Bakayarou no Kiss (2022)

There's something about this series that bugs the hell out of me

[15/09/2022 UPDATE]: that freaking cover.... I thought I would address it because I saw a few people asking if it was a BL. The answer? No. It's such a random cover to me. The first thing you see is three guys laughing. Two of them aren't even relevant, and the other one (the ML) is a jerk to the other two at times. But they're pretty much nobody. And then you have two pretty editorial shots at the top of two other characters (one being the FL), that means absolutely nothing to me. At the end of this review, I added what I think the cover should have looked like, and how I would change the plot. I did not like this drama so I do have a lot to nit-pick about

──── ✧《✩ STORY ✩》✧ ────
It has an interesting premise, it really does. But the execution felt disjointed. Going from a story about a summer first love to a dating reality show about teenagers was slightly odd. The storytelling was just awful in my opinion. Like, actually bad. And the screenwriter just wasn't great at using plot devices

The whole reality show arc was weird to me. It was like none of characters (the ones actually participating and the ones watching) had ever watched reality TV. Like, YES, it's sometimes scripted. It's not exactly a big secret. Yet some of the characters had the biggest attitude when things didn't go their way. And the ending just made me question the point of everything.

This also gives me Victorious vibes (yep, that's right, that Nick show). Because, you have a bunch of characters that are all supposed to "shine", but really, it's just the main two that are relevant. Like, the side characters were specifically created to revolve around the main two. They're just there to serve the plot, but don't contribute anything to their own character. In fact, even Victorious gave some personality to their side/minor characters at least. This was just bad.

──── ✧《✩ ACTING/CAST✩》✧ ────
I didn't really like the characters at all. I did my best to try and understand the characters and why they made the choices they did, but in the end, I kept coming back to one thing: they're teenagers who haven't experienced much and I JUST DON'T CARE about them or what was happening to them. Yagi Yusei's character was the only one I really liked (which might be my bias for him showing since I like FANTA's music), but he never got much of a backstory. But he was the nicest character and he was just really understanding and sweet.

The other characters all just annoying and selfish. Like, they (the screenwriter irl and the reality show's director) really milked a story that happened over the span of probably a month. The FL basically stirred shit over something that happened years before despite her terrible confrontation skills. And I swear it was the most PICK ME GIRL BS EVER!!!! Come on!!! She started shit for no reason and tried to hide and ignore it.

There's a scene in episode 4 (~19:38) of Itagaki Mizuki's character walking up the stairs and it's the most bizarre scene. his shoulders are hunched and he looks slightly scary. Out of context, the scene is giving me low-budget horror vibes... I just had to mention it because it's so weird. Also, the scene itself was weird to me because I felt like what he was doing was for the wrong reasons, and he also went after the wrong person

I also wonder why so many of these actors were casted. This feels like something that was written by a rookie (even though it wasn't), and should have starred rookie actors, but a lot of these actors have been around for a while and have acted in things A LOT better.

──── ✧《✩ SCREENWRITING/DIRECTING ✩》✧ ────
The cinematography was really great. It was filmed in a small seaside town and was really pretty. There were a lot of great shots. The writing was a bit off, and the characters didn't always feel like teenagers, or even people.

All the problems I mentioned above could have been resolved easily - with more episodes. It felt so restricted in every way possible. As if the actors didn't have enough time to get into the role of their characters before they finished filming. The small plot points came and went so fast so I never really felt like I could have known any of the characters as people. Which is why I found it hard to connect. For example, one of the characters was going through something in their home life, but then it just stopped being relevant and I really think they could have kept coming back to it throughout to see how it still affects the character. But there was nothing!! It was only there to turn the ML into a jerk.

──── ✧《✩ MUSIC ✩》✧ ────
They played a song that was actually decent. It had a summer feel that matched the drama. But it was also slightly forgetful.

──── ✧《✩ REWATCH VALUE ✩》✧ ────
I'll honestly never watch this again. There's no need to. I only heard about this because of Yagi Yusei, and then happened to recognise other cast members.

tl;dr: good plot, bad execution; good acting, bad characterisation. Not terrible, but not good - i.e. very mediocre

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[15/09/2022 UPDATE - MY VERISON ]
I came up with this before falling asleep last night but I'll try my best to remember everything.

The cover should be similar to the kdrama The Smile Has Left Your Eyes cover. The FL is either embracing the ML or Yagi Yusei's character, with the other man on the other side with their hand out, failing to grasp the FL. This should also be a thriller (I have a excessive need to turn anything and everything into a thriller). The plot for the most part can stay the same - the friends having hung out together during school and over the summer. But I would also make the FL a childhood friend as well, that always moved around but still kept in touch. There should be a big betrayal or fight and then years later, she appears again on the reality TV show, just like this drama. But there's going to be a plot twist, I just haven't figured it out. Either the ML or Yagi Yusei's character is evil (hence why I couldn't decide who should hug her in the cover). The one holding her is evil. And he's obsessed with her. And the other ML has to try and convince everyone that he's evil, but no one believes him. Ok, I got it. Yagi Yusei's character is evil and joined the reality show after finding out she was in it because he knew her when they were young and he had a crush on her. But now he's straight up obsessed. The ML knows this, but no will believe him because he became a jerk at the end of middle school, so they don't trust him. His friends are more important in my version and are watching most of it together at home until the last few eps where they show up because they realise something is wrong. But, plot twist - the ML is a serial killer. He didn't just become a jerk after middle school, he also started murdering people (ones that resemble his mother). And the FL also resembles his mother. So, they're both evil (to different degrees). And her friends on show have to help the ML's friends figure out what happened and then take down the ML. Oh, and Yagi Yusei's character is killed trying to help the FL. He went out a stalker hero...

A bit dramatic but that's what I came up with last night and just now as I wrote this :) Of course this show could have been better without the thriller plot, just a few other changes. Oh, and if you try to use my plot to create something, I expect royalties. So you better pay up :)

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I'm conflicted. I feel like this might have been a lot better in a longer series or longer episodes, maybe? It's a okay show but just kinda left me going "ehhhhh?"

Maybe I'm biased, maybe I'm not... but I feel Ren would have been the better choice. While I understand what Minato went through, he only took his anger out on her. Then after three years he wants to make things right because she's on a show to help her move on? I get it, but I also don't. and the constant "I'll protect you [blah blah blah]" -- like he didn't treat her like crap those 3 years ago. I don't know. like I said, I'm really conflicted. Because with it as short as it was, everything had to be rushed and cut. But I feel like if the series or the episodes had been longer, it would have given more time for u̶s̶ me to warm back up to him.

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