Utsukushii kare

Wohh ! What I have seen.

At first I thought what is this..? Another cliche drama but NO It was something else.

As you move forward in the story, you will realise the storytelling is very good actually.

Story depicts both side of the coin.

The writing is very good and characters are very well potrayed by actors.

Good job.

Hira Kazunari, a high school student who doesn't talk much, has no friends and belongs to the bottom of his class. The person he falls in love with at first sight is Kiyoi Sou. He is "The King" who doesn't hang out with anyone, is equally ruthless, and reigns at the top of the class. With the hope Sou will notice his presence, Kazunari serves him devotedly, running errands and buying lunch. But his faith in the absolute monarch gradually falls into lust.

~~ Adapted from the novel "He, Who is Beautiful"by Nagira Yuu

Personal Note: THIS IS NOT... your ordinary BL romance drama.

It is MUCH DEEPER than that; besides the flawless performances, beautiful Japanese leading men, their characters and personalities are severely flawed, which takes some time understanding.

I actually watched the entire series THREE TIMES, (a labor of love and appreciation!) and then I finally located a TRANSLATION of the Audio Book, and read through that, one chapter after each series segment... to fully understand the depths of the characters in this story.

It's the most moving and beautiful love story that I've ever read/watched.

There is a SPANISH translation of the novel which can be opened in Chrome, then right-clicked upon and select TRANSLATE to English, etc.

Note the first 5 scenes CLOSELY match the audio book, HOWEVER, the FINAL CHAPTERS of the book are rather intensely and graphically sexual, so these ending chapters were rather "ghosted" in (PG-13 style) within the Sixth and final video segment of the series.

This is what I want from TV, when I push the play button!

The story, the acting, the cinematography, the music... everything is perfect from the 1st to the last moment.

A little jewel you don't want to miss.

This little romance was very well done. Unlike many Japanese BL drama It had some very relatable and interesting characters, they were definitely not cookie cutter, and had a bit of depth for such a short story.

As in many Japanese storytelling, this felt real, with many many layers and subtleties. In my experience Japan is never afraid to go outside the box with flawed characters and dark tropes, or tell a story others might not be brave enough to.

The acting is superb, and the character complexities are subtle. I can see why the boldness of narration in this story might trigger people to be mad and leave a lower rating, but sticking with this show to the end, looking behind a character's exterior to the emotions lying underneath each interaction, will bring all its light and beauty to the forefront. As I read recently, you'd rather a piece of art provoke 1* and 10*s than all 5*s.

As with reality, people are flawed. There are misunderstandings, nerves and social pressure getting in the way of honest communication, weird and creepy sides to us we rather others not see, insecurities and a lack of awareness of our own shortcomings. If you want an escape from reality with fluffy characters and story, this isn't it. Personally I find happy stories off-putting unless there's a journey to get there. These are people you might be able to relate to that we can empathize with. Lighting, scenery, and settings all play a part in feeling enclosed within their story and evoking our senses. The subtleties behind the conversations, but also the tones of voice, the expressions - they stick with you to the point where I think rewatching you would pick up on so much more.

There's probably more I could say, but I hope you give it a go. It deserves the spotlight. I'm a sucker for subtle art, one that doesn't feel pressured to scream to the masses, one where the characters are followed through properly. 10/10, go watch it 💛 Looking forward to the movie.