One Room Angel (2023)

Questo drama è una delle poche eccezioni nel mio agrodolce (più agro che dolce) rapporto con le serie giapponesi. Di solito, per mio gusto personale, non apprezzo molto la recitazione di quel paese ma, in questo caso, non ho nulla da eccepire, almeno per quanto riguarda gli attori principali.

Adattamento televisivo del breve manga omonimo di Harada, One Room Angel è una miniserie in 6 episodi di 24 minuti ciascuno, per la regia di Eda Yuuka. Dovrebbe, a parer mio, essere preceduta da un avviso ben visibile: le tematiche trattate sono piuttosto pesanti, spaziando dalla depressione, alla violenza, all’omofobia, al suicidio, senza per questo voler essere esaustivi. Diciamo che non è un’opera per tutti ma, in realtà, pur non essendo una persona allegra di natura, e avendo anzi una visione piuttosto pessimistica e sconsolata della vita, mi sono ritrovata alla fine dell’ultimo episodio ad asciugare qualche lacrimuccia di commozione sentendomi sollevata. Vogliamo parlare di un percorso di guarigione? Chissà.

Certo un simile percorso pare averlo fatto Koki, un uomo che fa il turno di notte in un kombini, i piccoli supermercati giapponesi. Costui vive alla giornata, al limite della sussistenza, privo di ambizioni, estraniato da tutto e da tutti, senza in realtà avere alcuno scopo nella vita, neanche quello di viverla. Trovandosi apparentemente in fin di vita a seguito di una rissa, pare vedere un angelo venirgli incontro nei suoi ultimi istanti. Lo porterà in cielo? No, Koki si sveglia miracolosamente quasi guarito, con un debito astronomico da pagare all’ospedale e la stanzetta che chiama casa occupata dall’angelo, imbronciato, amnesico e incapace di volare. Lo accoglierà e, insieme, cominceranno il percorso di guarigione di cui sopra.

Qualcuno potrebbe non apprezzare la relazione fra i due: se è pur vero che c’è una disparità di età sconfortante – l’angelo è veramente troppo giovane! – è anche vero che in realtà nulla accade fra i due, e il rapporto è meno che platonico, praticamente soffuso di una luce interiore. Legati a doppio filo dal fatto che l’angelo percepisca ogni emozione di Koki, al punto che la negatività dell’uno fa perdere le penne delle ali all’altro, i due cercheranno di recuperare i ricordi perduti del giovane e di far tornare all’uomo la voglia di vivere, nella speranza che ciò permetterà all’angelo di tornare a volare. Già, le ali. Facciamo un veloce paragone con le orecchie di Yoda e… chiudiamola lì.

Aiutata da un cast di personaggi secondari limitato ma di buona efficacia e scrittura, la coppia riesce a trasmettere un cumulo disordinato di emozioni che afferrano alla gola. Se Shūhei Uesugi ha saputo rendere al meglio un Koki trasandato, ironico e depresso, l’angelo interpretato da Takuya Nishimura mi ha più volte attivato la modalità [i]madre sul piede di guerra [/i]per la sua petulanza e irriverenza. Ma, essendo così soffuso di angelica luce (sicuramente un filtro, eh?), come si fa a tirargli un ceffone?

All’accumularsi delle notizie sul passato di entrambi, in un crescendo che sa quasi di mistery, cominciamo ben presto a sospettare che One Room Angel sia un drama che non possa [i]finire bene.[/i] Perché un [i]angelo[/i] che può volare non è di questa terra.

Ora, non avendo letto il manga, non posso sapere se il finale sia esattamente uguale nei due casi. Certo è che le ultime battute hanno un senso di incompiutezza che lascia allo spettatore l’interpretazione del loro significato. Per conto mio, ho deciso di credere a una versione che non renda, di fatto, inutile tutto il percorso di guarigione di Koki.

In conclusione, un piccolo gioiello da vedere e rivedere anche quando, ormai, i colpi di scena saranno già conosciuti e svanirà l’effetto sorpresa. Non è per questo che One Room Angel è un drama da vedere.

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Heartwarming and Heartbreaking

This is one of the few BL mangas that Ive read, and this is a very faithful adaptation with very little seasonal modification. To be honest, im not even sure if we should consider this a BL drama. This is not for everyone - so be warned.

The series feels funny at the beginning but its masking a very sad, serious and depressing tale.

Koki saw an angel just as he was passing out after being stabbed. He woke up and recovered and when he went home he saw the angel - now devoid of his memory and with broken wings, the feathers falling off and is affected by koki's feelings. While spending the days trying to figure out how to heal the angel's wings, theyd'd discover the truth about themselves and become each other's strength. Later on they decided to date - and just as things cannot get any better, the angel felt that his wings are healed and is ready to fly, suddently diappearing. Was he really an angel, did he really appear to Koki, or was he just an imagination? Upon a visit by Koiki's mother, she saw a small feather - and that gave Koki the strength and hope that the angel wasnt imagination after all. he was real - and he will live his life. Or did he?

I was dreading to watch the last episode- after all, we all know from the start that this is a temporary setup. Seeing Takashina disappear and Koki realizing he is gone for real broke my heart. He knew that once he helped the angel heal his wings he will be gone for good and yet he cannot NOT help him. He loved him selflessly.

If not for the supernatural angle, the story between the main leads is a little suspect and can be uncomfortable at times- Koki was an adult man and Takashina is actually just in middle school so the age gap is a little concerning. The casting, however, is perfect! They pacing is as fast as the manga and everything was focused into advancing the story.

But like i said in the beginning, this series is heartwarming and gives hope, but it is also equaly heartbreaking. Its not for those looking for light and racy scenes, and if Im being honest, the ending could be translated into different things, but when the angel said he could have taken it slower - it could have meant Koki died too soon or he did eventually took his own life anyway.

Either way, im giving it a 9.0 for being different and for making me feel all lthese feelings i never thought id want to feel.

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painful and beautiful

I began watching this BL with no expectations. In the first episode, I encountered a character immersed in a dirty and disorderly environment, lacking the will to live. Surprisingly, he survived a close encounter with death, and a grumpy angel awaited him in his room after being discharged from the hospital.

As the story unfolds, we are led through a peculiar journey between Koki and his angel. Over time, Koki notices subtle changes in his life. Revisiting all these episodes, I realized that the plot goes much beyond. I've been through the same situation as Koki, and, bro it's dreadful, but just as he found a reason to live and discovered that life isn't so bad after all, I realize that this is a true work of art.

The relationship between them deepens as the angel reveals its fragility: its wings fall when Koki is sad. This unique dynamic adds an emotional layer to the plot, emphasizing the importance of small joys in Koki's life.

As Koki rediscovers himself and finds meaning in seemingly trivial things, the drama's message becomes clear: life, despite its challenges, reserves precious moments.

This BL not only captivates with its unique narrative but also offers a sensitive reflection on the importance of finding joy in small things and valuing life, even in the most challenging moments.

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different personalities blended beautifully in one room

Overall: I never thought I would fall for a sassy angel and a gloomy guy like I did. One Room Angel is based on the manga (same title) by Harada which I haven't read and I reviewed the series on its own. 6 episodes about 24 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala except Japan and South Korea, also aired on Viki.

Content Warnings: (there are some major content warnings mostly done in flashbacks, I've put them in a comment under a spoiler)

What I Liked
- good balance of seriousness/humor/sweetness
- mystery, we learned more and more about the characters as the series continued
- the mom
- production value

Room For Improvement
- the wings were a bit cheesy but they weren't terrible
- unrealistic that a person would be punched in the face several times and talk normally/not be bloodied or unconscious
- ending was confusing/too open ended

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Decent story but something is off

The story was actually pretty decent, slightly different than most and with interesting twists. The casting was great but I guess there was just something with the pacing, chemistry, cinematography and something that I just can my put my fingre on that did not really get. me emotionally involved or interested in the plot...

I understand that that may sound like I am contradicting myself, but truth be told something here was off... which kept me from fully enjoying this show, though i liked the story including the ending. Maybe something a higher budget could cure, maybe more screen time to fully explore the twists or maybe it just wasn't as good as a story as my mind wants it to be.

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I placed a potential spoiler at the end of this review.

This was an interesting, but slightly bizarre series. Overall, the script was not bad. It just felt a little underdeveloped and became dark at times (for me at least). I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion, but this is not really a BL series. However, this was not a problem for me. The main theme was how two individuals helped each other to come to terms with their past and look forward to the future.





******Potential Spoiler Alert******

Again, this is just my opinion. The only BL story element was there is a hint that one of Takashi’s classmates had a crush on him.

My main criticism is the ending was too ambiguous and a bit of a letdown.

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Emotional Platonic Bond, Heartwarming & Heartbreaking.

Not a BL and I feel it's misleading to market it as a romance. There was maybe potential for that but then you learn the angel is around 16 while the adult is in his 30s. It felt more like big and little brother to me. Seemed like a redemption of sorts for Koki's guilt about his own little brother.

Heartwarming and heartbreaking with an ending that is hopeful and really sad at the same time.

General Spoilers below.
It started somber but with some lovely understated humor and then got really heavy. It did get more positive and hopeful but it was heartbreaking at the same time because the angels's wings filling in meant he would leave at some point. The very last couple shots were weird and not satisfying; it seemed to imply an open ending but just left me confused.

It's too heavy and unsatisfying for me to watch more than once but it was well done, and well acted. I'm glad I watched it once as it did have some poignant messages handled in a tactful way.

Trigger warnings for accidental death, suicide, violence, and bullying.

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Not a BL, but a remarkable story

I didn't know what to expect from this since it has been marketed as a BL (as far as I can remember) but didn't see that from the trailers. I would consider this more of a bromance with a small crush/budding romance that happened between 2 male classmates but couldn't be fulfilled. Kouki has messed up his life and would rather die than live. He gets stabbed and dies, but somehow turns back to life with an angel waiting in his apartment. The two start to get closer and familiar with each other. At the end of the drama we can really feel that Kouki loves the angel and feels very attached to him, I cannot tell if it is romantic or platonic. Either way, it is love for sure. Kouki is able to enjoy life more and see it through a brighter perspective. The actors did a great job at conveying the characters.

The small side story of the two classmates is confusing. I don't know how realistic it is to bully someone you like because you are jealous or confused with them, but it left a very bad taste in my mouth. This is probably the intention from the director though. The school trip scene is even more confusing and weird. It just felt spastic and icky. I don't know how else to describe it.

I do have other complaints and confusions, slight spoilers ahead.

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My biggest issue with the drama is the ending. It is simply confusing and does not bring closure at all. Kouki did not get closure, and the last part where he looks in the camera and the angel starts talking is even more confusing. Did Kouki see the angel? Did Kouki decide to unalive? I really don't expect a season 2 so this feels even more frustrating. What is also confusing is the message that the film is trying to convey. Is it about making life better? Or about making deep bonds? Kouki picked his life up but his attachment to the angel really hit him.

Overall, while the effort is good and this was a very intriguing drama, I personally don't understand the enjoyment one would get out of this manga or drama. Perhaps it is not quite my cup of tea and I simply prefer less supernatural and obvious romance stories. I don't know who to recommend this to, I can't even explain why someone should see it. If we consider this drama for the first 5 episodes, it is quite strong and leaves a unique impression. With the inclusion of episode 6, it becomes more meaningful but also more murky. If you are interested in the setting, give it a try, but don't expect romance other than the two hugging.

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A good start for the year

This was such a good watch as the first show of the year. A sweet, hopeful, and cozy watch, with adorable and sympathetic characters you enjoy watching and rooting for. It is a very balanced story with proper mystery elements, dramatic buildup, and emotional stakes, as well as, sweet moments and appropriate humor to keep viewers entertained. Nothing was overdone here. No over-the-top emotional meltdowns or exaggerated humor (which is my main point of dread while watching Jdramas). The plot is not complicated but it works and while there were certain plotholes, they didn't harm the story nor negatively impact the flow so it would be a bit nitpicky to point them out when they were so insignificant.

Summary: A man is stabbed in an alley and left for dead but miraculously recovers after seeing an angel. When he returns home, he finds the angel to be very real and still very much there, crankily asking for food and informing him that he has amnesia and nowhere to go. The humanitarian move would be to give the poor angel a place to stay and so Koukisan does just that!

Plot: As I already explained, it's a cute story that mainly leaves you with warm and fuzzy feelings. It's balanced, not too long nor too short, and every important question of the plot is answered by the end. A lot of aspects are resolved off-screen however as the plot is very character-driven and only focuses on the dynamic between Kouki-sad and the angel which...can be interpreted differently based on the viewer's preferences I guess. For me, it was just a sweet dynamic and I enjoyed their easy banter and development throughout.

Acting: The only real actors of this are the two main characters. While others appear briefly, they are not very significant so I am mostly ignoring them. But the main two actors were both great with Nishimura Takuya having the best deadpan delivery of jokes and just generally looking so angelic and disgruntled at the same time. He comes across as innocent and pure and simple and it was so good. Uesugi Shuhei was also great for his part as he showed the character's development and changes both with on-point expressions and body language. His emotional acting was also very touching and clawed at my heart which I thought was impressive to achieve with only 6, 25-minute long episodes.

Music and production: Tbh, I didn't even notice the music, sorry. Production... it was perhaps cheap? There wasn't much to it as it was mainly the inside of the eponymous "one room" of the title. That said, it doesn't *look* cheap. It looks just well enough for the show. Some flashback scenes to Kouki-san's past felt a bit under-budgeted but since they were not relevant to the present plot, I can forgive the vague setting. In the end, any shortage was covered by good directing choices.

Rewatch: I never rewatch but I can see the value in rewatching this for others. It's short enough.

Overall: Loved it! Recommended. I'm glad to start the year with a good show.

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Strangely Beautiful

This was strangely beautiful. The story of a man who is deeply depressed with his life. He was stabbed after standing up to bullies, he lost his job, couldn’t pay his bills, and his brother was a gangster. He said over and over again that he wished he would have died because he had no reason to live.

Enter the Angel (complete with huge white wings). Throughout the series we learn more about Angel and what happened in his life. His story was heartbreaking but we already know he is an Angel.

The two spend time together and fulfilled each other’s needs. Happiness.

There was no intimate or steamy scenes. No kisses. But do we really want to see a sex scene between a grown man and a boy angel?? This was designated as a BL because they absolutely loved each other.

Loved this so much even through the sadness. This should bring hope for people with depression that help can be found in the most unexpected places.

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Bittersweet Yet Hopeful

This story itself is far from simple. Although it has a unique quality of seeming like it does, it is quite complex and very deep, and I loved it because of its deceptiveness. The story is bittersweet and profoundly sad in parts yet focused on making life worth living. This is a very odd story and one that ought not to have worked. There are very unpleasant and shocking realities in this series that are painful to watch. What the beauty of this series has done has turned the ugliness of those realities into redemption and allows for the simple acts of relating to each other in soft, gentle, everyday ways to reignite our love of life that was lost. I know this short weird rather unorthodox hesitatingly named a BL which it is not, but that does not mean it has no imagery of love. It is impactful, heartfelt, and mournful but in an oh so quiet, tender, and moving way. It touched me deeply.
You can read my full review of this stunning series at BLBliss.com.

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I've known about its manga once the drama adaptation was announced. I already know about the heavy topics it'll discuss once it airs but what I haven't known is how heartwarming and fluff this is. The actors did great. It's the first time I've seen the actor who played "Takashi/Angel" act so I was impressed how he delivers the role well. He actually, really looks like an agel too. If you're in for fluff I would highly recommend this. Just be careful of trigger warnings such as "suicide, violence and bullying".

PS: The ending might not be for everyone. 🥹 If you're not a FujoDanshi you may unable to see the BL potential of this.

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