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j-psilas · 2 years ago

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Will we ever get anything quite like Code Geass again?

I don't think it's possible.

Code Geass is Japanese nationalist propaganda disguised as a global political drama, disguised as a military mecha show, disguised as yaoibait, disguised as a teen melodrama, disguised as a high school romcom, disguised as a Pizza Hut commercial...

...except those layers aren't layers at all, but are instead comingled in a giant snake ball of insanity.

The lead writer, Ichirō Ōkouchi, only ever worked as an episode writer for other shows prior to Code Geass, and never took the helm of an anime series ever again. And it shows. [EDIT: Several people have pointed out his other lead writing credits to me. So I misread Wikipedia—sue me. I maintain that this guy is a better episode writer than he is a lead writer.]

The minute-to-minute pacing is impeccable from a mechanical standpoint, with tension and stakes rising to ever-higher peaks, balanced out by the slow simmers of the b-plot and c-plot. It keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat at all times. Meanwhile, the large-scale plot is the most off-the-wall middle school nonsense I've ever seen, continually surprising the viewer by pulling twists too dumb to have ever have been on their radar—and therefore more effective in terms of raw shock value.

"Greenlight it!" was the mantra of this anime's production. It must have been. It has, in no particular order, all of the following:

Character designs from CLAMP, the foremost yaoi/BL group in Japan at the time—for characters who are only queer insofar as they can bait the audience, and only straight insofar as they can be more misogynist to the female cast.

Speaking of the female cast, hoo boy the fanservice. We've all seen anime girls breast boobily, with many cases more egregious than Code Geass, but there's something special about it happening immediately after—or sometimes in the middle of!—scenes of military conflict and ethnic cleansing.

Pizza Hut product placement everywhere, in every conceivable situation. High-speed chases, light slice-of-life scenes, intimate character moments, all of it. Gotta have Pizza Hut.

The anime-only Pizza Hut mascot, Cheese-kun. He wears a fedora.

The most hilarious approximations of European names—which I would love to see more often, frankly. Names like, I dunno, "Count Schnitzelgrübe zi Blanquezzio."

A depiction of China that is wholly removed from any modern reality, with red-and-gold pagodas, ornamental robes, scheming eunuchs, and a brainwashed child empress. There's a character named General Tsao, like the chicken.

Inappropriate free-form jazz in the soundtrack, intruding at the most unexpected times.

A secret cabal not unlike the Illuminati, run by an immortal shota with magic powers, holding influence all across the world, at the highest levels of government. They matter for approximately three episodes.

An unexpected insert scene of a schoolgirl using the corner of a table to masturbate. She's doing it to thoughts of her crush, the princess Euphemia—because she believes Euphemia to be as racist as she herself is, and that gets her off. This interrupts an unrelated scene of our protagonist faction planning their next move, which then resumes as if uninterrupted.

Said schoolgirl, in a fit of hysteria, threatens to detonate a worse-than-nuclear bomb in the middle of her school. She then goes on to develop an even more destructive version of that bomb, and become a war criminal, in a chain of cause-and-effect stemming from the moment she finds out that Euphemia wasn't actually that racist.

A character called "the Earl of Pudding."

A premise that asks us to believe that the name Lelouch is normal enough that he didn't need to change it when he went into hiding as an ordinary civilian. "No, that's not Prince Strimbleford von Vanquish! That's our classmate, Strimbleford Smith."

The collective unconscious, a la Carl Jung, within which the protagonist fights his villainous father for control over the fate of humankind. After this is over, the anime just keeps going for about ten more episodes.

An episode in which a mech tosses a giant pizza.

A gay yandere sleeper agent who can manipulate the perception of time.

Chess being played very badly, even to the untrained eye. Lelouch frequently checkmates his opponent by moving his king. This goes hand-in-hand with the anime's crock of bad chess symbolism.

A fictional drug that can most succinctly be described as "nostalgia heroin."

Roller-skating mecha in knightly armor, and some of the most sickass mecha fight choreography that I've seen.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. This anime is what the average Westerner in 2006 thought anime was, and it was made in a confluence of factors that cannot be replicated. I've never had so much fun watching something that I found so... insulting. Repugnant. Ridiculous. Baffling. I love it sincerely.

Catch me cosplaying Lloyd Asplund at a con sometime, or maybe even the big gay loser himself, Lelouch vi Britannia.

#code geass #anime #lelouch vi britannia #rolo lamperouge #nina einstein #kallen kozuki #lelouch lamperouge #clamp manga #lloyd asplund

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actuallyberriesarebananas · 1 month ago

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Just My Type

Anime/Manga: Blue Lock by Muneyuki Kaneshiro

Itoshi Rin x GN!Reader (they/them)

Word Count: 2k+399

Summary: During an approaching winter in Shibuya, the Blue Lock boys went to fetch Nagi at the arcade to enjoy their week deserved break. However, they have stumbled to see BL's manager waiting in the cold and these teenage boys had come up with some interesting theories on your type of lover.

A/N: Reader is referred as manager here. It felt odd seeing Y/N xD I can't take it seriously after the whole AOT Y/N thing.

Also, I'm not a Rin fan but I like his character and thought the plot idea suits him hehe

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆₊˚｡⋆❆⋆｡˚₊⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

Isagi thought the day at Shibuya would go by smoothly, in contrast with the incoming traffic flowing beside their walking lane.

What he didn't expect though is having a rowdy group of boys (himself included) hiding concernigly and inconspicuously behind almost transparent bushes and two tall vending machines which unfortunately didn't conceal much since Bachira and Otoya kept unintentionally nudging their heads against each other to peek at the victim who had caused this predicament.

The others did not offer much help at the situation either when Isagi dejected at the side, seeing the tallest members of the group hiding behind small bushes. "Forgive us" he muttered your name in pity.

It did not feel right to be hiding like this from Blue Lock's resident assistant manager, who is by the looks of it enjoying their time off work considering the slight smile etched on their tired face.

Heavy eye-bags evident that must be—Isagi hypothesize—the results of being assigned to handle 300 lively, troubling, and passionate strikers. As intense as he is when it comes to soccer, he commends their manager for their unwavering dedication.

"I thought we were picking up Nagi?" Isagi questioned to no one in particular as originally they were supposed to pick up their friend at an arcade.

Otoya gave a quick glance at Isagi and back at their target, "No can do! We must unravel this mystery."

"What mystery?" Isagi dropped a cold sweat.

"The person our manager is waiting for." A hand rested on his shoulder and red hair swayed softly as Chigiri's face came to Isagi's view that drew closer over his shoulder now, seemingly trying to get a better view.

"Wa-wait- you don't mean?" Isagi hitched a quick breath at the revelation.

Now everything clicked. The small and rare smiles he'd see back at Blue Lock as you tapped your phone. Sudden gifts like chocolates, flowers, and other trinkets that had now became questioningly downright romantic he'd see you hold around the base. A freshly prepared warm meal of ochazuke within your hands, a dish not commonly seen inside quarters.

When Isagi and Bachira approached you to ask about it, you simply dismissed it with a proud smirk "It's for a silly guy who overworked to sickness." You walked away after. Isagi dumbfounded at the shocking news of possible favoritism inside this establishment, and who—since the beginning—claimed to treat everyone fairly whether in the good or bad way.

Isagi wondered if Ego is even aware of this and already readied a number of complaints to be—not that he will—filed against his unfair daily natto treatment. Bachira's words came off from deaf ears as he said something of sort praying for—a name, Isagi didn't catch—full recovery.

Coming back from memory lane, his eyes landed back at you. Standing in front of a bus stop, and from his guess before you weren't finding a ride instead your behavior appeared to be waiting for someone.

Your lips pressed. A jittered hand fixing your hair from time to time even though it looked fine the way it was a second ago. A paper bag tightly held between you fingers and palm, your nails digging in to exude the cold from this upcoming winter weather.

Whoever is making you wait, Isagi assured in his mind with no offense, is kind of a douche for leaving you waiting during a time of low temp.

But it might not be a big problem for you when you still have that adoring grin that even seemed to twinkle at the wait partnered with a soft blush. Isagi is not sure if it was from the cold or a person in your mind.

Reo hummed with keen interest with the bush people "It's hasty to assume a lover." He rubbed his chin in contemplation "What if it's a friend?"

Karasu gave an abrupt laugh "Oh please, you are the last person I'd ask input about lovers and friends."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Reo incredulously looked at the crouched boy with full unidentified offense, but a gentle pat on his back from Yukimiya stopped his troubles who only exchanged a smile.

Tokimitsu at his other side added nervously, "Y-you'll get it soon, I'm s-sure."

"What-"

Yukimiya intercepted, "I truly wonder what he's like."

"Someone of superb glam if they had captured the heart of our oh so reserved manager!" Aryu theatrically posed.

"Someone shy and quiet like them?" Isagi contributed.

Reo interjected in front of Isagi, "No, no! Same attributes don't go well. It's gotta be an opposites attract thing." Isagi drooped down at his rejected assumption. Guess his puzzle piece didn't fit right.

"Of course you're into the opposites attract shit." Karasu rolled his eyes in mock, then smirked.

"I don't know what you are trying to insinuate here, but if you keep that up I'll—"

"I heard from others back at Blue Lock that manager likes short guys. Take it with a grain of salt though." Yukimiya added to Reo's claim which the violet head huffed at the support.

Reo glanced complacent at Karasu who replied in an expression of disagreeance.

"Oooh, I do see them chatting with Kurona often." Bachira tapped a finger on his chin, but a smirk crossed his face, "But actually, I know full well of their height preference. Manager is a tall guy enjoyer!" The dual haired boy exclaimed proudly with his finger raised up in confidence.

Isagi jumped at the sudden raise of volume, he bended a bit near Bachira to whisper "Bachira! Tone it down, they'll hear us." He sighed at his usual energetic friend, "What makes you sure of that anyway?"

"Huh? I told you before Isagi! Manager likes—" a smooth hand interrupted Bachira.

"Well, I think he has good personality. I asked manager about it one time and they said, they admire a guy who's patient and understanding through the highs and lows in a relationship." Chigiri gave a lopsided smile with his answer backed up from the original source. Bachira mumbled against his palm to retaliate.

Tokimitsu slumped his shoulders at this, "How did you get that info out of them?"

This instance made everyone turn their heads toward Blue Lock's princess, his hand on his hip standing as proudly as he would feel kicking a skilled goal, "With the power of hair products."

Aryu stretched out his long skinny fingers, "So manager is interested in the opposites attract trope, has a preference for someone taller than them, prefers open-communication, and patience in a lover." He pushed his index finger on his opposite as he finished enumerating all their jumbled guesses into one, "Good taste, I say."

"Oops, you caught me guys. My bad." Otoya huffed out a smug, patting his chest with both hands as if he won something, "Sorry for not letting you guys know sooner. Bae, wanted to keep it on the down low—"

Otoya shrieked when an unexpected fist hit his head "And did I forget they also said they value loyalty!" Chigiri tsked.

As hushed commotion started to incur, Isagi heard a heightened squeak of wheels. He averted his eyes towards the bus stop and his body came to a stop catching their manager's eyes widened in anticipation. Their body straightened and their hold on the bag gripped harder. Their face blooming with longing and oh no this only meant...

"Sshhh! Quiet." Isagi whispered but loud enough for everyone to hear. "He's coming."

Hearing this, the ensemble of strikers scrambled back behind their cover. Swears and complaints muttered at each other, trying to squeeze in as much invisibility they can create. Emphasize on can.

The coverage proved to be pointless anyway, when everyone poked their heads a little to observe the awaited scene. Their hearts beated expectantly. Their breaths moved in and out readying theirselves. Just who is the man that had caught a captivating grasp around the reverent heart of their reliable and caring manager. What allure did he have for you to fall deep on the flowerbed of blossoming passion of pure gentle admiration that is too complex to explain with only those words they call—love.

With beated silence, the man in mystery had came out. They assume to be the man in mystery when he stepped out of the bus and your face turned bright and jumped slightly towards him. You carefully touched his arm and your lips moved to greet.

Isagi discerned the moment in front of him quickly, similar to how he would in a match. Black slacks. Matching black leather jacket which shined from the enveloping glow of the setting sun. The guy's posture showed strong resolve that towered the other passengers exiting the bus. Striped turtle neck of white and cyan that he concluded to be quite tacky if not for the jacket. As his gaze landed to identify his identity, his eyes opened widely like saucers.

Thick bottom lashes.

Teal eyes. The same color that would pierce his soul everytime.

Dark cyan hair.

That indifferent expression.

No fucking way.

How could someone who looks so sweet end up with someone so, so—

BITTER.

Wait no, not bitter. Because the face he had now was not familiar at all.

Itoshi Rin. The Itoshi Rin is—smiling.

To what counts as a smile from him anyway. His lips was still in a thin line with only a few centimeters curved upwards. If you really paid close attention, and Isagi means close attention, it looks kinda like a smile.

In honor of Karasu, he provided the ice breaker "I'm seeing what I'm seeing right?" His confirmation only made Isagi's observation positive.

"You know. I'm actually not really surprised." Yukimiya still in kneeling position, had his arm on his chest and his other perched up by the elbow. His hand against his chin.

"They suit each other." He further said, while Rin slided a quick cheek rub then moved to push back strands of hair at the side of your head.

Otoya whistled, "Didn't know Mr. Top One had game in and out of the field."

Bachira pumped his fist in the air, "Hell yeah! See? I was right!" then inched beside Reo punching his bicep "Reo! Reo! You owe me five mil'!"

"I didn't bet you shit!"

"Aahh, my prochecy prevailed! They are absolutely the glam couple."

"I th-think they look great!"

"Hmm, not bad." Chigiri hummed your name seeming content with the reveal (Isagi corrects reveal to eavesdropping, but Chigiri only swatted him away). "However, seeing that smile unnerves me. I didn't think it'd be possible."

"This makes me feel that if our manager can make Rin smile like that. We can win World Cup." Isagi sighed with a smile of his own and Chigiri laughed as he nudged his shoulder to agree.

"Anything is possible, eh, isn't that right Nagi? Haha, wait—huh? Nagi!?" Chigiri shook his head baffled, a loud scream erupted from him at the sudden appearance causing another man crouching in front of him to trip on his hand as a bright flash dawned.

The bedhead lad grumbled in between words as he munched on some chips "Reo texted y'all were picking me up." He hung his head low as if standing was already taxing work, "It's been an hour. I got worried."

"Um, guys..." Otoya sweatdropped his phone in hand while looking dead straight in front of him.

All the boys changed their view back at the whole reason of why they were hiding behind dirty bushes and supposed discreet vending machines.

Their manager only sighed exasperatingly which funnily enough, sounded like a laugh. They patted Rin's arm to soothe the other. Unfortunately, it wasn't helping.

A cold, deep, dead stare returned at them. The embodiment of if looks can kill.

"Who took that?"

And if actions can kill then the stance Rin was giving obviously indicated that they should probably run now. (Hiding is definitely out of the options, Isagi accepted.)

A rush of wind breezed beside Isagi as Otoya leaped away first, phone clutched like it's pearls. "Ninja escape!"

"Otoya, you traitor!" Karasu screamed in betrayal, but hypocritically followed.

On instinct, Isagi grabbed a hold of Bachira and Chigiri. Determined to make a run for it. The latter two got the message, grinned, and started sprinting ahead.

"Congrats! Rin-chan!" Bachira yelled back with a wave.

"Goodness." Yukimiya could only exhale at the expected as he ran after.

Aryu jumped twirling and finger guns at the two while slowly anchoring his speed, leaving not before saying "Glam, glam!"

Tokimitsu already screeched ten steps in front of him.

As a newcomer, Nagi was about to comment to Rin and their manager when his weight shifted quickly. His steps began to walk. Reo holding him tight.

"Nagi, let's go! We can't lose to them!" Reo started to sprint pointing at their other friends way far ahead.

This unexpected hold as familiar as it can be, he never thought he'd experience it again after everything. "Okay. I'll follow you, Reo." Nagi ran.

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆₊˚｡⋆❆⋆｡˚₊⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

Additional Time!

A ping ringed in your phone. Your eyes opened out of dreamland as the sound erupted you from your thoughts.

You opened the popped out message, a glint forming in your eyes. Clicking the surface you read,

—Are you there?

You body trembled from the current cold of winter breeze as if confirming, nonetheless you closed your body for warmth in order to type.

—Yeah, I'm waiting

A notification sound rose up.

—Sorry, house got busy.

You were about to type out another reply when,

—Sae just left.

Your movements paused for a second. At the mention of his brother, you didn't know what to say that might not trigger him. You instead thought to change the course.

—I understand and stay safe : )

—Ok. You too.

—But get here soon though!

You directed your eyes to the side. Only your peripheral vision needed to see what you thought before was the cold getting to you. You sillily reminded yourself that bushes can't move on its own and vending machines don't grow heads. You grinned and chuckled.

—I think our soccer team is stalking me.

A minute passed after you sent it. You were expecting a reaction, so you shrugged it off thinking he turned off his phone for the meantime. A buzzed vibrated on your fingers.

—I'll be there in a minute.

You heaved out a quiet laugh.

His house is ten minutes from here though.

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little-one-eyed-monsters · 2 months ago

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Quick Pitch: Dream Projects for my Favorite Thai BL pairs

For context: When Singto Prachaya left GMMTV in 2021, and ceased all partner activities with Krist, I was truly heartbroken.

We all have our entry series into the BL genre. Many of us might have started with 2Gether-- the BL that helped usher the genre into the mainstream, or KinnPorsche, the most high-production BL series of its time.

For me, it was Thailand's Sotus. I absolutely adored KristSingto and was rooting for them to have more shows. When Singto left, I was devastated.

I don't blame Singto of course. By that point GMMTV really was giving him and Krist the short end of the career stick, but man, what a bummer. I used to joke with fellow Peraya fanclub members that my dream project for KristSingto, if in an impossible world Singto rejoins GMMTV, is about exes getting back together, just to be really meta about it.

Fast forward late 2024, and GMMTV announced a series called The Ex-Morning starring Krist and Singto.

And ya' know what? I'll take credit for that (even though I had nothing to do with it). Yes, I called that.

So since I'm obviously a wizard, Harry (proof above), let me conjure up a few more dream projects for my favorite Thai BL pairs, in the hopes that the BL gods, (a.k.a producers) will heed it.

Also, I did one of these for SmartBoom of Top Form already (because they deserve to have more shows yesterday) here.

Alright, let's begin with:

1. Yinwar- a BL remake of Korea's Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

War's truly expressive, overdramatic acting style is PERFECT for historical dramas. He's a shoe-in for scenes that require intense confrontations and betreyals. I'd even argue that War's technique often clashes with Yin's boy-next-door acting style, which fits more rom-com than drama. So the perfect vehicle to balance the two? A main character from the present (Yin) gets isekai'd into the past, and finds himself in the middle of a civil war, and the true heir to the kingdom (War) is mounting a coup to overthrow his father's evil advisers. I can picture the shenanigans already 😅

Just a tip tho, PLEASE do not follow the ending of Moon Lovers for YinWar. The original ending was depressing. Let's give YinWar happier endings in 2025 and beyond.

2. UpPoom- an adaptation of USA's Red, White and Royal Blue

Both Up and Poom are such masterful actors-- truly leagues ahead of the current BL roster. And most of it has to do with their experience (which I touched upon in a previous post). However, because they're both great at playing broody or villainous characters, the audience often forgets that Up and Poom are actually VERY good at one genre-- COMEDY.

Poom absolutely STOLE the show as the wisecrack sidekick in Jenny AM/PM (a series starring Singto), while Up had great comedic timing in Start Up TH. So imagine a romcom filled with both wild shenanigans, and a broody, political sideplot-- a dream project for Up and Poom. Up will play the son of Thailand's Prime Minister, helping in his father's re-election campaign while running for a cabinet position himself (perfect for Up, considering his doctorate in Political Science). He falls in love with the worst person he can possibly end up with due to Thailand's strict les majeste laws-- the King's second son and the only heir to the throne of Thailand (Poom). Chaos ensues.

Up and Poom can balance between the serious, tearjerking scenes of the plot, while maintaining the chemistry and rom-com core of the original. Bonus: Poom loves desserts! Let them eat cake! (Or get smothered in cake)

3. BossNoeul- a BL adaptation of USA spy film Mr. and Mrs. Smith

A sexy action thriller for BossNoeul. Need I say more? Both of them have previously expressed their desire to star in action-themed series. But Boss' acting style and persona aren't quite suited for the brute and macho demeanor that Kinnporsche, or even Manner of Death, has. His strength lies in being mysterious-- suave, predatory, but not too forward; like a fox. Boss would play a great James Bond character.

And Noeul plays desire devastatingly well. Say what you want about that boy's acting-- his sex appeal is still the best in the business. He can go from innocent to sexy in one glance. A femme fatale-type character who uses both his skill and beauty to get the job done? Magic.

Combine the two and you get a series that will break the internet the same way Brangelina broke our collective minds in the early 2000s.

4. TayNew- a remake of Taiwanese BL Papa and Daddy

As a Polca, I've always been well-fed by the GMM machine. Even when New refused to renew an exclusive contract with GMMTV years ago, he didn't cease to take projects with them, and star along Tay in any and all manner of shows and content. They've had so many BLs, and more to come. They have their own mascot now, dear God. They'll have their own building at the GMM compound at this rate.

It is therefore only fitting that the longest-surviving Thai BL pair gets the most mature storyline any ship can possibly get--parenthood. Tay and New have established such a comfortable, domestic dynamic that they'll blend seamlessly into the role of new parents navigating marriage and their own family unit. It can serve as a wholesome tribute to Thailand's legalization of same-sex unions. Show how the adoption system remains brutal for same sex couples. And let's be real: Tay and New have no need for storylines that establish romance and chemistry anymore. They're so in sync and recognizable that even their bromance shows like Peaceful Property read off as BL. They ARE the romance now.

Do it, GMM. Give us sweet domesticity.

5. Billkin and PP Krit- a BL remake of Japan's The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window

My biggest gripe with BKPP's remake of Marry My Dead Body is that, similar to its Taiwanese adaptation, it feels like the producers didn't commit to the bit. And what is that bit, you may ask? It's the bit where the main homophobic cop character is obviously queer-coded. At times he showed true attraction to his ghostly husband, and by the end, even starts to question himself and his motives. But that's a rant for another post. What I'm trying to say here is that Billkin and PP Krit were obviously hampered by the source material. I want them to redeem themselves with a better vehicle.

The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window features the same supernatural and mystery elements that MMDB does-- about the unlikely partnership between a clairvoyant bookstore clerk, who gets hired by an exorcist assisting in police investigations. It's the perfect show to showcase Billkin and PP Krit's dramatic chops, given the heavy plot, but also a chance for them to feature in something befitting their star quality-- an intelligent plot with great character dynamics, and the most horrifying fantastical scenes to boot. They would easily KILL these roles. And this time, I know they'll make it a true BL, since the original manga relied on the romance of its characters for later plot resolutions.

6. WilliamEst- a remake of Taiwanese BL We Best Love

I gotta admit, this was a tough pick. I've seen so many Taiwanese BLs, but We Best Love is still MY number one from Taiwan, and my number 5 of all time. There's something so charming and light about it, while delivering truly believable performances and a relationship dynamic that's so well-matched. In my book, William and Est have some very big shoes to fill.

But I really think they could do it. They match the age and personality of the characters well. William can play the moody, temperamental 2nd fiddle who's unrequitedly in love with his best friend, while Est can play William's quieter, and better-skilled rival who's always had a thing for William's character. Bonus: Est is a nationally-ranked swimmer, and William is a musical prodigy, which are integral traits of the original characters. William and Est also exhibit a comfortable familiarity with each other due to their long acquaintance, again similar to the original characters.

7. DaouOffroad- a remake of Taiwanese BL First Note of Love

How do Daou and Offroad NOT have a music-themed series yet? Their whole persona revolves around their musicality! I want them to navigate the highs and lows of the music industry, while being a little jaded about all of it.

Daou could really play off a character whose disillusioned about his fame and carries around a personal tragic backstory. I think Daou would relate to all this pretty organically, given his early struggles in the industry. Offroad can play the fan-turned-upstart who'll help Daou find meaning to his music again. And then they'll release an OST-adjacent album that will sell millions of copies around the world 😅

And for a bonus:

Neo Trai (yes, just Neo 😅)- a truly unhinged remake of Japan's legendary show A Man Who Defies the World of BL

In my head, they'll film this at the top floor of the GMM building, with all of GMMTV's established BL pairs just casually being lovey-dovey in the weirdest places-- the breakroom, the main office, the stairwell, even the bathrooms. Neo, traumatized, is out here trying to buy lunch at the concessionaire stall downstairs 😅

Neo resolutely rejects all manner of "pairings" being thrown at him, until at the end he latches on to the one guy nobody wants to pair him up with (Mond Tanutchai maybe? Hahaha the ghost ship in My Golden Blood lives in my head rent-free). Imagine the CHAOS- I love it dearly already.

That's all and thanks for finishing this mammoth-sized post. If you don't see your ship here, feel free to share which dream projects you have for yours, and feel free to make lists of your own. Stay kooky folks! 😁

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respectthepetty · 11 months ago

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Upcoming Taiwanese BLs

We are over halfway through 2024, and as usual, I've only had two Taiwanese BLs (Unknown, Anti Reset), so even though I'm sitting on a stack of BLs to watch every single week from other countries, call me Smaug because I need MORE!

Honorary Korean BL: Uncovering the Curse of Taekwondo (2024)

Former friends (and possibly lovers) reunite at a funeral after going their separate ways for over a decade, but, honestly, I don't care about the plot because this comes from Hwang Da Seul who was behind Blueming, To My Star, and Where Your Eyes Linger, so I know it's going to be amazing. There is a movie and a series version, and the movie already premiered at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea at the beginning of July. The runtime was 154 minutes, but the series is eight episodes around thirty minutes each and is currently seeking distribution.

First Note of Love (August 2024)

My most beloved, Charles Tu, from my favorite BL HIStory 4: Close to You is finally returning to me in the form of a washed-up singer who stepped away from the spotlight due to a tragic event only to be dragged back in by an up-and-coming composer who is also a longtime fan. It is a joint production with Thailand's Star Hunter Entertainment (the company behind Big Dragon, Love Senior, City of Stars, and Sunset x Vibes) and features a side couple of a Thai singer and a Taiwanese agent. It will involve singing, but I'm already too comfortable in my seat with my snacks to care.

Fragrance of the First Flower Season 2 (2024)

The lone GL holding down this list finished filming late last year and Gagaoolala has been releasing BTS images since filming began, so it'll likely land there once it is released. The series is a continuation of the 2021 first season, which people were not thrilled about because of the ending, so this season should solve some of the angst we were left with by exploring the two women actually coming together to navigate life as a couple.

The Only One (August 2024)

Directed by Liu Kuang Hui, who directed Your Name Engraved Herein, written by the same folks behind The Untamed, and based on Mu Su Li's novel A Certain Someone which is about two boys whose parents are dating and move in together, so the mains go from enemies-to-??? and the only reason for the question marks on a Taiwanese BL is because the word on these BL streets (and his MDL page) is one of the actors works heavily in China, so this might be the reason this one has been was in limbo even though filming finished earlier this year, but the socials are still posting it's coming this year.

See Your Love (Filming Complete)

This co-production with Japan is about a rich man who falls in love with his hearing-impaired caregiver. It finished filming at the end of May and will have those sweet sweet Taiwanese BL cameos from some Be Loved in House: I Do and Plus and Minus folks PLUS it will be the first cameos for the Kiseki: Dear to Me guys since the company that produced their show is the same one for this show.

Impression of Youth (Filming Complete)

Very little is known about the plot of this teacher-student romance, but it comes from the same folks who produced DNA Says Love You and one of the mains, Muji Hsu, was also the lead in 2020's Because of You. Filming finished at the end of May, and the company stated it would be out before the end of the year.

Islanders (late 2024/early 2025)

This is based on a novel, Islands, by Lolita Hu, features some well known Taiwanese actors, and for a bit was under the name Sea of Intimacy. It's being presented as an 'older BL' but the MDL summary is sparse of the BL-plot: Hung, a successful entrepreneur, has three intimate relationships: his wife, his mistress, and his girlfriend. The lives of these individuals in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s are intertwined because of romance, but their story extends beyond that. When Hung faces criticism on social media and loses everything, the way they react tells us how they see the world.

Wishing Upon the Shooting Star & The Young Gangster (2025)

These two deal with completely different plots but are together because of one reason: Ray Jiang. He is the director for these two and was the director for Unknown, My Tooth Your Love, and We Best Love. The companies behind them have stated the series are coming next year, but the guess is Ray's busy schedule is part of the hold up since he has a Netflix series in the works and apparently a film featuring Sam Lin (We Best Love) on the way. The Young Gangster is based on a novel and deals with a research assistant gathering information on the mafia (and we know how the mafia works in BLs), while Shooting Star deals with a man wishing that nobody notices him once he returns to his hometown after being fired. The wish backfires and nobody recognizes him, not even his dad or the boy he confessed to in high school! BL Mafia, Sideways Wishes, and Ray Ray are my favorite types of snacks!

Pray in Love (2025?)

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A police officer falls in love with a man only to realize that man is the son of a prominent leader on the day of his arranged wedding in which he was hired as security for the event. The series already released a short film of the basic premise for fundraising efforts and festival rounds. Apparently, filming has started on the series, but there is no concrete confirmation from the production company.

Eternal Butler (2025)

Edited to add thanks to @cankersoregirl! This is a sequel to VBL's Anti Reset and began filming in early July. It focuses on Ever 4 who is sent to be a bodyguard for a young rich man only to encounter a rebellious man.

That Year, 162 Rainfalls (In Production?)

Is this a movie? Is it a series? Is it happening?! Who knows, but last year, it finally got funding and a director attached to it, but the real kicker is Lin Pei Yu is the screenwriter, and she is the writer behind all of my favorite Taiwanese BLs: We Best Love, HIStory 3: Trapped, My Tooth Your Love, Kiseki: Dear to Me, and so much more. Basically, the company struck gold getting her for this story about two archers and best friends. One gets confessed to but admits he actually is in love with his best friend, but before love can happen, the best friend has an accident and falls into a coma. It is based on a novel of the same name, and the plot is way more hefty than this, but I know Lin Pei Yu will make it work!

Four Seasons (Pre, Pre, PRE-Production?)

This is supposed to be four different stories focusing on different seasons, and is rumored to be VBL's next group of shows since the company has stated it wants to continue its formula from last year of releasing slightly connected shows. VBL/Vidol was behind Stay by My Side, VIP Only, You Are Mine, and Anti Reset. Winter is about a scrooge CEO and a florist who is hired to decorate for the CEO's Christmas event. Spring is about two boys meeting on a bus and falling in love over music. Summer is about a market owner and a chef falling in love over food. Autumn is about two former best friends seeing each other ten years after graduating and exploring their hometown together.

Connecting to You (Pre-Production?)

It seems to have gotten funding, but it's been quiet since which isn't surprising because when it comes to Taiwanese BLs, nothing is really heard until filming begins or even after it ends. I still have my hopes high because this is *THE* BL for me as it deals with a man who can see colored threads connecting people and one day runs into a policeman whose thread connects to him. The thread between them begins to change color, from silver-grey to yellow, representing friendship, and even to red, representing love. If I have to sell an organ or two to fund this myself, I. Will. Do. It. I NEED THIS!

And this wouldn't be a Petty Post if I didn't include this final one:

HIStory 15: Freed (GIVE IT TO ME!)

I don't care if this a long shot. I don't care if I seem crazy always asking for this. I. Deserve. It. HIStory 3: Trapped ended with our best mafia boy in prison, and it's time he got out! The HIStory franchise has not had a series since 2022's HIStory 5: Love in the Future, and although there have been rumors that a HERstory story might be next, I think bringing back a popular story would be just as good. I will ask for this every chance I can until I get it, and I plan on living a long life, so I got time!

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fiddleyoumust · 7 months ago

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Let’s talk about queerness and High School Frenemy. There’s a large portion of BL fandom that refuses to engage with the show, and while that rubs me the wrong way, I do understand it. If you only wish to consume queer media, it’s easy to dismiss HSF since it is not explicitly queer. It’s also a show that on a surface level, looks like classic queerbaiting. And before I get a bunch of HSF fans in the tags or comments, I am a huge fan of this show. It is possibly the best thing I’ve watched all year. But on a surface level, it is doing the literal definition of queerbaiting even if I personally do not think it is.

As a person who is OLD and came of age in the 90s, I do want to talk about this show from a queer perspective. I grew up in a time when queer characters were not abundant. If they did show up in media, it was newsworthy. These characters were always support characters and seldom had love interests or explored what it was like to be queer. None of them looked like me or made me feel seen or represented. Heteronormativity was the standard, as it is today, but back then, a queer kid seldom encountered anything that made them question that heteronormativity.

HSF, and Shin and Saint specifically, resonate with me more than most queer media I’ve consumed, and I’ve consumed a lot. The intense, obsessive love that Shin and Saint have for each other under the guise of friendship IS my story. For me, it was a wild girl named Jennifer, who I was attached to the hip with from 6th grade until our early twenties. I loved her. I was obsessed with her. I was probably in love with her, but it never occurred to me until years after we’d stopped speaking that what I felt for her was more than friendship. The heteronormative brainworms are real, and they infected me until my late 20s when I suddenly had a revelation about myself.

Hindsight is 20/20. Suddenly, my obsession with Charlize Theron in Two Days In The Valley, Helen Hunt in Twister (1996), and Kate Winslet in Titanic made so much sense. My relationship with Jennifer was also at the forefront of my mind. Ah, I thought. That’s what that was.

HSF is a show about friendship, a show about community, a show about the ways adults fail their children, a show about class and poverty. It is also a show about unrealized queerness. The director, Fon, told that story purposefully through music, lighting, and dialogue, she told a story about two boys who can’t live without each other, but don’t have the knowledge, the vocabulary, or the self-awareness to understand what they are to each other.

In every choice Fon made, she dangled queerness without explicitly naming it. I would call it queerbaiting in any other media, but for me, she made one other choice that I believe is purposeful and elevates this show into the queer category for me. She completely stripped the show of heteronormativity. There are no couples. None. We never see Chatjen’s parents. Any parents we do see are single - Ken’s father, Shin’s mother, Saint’s father, Cable’s mother.

In any other media, the male and female homeroom teachers with clashing teaching styles would be an enemies-to-lovers side plot. Here, they grow into supportive co-workers and friends who become better versions of themselves to help the children in their class. In any other media, there would be talk of crushes among the teenagers. Here, we see them grapple with the pressures of academia, abusive or absentee parents, bullying, drugs, and the hopelessness of poverty. In fact, the only mention of sexuality or romance at all comes from Eve, a girl who befriends Airy, a girl from their rival school, and confesses that she had a crush on her when she was younger. Nothing comes of this revelation, even though we see Airy become curious and seek out Eve’s company prior to this revelation, and we see how pleased Airy is about Eve’s confession. But this is a show about unrealized queerness and even Eve and Airy, two girls who understand what they are feeling for one another, still can’t bring themselves to name it.

The lack of heterosexuality creates a void that is filled by Shin and Saint’s relationship. It’s purposeful, and Director Fon uses other friendships in the show to highlight the ways Shin and Saint are not the same. Knot, Nate, and Ken are extremely close friends. They, too, have a “no one left behind” friendship pact. They fight for each other and get hurt for each other and very obviously love each other. Chatjen and Shin’s friendship is also very deep. Chatjen considers Shin his best friend. He hero worships him a bit and sees him as his protector and savior. Yet, anyone watching can understand the ways the producers use music, lighting, costuming, and dialogue to elevate Shin and Saint’s relationship above all the other ones.

High School Frenemy is queer. Shin and Saint are purposefully queer coded in a world devoid of heterosexuality. You are seeing what you are supposed to see, and it's a hill I’ll die on. If you were on the fence about this show, I can not recommend it enough. It’s great and will leave you feeling warm and happy and loved. If you only consume explicitly queer media, I still encourage you to watch it. Sometimes, our queerness eludes us. Sometimes it’s hidden under other words like “friendship” because we haven’t learned the right words for it yet. I enjoyed watching a show that reminded me of my youth and gave me a glimpse of the girl I used to be. She was still queer even if she didn't know it yet.

#high school frenemy #high school frenemy the series #shin x saint #saint x shin #saintshin #shinsaint #meta

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triflesandparsnips · 2 years ago

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So I understand that there are Good Omens show fans who have never read Good Omens the book, and that makes me deeply sad because--

Like, there's so much depth to the story being told about humans and humanity and the choice between good and evil -- and how that's actually a false dichotomy whoooops -- WHILE ALSO not really being about Aziraphale and Crowley at all (who are, imo, basically there as embodiments of "Impressive Failures" for the purposes of Theme and also Plot).

BUT IF you want to know why I've shipped them since the book-- here's the moment it happened for wee teenage me:

Wednesday (before the end of the world)

So it's Warlock's birthday party. And there are all these children and security guards and also an angel doing magic tricks while a demon is disguised as a caterer. This bit is basically the same as the show, so hooray.

But as wee me understood the characters up to this point, they were still basically enemies who had been in the field together for way too long and knew each other's moves well enough for the same tempting/thwarting of one another to become kind of boring and repetitive and generally pointless-- particularly once they realized that they could, for instance, just live their (separate!) lives watching humans being weird (Crowley) and seeking various sensory stuff (Aziraphale) while doing the least work necessary to keep their respective bosses off their backs.

The Arrangement was borne not out of hiding a friendship or anything, but instead the realization that sometimes covering for one another would just... cut down on their total overall workload. They were, at best, employees of two different, competitive companies-- though in same kind of department, doing the same kind of work-- who discovered they liked to have lunch at the same deli and that their jobs were sometimes distressingly more similar than either was comfortable with.

SO ANYWAY. BACK TO THAT WEDNESDAY. They're not covering for one another with this whole Antichrist thing-- they're now actively collaborating, and they've acknowledged (mostly) that it's not to cut down on their individual workloads, but rather to preserve their identical-- but not shared (not yet)-- goals of Getting To Continue The Lives On Earth They've Grown To Enjoy.

But like-- still not friends. Not really.

Until Aziraphale fucks up a bit, Warlock accidentally gets hold of a security guard's weapon and starts waving it around, and:

Then someone threw some jelly at Warlock. The boy squeaked, and pulled the trigger of the gun. It was a Magnum .32, CIA issue, gray, mean, heavy, capable of blowing a man away at thirty paces, and leaving nothing more than a red mist, a ghastly mess, and a certain amount of paperwork. Aziraphale blinked. A thin stream of water squirted from the nozzle and soaked Crowley, who had been looking out the window, trying to see if there was a huge black dog in the garden. Aziraphale looked embarrassed. Then a cream cake hit him in the face.

My teenage brain exploded at this moment.

BECAUSE: there is no reason for Aziraphale to do that.

Work-wise: If he got shot, Crowley would get discorporated, but not die-- and anyway, it would happen in such a way that both of them could explain it away easily to their respective sides (and possibly even be commended for it!).

Collaboration-wise: If Crowley had been watching Aziraphale, and if he'd seen Aziraphale have the chance to change the gun but not do it-- then yeah, probably that would've been annoying enough to have warranted some chilly conversations once he came back topside, and therefore, Aziraphale choosing to save Crowley could've been a reasonable, logical choice to keep their working relationship on an even keel until they'd sorted out this Doomsday thing.

But Crowley was looking the other way.

Work-wise, it doesn't make sense-- and secret-collaboration-wise, it doesn't make sense-- and so it is, overall, really weird that Aziraphale saved him.

But his automatic reaction-- in a blink-- is to stop Crowley from getting shot. And he knows it's weird-- he feels embarrassed that his sudden, unthinking reaction is to save his "enemy".

And the final bit is just a couple paragraphs later:

With a gesture, Aziraphale turned the rest of the guns into water pistols as well, and walked out.

SO LOOK: He changed only the pistol about to shoot Crowley. His automatic reaction had nothing to do with saving a party full of humans, many of them children-- nothing to do with Heaven or Hell-- nothing to do with preserving the coworker he needs to stop Armageddon--

It was all to do with saving Crowley. Who may be the enemy, but he's Aziraphale's enemy. And another part of his life on Earth that he's doing all of this just to preserve.

Which may also be, for the first time, the moment he lets himself realize how important Crowley in particular is to him.

...and so anyway, that's how I started shipping these two immortal idiots, and one of many reasons why everyone should read the book.

#good omens #good omens book #versus #good omens tv

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absolutebl · 7 months ago

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This Week in BL - Actually a pretty fab line up right now

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

NOV 2024 Week 5

Ongoing Series - Thai

Love Sick 2024 (Sun iQIYI) ep 11 of 15 - This is where the teen awkward comes to grab me by the throat. No other Thai BL does this better than Love Sick (except maybe Make it Right). And it’s always a challenge to watch because Phun is so ready to come out and Noh is so not. I love what cramming 3 eps into one (and better side BL couples) did for the tension and pacing in this particular part of this story. The new version really is excellent. I'm chronicling my experience with 2024 as compared to 2014 here.

Your Sky (Sun iQIYI) ep 2 of 12 - They are so awkward and I love them so much for it. They are terrible at faking romance, yet Fah want’s Rak so bad. This is moving so slowly but that’s part of it’s charm. I'm not frustrated instead I’m getting Oxygen vibes from it. Or perhaps it’s is more just I feel the way I felt when I was first watching Oxygen. Which is to say, I’m totally addicted and I keep re-watching new episodes.

Spare Me Your Mercy (Thurs iQIYI) ep 1 of 8 - Gah! JJ grew up so pretty. I love these leads. (No one is shocked.) I love the lawful good paired against (we’re not sure yet but possibly) neutral evil. I love our very sus very flirty very gay doctor. A lot happened in this first episode. I’m getting Manner of Death flashbacks but there’s nothing wrong with that. Bring on the chili.

Incidentally, if you're interested in true crime, here's the IRL version of this story. How a Nuclear Lab Helped Catch a Serial Killer from the Science Vs podcast.

Jack & Joker (Mon IQIYI) ep 10-12 end - I got the go ahead on a safe ending, and thus I watched the last 3 eps all as one. I love how defiantly verse these two were. I also really enjoyed the final episode. I do like a finale that ends on a bang (yes, both kinds).

Final thoughts

I enjoyed this show a lot. A caper BL starring two of Thailand's best and focusing on class struggles, corruption, and poverty, was always gonna appeal to me. But I’m not sure, ultimately, whether I liked it because it was good in it’s own right, or because YinWar were so good in it. I do wish it had been a little more Leverage and little less chaos, Dr Evils, and "watch War cry." It was a great vehicle for YinWar, and for them to prove that BL can defy its own tropes. To that end, this goes comfortably into the Manner of Death category more than anything else I’ve encountered befor (although slightly less unhinged). It's good, but it loses the plot, the side couples, and it's own mind a couple of times, and YinWar were definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Thus I feel an 8/10 is fair, especially considering I'm unlikely to rewatch.

The Heart Killers (Weds Gaga) ep 2 of 12 - Dunk is illegally pretty in this show. I gotta say I covet his skin care routine. (I love YinWar as much as the next person, but THIS boy should be the spokes-BL-rep for Laneige.)

Manwhile..... FirstKhao might be GMMTV’s best flirters. It’s a pleasure to watch them just inhabit these characters and bounce off each other. I do keep saying “what tf are they doing?!“ with this show. In this instance, it was the dancing in the bowling alley. What is going on? is it meant to be a Pulp Fiction reference?

Also this gd soundtrack is bonkers. I *can’t!* with the 70s orgy porn music and the very bad not quite metal intro music. And then, I remember, brain must be turned off! (That’s really hard for me OK?)

All that said, both the sauna and the jerk-off scenes were much appreciated. It’s nice to see this kind of visceral physical attraction depicted in a BL, we get it so rarely.

On a side note, I entirely support Thailand’s one country agenda to put all the cute boys in crop tops. Keep it up. And up. And up.

Fourever You (Thurs YT) ep 9 of 16 - I just don’t get the (new) main couple. They don’t work for me. I like the surprise gamer boys side crumbs though. They are v cute.

Side quest: Genius move anytime Hill comes on screen to basically have Pond make love to the camera. He v good at it. Break down everyone’s fourth wall, baby. Take no prisoners.

Caged Again (Fri Gaga) ep 3 of 10 - That exchange! “Are you worried about me” (attempted flirtation) vrs Junior’s response “yes I am.” Just utter frankness. It’s very sweet. All in all this show is very sweet. Somewhat incomprehensible world building, but sweet. And the head lift into the lap was next level adorable. Sun’s shy smile is everything.

Perfect 10 Liners (Sun YT?) ep 5 of 24 - This show is very silly. I love the sides so much I can’t EVEN. But I think it was a big mistake putting Tay into this show. Never let an OG out of the bottle like that. He gets all our attention because we think he’s gonna grant all our wishes. By which I mean, all I could think the whole time he was on screen was WHY IS HE SO FINE?

I’m not joking, I had to watch his scenes 3x because I kept getting distracted and losing the plot. Not that there is much plot to lose. Just Tay’s mouth. I’ll stop now, but seriously tho LOOK AT HIM!!!

Every You Every Me (Mon Gaga) ep 8 end - Honestly I’d like to see this pair handed something much more meaty. Like a Japanese adaptation? Tokyo in April is… for example. I think they do a great job with something like that.

Conclusion

This was supposed to be a linked series about reincarnated soulmates, but ended up being more like a Y-Destiny grab bag BL with no rebirth through line, just the same acting pair. The leads were excellent. And I must praise this show for representing things I always want in my BL (and rarely get), switch, verse, communication, and safe sex. It’s just that this format with the same actors but no unifying theme (despite the pitch/packaging) made for a disappointing viewing experience. Some of the installments I enjoyed, and the visuals are on point, but I was ultimately let down by style and execution, if not acting. 6/10

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Our Youth AKA Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu (Japan Tues Gaga) ep 4 of 11 - “I won’t fall in love with you” is an easy promise to make if you’ve already fallen. I love this show SO MUCH. “Infect me just a little.” Holy fuck. This BOY. Also, so much for “not kissing.” This BL is fantastic. I’m so worried about where it’s going. Japan could very much hurt me with this. I didn’t expect to fall in love so hard.

Man, JBL...... when it gets you it really gets you (then it locks you in a basement and gets kinky). We are not safe but we must sit back and suffer enjoy it. I hate this. I love this. What a rush.

See Your Love (Taiwan Weds Gaga) ep 7 of 13 - I think this show has a “crash into me” trope in every single ep. This ep alone had 3, plus a flash back to the first one. Still, their damn date was so flipping adorbs!!!

Teenager Judge (Vietnam Sat YT) ep 10 of ? - I couldn’t be less interested in the stuff with the mean girls. I’m annoyed we spent so much of this episode on them. Fewer bullies more smooches.

Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan (Japan Sat Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - Arashi as the doting bf was cute if sudden, also holy musical montage BLman. Kai is my favorite character (as was Sky) but I'm still not wild about the blackmail sex start to this relationship. It does seem a little bit more like Kai went after a one night stand, also bit more switchy, which is better...... I guess. But not by much because the chemistry with these two isn't as good as the original.

I remain suspicious.

It's airing but......

Love is Like a Poison AKA Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Japan Tues ????) 11 of 12 eps - My source hasn’t yet uploaded 11. So…… I wait.

Secret Love (? YT?) 13-?? of 81 eps - I don't know what's going on either.

Blue Canvas of Youthful Days (China Sun Viki) paused at eps 9-10 of 12 - I got the "stop" on this one as it's gone (no surprise) dark. Being China can not be relied upon to HEA. So I'm on pause until I'm told it's safe. If it ends sad/bad I will dnf. But for now I wait......

Winter Is Not The Death of Summer (Thai Weds YT) ?? eps - Criminals who meet in prison fall in love. I did find it on YouTube, initially unsubbed, then subs happened by which time I got distracted. The first episode seems to be only six minutes long. It is very pulp. But it is intriguing. For now its to the wayside until someone tells me what it whats to be and if it's headed in a safe direction. Occasionally Thai pulps want to be edgy and it's not a good look on them.

Bad Guy My Boss (Thai Sun Gaga) 10 eps - I DNF'd at ep 7, I couldn't make it. I'm weak. Life is hard enough right now, this show made it harder. It’s not what I want from my entertainment. Ends tomorrow.

Bad to Bed (Taiwan Sat YT) 10 eps - This is a little too low production value even for me + just very very odd. DNF

In Case You Missed it - GMMTV 2025 Line Up

There have been a ton of hot takes already, including mine.

Here are the titles and links to MDL for you (confirmed full BLs only), these are organized in order of the ones I'm anticipating the most at the top.

Dare You to Death - trailer

Boys in Love - trailer

Memoir of Rati - trailer

My Magic Prophecy - trailer

Me and Thee - trailer

A Dog and A Plane - trailer

Cat for Cash - trailer

That Summer - trailer

My Romance Scammer - trailer

Head 2 Head - trailer

Ticket To Heaven - trailer

Burnout Syndrome - trailer

Melody of Secrets - trailer

Only Friends Dream On - trailer

Love You Teacher - trailer

Next Week Looks Like This:

End of year drops:

12/4 0.5D (Japan ????) 10 eps - Sales ace, Sada, has a secret that only his junior, Daiki, knows. He has pretended to have a gf for years, resulting in him being a virgin. But now Sada has fallen in love. Confused, Sada seeks advice from his junior. I sense another queer Cyrano De Bergerac. Info here.

12/6 Be Moon - Falling for my enemy's son (China ????) movie from HBD Studio - Not much on this one just a trailer, looks intriguing...... if it's from/through Taiwan, but if it's all China, I'm wary.

12/13 ThamePo Heart that Skips a Beat (Fri YT) 12eps - A boy band member and his documentarian start a forbidden relationship. I LOVE Est and am delighted to see him at GMMTV. This was my #1 pick for 2024. I've been waiting for a Blinding Lights style idol romance and this looks like it might be it (Korea and Japan have systemically disappointed me). Bring it, boys.

12/14 & 12/21 The Renovation (Thai mini One31) 2 eps - Writer turns his blossoming romance with holiday resort owner into a novel.

12/29 Sangmin Dinneaw (Thai ????) ??eps - trailer Childhood friends (Thai & Korean) reunite after being apart for ten years. As the boys reconnect, their bond matures and feelings of romance begin to develop, in Thai.

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.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

His smile. (Caged Again)

Look at them!

Look, I don't mean to tell you your business, but THIS? This is peak Thai BL. This is it. This is What They Do Best. Sure they dabble with silly kinky crimey-whiney fashizzal, but Thailand's true BL power is right here, in the sweet awkward school-set first love arghhhhh. Yes I said, school. Bite me. (Love Sick... damn it, 10 years later and it still has me in a choke hold.)

Hey all you idiots who thought (or think) there is ever a green flag in any Mame ever, this character if for you. This boy, THIS ONE. This is what a walking talking ACTING green flag energy actually looks like. You wanna date a dude? Find you one like him. Okay, peaches? sheesh

Meanwhile, this, this is not a green flag. This is GMMTV thinking they are being clever by calling out Thai BLs' worst behavior to make a character who has 'slightly less than worst behavior' look better. Sigh. When meta is used for ill gotten gains.

This, on the other hand is meta being cleverly deployed.

And this is language play. P'ABL's favorite.

So endeth this lesson.

(last week)

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

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lurkingshan · 9 days ago

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Hi! I've been working through some of your bl show recommendations and am loving them.

This is kinda specific but do you have any good bl recommendations with great and supportive sibling relationships?

I just started Bad Buddy (love it so far) and really like the bond between Pat and Pa.

Thank you!!

Hello! I'm so glad you're enjoying the shows. I also really love sibling relationships in drama, so I am happy to share a list of shows I think have interesting sibling dynamics. Please note that this list is by no means every BL with a sibling character; instead it's the ones where I found the sibling relationship compelling, important to the narrative (beyond basic plot set up), and overall worth watching.

I hope you'll like some of these! In no particular order:

Bad Buddy

You've already found Pat and Pa, a great brother-sister duo who watch out for each other even as they annoy the hell out of each other as only siblings can. Their bond is one of the most important through lines of the story.

La Pluie

In La Pluie our main character has several siblings, but his closest and most important sibling relationship is with his next age brother Tien. This one is more a case of one brother watching out for the other relentlessly while the other needs to learn to return the favor.

Unknown

The sibling dynamics in this one are complex, to say the least, as this found family goes through a lot of trials and tribulations figuring out their relationships. But the bond between the three members of this little family always hold firm no matter what else is happening.

Our Dining Table

This story of a lonely man bonding with two brothers through their love of food is one of my all time favorites, and the siblings are possibly the most endearing characters of all time.

Heesu in Class 2

The titular Heesu lives with his three older sisters, all of whom have their interesting quirks, and his relationships with them are hugely important to who he is and how he sees the world. This show really captured the vibe of a young boy raised by sisters perfectly.

I Cannot Reach You

Yamato's sister is one of the most important characters in this drama, as she sees and understands everything going on between her brother and his best friend and knows exactly when and how to nudge them in the right direction. She's also just really cool.

I Told Sunset About You

Teh's older brother Hoon is an important sounding board and support for him, and he appears at some crucial moments of the narrative to help his little brother figure himself out. Their relationship is touching without being overdramatized; Hoon feels exactly like a decent big brother who loves Teh but has his own life to deal with.

To Sir, With Love

Are Tian and Yang the best brother duo of all time?? Perhaps! Their unwavering love and support for each other--despite many people trying to pit them against each other--is one of the most touching aspects of this story.

The Untamed

And of course, we can't forget the Yunmeng Trio, iconic siblings whose love for each other was not ultimately enough to overcome their circumstances. They’re not the only siblings in this show but they’re the most important to the story. By far the most tragic siblings on this list.

#bad buddy #la pluie #unknown the series #our dining table #heesu in class 2 #i cannot reach you #i told sunset about you #to sir with love #khun chai #the untamed #multi bl #shan recommends #shan answers

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