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BL BLISS
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Apotheosis: the apex or pinnacle of something

The Best So Far for 2023

1. Till The World Ends. This gem deeply affected me with its simple love story with a cast of characters who are relatable and loving. While others, represented evilness. But even some of their qualities were motivated by love. Nothing is so black and white. I was so moved by this series. A + + + +

2. The Star Always Follow You. This is an astonishing and brilliant story of love from three different perspectives. All done with serenity and perspective of ordinary people living in ordinary places. The theme is love and the fragility of it in ordinary life. Never take it for granted. A + + + +

My Top Picks for 2022

The following are my absolute favorites BLs that came out in the year 2022 in rank order:  

1. 180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us       Thailand        Drama 

2. Love At The End of The World                                 Philippines     Fantasy

3. Not Me                                                                        Thailand         Action   

4. Bad Buddy                                                                  Thailand         Romance

5. About Youth                                                               Taiwan            Romance 

6. Rainbow Lagoon                                                        Thailand         Romance

7.  Country Boy 2                                                           Thailand         Romance  

8.  Plus and Minus                                                         Taiwan           Romance

9. Heartstopper                                                             England          Romance

10. The Promise                                                            Vietnam          Romance 

11. In Your Heart                                                          China               Romance 

12. Badhaai Do                                                             India                Comedy

13. Rainbow Prince                                                      Philippines     Romance

14. To Sir, With Love                                                    Thailand         Drama

15. Male Entertainer                                                    Thailand         Drama


  · 180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us: This is one of the best screenplays I have ever seen along with some of the finest acting in any series from any country. It is simply brilliant and the closest thing to the definition of a Masterpiece. It is simply breathtaking to watch. Its cinematic excellence in presenting the actors in the most sensually visualized fashion is pure genius. I have compared this to watching “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” as a study on how to dissect a human by intellectual surgery. 

· Love At The End of the World:  This almost made it to the number one spot because of its brilliance in Avant Garde symmetry, eroticism, and intensity It is like nothing you will ever see. 

· Not Me: This is a political-social message told through the eyes of love between unlikely individuals. It tackles social injustice with individuals trying to find love in a world that seems destined to be against them.

· Bad Buddy: It is a sweet story of a love between two friends who are supposed to be family enemies. Sure, there are a few bumps along the road, but it does not pretend to be anything other than what it is.  It made a ‘gay relationship’ feel nice and normal. 

· About Youth: This is the best coming-of-age series I have ever seen, be it straight or gay. It is a saga of love between two young couples feeling and experiencing love for the first time. 

· Rainbow Lagoon:  This short series is a soft, gentle love story displaying a deeper connection with each other because they essentially take the time to put aside differences and see the other. Its beauty is in its simplicity.

· Country Boy 2: This gem is more of a ‘feelings’ series than a visual one. You can feel the love between the two main characters with one of the characters living in a world, perhaps his own, that is a Utopian one. He finds complete joy in living and is grateful for the even the shortest time with the person he loves. Living in his world will be nothing but love for the remainder of their lives.

· Plus and Minus: Two love stories are told simultaneously. One is a pre-destined love story that is initially rejected but is brought together by a symbol while the other is developed through a slow process of seeing love nurture because of the things that connect them to each other. 

· Heartstopper: It tells its story with grit, brutality, and above all, veracity. These characters are relatable, feel like real people, and display the characteristics of their personality from the beginning.

· The Promise: A saga that is an astonishing and brilliant concatenation of a love story between two stepbrothers told by deep reflection as if in the past yet remaining hopeful for the future. 

· In Your Heart: This story is a journey of understanding who they are to each other and what they mean to each other. They have been and shall always be in love with each other. They are soulmates even if they do not fully understand that yet or fully comprehend its power. 

· Badhaai Do: This is a complex story of an Indian man and woman who hide their true identities in plain sight but end up failing miserably at trying to escape the prying eyes of their families. It gives new meaning to the color lavender.

· Rainbow Prince: While panned by others, this series is an exercise in freedom from the shackles of what a BL should be. It took a BL and turned it into a make-believe enchantment that was fun, entertaining, and made you feel good. It is the first musical fantasy BL that little boys can now romanticize about as a fairytale. 

· To Sir, With Love: This is a lakorn of Biblical proportions. It is so much fun to watch and encompasses a love story, subtle in presentation, but profound in meaning. Its message can be summed up in one word – RESPECT.

· Male Entertainer:  This sees and presents the uglier side of the sex industry in Thailand and is presented in docudrama format. It is simply brilliant and profoundly moving as it presents the life of sex workers as nothing more than tools to be used.

  

Indeed, this is an eclectic list mostly based on personal impact. All of these had deep connections with others but not always in positive ways. Watching these should mean something and you should feel its message. And I did with all of these.


If you have not seen these series, I highly recommend viewing these before they get lost to history. Sometimes, it is good to just stop and take a breath and see what is already out there before we tackle new ones. These 15 are the best of the best in 2022!!

My Top Picks for 2021

The following are my absolute favorites that were released in 2021.

1. Country Boy                                                 Thailand              A + + + +

2. Utsukushii Kare                                             Japan                    A + + + +

3. Happiness Flies Far Away                            Vietnam               A + + + +

4. Word of Honor                                              China                    A + + + +

5. Fools-The Friends                                         Vietnam                A + + + +

6. Restart After Coming Back Home              Japan                    A + + + +

7. Follow My Sunshine                                     Vietnam               A + + + +

8. Call It What You Want 2                               Thailand              A + + + +

9. Light                                                                Taiwan                 A +++ (+)

10. Call It What You Want 1                             Thailand              A + + +

11. Sea Him                                                        Vietnam               A + + +

12. Y - Destiny                                                    Thailand              A + + +


While there have been other exceptional BLs in 2021 and a number of them could be on a “Honorable Mention” List, these are my favorite, in ranked order. Perhaps number 1 is a bit of a surprise. It should not be. This by a ‘country-mile’ is THE best. It is not pretentious. It is so beautiful in its simplicity and its basic message of involvement. Sure, there are no passionate romances here, but it is not needed. Love is expressed in many ways and sometimes it is expressed quietly, softly and in whispered tones but oh so heart-rendering. This is one of those rare gems that told a story of goodness and kindness and human drama in a most unimposing way. I simply loved it.


This indeed is an eclectic list mostly based on personal impact. All of these had deep connections with others but not always positive ones. I know my last pick is another surprise, as it has been panned by so many. It is a misunderstood series that sometimes got lost in its weight of so many stories. But they portrayed love in complex ways in complex situations culminated and manifested in one of the best final scenes of a series I have ever seen. 


If you have not seen these series, I highly recommend viewing them before they get lost to history. Sometimes, it is good to just stop and take a breath and see what is already out there before we tackle new ones. These 12 are the best of the best!

My Top Picks for 2020

The following are my absolute favorites that I viewed in 2020.

  1. Until We Meet Again (2019-2020) - Thailand        Rating: A++++
  2. 2Gether/Still Together (2020) - Thailand                   Rating: A+++
  3. Honey Sir (2020) - China                                               Rating : A+++
  4. Fujoshi, Ukkare Gei Ni Kokuru (2019) - Japan           Rating: A+++
  5. Theory of Love (2019) - Thailand                                Rating: A+++
  6. Boy's Lockdown (2020) - Philippines                          Rating: A+++
  7. I Told Sunset About You (2020) - Thailand                Rating: A+++
  8. To An KY (2020) - Vietnam                                           Rating: A++
  9. Where Your Eyes Linger (2020) - Korea                    Rating: A - -
  10. History 3: Make Our Days Count (2019) - Taiwan   Rating: A+++


Must-See BLs

The following are BL series I think should be on everyone’s list to absolutely see. They are not necessarily always the top-rated or most highly rated series or maybe even the best acted. But in some way, they have changed the direction of the concept of BL or had a significant impact on where these series are going. They have stood the test of time or in some way had a classic or masterpiece feel about them that just makes them so special that they stand out. They have solicited in me a sense of awe, wonderment, or an emotional response that go beyond what is felt in the moment. They left me with a lasting impression. Since these are highly subjective, no one needs to agree with this list. It is meant to be a starting point. 

The bottom line is that this list will not decrease but only increase as new ‘classic’ series or movies emerge. 

Yours to enjoy! 


Recommended from the year 2020:

  1. Addicted (Heroin) - China        This is one of the earliest BL series made and is from China. Quite honestly it is a masterpiece of rawness, and grittiness, and what real life is all about.  One of only less than a handful from Mainland China, it feels a bit incomplete because the Chinese government shut it down and forbad further episodes and forbit both main actors from working together again. Enough said. 
  2.  Sotus - Thailand       The ‘granddaddy’ of BL series. It is one of the earliest series that profoundly affected the tone, texture. And direction of other BL series especially in Thailand. It does not have a feeling of being so contrived or formulaic. Its message is one of questioning old ways while maintaining its own sense of character development leading to relationships despite discord.
  3. My Brother's Husband - Japan      An incredibly profound study of Japanese cultural taboos about gay relationship but how simple acts of kindness, connections, and the innocence of youth can turn minds and attitudes.  
  4. Tien Bromance - Vietnam    One of the most unusual BL series ever made. It is dark, macabre, and filled with torturous circumstances. The glue that keeps it together is the love two guys have for one other and their unequivocal commitment to each other. This Vietnamese series breaks the mold of what a BL series should be like and goes its own way.  
  5. Stigma - Philippines      This is NOT a BL series in the classic sense. But it does have gay characters that tell a remarkable story of four friends in a platonic and intense connection with each other that rivals the standard formula of BL series. Ironically, they display the purest form of love between men that I have ever seen.  
  6.  If I Love a Boy - Thailand     This is an astounding series involving very young boys who are going through puberty and suffer from ‘puppy love.” It is honestly portrayed and is ground-breaking in seeing young boys sensing their own feelings of sexuality. A remarkable series that could never be made in the USA because we will not or more importantly do not want to see it.
  7. Life: Love on the Line - Japan      A story of almost love lost. A brilliant story of how societal norms control the heart and love from the mind. It is tragic but not completely so but profoundly painful to experience. Every gay person who has ever been in love has at one time or another gone through this.
  8. Evening Shadows - India      It displays with profound realism the external and internal conflicts of a gay relationship within conservative family members. But love and acceptance will win despite all the obstacles. It deals sadly with individuals who must live painful lives in the cloak of acceptance and the despicable acts that they will resort to in order to feel any sense of normalcy. 
  9. Mood Indigo - Japan      A raw gritty series that portrays a darker side to BL. It is full of angst but intense and profound lust. It is not a picture of love but its fantasy of hedonistic desires. Also, something that will never be.
  10. HIStory 2 - Taiwan       One of the stories involves a relationship between a younger guy and on older man who was married and has a daughter. It portrays the struggles and conflicts of having such a relationship especially when society already is negative about gay relationships in general. 


My additions from the year 2021:

  1. You Make Me Dance - Korea    A captivating and soft meandering love story between two very unorthodox individuals.  This is a brilliantly acted series of an unconventional love connection.
  2. One Love -The Series - Laos     I believe this is the first BL from Laos and so deserves some level of distinction. No, this little series is not earth-shattering, but it is so entertaining and makes you feel good about life in general.  
  3. Color Rush - Korea    This is a remarkable series. It is a magical story of intense love that must be seen to be appreciate how deep the love is. The performances are mesmerizing. In a real sense, they are soulmates linked forever.
  4. Innocent - Taiwan  This is a phenomenal story about a love for an individual who has a Disassociated Identity Disorder with brilliant acting. This is some of the finest acting in any BL series.
  5. Tick Tick Again - Myanmar This is an astonishing, stunning, breathtakingly moving series of love transcending eons. Its twist in love to the outcome is a destiny not expected or imagined yet seems like poetic justice. The nuances and subtleties of this love story within the confines of a repressed government is astonishing. It must be recognized for what it is - groundbreaking!
  6. He,He and He S1 & 2 - Hong Kong This is a funny down-to-earth series that is under the radar and should not be. It is simply hysterical with some of the funniest characters I have seen. Yet, tells stories of human nature that are so relatable and authentic. If you want to genuinely laugh with the characters and not at them, then watch these series. Entertaining just does not quite describe them.
  7. Love Victor S1 & 2 - United States  I know that the United States is certainly not in the forefront of BLs, but these series are worthy of some distinction. They are funny but still raw and gritty and painfully realistic. They are not afraid to show intense relationships that we know are sexual, not just a lot of innuendo. 
  8. Funny Boy - Sri Lanka A profoundly moving story about a boy growing up gay in a country where homosexuality is forbidden. A gritty story during the height of a bloody ethnic war in that country. The pain of being different is palpable. An awesome movie.
  9.  Goodbye Mother - Vietnam A movie about coming out to his family with the irony that the oldest person in the family uses her wisdom and powers of manipulation to show acceptance and approval. This is a masterpiece of storytelling about the tribulations of being different in a society that is not so accepting of behaviors outside the boundaries of defined normalcies. 
  10. The Immeasurable - Taiwan This is not a romantic BL but a story of love with the driving force being see -desire - take - do. Its center is a strong lustful, sexual relationship. 
  11. Present Perfect & Still Present Perfect - Thailand This is a story of love that was, but ended as a should have been, and eventually blossoms into what has to be. What must be. It is a love story that by fate just had to be. A profoundly moving story. 
  12. He She It - Thailand This is a work of genius and a breathtakingly poignant story of deep love that transcends corporal meaning. It is sad. A very short series that frankly says more with less. It is a cinematic masterpiece. 
  13. The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name - Hong Kong A deep love between two friends that only grows stronger over time and almost does not see the light. It is the best example of what love is between two men. Their love is under the radar as they are simply ordinary guys with an extraordinary love for each other.
  14. You Never Eat Alone - Thailand   This is not a BL in the classic sense of the concept, but it is a story of deep friendships that turn to bromance that turns to true love. It is a beautiful story of how to help someone with a mental health illness. This is love in the truest sense of the word. Warning: The production level of this series is just awful, and translations are even worse. But it is still an excellent portrait of real love that may or may not ever be realized. Stick with it. It is incredibly deep with emotions.
  15. Kieta Hatsukoi - Japan This is a funny and humorous look at love founded on a misunderstanding but becomes a story of love that should not have happened but did. There is also a refreshingly equal straight love story that is just as funny and also beautifully developed.

  

My additions from the year 2022. Note that all of these recommendations had a BLISS Rating of A +++:

  1.  55:15 Never Too Late – Thailand    a brilliant story of wishful thinking of going back to being 15 again. While you physically do, the rest of you remains 55. It becomes a story of comparisons. Bittersweet indeed. This series takes ordinary people and turns them back into another version of themselves as ordinary people.
  2. A Love Song for My Beloved – Vietnam   a romance story told along life’s journey to living. It shows different branches of choices people make in their lives and the outcomes to those choices. Sometimes, they are life-ending while others enhance the creation of beauty between individuals. 
  3.  Beef Cupcake & Him – Vietnam   this series shows how you can take an ordinary story and make it extraordinary. Its execution is a real work of art. This is a beautifully quiet saga of love that seems to develop so naturally and sincerely that you hardly notice it evolving. 
  4.  Old Fashioned Cupcake – Japan  is a simple basic narrative of love.  And proves that even in a repressed society filled with rules, protocols, and defined traditions, love can still find a way to flourish. Softly, gently, this love story is told through the eyes of two men just on the precipice of redefining their status in life to becoming ‘middle-age’. 
  5.  A Man Who Defies the World of BL – Japan  a story that pokes fun at itself and the whole world of BL. A parody if you will. What it does so aptly, in tongue-in-cheek fashion, is narrate the romance of what ‘BL’ is.
  6. DNA Says Love You – Taiwan  this is honestly a beautiful series to absorb because it takes you from the expected to the unexpected. More importantly, you feel these characters. This is ground-breaking in the sense that it tackles a fairly common condition with dignity and gives it a plausible ending.
  7.  Clik, Clak, Clok – Philippines a series that does not make sense, yet its love does. This love is as deep and as infinite as the universe. It is cutting edge and a bit Avant Garde. 
  8. Love Mechanics – Thailand  the harder the obstacles in their paths of two young men deeply in love, the more resolute their being together seemed inevitable with the chemistry between the two of them astonishing.
  9. Want To See You – Vietnam one was willing to give up his love to maintain his integrity and word-of-honor. A sacrifice perhaps many of us would not be willing to make. With the seal of promise now broken, can they be together?
  10.  Rak Dio – Thailand  is an oddly beautiful production. It felt like a throwback to earlier ‘sitcoms’ with colorful sets and a homey atmosphere. The story also created characters that stood out for their uniqueness and preciseness in their roles. 
  11.  Here I Come – Russia  is a simple story told behind a veil of secrecy, yet as open as the air we breathe. It is a message of hope and defiance that no matter what, love will endure. Irrespective of the form it takes or the cost to obtain. And a ground-breaking BL series from of all places Russia and filmed entirely in Russia. 
  12. My Policeman – England  a story of falling in love with a man and a woman and not having the freedom to choose. It dispels the notion that somehow the good old days were a “Golden Age”. This is a time when being gay was a crime and it was not that long ago.


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