Aki wa Haru to Gohan wo Tabetai (2023)

deliciously sweet (please watch so we get the sequel :)

Overall: this is a gentle slice of life food-themed movie. Runtime is 90 minutes with a funny post credit scene. Aired on GagaOOLala.

Notes: see my comment with a spoiler as to a tag that I think this series/description is missing.
They have already filmed the sequel https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/527213

What I Liked
- delicious looking food
- cute/sweet moments
- funny moments
- cleared up problems that cropped up relatively quickly/easily

Room For Improvement
- how Aki didn't know that about Haru (around 46 minutes)
- I think this relationship/what they don't do would be pretty unrealistic in real life but I didn't deduct points because it's fiction

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A stomach-full and heartfelt Food BL with a lightweight and slow pace slice of life story.

The movie is very subtle, lightweight and to our heart's content. Beside A LOT of food, the movie captures stories of two college students with their struggles about living tgt, study, career and life. It’s a very soft and peaceful movie with just a little bit of angst. Some people may regard it Bromance. and it's understandable because they stay bros 95% of movie. But there's a confession. Aki didn’t let Haru finish it but we all know what it is. At the end, they promised to live together "in any cases" and "drink plum wine together every year". Doesn’t it sound like a proposal? And I think they leave the romance for Sequel! Yes, there is a sequel!
If you like What Did You Eat Yesterday series or She loves to cook, She loves to eat, you will like this one because it takes a similar approach – telling stories on the dining table. You hardly hear any confession, but their bonding is very strong “no place for anyone else".
What I don’t like about it is the "legendary" yellow color we see everywhere in JBL. Everything else is good and enjoyable. However, average BL watchers may expect the story to speed up and spice up (more drama) a little
I think it's up to you whether you like it or not, just like some people like light foods, others like spicy ones.

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Two Friends Moaning On Every Bite Of Food.

If you like watching other people eat while exclaiming their exaggerated pleasure loudly then I would recommend this, otherwise there's not much there. It's kind of cute but I mainly found it annoying. 50% of it is over-the-top "OMG" noises when eating and 40% is yelling/screeching so the 10% when anybody talks normally I had to briefly turn the volume up for before turning it back down again.

EVERY bite of food (or drink) is the SAME level of moaning/squealing inducing "orgasmic", lol! Rice with mayo is just as amazing as a gyoza with kimchi and cheese, or a sip of beer, or a sundae, or ramen with vegetables, or a plain baked sweet potato, etc. It's ridiculous and boringly repetative. The only thing that got a normalized "yum" was the corn soup (likely because it had an emotional tie-in with the characters' joint history).

General Spoiler below.

The movie also felt like only part of a story. It's a slow burn bromance that barely grows before the movie is done. The characters individually come to some conclusions about how important the other is to them in a way that is alluded to vs spelled out. With each other, they confirm they will continue on together as they have been without really saying why. And that's it. The movie does stop at a good pausing point, but that's not very satisfying as an ending.

The acting is decent except Aki is vocally childish. There's not much plot or script that isn't noise for the actors to work with so it's a bit difficult to ascertain their talent.

Cinematography was good and soft.

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I feel like I just got baited

I feel like I just got baited. The actors, the script their acting everything about this film is almost perfect super cute and fluffy, I would have given this a higher rating but I feel like I got tricked by the film's genre tags. This feels like a bromance rather than a romantic film between two friends. I do not sense any romance between them I mean it's obvious that there is something between them and the whole time "I'm like so where is it wheres the romance"? I felt like I just spent an hour + watching two childhood friends just live together, discovering what they want to do as a career and getting to know each other differently cuz they are now living together and you get to see them enjoy food like a lot but the whole time I was just waiting to see if they would verbally make it known if they where dating or like each other romanticly especially cuz of that one girl at the start of the movie who was trying to date haru but got rejected and even at the beach scene cuz aki and haru are so hardcore playful with each other aka flirting I was just waiting for someone to say it but they didn't. Even the male leads don't even confirm it not really. I even had to confirm it was supposed to be a gay romantic film off of the GagaOOLala website from where I watched it to make sure I wasn't seeing things. I'm sure they are more open about their feeling in the sequel from what I noticed they have one but this film is the hugest slow burn ever. It was taking away from the film for me. I'm sure others who watched this didn't mind but when you go in knowing anything Japanese will have you waiting until the end to give you the ending you have been waiting for and not getting it is frustrating. I sure hope this is not like Manitos Laundromat which was a huge disappointment cuz they make you wait 2 seasons to give you a rushed happy ending while being such an annoying slow burn.

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BL...???

I forget how do I stumble on this one... But here I am finished watch this...

Story about 2 young man, Aki & Haru. They are roommate that start their university days... And this is the story of their boring daily life... Haha... Even at some point, I even question did Aki really university student. Cause I never really see him in the class, just Haru that attending classes....

For me this not a BL. Aki & Haru more like a roommate, tops is best friend than boyfriends.

I like how they explained to us how to make the dish... The dish is make me drooling. But except that, this one boring everyday movie...

If you want to just be relax & have background sound, this movie is for you...

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An absolute delight from start to finish

Where cozy, food-centered romances are concerned, there's just no beating Japan - and with this movie they've proved it once again.
The music and cinematography work together to create an atmosphere of warmth and comfort which serves as a perfect backdrop for this gentle slice-of-life tale of two long-time friends' first tentative steps towards shifting their relationship into something more romantic.
The characters are deeply endearing and lovable, their chemistry is so natural and comfortable, and they're both just so plain charming that every second of seeing them on screen is pure joy.
In a story that is as heavily character driven as this one, the connections between the characters have to feel real and grounded and this film absolutely nails it. I'm a complete sucker for realistic depictions of (queer) friendship in general and rarely have I seen them portrayed as perfectly as I have here.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone looking for a tender, wholesome slice-of-life story with lots of good food and friendship, and to any queer folks out there looking for a new comfort watch.
Fair warning - this movie is the first part of a longer story and therefore very light on the explicit romance, so if you're looking for something more romance-heavy, maybe give this one a pass until the next part of the story is released.
Personally though, I really do consider this movie a masterpiece in its own right and I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel.
Meanwhile I'll just have to pass the time by recreating some of Aki's recipes :)

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Boy friends that don’t know they seem like boyfriends

I have never watched a movie that was a BL before, but this is one of the best movies I’ve seen in my lifetime it felt like a series, but was longer than a normal show which was perfect for the whole storyline. I have to say that I’ve seen many food BLs, but the food that was shown on this movie looked so good that if I watch it for a second time I may need to be eating at the same time or else I’ll be hungry. Also I have to say that this movies plot was better than normal show plots. I will warn that there may be spoilers ahead.
The storyline was a nice and warm storyline with just a tiny bit of sadness just like a tiny one. At the start we see that Aki is at a home with no one around him until we see Haru at school and trying to make it home so that Aki and Him can unpack into their new home. We see that Aki loves to cook because he has a whole box just for cooking supplies and Haru likes photography because he has his own professional camera and editing apps on his computer. While Aki is trying to find his headband turns out it was on Haru and that’s when the roommates decided that Aki will cook for the both of them and Haru will clean up the house and Aki’s mess. After that we see Aki whipping up the most delicious looking meal on earth and if Haru said it was bussin then it must be bussin. We also get to meet their friends which consists of 4 other people which is two men two girls and one of the girls supposedly had a crush on Haru back in high school put it ended because Aki and Haru were super duper close. I swear they have the most precious and sweetest relationship/friendship in the whole world because it showed that they need each other from when Haru’s sister came and made Aki scared that he had a girlfriend to Haru making food for Aki when Aki was so busy doing a report he forgot about and almost died from boredom from studying which is so real because I literally act like that and made Aki so happy that Haru made him food. Until they had their conflict which was Haru getting an offer to study in England for photography because his photos of Aki were so good, but didn’t tell Aki until he found out from his friend at their Halloween party. That did make Aki sad because he doesn’t really know what he wants to do in life, but is afraid that his journey with Haru is ending. Until at the very end Haru said that he won’t be going to England because he can’t see his future without Aki in it. I have five things to add which is Aki looks so cute with the devil headband, Haru is so cute when he was crying in his dream when chief penguin wasn’t their, Aki buying Haru another giant version of his chief penguin, when Aki got drunk and fell asleep onto Haru and cuddled him, and the ending credits scene were they both said that some people may not see this scene because some people just click off when the movie ends, but I didn’t. I literally recommend this movie it was the cutest thing on Earth!

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Meals, rommies and maybe more?

The hype about how cute this movie was got to me! I should really be stronger and resist better! I am weak!

Apparently there is a sequel to this movie which I hope will clarify their relationship more.

It is story of two best friends from high school who decided to share a house when they enter university. One is a neat freak and the other is a messy and lazy cook and they complement each other to perfection. But they are only room-mates. The problem is that it is obvious to everyone who knows them that they are deeply in love with each other. It's only that they had not realized it yet! Once the neat freak starts getting busy with studies and projects for the future, the cook feels abandoned and wants their roommates' bliss to remain unchanged. It takes both some time to accept the inevitable change and in the process they realizes also that their feelings for each other are more than friendly.

Japanese are experts in food themed movies and dramas and this one is no different. The love goes through the stomach, as one character points out! The movie is cute, sunny and cheerful. The small world the two have created barely accepts anyone's intrusion: real life is lurking and they are taking their time in letting it in. They eventually find a right balance for themselves as they currently are. What the future will bring is uncertain! I need to read the manga, I guess...

The huge problem I had with this movie is the character of Aki, the cook. He looks like the usual cute FL, screeching and finishing sentences with prolonged high tone wails: unbearable but so japanese manga !He is also very good at avoiding problems and difficult questions, lacking maturity though by the end he gets better. Still screeching but showing a sliver of maturity!

So basically this is a first half of a love story: the bromance part.

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Simple and Edible

A simple story portraying life of 2 friends starting their college life together. No heavy drama to be seen but lots of simple recipes that viewers will be able to try. I am a foodie so I love this aspect of the movie.
There is underdeveloped relationship between the 2 friends. They are very close but no clear statement of anything beyond special friendship. Viewers can decipher the emotions of the characters for each other based on their actions, words, and gazes for each other. However, the movie will end with no clear statement other than strong and special friendship.
Production did well with scene set up and props. I am big on recycled/reused wardrobes so I am a bit disappointed with scenes having used wardrobes for characters. (I am aware diff scenes were shot on same day explaining the wardrobes but good director and production will know that this impact the storytelling).
There is a season 2 slotted for July per MDL which may show evolvement of their relationship. There is also a cute short segment after the credit so don't be quick to end watching when end credits comes on.
Saw someone sharing a link for Season 2 trailer which I will definitely watch after submitting this review.

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A Culinary Journey of Friendship and Love

"There is beauty in subtlety," and this sentiment perfectly captures the charm of this delightful movie. It serves a delicious blend of sweetness that leaves you craving more. The storyline is a fluffy exploration of the lives of our two main leads, Aki and Haru, as they share a roof and savor the culinary delights prepared by Aki in their new home.

Unfolding from April to December, the movie captures the journey of best friends Aki and Haru navigating their shared life. While the film prominently features their daily life and gastronomic adventures, it's the nuanced layers beneath these themes that add depth and a continuous smile to your face.

At its core, the movie is about food and the life of Haru and Aki. But it’s what lies beneath the veneer of these themes that makes it interesting and puts a smile on your face. As the movie begins, you realise that our two main characters share a special bond. Haru is decisive and a cleanliness freak. He is aware about the direction he wants to take his life and is actively studying for the same. On the contrary, Aki is a happy-go-lucky fellow who is oblivious about what he wants to do in life and despises studies. What he lacks in understanding he makes it up with his culinary abilities. As we see these characters going through their life and interacting with multiple supporting characters, we get a glimpse of the relationship that they share. The movie does a great job at presenting the true nature of their relationship through the eyes of the supporting characters.

In conclusion, if you're seeking a heartwarming and uncomplicated narrative, this movie is a perfect choice. It seamlessly keeps a smile on your face, navigating moments of tension with swift resolutions. The movie's success lies in its simplicity, offering a comforting and enjoyable experience.

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