#not very utsukushii

[eleanorenchanted]

NAZE DAAAAAAA?!

[braceletofteeth]

[distressed self-sacrificing boyfriend silence]

[scarefox]

[twig-tea]

Top 5 Couple Fights

Oooooooh this is fun! Thank you for a relatively easy category because so often the fights in these shows are unearned and it is very frustrating. I'm still limiting myself to 2023!

Wen and Alan, Moonlight Chicken

This fight felt real, it felt lived in, and it felt heartbreaking even though we only saw some of it. These two men love each other, but love isn't enough to keep them together, and that realization is as heartbreaking as the fight itself.

My Personal Weatherman

I am obsessed with the fights in My Personal Weatherman because the characters often don't know they're in one, or are in two different fights at the same time. This is all tied to how much I love how well the miscommunication is done in this show. These fights are legible based on what we know about these characters and what they've seen, even when they're completely unnecessary, and I adore that. Of course the best one is the ending fight and not just because Segasaki ties up Yo's wrists in his shirt.

Jack O'Frost

[Not enough gifs of this actual fight and I need to finish this list so this is what you get]. The fight at the very start of this show escalated so quickly, at first I wasn't sure about it even while I appreciated the performances and the intimate way it was shot. But when we get the backstory and we finally understand how much has been withheld and said vs. not said between them, and where their anxieties were rooted and the source of these big feelings, this fight makes so much more sense. This is a show that really benefits from being watched more than once.

La Pluie

[for some reason tumblr is giving me this link to Shan's blog rather than @liyazaki so tagging you, friend!]

Patts was pushed and pushed and pushed, and he lashed out in his insecurity, and when he asked for reassurance (this lineeee) Saengtai refused to give it to him and instead lashed out out of his own insecurity. This was a painful fight that was fully earned; all of the characters and their choices were legible even as they were infuriating. And it led to a critical awakening of Saengtai who was so caught up in his own sad boy narrative he hadn't realized how much he was hurting everyone around him.

My Beautiful Man S2

Kiyoi and Hira's communication issues continuing past S1 is very believable. I said elsewhere that Hira's work on his self-worth is more like a spiral than a straight line and that's very relatable and realistic. Kiyoi being hurt by Hira not valuing Kiyoi's feelings was such an important lesson for Hira to get more than once. Again, so earned, and resulted in the characters self-reflecting and moving a little closer to whatever a healthy relationship means for these two lol

Laws of Attraction

How much do I Love Tinn seeing right through Charn and Charn being big mad at him for Perceiving him so well? All of their fights are so good because they're about boundaries and mutual respect at their core, and they actually listen to one another and are based on how well they know one another (rather than what so often happens, when the characters seem to forget who the person they're in love with actually is). This barely counts as fight but I love it and it's my list so it stays.

Bonus entry that's only for me (shh stop counting the above):

Mr. Cinderella S2

Nobody but me and like 2 other people watched this show, but I'm actually obsessed with the couple fight in Mr. Cinderella s2 so thank you for the chance to rant about it on main some more. I need to start by saying: this plot is ridiculous and the ending sucks. But within this show, Dung and Khoa have an established relationship that has been tested in S1 and is being tested harder in S2, and to a point, they actually stand together and weather the storm, and it was rewarding to watch. And then slowly everything happening ("everything" here being an ABSURD amount of melodrama) starts to wear on Khoa, who sees himself as the one solely responsible for everything, and he unlearns some of what he learned in s1, he stops relying on Dung as his support, stops telling Dung what's going on because he doesn't want to burden him, and stops trusting Dung's word about what is happening. And so, when the jealousy plot hits, it's actually believable that Dung would be mad at Khoa, not for cheating, but for not respecting Dung as a partner in their relationship. It's well done, I wish so much that it were in a better show so that I could actually recommend anyone watching (I don't). I've seen this trope (assumed cheating) done so badly and so unearned in so many shows, this was so refreshing.

Extra bonus: Best couple fight scene of all time?

Gameboys S2

[I give up on gifs of this scene; have them upset for other reasons instead!]

What I love about the way they fight in this show is that, beyond it being earned etc. etc., the dialogue is so raw. They repeat themselves, they just yell over one another, they get rude, they try saying something to de-escalate and it gets worse instead. This is not a carefully crafted speech, or a single perfectly delivered devastating line; this is raw emotion. I recognize this fight, I've been in this fight, this is what I sound like when I fight lol And we see them really fight at least twice, and the way they fight in ep8 has changed as a result of the earlier fight is also SO good.

[littleragondin]

The new opening is really gorgeous (♡)

[waitmyturtles]

[fandomfairyuniverse]

I adore kiyoi cooking for hira because yeah a lot of it is because he wants to stick it to koyama but he also just. Wants to take care of hira the way hira takes care of him. He’s trying so hard and it’s precious

[stickers-on-a-laptop]

i'm rewatching my beautiful man eternal and like how did they never bathe together until this scene like don't get me wrong it's hot as hell but like. what.

[kaistoast]

Thoughts on UtsuKare S2 EP3

The fact that I see that many people find Hira annoying feels like a truth because often neurotypical people think and feel like neuro-divergent people are self-centered, inconsiderate, and therefore annoying.

I don’t know if some peeps here watched Extraordinary Attorney Woo Young-woo one of the main conflicts was similar to this. WYW didn't want to get together with LJH out of fear of making him feel lonely and how it will be hard on him to love her. Woo Young-woo’s autism is very much parallel to Hira’s neurodivergence in Utsukushii Kare.

The difference in UtsuKare S1, is that Hira took a step forward despite his fears and confirms to Kiyoi that he loves him while WYW hesitated and went as far as to reject LJH. Hira even if he views him as his King (idolizing him), he wants to love him (as a person) and remain by his side. This is a significant leap in his character as conveying his feelings became some sort of a climax at the end of the first season.

S2 feels like Hira's been taking one step forward and two steps back because he's struggling with his low self-esteem, and finding the foreign emotions he’s never felt before while Kiyoi is succeeding in every way possible in his career, changing individually too. Change is difficult for Hira, but he's still striving to stay with Kiyoi despite his insecurities and be worthy despite of his own "shortcomings."

Hira doesn't know how to fix his feelings and expectations towards situations but he clearly wants to because he knows it's making Kiyoi sad. As a fan and Kiyoi’s  lover he doesn’t want that. Hence the scene, him frustrated and riding the bike screaming, "ETERNAL." He doesn't want to make Kiyoi sad or lonely and he wants him to be happy together with him but he doesn’t know how.

The timing of his cousin visiting him blows up in his face as he's faced with having to acknowledge the “change” he feels between the both of them. There’s a difficult hurdle in communicating his complex emotions which are already hard for him to identify what more to vocalize, in addition to the fact that they're both still closeted too. He's clearly dissatisfied with himself for not being to par with Kiyoi but minimizes it to the extreme going as far as saying "A friendship is disrespectful towards Kiyoi who’s way better than I am."

I feel for Kiyoi because he misunderstood Hira. Kiyoi read it as Hira doesn't want to be in the relationship / doesn’t love him enough to involve his family with him. Kiyoi feels lonely from the way Hira is lowering himself and the whole scenario becomes more confusing for him because he thought Hira was on the same page with him, that he wanted to stay with Kiyoi forever. 

The thing is Kiyoi never vocalizes his confusion seen in EP2. This of course becomes a problem and a reason to why he blew up in EP3. Hira wants to stay with Kiyoi forever but he’s unsure if Kiyoi is going to. Hira knows that he’s hard to love due to his “sins/burdens.” When Hira tried to tell Kiyoi not to worry about their parents being involved it was him trying to comfort Kiyoi from what he sees could be another burden he’s placing upon Kiyoi or a reason for Kiyoi to leave. 

But, Kiyoi misunderstood that as Hira placing another barrier to their relationship. Versus Hira sees it as protecting and comforting Kiyoi from a possible discomfort so that Kiyoi can remain together with him. Just like how he cooked an unusual amount of food for dinner when he lost the photography contest, he feels the need to overcompensate or comfort Kiyoi for what he feels are his shortcomings which he believes are burdens he’s given to Kiyoi.

Kiyoi felt frustrated by the way Hira minimizes himself (which is very understandable) the misunderstanding accumulates from his confusion and loneliness causing him to lash out at Hira. Hira then panics and further digs his foot in the mud by trying to appease Kiyoi's anger because Hira’s own insecurities are now on full blast and Kiyoi doesn't understand him nor does he understand Kiyoi’s anger. 

So, Hira defaults into saying he doesn't know and he doesn't want to understand him because Kiyoi is different, he’s not like him and he shouldn’t be like him. Kiyoi gets hurt from his words and Hira immediately wants to comfort him despite his own confusion. 

We see how Hira has changed he’s never raised a voice of frustration towards Kiyoi and always kept this own thoughts under the wraps. But now, he’s become more vocal trying to make Kiyoi understand him. I don’t think Kiyoi has noticed this change since they're both hurt and extremely emotional during that fight.

None of them wants to meet at a middle ground. Hira accuses Kiyoi for being too out of his reach and Kiyoi accuses Hira for not wanting to be within his reach.

Kiyoi apologizes for falling in love with Hira and Hira doesn't understand all of the emotions he's developed from loving Kiyoi. All he knows is that he yearns for Kiyoi to love him, and to remain by his side despite his insecurity, “sins” and all.

Kiyoi despite saying that he loves Hira still apologized to Hira for loving him and isn’t completely transparent with Hira. His character has changed he shows his love to Hira in more subtle ways which is confusing for Hira who struggles to read others unless being told out right in addition to his own lack of confidence and self-worth.

They both got work to do and it’s so wonderful to see. I definitely got frustrated myself watching Hira absolutely mess it up and pour fuel to the fire but truly, this series is great I can't wait to see how they'll patch this up in the final episode next week.

[petrichoraline]

now that the fact he is a tsundere supreme doesn't need to be hidden for plot reasons, kiyoi's needy, sulky and silly self is blessing the show from the get-go

[braceletofteeth]

he's got the fire and he walks with it

[alien-ally]

its almost like, hira was so into kiyoi - he is his favorite person and the most beautiful man to ever walk his world - that it had nothing to do with kiyoi at all. or so he thought because that’s how low his sense of self (in relation to other people) was. and that. ironically is the most self-possessed way to go about it. filled with disdain almost. at the thought of kiyoi wanting him just as much. this much depth,. and grasp of what you are creating. perhaps, i - with no exaggeration, will never stop thinking about them. i cant almost.

[aliceisathome]

I'm binging My School President and my face hurts from smiling - it's completely adorable and I love it to bits. You all already know this but TinnGun are so bloody cute I could DIE. I'm pacing it so I've still got something to comfort me if everything goes south in Utsukushii Kare and/or Moonlight Chicken this week.

[rredcandle]

i miss utsukare...

[invisiblegarters]

The eternal dilemma: should I rewatch Eien no Kino/Eternal Yesterday, Between Us, or Utsukushii Kare/My Beautiful Man?

[fandomfairyuniverse]

I JUST woke up what do y’all mean Utsukushii Kare got a season 2?!?!?!?