Not-So-Micro BL Reviews

This is mostly me doing catch up on all the things that I have been watching/was watching and then abandoned when I found Midnight Museum and fell like a ton of bricks (this is still something that confuses me but what can you do, really?) It will be long - I missed or ignored a LOT for a while.

Catch Up Dramas:

All the Liquors - This one never did anything revolutionary, but I have to admit that I liked the awkwardness of Chef. I really liked BFF cutie though. He was seriously the highlight of the entire show for me. Cute, if mostly predictable and not really plot heavy. Very KBL kiss. 7.5/10

Our Dating Sim - This was just a little gem of a series. The chemistry was on point and the conflicts made sense from what we were given of the characters. For how short it was, the emotional arc was satisfying. It's a solid little drama, and I quite enjoyed it. Good kisses, too, and not just for a KBL. 8/10

A Shoulder to Cry On - I just don't think that this one was for me, and that's okay. Part of me feels like if I were younger it would have landed better - it's dealing with some pretty serious topics and yet something about it feels a little too OTT for me, like they're kids playacting at adult emotions rather than it being genuine. IDK. I wanted to like it more than I did. This is one of the ones where the time skip actually worked in its favor though. 6/10

The New Employee (I know, don't look at me) - you know, I don't know why I randomly stopped watching this. It's adorable, and it actually does manage to convey the business drama pretty well on top of the cute, which I didn't expect from such a short drama. They also made me really dislike Manager Park, so kudos to them for that. I do like that Jong Chan genuinely believes in Seung Hyun's ability, and that he encourages him in that capacity. Overall this show was just cute, okay? It was. 8/10.

Bed Friend - I had such high hopes for this one. High apple pie in the sky hopes, even. I love me a FWB that gets serious (even if King was clearly pining for more from like, day 1 I don't even care. I've been wanting that fix since Between Us (another one where at least one of the FWB was clearly ready for more almost immediately, but hey what can you do). And these two are very, very good at selling that they want each other so kudos for that (and they clearly still want each other after the feelings and do not turn into blushing maidens who apparently haven't heard of kissing before, Team)). But around the time the gross boss Krit decided to invite himself over for family dinner with worst mother and SA stepdaddy and worst mother was like "oh yes he's perfect for you, son" I tuned out and didn't bother tuning back in until recently. I feel like there's only so much misery you can pile on one character before I either stop caring or start finding it unintentionally hilarious. I have to keep reminding myself that I am a Westerner so I don't understand the family dynamics in these things, that's all. Honestly Uea's inability to cut his awful mother out of his life is just not something that I can resonate with. It does amuse me though how often parents in these dramas are either amazing or awful, with not a lot of in between, normal sort of hey, sometimes parents do dumb things too because they are fallible and human. I guess that doesn't make for good drama. King and Uea are very cute, though, and I do really like them when they get to just chill and be boyfriends with each other, although I have to admit the end got a little too saccharine for me. I swear I can be so picky, sigh. The show might not have fulfilled all my hopes, but once it got off the misery train it was fine. 8/10

Moonlight Chicken - I loved this drama. And the funny thing is that it was low on my radar - literally the only reason I was planning on watching at first was due to First and Khao. That was it. The plot wasn't even really my thing, I figured I'd just be waiting for those two to show up and that would be that. But nope, I loved it. This felt like just the kind of grown up drama I've been aching for, one that was ultimately less BL and more, well, life, with all of its complications and messes. It just so happened that the main characters were gay. More of this, please, Thailand. I promise you that there is an audience for it. I liked how messy it was, and in such a believable way. From Wen and Alan's extremely slow breakup to Jim's trauma becoming a sort of shield for him against opening up to people to Heart and Li Ming's wholehearted jump into a first relationship, the characters felt real and grounded and i loved it. No one was perfect (well, except Gaipa who is honestly a sweetheart too good for this world - I loved his huge crush on Jim even though I knew it wasn't gonna go anywhere, he was so sweet and unassuming about it, best unrequited love ever). Jim especially won my heart, because the way his walls worked was so relatable to me. I think that some people don't quite get how easy it is to shut yourself off, and how once you do it it is so much easier to just keep letting past trauma keep you from moving forward, not necessarily in ways that hinder your entire life, just parts of it. Jim's utter reluctance to let Wen in and his worry about Li Ming made so much sense to me. He'd been burned and burned hard, it's only natural that he'd want to protect his beloved nephew from the same pain, even though he went about it in the worst way possible most of the time. :D But that's not how it works for the young, and that's a good thing. Yeah, Li Ming might crash and burn, he and Heart might not be forever, but that's okay. I have heard people complaining that Earth is way too young to play Jim, but I honestly thought he suited the role, actually. It might be my favorite role of his yet. Final Verdict: 9.5/10. This was almost my perfect drama and if I could have more of this I would be delighted.

New (to me) Dramas

A Tale of a Thousand Stars - watched because of Our Skyy2. I wanted to be looking forward to more than just The Eclipse and Never Let Me Go, haha. It was fine. I really liked Tian, even when he was being a spoiled shit. There's something about Mix, I think, that makes him extremely watchable. I do not really feel that way about Earth and I was mostly annoyed by Phupha. *shrug* I wanted him to actually talk to Tian rather than making decisions for him - sure Tian was impulsive but so much of his problem was with his parents running his life, he didn't need that in a lover, too. Once Phupha pulled his head out of his ass it was better, but my goodness that took a while, didn't it? Also what is it with this pairing and these weird "does he love me or my sister/the woman who's heart I have" plots? Glad Moonlight Chicken moved away from that kind of plotline, even if I do actually really like Cupid's Last Wish (more than this one, actually - I get the sense that is unusual but I don't care, I love it). Overall though this wasn't bad, even if I felt like it dragged a bit in places. Am genuinely sad that they put Khaotung in a Earh/Mix vehicle and didn't have him gently pining over either of them. He did it so well in Moonlight Chicken, after all. Final Verdict: 8/10

Star and Sky - Star In My Mind & Sky in Your Heart - these were fine. I felt like there was a lot of drama over very little, but they're decent little slice of life kind of dramas. Easily consumed, easily forgotten. 6/10 for both.

Rewatches (because why the hell not right)

The Eclipse - I just love this drama. *shrug* It's so incredibly rewatchable. Plus, you know. I love Akk, he's exactly my kind of character. I honestly can't wait for the Our Skyy2 episodes but they look a little nuts. Honestly though I don't even care so long as we get some cute - I think that there were enough tears during the show proper. Yes both First and Khao cry well but still.

Cupid's Last Wish - You know, the first time I watched this I think that I said I was pleasantly surprised because I expected it to be a lot less obvious that Korn was so gone on Win that no one else even entered his big, dumb head. I was worried that it would be more of a "oh, I fell in love with you as a girl but it's still you" thing, and it...was very much not. I thought they also did a real good job walking the line between showing Win and showing Lin, and I have to give a lot of credit to Jan for her portrayal of Win as Lin. Pitch perfect, really. I say again, there's just something about Mix that is likeable - I've enjoyed him in ever single drama I've seen him in thus far, although Earth as Moonlight Chicken's Jim has my whole heart. He really shone in that role. My one quibble with this is how everyone just forgives the mom for being awful. I don't know, I guess I'm just a grudge holder. Anyway I originally rated this at a 7.5, but due to sheer rewatchability and how much fun I actually do find it, I'm moving it up to an 8.5/10. It's fun, I like it a lot, I will probably watch it again at some point.

Looking Forward To

I'm honestly kind of out of the loop with this! I don't really know what is coming up, so my list is very short:

Only Friends

Dangerous Romance

Both of them seem messy, messy, and i am ready for it. I also can't wait for the Utsukushii Kare movie but I'm going to have to, so.

I'm also excited for whatever comes up for the renewed drama shower slot for MBS. I wasn't a fan of all of them last year (I loved one of them beyond all reason, liked two, was meh on two and DNF one), but I love that I can look forward to at least one drama coming out of Japan for a while.

Whew! That wasn't so bad, was it?

Book Bites: Heroes Ever Die by J. A. Crawford

#BookBites Heroes Ever Die by J. A. Crawford @josephoforb @jacrawfordoforb "IN HIS WORLD, EVERYONE WEARS A MASK." #IRWYW @partnersincr1me @partnersincrimevbt @PICVirtualTours #Mystery #MIcroReviews

Read Our interview with the author here… A conversation with author J. A. Crawford Giveaway Ends 8/31 Come back later this month for a […] August 23, 2022August 23, 2022 Comic books are a fun vacation from reality, taking the reader into an alternate universe where things are normal but just a bit different, a bit more sensational. After reading this book, that is pretty much how I see Ken…

View On WordPress

do you know how happy I am when I'm taking photos of you?

magic of zero: zero photography

Last read: 'Before the coffee gets cold' by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

What I wanted: a cozy and slow read

What I got: four connected short stories about an unusual café which let's you travel through time - but only until your coffee gets cold. I enjoyed this little trip into the world of our small cast of characters and liked the different motivations that brought them there. That said the book was originally an theater piece and you can sense that a tiny bit while reading. I didn't mind the style, but heard that some have problems with it.

wow I hate everything abt the world

Took myself to see Madame Web as a silly treat for Valentine’s Day and here are my thoughts in bullet list form:

Why did it sound like everyone in the movie redubbed their lines

Can’t believe Emma Robert’s is now reduced to bit part in Sony Marvel film lols

Yes girls give us nothing

Reinforced my universal conspiracy theory that if you’re a single woman in your 30’s with no children than a child will be assigned to you.

It WAS bad

Picks from the 12-word RPG Jam

The 12-word RPG Jam has ended and I rifled through all the beautiful submissions I missed during the last few busy weeks. Here’s a few of my personal favourites, but please do explore the list yourself if you have the time!

A word or two before we start: Micro RPGs are pretty diverse; some might work similarly to the games you are used to, others are more abstract and yet again others exist purely for the artistry of it. Try and give them a fair chance, even if they seem odd or cryptic at first. Personally, I like to see them as sort of interactive poetry (not that poetry in itself isn’t interactive, but maybe not specifically created to be interacted with in the same manner) or a recipe to aid your playful instinct. It might also be good to know that most of these are free or pay what you want, so the risk on your side is very low. 😉

Blorbo the Goblin by RatGrrrl Games

This adorable little guy is perfect for the tumblr crowd – WHAT about Blorbo the Goblin? I love that the inclusion of Blorbo in this specific meme environment immediately makes them relatable, as this format is usually reserved for slightly awkward situations or achievements that seem unimpressive to most people. Maybe Blorbo is really good at raising butterfly larvae or they can make the perfect scone – either way you feel empathetic right away and imagining a little story for them can fill a few minutes in your day. Adopt a new (but different) Blorbo today!

God Said Let Civilizations Grow by S. L.

To be super honest, I feel like I’m playing this game every week in my fridge…albeit not on purpose. Which is why this intrigues me so: break up some crackers in a bowl, pour water over and wait until something starts growing – either mould or, depending on your choice of cracker, the odd little sprout, if there’s seeds in there. Purposefully creating what most of us would just throw in the trash gives you another perspective on life, I feel like. A very meditative game that I haven’t tried yet, but will soon (yes, I’m dead serious).

Afungus by W. H. Arthur

While we are on the topic of fungi, have another one. Picking up on the Among Us mechanics (which aren’t original, either, but certainly gained inspiration from what the teens and kids once called “Mafia” and is now more widely known as “Werewolf”) and the current trend in putting mushrooms in everything, this is a fun twist on the formula and super easy to understand when you’re familiar with the concept. Best of all, this one is playable as a group! A great filler in between other games when you’re already seated at the table or perhaps something to do while you wait for your pizza to come out of the oven. I’m a sucker for puns, space settings and humour, so this is right up my alley.

Story in a Jar by Eliot Silvarian

Small items often go unnoticed after a while – your last holiday souvenir is probably collecting dust on a shelf somewhere as we speak! One man’s trash is another man’s treasure: slip into the role of a tiny person living in your own home and re-imagine the use of some of the trinkets, baubles and bric-a-brac you have lying around. That guitar pick you never use might make a durable tabletop, a pair of dried-up acorns could be holed out and repurposed as baskets and the hands on your broken wristwatch might still serve as chopsticks for someone so small. All you need is stuff from around your house and a way to record the little story you make up for your character. I have a soft spot for these low-prep, spontaneous creative exercises, plus they’re great when you have children around and need a distraction!

The Lazy Cartographer’s Guide by froggikit

I find that coming up with maps and locations can be harder than making up characters and while there’s a bunch of map-making software out there, they’re not always so easy to learn and/or accessible to everyone. This is a simple and fast way to generate a quick analogue map if you need one and might even be cool to use alongside another game (my first thought was it’s perfect for A Quiet Year). Just throw some dice, draw a wiggly line around them and interpret the numbers rolled for your trees, settlements and wondrous places. Another one that would be great in a group!

Some quick honourable mentions:

Uplifting! by Beth and Angel Make Games – a collection of 12-word RPGs meant to lift your spirit in your everyday life

Gesta orbital by La esquina del rol – a space survival game that’s pretty punishing and scary

Ominous Blessing by Junk Food Games – a collection of three mysterious and occult games for a spooky night alone or with friends

Endless Walk by From These Rolls – a reflective game about noticing your surroundings while you take a walk – or a character of your choosing

As you can see, the range is incredible: some are tools, some are ways to spark your imagination, others full-fledged games. I highly encourage you again to take some time and explore. Have fun!

Which Star Wars Toy line is better? Black Series Vs. Micron Galaxy Squadron

With May almost over, I figure it's time I take a look at the two Star Wars lines I've been collecting for the last few years.

Just finished explaining the plot of the Japanese BL "The End of the World with you / Bokura no Micro na Shuumatsu" to my girlfriend and it's so fun I want to do it again

(Obviously, spoilers ahead)

A meteor is on the course to hit the Earth in just over 10 days, destroying the world and killing everyone. Main character Masumi is a lonely young man, and upon hearing this devastating news, decides to just play video games. When the servers go down, he thinks that dying while reading books would be quite romantic so he heads to the library.

There, he bumps into the man he wanted to see the least (at least that's what he says) : Ritsu, his ex boyfriend. The dude really did a number on him, they dated for six months ten years ago and Masumi is still not over it. After all, Ritsu was his first love, they had amazing sex, and he thought he had managed to tame the Ritsu's fuckboy nature. Except he definitely didn't and Ritsu continued fucking women in hotels for their whole relationship.

(Thank you bi representation lol)

Upon meeting again, Ritsu appears very chill, like he's not phased by seeing Masumi, but Masumi is in complete shock and clearly hasn't let go of everything that happened, he wants nothing to do with his ex.

But Ritsu offers him a way out before the world ends : he'll give Masumi euthanasia drugs if Masumi helps him get rid of the corpse at his house.

And Masumi is like sure, I'll go with you

Micro BL Reviews +

So due to being ill, I've been spending a lot of time in bed watching dramas. And as always, I have thoughts.

So here, have some more micro (or not so micro) BL reviews, mostly for Thai shows that I missed last year (which is all of them, really).

Finished

Not Me (Thailand) - I quite enjoyed this. The romance stuff is secondary, but that was entirely fine by me as the main plot was interesting enough to hold my attention without it. In fact, and I know this is unpopular but…the chemistry wasn't really firing for me, romantically. I really liked Sean and White's relationship, but I never quite managed to buy into it. They have great chemistry but I didn't necessarily buy it as romantic. I think it's just me because the internet tells me that they are an extremely popular pair. And I had less than negative interest in Graffiti Cop and Hey, It's Akk From The Eclipse (it’s not, it’s Dan and Yok, sorry I'm an ass and also kind of a liar, because I didn't watch The Eclipse until after I finished Not Me and it took a trip to MDL for me to realize that Akk and Yok were played by the same person).

But I really want to jump around under a giant pride banner. Like,  badly.

This one was mostly tight, though, and tackled themes I didn't expect from a BL, and that's why I'm rating it 9/10. Fell apart for me a bit in the end, but otherwise very solid, although to be frank I don't see myself rewatching it.

The Eclipse (Thailand) - I love this one, and it's almost entirely chemistry based. The school stuff was interesting enough but what kept me watching was Akk and Aye, for the most part. And I adored Akk's struggle with his sexuality - I actually thought it was portrayed well, and I felt for him. Also I love a good coming out scene with supportive and lovely parents.

Honestly, Akk was my favorite. Dude was a hot mess wrapped in tears and panic and a prefect's arm band and I have to admit I was entirely there for it.  I do tend to have a thing for characters that seem like they're constantly on the verge of a panic attack (see: Uenoyama from the Given live action drama, my archetype for this).

Not the biggest fan of Thua in the end or the giant outing scene in front of the school (dear lord that's traumatizing and why do they keep going there??? STOP), but I did think that Kan and Thua were really adorable as a second couple right up until Thua went all *waves hand*…that.

LOVED the trio of protesters and loved that the drama never vilified them or tried to make them seem in the wrong. Not so fond of the Dika/Chadok thing, or how suddenly everyone was like "oh it's fine that you traumatized a kid and manipulated him into doing actual crimes and actively endangering other people's lives and essentially upheld a system that is detrimental to most of the student's mental health and also tried actively to run another student out of said school using the teachers and the kid you were traumatizing and manipulating because you hurt, too." And here's the thing. I feel for him. The backstory with Dika was tragic. But there's no real excuse for the things he did. I sympathize too much with Akk to be able to do a full 180 on the guy pushing him into destruction, even if everyone else did. Tragic backstory doesn't excuse mentally torturing more than one high schooler. Although the more I think about it the more I see that he is where Akk might have ended up, had things been a little different. Not a fun thought.

This one I originally rated 8/10 because of the above. I was annoyed by how pat the ending felt. But then the stupid thing caught in my head like a fish hook and I wound up watching it again and even though I still feel the end was weak and I am still irritated at Teach, the very fact that I couldn't stop thinking about it and basically had to watch it again made me bump it up to a 9/10 for enjoyment purposes. Because I did enjoy it, probably more than I did Not Me, although I think that Not Me was tighter and better written overall.

I'm also obsessed with the way Akk looks at Aye.  Yeah, this one got me and go me hard, so much so that I know that had I watched it last year with everyone else it would have wound up in my top 5. Sorry, Choco Milk Shake.

Secret Crush On You (Thailand) - Oh, this drama. I am honestly not sure how I got through the first few episodes, tbh, because I was cringing the entire time. Like full on trying to retract my head into my body like a turtle.

And to be honest, it didn't get much better for me. I appreciate that Toh is not the typical lead in a romance like this, but I just couldn't with the collecting. Nuea was pretty, too, but I didn't get much from him by way of personality. This is a drama where if you don't like Toh, I don't know how you can get through it. I liked him even if he made me cringe a lot (he kept a whole ass crab as a memento. An entire crab. I can't get over this), so I did finish. And I will say that the chemistry was good. The kisses at camp were hot, hot, hot. My goodness.

I also really hated that most of Jao's storyline was about how fat he was. I just don't enjoy that kind of thing and also, to me he looked like a normal sized dude shoved into clothes (mostly the school uniform) a size too small.

My favorite was Daisy, though. Love. And love how sweet Intouch was with her. I read somewhere that he uses the same pronouns (?) for her she uses for herself, and I love that. Thank you show for not making me hate the whole thing and not treating that character like a joke. I about cried my eyes out, though, when she tried to be more what she thought would be less embarrassing for Intouch (read: more masculine), and Som spoke my thoughts exactly.

I actually really liked the friend group in this one. Giving it a 6/10 based mostly on that group of friends, although as I said the chemistry is good, too.

The Director Who Buys Me Dinner (Korea) - I was enjoying it, but I didn't like the ending at all. Unfortunately an ending I'm not fond of can kill a show for me, and this one kinda did that. Also I badly want a Denis spin off because I still don't know what his deal was and by the end that was more interesting to me than the whole reincarnation thing (although I have to admit there's something to them being doomed to repeat the same pattern). 6/10

Currently Watching

Between Us (Thailand) - Full disclosure, I have never seen Until We Meet Again and probably never will because fated mates aren't really my thing and I don't like reincarnation plots. I did watch a video about the original couple though, does that count? So I have zero attachment to Win and Team outside of this series, although again, I did watch a vid with them in once. It was fine.

All that said, I absolutely love this. Reincarnation and fated mates might not be my thing, but the whole FWB gets serious and no one involved has any idea how to handle it thing definitely is. Between Win thinking that he can't hold onto what he loves and Team's survivor's guilt making him doubt he deserves life, let alone love, those two have enough baggage to fill a small plane, and I am here for it. Add to that the fact that their communication styles are entirely different and honestly, I'm entirely unsurprised the confusion and angst that we're mostly getting. This might be unpopular but I'd be fine if it were even angstier. I do love mess.

The side couples are fine. I can take or leave all of them but Waan and Tul, tbh, but I also think that a little cute is a good thing to break up the tears and the frustration (for people who aren't me who don't eat this sort of ridiculousness up*) of Win and Team. I don't really care about the dad stuff, and while I actually do want Team's trauma to be addressed I don't think we have enough time for it anymore. It makes me wonder if they're hoping to do some sort of continuation but even if they are they better not end this with the two of them apart or then I will be annoyed.

*I would like to say here that I do eat it up, but part of the reason that I am loving this so much is that to me (again, someone who never watched UWMA and binged the first nine episodes the day before the tenth aired) this makes so much sense for these characters as I know them.  You can say (and people have) that this amount of angst over something that could be taken care of in one conversation is too much, or is unrealistic, etc, but as a person who finds it very difficult to communicate actual feelings to people it actually feels pretty true, especially for two people who are what? 19/20 at most?  Most especially when you consider that neither of them have done this before, both of them were utterly blindsided by the fact that feelings were happening, and both of them have a ton of baggage. I get the complaints, but for me it works.

Also my goodness Boun is lanky, isn’t he. 

HIStory 5 (Taiwan) - I'm enjoying it well enough, the workplace romance a bit more than the time traveler, but honestly I just don't have a lot to say about it. For me it's fun, easy to watch, but I'm just not that invested. I keep waiting for the time traveler and his rich soon to be boyfriend to do something for me. I hope this most recent ep will kick things into gear there.

That said it does make me laugh, and honestly the workplace duo are the most adorable thing.

Love in the Air (Thailand) - for some reason Viki is being a dick and releasing this one week at a time when I'm fairly sure it's already been over for a while, and Dailymotion keeps freezing on me (or playing an ad and then refusing to start the vid), so I'm stuck waiting currently. This is a trash watch if there ever was a trash watch, I went into this knowing that and knowing that if I wanted to get through it I'd have to turn my brain mostly off and just enjoy the pretty and the high heat. Fortunately for me I am fairly good at turning my brain off when required. I also have the dubious fortune of having cut my teeth on far worse.  I genuinely like Sky and the dude who plays Prapai is gorgeous.

On Hold

Ameiro Paradox (Japan) - I keep trying to get into this one and it keeps not happening, so I've given up the ghost for now and will binge watch when all eps are out. I feel like I'm punishing it for not being Eternal Yesterday and that's just petty.

DNF

Bad Buddy (Thailand) - I don't know, I just couldn't get into this. The chemistry wasn't hitting for me and eventually I just decided to stop watching rather than try to force it. First kiss was good and I shipped the girls, though.

And well, since we're here and since nothing about this fits the definition of "micro"…

Looking Forward To

Bokura no Micro na Shuumatsu (Japan, Jan 29 on Viki and Gaga) - yep, another one that will very probably end badly. I hope it'll give me good chemistry though since Japan likes to do that with the sad ones.

Utsukushii Kare Season 2 (Japan, Feb 7, no word on if it will be on Viki or Gaga but I'm assuming it'll be on one if not both) - I'm still very very much in the WHAT stage with this one. And part of me is terrified it's not going to be good (the first one is my favorite BL ever, fight me) and I can't quite squash that fear, but I think that's probably just the normal fear with sequels. The assumption is that they're splitting the 2nd novel into two parts, essentially, with season two being the very end of the first novel plus some side story stuff, as well as the beginning of the second, and the movie finishing the second novel up. Not sure about the accuracy here, though, this is just stuff I found out when I first heard about it and I'm not necessarily in the loop with this stuff.

Only Friends (Thailand, ??) - I love me a mess, and this looks like a big one. I think I'll probably wimp out though and wait to see how it all shakes out before watching because I feel like real time will frustrate me and I'm hoping if I go into it already knowing who is going to pair off I can prevent the inevitable "oh no I ship this thing that's not gonna happen more, boo"s.

Our Skyy 2 (Thailand, ??) - Mostly into this for the Akk & Aye part(s), if I'm perfectly honest. “Alexa, play The Heart Wants What it Wants”

Dangerous Romance (Thailand, ??) – Because Perth, basically. See above.

New video out, get ready for my suffering!

My brain is going to be chewing on the massive similarities between The Darkness Outside Us and A Complicated Love Story Set in Space for a LONG time.

Last read: 'Lonely Castle in the Mirror' by Mizuki Tsujimura

What I wanted: the cover drew me in and the story sounded magical enough to hock me completely

What I got: the best book I've read in a long time! I loved it to pieces and read it as fast as I could. The magical aspect is there (and written beautifully), but it isn't the main focus point of the book. It's more of a base to give the six children room and time to tell their stories, grow and heal. Each of the kids has their own voice, their own reasons to be in the castle in the mirror and I enjoyed it a whole lot to learn about every one of them.

Drama Review: The End of the World with You (Bokura no Micro na Shuumatsu)

Source: Google Images

The world is thrown into chaos when the public learns that in just ten days’ time, a massive meteorite will hit the Earth, likely wiping out the entire human race. This horrific news has sent a young man working in a dead-end office job named Masumi Nishina into shock. But he soon makes peace with his destiny and decides to return to his college library, where he intends to read books in a tranquil setting while he waits for the end to come.

But this decision proves to be a major mistake – as it is here he is reunited with the man who ruthlessly broke his heart: Ritsu Kusakabe. Back in college, they were both in the same publishing club but parted ways bitterly. Masumi Nishina had hoped he would never have to set eyes upon Ritsu Kusakabe again, so cruel was the latter’s rejection, while Ritsu Kusakabe went on to become an IT hotshot. But with the clock ticking and just days remaining until the world comes to an end, they start to wonder if they should perhaps reignite their romance…and fill the remainder of their lives with passion.

Source: MyDramaList (2023)

What? Why? How?

How do I even begin the review for this drama? I did not find myself hating it but at the same time, I have so many complains.

First things first, this was way too slow paced for my liking. I rarely do well with slow paced shows and this is no exception. Baffling, I know, since The End of the World with You only had eight short episodes. I enjoyed the plot but goodness gracious, it was moving at a pace too slow for me. There were many times I considered not finishing this drama just because of how slow it was. Yet, oddly enough, I cannot imagine this drama with a faster pace. The pacing was right for this drama, just not right for me.

The other thing I did not quite like about The End of the World with You was Yuma's character arc. Coincidence, luck or just plain old supernatural shit, I still did not like it. I am not a morbid person but I actually enjoyed the idea of the world ending in this drama. You see, I am that person who believes Masumi and Ritsu will not last now that the world is not ending but I want them to be together till the end. Since Yuma stopped the world from ending, and because of what I believe in our main leads' relationship, there is no together till the end. Please don't fight me on this, I am too lazy to retaliate (or explain why) nor will I change my beliefs.

Also seriously, is there a deeper meaning to the idea of the world ending and then not ending?

On the bright side, there is something I truly loved in this drama and that is Ritsu's character. I loved that he does not sugarcoat the fact that he is the humanisation of a red flag. He made it obvious that he is vulnerable, he has issues and he does in fact having feelings for Masumi that he never had for other people. But he also made it clear that he has problems being a nice person when it comes to intimate relationships. He is a kindhearted jerk and he does not hide that.

Well, I am very sure I do not hate The End of the World with You and this drama still confuses me when I think about it. But, this is not a bad drama and unless you have bigger issues with slow-paced dramas than me, watching it would be fine.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5)

P.S.: Anyone else hated that river/pond kiss scene?

The Ultimate RPG Character Backstory Guide Explanded Geners Edition review

The Ultimate RPG Character Backstory Guide Explanded Geners Edition review

For the last couple of years (prior to and during the pandemic) Dungeons & Dragons and tabletop gaming in general has seen a rise in popularity. So much so that there are various ways to consume this media, from live streams and in game store events to video games and books. Speaking of books, one series of books that I have found very helpful in getting the most out of my play sessions are the…

View On WordPress