BLISS RATING: ★★★★+
“What I remember most about high school are the memories I created with my friends.” – J. J. Watt
Joy! That was the first word that popped into my mind when I thought about this wondrously charming series. It is a word that we do not often use much to describe BLs anymore. But it just seems to fit so accordingly here. I have not felt so good about watching a ‘BL’ in a long time. I hesitate to call it that though. It feels more like a coming-of-age tale with a hint of adolescent romance that will remain with the two of them for the rest of their lives. You never forget your first love; and nothing is ever as impactful as your first love either. It stands unique among all your loves – whether he (or she) is the only one you love for the rest of your life or just one of many you fall in ‘love’ with throughout your life. The first always stands out.
The characters in this story are so refreshingly cute and relatable that the time watching this series seemed to have flashed by. While the ‘group’ was the ‘in’ group, they never thought they were (in reality, they did not even know each other); others gave them that title. That is what gave this series its earthy charm. The four of them simply ran with it and in a rather tongue-in-cheek fashion played along. In this group, however, one wanted someone from far. An outsider. Perhaps feeling a bit like a refugee, Hioki Asahi (Fujimoto Kodai) is in a class away from his other friends. In this new class, it is now time to find a group for the school trip. Knowing no one, Hioki is dreading what to do when he is suddenly approached to join the group with the four most handsome guys in the school. He simply cannot understand why he is being asked to join. The factor in his acceptance into the group is because Watarai Tsukasa (Kan Hideyoshi) has for a long time been enamored with Hioki. From a distance and this was his way of getting to know Hioki better and for the group to expand its image.
Who really S.T.O.L.E. this series? This is a great ensemble cast of actors and actresses. All are impressive in making this whole series come alive and feel relevant and dynamic. There is one actor who does stand out among the rest, however. Not in any one specific area but simply in the way he carries himself. Fujimoto Kodai as Hioki Asahi has a natural charm and a lovable boyish beauty that gives him a sense of sweet innocence that feels genuine and authentic. Nothing he says or the way he says it feels forced or contrived. It feels like he is saying it for the first time. Sometimes looking awkward. Sometimes candid. It all feels so natural and genuine. I could not help feeling like I was actually watching two guys form a relationship for the first time in all its innate beauty as well as clumsy forebodings. Fujimoto Koda was the absolutely ideal choice to play this part with his angelic looking face, his sweet innocent smile, and the look of wonderment on his face as to the greatness of love that was facing him; looking deeply in love (as a teenager) with Asahi. Not overly dramatic but slow, steady, consistent growth in who Hioki was and how we would naturally progress. Fujimoto Koda showed us all the developmental stages that a young man would go through who knew who he was, trusted the friends around him, and accepted the feelings, although unknown to him, at face value and decided that they felt right for him and he in turn felt right in returning those feelings. It was at it should be. No more and no less. Life unfolding like a flower opening for the first time. He gave us something magical to watch. Kudos to acting with naturalness and genuine understanding of who the character of Hioki was and also feeling secure enough to easily go with the flow all around him.
This series is impossible to dislike. It hits all the right notes and emotions. It gets close to being overly sweet and Pollyanna but never crosses into being overindulgent. Given the dynamics of the culture and setting, I understand its hesitation in going deeper into the dynamics of Hioki and Watarai’s relationship. It was ‘puppy-love’ not meant to be taken seriously. Watarai did tend to go overboard with his possessiveness, and it was obvious that he wanted more out of the relationship than merely as we like to call it ‘first base’. But he was always respectful of Hioki’s hesitation and of being on a different level than he was. Hioki maintained his sweetness and naiveness throughout, giving him an added charm and innocence. He always looked like someone who has been given a great gift and still cannot believe he has it and is worthy of it. Yet, what you had were two surprisingly strong personalities fitting together perfectly. Watarai more of an Alpha male but strong enough and secure enough to know not to push too hard. Watarai, while Beta, was secure enough in who he was to set his limits and define the perimeters of what the relationships will and ought to be – on his terms. And it all worked – charmingly.
This is one of the best coming-of-age stories to come out of Japan in a long time. While I found the actors exceptional, the screenplay top-notch, it just feels too polished to be believed. Especially with this story never getting beyond the slice of life in today’s world of teenagers, there should have been no reason for actors and actresses reflective of the age of the characters to not have been used. Then perhaps the polished slick look of the series would have been different. More raw, organic, real. There would have been a greater sense of realism to the series. They would not be ‘looking back’ to gain the motivation for the scene but be ‘looking forward’. A huge difference in how the end product would have come out.
The rawness, the fears, the genuineness on their faces would have been tangible. I could simply tell most of the performers were trying to ‘act’ young. While their performances were great, the emotional impact in their characterizations was simply not there. You cannot be 17 when you are not 17, no matter how hard you try. Something always feels off and the further away from that you are, the less emotional connection you will have to the characterization. It just feels unconvincing. Additionally, someone in their 20’s cannot physically pull-off being 17. They just do not look it. Sorry, but they do not.
Nonetheless, this is still a great series that is well acted with a tight script and an overall charming and enticing story.
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