Kabe Sa Doujin Sakka no Neko Yashiki-kun wa Shouninyokkyou wo Kojiraseteiru (2022)

This was so ORIGINAL and DELIGHTFUL! Broke so many traditional BL molds and no toxic tropes or clichés. I didn't expect much some reviews but it breaks new ground in quiet ways. I wholeheartedly implore you to check it out. You won't be disappointed. It stays in your head long after. Having a lovely healthy woman as a friend and not a villain who actually has power to confront her friend....pluses there. No there are not steamy sex scenes....this is something different to savor. Also the use of manga style with live action and camera angles make for a fun viewing experience. It just creative BL whimsy. I am writing far more than I planned on cause they say it has to be a certain length.

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Quirky and sweet, friendship without to much depth

Mr grumpy insecure artist tries to run away from his feelings and mr smiley. In this quirky depiction of odd humour, friendship, 10 shades of dark and grumpy vs 10 glittery rainbows with smileys without the colours in-between.

I loved the friendships in this, especially between mr grumpy and his fejusy friend. I also love the way they talk about the things behind the smiles and the grumpiness without favouring one over the other. That said while there is some good dialog here and there there is not a lot of substance in this,. And you must parapere yourself for quirky, comics all round. The romance and chemistry between the could definitely have been better so do not expect yourself to be blown away or feel stuff.

That said it is an easy binge, oddly entertaining and quirky without going over board in to just stupid.

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This absolute gem of a show deserves to be recognised!

These showmakers has a vision and goddamn did they ever commit to it! Translating a comedy manga into a live-action series can be challenging and often works best when certain exaggerated elements are toned down, but here the creators fully lean into the style of the source material, utilising camerawork, lighting, and editing to great effect and creating a stylised masterpiece. It is an absolute joy to watch which several people have, deservedly, compared to Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko.
Rather than the focus being on comedy however, like it is in that show, here the core of the series is a sweet and sensitive portrayal of a struggling artist learning to break free from expectations and pursuing love and happiness in their various forms.
The romance may be tame, but it feels real and heartfelt - given the show is based on the works of an openly gay mangaka, this authenticity may not exactly come as a surprise, but it is delightful nonetheless.
If you're in search of an uplifting slice-of-life series with great queer representation (Framboise is a personal highlight; he's eccentric, deeply likeable, and provides superb comedic relief without ever being the butt of the joke), highly lovable characters, and an endearing romance then look no further.

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Character growth wins over angst

Not to start off on a negative note, but:

I absolutely despise this type of series. It makes me cringe with it's over-the-top displays of angst.

That being said, I powered my way through it because I actually liked the story, and the character growth was satisfactory. I also enjoyed watching the bits of manga drawing, simply because that type of talent fascinates me. The story itself is unrealistic and would never have had a happy ending irl, but it's not real life. It's an escape. It's silly. And sad. (I actually shed a tear.) But it has a happy ending, which we all love. And the acting wasn't bad at all. The characters displayed what they needed to. And the female best friend was something that we all need in our lives, and he was lucky to have her.

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A wholesome story

This drama revolves around the story of Mamoru, a reclusive self-made manga artist, and Issei, a vibrant idol.

The storyline is highly engaging and keeps the audience captivated. However, as it is adapted from a manga, there are certain segments that feel rushed and would benefit from further elaboration. Nonetheless, the overall narrative remains comprehensible. An additional conflict adds depth to the plot, providing a platform for the main characters to develop a deeper understanding of each other.

The characters are intriguing and well-crafted. Mamoru's portrayal as a manga artist is particularly unique and captivating.

Initially, I had reservations about the casting of Issei, as the manga depicts him as tall and broad-shouldered. However, Nakao Misai's portrayal of Issei pleasantly surprised me. Matsuoka Koudai's performance as Mamoru is commendable and aligns well with the character's persona.

The production quality is exceptional, with a diverse range of locations and scenery that reflect a high production standard. The depiction of large audience scenes, essential to the characters' professions, is executed with finesse.

A standout performance in the drama is delivered by Yahagi Honoka, whose portrayal of Yamada exceeds the expectations set by the manga.

Overall, the drama successfully brings the characters and story to life, making it a compelling watch.

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This series is adorable.

I enjoyed watching this series, it takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions. The characters are very well done and have great development. You do see some growth which I always enjoy seeing. The actors have very good chemistry and I really enjoyed the band and friends supporting the relationship and being there for one another. It does some a lot of realness about the bad in society but the good outshines it thankfully. The music is fun and I do appreciate that it shows a great depth of emotions and the emotional hardness that people can face, it's great that there were friends to show that support. The only two downsides I saw were that I really wish they had them kiss at least once to show that beautiful depth of intimate moment and I wish it was a bit longer than 8 episodes, this series has great potential.

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comedic yet gut-wrenching

if you're looking for a typical bl with lots of romance and intimacy, this is not for you.

I must say, I wasn't fully convinced of this bl from the start and was close to dropping it, but it was really worth watching all of it!

To the characters:

for once, there actually is an AMAZING girl side-character. I loved her a lot, she's such an amazing friend one can only wish for.

Nekoyashikis character amazed me a lot in the sense of this being the first time seeing 'self-hatred' and the wish to be recognized portrayed so well in a series and a character. He had quite the character development and I actually was able to feel his helplessness a lot.

As for Issey, I didn't really like him at the beginning but after learning about his background story as well, I came to like him a lot more. really gave him the depth I needed.

what I also really liked was the character of the journalist. made me a little emotional as well and lit a little bit of light on the difficulty of the job, I guess.

I also enjoyed the bearded-man character a lot, although my first impression was annoyance, I came to like him and his scenes really added the fun to this show and made me giggle.

to the story:

I enjoyed the story a lot as well. a love between an idol and a 'mangaka', what a delicate topic. as well as the love between two men.
I don't really know what exactly to write about the plot etc. itself, just know: I really liked it, there was development, there was a typical down and a happy ending. yet especially the down felt a lot more real than the ones in most thai bl series. it wasn't overdone, you understood why it happened, there was no misunderstanding between the characters and it was solved just as well.

what I also want to point out is how normal it felt that he drew/wrote gay Mangas. it wasn't something he was ashamed about, no one bat an eye. it was just really nice and fresh to like... just have it there.

now for the romance: I didn't really feel like the emotional love bond you usually have, between these two but honestly it didn't matter, everything else definitely made up for it. and you could still very clearly see that these two enjoyed spending time with eachother, it really didn't feel forced or anything.

although, maybe not ultimately needed, I also liked the little side plot with Tsubasa and his brother.

for me, however the main point of this series and why I enjoyed watching it so much, were the characters, the portraying of their struggles and how they always kind of solved it thanks to their friends. really made me realize how important friendships are and how little we actually know about each other.

and as the last note: last two episodes made me cry a river. so beautiful, so emotional

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Less goofy than it sounds, and in a good way

The plot is camp, let's admit it, and I was here for it. The first maybe...three episodes are really goofy, which made it really surprising when the story started getting more serious later down the line. This is a BL in which homosexuality is a thing, as in something that is discussed, and surprisingly well.

There's a scene I particularly appreciated, when the main character tells us about the first time he went to ComicCon and how he felt seen and surrounded by people who were unashamed of who they are, which really resonated with me as I (and I believe many people) have had a similar experience. This is a love letter to acceptance and community, without demonizing introversion.

To be fair no, the romance isn't the maint point of the story. It's first and foremost a tale about accepting oneself. Don't be fooled though: this is still very much a romance, and you will get sweet moments!

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Stylish production, simple story

This is a simple story directed with style. There is a boy band and the song they sing is fun. The cartoon world is shown and what is shown is a series highlight- particularly the character/performance of a fellow cartoonist who just won't leave the grumpy lead be.
Acting is often awkward and one note- I had particular problems with several of the boy band members and the lead. There is also an issue not unheard of in both BL and Non BL stories- if one of the characters is so morose, negative, angry all the time- why would the other person keep pursuing them?
Worth watching for the side characters- there is also a fun trip home where we meet the cartoonist's mom and sister.
I would rewatch any scene with the side characters I've mentioned and skip the rest.

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Amo os plots japoneses

Uma série que gostei bastante. Já comecei gostando da abertura, que lembra a de "Absolute BL", porém num tom menos exagerado.

O roteiro é bom. Os dois personagens principais são interessantes. Suas histórias de vida no presente foram moldadas pelo seu passado, mais especificamente por maus entendidos ocasionados pela falta de comunicação entre os dois quando era colegiais.
Mamoru, por sempre ter amado a arte de fazer mangás gays, se sente inferior, ou pelo menos tem muito medo de ser inferiorizado pelas outras pessoas... além de sua amiga, ele não interage com ninguém, e por isso ele acredita que o sorriso caloroso que Kazama Issei sempre lhe dá é de desprezo.
Kazama Issei é um dos garotos populares, com um sorriso encantador. Ele sempre esteve lá para Mamoru, aguardando que este desse qualquer abertura, mas o complexo de inferioridade de Mamoru nunca permitiu que ele confessasse que na verdade o que sentia era amor. A rejeição de Mamoru fez com que Kazama Issei quisesse se tornar um idol, e ele conseguiu, na verdade, ele atribui todo o seu sucesso a Momuru, e nunca viu essa rejeição como algo horrível, e sim como um obstáculo que o fez crescer como pessoa para merecer o amor dele.
Já Mamoru, depois que rejeitou Kazama Issei, mesmo dizendo exatamente o oposto do que seu coração desejava, piorou seu complexo de inferioridade e sua capacidade de expressar sentimentos e se relacionar com o mundo, fazendo com que sua vida girasse em torno de sua arte e de um lugar na "parede".
Quando sus mundos se cruzam de novo, as vidas de ambos passam por um turbilhão, suas vidas profissionais e pessoais passam a ter problemas, e de uma forma meio excêntrica eles acabam sendo o alicerce um do outro.

O plot também fala de amizade, sobre algumas dificuldades sofridas pelos idols, a ética profissional dos paparazzis e sobre tentar ser melhor a partir do exemplo de outros.

A atuação nessa série é incrível. Os atores são perfeitos para os personagens, a caracterização é bem interessante, a ost é excelente, inclusive é cantada pela banda de Kazama Issei. Com certeza recomendo essa série.

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Don't let yourself be fooled by the comedy

This is one of the queerest BL dramas I've watched so far, a hilarious comedy with two people who find their way to self-acceptance. [more on that with spoilers below the ***.]

The comedy is strong in this drama, so much so that I was completely thrown when things got much more serious near the end of episode 3 when I first watched it. It has the Japanese-typical style of acting for comedies, wonderful side characters, and a lot of funny moments. I love how they decided to put strong manga elements in -- like the onomatopoeic word like for the ringing clock, or certain style elements like the extended bellies after overeating. Also, though not part of the comedy side, I loved how the flashbacks are initiated by "opening" a manga-like panelled page.

All of the characters have their comedic moments -- best of them all is, the bearded beauty, who is just so kind-hearted that even Mamoru can't help but to like him.

The script and the directing is very tight -- there's not a second of irrelevance in this drama, it's either for a comedy element or for the plot development. I liked the use of light and darkness to accentuate the feelings of our protagonists. And the intro song has become one of my favourites!

Acting is great all around. Even after several rewatches, I've not found a flaw. Especially Issei's facial expressions are so spot-on,that I just looked at his face for a whole rewatch -- when does Issei use a fake smile, when a real one; when does he stop smiling, and does he look relaxed or menacing when he does that? Really, I've only seen one actor use smiles of a similar calibre, and that was in Beyond Evil.


***
And this is the spoilery part, but also where I explain why this drama goes much deeper than I thought at first:

Mamoru, who is our main character, has felt like an outcast since ... maybe forever. He is a gay man with a love of drawing gay erotic muscle doujin -- both things that define him and which he feels are to be ashamed of, to be hidden.
And which queer teenager hasn't at least once felt like that? (Well, minus the gay muscle doujin, perhaps.)

Only, for Mamoru, this feeling of being alone, of being someone with a shameful identity -- this feeling transforms his whole sense of self. Only during the ComiKing, where he can sell his work alongside same-minded people, and only when his work sells well, is this dark cloud lifted for a short time.

He is not able to understand that his family's indulgence is not indifference, that Yamada is not just someone who likes reading his doujin but also his friend, and he is not able to hear that Issei's "I like you" is not the same "like" as in "I like my fans".
It takes a journey through dark days for Mamoru to accept who he is and what he loves.

I love how this drama tackles how living in our world can impact the sense of self of queer people -- and that it shows us that maybe, if we dare to tell the world who we love, light will fill our life and we can find happiness.

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