Bokura no Shokutaku (2023)

Pretty good, sometimes awkward

I didn't like the long pauses/silence. It felt like they were only trying to hit the 23-24 minute mark and every episode was filled with at least about 5 minutes of pure silence, awkwardness and stuttering.
Lots... and I mean LOTS of misunderstandings and being interrupted while trying to say something (Personally I don't mind that, I know some people don't like it so I wrote it just in case).
The acting (especially Yutaka's actor) was sometimes over the top and very awkward/overly expressive. It's not that bad, annoying sometimes though.
The weird thing was that it seemed like they weren't even dating? I watched the spin-off too and they even at one point suggested they weren't dating, I think.
That being said, I really enjoyed the story and the cute moments between the couple, it was enjoyable.
It's not the best BL but it's one of the better ones.
The silence and awkwardness sometimes annoyed me but if you don't mind that, go ahead and watch it. It's not life changing but it's not bad.
And wow... everyone in the reviews gave 8-10 stars and said really good things about it, I feel really harsh... but everyone's opinion is different, take mine with a grain of salt.

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A sweet story about all forms of love

Watched this show by Inukai Atsuhiro. As a big fan of this incredible actor, I couldn't help but follow this beautiful story. A sweet drama about Hozumi Yutaka, a lonely young man who grew up devoid of all forms of love, and who only comes to know the true meaning of that word by living with the Ueda family. The most beautiful message in the manga is that family is something you choose. I thought the entire adaptation was perfect, except for one detail: the way the TV version handled Yutaka's trauma.

The trauma of the main character portrayed by Inukai-kun can never be treated as something silly, because a situation that causes emotional trauma cannot be treated with negligence, and in my opinion, that's how the adoptive parents dealt with this issue. In the original, however large the family was (two older biological brothers and a newborn), this is no reason to ignore Yutaka's isolation caused by his older brother's verbal abuse. What really disappointed me was that Yuki didn't even apologize to Yutaka, and had the cynicism to point out Yutaka as the culprit. This is the only big mistake in this work, which apart from this detail, is perfect. You can't call malice and negligence a misunderstanding

The characters are very sweet and deep.
Yutaka is a rare gem. Inukai-kun was perfect in the role. Her cute, angelic beauty face perfectly portrayed all of Yutaka's emotions. Your smiles, your sadness, your insecurities and your fears. Everything was perfectly matched and well done. I've seen Inukai-kun in several characters, but Yutaka is without a doubt the cutest of them all. I love how, although he grew up without love, his nature never corrupted and he became a person with a kind heart and admirable character.

Tane is a precious cutie. The liaison between Yutaka and Minoru. The instant affectionate relationship between Yutaka and Tane is the sweetest and cutest thing to see, and it makes me smile for free. Both are just beautiful!

Minoru was also great with Hiroki-kun. His pain and concern over taking on the role of a "single parent" is also admirable and very beautiful to watch, as well as the development of his romantic feelings for Yutaka through his kind actions towards his younger brother.

In addition, BokuShoku is a beautiful story where each member of the Ueda family makes Yutaka experience all the ways of loving that until then were denied him forever. Tane gave him the love of a younger brother, Koji embraced him with a true father's love, and Minoru taught him romantic love. The dream family that Yutaka found, and if it weren't for the altered part of the manga, it would be just perfect. I loved it so much and will definitely watch it again

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僕らの食卓、最高過ぎる！Our Dining Table, Absolutely Amazing!

An amazing story and series! Highly highly recommend it! Yutaka (Yukata), Minoru, Tane, and the father were amazing! Even Yutaka’s adopted family were not as bad as they were made out to be. This was such a heart warming series. One of the best Japanese BLs of this year. Then again, Japan rarely ever fails to disappoint me. I absolutely loved Tane and the father. They were literally two of the sweetest supporting characters I have ever seen in a BL series. I will definitely rewatch this series. If you are hesitant to watch this series, don’t hesitate. It is well worth it! Like I said, 僕らの食卓、最高過ぎる！Oh, and teaches you how to make a few good Japanese foods too. Like bakudan onigiri and ramen fried rice.

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Sensibility.

A lot of sensitivity. A cohesive beginning, a blossoming friendship. What to talk about this series, with beautiful performances. A story that captivates us from the first chapter.

The characters have baggage, they have their rhythm, they have their growth. The series explores the problems and shows resolutions. It is the best Japanese BL ever released, so far in series format. I was missing perfection like that. It didn't seem rushed, like most of the stories we see or it seems like there was a lot missing.

There are many good stories out there waiting for the next great story to be told.

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Simply Loved It a Lot

Yutaka looks like a little rabbit to me. His smile is so cute. I can feel Yutaka and I am worried about him. Yutaka please accept Minoru. You both are made for each other. Minoru is wise and handsome. His eyes & smile when he is with family especially with Yutaka can make us feel what love can be. Tane is an angel who always gets them together. Tanes father is also good. Yutaka colleague is really good. Every character is perfectly narrated and they own their characters very well. Thanks for the lovely series. Can't you please release those two episodes a little sooner 🥺

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Must Watch

To be honest I was waiting for the series to finish and had put it off even when it had finished as I have a long list of series. Something about this drama just really pulled me in, maybe it’s the acting, the storyline, the leads sweetness towards each other, etc. It just became one of my overall favorite dramas. I know some may think of this as “dry” or “boring”, personally I mainly see those who only watch for spicy scenes say this, but I hope their horizons broaden. This truly is such a heart warming drama. I most definitely will be rewatching this in the future.

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The most heart warming slice of life bl.

I loved this Japanese bl so much. It felt so realistic and true to life. I loved how it was slow paced and natural. The father was so understanding! I wish a lot of us have parents like that, parents who intuitively understand what their children need.
The child!! omg, he was the sweetest. he made the story so heartwarming.
I love the family vibe this bl gave. It gave us the warm fuzzy feeling of what family can and should be.

I will be rewatching this series more than once! The slice of life, warm and loving vibes with a happy ending is all I need to make a bad day good again.

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I have no words

I'm afraid I have no words to say how much I love this series, but I'll try my best. Saying that this is the most beautiful BL series I've ever watched is true, but still sounds like it isn't enough. So in this review I won't even try to be objective, because you can't be objective about someone or something you're head over heels with.

I wonder if the series can be categorized as ”BL” at all, as the main characters are 23 years old, so not really ”boys”, and in this series you won't find even a single of the numerous ”BL-tropes”. What does make it ”BL” is the fact that the main characters experience – as far as we learn in the series - their first love, and especially their first gay love.

I won't elaborate on the plot here – just so much: ”Our Dining Table” tells the story of two 23-year-old men who are utterly unhappy. Yutaka (Inukai Atsuhiro) is an outsider and isn't able to enjoy a meal with other persons as he suffers from a childhood trauma which was caused by his misconception that he wasn't welcomed in the family who adopted him after his parents' death. Minoru (Iijima Hiroki) stopped attending college after his mother's death and took up a part time job at a ramen restaurant to be there for his little brother Tane (Maeyama Kuuga) as their father doesn't have enough time for the little boy.

The series displays the way how Yutaka and Minoru help each other overcome their loneliness and sadness. The script must have been written by authors who experienced similar situations, because it is so sensitive and at the same time so true-to-life that the actions of the main characters are completely understandable, however awkward and clumsy they may appear.

Little Tane is the katalyst of Yutaka and Minoru's relationship. He's the one who asks Yutaka for his riceball, thus initiating Yutaka and Minoru's alleged first contact (although they had met before, but Yutaka forgot about it), and later it is again Tane who encourages Yutaka and Minoru to get closer.

There is a scene that made me cry like a baby, because it is so heartwarming: Tane notices that Yutaka has been crying, and he pats Yutaka's hair to console him. In another beautiful scene, Tane notices that Minoru is very sad. He asks him whether he had a fight with Yutaka, and again he made me cry when he hugs Minoru and says: ”I will go with you to apologize to him.”

The authors have found many subtle ways of making the viewer notice how Yutaka and Minoru cautiously, in tiny steps, get closer to each other, opening up to each other very slowly as not to destroy the little progress they have achieved. When Yutaka tells Minoru the sad story of his childhood, he hides his face behind a drawing of himself that Tane has made. In another scene, Yutaka instinctively pats Minoru's head which shocks both of them because the gesture reveals Yutaka's feelings for Minoru way too frankly and early.

The finale is another emotional highlight of the series. When Yutaka realizes how much he loves Minoru he is scared that they may separate one day. It is Minoru's father who reassures him, and it is no surprise, but a most beautiful moment, when Tane – asked by his classmate who Yutaka is – declares ”He is my family”. Yutaka finally overcomes his fear and asks Minoru to stay together forever. In every BL series, there should be a kiss in the final scene, but here the final minutes are so full of emotions and love that a kiss isn't needed.

The unique and beautiful script requires first class actors, and they all deliver perfectly. Inukai has proven that he is a great actor as he has been able to shine in many different roles, e.g. in the gorgeous comedy ”The Man Who Defies the World of BL” or as a Yakuza boss in ”Kei x Yaku”, so it's no surprise that he is able to show Yutaka's pain and panic, but also his cautious – and, given his trauma, brave - way of opening up to Minoru and to his own family.

I hadn't seen Iijima before ”Our Dining Table”, but he is a very experienced actor, too. It is amazing how he is able to express Minoru's inhibitions, fears, and the love of his little brother. Iijima is easily one of the best actors I've ever seen in a BL series. The supporting actors are on the same level, especially Harada Riuji, who plays Minoru and Tane's father, and Ichikawa Tomohiro (Yutaka's stepbrother).

But the actor who stole everybody's heart is Maeyama Kuuga. I am sure that one or all of the directors must have spent all their skills, patience, and love to make the little boy act the way he does, but he must also be a huge talent. The same can be said about the child actors who play young Minoru (Arata Hinata), Yutaka (Kobayashi Ikuma), and Hozumi (Nagano Sora).

The cinematography matches the beauty of the script and the brilliance of the acting, and the soundtrack is as sensitive as the series as a whole – it never intrudes the characters' intimacy.

This series is so well written, brilliantly acted, and heartwarming that I can only recommend you to watch it in case you haven't already done that. ”Our Dining Table” reminded me a little of the Taiwanese series ”Papa and Daddy” which had a season 2, and I'd love to see Yutaka, Minoru, and Tane in a season 2 as well.

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One of the most heartwarming, brave and beautiful stories I ever seen

See theses two fall in love with each other and deal with this in their own way was truly the most heartwarming story I ever seen, Heal all my feeling, because was the first time that I noticed how was I am dealing with all my feelings in my way and this is not wrong. The acting I have to be honest, is perfect. For me I didn't noticed any bad points, the ost was pretty good too, all good balanced. The rewatch value for me is funny because I'm "late" writing this review because I rewatch again just after the moment I finished. It's worth. The story was beyond off just a superficial love, we can fall in love for EVERY detail without forcing. I just want to say that I need more dramas like this and see them again and again.

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SO CUTE

one of my fave bls it's jsut so cute and sweet i love it. i first read the manga (go read it if you haven't!) and it was sooo good so when i heard about the show i HAD to watch. supringly it did not disappoint, a lot of bl manga and webtoons have actually been destroyed by being turned into a tv show.

this is one of the cutest bls out there, their connection is so pure and sweet. it really is perfectly paced, it didn't feel rushed at all and i felt like i really saw a genuine connection grow between the characters. the storyline with the food was just so unique too, there nothing else like it. and how can i write a review about it without mentioning tane! god he is soooo adorable and really was so sweet. he adds this pure and childlike element to the romance between the two mains, and the way he plays into interuppting or starting romantic moments between minoru and yutaka. also he's just really cute and always made me smile when he was on screen.

overall this is just so cute (i know i've said that a million times but it's because it's TRUE!), and such a beautiful story. also sweet that they didn't remove the kiss scene that's in the manga cuz i find its rare in japenese bl.

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Showcases how trauma can effect people in different ways

This drama is perfect for people who need something to sit down and watch that want a BL, but it's not spicy or has plot holes and no communication. There's a lot of communication between Minoru and Yutaka that many BL dramas should have. The clear boundaries Yutaka has and keeps enforcing throughout the drama of "Change is hard" and "Please ask before doing something bold" is a perfect embodiment of hiw many people cope with trauma that isn't usually talked about. Yutaka holds his own and does not change midway through the drama because he finds himself enjoying this way of living, but rather opens himself and vulnerablizes himself slowly, which is very real and comforting. Minoru's character is an embodiment of an older siblings thoughts and feelings. (For me, at least.) He tries to hold strong for a long time himself. The respect he shows for Yutaka, especially during the scene where Yutaka has to stay home sick, makes my own heart flutter. He shows himself as a tough exterior who isn't understood within his family. I love this drama. Comfort drama!!

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Trauma healing through love and found family

Wow, I really don’t have much to say about this drama than it’s very much a must watch if you love fluffy romance.

It’s rare that I love a Japanese bl as it’s uncommon for me to find one that doesn’t include ten thousand tropes or some kind of scene that makes me feel uncomfy. This show did great at balancing the trauma background with the wholesome sweet moments that helped heal that trauma.

First off I really want to speak on tane’s importance to the story. Some could argue that tane wasn’t as important to the plot as minoru, but after watching this, there really were so many moments where tane pulled the plot together in such a perfect way. the way tane was able to consistently break the tension when it got too thick was perfect, even if annoyed us because it always happened at what could be considered at the worst times. It was honestly necessary though, because I doubt minoru and yutaka would’ve been able to get as close as they did without him. I honestly feel that if minoru had to deep of a talk with yutaka too early, then it would’ve broken any sense of comfort yutaka built with minoru.

now on to the relationship side. For those who only consider a relationship in a drama real with a really apparent really big kiss scene, I doubt this is your drama. For those who like slow burn romances, this is definitely up your alley. This show is definitely for those that love a story where the characters heal each other, without it being obviously in a romantic way. Minoru and yutaka both had traumatic backgrounds, minoru’s being growing up in a family with a sick mother who passes early, leaving the oldest son to help take care of the younger sibling, and yutaka being the adopted kid who had trouble fitting into his new family. Minoru helped yutaka get over his trauma and find an understanding of what it means to be mutually important to someone, while yutaka helped minoru regain the smile he lost after losing his mother. Minoru’s family becoming yutaka’s family really honestly is the most important plot line in this drama, and the romance coming second if you ask me, but I also just have a weak spot for found family tropes.

All together, please give this drama a chance, especially if you’re tired of the gritty, painful bl dramas that can often be found within the Japan bl category. It was so sweet and wholesome and the way everything unfolded perfectly really kept me hanging onto to this drama for dear life. Even the sad parts of this drama come out with a heartwarming solution. Definitely going to be rewatching this drama so many times.

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