#tokyo in april is … ep 5

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

It's brand new. And it looks expensive. Is it okay for me to wear this? It's totally fine. Stand up.

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

[lurkingteapot]

Tokyo in April is … 4月の東京は… Ep 5

Once again this show has me in a chokehold for the entire 25 minutes of its run, and I'm already feeling like a fool for watching this ASAP because now I have to wait another whole week. AAAAH.

Thoughts and commentary under the cut.

was that Kazuma's mum then??

oh fuck I HATE Sanada, what an ass. and there's so many Sanadas out there

have we heared Maeda Ayumi's name before? also nice typo in that url

that café is so cute, god I miss being able to go to cute cafés

fuck fuck fuck of course it was something like that

and of course there's no evidence god I HATE this for them

fuck fuck fuck fuck this dude is a serial rapist and the higher-ups just ignore it

Ren's sense of justice and guilt is not going to let him let that lie, and it's all going to blow up in their facesssss

are you going to talk to your not-boyfriend about this, Ren? of course you're not. But you should.

!!! at least there's one person he can confide in and trust, goddd

this show is talking about the importance of coming forward while being careful and understanding of victims who don't want to deal with that, I'm really impressed with how they're handling it so far tbh

perspective switch! nice, I like that we're getting more on Ren this way.

aaaah so he and Yagami go way back? that's good to know, I'm glad he stuck around.

oh the poor baby, oh ffffff

oh no, is this where we learn why Ren can't stand Hide and the other classmates anymore?

god these domestic texts I CANNOT ("it cooked down nicely. around what time are you going to be back?") and god I want some of that stew

Ren, I hate to break it to you, but the way to make this stick will not take a miracle or divine intervention, but it WILL probably include having to talk about your feelings and assumptions. WITH Kazuma.

THE SHOES THE DOMESTICITY I CANNOT, help

I DID wonder how he was getting away with dressing the way he does

THE MANGA PANELLING ON THESE god, GOD, I guess I'll have to figure out bookwalker after all

d o m e s t i c i t y I'm chewing glass

uh-oh, that single pair of shoes has foreshadowing vibes

yikes

WHAT A CLIFFHANGER, holy SHIT, what do you mean I have to wait a WEEK?! (I know I could read the manga but I SHAN'T)

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - new entries upset the rankings

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

April 2024 Wk 2

Ongoing Series - Thai

City of Stars (Fri iQIYI) ep 11 of 12 - Like most Thai BL pulps, this show doesn’t have much story to it. But I'm discovering that what it does have I actually really enjoy. I love that the gay boys got to play matchmaker for a change and I like how just GAY they are. It's nice. Refreshing.

We Are (Weds GMMTV iQIYI) ep 1-2 of 16 - University ensemble BL featuring PondPhuwin, WinnySatang, AouBoom, MarcPawinPoon. I like it. It’s old school Thai BL, but having fun with itself and its tropes. I’m not expecting much, so I don’t mind it waffling. All the couples are comfy. Chemistry is okay. Friendships are nifty. I like Pond's floppy hair. We fine. 

Two Worlds (Thurs IQIYI) ep 5 of 10 - What an extremely bloody episode. And bad guy turned out to be very bad indeed. And now pretty much everyone is dead. Nice kiss. Of course. 

Deep Night (Thurs iQiyi) ep 6 of 8 - It’s cute, they happy, not a ton happened. Random gratuitous bathing. As you do in BL. And I still think the sides should just end up in a thrupple

Only Boo! (Sun YouTube) ep 2 of 12 - Oh they very cute. Also very silly. 

1000 Years Old (Thurs iQIYI) ep 9 of 12 - No. NOT THE GUITAR. YES abandon guitar for the sniff test! Love this for them. And me. My most favorite trope defeated my least favorite trope. VICTORY!!!  

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Unknown (Taiwan Tues YouTube & Viki) ep 8 of 11 - It’s just so good. Baby went away, grew up, and learned how to become a temptation... and a husband. 

Gray Shelter AKA Gray Currents (Korea Thurs iQIYI) 1 of 5 eps - SooHyuk, only just surviving, reunites with YoonDae, his (brief) younger stepbrother who feels abandoned. They end up living together. The younger brother is played by Lee Jae Bin of Choco Milk Shake. OMG. STEPBROTHERS TROPE. Lucky me! Two in one season. Yay!!!! It's Korea so great visuals too. I shallow but yeah, this is great.

Living With Him AKA Kare no Iru Seikatsu (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 1 of 10 - Kindly Ryota goes off to uni only to find his new roommate is his childhood bestie, Kazuhito. Kazuhito doesn’t have a girlfriend and Ryota tries to help him figure out why. Same director as Old Fashion Cupcake. It’s utterly charming. I am charmed. Also the framing is gorgeous (of course). Very stylish.

Love is Better the Second Time Around AKA Koi wo Suru nara Nidome ga Joto (Japan Weds Gaga) ep 6fin - I don’t know. Kind of a flat ending with the leads apart for most of it. I enjoyed this show but it never really hit with me. 

Summation

After a teen betrayal and resulting separation a reporter reunites with his first love. That love wants him back. I enjoyed the authenticity of a reunion romance explored in Japan's quintessentially contemplative yet surreal way. The juxtaposition of the tenderness of the sex scenes with this Japanese style of authenticity was oddly elegant but all in all this still fell a little flat for me. There's nothing objectively wrong with it, but in total the narrative felt sluggish and the main couple were just... stiff (in the wrong way). Frankly, I'd rather just rewatch Tokyo in April is. 8/10

Love is like a Cat (Korea Mon Viki) eps 3-4 of 12 - What is going on with this show? No, I get the plot. I just don't get the show or why I’m watching it. Annoying. 

It's done, but I suck

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps

To Be Continued (Sat C3 Thailand grey) ep 7-8fin - I can't for the life of me find the final 2 episodes. Haven't had a real hunt, but yeah. No dice so far.

It's airing but...

Takumi-kun Series 6: Nagai Nagai Monogatari (Japan Furritsubs) eps 1-? of 10 - I may wait and binge it.

Lady Boy Friends (Thai WeTV grey) 16 eps - reminds me a bit too much of Diary of Tootsies only high school. Not my thing. DNF unless it turns a corner and is truly amazing.

Kiseki Chapter 2 (Sun iQIYI) 6 eps - It’s so boring DNFed at 2.

Close Friend Season 3: Soju Bomb! (Weds iQIYI) 6 - The problem with situational comedy BL is it must be situational, comedic and a BL. This show gets 1 of 3 claims correct. 33% is not a passing grade. Dropped at 3.

Memory in the Letter (Thai WeTV) - only 4 eps, tell me if I should bother?

Next Week Looks Like This:

4/18 At 25:00 in Alaska AKA 25 Ji Akasaka de (Japan Thurs Gaga) 10 eps - Yuki lands his first starring role in a BL drama alongside superstar Asami (previously his senior at uni). Said superstar suggests they form a sham relationship until filming concludes. As they actually begin to fall in love, the spotlight begins to burn. I think I've seen this before (joke) and also the trailer doesn't inspire confidence.

Still to Come in April

4/25 Boys Be Brave! AKA Roommates (Korea Thurs Viki) 8 eps - Trailer Jung Ki Sub is Kim Jin Woo's slacker friend - and secret crush. So when Ki Sub crashes at his place, his heart tingles to be near him everyday. But as the short stay turns into permanent mooch, how long can Jin Woo keep his true feelings under wraps and hold back from confessing?

4/26 My Stand-In (Thai iQIYI) 12 eps - adaptation of Chinese novel "Professional Body Double" by Shui Qiang Cheng. Stars Up (Lovely Writer) and Poom (Bake Me Please) directed by the same team as KP (not a recommendation IMHO - my biggest criticism of that show was the clashing directing styles). This one looks complicated, lemme try: Joe is a stuntman for famous actor Tong. Joe falls in love with Ming but Ming sees Joe as nothing more than a Tong-replacement. After learning this horrible truth, Joe dies. Joe then wakes up in the body of another man also named Joe. He manages to rebuild the same life as before—with the same people eventually re-meeting Ming. Ming wants Joe back but Joe doesn't understand why. But Ming seems to know what's going on and wants to give him some kind of explanation.

I'm exhausted just trying to describe the plot.

Knock-Knock Boys (Thai WeTV) - 4 college friends conspire to help their friend lose his virginity. Familiar faces like Seng (yes, Billy's previous pairing) and Best, news here. But will it actually air this month?

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.

NOTE: It looks like one of my personal favorites of last year Unintentional Love Story is getting a spin off!

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENT

Sniff test turning into a make out sesh? Please and thank you. City of Stars

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a bother.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly

If ya wanna be tagged each week leave a comment and I will add you to the template. Easy peesy.

[noona96n]

Yoh & Segasaki's timeline

According to Episode 7 (around the 00:33 minute mark), Yoh and segasaki have only been living together for four months. And Nikke-sensei's tweet, also clarifies that the proposal was made 3 years ago and that they’ve only been living together since March or April; which explains, in part, their shit communication lmao. 

Series timeline: June to July of year zero 

Ep 1: June 3rd (Sat)

The sunny weather forecast with Segasaki and Takatsu Reiko around the 12:30 minute mark in the latter part of Episode 1 is for 6月3日 (土). That means the present timeline, as in the drama, starts at the beginning of June; which tracks with the weather in the current episode and the weather in future episodes. Rainy season (梅雨 tsuyu) in Kanto (that includes Tokyo and Yokohama) usually starts in early June and lasts until mid-July, and, by then, typhoons already started ravaging the nation every two days lol 

Ep 2: June 8th (Thur) 

At the 8:03 minute mark, we find out that Hiyoshi Aika starts her job at EW (AHAHA WHAT A GOOFY ABBREVIATION) on the 8th of June (Hiyoshi Aika starts the broadcast by announcing the date: 六月八日). By June 10th, Yoh full-on became a sad, sulky puppy who’s pouting cutely as he made his sad stir-fry pork dinner (Yoh’s phone screen at the 9:05 minute mark reads ６月10日 土曜日). 

Around 9:56 minute mark the in-universe weather forecast shows forecasts for the 12th (Mon), 13th (Tue), 14th (Wed), 15th (Thur), 16th (Fri), 17th (Sat), and 18th (Sun) in Sapporo, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Naha, suggesting that the day that Yoh resorts to making the Teru Teru Bouzu is June 11th. (Teru Teru Bouzu is a small ghost-like white doll people hang around the house in the hope of stopping the rain and bringing about good weather. Yoh’s desperate for some dicking down lol.) So, the day Yoh got frustrated and masturbated for erotic manga inspiration is at least a day after June 11th. Yoh and Segasaki’s clothes changed by then (the most noticeable is Segasaki’s shirt and tie). 

Since the tail end of Episode 2 probably takes place on June 12th, at the earliest, we can only assume that Episode 3 and 4 take place over the weekend of the 17th and 18th. Or the next weekend after. I’m tempted to even suggest that both episodes take place on the weekend of 24th (Sat) and 25th (Sun) because of how loud the cicadas were in the background in the 4th episode with Man-san. Cicadas in Japan are no joke, guys, they are so fucking damn loud, RIP ears, you will be missed. 

Ep 6: July 24th (Mon) 

*** I think canon dates broke down from Episode 5 onward… Around the 14:47 minute mark of Episode 5, Segasaki and Hiyoshi were presenting the weather for the 7th (Thur). There’s no monthly indication but we can assume that it’s in July; July because we were just in June in the first four episodes but also because (the beginning of) July is when the (awful, terrible, no good) heatwave starts taking Japan by storm (it lasts until fucking August and even spills into September this goddamn year, I kid you not; it was horrible). But, in Episode 6, the weather forecast at the end of the episode (around the 21:33 minute mark) was for 24th (Mon). If the 7th was a Thursday, then the 24th should be a Sunday, not a Monday. 

That’s why I’m just gonna disregard the 7th (Thur) in Episode 5, though I do think it takes place at the beginning of June or the end of July. Also, if we disregard that and count the days from Episode 1 (Saturday, June 3rd), then Monday, July 24th would make sense in Episode 6. So, let's go with that.

By the end of Episode 6, it’s the 24th of July. I know this is a while from Episode 5 but if we consider Man-san’s My Idol Boyfriend manga, then it makes sense. Yoh was ‘offered a job’ by Man-san pretty much immediately after he got dropped by his editor and by Episode 7, their manga was already in print. It would take them some time to finish their manga; less than a month is a very tight time to write, storyboard, edit, and have it approved but let’s make believe lol 

Ep 7: Typhoon No. 5

At the beginning of Episode 7 (around the 00:09 minute mark), Typhoon No. 5 was forecasted to take Tokyo by storm tomorrow. That kinda checks out, to be honest. Typhoon season in Japan could start as early as mid-May and could last until mid-October, depending on how early or late the heat begins and how long it’ll last. So I do think Episode 7 takes place some time after July 24th. 

Interesting tidbit: typhoons in Japan aren’t given names but are usually referred to by numbers. 

Personal (interesting?) tidbit #1: the first year I came to Japan, the super typhoon Hagibis made landfall in Japan. It was the strongest typhoon to hit Japan in decades and it was one of the strongest and biggest ever recorded. It was hella scary, not gonna lie lol and food was all out, even from the convenience stores. Fortunately, I was living in central Tokyo and wasn’t affected. Still scared though…. And, the crazy thing was, an earthquake struck the coast of Chiba before the typhoon hit so the typhoon’s effect was compounded. Wasn’t a fun experience, 0/10, do not recommend. 

Personal (interesting?) tidbit #2: my parents visited me this passing late May to early June, around the time typhoon Mawar wasn’t waging war in the Pacific. It was not a fun experience… we weren’t directly struck by it but the effects were kinda crazy: roads were closed, trains were suspended, rivers were flooded, and shops and restaurants were mostly closed. Felt really bad cause I took my family to Hakone (booked everything ages in advance and couldn’t cancel our reservation RIP) and we were just stranded up there… thankfully the sky cleared by our last day there and we were able to catch a glimpse of Fuji on our Ashi-no-ko’s cruise and on the train back to Tokyo. Still, wasn’t a fun experience, 0/10, do not recommend. 

Japan’s a wonderful place to visit though! Just… pick the right time. (I recommend autumn (Oct-Nov) because the weather’s great, the food’s fucking amazing, and the autumn foilage’s pretty rad.) 

Ep 8: July 28th 

The date after their (mildly) kinky sexy time was July 28th (Fri). The date can be found on Man-san’s phone around the 11:00 minute mark (7月28日、金曜日). 

There’s also another time indication later in the episode around the 17:13 minute mark where Yoh and Segasaki last texted on July 26th. Segasaki was telling Yoh about the rain and Yoh’s responses were pretty frosty if I’m being honest. Their texts go like this:

Segasaki: 今日午後から雨降る (It’s gonna rain this evening) Yoh: ありがとう (thanks) Segasaki: 洗濯物取り込んどけよ (bring the laundry in) Yoh: うん (k) 

It’s… frosty. Bare minimum from Yoh. Ofc he’s just feeling guilty (about the manga situation and stuff) but, y’know… it feels cold to Segasaki. I honestly feel really bad for the guy lol, especially because, from his perspective, Yoh’s only thinking about leaving and Yoh’s touchy-feely with that editor guy, and Yoh smiles happily and fully at and with that editor guy, and Yoh’s tired from being with him. 

Anyway, the series takes place from June to July of year zero and that’s canon. There, I said it. 

Yoh moving in: April of year zero

As you can see from my shittily drawn ‘graph’, I place Yoh’s moving in with Segasaki at April. This tracks with the timeline and Nikke-sensei’s clarification as well as in-universe narrative of them only been living together for four months. But, I’m extra so I’m gonna explain why (I found out about sensei’s tweet after figuring out the timeline lol)... and it’s not just backtracking from July. 

So, in Japan, the year usually ‘starts’ in April; as in the school year and the fiscal year ends in March and starts in April. This applies to leases as well: contracts are usually for 2 years and will likely end in March. Housing is in very high demand during that time and the prices for each unit are also very expensive because of that. Of course, you can rent a unit any time of the year but the good ones are also mostly available and up for grabs in the March-April period. (Renting a unit in Japan is… an experience lol and not a fun one. My being a foreigner does not help one bit because many landlords do not accept foreign tenants no matter who you are, where you’re from, or what you’re in Japan for.) 

Anyways, as Yoh can see, I think that Yoh graduated in year zero… so, that’s a winter graduation some time in February. (People also graduate in summer some time in August but it’s much rarer because most Japanese enter uni in Spring (April). People who graduate in September are either those who extend their uni year or foreign students who enter during the Autumn intake in September because that’s when the English program school year start (in my department, at least… I entered in April and graduated my Master's 3 years later in February but it’s a somewhat special case.)

Anyway!!! Yoh graduates ‘this’ year so, that means his lease will be up too and it makes perfect sense for him to move with Segasaki around late March or early April. 

The proposal: mid-Feb —  late-March three years ago

I place the proposal at the end of Winter, beginning of Spring in year minus-three. Weather-wise, it’s plausible because we know that the day of the proposal was unusually warm for the time and February is easily one of the coldest months in Japan. And, even though Spring starts in March, warmth doesn’t really come around until later in the month or even April. (It snowed in March, once. In Tokyo. It rarely ever snows in Tokyo but it’s been snowing every other year since I came here.) 

I also headcanon that Segasaki graduated (his Master's) that minus-three year while Yoh is only in his second year of bachelor’s. My logic is that because he’s graduating, this could be his last desperate attempt to lock Yoh down and make sure Yoh’s spoken for (Yoh’s just a dumb-dumb who doesn’t recognize a proposal lol). It also makes sense for the proposal to come up at that period if we think about it… Mizuki’s graduating and Yoh could be asking him about his jobs after graduation and whatever else which, in turn, allows Mizuki to start a conversation about Yoh’s plan for the future. It’s also not uncommon for peeps to hang around uni before they start their jobs (for whatever reasons) so it makes sense to me that the proposal was in some time between Mizuki’s graduation in mid-Feb till late-March, when Yoh’s about to start his new school year and Segasaki will have to start his job. (This could be when Yoh finds out Segasaki will be working with EW and starts watching the broadcast religiously.) 

Job prospect-wise, it’s pretty solid. Segasaki’s confident that he’d be working in a high-paying job when he proposed to Yoh. If Segasaki’s graduating in year minus-three, then he’d extremely likely to already have a job lined up for him; he’s just gonna immediately enter the workforce right out of uni. This is very common in Japan. University graduates are socially expected and pressured into working immediately after finishing their studies which is why it’s common practice for them to start their job-hunting process during the second to last or last year at uni. It’s generally advised that they start second to last year in uni (B3 if you’re in your bachelor’s and M1 if you’re in your Master's) because the process is long and drawn out and it could be a very long time before a job is offered. It’s also ill-advised to do your job-hunting in your final year because final year can be very hectic for some; some B4 and M2 students need to write their thesis, do graduation projects, finish up their experiments, etc. it’s not fun to add job-hunting into the mix. So, even if the proposal happened right after Segasaki’s graduation, Segasaki would be confident that he’d be able to support both of them just fine. 

Why I don’t think Yoh did his job hunting 

I honestly don’t think Yoh did his job-hunting because:

As I talked about here, Yoh became anxious about jobs and job-hunting in general in Episode 5 and this could imply that he didn’t go through the process while he was in university. You could do it on your own, but it’s difficult. That’s why many students take advantage of the recruitment offered by universities. Many also make use of other public recruitment services. 

Yoh’s the kind of person who does things at his own pace and does what he wants. I.E. 1; Yoh is a slow walker who has always walked slow. Segasaki made a point of commenting about his pace but instead of increasing his speed to match that of his sempai’s, he continued at his own pace and said he’s been told that before, and Segasaki was forced to match his pace. Yoh’s aware of his snail's pace, he was criticized for it but said fuck all and went about walking at his speed anyway. This is very not-Japanese. I.E. #2; He doesn’t really care to socialize. That’s it, that’s the reason. I.E. #3; my guy used 俺 (ore) with the stranger seniors. Peeps aren’t expected to drop 俺 (ore) and go for 僕 (boku) when talking to seniors anymore but they’re strangers… he should be using 僕 (boku). I.E. #4; he made fucking curry rice for a sick person because that’s the only thing he can make. Curry rice. He could’ve googled how to make porridge but nah, curry rice lol. I.E. #5; arguing with his editor that the ‘I love you’ dialogue is necessary in his 20 pages long porn manga. I don’t man, Yoh’s not afraid to do his own shit and he totally seems like the kinda guy who’d fuck around and find out when it comes to his career. Which I think is why Yoh’s secured that he has a patron in Segasaki and decided not to do his job-hunting. 

Yoh & Segasaki’s first meeting: May —  June four years ago

I think Yoh first ‘met’ Segasaki four years ago; that’s his first year in university, and that would explain why he hasn’t seen Segasaki sooner. I placed their first meeting in May — June mainly because of their outfits. Everyone was wearing a Spring palette when we first saw them at the cafeteria, but they weren’t wearing any thick outer layers so that’s probably very late into Spring and early June. Their clothes also became progressively lighter throughout the flashback and, by the time Segasaki was sick, there were more layers on everyone again, esp. Segasaki, indicating that Autumn could’ve been around the corner. (Though this could just be due to the timing of the filming!)

Also, Segasaki’s friend asked for his notebook, implying that there’s a report/assignment/quiz coming up that he needs to prepare for. So, at least we know it’s definitely not the start of the semester.

On Mizuki’s Master’s level education 

I’ll be real… I’m entirely biased when it comes to Segasaki’s educational level. I have a Master's and I’m an old, I want my fav to be an old too haha. (I’m currently doing my PhD, it’s… going somewhere lmao) 

Anyway, I didn’t make him have a Master's just because… I think Segasaki has a position of seniority in the workplace despite his young age: he led the discussion and (I presume) implemented the new weather reporting system thing. He was also comfortable with rejecting the welcome dinner (歓迎会 kangeikai) for Hiyoshi… and his co-workers, who are obviously his seniors, just accept it as it is. You don’t just reject invitations to after-work dinners/parties, 飲み会 (nomikai), especially not the kangeikai. It’s a party to welcome new members; rejecting it means you’re not a team player and unwilling to bond with your co-workers to cultivate a harmonious workplace relationship, which is a no-no in Japan (please read up on 和 (wa) if you’re interested in learning why), and definitely a no-no if you’re not high-up in position. (There’s a lot of politics going on in the background that I’m not very familiar with. I understand the most basics; like filling superior’s glasses, ‘hanging out’ with superiors, being frank and up-front and coming away unscathed, power-harassment bosses forcing people to drink, etc.) So, Segasaki must’ve entered the workplace in a relatively high position; which is achievable with a Master's. 

Interesting tidbit #1: did you know, you don’t get fired from a workplace in Japan? If the company wanna lay off people, they usually just close the entire department lol crazy, I know, but it’s legit. It’s why people can be employed for life at work.

Interesting tidbit #2: not many Japanese students go for a Master's but when they do, they usually enter right after their Bachelor’s. However, there are certain majors where having a Master’s is advantageous and students are generally encouraged to go for it. I.E. my major, Architecture and Urbanism, and Civil Engineering. These majors typically take 5 years of undergrad for students to qualify as practitioners. In Japan, their Bachelor’s only lasts for 4 years and a 2 years Master’s will put them on the same level as other practitioners from abroad. (I did 5 years of Undergrad in Architecture and Urbanism and another 3 years for my M.Arch degree lol and there are years to go until I get my Doctoral RIP)

wrote this whole thing bcs of this silly lil fic lmao

[notafanbut]

I know there has been a lot of disappointment with ep 5 and 6 and a feeling that the show went off the rails a bit. I do accept maybe the pacing didn't work, but, for me, it made sense.

I don't see the blame as being laid squarely on Miyata as some do. I think what the show is saying is running away would either never have happened anyway or never have worked.

Iwanaga was far more aware of how much of a problem their relationship was to others (his family in particular). He knew he was choosing a road that was not accepted - as he tells his mother the one thing she taught him and he learnt well, was how to hide his true self.... Miyata, on the other hand, had the niavity of the young - love will conquer all. They had two different views - as Iwanaga says to his cousin, ultimately it was probably for the best. So he hid, he protected Miyata (shades of Tokyo in April is), he took the burden...

Ultimately the show is about growing up and growing wiser - so when Iwanaga says at the end let's run away somewhere distant, Miyata laughs and says 'we are going back to Tokyo' and that is the mark of the distance travelled. We aren't running away, we are going to our lives together, no longer hidden .

Shiraishi grows and tells Miyata where to find Iwanaga and also sees the love they have and that he must give up. Sugimoto, likewise, once Miyata comes through, does everything to help. It is about growth.

[bengiyo]

Tokyo in April is... Ep 8 (Finale) Stray Thoughts

Before we begin, I am leaving timestamps for potentially triggering content. To skip all of the potential depictions, jump to 2:34 of the episode

Triggers include homophobia, physical abuse, attempted sexual assault,

00:22 - We pick up with Ren on the floor. There is a nighttime pan of the city before the intro music. Sanada is not visible.

1:20 - Sanada kicks Ren, looms over him, and begins to unbuckle his pants before Kazuma grabs him from behind and throws him to the ground.

1:50 - Sanada says homophobic things about Ren

2:34 - Ren has run away from the scene.

5:07 - After falling, Ren threatens to kill himself.

12:45 - Ren asks Kazuma to remove the wristband, but we are not shown the self harm scars.

Last week, we had a lot of flashbacks, but the core was Ryunosuke revealing the true extent of the horrors Ren suffered to Kazuma. We left with Kazuma running to their office. He doesn't know that Sanada is trying to harm Ren. I am certain he will intervene.

I feel vindicated in my trust. Kazuma got there in them and recorded incriminating evidence.

Oh, Kazuma. I'm glad you finally confessed and said what needed to be said.

I'm glad the mom is talking about this with someone else. I didn't like her talking about this with the guys in the manga. I still don't like her forcing them apart once she understood how much they liked each other. It was played as kind of a joke in the manga and I didn't like it. It feels cruel here.

Kazuma is very responsible, and I'm glad they confirmed that they went to the police to file a report that night.

I think it's so tasteful of the show to not show us Ren's scars. That reality is for them, not us.

I'm glad they're leaving the company. They knew who Sanada was all the time and even now want to silence the matter.

Oh my god. They are wearing a ring in this scene with the mom.

I'm glad she explained her real issues earlier and plays it softer here with them, and focuses instead on their mother-son relationship.

This resolution with the mom feels imperfect in a way I find really enjoyable.

I'm glad we saw them see Hido together. He also clearly loved them.

Not Kazuma saying Ren is also a sunshine boy who's light was just dimmed. He said miss me with that heteronormativity fear.

Ope, said the name of the show. FINISH YOUR DRINKS.

Not them ending us where we started!!!

Final Verdict: 9, Highly Recommended. This is a smart adaptation with some tactful changes to the packing and depictions of the source material that handles a lot of difficult themes decently. I think the flashbacks are overused, but can be forgiven for a piece about nostalgia. I think the handling of queerness was interesting, but a little too sub-textual. This was a solid experience, if a little heavy at the end.

[singto-prachaya]

It's been a while. April to be exacly but I thought I would do a post again.

Home School

The only non BL show I am currently watching and it's really good. Pennueng is totally my favorite character and I want to protect him at all cost.

House Of Stars

It's messy. The plot that is. But in my opinion the good kind. Pawin is by far my favorite character. And they did such a good job with the casting for that. Also the chemistry of the actors who play Pawin and Korn is really good.

La Pluie

My favorite airing BL at the moment. I just love the soulmate trope. And I like how they are tackling it here.

Shigatsu no Tokyo wa

I said I was going to prioritize J-BL's this year. And for the ones that interested me I totally did. So far 2 eps in this is really cute. Now let's wait how the FWB plot is going to turn out. Will we get a lot of angst?

Tie The Not

Pinoy BL! It's been a while since I have watched one. This is a shorter one. Only 8 eps of 15 min. I am not expecting much quality wise. So far this has been pretty funny.

The list for upcoming shows in July I wan to watch is long. So kill me now. I will be super busy.

Be Mine Superstar (3 July, Viki, IQ)

JaFirst in another BL? I can't wait. The trailer did however look a bit to comedic for me. But we will see.

Minato Coin Laundry 2 (5 July, Gaga)

I am not really a fan of season 2's but I liked the first season of this so I will tune in for season 2. Let's see if they don't screw this up.

 Low Frequency (8 July, IQ)

Let's see how this Kantana BL is going to play out. Im not expecting a masterpiece but I hope it's atleast decent. Can't wait to see Guitar on screen. From participating in a survival show to try and get in a boyband to starring in a BL.

Hidden Agenda (9 July, YT)

Plot wise this is kinda basic but it's JoongDunk so I will watch! Let's hope they get another BL next year and it's something completely different.

Laws Of Attraction (15 July, One31)

I am definitly here for more JamFilm. They are really good actors. And I love mature plot lines. And I trust One31 on the quality.

[ohmyrosiexo]

what you gonna do when i come come through with that that uh uh huh

Basic Information

Full Name: Roseanne Park

Stage Name: ROSÉ (로제)

Nickname(s): Rose, Rosie, “Pasta”

Age: Twenty Seven

Date of Birth: February 11th, 1997

Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand

Current Location: Seoul, South Korea

Ethnicity: Korean

Nationality: Australian

Gender: Cis Female

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Orientation: Heteroromantic & Heterosexual

Occupation: Singer

Living Arrangements: Penthouse in Yongsan Prugio Summit

Language(s) Spoken: Korean, English, Japanese

Physical Appearance

Hair Colour: Blonde, naturally brunette

Eye Colour: light brown

Height: 5'6

Weight: ~110lbs

Tattoos: a tiny h

Piercings: ears, three holes on her left ear, and only two on her right.

Favorites'

Season: Fall/Autumn

Colour: blue

Movies: disney,

Sport: cheerleading, bike riding

Beverage: healthy drinks

Family, Relationships & More

Family: Mother, Father, older sister & Hank (her dog)

Relationship Status: Single

Love Interest: N/a

Past Relationships: Mingyu (ex on good terms)

Extra

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Hogwarts House: Hufflepuff

Discography

Without You Collaboration with G-Dragon September 15, 2012

Square One Debut Single Album August 8, 2016

Square Two Single Album November 1, 2016

As If It’s Your Last Single June 22, 2017

Blackpink Japanese Debut Mini Album August 30, 2017

Just Dance Soundtrack / Demo with VINCE October 29, 2017

So Hot (THEBLACKLABEL Remix) Remake Single December 25, 2017

Re:Blackpink Japanese Repackage Album March 28, 2018

Square Up Mini Album / EP June 15, 2018

DDU-DU DDU-DU Single July 23, 2018

Kiss and Make Up Collaboration with Dua Lipa October 19, 2018

BLACKPINK In Your Area Japanese Mini Album  November 23, 2018

BLACKPINK Arena Tour 2018 “Special Final in Kyocera Dome Osaka” Japanese Live Album March 22, 2019

Kill This Love Mini Album / EP  April 5, 2019

BLACKPINK 2018 Tour [In Your Area] Seoul Live Album August 8, 2019

Kill This Love (Japanese Version) Japanese Studio Album October 16, 2019

Awesome Samsung Galaxy A71 Soundtrack January 9, 2020

BLACKPINK 2019-2020 World Tour In Your Area – Tokyo Dome Japanese Live Album May 6, 2020

Sour Candy Collaboration with Lady Gaga May 28, 2020

How You Like That Pre-release Single June 26, 2020

Ice Cream (with Selena Gomez) Pre-release Single August 28, 2020

Kiss and Make Up (Remix) (Mixed) Collaboration with Dua Lipa, The Blessed Madonna August 29, 2020

The Album Studio Album October 2, 2020

-R- Debut Single Album March 12, 2021

BLACKPINK 2021 ‘The Show’ Live Live Album June 1, 2021

The Album (Japanese Version) Japanese Studio Album August 3, 2021

Sour Candy (Shygirl & Mura Masa Remix) Collaboration with Lady Gaga, Shygirl, Mura Masa September 21, 2021

Ready For Love Collaboration (with battle royale video game PUBG Mobile) July 29, 2022

Pink Venom Pre-release Single August 19, 2022

Born Pink Studio Album September 16, 2022

The Girls BPTG Soundtrack August 23, 2023

I-LAND2 : N/α Signal Song Soundtrack April 4, 2024

Fun Facts

She is Korean, but she was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and raised in Melbourne, Australia, where she attended Canterbury Girls Secondary College.

Pre-debut, ROSÉ used to be a cheerleader in Australia

She can play the piano, the guitar

She also likes drawing

She is left-handed

She really likes kimchi stew

She's very sensitive, and cries very easily

[shouldiusemyname]

I just finished watching Tokyo in April is... ep 5 and I realised something.

So usually, my mind is on all the time. I have a running commentary / soundtrack ALL THE TIME. Not only when I watch something, but literally all the time. Never shuts up. However! when I watch Japanese shows - NOTHING. No words. I watch an ep of whatever jbl (minato's laundry, my beautiful man, Tokyo in april, end of the world...) I go on Tumblr, people have things to say. Me? NOTHING. It took listening to @the-conversation-pod talk about Tokyo in April two months after watching the show, to be able to put into words what I felt about this show.

Now, after ep 5 of Tokyo and reading people's thoughts on Tumblr, it finally hit me -

When I watch Japanese shows my mind is completely silent. No thoughts. Just feelings.

I have no idea how they do this magic that they do, but I'm just going to keep reading everyone's meta for these shows and see how you guys beautifully put my feelings into words.

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Someday I'll return to Japan and wait for Kazuma to come back.

For @nieves-de-sugui 💐

[scoy-supremacy]

I love Tokyo in April is..., But I keep having to pause the new ep every 5 min bc I'm *so stressed*

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

Tokyo In April Is... ep. 5

[absolutebl]

This Week In BL - I’m pleased with what’s airing, but conflicted about what’s ended & getting started

Aug 2023 Wk 1

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Laws of Attraction (Sat iQIYI) 4 of 8 - Omg the way the bodyguard (handler?) looks at the rich kid. Gah. I see why @heretherebedork​ loves these 2. But I really hate him (not the handler, the kid). Fun fight scene. I love lawyer babygirl SO MUCH. HE WILL BE MY 2023 FAV CHARACTER. I’M CALLING IT. This ep, Srs? You’re killing me. Suits! Pussycat bows! And then... The Public Claiming!!!!! One of my favorite tropes! And openly flirting? Boys. I’m getting spoiled. Wait… is that…? NO SINGING. Ah well, Thai BL giveth and Thai BL taketh away. 

Hidden Agenda that isn’t hidden (Sun GMMTV YouTube) ep 4 of 10 - I like the script for this. It feels like the conversations they have are very honest to a uni experience. It’s comfortable and breezy. I did not expect the kiss. Bit early in the arc. There is either going to be a lot of backend drama, or a long domestic honeymoon period. (Bet you can guess which one I vote for.) 

Low Frequency (Sat iQIYI) ep 5 of 8 - It’s moving along in a Ghost Host kinda way (minus the killer chemistry). I’m not mad about it, I don’t think I'll remember it tho. 

Be Mine Super Star (Mon Viki) ep 5 of 12 - My ambivalent relationship with this drama continues. Cohabitation trope. Punn is basically a huge puppy trying to spoil/cuddle/fuck his pretty kitty prince. It is what it is. Meanwhile, I just want more of Big Daddy & the Hot Doc. (Also the name of my burlesque show.) Why does Kevin have more chemistry with Ashi in a 1 min long scene than Punn has had… ever? Is this nascent bad boy effect or nascent 2nd lead syndrome I’m feeling? (Meanwhile Ben! Hi! Long time no see!) 

Be My Favorite (Fri YouTube) ep 11 of 12 - Whatever. Trash(ish) watch here. 

Dinosaur Love (Sun iQIYI) ep 6 of 8 eps - Aw pretty baby is unhappy his bf got injured. But also very blushing maiden. This is profoundly NOT GOOD. 

Wedding Plan (Weds YT & iQIYI) ep 3 of 7 - I have decided that Lom’s theme song is BigBang’s Monster. Listen. You’ll see what I mean. Also BigBang = also very problematic but banging. What I’m saying is, I wanna punch Lom so bad, I went slightly bonkers. Water sports are addressed. A trash watch is happening!

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Jun & Jun (Korea Thurs Viki) 3 of 8 - How DARE they make me love this show so much? I feel personally attacked. The smell thing! Gah. The way they automatically go informal in private. The flirting. The language. The suits, the EVERYTHING. It’s embarrassing how much I rewatch the final bits of each ep. 

Stay By My Side (Taiwan Fri Gaga) 6 of 10 eps - I adore this ridiculous show. (I just realized that the actor playing Jiang Chi played Ray’s evil 2-timing bf in About Youth). Baby boy is quite clueless. Sweet dreams tho. I love them both so much. The washing his jersey scene was so fucking cute. Couple’s numbers, couple’s keychains, bridal towel, kisses. Thank you Taiwan for NOT activating blushing maiden. However, confident gay/confused bisexual is a go. And we got us some justifiable angst. Sigh. I’m so happy. 

Sing My Crush AKA Follow The Wind (Korea Weds iQIYI) 1-2 of 8 eps - supposed to have released in the first half of 2022 this is a adaption of Myung’s webtoon, from the director of My Sweet Dear, and Love Tractor’s production house, basically Korea does About Youth. It’s sweet (the singing bits are easy to skip) and very much a story of young first love but less stiff than KBL’s usual high school fare (kinda Taiwan feeling). I like it but that very imprecision in production makes me concerned for an HEA, especially with such a low MDL rating. 

Tokyo in April is... AKA Shigatsu no Tokyo wa (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 8fin  - Rough final episode, but it does end happily. Fortunately, I had some warning for my personal triggers, but this is Japan and they did go dark. Full review below. 

Minato's Laundromat Season 2 AKA Minato Shouji Coin Laundry Season 2 (Japan Thu Gaga) 5 of 12 eps - Shin is so cute and proud and boldly out. I love him. Movement in the relationship with both couples, even if it’s movement into arguments and misunderstanding. I suppose we got 12 eps they need to do... something.  

Stay Still (Hong Kong Tues YouTube) 1 of 5 eps - It’s confusing. And… not good? Some flashbacks some present day? 

It’s airing but ...

Stay With Me ... NO I WILL NOT! And you can’t make me.

Review: Tokyo in April is... AKA Shigatsu no Tokyo wa

I had to chew on this for a while but here’s where I ended up. 

Two young men with a shared tragic past reunite and fall in love all over again, but the past will not stop hunting them. Based on a manga, this office set reunion romance is GREAT… damn it. It’s Japan in full on soft focus which means it gets emo, abusive, and chewy. These two characters are giving parts of their souls away in a desperate attempt to shape themselves to the expectations they have of each other. 

Japan gave us the Bed Friends that Thailand could never even imagine. But here’s the thing: I don’t enjoy my BL this heavy and cutting. I know that for The 8th Sense crowd this is peak BL and I can’t argue with the fact that the romantic devotion, domesticity, script, and acting IS all on point. It’s just not my personal preference for that point to be so damn sharp. I appreciate that this being 2023 I have the luxury of consistent quality (especially from Japan) and thus the ability to say… 

I acknowledge that this SHOULD get a 9/10 but I can’t emotionally go higher than 8/10 

RECOMMENDED BUT KNOW WHAT KIND OF BL THIS IS AND TRIGGER WARNINGS LIKE CRAZY 

Japan = sticking to its lanes like their BL is on rails. 

Next Week Looks Like This:

Starting: 

8/11 Love Class Season 2 (Korea Fri Viki) 10 eps 

8/12 My Personal Weatherman AKA Taikan Yoho (Japan Sat Gaga) 8 eps 

Still Coming August 2023

8/19 Love in Translation (Thai Sat One31) ? eps - Two strangers start working in a cafe together.

8/19 I Feel You Linger in the Air (Thai Sat Gaga) 12 eps - The time travel historical romance many of us have been waiting for. 

8/20 My Universe series (Thai Sun iQIYI) 24 episodes - This is sampler pack BL, 12 pairs, each pair gets 2 eps, not sure on the order they’ll drop. Known couples include EarthBank from Destiny Seeker and KaownahTurbo from Love Stage!!!, mostly fresh faces otherwise. Jane to direct several.

8/22 Kisseki: Dear to Me formerly known as Miracle (Taiwan Tues ????) 13 eps - From screenwriter Lin Pei Yu (We Best Love, H3: Trapped) features a student doctor forced to take care of a gangster. I love the premise and like the writer, Viki or Gaga will get this one.  

8/24 Man Suang (Thailand movie, domestic cinema release) - historical drama about Thai burlesque with KP’s MileApo. Tong is in this one too?

8/? Why R U? (Korean remake) is supposed to be out this month, filming started in sept 22. I find everything about this hilarious. I mean if Korea remakes it, we lose all the sexy and then... would we have a story at all? No we would not. Not even for six short eps. It’d be like one of those mesh shopping bags.

Oh yeah, Only Friends is coming. 

2023 forthcoming BL master post (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED)

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Hidden Agenda. I love them. 

Public claiming with the waist grab maneuver! A true hero. 

But I think we can all agree that THIS is the hero all love triangles deserve. (both Laws) 

(Last week) 

[gothicbarbie]

BL’s I’m watching right now...

I'll order from fav to least as well...

1. Minato's Laundry 2 - Okay, I haven't watched ep 1 yet but I loved season 1 so I am stoked about this returning!

2. His Man 2 - Amazing series. It's a reality show that's highly dramatic and addicting. Not as good as season 1 so far imo, but there is potential for more pairings this time I think???? Totally rooting for the roommates pairings right now, but expecting to be disappointed in the end lol.

3. Tokyo in April is... - So far, really impressed. I love the japanese BL style in general, especially ones that are high heat. I also love a friends with benefits type of storyline, so this is fun so far!

4. Be My Favorite - I skip a lot of this one, and I find the plot a bit confusing with the time travel aspect but I am really enjoying the main duo's chemistry and storyline so far.

5. 21 Day's Theory - Okay, this is an older BL I only just started, and I've only seen 1 episode so far but it found it pretty entertaining.

6. Step by Step - Not as into this one as everyone else. I actually am far more interested in the side pairings storyline and sadly, they haven't been given a whole lot. The main duo has good chemistry and their kiss scenes were great, so that's something, but overall i find the plot a little bland and i am not a big fan of office romances tbh.

7. Be Mine Superstar - Only just started, but it was a bit boring and cheesey... will be skimming a LOT of this series lol. But I love jafirst, and the side pairing seemed interesting too.

8. La Pluie - Not sure why I am still watching because I dont really like this one. Def. not on the same level for me as it is for other people. I like the side pairing okay but mostly just skim this one.

9. Win Jamie's Heart - another older bl. Pinoy. Only JUST started and only saw 1 ep so its hard to tell right now. But seems okay.

10. House of Stars- Mess of a series. Lots of drama. Confused me from the start so I started skipping around. At this point I'm only watching to finish it off cuz its almost over lol.

11. Luminous Solution - Hot hot mess, quit the first time, trying to get back into it and having a difficult time. Will prob. end up dropping it again, but for now i am skimming through.

[invisiblegarters]

Tokyo in April Is...Episode 5

Who is ready for some heartbreak?

It's me. It's always me. Curse me and my attraction to this very specific brand of show.

Although it is episode five so it's very possible that we'll get a few sweet times before the inevitable pain.

Ugh, yep. It's the return of Sanada. That man is so odious. And I am overly defensive of Kazuma because he's such a sweetheart.

Oh my. So he's a rapist too? So that's what the whole smoking in the hotel thing was. Wonderful. Well at least now I can hate him with impunity, the sick ass. What a vile, vile person.

Okay Japan. I appreciate your dedication to reality but this whole thing is just deeply upsetting. Say it with me, guys: rape is never the victim's fault. No, not even then. I will not be having discussion about this.

Please be careful, Ren. I feel like Sanada is very used to operating with the implicit sanction of his bosses. I feel like going after him could really ruin things for him. I appreciate his former coworker warning him about that too. I don't think it'll stop him (and I don't think that it should), but i also think that its's good for him to understand exactly what he is getting into.

I still love Yagami's hair. And I also kind of love that he was there for Ren during some of the worst times in his life. They also did a real good job casting his younger self, too.

Oh, poor bb Ren. That pining is epic and then add on a little bit of tragic circumstance and everything is just so deliciously sad and wistful and I love it.

Neck kisses! Neck kisses! I love these two together. They're so lovely and the actors are doing the best job of just radiating comfort in each other's presence.

Oh no. A wild mother Takizawa appears to gum up the works. Knew that was coming from the second that the beginning showed her sewing the shirt. I feel like she's gonna send Ren into a spiral. SO much self-loathing in that man over something that wasn't even his fault, and while I don't necessarily blame her for believing him when he claimed he forced Kazuma to have sex with him all those years ago, I do wonder if a part of her suspects that he wasn't exactly being truthful back then. I am so curious what their meeting will look like next week. That Kazuma resents her is patently clear, imo, and my guess would be it's because of being sent abroad as soon as he got better after the whole thing with Ren went down.

As for Ren's desire not to talk about it...I get it. Boy do I get it. But it's not going to stay there forever - there are too many factors at play, too many people who know or were there, and both Ren and Kazuma are too traumatized about what happened for it to lie dormant forever. Looks like it might come to a head next week, although I am not sure. There are three episodes left, after all, and while I know there is still Sanada (slimeball) to deal with I still kind of think that Kazuma and Ren's past is going to converge with that plot in extremely unpleasant ways.

I continue to adore this show. It's just excellent and it's one that I look forward to every single week. I feel like it might break my heart in the end but probably I'll still love it. I am nothing if not a glutton for punishment (see: Eternal Yesterday, which to this day remains one of my favorite BLs ever even if I have to really gird myself before rewatching (and I maintain that ep three is one of the best episodes in any show, ever. Pitch perfect)).

Oh, Japan.