my go-to dramas and I highly recommend giving it a shot.
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A sweet high school love
I watched the episodes on Netflix and it was such a fun ride. I loved the character progression and development and how they were able to weave in solemn topics like breaking the social stigma and acceptance of gay relationships. 10 episodes were definitely not enough!Highlights:
1) Characters
i) Aoki's (Michieda Shunsuke) shy expressions, his selflessness, his heart of gold, his soft and adorable side.
ii) Ida (Meguro Ren) depicted a woody character who slowly became more aware of his feelings very well. His smiles really light up the room!
iii) Chemistry between Aoki and Ida was very apparent and believable. Enjoyed the romantic and sweet conversations they had. As they learned about each other and their relationship, they slowly matured and grew together.
iv) Hashimoto was such a strong female character and she carried her arc well. Strong support to Aoki too!
v) I like how the story navigated the social stigma and acceptance of gay relationships (it was respectful and enlightening). The message embedded was one of positivity and hope.
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Simple, Cute, Adorable!
Stop reading this review and go watch it! Its cute, REALLY cute!That's it, that's the review.
If you made it here, might as well read on.
Kieta Hatsukoi is your run-of-the-mill cute, fluffy, ball of sunshine type BL where its the high school first love trope. What set sets it apart from its contemporaries is that it knows exactly what it is, and doesn't stray from its lane. It doesn't try to be a multifaceted, edgy, layered, and overly complicated story that a lot of BLs seem to be trying to be lately. Kieta Hatsukoi knows that its cavity-inducing sweetness and plays that to-a-tee! And the the fact that the premise of it, and the whole story ACTUALLY is a layered story with a lot of moving pats and elements yet it surprisingly kept itself simple is amazing to me.
Also, I can easily say that for all the BLs I've watched (and there's been quite a few) this has the best laid out pilot episode.
In the first episode it showed me the setting and the theme. I was introduced to the major characters and it showed me who's point of view I'll be following. and by the end of the first episode it showed me the major conflict of the entire show without totally ruining it for me! It was such a well put together episode and incredibly satisfying to watch.
And for 10 episodes, (under 30 minutes each) the show kept me engaged as it shaped the characters so well and so simply that by the 0 finale, I can easily track where the key points in the story is while at the same time knowing these fairly well-fleshed out characters and their own journeys.
When it comes to the acting was also on point. The protagonists had enough experience behind them that they pulled this one off very well. There were scenes where the acting was a tad exaggerated or were too big but for me it fits the overall narrative and vibe of the show.
Also, there really is something to be said about Japanese BLs and their use of lighting to lend emotion to a scene. They play with shadows and colors really well and just adds so much more to a scene.
On sound what I often note with Thai, Filipino, and sometimes even Taiwanese BLs is that sound sometimes is really off-putting. It can either be due to the equipment(lapels being covered by wardrobe or boom mics capturing way too much ambient noise) the sound being overall muffled, some sort of post-production / editing issue (often it would be the editors trying to cancel background noise so much that it ruins the whole thing), etc. But with Japanese BLs I don't have any of those issues, especially not with Kieta Hatsukoi. It feels like there's a level of meticulousness that I've so far only seen in Japanese BLs that really stands out to me.
Speaking of sounds, the fact that both leads are members of boy groups and sang songs for the OST is just *papa kiss*. I mean even their OSTs just know what they want to be! And that's fluffy, cute, and just heart-squishing adorable! I've been listening to their OST while I'm writing this review!
To be honest all I have are praises for this show. Bonus points for the fact that it also tried its hand on talking about prejudice is really good. It didn't deviate too much from its cutie-base but also branched out enough to talk about it is something I really apricated.
All in all, #KietaHatsukoi is a feel good, simple show you can really enjoy.
Its an easy 9.5 out of 10, and that .5 is so negligible since the show is THAT good!
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Funny, Sweet, Adorable
This show is very light and fluffy, with plenty of genuinely hilarious moments. Personally, the diverse yet lovable characters are what made Kieta Hatuskoi one of the best BL dramas in recent years.1. Aoki is a spazzy character with a BIG heart
2. Ida is the cool and popular guy in class but with ZERO toxic masculinity
3. Hashimoto is the sweetest yet most badass female character ever!
4. Akkun is a funny but supportive good friend for both Aoki and Ida
5. Even Ida's volleyball teammates are great! The last episode had me pleasantly surprised :)
If you loved last year's Cherry Magic, you're gonna love Kieta Hatsukoi too.
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The award for cutest character, for me , is nonetheless Hashimoto. It is so refreshing that both here & in Cherry Magic we fans love her & Fujisaki-san. Both girls are the sweetest & most supportive friend the MC can have, and both being so cute-looking is just the cherry-on-top.
This live action is very loyal to the manga, so for anyone who is doubting whether to watch this or not, read the manga first. If you like the story & characters, you will definitely love this short drama.
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the sweetest romcom!
It all started with an eraser… and a misunderstanding. Or two.Aoki likes sweet and kind Hashimoto, the girl who gave him a cake last spring. One day he borrows an eraser from her and he realizes that she wrote another classmate’s name, Ida, on the eraser followed by a heart. While Aoki despairs about his crush liking someone else, he doesn’t realize that Ida sees the eraser too. Ida thinks that the eraser is Aoki’s and by proxy assumes that Aoki is the one that likes him.
Aoki tries to keep Hashimoto’s crush a secret by going along with the misunderstanding and saying that he likes Ida.. fully expecting the other boy to reject him. However, kind and considerate Ida sees how heartbroken Aoki is because of his unrequited crush, and instead of rejecting him asks for a bit more time to think over his answer.
As they spend some time together the boys realize that the two of them get along pretty well actually and Aoki starts to see why it would be so easy to like Ida.. and soon finds himself confused on who he should be jealous of in their little love triangle.
The show has a really funny set up and a lot of jokes and funny scenes. Aoki is a dramatic creature by nature so his reactions and inner monologues are priceless. Ida lives in a state of perpetual confusion and it is utterly funny to see how Aoki’s chaotic antics mix with his straight laced personality.
The story has a slow and relaxed pace where the main cast ponders a lot on who they like, what it even means to like someone and what dating means for them. They also have a few realistic conversations about prejudices that same sex couples can face but the show's message always remains clear: people who judge others for their orientation are in the wrong.
The story also offers some surprising twists at the beginning regarding the love interests, as not everything is as it seems. It is super fluffy and funny. I am so happy to finally find such a sweet, wholesome romance story in the genre. I love this new generation of slow burn boys love romances where the characters just genuinely like each other and get along well and the love interest’s main appeal is just being a kind person.
The only other show that showed so much care and heart was Cherry Mahou, albeit that is about adult characters at the workplace.
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Binged in a day
Dec. 22, 2021OML Kieta Hatsukoi is that Japanese bl drama that is the perfect cherry on top to end the year 2021. I love this drama at all, very refreshing vibes and so cute and lovely. Not gonna lie, I've been so sick of BLs that showcase SAs, aggression, and other traits that I find disgusting at all. So this drama really made me happy. Both leads are so lovely, supporting characters are lovable as well. No stupid female character who will try to destroy the main ship. I really love how Aoki and Ida's relationship bloomed. Sure this drama is more on the slower type of development. BUT IT GIVES ME BUTTERFLIES, those subtle eye contact and the little things that they do to each other make me so jealous of what they have. I really can't wait to experience something like this, or maybe I am being a delulu right now LMFAOOO. Also, I LOVED OUR SECOND LEAD COUPLE AS WELL, like holy crap. They are both so lovely and I am so happy that they sailed as well. I really love this drama, I think my eyes just can't see the mistakes here. The plot is done well, the music and acting is good. I'm definitely going to put this in my comfort dramas as I really cherished this day. I can't believe I watched this drama in just one seating.
ALSO, I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THE CHEMISTRY OF AOKI AND IDA AGAIN JUST BECAUSE IT IS OFF THE ROOF. I CAN'T, THIS TYPE OF CHEMISTRY IS SO HARD TO FIND SINCE IT WAS PORTRAYED IN A PURE AND INNOCENT MANNER. LIKE I FKING LOVE THEM SO MUCH. I WISH MORE DRAMAS CAN DO THIS APPROACH CUZ SOME JUST MAKE THE LEADS FK AND CALL THAT THEIR CHEMISTRY 💀
Make sure yall watch this drama!!! SOOO GOOD I LOVED EVERY BIT OF EACH EPISODE. NO SKIPS AT ALL SINCE I NEVER GOT BORED!!!!
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Better than the Manga!
As someone who has read the manga and watched the drama, I'd have to say the drama is far more superior. I really enjoyed watching it, and even went back to rewatch it. It was that fun to watch.That being said, this is your typical high school Japanese drama with a twist of BL, so don*t expect it to be the next big Life on the Line (Bokura no Senjou). However, because this drama aired on TV Asahi (one of the major TV stations in Japan) and backed by Johnny's Entertainment, starring two Johnny's boys, this drama does have better production production quality than the average BL (which are usually smaller B-List films.)
STORY:
Kieta Hatsukoi is about Aoki, who has a crush on Hashimoto, the pretty girl who is seated next to him in class. When Aoki forgets his easer, Hashimoto lends him her eraser. Aoki discovers Hashimoto had written the name of her crush, Ida, on the eraser. Panicked that his crush likes someone else, he accidentally drops the eraser, only for Ida to pick it up. Seeing his own name with a heart on the eraser, Ida looks at Aoki for an answer. Aoki, being the loyal man he is, chooses not to expose Hashimoto's crush, instead telling Ida it's his own eraser. Now Ida thinks Aoki is in love with him, while Aoki is in love with Hashimoto, who is in love with Ida?
The drama is amusing, all the way from the story, to the the way Aoki acts. The story itself, isn't very original, following many of the stereotypical BL and high school rom-com tropes. However, the story is refreshing because it doesn't have any real dramatic drama. The situations the characters find themselves in are very realistic and relevant, while not being too over the top with high stakes. Any Bob, Joe, and Harry can find themselves in Aoki, Ida, Hashimoto or Aida's shoes at any given day.
If there is any drawbacks to this drama, it's that because of the lack of dramatic drama, some may find it to be too boring or unoriginal. Also, the main actors are still rookies so their acting can sometimes be stiff, but it personally didn't bother men.
I've seen worse actors before, and the actors here are decent. Not great, but decent. Lastly, the biggest thing that bothered me was that never did any of the characters kiss. There was a few hugs, but no kissing... Which I expected since it's two Johnny's boys and Johnny's Entertainment is constantly fighting against the Johnny's are gay rumors. (Johnny's Entertainment is a male only entertainment company, so all actors, singers, and talent under Johnny's are men/boys.) A kiss at the end would have been great since there was some foreshadowing leading up the the final scene. But we don't get one... Which works for Aoki and Ida, since it's in character for them, but as an audience watching, I would have liked a kiss at the end.
Aoki & Ida
Aoki is a cheerful and hardworking boy, who has wears his heard on his sleeve, while Ida is more stoic and indifferent to his surroundings, he is actually a caring young man. Once Aoki caught Ida's eye, Ida's world started expanding and he started to feel so many different emotions. To be honest, at first, Ida's indifference really annoyed me since he came off as a more mature guy, but was more naïve about love than Aoki. However, as the drama progressed Ida grew on me... But he was still so naïve, it drove me crazy. If you like Aoki, stop mulling around and just go with the flow! Aoki, on the other hand, I loved a lot. He was very cute, and his over the top reactions were adorable. He's honestly the best thing about this drama.
Hashimoto & Aida
Hashimoto and Aida were amazing supporting characters. They had a presence, with the own storyline, but never overtook the spotlight from Aoki and Ida. I really loved them from start to finish, but towards the end, their cat and mouse game really started to annoy me. I'm glad things worked out for them, but it took way to long to become happy.
DRAMA vs MANGA:
The drama covers Vol. 1-5 of the manga, and it is still ongoing as of the time I am writing.
The drama covers almost everything in the manga, and even adds extra scenes so we can get to know the characters more. However, the drama makes a few changes, like switching around the timeline of the scenes.
For example:
Drama - Aoki's tutor misunderstands him in ep. 8, while Christmas Event and Hashimoto giving Aida a cupcake is the last episode.
Manga - Christmas is not a big event. Aoki's tutor incident happens after the Christmas. Hashimoto giving Aida a cupcake was during Valentine's Day.
The drama also changed quite a few things, which I personally felt was better. Here are a few examples.
1. Kokomi
Drama - Volleyball manager(?) from another school, friends with Ida from before.
Manga - Some flashy random girl from another school that Ida befriends at a go-kon.
2. School Camp
Drama - Go hunting for food in the mountains, learn about teamwork.
Manga - Based on Skiing level, nothing about teamwork
3. Homeroom teacher
Drama - Supportive role, giving great advice.
Manga - Just around, not supportive, accuses Aoki of cheating, remembers Aoki's sister and not Aoki.
Lastly, the biggest change was Ida's personality and Aoki's disgusting reactions. In the manga, Ida thinks very annoyingly. His actions and thoughts don't match sometimes. In the drama, we can't hear his thoughts so he is only portrayed as stoic and indifferent. As for Aoki's disgusting reactions in the manga, I feel like the mangaka was trying to go for comedy, but the over exaggerated and hideous faces really threw me off. I wanted to throw the book away. Thank goodness the drama kept the reactions natural.
OVERALL:
Kieta Hastukoi is a great drama. I recommend watching it. It's your typical Japanese highschool rom-com, but it's a fun watch nontheless.
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