Our Youth

Ranking it a good drama, my score for this love story covers exactly one aspect- yearning. I watched a reel featuring one of the leads feeding the other water. Emotion depicted by the actors and framing of the scene escalated a tint of salvation through love in my perspective. Complete surrender exhibited by 'Haruki', "infect me, even a little" impressed me. Plot was nothing new but it succumbed me to watch, waiting every week. Story is set in modern Kanto prefecture based on a Korean Manhwa. Kisses looked influenced from 'Doukyusei'. The actors were not only compatible but also apt for the roles. Kenshin has a gravitational gaze. Junsei being a fudanshi aided their cozy romance. Scriptwriter has done a great work in condensing the webtoon into a short drama that looked native. It would have been far more intense if made in the original language.

Everything is good until it is not. Don't delve into personal lives. Let the narrative remain wholesome in your last impression.

In this hetero ocean, two fish appear, each with its own sea and deep down they have doubts about who they really are... Japan produces LGBTQ+ projects, ranging from complete strongholds to completely unrealistic pieces based on manga, but still Japanese society as a whole is not so open to human differences on the outside, traditions and uniformity are adhered to. This wonderful piece is proof of how these two characters were shy and approached their inner differences so cautiously. That is why, in my opinion, this series is so different from most others, which offer unreality, fairy tales and often we don't find many hetero characters in the project. Thanks to the director, the entire team and both guys who put that special Japanese charm and absolute REALITY into it, it is civil, HUMAN and for me not 10/10, but 11/10.

Someone here mentions whether the project would have been so highly rated if it weren't for BL. Of course it wasn't. After all, the hetero characters wouldn't have to fumble around so much, come to terms with their difference on the outside, and it would have been a completely normal series.

In my opinion THE best J bl so far!! Great acting, cinematography and direction!

Some people are unable to separate the Series from the controversy created by 1 actor on the show.

In either case it can't take away from the great quality of the series itself. It deserves much higher rating then it currently has.

I've read a lot of BL stories, fanfics, I've watched lota of animes, dramas, and this one is the best one so far.

It's subtle, it's sweet and realistic. There's no dumb humor, no cringe, no caricatural showcase of homosexuality. They start of as friends, and they really care for each other which can be shown mostly in their actions. Words aren't needed. They support and help each other, they look out for one another... The portrayal of emotions is incredible. I love the characters, I love that they're not perfect and have flaws. But they find each other and bloom, realizing there's more to life than they thought. Minase taught Hirukawa that studying and college can be rewarding, Hirukawa taught Minase that not all relationships are meaningless. The slow, increasing love, is very soft and pure. The drama shows hardships and family dysfunctions, too. To me, it's so much more than just a "cute gay show". Also, the story might seem mundane or boring for those who don't see the details and little symbols. You won't enjoy it if you aren't sensitive or empathetic. I enjoyed every second of it and watched it all so fast because I got glued to the story... I'm tired of BL series with no communication, with toxic relationships, awful jokes and unrealistic gay stereotypes. "Our youth" is beautiful, sweet, domestic... and realistic. Watch it.

My man Minase got a huge abandonment complex after all that, Hirukawa you better take responsibility. Those two last episodes felt unnecessary until they touched on this actually. Was about to throw hands when marriage was brought up.

Apart from some awkward kissing scenes (but plenty of intimacy ones paradoxically) I'd say it feels genuine and it avoids some of the usual dynamics in BLs, things somehow flow, apart from their family issues, which are significant. For a country that pretends not to see bullying and domestic abuse hoping it will magically go away, Japan sure produces a ton of content that revolves around this very topic. And almost every time most bystanders claim it's better to remain just that. Getting involved will almost taint you with the same "disease", which is a very odd stance, but this is what Minase's friends and teachers tell him. He will suffer by association, his future will be compromised etc. I find that very odd for a collectivist society but I'm sure I have heard several explanations for it, I just cannot wrap my head around it. Especially adults acting that way.

Nevermind, it's a miracle Hirukawa survives this. At least in the stories.