Kieta Hatsukoi (2021)

Revisiting the magic of high school crushes

Kieta Hatuskoi’s premise is simple but highly original. There is no real ‘problem’ in this whole series except for typical high schooler anxieties. Which may be a nice distraction from the dreadfulness of adulthood, or cringey and immature, depending on how you look at it.

But to give Kieta Hatuskoi some credit, my guess is that that’s exactly what the show sets out to do: revisit the magic of high school crushes, friendship and getting into a relationship for the first time.

As far as young loves go, it provides an observant retelling of what it’s like to have a crush on someone in high school.

It retains a quaint charm because parts of the storyline are just so relatable to anyone who has ever been young and in love. Like overthinking about whether your crush likes you back, wondering if they’re teasing you only because you’re a joke to them and panicking when their face gets too close.

Overall, it's a wholesome, fluffy and mildly humorous BL about high school crushes but probably won’t be fulfilling if you’re looking for something to connect to on a visceral level.

Read my full review at: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2021/12/21/kieta-hatsukoi-vanishing-my-first-love-2021/

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IT'S A PERFECTION until I watched the 2 final episodes

YO! I read the manga and the drama is exactly the "living version" of the manga EXCEPT for the latter ep. I know reading the ongoing manga first before watching the actual drama version could make a biased perspective at some point but because this is what we called LIVE ACTION I can't help but compare the drama with the manga.
Ok, soooo...
I'm surprised at how the drama could copy the manga PERFECTLY (especially in the first 3 or 4 episodes). Like bruhhh this is it! It's what you called LIVE ACTION! This is how live action should be done. I really enjoyed it and am just so excited to see what I had read before become alive and their voice match perfectly with the characters. The actors are surely capable of acting. They could bring the exact same vibes from the manga to life which is a hard thing to do for actors. I also loved the soundtrack very much, they all sooo good periodt.
And now my disappointment about this drama...
The 9th and the final episode feel...empty and boring. Those eps definitely lack in the storyline and are not that exciting to watch. The storyline is not the same as the manga and unfortunately the replacement story (drama) is not as good as the original (manga). And when it ended I was like, "Is that all? Just like that?!?!". It could have been wrapped more beautifully even if it's not the same as the manga, but they can't do that and I'm a bit disappointed because THIS DRAMA IS SO GOOD. Such a pity for the final episode but believe me, WATCH THIS DRAMA AND YOU'LL HAVE A BRIGHT-FLOWERY DAYS.
...
I wish I could watch the *scene from chapter 29 but well the manga is still ongoing and I know there'd be a 2nd season. I JUST KNOW.

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I could literally not even tell you what just happened, but I'll try for the sake of a review.

I'm seeing a lot of 10 ratings on this, and along with just needing to get some thoughts off my chest, I've decided to write this.

First, I was looking forward to the premise because it was unique and original, and I trust Japanese dramas to not let me down. However, I feel like the show was just a convoluted mess.

Let's start at the beginning. So a guy accidentally falls into the situation with another guy because said guy thinks that the first guy has a crush on him because of the eraser loaned to him by his friend who happens to be a woman. Even though the show was only 10 episodes, at 22 minutes per episode, I couldn't tell you how many times the two male leads went back and forth over some feelings that didn't even seem realistic in the first place because A) there was no relationship development and B) they had little chemistry to begin with. Then he decides that he really has fallen for him (after the second episode? what?) which leads to even more hijinks because now there's misunderstandings about if the feelings were ever real and then the second lead finds out the first never really had feelings for him but now he supposedly does and now here we are in a twisted ass mess because nobody can get their story straight.

If it sounds like it doesn't make sense, it's because it doesn't. The rest of the show after is him finally confessing (again), them deciding they're going to try "dating" and as much more drama as they can pack into 6 more episodes because they have to fill the rest of the show with something.

By the end I was just straight upset because it felt like there truly was no resolution whatsoever, let alone satisfaction. I mean they're supposed to be "together" at the end and all of it was supposed to be worth it, but you spent so much time watching them discuss metaphoric feelings and go in and out of a relationship that was barely even there (I mean the most "romantic " interaction they ever even had was holding hands,. *insert eye roll*), that it just felt like you were on an episode of pranked.

I cannot stress enough that this is so not worth anyone's time. But do as you will if you feel like being confused and frustrated.

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Very Good BL, But Left Me Wanting More...

I watched this without knowing it was a BL series. I love Ren Meguro and when I saw it after watching, “Silent,” I was intrigued. This story was really cute, enough for me to start reading the Manga series, which is also good! The initial chemistry with Ida and Aoki was great at the beginning, but it wasn't as convincing as the series kept going. I didn't feel the chemistry as much between the two characters. Also, the ending was sweet, but I was hoping for a really big bang. Something really fantastic. I hope if there's a Season 2, they pick-up with even greater chemistry.

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Nothing can erase my love for this show

The show starts off by informing the viewer they're about to watch a "slightly silly love story about good natured, hard-working high school kids" and I think that's probably when I fell head-over-heels into crazy, stupid love, because boy oh boy does the series ever live up to its promise!
Everything about it is excellent, from the writing, to the acting, to music... it's all spot-on.
The humour is genuinely clever, often a lot subtler than you'd expect, and had me gleefully cackling more times than I'd care to admit. The plot may be nothing new but it depicts young love in general and young queer love specifically with such care and respect I was genuinely blown away by it.
And that's the magic of this drama, I think, the sheer amount of love so obviously put into it.
Not only are the characters deeply lovable, but their relationships to one another - romantic, platonic, or otherwise - are also incredibly healthy and there is huge focus placed on the importance of open communication and being honest about your feelings both with yourself and with others.
This portrayal of deeply earnest kids learning who they are, what they want in life, and how to speak to the people they love is hugely impactful in its simplicity and, quite frankly, offers some valuable life lessons which are important and relevant to audiences of all ages.
Furthermore, the show skillfully addresses more serious topics and issues facing young queer people every day such as prejudices, outward pressures to conform, and even internalised homophobia. None of these things are used for shock value, nor do they skew the lighthearted tone of the show towards the me angsty, but they aren't trivialised either, far from it.
This story may be very tame and PG but you can tell the show-runners wanted to create something truly worth while - a genuinely good piece of queer media for young people to watch and feel seen by - and they absolutely outdid themselves in every single aspect of that endeavour.
This show is an absolute triumph and a beloved classic for a reason. It will always be very near and dear to my heart and, I suspect, once you've seen it it will quickly claim a spot in your heart as well - just go watch it already.

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Cute, light, innocent and hilarious!

I really liked it! I really loved my ass of and had many second hand embarrassment.
The characters great: Aoki is so cute, hilarious and precious, must be protected at all cost. Ida is very handsome, earnest and adorable. Hashimoto is really cute best-girl. I really like her friendship with aoki.

When they thought, they both liked the same guy, she supported aoki and told him they were rivals. Some might have taken their gender to their advantage, but she saw aoki on the equal ground and assured him that he wasn't weird. It's so cute, that they are so similar yet so different from each other and support each other.
Ida is such a great guy! At a confession from another guy, others are usually disgusted or are mean, but he earnestly responded him and gave it a serious thought. It was beautiful to see him develop his feelings for aoki and realising them. He is totally the "I got your back " type of boyfriend.
Aoki is sooo cute and kind and has a very silly side. He was selflessly supporting his crush to get her crush and playing the Cinderella. And he was sooo adorable, when he started to fall for Ida, like who could blame him! Even though he is a little bit of a coward, he is pretty straightforward, like when he confessed to Hashimoto that he liked her crush and couldn't support her wholeheartedly. His silly side makes him so hilarious, but also very precious.
Both Aoki and Ida deserve each other. Even with almost no physical touch, they grmy heart to flatter.
I'm really glad that I gave it a try!

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A must watch for those who crave a delightful and fluffy high school drama

Keita Hatsukoi has easily become my comfort
j-drama at the moment. Something about the characters and the lightness of the storyline. The supposedly over the top characters are surprisingly alluring, the crew and cast took every silly scenario and generally annoying trope and made it wholesome.

I know a lot of people commented on the lack of actual "romantic" scenes and I do agree to a certain extent, but even without a single kiss the actors were undisputedly able to deliver the very essence of the quirkiness and tenderness of an adolescent's first love.

I was genuinely happy when characters were, giggled every time a misunderstanding made their pure teenage love life just a tad messier and felt a strange sense of connection to the characters, especially Aoki and Hashimoto.

Overall, this is a fluffy high school rom-com slash slice of life by all means but nonetheless a satisfying watch, would definitely come back for a re-watch whenever I'm in mood for something sweet and light.

Kieta Hatsukoi was a gust of pleasant breeze and always made my day better.

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best bl drama

Kieta Hatsukoi is such a sweet drama, mixing comedy and high school romance perfectly. The chemistry between the characters is top tier. Michieda Shunsuke definitely did an awesome job acting as Aoki in here. The same goes to Riku Fukumoto as Mio Hashimoto (such a sweet girl with awesome, positive energy), Jin Suzuki as Aida (the role of a wonderful best friend) and the one who cannot be left out: Ren Meguro as Ida. Both Michieda and Meguro portrayed the two characters as such a lovely couple, perfectly working around conflicts and love. They have such sweet moments with each other. This drama is definitely a must rewatch - even if i already watched it several times. All the actors definitely did such a good job to bring out the best in each character. The plot was also easy to follow and surely fun to watch.

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Loved it

Guys, what can I say? I loved this show! I had it on my Viki Watchlist for months, but never watched it, because the plot sounded a bit cheesy and I’m generally not a huge fan of stories, that are based on misunderstandings. But when I saw all the great reviews on here, I gave it a shot and didn’t regret it for one second.

The story is nothing groundbreaking. But it’s a well written and beautifully developed tale about love and friendship with loads of funny moments. (When Cinderella-Aioki threw that shoe down, I giggled like an idiot.)

The characters are properly fleshed-out, realistic characters, that are not without flaws, but are respectful, easily likeable, and just keep growing on you. I have such a soft spot for Aioki, who is goofy and sometimes silly, but also so incredibly kind and just a great guy. Seeing him develop feelings for Ida, without tormenting himself because he was falling for a guy, was such a breath of fresh air and really warmed my heart. Ida on the other hand is such a serious character, but nothing but respectful towards Aioki and his feelings and we can practically see how Aioki worms his way into his heart. I loved how Idas complete face changed whenever Aioki made him smile.
And the two other main characters Hashimoto and Aida are brilliant too.
How often are female characters made to be the villains in Bl series - we get none of that BS here. Hashimoto is the kind of girl everybody would love to have as their best friend.
And Aida is that kind of buddy who is slightly clueless and can be a tad insensitive but is willing to learn and there for you when it counts.
I loved them all, including the side characters and had such a joy following the story episode for episode that I will definitely be watching this again.

There is not a lot of skinship, but it just works the way it is and I didn’t find myself missing anything.
I know this is based on a popular series of mangas and there are more stories that could be told, so I’m really hoping we will see more of this series in the future. Loved it!

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Absolutely adorable

This is one of most adorable bl I've ever watched.
I can't remember ever laughing out loud this much while watching a bl.
It was sweet, innocent, hilarious and just all around a great show. I loved most of the characters excl. the homophibic tutor(🖕🏾) who made my baby sad.

The whole premis of a huge misunderstanding, followed by high jinks and people falling in love was executed really well.

It's a great pick me up drama and yes, there are sad parts but they just make it more enjoyable without really bumming you out.

In conclusion, BINGE!

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