Perfect Propose (2024)

Is it a Perfect Propose(al)?

This is six-episode, too short, yet too realistic episodes of two people coming together against a world full of expectations and responsibilities. Although I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it and wished they added just an episode or two (or made the episodes 5 to 10 minutes longer), I’m also afraid doing so would change the dynamics of the story. So, I’m just taking in what is given to us, and just enjoy every minute of it.

Did that first paragraph make sense? If you think not, then that’s how this show is, starting with the title, shouldn’t it be "Perfect Proposal"? Somehow, a lot of the things shown in this series doesn’t make sense at all too, yet somehow, we accepted and took pleasure in it. I bet that controversial forced h*nd-j*b hooked a lot of viewers in - but who will not be, if a good-looking guy like Kai is giving it to you?

What I related most was the robotic slave nature of Hirokuni's work. Thats how I was in the real world for almost 2 decades - until I realized it was too late to change things and I’ve already missed out on a lot. Kai wasn’t only a person who needed a place to stay - Kai was also Hiro's saviour. I wish someone had saved me like that 10 or 15 years ago.

Both characters have difficulty expressing in words how they truly feel, and it’s frustrating - but that’s how we are in real life even if we don’t even realize it.

But I’m also afraid the show didn’t show me enough to make me fully understand both their situations. Flashback to their youths are so minimal and too edited, and their individual back stories are almost non-existent, that I feel like I’m just starting to unravel the mystery but never really got to the point of really caring about their characters - it’s a shame cause I feel like I want to care and know more about their individual characters and to know what happened to them as a couple.

With that said, is this a Perfect proposal? Not exactly but watching this still gave me a good feeling inside. Would I recommend this? YES! Will I rewatch? I’m not sure yet, maybe when I get bored in a layover or stuck in traffic. I also have a feeling we are going to see a lot more of these 2 fine actors in their bright future as actors. Giving this an overall score of 8.5

PS. While watching the show, i initially thought Hirokuni was being played by Thailand's Din Teerapat Ruangritkul that I had to look it up after the first episode. Their similarity is uncanny.

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turning unhappiness into happiness

Overall: the focus was on two characters who weren't happy with their current situation in life and how they figured out how to change things. I haven't read the source material and am basing my review on the live action series only. 6 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4033/perfect-propose-2024-e01 ; re-released on Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/40542c-perfect-propose

Content Warnings: non con touching/hand job maybe turned consensual?, workplace harassment/bullying

What I Liked
- a forthright character
- sweet moments
- supportive colleagues
- realistic how it is difficult to get away from a toxic work environment, even when a person knows it's unhealthy
- production value

Room For Improvement
- the dub/non con was not needed and could have been handled differently
- had the aggressive pursuer/reluctant pursuee (and by reluctant I mean unwilling, he verbally stated his boundaries only to have them steamrolled over)
- too much time spent in the office setting/that jerk boss
- the intro vibe was super fluffy but that was not the overall tone of the series, we also never see any of those fluffy scenes which was a bit disappointing

Age Info (I didn't put an age gap content warning because I don't think it's needed, but here's the age info thanks to a commentator :)
- in the past, their ages were around 11 and 17
- in the present, their ages are 21 and 27

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Food and care: couples therapy for the fulfillment of a promise

Directed by Tadaaki Horai, who we know for his participation in the live-action adaptation of the popular manga 'My Love Mix-Up!', and the 2021 BL drama 'Kieta Hatsukoi', and script by Takeshi Miyamoto, writer also from 'Old Fashion Cupcake', from 2022, Fuji TV ('The Novelist', 'Mood Indigo' and 'Playback') produces the six-episode series 'Perfect Propose' (パーフェクトプロポーズ).
Adapted from the manga of the same name by Tsurukame Mayo (鶴亀まよ), the work stars Shunya Kaneko ('Ultraman Trigger', Rent-A-Girlfriend, live action) and Kota Nomura ('Shup Up', 'Shin Shinchō Kōki', 'Classmate wa Sengoku Bujо̄' live-action) in the lead roles of Hirokuni Watari and Kai Fukaya, respectively.
The creators have allowed themselves changes to the original plot in order to give a more realistic vibe to both the characters and the story.
The main song is "Daydream", by the group OCTPATH.
Additional cast includes:
Jingi Irie as Kaneko, senior at Hirokuni's company.
Ayane Kinoshita as Hiyori, a junior employee at the company.
Rio Takahashi as Tatsumi, a junior employee.
Yuta Hayashi as the new employee, Sakamoto.
Ryo Iwase as Hirokuni's boss, Sato.
Toshiyuki Kitami as Kenji, the restaurant owner who taught Kai how to cook
Kotaro Tanaka as Koji's son.

With a mix of the popular JBL 'My personal Weatherman' and 'Old Fashion Cupcake', Hiro and Kai's romance will take us into a world of complex relationships with tender moments and a love story that will defy expectations. Two souls battered by life and circumstances will find comfort and forge an unforgettable and unbreakable bond.
Why has Kai been searching for Hiro for twelve years? How true is Kai's alleged old promise to “get married and live together”? Has Hiro forgotten that “he has been engaged to his friend since adolescence?” Has Kai taken the promise seriously and makes it his life's mission to make it a reality? Will Hiro be willing to keep his word given in the past? Will the two of them be happier together or apart?

PLOT

Hirokumi is on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to the stress caused by the deadlines for work tasks assigned by his demanding boss, as an employee of a corporate company. He feels that life can't be worse. But just when he thought things couldn't go any further, he meets again with an unexpected visitor: Kai, a childhood friend that Hirokuni used to babysit, who comes to make true a promise made by the two in the past.
It's been twelve years since they last saw each other. The circumstances under which the reunion occurs are not ideal. While Hiro is about to faint from the workload, Kai is homeless and asks for help. He, despite his reservations and with no other option, reluctantly allows Kai to move in with him. Soon his friend will reveal to him that he is gay. What Hiro would never suspect is that this circumstance will lead to an unexpected connection that challenges his preconceived notions.
Positioned in his new domestic life, Kai proves to be an expert in the culinary art, and makes delicious plates of home-cooked meals. The phrase “love enters through the kitchen” has never been better said. Hirokuni soon understands that being cared for and pampered isn't such a bad thing after all.
Kai's caretaker in the past, Kai will now take care of him. Kai becomes a caregiver fully willing to take charge of Hirokuni's messy life. This, a little clueless in matters of love, along with an optimistic and self-confident Kai, make the perfect couple in this series that skillfully combines drama and romance.
The unconditional power of love, acceptance, intricate threads of vulnerability, self-discovery, compassion and personal growth, surrounded by a warm environment of healing therapy and delicious food are woven into a tapestry of emotions that may not seem like much to us.
We will witness Hirokuni's metamorphosis from a lonely and exhausted man to one who finds solace and inner peace in the presence of Kai and their blossoming love.
As their lives intertwine, a new dynamic is produced that will enhance well-being and reduce problems in the strange relationship between the cool, handsome guy with remarkable domestic skills and the work-weary salaryman who lives a lonely life. .
The classic tropes of friends becoming lovers or old promises to keep will not detract from, on the contrary, they will enrich this fun and moving Japanese drama.
If you asked me to define 'Perfect Propose' in a few words, I would say that it is a healing gastronomic drama, a couples therapy in rescue of two souls wandering in pain. I would add that it is possible to become absorbed in the depth of the characters' emotions, the nuanced details of their interactions, and the beautifully rendered images that bring this love story to life.

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They got me squealing, grinning, toe-curling the whole time they interact! (>᎑<๑)/♡

When Hiro (Kaneko Shunya) passes out on the sidewalk after a stressful workday, his childhood friend Kai (Nomura Kota) finds and helps him to get home. Kai’s presence drives Hiro flustered, the way he put himself in Hiro's home so sincerely as if he had always wanted to be there… and Hiro quickly like this change, as Kai brings comfort to his life, but Is there any room for them going from easygoing relationships to spouses?

Right of the bat, the story flows well. Those small acts before episode 1 ends are genuinely cute, heart-fluttering, and that part really got me on board with our two leads, Hiro and Kai. I love Hiro's "Huh?" & "Matte!" so anime-like and attention-grabbing, hehe... Hiro is such a gullible young man and Kai's behave so kindly, slightly flirty, but never cross the line, so they both were comforting to watch.

There is almost no conflict here, but for this drama being only 6 episodes, I want it to focus on all their sweet moments, and they did. The more I'm watching the more I enjoyed. When they’re together at home, they really like husband and wife, aaah! so cute! The dinner, the bedroom, the bento scenes got me on dopamine high, cause I just felt chemistry! They got me squealing, grinning, toe-curling the whole time they interact! (>᎑<๑)/♡.

The story also highlights the realistically stressful workplace situation, which, at some point, created just a slight tension just before it was resolved neatly at the end. Hiro's work colleagues are all nice people and their presence fit well to the story. All in all, a very lovely watch!

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Really Cute !

Out of my BL block just in time to watch this little gem of a series, Perfect Propose. While not one of my favorites, this series was seriously so authentic in its storytelling, keeping me truly entertained and intrigued throughout it all -- and it doesn't hurt either that the actors are absolutely beautiful.

Let's Dive In.

Loved the pacing of this 6 episode series. It had a perfect rhythm of timing and plot that I was never bored or ready to skip something. I get bored very quickly with office scenes if they're not significant. This series had its times, but for the most part, it never dragged on too long, and I really appreciate that. Lately, I've been loving series that are short and to-the-point rather than long and drawn out, so I loved that I sat for a couple of hours and finished this with no problems.

I'm a sucker for friends to lovers, especially a long distance friends to lovers. The only thing that took me by surprise was their age gap as kids. I think it was fine since Hiro saw it more as just a kid he wanted to talk to and Kai was the one with the genuine crush, but that morality line is a little blurry when Hiro says something along the lines of having thought that Kai was cute as a kid, and then followed by Kai kissing him afterward. Anyway, I'll focus more on them as adults, which I think was super cute. I'll be honest, I wasn't totally sold on their chemistry in the end, but I think both actors can act their asses off. I really enjoyed watching Hiro turn into this man with an endless work life who was falling victim to its harshness, then to meet his friend from long ago and start genuinely taking care of himself -- of course with the help of Kai.

I have nothing really negative to say about this series, I think it was good, just not the best I've seen come out of Japan.

Ratings:

Story: 8/10 - Good! Great flow, an amazing beginning, and a decent ending. Probably my favorite aspect of the show.

Acting: 9/10 - Shunya (Hiro) did his big one! Extremely great at emotional scenes and just an overall great actor. Kota (Kai), other than being a sight to behold, also did a great job. All the other actors played their roles well too.

Music: 7/10 - The intro song was cute!

Recommendation Value: 8/10 - It's pretty good and a quit watch, so yes, definitely go for it!

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When two lonely men meet and find the simplest yet most ideal form of happiness

Offering us not just romance but also valuable life lessons. The show can be categorized as either a light-hearted show or a pierce realization of living and surviving as an adult. The key points taken in the story are realistically great as most employed individuals experienced difficulties in their work-life balance.

The charm of the drama lies in the depth and character build-up of the main couple. Both roles have their own story to tell, have something needed to explore within themselves, and sadly have to experience the grief of losing the essence of joy in their life. Not until they reunited one day and started to explore the wonders of their existence by being each others’ comfort and support.

“Being involved with people is heavy.” The grief between these lines is too pitiful. Their introverted and nonchalant personalities grow into them as a protective measure from the expectations that may lead to disappointments in life. I love the angst and feeling of being emotionally attached to them.

They lived with my expectations and even managed to provide me with adequate production quality, appealing visuals, and consistency in terms of the story's progress. All of these elements in addition to having Nomura Kota and Kaneko Shunya as Kai and Hirokuni, created a perfect blend of bringing a well-defined Japanese BL that is distinctive from the rest.

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Des thématiques fortes en dépit d'une romance délaissée

Combien de personnes sont soumises à une source de stress au travail ? À quel point la pression peut être forte ? Comment évoluer sereinement dans un environnement qui use jusqu'aux os ? Et surtout, quels sont les impacts sur la vie privée ? C'est ce qu'explore Perfect Propose.

Hiro est usé. Il suffit de le regarder se traîner hors de son lit tous les matins. Après des heures de boulot (et un supérieur qui semble lui refourguer le moindre travail), c'est lessivé qu'il rentre chez lui. Malgré la fatigue, le sommeil ne vient pas. Ou du moins, inconsciemment, Hiro refuse de s'endormir pour repousser l'arrivée d'une nouvelle journée. Une routine dans laquelle il est coincé et où on se sent presque étouffer avec lui.

Le retour de Kai dans sa vie va permettre d'équilibrer un minimum la balance tout en poussant Hiro dans ses retranchements. Si les thématiques abordées sont fortes, je regrette qu'une grande majorité ne soit qu'autour d'Hiro. Kai est un personnage à la passivité émotionnelle frappante qui pouvait créer un contraste intéressant.

L'amour apparaît comme une potentielle réponse quant au soulagement qu'Hiro pourrait trouver dans sa vie. Pourtant, la romance n'a jamais eu le temps de se développer. Bien sûr, le duo est sympathique - si on laisse de côté la scène du premier épisode. On est sur une dynamique classique avec Kai en tant qu'audacieux, et Hiro tendu comme un arc. Ils arrivent à faire tourner l'ensemble, le problème est que la partie bureau prend trop de place et ne laisse plus rien à la romance. Cela dit, Perfect Propose est beaucoup trop court pour traiter chacun de ses sujets.

Les JBL me font toujours plus réfléchir que les autres. Peut-être parce qu'ils sont les premiers BL que j'ai vu, j'ai un attachement unique pour eux. Pourtant, les romances sont souvent des frustrations auxquelles je n'arrive pas à m'habituer. Alors, oui, la romance est mignonnette pour le peut qu'on obtient, mais insuffisante pour satisfaire un quota romantique.

Les flash-back n'étaient pas utiles. On aurait pu les sacrifier eux plutôt que la romance. Les décors sont minimes (métro-boulot-dodo), cependant, j'ai apprécié l'ambiance sombre et lumineuse à la fois, et même chaleureuse sur certaines scènes.

En bref, c'est un bon drama en raison des thématiques qu'il aborde (tant la santé mentale que physique). En revanche, il manque l'étincelle qui pouvait faire pétiller la romance.

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Need Clarification

I couldn’t find episode 1, but did find episode 2-5.
it seems a bit weird that a straight man would allow a hand job from anyone.(seen previews).
It feels a bit pushy/ rushed throughout .
Not enough time getting to know each other properly. I understand about hiro workplace but mostly I was wondering, why didn’t Kai just bring hiro food and change of clothes.. instead of just sending pictures of the food..
How is it really developing into a relationship??
I do like the actors who are portraying the characters.
I believe it needs more story lines..
Also, why is the son of the cook treating Kai so badly? What’s with the hatred..

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One of the worst Japanese bls I’ve seen

There’s so much to say…
This show wasn’t really about the romance, it was more about the main character’s poor work life balance lol. And that wasn’t even resolved, only thing he did was lock himself into a more destructive cycle.
The “romance” was poorly done and there was hardly any chemistry. All there was was comfortability between the two characters.
And the show was boring and slow pace, there really wasn’t much excitement except when he j*rked him off lol.
It’s promising when you first watch it, like it kind of had that Cutie Pie plot but then it just goes downhill.
It was a waste of time imo, I’d rather watch way more other Japanese bls.

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The sweetest couple!

First of all, I like impacting stories for unique experiences, and that's why the rate I gave wasn't that high.

This title is about daily life, work, co-workersand bad supervisor orders. But they gave their soul on characters, I could feel every single emotion, and that makes feelings surrounding the story wonderful to me.

I really like how responsible they got and how silly it was to discover Hiro's desire to have someone by his side.

Also, I am still thinking it is hard to watch stories talking about childhood love. Luckily, it isn't about it at all, but this made my score lower.

Gave them a chance if you want to feel your stressful thoughs being hugged by two sensitive guys, who juat want to go home and feel safe! ❤️‍🩹

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I WISH THAT SOME ONE WOULD ALSO COME TO MY LIFE AND BE MY LOVER

The Story was practically something that is really not new for me, characters that knows each other since childhood and begin to like one or each other and then meeting again one day and love each other, but the mood and the feeling I got of the vibe , scene is everything here, I am able to understand the story well, it was not heavy as I thought, it was actually light , only the part where one of the leads struggles a lot from work made my heart heavy coz I can relate, but the progression of it and the character development was so good ! Japanese BL has always had this kind of characters like so feeling or being inferior, looking down too much to themselves even on love , like so so hopeless that it is annoying that they always almost loose what is precious in front of them , but only they have to do is to grab them, but choose to not because of feeling of not deserving of it and it annoys me sometimes , but since this is a realization drama , everything went well at the end and what I like is that it was not rushed just enough for everything that is needed.
The part where Kai did a handjob to Hiro, it was surprising and cute actually , I wonder if that happens in real life there in Japan. The Kissing Scene was nice , but I really did hoped for another kissing scene at the ending because the kissing scene at the park seems not romantic at all , I really don't like the setting, and Hiro has just got home from work after 2 days I guess, I guess he did not brushed his teeth yet and also Kai was jogging , anyways that's just what is in my thoughts, but still it is good. It was just so sad that Kai has a very sad background, thankfully he is with Hiro already.
The Lead actors are so cute Specially Kai, I really like his body shape, and Hiro was also a good looking one, but just a little make over will do I was actually wondering what are they doing at work like are they an IT ? because all I can see was codes on their computers , I cried on the part where one of Hiro's subordinate just cried after working hard but not being able to finish it and the part where HIro's Senior resigned , I was actually thinking deep about it because I am about to resign on my work by the end of this year , still have a lot of time , thinking about it but that is my plan , and I related it here because those things really happens in real life I am happy how drama makers make stories that many people like me can relate.
I would maybe rewatch this drama many times in my life ! it was so bingeable , easy but heart warming and light , I would definitely recommend this one !

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much better than the manga...

I did read the original source and I think it was a medicore manga.
But this show fixed most flaws in the manga, reduced the story to the essential but did miss out on Hiros development so the ending feels rushed.

The jerk-off scene stired some controversy but I think it should show Hiros docile character, running like a machine without an option to decide what he wants.

I wished they had at least one episode more to go deeper into Hiros character. I don't think the office scenes were too long, they are essential to understand his struggle but how he did come to the conclusion to change his workplace was too fast, when Hiro has lived in a "treadmill" for five years. Also some flashbacks to Kais family live with his father would have helped the show.

It's always a problem with such short shows to go deeper when all you have are six episodes. I don't quite understand why they have to limit themselves. Two episodes more shouldn't do that much for the budget but could make the show better.

Some are impressed by the opening sequence which I don't like. Why? Because most japanese series show the happy end and they waste 1:19 of only 24mins runtime.

Regardless of the flaws it was a good show with high production value with some fluffy scenes and an adorable couple. MDL is missing a voting for cinematography and design which are also integral for a good series, so my endscore is higher than "calculated" :)

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