Tumgik
#sim: kimi
pxltown · 2 years
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
wip of kimi’s street
469 notes · View notes
absolutebl · 2 months
Text
Best & Worst BLs of 2023
My Top 15 BLs of 2023 are (in order)
Tumblr media
1 Our Dating Sim
Korea Viki
Nerds in love, deadlines, gaming, teasing, pining tiny idiots, casual affection, linguistic oops, ADORABLE. If you haven't watched this, it's a must. A perfect short form KBL, an office set reunion romance featuring geeks that really suits 8 eps with no fluff and no chaff. Just comforting and yummy.
I adored every aspect from the casting to the pristinely simple premise to the quietly smooth execution. Sure it’s low stakes, but that makes it high domesticity and extremely warm and gentle. This is a fuzzy blanket of a story - a cozy BL. It lives in my rewatch pile and you know what’s best about it? Every single episode is in that pile. There’s no skipping with this one, it might be good natured and calmly sweet but it’s tight and the pacing is excellent.
Also recieves my 2023 award for best giggle.
Tumblr media
2 I Cannot Reach You
AKA I Can't Reach You AKA Kimi ni wa Todokanai
Japan Netflix
This classic friends-to-lovers BL is everything Japan does best. Angsty. Emo. Aching. Driven by real thirst. Yamato is deeply in love with his childhood bestie, Kakeru, and has been for ages, unable to hide his ungainly damaging high school need. He wants Kakeru in every way possible and it oozes off of the screen.
Kakeru is silly and a little simple, but not frenetic or overly camp about it. He is earnest, and genuinely wants to keep Yamato in his life which means giving a romance (and gayness) a fair chance. We watch him realize his affection and what form it can take in a truly authentic way.
This show was impossibly kind to both of its lead characters and I felt almost honored that I got to watch something so lovely and rare play out on my screen.
Also wins the best thirst award.
These were the 2 BLs that got 10/10 from me in 2023. The rest of these got 9/10 from me.
Tumblr media
3 My School President
Thailand YouTube
GMMTV gave us a classic high school set Thai BL with tropes like messy boys singing their feelings that made this one Love Sick for the modern age with all the gentle sweetness and pining ache, but none of the dated damaging tropes or issues. Who let my BL be this wholesome and funny? My favourite GMMTV BL offering to date. And yes, I've watched them ALL.
Received the Namgoong award for best wingman 2023.
Tumblr media
4 I Feel You Linger in the Air
Thailand grey
IFYLITA is an exquisite BL, from filming techniques to narrative framework. Steeped in history and family drama this is an elegant and classy BL. The main couple (both as a pair and individuals) were excellent, particularly Bright (Yai) whose eye-work acting style is a personal favorite of mine. It's a marker of how great it was that it's so high on my list despite the ending which was very much not what I wanted.
Additional accolade, sexiest moment of 2023 - (the oil scene).
You could try to fight me, but you'll have no grip.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
5 Kiseki: Dear to Me
Taiwan Gaga & Viki
The plot is totally ridiculous and slightly unhinged. There’s a gum-ball machine of cameos, elder gay rep, great chemistry from all pairs (everyone is queer), and a KILLER side couple. It involves all the tropes under a very offhand framework of gay mafia gangs + food = love. As a result Kiseki is a poster child for Taiwanese BL, and I happen to love Taiwanese BL. Bonus? They also managed to END IT WELL, which we cannot expect from Taiwan.
Best side couple 2023!
(thank goodness Taiwan made this list!)
Tumblr media
6 Jun and Jun
Korea Viki
A delightful office romance about an ex-idol who joins cubical life only to find his new boss is his first love. With a snappy (sometimes even raunchy) script, enjoyable sides, a pretty as peaches cast, and descent chemistry this show made up for in style what it lacked in substance. I like fluff. I loved this. I smiled every moment I was watching.
Best flirting 2023.
AKA "the tongue knows" award
Tumblr media
7 The Eighth Sense
Korea Viki
This one is a bit chewy and sticky and less perfect than most KBLs. It’s got a bit of an age gap, country boy/city boy, stellar acting, complex characters, and leads with great chemistry and tension. This isn’t in the KBL bubble, there’s sharp edges and lots of triggers. For a BL the darkness of the content left me feeling unsettled (which is the only reason it didn't get a perfect score) but it has a glorious ending and that counts for a lot.
2023's most likely to appeal to non-BL watchers.
Tumblr media
8 Unintentional Love Story
Korea iQIYI
The lead, Gongchan (maknae of B1A4) is a fucking GIFT, who carried this show. He was luminous with extraordinarily expressive eyes, which he used to carry a killer plot and challenging role. Forced into a totally understandable betrayal, falling in love despite himself, put into a corner he can't get out of, the AGONY, the eyes EMOTING at us in PAIN. Driven by external conflict, social tension and pressure this story seems simple but it's actually refined and quite complex. I loved this show.
Best story structure 2023.
Tumblr media
9 My Personal Weatherman
AKA Taikan Yoho
Japan Gaga
This is classic yaoi of the kind that really only works from Japan. Basically: boys who fell in love in college end up living together but both are so repressed they actually don't realize they're in love. It's high heat is well done, but it leaned into the "why don't they just talk for fuck's sake?" which is exacerbated by the fact that they're already fucking. Sure is sexy tho.
Best use of props 2023 for the shower of sheets.
Tumblr media
10 Our Dining Table
AKA Bokura no Shokutaku
Japan Gaga
Lonely salaryman and talented cook gets accidentally adopted by a college kid and his little brother. It’s a quiet & cozy little parable of found family alleviating loneliness. It's lovely & sweet with the romance beats used to build a family relationship, not just couple intimacy. Special.
First prize for domesticity.
Tumblr media
11 Laws of Attraction
Thailand iQIYI
This is a great gay suspense thriller with several solid couples, fun plot, killer characters, queer rep, and a happy ending. It’s tons of fun and I had an absolute blast watching it.
Charn wins my favorite character of 2023.
Tumblr media
12 La Pluie
Thailand Viki
This BL takes to task the fated mates trope and what it means to have love chained intimately to predestination. It’s about how faith in destiny before choice diminishes the authenticity of emotion, relationships, and connection. This is a high concept to examine through the lens of a BL. With good chemistry and decent acting all around, plus some excellent high heat and representation of consent and a few other rare tropes, this one has to (like it’s sibling show My Ride) earn high marks.
Most interesting concept 2023.
Tumblr media
13 The New Employee
Korea Viki
So good, SO QUEER, so soft, a near pitch perfect office BL with conflict derived from that setting. Also found family and a lesbian bestie. This is what I wanted from this new crop of office set KBLs ALL ALONG. Rainbow rice cakes forever!
Best overall queer rep from Korea.
Tumblr media
14 Step By Step
Thailand Gaga & YouTube & Viki
This was Thailand’s answer to The New Employee, and everything I loved about that show I loved about this one. This was an office romance between stern boss and sweet subordinate that felt more authentic to an office environment than previous Thai BLs of this ilk which added tension to the narrative and character development.
Chot wins best queer character 2023.
Tumblr media
15 Love Tractor
Korea iQIYI
Most of this country-set BL had me feral for the beautiful broken city boy and his hot young farmer. Hyung romance, puppy/cat pairing, open frankness meets jaded reserve, language play, water hose frolicking, only one bed = all my favorite silly tropes.
Biggest "he so pretty" gasp of the year award.
10 Worst BLs of 2023 (that I watched)
My Blessing
My Universe: Casanova Begins
Boyband the series
Cafe In Love
Chains of Heart
Hit Bite Love
Only Friends
Senior Love Me
The Luminous Solution
The Promise
Yes, you read that right. I know I'm against the flow but I really did not like Only Friends. Everyone's taste is different.
However I DNFed faster and more BL's this year than ever before, so that means my 10 worst probably aren't quite reflective...
Tumblr media
10 Probably Actually Worst BLs (I dropped 'em)
My Story
The Day I Loved You
Beyond the Star
Crazy Handsome Rich
Dinosaur Love
House of Stars
Mr Cinderella 2
Love Bill
Stormy Honeymoon
The Star Always Follow You
Codicils in General
I only carefully track/watch Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. Other countries are not fully represented.
My Numbers
So my spreadsheet chronicled 138 BLs that finish airing in 2023.
101 = watched & reviewed
2 = still in the docket (WDYEY2 & Love Syndrome III)
15 = CNF (could not find)
20 = DNF (which also accounts for how few very low scores I handed out in 2023 as opposed to previous years, I just stopped watching). Speaking of which...
Ratings spread
(# of stars. #of BLs given that rating)
0 (see the DNFs instead)
2 - IT'S DEPRESSING they killed the gay, save yourself
7 - I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM WATCHING AND NEITHER DOES IT
7 - FATALLY FLAWED but still basically BL, however… do we want to support this kind of behavior?
9 - WATCH IF YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO but don’t expect much, it’s a total hot mess
17 - WORTH WATCHING BUT FLAWED probably around the ending or in narrative structure/cohesion or censorship
14 - RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS i.e. isn’t quite BL, convoluted, not strictly HEA, too short/long, or chemistry issues
30 - RECOMMENDED some concerns around tropes (like dub con) or story structure but still satisfies as BL
13 - ABSOLUTELY RECOMMENDED probably a few pacing issues or one flaw
2 - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED faithful to tropes, happy ending, good chemistry, few flaws, high rewatch potential
(source)
449 notes · View notes
puretopia · 6 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
gameplay stuff & leo being a domestic goddess
259 notes · View notes
bengiyo · 3 months
Note
Hi ~ can I ask your Top 5 good surprises in BL this year? (From shows to moments or characters that just. Pleasantly surprised you.) -☆
Hello!
La Pluie Episode 4
Tumblr media
La Pluie episode 4 was so different from what I'm used to in BL that I wrote a whole post about the displays of emotional intelligence in the episode. So often BL characters do not act like normal people. Part of why I love La Pluie so much is that every character makes sense all the time, especially when they're being so, so wrong about something.
Nawin (Laws of Attraction)
Tumblr media
This insane man was totally unexpected, but made immediate sense as Charn's ex as soon as he appeared.
I Cannot Reach You Ep 6
Tumblr media
I've talked about growing up in the closet around here. It was really refreshing for me to see a smart, talented, deeply-closeted boy who was trying to be open about his feelings with his friend absolutely lose the tenuous control he had and cross that line. The last time we saw this acknowledged in any way was the kitchen scene in Until We Meet Again where Dean crosses the line with Pharm and then Pharm reasserts their boundaries. In both cases it isn't about the other party not wanting that, but just not being ready in that moment.
This might be one of the best episodes of BL ever.
"Have you been well? Without me? (Our Dating Sim)
Tumblr media
I'm a melancholy boy! I love this show about a melancholy boy that hurt the boy he loved and their journey back to each other. Korean screenwriters are so good at delivering their core thesis in a single line. I love this show so much.
Kim Ji Hyun (The Eighth Sense)
Tumblr media
I love this Country Twink so much!!! He is not timid or demure. He's just inexperienced. He was in it to win it the entire time. This boy did not know how to swim but still joined a surfing club to be with a man. He almost died and came back bitchier. He WON. He ain't have to compromise or nothing. I love him with my entire heart.
Ask my Top 5 BL 2023 Anything
58 notes · View notes
nitrozem · 1 month
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
He caught this funny looking fella
15 notes · View notes
twst-crochet · 1 year
Text
I MADE A KAI SATOU DATING SIM?!!
i completed this in one day haha!!
this was self indulgent but player has gender neutral pronouns and you can choose different date routes !!
if anything is wrong, just let me know.
YEEEAAAHHH!!!
190 notes · View notes
woolpines · 1 year
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
🐻💞
70 notes · View notes
mousysims · 2 years
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
134 notes · View notes
neinhanako · 26 days
Text
Tumblr media
Buzz 🚩 mind
9 notes · View notes
verswazy · 2 months
Text
Tumblr media
i was in cas on a MISSION
15 notes · View notes
dollcreme · 1 year
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
blake + kimi in @magbay 's mina top recolour!!
42 notes · View notes
pxltown · 2 years
Photo
Tumblr media
i got to do things my own way, darlin’
Tumblr media
210 notes · View notes
kofencrew · 3 months
Text
Kimi ni todoke is getting a third season?! i was just suppose to find that out on my own
I remember being so invested in the story as a teen , literally taken a back with Kazehaya and Ryu's characters. I can't believe it , shoujo has bern dead for years 😭😭
Imagine if the rest of Nana got reanimated, omg
Tumblr media
8 notes · View notes
puretopia · 11 months
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
just some queens.
124 notes · View notes
bengiyo · 2 months
Note
Oh for the BL ask game could I ask you 2, 5, and maybe 18? - ☆
2. Friends to Lovers
Tumblr media
I Cannot Reach You - No other show has so directly faced the agony and the stress that goes into liking your friend and being liked by your friend. From episode 1 Kakeru is noticing that something is going on with Yamato. This is not just 5 episodes of Yamato being moody while Kakeru doesn't notice that something's wrong with his best friend.
5. Second Chance Romance
Tumblr media
Our Dating Sim - This is another rare one we get in live-action BL. This is probably my favorite execution of it because the pain of the separation was palpable for both of them, and it left a huge mark on Shin Ki Tae who has abandonment issues around Lee Wan now.
18. Slow Burn
Tumblr media
Love Sick - Look, if you're gonna do a slow burn it's gotta last more than 8-12 episodes. You gotta get through 48 episodes of Love Sick to see these two finally resolve all of their shit (along with their friends). It's not a slow burn if we're familiar with the same three month watch cycle.
For the BL Romance Tropes Ask Game
24 notes · View notes
nitrozem · 2 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
lmao they're identical apparently...
11 notes · View notes