Category Archives: Japanese Reviews

“At 25:00 in Akasaka Season 2” Series Review (Ep.3 to 10)

Relationships aren’t always perfect or anything close to what outsiders think they should be. Sometimes the person we fall in love with is the one who quietly reminds us of the version of ourselves we most want to grow into, even when getting there is messy. That’s the heart of At 25:00 in Akasaka Season 2, the continuation of the story adapted from Natsuno Hiroko’s manga 25 Ji, Akasaka de, once again starring Niihara Taisuke as Shirasaki Yuki and Komagine Kiita as Hayama Asami, two actors whose love began in a complicated blur of fiction and truth.

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“Love Begins in the World of If” First Impressions (Ep.1 & 2)

Love Begins in the World of If drew me in from the first scene and carried me into a suspended, almost enchanted world where every detail feels attuned to the heart. Adapted from Sachi Umino’s novel – a writer with a rare gift for portraying love that feels vivid, grounded, and emotionally sincere – this Japanese BL drama offers a breath of fresh air to anyone seeking stories that move past the surface.

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“Takumi- Kun Series” Series Review (Ep.1 to 6)

Confusion. I just did not get this series. Perhaps had I known this was composed of snippets of movies/series, I might have appreciated it more. I assumed it was a stand-alone series. Not having seen any of the previous references, I was at a loss as to the subtle references. Frankly, trying to make an anthology out of several movies/series is a fool’s errand and those of us trying to watch this are engaging in a fool’s task. Having said that, the account as presented does have some merit, and I found several subplots it was trying to emphasize, noteworthy. The rest of it merely became fluff and was perfunctory.

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“The Journey to Killing You” Series Review (Ep.3 to 6)

Love doesn’t choose an ideal place or time to happen. It comes out of nowhere, even amidst the most impossible of circumstances. And that’s exactly what happens in The Journey to Killing You, a Japanese BL adapted from Asai Sai’s manga Anata wo Korosu Tabi.

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“School Trip: Joined a Group I’m Not Close To” First Impressions (Ep.1 & 2)

High school can be a difficult time or a great one, depending on the personal journey of each student. It’s either a time you never want to forget, or one you wish you could bury and never think about again.

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“Punks Triangle” First Impressions (Ep.1 & 2)

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.

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