#but i like entertaining gay rep

[inkyquince]

Look, i know the homophobic-and-repressed-gay bully trope is bad.

but my god it can be so good if you GET it. if you UNDERSTAND.

It's the same sort of understanding when you're watching Hannibal and you're crying and bleeding for Hannigram. You know someone gets it and when someone doesnt get it. "They're toxic" thats the point. It's entertaining. It's hot. Why are you in my house.

I either love relationships like Morticia and Gomez or the fun toxic.

if its a toxic het couple, its pretty flop most of the time. why would i wanna watch marriage story, i already watched it unfold while quietly trying to finish my food at my friend's house. That's just life.

toxic gay couple, then that's just iconic. if you get it, you get it. killing eve, hannibal, leighton and I and Leighton. We're iconic toxic

can u tell ive already had some wine while im writing dol stuff?

i can

anyway, the h-a-r-g-b trope is great in the right hands, like whitney, if you play it right.

i have more thoughts when i have less red wine in my system

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Scandals, Face Offs & Disappointments, Oh my!

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Oct 2024 Week 3

Ongoing Series - Thai

Jack & Joker (Thai Mon IQIYI) ep 6 of 12 - 3 tiny girls ragging on Jack was possibly the greatest opening sequence ever. Poor Jack. He is so not single anymore - so far as everyone around him is concerned. 

Love Sick 2024 (Thai Sun iQIYI) ep 5 of 15 - Sports day continues. We get a little backstory on the respective crushes on Noh. The jealousy between Phun & Earn is way more extreme in this version. I'm not mad about it. I love a claiming. Although it is so unfair of Phun to claim Noh when they agreed not to go there, AND he’s dating someone else. The byplay with Pete’s ex was fun. I wonder if we’re supposed to suss that Noh knows he’s gay in this version? 

I'm doing a face-off style watch along of this new version versus the original 2014-2015 version. Where I decide with each new ep which one wins. I will render a final judgement at the end. Frankly, I'm warming to this show way more than I thought I would give my extreme affection for the original.

Kidnap (Fri YT) ep 7 of 12 - Oh it’s so cute that he just wants to officially move in. And the necklace claiming thing was darling. Mini boyfriend era. Min being a kept baby girl was kinda fun. The family thing was too sweet. Oh noes my man has been strangled! Oh good he’s okay. Stupid breakup “for the plot” moment, they could have easily been separated by baddies, we didn’t need to go through this. 

Fourever You (Thai Thurs YT) ep 3 of 16 - I don’t care how cute he is or how longing those beautiful eyes, ghosting is a pretty big offense. Especially high school first love. I’m glad Ter is being difficult about it. Still the backstory is getting frustratingly confusing. It seems increasingly convoluted (full of girls) and I’m not sure what happened. So I’m not sure if I should be on Hill’s side or Ter’s. I’m beginning to feel manipulated and I don’t like it. I still like the show, but not as much as I did last week. I’m on a roller coaster here. 

Battle of the Writers (Sun YT) ep 11 of 12 - It remains odd, disjointed, but still modestly entertaining. Ozone using a well placed Phi for manipulation purposes made me happy. Random het wedding is random. 2 drunk horny sunshine babygurls was cute tho. 

Every You Every Me (Thai Mon Gaga) ep 2 of 10 - AKA Just one meet cute after another. Nice queer rep this time. It’s lovely, just not my style BL. 

Addicted Heroin (Thai Tues WeTV) ep 10 fin - Okay so last week half the ep was eng subbed and this week only 3/4. Whatever. Please note my extreme annoyance with everything about this show will color my rating. As it should. Ready for a mini rant?

Conclusion

What to say about this damn show? It wasn’t what I wanted and I didn’t like it. I’m disappointed in myself for having expectations and in it for not living up to them. It starred August for fucks sake! How could they fuck it up so bad? I wanted it to be a Thai reinterpretation of the brilliance that was Addicted giving us the ending that we never got to have but the narrative deserved. I got a resounding nope. The side couple was messed with, rearranged, and then entirely dropped and forgotten. The main romance was weirdly obsessive without any physical payout or emotional resolution, as if this remake were the censored Chinese version. All characters acted irrationally most of the time, and from what I could tell there was no logic to the ending, which seemed to be to minors escaping to a beach, abandoning their schooling, families, and respective futures. It was a hot mess. Without being hot. 4/10 fatally flawed, do not bother

Bad Guy My Boss (Thai Sun Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - it's bad. I don't like it.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo (Korea Thurs Gaga) eps 1-2 of 8 - High school student Do Hoe lives with his violent and brutal father who runs a Taekwondo gym in a rural area. Then cheerful Ju Young arrives who dreams of going to college for Taekwondo. Joy begins to fill Do Hoe's dark life. An unexpected incident forces them apart, they reunite over a decade years later.

Make no mistake this one is dark. And Korea can go many directions when it leans dark. So I’m not entirely sure what to expect. All the triggers: child abuse, corporal punishment, alcoholism, gambling, and a few other things. But also a fantastically awkward kiss. Oh this is VERY good. I’m enjoying it. Tumblr is officially losing its tiny mind about it. What can I say? This hellhole loves it some gritty dark angst with high romance and deep meaning. All hail the return of Queen Hwang Da Seul. 

My Damn Business (Korea Sat YT) eps 3 of 7 - He kinda is the worst boss ever. Now he’s turned into a drinking buddy whether baby likes it or not. I really feel for this kid. I do want more backstory on both of them. Why are they the way they are? All that said….. phenomenal kiss. Thanks boys. 

Teenager Judge (Vietnam Sat YT) ep 4 of ? - I do like the brothers relationship. Even though we know it’s gonna become romantic, it’s nice to see them all teasing and friendly. Meanwhile I’m getting a little exhausted by the bullying and I’m very much ready for the revenge narrative to continue.

Although I understand we have more of a spiral first, could we get on to some actual kissing soon? 

I'm shallow I just wanna see BV kiss the next boy. It's the BL world's version of Pokemon.

Our Golden Times (Hong Kong YT) 6 fin - Okay so this was the last ep! 

Summary

This was an odd disjointed little piece, but the most BL BL we’ve ever seen out of Hong Kong. The optics are good and it’s enjoyable for what it is, which is a circumspect, badly subbed, and slightly odd yet earnest reunion romance. I liked it more for what it could be, and for what it represented, than for what it actually was, but I still liked it.

7/10 recommended with reservations

I would like to nominate Our Golden Times @bengiyo as a candidate for the next "Girl you tried." Because it really did try hard to be the best little BL it could be under the circumstances.

First Note Of Love (Taiwan Mon Gaga) ep 11 of 12 - I do like all the couples, and in classic Taiwan style we’re ending ultra sappy (when they don’t fuck it up, and I don’t think this one will). Mei is the secret power behind the throne - as we all knew - love this for her, and us. 

Love is Like a Poison AKA Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Japan Tues Netflix?) 5 of 10 eps - I'm falling beind because my subber is, but sort-of trying to keep up. I don’t know. Just Japan messing with us, I guess.

Eccentric Romance (Korea Weds Viki) eps 3-4 of 12 - It’s oddly erotic with all the gym stuff but also awkward and weird with the jelly plus suspicion. (Hi GeonU, another Thai/Korea BL for you? Is it a thing for you now? Could you recruit Jimin to the cause? I mean you go him into a reality competition. BL is right there. Waiting. Pretty please with a shirtless hottie on top?) Anygay, I keep thinking that this show would actually be better if the Thai character were just a Korean character and this was just a regular KBL. Although, it probably still wouldn’t be very good.

It's airing but...

The Hidden Moon (Sat WeTV) 10 eps - This is a supernatural romance (my ghost boyfriend trope) by Violet Rain (I Feel You Linger). A man is hired to write an article about an old mansion in Chiang Mai being converted into a café. He sees the ghosts of people who died at the mansion, falls in love with one of them. Was substantially recast. I loved IFYLITA except the ending so I think I'll let this one run it's course you can tell me if it's work tracking down... if they managed to land it. I have my doubts.

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

Still Coming:

10/21 Love in the Big City (Korea Mon Viki) ep 1 of - Okay, this is both a movie (already out) and a series. Neither one is likely BL and I can't imagine it will end happily. Here's your synopsis:

Cynical fun loving student Young pinballs from home, to class, to on night stands. He and Jaehee, his female besie and roommate, frequent nearby bars where they push away their worries about life, love, and money with soju and hookups.

Apparently this is causing a homophobic ruckus in SK right now. As is wont to happen when one puts a really big name in the gay lead and your country is, well, pretty damn homophobic. Brokeback mukbang anyone? (Oh yes I am aware I'm a turd, but I'm too old for this crap. I guess that makes me a coprolite.)

10/23 See Your Love (Taiwan Weds Gaga Viki et al) 10 eps? - Zi Xiong, a third-generation heir, attempting to flee from taking over their family business, meets and falls in love with Shao Peng, who works as a hearing-impaired nurse. From the same production house as Kiseki Dear To Me in partnership with Shinehouse Theatre, funded by Taiwan’s BIGART + Japan's Rakuten (Viki). Show includes Lin Chia Yo (Be Loved in House: I Do). Director Chiang Ping Chen’s childhood experiences with his deaf uncle have inspired the drama.

10/27 Perfect 10 Liners (Thai Sun YouTube?) 24 eps! - New directing yet another university BL with engineers + their mentees. Based on a Jittirain novel. with a massive cast and massive run time. We will be watching this until APRIL of 2025!

ForceBook playing the same old characters = enemies to lovers tsunder/sunshine jock/nerd thing.

PerthChimonSanta are doing the cohabitation cool guy/dork trope.

JuniorMark are doing popular sunshine meets lonely sad boy (the only interesting pair IMHO).

Not sure if these will be interwoven (We Are style) or shorter stand alone runs-within-the-run of 8 eps each (Y-Destiny style).

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

You just kissed his brains out, what do you think? (Eh, we all know the aniyo is coming. This uke is made of tsudere and 아니요 ) (Damn Business)

I know, it's not a good show, but just LOOK at his face.

And the uke drunken shenanigans was brilliant. Loved it. (Battle Writers)

I did LOVE the twist on Golf. (Love Sick 2024)

Joke coming for our hearts just like...... it's TOO MUCH. War is SO DAMN GOOD. (J&J)

Calling out the trope HDS?

Gah. So awkward.

(Both from LFTCOT)

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in its infinite wisdom doesn't like too many at-ings.

[lurkingshan]

Incoherent Screaming about Wandee Goodday Episode 1

THIS SHOW IS GIVING US EVERYTHING!! What a fantastic premiere, I am so excited for this one and I hope it can keep this momentum. This was an incredibly tight first episode that managed to give us a clear sense of all the characters, set up the plot, and keep us wildly entertained throughout. Some standout pieces for me:

Wandee is such an excellent protagonist. A good person but kind of a sassy bitch, beautiful but unfortunately hung up on the wrong guy for 8 (!) years, and a fascinating mix of having a lot of pride but also no shame. I love him and Inn Sarin is killing it.

Yoyak is also compelling, and I appreciated getting a sense of his struggle right away. He is trying to live up to a family legacy and there's a lot of well-meaning pressure on him, and he is also thwarted in love, with his friend Taem not returning his feelings (loved confirming he is a bisexual king!). He also looks fantastic from every angle and in all lighting, congratulations on your body Great Sapol.

I also really love the dynamic between them, it feels very equal. In their first exchanges they were both being assholes and the upper hand kept moving between them. I liked that the attraction was so immediate, too, and they both tried to ignore it (until they didn't).

This show also gave us fantastic side characters, with Dee's gay bestie Kao being canonically asexual and struggling to find a partner, and Yak's older brother Ye and their friend Cher being in an established relationship. I am absolutely thrilled by both of these reveals; we hardly ever get rep for either of these in bl.

We also have an excellent villain and they cast the right man for the job. I am already having so much fun hating Ter. You string my boy along for 8 years flirting in his face, then claim you don't like guys, then tell him you want him to back off and give you the scholarship?? Fuck you very much, sir.

I love everything about the way they handled Dee and Yak's first night together. Every moment from them running into each other at the minimart was excellent. It managed to be funny and kind of sad and also sweet and horny and then funny and then horny again. The way they kept breaking up the sex because of moments of uncertainty or awkwardness until Dee was fully sober and they decided to go for it was excellent. And shoutout to condom and lube mentions, good looking out store clerk.

In conclusion, I love this show. My only note is it needs more Thor. :)

[bluebugjay]

usually when im obsessed with a show, the main ship I like is the thing that gets me the most excited and invested in it but honestly with dbda I just love every single aspect of it so so much, everything is on equal standing.

I think it's partly because it doesn't feel like the queerness is in the form of just one couple or one character, it feels imbedded into the whole thing. And i feel like they balance how respectfully done the rep is with also making it entertaining and fun. There's so much queer rep that's about someone figuring out their identity that portray it in this miserable light and as much as dbda shows the struggles with Edwin, it doesn't narrow it down to this travesty a character has to eventually accept and get over. He gets to have crushes and first kisses and awkward little walk-and-talk dates and talks with Niko about 'the boy he likes' and gay panics whilst also struggling with coming to terms with who he is and hiding it from people. It feels so much more real that even though it's not easy and it takes him time, he gets to have fun with it too.

[cloxwork]

The funny thing about glamrock fronnie is that, like, how did that even happen canonically?

Did fazbear entertainment say "we need gay rep to sell our shit to the queers" cause you know damn well right wing Christian nuclear family types would absolutely call the sentient robots devils or something; so they programmed the rabbit and bear to be into each other.

Or did the two fall in love naturally, cause of the whole literally teaching the endos how to think and corporate said "we can make this work"?

Does the people running the damn company even know their robots can fall in love?

Forget killer robots and brainwashing, I want scott to write a book on the intricacies of "robot dating S.O.P."

[ingravinoveritas]

The fact that in that scene in the doctor who special Donna’s about to go off with the doctor in the end and her husband is like yeah most husbands would be jealous of their wife hanging out with men in a small space alone but then he looks at the doctor and is like nah not him. Like he knows the doctor wouldn’t be interested in Donna in that way and that she was completely safe from cheating on her husband. Shaun took one look at the doctor and was like I know what you are . He was NOT worried about Donna being alone with him

So, I did watch the 60th special today, which I originally wasn't planning to do, since I'm not much of a Whovian. But curiosity got the better of me, and once your ask came in, I figured why not give it a watch.

After sitting through the whole episode, I still have no idea what the hell actually happened, or what a Metacrisis is, or why they were all fighting evil anthropomorphized dryer lint...but I was still thoroughly entertained. Haha. And there were moments I liked (disability rep with Shirley Bingham whose character actually wasn't about her disability but just her as a badass person!), moments I didn't like, and moments that made me unexpectedly emotional (the mention of Wilf, which given Bernard's passing last year was incredibly poignant and left me in tears).

But what I was really living for with this episode was how unbelievably and incredibly gay it was, in absolutely the most phenomenal way possible. Again, I want to emphasize that I am a very casual DW viewer, so I can't speak to previous seasons or incarnations, but this certainly felt like the queerest Doctor Who ep I have ever seen. The awesome Yasmin Finney as Rose. Describing the Doctor as "male...and female...and neither...and more." Having legend and lesbian extraordinaire Miriam fucking Margolyes as the voice of the Meep.

And of course, the moment you mentioned...

What's really interesting to me about this is so much of the writing in this episode was pretty on the nose (thinking in particular of the scene about the Meep's pronouns, which was very well meaning but felt a bit heavy-handed in both the writing and some of the delivery). But I wouldn't say Russell T. Daddy was really going for nuance in a lot of what ended up on screen, which is why this moment stands out and is so interesting and hilarious. You can almost feel Russell abruptly stop short of saying what this is clearly meant to be saying, and leaving it as subtext instead of, well...text. And I've mentioned on my blog previously about seeing the Doctor and Donna's (as well as David and Catherine's) chemistry as very "exasperated straight woman and her chaotic bisexual BFF," so this really seemed to validate the hell out of that. Haha.

So yes, overall, I enjoyed "The Star Beast" much more than I ever expected to, and I'm definitely intrigued to see what the other specials will entail (especially "The Giggle," since NPH is in that one, and the queer quotient will no doubt be off the charts, at least if the production stills/BTS I remember seeing last year are any indication). It will certainly be interesting to see if we get more moments like the one above with Fourteen (Ten? Ten-Four?), so I suppose we'll find out soon...

[olderthannetfic]

there are a lot of other ppl on here who take certain criticisms and choose to interpret them in the least charitable way. re: good omens and aroace representation. i took what the other anon said about aroace identities being less threatening clearly isn't talking about aroace people as individual people taking up spaces from other queer people. they're talking about how all corporations need to do is show two characters of the same gender without anything remotely/objectively romantic or sexual in nature, essentially just two close male or female friends. then, the creator can say they're "open to all interpretations of the characters" and they all get all this credit for "aroace rep" even though they didn't do anything controversial, transgressive, or innovative just because people of certain identities like the story and want to see themselves reflected in said story in some way. the characters never have to say the actual words "queer" or "aroace," and the creators never have to do anything that would alienate investors or larger audiences, like actually saying "queer," "aroace," or "gay."

it's the epitome of "queer-friendly" entertainment in that creators can invite all interpretations, so queer headcannons are welcome. however, they'll always just be headcannons that are only noticed if you have on your shipping goggles. good omens is not actually representation for aroace people, but the mainstream corporations behind it are always happy to make money from people who interpret it that way just because people on tumblr still don't realize that identifying with/liking a story doesn't mean it's literally about something about x facet of your being.

--

[beebopurr]

Not an ask sorry, but I absolutely adore your portrayal of Leo!!! (both in art style and through your descriptions and ramblings)

You have such an incredible way of taking his character and really putting it into your work and that's something so special to a lot of us who really love that little blue dumbass.

While no hate to anyone, but you see so many creators taking a single aspect of his character and making it his whole personality, or taking a headcanon (whether their own or fannon) and dubbing it as the only way his character can be perceived or its shunned as 'wrong'.

Your take on Leo is one of the closest I've seen to canon that's not ridiculously dumbed down or over exaggerated into a whole new character. He's a complex turtle and has so much to love (and hate, let's be honest he sucks ❤️✨) about him and you really bring out so much about his character in an enjoyable and entertaining way!!!

// also the bi rep in the form of Leonardo the ninja turtle wasn't something I ever thought I'd need but by god do I cherish it with my whole heart. That and the way you draw and describe his and April's relationship??? Literally one of the best ships in this fandom seriously, you're up there as one of my favourite artists both for rise and everything else you create!!! 💕😭

I'm so sorry if this is incoherent at all, I just adore your work and thought I'd finally grow the courage to say it!!!

Thank youuuuuu and yeah you summed up how I feel perfectly lol. I don't care how people present him I just don't like that ppl make their own fanon takes and act like they are gospel 😭

like I was involved in the fandom as I was finishing rise so I thought the Don Suave thing was gonna open my eyes and make me realize why everyone was so certain that he's a gay man but,,,,, Don Suave's power was literally to serve like EVERYONE in the scene thought he was slay.

So a ton of rise fanon stuff confuses me bc I personally didn't take it that way but people act like it's the only way to take it

[hislittleraincloud]

How would you feel if Wenclair will actually become canon?

If romantic Wenclair became canon, I would feel like Millar & Gough caved and capitulated, allowing their vision for the non-romantic sister/friendship of Wenclair to be influenced by fans, and that artists/creatives are no longer allowed to create something without being severely pressured by a whacky minority of fans.

Because while romantic Wenclair makes up a big chunk of online fandom, it's not the majority of viewers, which are who the very straight M&G are writing for. These are the creators (AND some crew!) of fucking Smallville, FFS. These guys aren't looking to tell our stories (which is another thing that irritates me...why are we even looking to straight cismales like M&G and Burton to tell any of our stories?) and the people in charge are still awkward as fuck around the issues that surround 🏳️‍🌈 and 🏳️‍⚧️ issues.

Creatively, I'd probably ignore it. I'm already going to ignore Wednesday 2's storyline because Afterburn has a specific story written over several years in the future and includes the character of Xavier Thorpe. Wednesday 1 canon is the only thing I'll be using.

But honestly, all them bitches will become a million times even more insufferable, like spoiled kids who keep screaming until they get what they want. It shouldn't work that way, because when you force people to go off their scripts (especially awkward cismale writers like them 💀 and the women who help write their cisstories), that force will show. It will be obvious, especially to the unsuspecting masses who aren't looking for that in an unserious tweenie teen show like this one.

I have a couple of people expecting me to have Xavier get together with Wednesday if she fucks Donovan to death Donovan keels over on her, but that's not in the AB Bible either (a very strong Wenclairish sisterhood is, however) and I'm not seeing a path towards it given what ABW's life trajectory is. I'm different though, I'm fan fiction, and I can literally do anything, I can wish fulfill if I wanted to...but I don't want to. I want to tell the story/my story/the story of Wednesday and Donovan, and I'm gathering from everything that Millar and Gough have said about it even in the face of romantic Wenclair, they want to tell their story of Wednesday and Enid's friendship.

Maybe yanno...just let the creatives do what they're gonna do? Netflix's Wednesday was not meant to focus on or even hint at queer representation. Wednesday Addams's queer rep is allegorical, not literal.

ETA: Politically it would be a disaster and make things worse for us as well, because the right wing will be able to use it as an example of how the "gays are pushing their agenda" on kids/entertainment/etc. Fact: There never has been a gay agenda that's been pushed anywhere on anyone. That's been a fabrication of the right wing for decades. But this? This would be [yet another, the first one being the Wenclair response to the novelization] a gift to the right wing because it'd be true: By successfully pressuring a media entity to make a primary IP character who's been straight up until then to be gay, the 🏳️‍🌈 will have successfully pushed the writers into changing their story. I really wish the fucking left would stop giving the right gifts to trample us with. We made so much goddamn progress but then started getting ripped backwards. I'm not sure humans even know how to behave towards one another anymore, in terms of sex and sexuality.

[absolutebl]

10 BLs That Shook Me

@trribledelight asked for "BLs that made you think or learn smthg or shook you culturally? Eg the political considerations in Not Me..."

Let's get the rough ones out of the way first, shall we?

1 2gether

Green. One of the most egregious reps for punching down humor against femmes in BL (and there sure are a lot out there). Seriously GMMTV? Must you?

At the time we all watched this because there wasn't anything else to watch, and it's been a long time since I bothered with a rewatch, but Green is one of the reasons I just can't with this series.

I'm not knocking the actor, but the character and how the other characters behave around him, and the director with regard to this aspect of the plot and portrayal was rough going.

What shook me was how casually homophobic 2g was. It was just so odd to watch a gay romance gloss over and degrade queerness. I was like, wait, aren't they supposed to me on our side?

(Ah, the before times.)

2 Fish Upon the Sky

Shall we address the head wrap in the room? This BL has some of the most shockingly racist content I've seen in a long time. Also punching down humor. I fast forwarded through it and I still don't want to think about it. GMMTV should be throughly ashamed of themselves... Again. I was shook, but in a bad way.

Okay, now for the ones that shook me in a good way.

3 Until We Meet Again

I watched this early in my Thai BL journey (while it was airing) and I had no idea what to expect. Frankly, you could watch it now and still not know. It's just very unusual for a Thai BL.

The plot twist about how they each ended up reborn. Just so brilliant. I still can't get over it. So simple. SO CLEVER. So punishing for the families.

Fantastic!

4 Secret Crush On You

This one kinda shook me all along but that Daisy & Touch scene. It lives on in my head rent free forever. Just because it was so beautifully sweet and genuine and kindly towards a femme character.

I still don't like this BL.

But I love that scene in it.

5 My Beautiful Man

I went on a JOURNEY with this show. Mostly because I didn't think Japan had it in them to land something this complex. But they managed it beautifully by not shying away from the delicious messy ugliness of it all.

Possibly the greatest final episode in all BL.

And from Japan. Usually so bad at endings.

I remain gobsmacked.

6 Unknown

I shouldn't have been shooketh by this one but I really was.

The style of it while staying so down home and gritty.

How old school Chinese BL it felt yet it still managed to be very modern BL about it.

The execution and quality of the acting.

How it was aired (available in YouTube?! we NEVER get that from Taiwan!)

Also the pair branding. We haven't gotten this level of pair brand from the leads in a Taiwanese BL since SamYu.

I'm was absolutely riveted by everything about this show and its production.

I loved seeing it. I hope we get more BLs like this from Taiwan as a result.

But I ALSO hope they realize that a big factor in the popularity and the success of this show was in distribution.

It's what's for dinner.

Along with the stepbrother trope.

KOREA'S SUPRISES

I watch a lot of Kdramas as well as BL, and have done for a really long time. I'm riveted by Hallyu, from an entertainment industry perspective (what I wouldn't do to get my hands on some of their proprietary data). I also listen to a ton of Kpop.

Therefore, Korea dominates the P'ABL gets shooketh list because I had (and have) more expectations firmly in place around Korea's media product sfyle than anyone elses. Even before they started to make a big play into the BL scene.

My favorite BLs from Korea, like Semantic Error and Light on Me are EXACTLY what I expect from them, manufactured perfection. But I was also shook more times by Korea than other BL nations because I had such rigid expectations.

7 Color Rush

Yeah yeah. But it starred an idol. It started out pretty and stiff and everything I was expecting and then the concept hit me up side the head and I never recovered from the CLEVER of this show. I'm not used to my Kdramas or my BL being this high concept and SMART about their sanitized perfection.

8 Blueming

What with the 8th Sense and others since, Blueming seems to have been somewhat forgotten about. But at the time, I was shook by the down home grit of this show. By the actual pain from the characters. By the higher heat concept. By Korea actually going THERE.

And then these babies came along...

9 The 8th Sense

I just didn't think Korea had it in them. Yes, I realize now that it was a bit navel gazey, and we were weighted heavily towards the seme and his pain. I would have liked a better balance between the leads, but that's in retrospect.

At the time I couldn't believe it. A KBL dealing with mental health?

And can we talk about those sex scenes? How insanely comfortable the actors were with each other? How easy in each other's personal space? I've not seen anything else quite like that from Korea. It's super rare. I had assumed they, culturally, just didn't do casual intimacy, or if they did, it wasn't allowed on screen.

Of course now I know the CAN do it, I want more.

10 Love for Love's Sake

Okay, lots to unpack with this one. A genuine isakai BL, in the original sense of the term. The death twist didn't shake me up, but the execution, acting, open gayness, and a couple other things did. Enough to make me still think on this show with fond surprise and affection, despite its undercurrent of darkness.

I like to be shooketh.

(source)

[daisymylove]

Hey can we discuss the lack of sapphic representation on the tsc chronicles and why I think we're too harsh on cc for it? I'm a queer woman btw, nit that should matter tho

In the past I briefly entertained the idea of CC being bi and private about it bc being married to someone of the opposite sex affords you the assumption of heterosexuality and she just didn't want the public scrutiny.80% of the cast of swordcatcher being bi is what mostly made me think about it, but now I'm 100% convinced she's a a straight girl with a shit ton of queer friends and is a staunch supporter of the community and her work reflects that in many ways

She has a total of two sapphic couples so far, and I think there are two main reasons for that

First and foremost bc we live in a patriarchal capitalistic hellscape and male gay couples sell considerably more than female amongst an audience composed mostly of girls and gay boys, so she would be urged by her agent to favour that kind of rep, its only natural.

But the second and perhaps most important reason is that she, as a straight woman, doesn't understand what it feels like to desire a woman sexually, a relationship that doesnt involve a man is foreign to her (lets also not forget she is a gen x, shes fantastically open mided for that age bracket) so its not that she doesnt want to include it, but she has a harder time writing about it than, say, two men desiring each other, which is common place for her as a person attracted to men.On that note, that's why we should hype the works of queer women

Maybe it's naive on my part, but I genuinely think that woman loves the gays in general, she decided edwardian london wouldn't be homophobic anymore cause she felt like it, in her new world everyone is gay and thats not taboo.What I do complain about is the lack of female deep friendships and parabatai duos. She has plenty of female friends, she knows what it's like, so there are no excuses.I have high hopes for thais and dru, they are the all female parabatai duo we deserved ( Cordelia and Lucie weren't really friends.Matthew, who wanted to fuck her from day one, ended up being more of a friend to cordelia than her future parabatai, and if lucie had a bff in the series, that person was Grace, so yuck)

[euniexenoblade]

Is Senpai Wa Otokonoko an entertaining show? All I know is that The Dutch Woman has a huge vendetta against it.

LOL it's fine it's like. maybe a 6/10? they set up a very trans story but dont deliver on the trans aspect, and there's some gay in there. watch it for fluff and love triangle-ish drama don't expect expert lgbt rep it's not utena or wandering son but dont let transmisogynists who think trans women having dicks and not telling you is equal to literally cheating and abuse dictate what you watch.

[fallowhearth]

(if still looking for asks) Pale thoughts also? And/or provide an objective and definitive ranking of Australian states

I'm now trapped on the train home so yes please I need entertainment

My favourite thing about Pale is that it's so long hardly anyone read it. So pretty much everyone posting about it regularly as it released was someone whose thoughts I wanted to hear. I really didn't like Lucy when the story started - I'm never going to like the paladin type. But I liked her a lot as the story went on. She's a good kid. Also, critical support on the voluntary child soldier thing. Avery I found extremely stressful to read about initially, as her family situation would kill me instantly irl. Verona has literally never done anything wrong in her life.

1. Victoria - as a born and bred New South Welshman I'm not too proud to say they have the culture, lifestyle, and snobbery to match.

2. NSW - the big dumb stupid sibling that everyone hates for mostly accurate reasons. Still nowhere I'd rather live though! Would also like to throw all our state politicians save my rep into the harbour.

3. Tasmania - gorgeous old growth forests, unsurpassed natural beauty, shame about the fact that being gay was criminalised until 1997.

4. Western Australia - really I don't have much animosity I just don't have any positives either. Perth is nice. Shame about the mines.

5. Queensland - too hot, too many Irukandji in the water, they keep re-electing Bob Katter, also the recent history of being a police state. As they say, when crossing the QLD border, remember to turn your clock back 20 years.

(sorry Queenslanders, some of my best friends are originally from QLD, etc)

[maybe-boys-do-love]

Just finished Dark Blue Kiss, and I'm sorry, but who said a soapy show like that was allowed to be a treatise on queer philosophy???

Aof Noppharnach was just like, okay class, today we're gonna talk about the relevance of semiotics to the queer experience, but I'm actually gonna make it relatable and entertaining instead of an incomprehensible academic mess. Right from the character intros, he shows an object to represent a character before panning up to their faces. And then the whole show is about surfaces and surface appearances vs. deeper truth; what we say and do vs. what we mean; the evidence of our true selves we leave in the wake of living life vs. what others make of it. We get references to all these different types of recording and documentation and public announcements but all in the context of what's permissible to share, with whom, and its ramifications. Try counting the number of times an object or an act in concealed by something--mugs inside coolies, post-its inside bags, people behind stall doors, fights beneath blankets, gifts inside boxes.

And DBK just refuses to condemn anyone for not being able to fully manifest their truth for others or capture the essence of something (that latter piece I see in all the possessiveness present in the relationships). Despite that, it still maintains that attempting to craft, depict, explain, and understand representations of feelings, experiences, and relationships (like gay rep, for example)--even if those representations can never be totally true to the thing they are representing--has purpose. The purpose, though, isn't to actually pin down the truth but to be a gesture or sign pointing for others towards the thing you find meaningful.

The final voice-over sums it up beautifully, releasing the series and the audience from being attached to its form. "If you ask me if having a relationship status is necessary, I can't answer that. It depends on each couples readiness and reasons. Love has no form and no rules." To speak or act, make art or commit to someone you love, these are not requirements but they are kinds of blessings that, once made, open doors for new experiences with people who can try to understand what you're trying to express. The beauty is in the trying.

Also, Imma need someone to remix the DBK string theme song with Ru Paul's Superstar ASAP.

[funishment-time]

☂️ a few misc Rain Code thoughts thus far

now that i'm at the beginning of ch 4.

✨ (some spoilers ahead, read at own risk) ✨

➡️ 1. i am surprised at how Political this game is

kazutaka kodaka really said ACAB. repeatedly. over and over. there are even quick time choices where the proper way to Get Through The Scene is to chuck a brick at a cop and run. and speaking of which

➡️ 2. i am pleased to see an ACAB-type game that is actually ACAB

this is a very American POV so bear with me here, but...

there's so little media here in the States that is actually anti-cop. if it's not flat-out copaganda, it's "well, there are crooked cops, but they usually do it for the right reasons" or "if they're truly evil, there's really only one or two bad apples, and the Good Hero Cops root them out soon enough." sometimes it's "they're useless and dumb, but harmless."

tired of it.

here in Rain Code, it's all cops are fucking vicious beasts that gained too much power while no one was looking and are canonically stated to have tons of military might they got from the state and started out as the security force of a corporation. they are all crazy, each one, and love to kill and hurt and maim and destroy beautiful things.

if that ain't full of Symbolism i dunno what is.

normally, i like a bit of nuance in my narratives, even fun silly games like Rain Code or Danganronpa. but i am a living thing and sometimes i just want to see another creator tell me i'm not crazy

➡️2b. Guillaume is probably my favorite symbol of the above

a cute cheery VTuber-esque e-girl who treats everyone like prey and whose English VA is mostly known for doing little kids' shows. all her lines are delivered in the tenor of a children's entertainer. 1984 shit, "political violence as entertainment" shit, "treating your audience/subjects like they're 5 years old" shit. absolutely stellar

➡️ 3. Halara is pretty decent NB rep and shows Kodaka's growth as a writer

i talked about this here. this is why i often hesitate to completely write off a Creator when they make a mistake, even a huge one.

➡️ 4. little gay subplots that feel very slice-of life

the guy who has the crush on Vivia in ch 4, or the two teacher sidequest in chapter 3, and probably more. no pomp and circumstance made about it, positive or negative: it's just life in Kanai Ward.

i think i'm in the minority when it comes to this kind of thing, but i like when queer people are just...there. not an object of ridicule, not an object of celebration. just there. i'm saying this as a queer genderweird married-to-another-genderweird. we're just here. we take many forms. our lives are also just here, and take many forms. it's sweet. it's healing. it's normalizing. it's small, but a huge step up from Kaito's -phobias, or Junko using Juzo's crush against him back in the day.

☂️☂️☂️☂️☂️☂️

this is it for now. i'll have more to talk about later i'm sure.

[mamanbou]

I've gotta be honest. I have seen the arguments against calling Nandermo "queerbaiting", and I agree with them, but just saying "it's not queerbaiting if they're queer as individuals" willfully ignores that the nandermo shipbait is very revealing of some sinister shit wrt the show's queer rep in general.

It would be one thing if the ship simply didn't happen, but isn't it strange that it's never even entertained textual? They've both dated men, Laszlo and Nandor fuck all the time, queerness isn't a sensitive topic amongst the main cast, so why is the hypothetical of Nandor and Guillermo dating/fucking avoided like the plague (except in the cloak of duplication, which is then never addressed again), despite their notable closeness? Why do they always specify "friend" during dramatic monologues about their relationship in the actual show, while the actors and PR team play mouth service to the ship elsewhere? Why can't we get a single canon explanation as to why these two are off limits to each other in the sexually depraved vampire show?

Did Paul Simms think he was being woke when he called them non-sexual soulmates, the same way every other showrunner does to aggrandize their refusal to portray gay relationships in explicit terms?

Think about how multiple official sources have called Nandermo a "will they-won't they", despite all hints of romantic feelings from either party being 100% subtextual to-date, not even a "you like him, don't you?" from a side character (duplication cloak doesn't count, that was guillermo talking about himself). That shit is unheard of in straight sitcom will they-won't theys. Think about how the Guide being in love with Guillermo was confirmed quite clearly, and how it's a bit that she falls for everyone, but the Guide then spent 2 seasons obsessed with Nadja and it was NEVER stated that it was a romantic thing, despite the show playing into the homoeroticism.

At times, it feels to me like gay relationships are good for sex-based punchlines in wwdits, but the showrunners struggle to consider them in nonsexual contexts. A majority queer cast is great for the show's reputation, great for variety in jokes in a raunchy FX comedy, but the prospect of two male main characters actually consummating their homoerotic dynamic is a carrot on a stick that they never intend to feed us.

I wouldn't have this complaint if official sources didn't wink and nod about nandermo so often. I wouldn't have this complaint if Paul Simms wasn't so wishy-washy on the subject in every interview he'd ever done. I wouldn't have this complaint if nandermo even had ONE scene on the level of laszlo trying to kiss sean, something explaining that Guillermo has tried to make a move on Nandor or vice versa, and here's why it didn't work. But at this point nandermo is genuinely a yuri of absence situation (the absence of the thing is more poignant than its hypothetical presence) and I feel fucking crazy dealing with this in a piece of media where nobody is straight.