Love is multi-faceted, but we often tend to show our best sides to the people we are attracted to rather than the depths of who we are. The new Japanese BL Punks Triangle takes two young men and one mistaken identity to reveal not only a blooming romance, but two sides of who each of them are.

Adapted from the manga of the same name by Okita Yuho, Punks Triangle introduces us to fashion student Sumiura (Nagano Ryota), whose dream is to see his designs hit the runway worn by the very model who inspired him: AE. That chance seems within reach when he enters a prestigious competition, but things get complicated when he’s paired with Enaga (Fujibayashi Yasunari), a classmate who is clumsy, rough around the edges, and seemingly the complete opposite of what Sumiura needs to win. Everything changes one night when Sumiura finds himself in danger, only to be rescued by AE himself. What he doesn’t realize is that the idolized model AE is actually his classmate Enaga in disguise, setting up a deliciously messy triangle of identity, attraction, and self-discovery.

As a fan of the manga, I was immediately impressed by how closely the first two episodes followed the source material. Both Sumiura and Enaga are as multifaceted and nuanced as I hoped they’d be, with standout performances by Nagano Ryota and Fujibayashi Yasunari. Although Sumiura isn’t hiding an alter ego the way Enaga is concealing his double life as AE, he still masks his easygoing, innocent nature behind an exterior of cool determination. It’s a duality that makes him compelling to watch, especially as his layers start to peel away.

And for me, that’s what makes Punks Triangle so captivating. In the classroom, Sumiura sees Enaga as the clumsy, awkward peer who can’t quite keep up. But when Enaga becomes AE, he transforms into the confident, alluring model who awakens Sumiura’s romantic dreams. At the same time, Enaga uses his classroom persona to downplay his sharp edges, while at home, or on the runway, he leans into the bold, confident man who is just as intrigued by dismantling Sumiura’s innocence as he is by his growing feelings for him.

This back-and-forth between personas creates a fascinating push and pull. They spend part of the story being their “public” selves and part of the story being the people they want to be seen as, which makes their attraction feel layered and deeply human. Of course, Sumiura’s ignorance about Enaga’s true identity is a secret that’s bound to explode, and when it does, it promises to add even more tension to an already electrifying connection.

For now, I’m enjoying every moment of the chemistry building between them, the small ways they open each other up, and the slow unraveling of the walls both have built around themselves. It’s heartfelt, messy, and addictively fun to watch.

For a series about mistaken identity that manages to capture the heart, check out Punks Triangle, now streaming on GagaOOLala.

Rating- 4 out of 5