Japanese BL/Gay - BL and Gay dramas and movies from Japan

Very long short-film.

Old school generic Japanese BL.

Not BL perhaps--but seems to have a big gay theme in the plot. 

Old school generic Japanese BL.

Old school--from when Japan was the only place to go for BL and most of you were in diapers ;P ... By today's standards; the series of movies is crappy.

One of many sequels for old school Japanese BL-junk-adaptation of the "Takumi Kun" series of manga.

Another sequel of the adaptations of the "Takumi Kun" series of manga.

Yet another sequel of the adaptations of the "Takumi Kun" series of manga.

...aaaand yet another sequel of the adaptations of the "Takumi Kun" series of manga.

Not BL in itself. Contains gay characters? I don't know, since I haven't read the manga upon which it's based. But I might watch this... for one reason. I used to work as a redrawer for the scanlation of the manga... (Which I probably shouldn't mention, but whatever.)

Short.

Based on one of the best BL/gay-themed mangas ever written.
(Two volumes, by mangaka Mizushiro Setona--which recently were released in English by Seven Seas. And immediately landed in my book shelf. I had to wait 10 years for that...) 

I was equal parts thrilled--and nervous--before watching it. But I was pretty sure that even if it might turn out crappy, it's still an adaptation of a phenomenally good comic--so I would probably love it no matter what.

So... how'd it end up, then...?

I loved it. 

Not just because I'm happy every time I get live action adaptations of my favourites--but because it's GOOD. I have absolutely no idea why some people disliked it, and the ratings are fairly low. It caught the manga very well, and the direction and acting was pretty great.

I'll definitely update with an elaborated mini-review when I find the time...

Oh boy. 

I'm hesitating between 5,5 and 6. And to be honest--that score would be lower if it weren't for the decent production. 

I'm a die-hard fan of Yamashita Tomoko, the mangaka behind the original work. It's not one of her best, but I do love it and own every volume. So it hurts to be this ruthless :S

This was bad... A bad adaptation of the manga--but also a bad movie in itself. Probably even worse for someone who hasn't read the comic... 

Bad casting choices (actors are okay but their interpretations are way off from the original characters), stupid changes in story and script, a very important character is wiped out entirely, focus is almost exclusively on visuals (which are nice, including decent SFX) and the fluidity and continuum of the story is just ignored completely... It's one hot, choppy, jumbled mess... 

The writing is the biggest issue--the movie has no coherency, no depth or exploration of either story nor relationships--which makes both shallow, unconvincing and random. The characters in the manga are fairly well fleshed out but above all, their relationships are thoroughly cemented. Here they were, like... "Huh? How? When?" From "hello" to "destined" in zero time, without an explanation. The manga is a slow story, here it's crammed into an hour forty. Doesn't work out...

And it was a huuuuuge mistake to erase the comedy and try to make it "creepy". The result becomes ridiculous instead :S The original work is nutty, insane and over-the-top, but it's self-aware and has a lot of humour.

Oh, about the romance/bromance? Almost gone. Mainstreamed.
Sure, it's vague in the manga, but it is there--mostly through innuendoes and slight stuff that gives a very slow development from "inexplicable attraction" into bromance into romance. (I'd be very surprised if Yamashita Tomoko doesn't make the outcome romantic.)

Short special episode for the drama "30-sai made Dotei dato Mahotsukai ni Narerurashii", following the side couple Tsuge and Minato. 

Not BL, but is supposed to have gay characters. I've got to say that the premise sounds quite irresistible--and very unique. I haven't been able to find it, though.

This does belong on the list. The MC likes guys and does not identify with, nor does he want to be, a woman. (Which would have made him straight.) He wants to be a guy (who crossdresses) and likes guys = he's gay.

Short special episode for the drama "30-sai made Dotei dato Mahotsukai ni Narerurashii" (damn, that title's always a bitch to write...) 

I literally went "OHMYGAWD!" when I saw that this is coming as a drama. YES! YES! YES!
Based on an absolutely lovely one-shot manga--and this mini-drama turned out quite lovely, too. A bit of a different flavour compared to the earlier years of Japanese BL--fully in line with the freshness and "closer to reality makes it more beautiful, not less so", that they've delivered during the past couple of years. 

Sweet, quite simplistic and lacking all that over-the-top melodrama/exaggeration in acting and direction, that used to wreck far too many Japanese productions. An EXCELLENT choice of manga to adapt to a Live Action--and an excellent result, as well. It managed to catch the air and feel of the original work, bringing it to life with dedicated and believable acting and script.

Yay!

(Btw; If you read comics and decide to read/have read the one this is based on--do not miss out on the larger work which this one has more or less copied. "Complex", by Manda Ringo. Get through the first, messy part--and you will be rewarded with a knock-out of a BL...)

DO NOTICE the extremely gratifying cameo in the end--our (at least my) beloved boys from Taiwanese BL-drama "HIStory 3: Make Our Days Count" make a quick appearance! :D (I literally shouted and jumped up and down). Without spoiling too much--it was somehow a little bit of comfort to see them in an "alternative universe" as opposed to the actual drama...

One of the most charming, and different, gay themed dramas from recent years--a great example of the super-refreshing new path that Japanese BL/Gay has chosen to explore. Straight-forward, more realistic every-day type of stories, far from the fluffy and silly junk they've churned out previously. (Other titles would be "Fujoshi Ukkari Gei ni Kokuru", the "Ossan" series and "My Brother's Husband"--the latter I unfortunately haven't been able to get my paws on. Yet.)

This is SO charming, SO lovable, SO down-to-earth and just... cozy.
Feel-good.
Like a nice, hearty meal. ("Kinou Nani Tabeta?" = "What did You Eat Yesterday?")

"Kinou Nani Tabeta" movie - upcoming 2021.

Special for the drama "Kinou Nani Tabeta?"

Haven't watched it, but I just gotta' say; How epic is that title?