DaddyBrioche
USA
Not your average Japanese BL
What would you do if you met a previous love interest after 14 years, when the original affair had ended abruptly in confusion?
The storytelling in this drama alternates between current time (main characters in their 30s) and when they were high school students . Thankfully, they used two different sets of actors for the two time periods which works really well. The current time and flashbacks are meant to gradually explain the history to the viewer and clear up misunderstandings for the characters themselves.
Like many Japanese dramas, the focus is on personal growth / new understanding, not on visible action. While there are distracting side plots that seem to hint at "action", these are only there to challenge Miyata's perceptions/thinking. Miyata seems mired in a mental fog of the past, gradually gaining some mental clarity.
If Miyata's growth happened gradually through the 6-episode series, I might have rated this a 10. While BL in general, trades on extended misunderstandings, and Japanese BL in particular excels at presenting the impacts of the lack of clear communication, the resolution of the misunderstandings in this drama seem uneven and mostly occur quickly in the last episode. However, this unevenness is offset by the subtle comparison between inner and outer strengths/weaknesses of both Miyata and Takashi that adds another dimension to the drama.
Also note worthy is a certain bluntness in the dialog in situations where it wouldn't normally be expected. The spoken Japanese in this drama is mostly normal polite Japanese, yet there are a few times where characters say completely unexpected (and rude) things. Miyata sometimes uses more formal business Japanese as way of distancing, sometimes excessively (sarcasm) which signals his brokenness (and is hurtful to Takashi). While Japanese dramas can have insulating or rude language, it is usually direct, not using bitter sarcasm.
Also note worthy is while showing more "intimacy" than most, the physical intimacy exists to focus on what is happening internally/emotionally for Miyata and Takashi and does not read as fan service.
I don't think this is the masterpiece that "The Novelist" (Pornographer manga) is, but it does seem to carve out a unique place among Japanese BL.
The storytelling in this drama alternates between current time (main characters in their 30s) and when they were high school students . Thankfully, they used two different sets of actors for the two time periods which works really well. The current time and flashbacks are meant to gradually explain the history to the viewer and clear up misunderstandings for the characters themselves.
Like many Japanese dramas, the focus is on personal growth / new understanding, not on visible action. While there are distracting side plots that seem to hint at "action", these are only there to challenge Miyata's perceptions/thinking. Miyata seems mired in a mental fog of the past, gradually gaining some mental clarity.
If Miyata's growth happened gradually through the 6-episode series, I might have rated this a 10. While BL in general, trades on extended misunderstandings, and Japanese BL in particular excels at presenting the impacts of the lack of clear communication, the resolution of the misunderstandings in this drama seem uneven and mostly occur quickly in the last episode. However, this unevenness is offset by the subtle comparison between inner and outer strengths/weaknesses of both Miyata and Takashi that adds another dimension to the drama.
Also note worthy is a certain bluntness in the dialog in situations where it wouldn't normally be expected. The spoken Japanese in this drama is mostly normal polite Japanese, yet there are a few times where characters say completely unexpected (and rude) things. Miyata sometimes uses more formal business Japanese as way of distancing, sometimes excessively (sarcasm) which signals his brokenness (and is hurtful to Takashi). While Japanese dramas can have insulating or rude language, it is usually direct, not using bitter sarcasm.
Also note worthy is while showing more "intimacy" than most, the physical intimacy exists to focus on what is happening internally/emotionally for Miyata and Takashi and does not read as fan service.
I don't think this is the masterpiece that "The Novelist" (Pornographer manga) is, but it does seem to carve out a unique place among Japanese BL.
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