#the pornographer

[lurkingshan]

Japanese BL Starter Pack

It’s been awhile since I dropped a rec list, so I am here today to share one that is very near and dear to my heart—a Japanese bl primer for those who are new to the jbl game. I created this for @neuroticbookworm to help her on her journey when she decided she wanted to start getting into Japanese works. The fandom (on Tumblr and generally) tends to focus primarily on Thai shows because they are the easiest to access for international fans, since Thailand is working its way toward world domination via ql media and wants us all to be able to watch. But there is a lot of great stuff to watch beyond the easy access Thai channels, and Japan is the country where this genre originated, so its shows are important for anyone who considers themselves a bl fan. Japan doesn’t cater nearly as much to the international audience so tracking down the shows sometimes takes some ingenuity and can-do spirit, but that’s part of the fun!

And so, the list! Bookworm is about halfway through it and having a ball, so I figured it was time to stop hoarding it and share it with anyone else who would like to dip their toes into jbl and isn’t quite sure where to start. A few notes: 

I am not here to teach you about the deep roots of the jbl genre or give you a primer on yaoi manga. I am by no means an expert and there are other places to find that information. Start here with this great post by @nieves-de-sugui and then maybe wander over to @absolutebl to read up more on the evolution of the genre.

This list is by no means an exhaustive accounting of every important Japanese bl ever made; it is simply a nice sampler platter of the cream of the crop among various styles you will find in jbl. Watching through this whole list will not only expose you to some fantastic shows, but also give you a sense of what makes jbl unique and how the country’s style differs from others, and point you toward the types of jbl you’ll like most (they tend to put shows in pretty specific style and tone lanes and once you find the ones you like there are lots more where that came from). 

If you’re coming to this post as a jbl lover and you don’t see your favorite here, I promise it’s not because I don’t love it very much; I simply had to make some choices to get this down to a reasonable shortlist. Feel free to leave extra recs for others to find! 

I’m putting these in a loose suggested watch order that will take you through the various jbl lanes in a kind of popcorn style, because I always think it’s good to change it up so you don’t get too stuck in one mode, and it works its way up to most of the extremely Japanese stuff (you will know what that means by the time you finish). But do what’s in your heart and change up the order if you want, friends, I am not the boss of you! 

Cherry Magic (Crunchyroll or grey)

gif by @liyazaki

I believe everyone on Tumblr is pretty familiar with this one, which is not a coincidence—this is one of the most accessible jbls. Not in terms of actual access to watch it, mind you (we’ve all jumped through shady internet hoops to watch it) but in terms of its content and style. Cherry Magic is a classic workplace romcom with a magical twist, and it is charming af. It’s a great exemplar of Japan’s light and zippy comedy lane for bl—a lane in which, importantly, the romances stay chaste even when the actual plot is about sex, or lack thereof. My friend @waitmyturtles would kill me if I didn’t make sure you know that Cherry Magic also has a lovely follow up film. And bonus: there is now a Thai remake airing so if you watch the original you can get in on the discussion about the different adaptations between countries. This is pretty easy to find these days in all the usual places, but I strongly recommend watching it here.

Old Fashion Cupcake (Viki)

gif by @liyazaki

Moving on to a slightly more mature workplace romcom. Old Fashion Cupcake, another Tumblr favorite, is an age gap boss-subordinate romance, and it’s both very adult and somehow wholesome af at the same time. Sure, there is a lot of carnal desire going on here, but there is also a lot of wooing via fluffy pancakes. It’s a tight five episodes and a fantastic example of what Japan, with its extreme technical precision in writing, directing, editing, pacing, and acting firing on all cylinders, can do in two hours. There’s not an ounce of flab on this thing and you’ll want to watch it over and over again.

Utsukushii Kare (Viki)

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

Time to get a little weird! Weird is a key feature of Japanese media, and lots of jbls explore unusual relationship dynamics rooted in complex psychology. This is the first show on the list that will likely feel very Japanese if you’re new around here—my advice is to lean into it and finish the show, even if you get uncomfortable along the way. In Japanese media, discomfort always serves a purpose. This is a high school story with a twisted relationship at its center, and I’m not saying any more than that. Don’t spoil yourself and go watch it! This one also comes with two sequels—one short second season and one movie—that continue from the original story. They are less essential but still excellent.

I Cannot Reach You (Netflix)

gif by @my-rose-tinted-glasses

Next up, another high school tale, but with a totally different vibe. This show is kind of a revelation in its willingness to tell a story about overwhelming desire—including sexual desire—with young protagonists. It’s rooted in a classic but often misunderstood trope, friends to lovers, and takes the angst of it seriously, giving us a low stakes story that feels extremely high stakes to our leads. It’s also gorgeous and uses a classic Japanese visual style (bokeh) that you’ll be dying to learn more about. 

His (Viki)

gif by @gabrielokun

Time for a break from high school, and we’ll sprinkle in a movie for some added flavor. His is a jbl film featuring a second chance romance between a stoic, introverted man who moves to a remote town to start over, and his ex-boyfriend who follows him there unexpectedly, adorable child in tow. Importantly, this movie does not take place in what we often refer to as the “bl bubble” where homophobia doesn’t exist; the leads’ experiences of being gay men in a homophobic society are hugely important to the plot and themes of the story. It’s a beautiful film and I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it. @bengiyo would surely also like me to tell you that this film follows a brief prequel show called His: I Didn’t Mean to Fall in Love about the characters originally meeting in high school; I do not think it’s really necessary to watch it but completists can start there.

The Pornographer series (Gaga)

By now you should be ready to get into some classic Japanese fucked up psychosexual material, right? Right! The Pornographer series is told in five installments in this order:

The Novelist, a six episode miniseries

Mood Indigo, a six episode prequel series

Spring Life, a 15 minute short

Pornographer: Playback, a two hour film

Spring Life Continued, a 15 minute short

Confused by that distribution model? So say we all; sometimes Japan likes to make us work for it to make sure we really appreciate its many gifts to us. The story across these installments is about a very difficult to love protagonist, what makes him the way he is, and the also-unhinged-but-in-a-different-way man who finally gets through to him. It’s an extremely satisfying love story and one of the best character arcs I have ever seen, full stop. For this one, you’ll want to just pull the word problematic out of your pocket and store it in a drawer; nearly everything that happens in this story is problematic and that’s the point. Lean in! All of these installments except for the film are on Gaga, if you get that far hmu and I will supply you with the final puzzle piece.

Our Dining Table (Gaga)

You could probably use a break after those last two, so it’s time to shift over to a heart-tugging twofer: family trauma mixed with the cutest shit you’ve ever seen. ODT is an example of another classic type of Japanese show: the food drama (you will see the GOAT in this category at the end of this list). In Japanese culture, food is love, and the act of preparing food for your loved ones is a common path to romance. You’ll love this story about an isolated office worker who meets a pair of brothers, learns to cook as a way of connecting with them, and begins to heal from his own trauma as a result. The image above is a scan from the manga, which @troubled-mind curates to make extremely cool comparison sets like this one. Many jbls are faithful adaptations of yaoi manga source material, so it’s good to have a bit of familiarity with them.

Minato’s Laundromat (Gaga)

gif by @liyazaki

Japanese media loves to explore taboo, and often manages to do it in a way that is surprisingly light and chaste. This is an age gap romance between a teenager and his adult neighbor that explores internalized homophobia, emotional repression, and falling in love across seemingly impossible social chasms. It’s also a great example of old school yaoi seme-uke dynamics that still show up across the bl genre. Also, take my advice: end your journey with this one with the first season and just pretend season 2 doesn’t exist.

Eternal Yesterday (Viki)

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

Remember what I said about weird? Time to do that again, but with a heaping dose of grief and pain on top. It’s not a spoiler to tell you this show involves a major character death; a major character death is, in fact, the root of the entire story. This is a magic realist tale of first love turned tragic, and it will hurt and heal you. It is one of my favorite dramas of all time.

Restart After Come Back Home (Gaga)

And now for a break for your poor exhausted brain. This film is basically the jbl version of a Hallmark original movie, about a city boy who goes back home to the country and falls in love with a total sweetheart while working together on a farm. Enjoy it, bestie, you’ve earned it! 

Tokyo in April Is… (Gaga)

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

You’ve probably noticed by now that emotional repression and failed communication are big themes in Japanese works. This second chance romance has plenty of both, and it’s a great example of a kind of muted emotional style that Japan does so well, where the surface of the story seems almost placid and calm even as deep emotion roils underneath. This one (and Eternal Yesterday above) are part of a special line up of jbls on Japanese channel MBS called Tonku (Drama) Shower. The shows air one after another in the same time slot on Fridays (in Japan, perhaps Thursdays for you depending on where you live) and you truly never know what you’re gonna get, but they’re all interesting. Warnings on this one for sexual assault and trauma. 

The End of the World With You (Viki)

Time for sexy and weird again, but even more so! This has to be one of the most unique bls ever made; it goes to some truly divine and strange places, and it feels incredibly queer while doing it. Made by the same screenwriter/director of the Pornographer series with a lot of the same sensibilities, but in a more heightened apocalyptic setting. This one has existential angst, a road trip, a redemption tale, and a variety of interesting side characters in the mix.

What Did You Eat Yesterday? (Gaga)

gif by @my-rose-tinted-glasses

Congratulations, you’ve reached the end of the list and your reward is watching one of the best bls of all time, and a perfect slice of life food drama to boot. WDYEY now has two seasons (along with a couple specials and a movie that fall in between) because the universe clearly loves us. You can now get it on Gaga for easy access but I’m partial to the versions over at @kinounaniresource for better subs. Wherever you watch, settle in to get cozy with Shiro and Kenji and make sure to always eat before you hit play.

[scarefox]

Sometimes I feel like, the way people talk about japanese BL, half the BL fandom forgot / doesn't know that "The Pornographer" series exists. But to be fair it kind of was ahead of its time?

It's mature, with flawed, struggling characters, very spicy. One of the best jBLs imo. In terms of plot, cinematography, acting and chemistry. But you need to have a heart for weird, struggling artist characters.

It has 2 seasons and 3 movies / specials.

"Kuzumi Haruhiko is an university student. One day, he causes a bicycle accident. The accident causes novelist Kijima Rio to break his arm. Kuzumi doesn't have insurance or money to pay Kijima for his injury. Kijima then asks Kuzumi to transcribe a story he is writing. Kuzumi is surprised to learn the story is obscene." (Kijima is a porn novelist)

Watch order:

Pornographer: The Novelist (season 1)

Pornographer: Mood Indigo (season 2 prequel, contains spoiler for s1 that's why I rec to watch it after s1, which is also how it aired)

Pornographer: Spring Life (sequel short movie)

Pornographer: Playback (sequel movie)

Pornographer: Continued Spring Life (sequel short epilogue)

It's on GagaOOLala... except for Playback... well that's dumb.

(but yall know where to find stuff)

[shihlun]

Bertrand Bonello

- The Pornographer

2001

[wen-kexing-apologist]

Kakeru and Yamato

Mitsuru and Koichi

Haruhiko and Rio

Ooo, I like these options!

Kakeru and Yamato

Kakeru and Yamato are fantastic, they love each other so deeply and it was really fun for me to watch them work through their feelings for each other as they progressed from friends to lovers. There are so many different structural set ups I love in romance stories. I love the freaks, I loved the fucked up people, I loved the contradictory characters, the happySads, etc. But something that I look for when I’m watching these shows is friendship. Sure these characters love each other, sure they want to fuck each other, but do they like each other? Do they have fun together? I think for me to really lean in to a relationship in a show, they have to sell me their connection either through their affection, their devotion, or both. Teh and Oh will almost certainly break up and get back together about four more times before things get sorted, but I believe there isn’t really anyone else for them. Their connection is magnetic. Pat and Pran have fun, they compete in everything, they wrestle, the goof off. Kakeru and Yamato were friends first. So while I am much more of a happy for now kind of person, I at the very least believe they will make it quite some time together because they like each other and they love each other. 

I appreciate greatly when a couple is able to communicate, and so while I wish they hadn’t gotten interrupted quite so many times throughout the show, I did enjoy the fact that they were constantly attempting to talk to one another openly and honestly about what was going on. I love Yamato backtracking when he thinks he’s made Kakeru uncomfortable, and Kakeru immediately telling him that isn’t the case. I love every iteration of the quiet, reserved boy whose emotions don’t usually cross his face gets some time alone with the loud, bubbly boy whose emotions can never quite be contained and their tension just starts melting away. I love seeing Yamato smile when he’s with Kakeru. 

Also shout out to these boys for one of the best kisses of the year. Thank you, Yamato for finally kissing your boyfriend, interruptions be damned. 

Mitsuru and Koichi

Perhaps the most important thing to me about Eternal Yesterday is how intensely it solidifies the love between Mitsuru and Koichi. Koichi always walked closest to the street, because he knew their walk was dangerous and he didn’t want Mitsuru to be the one to get hurt. Koichi died far too soon because he was protecting his boyfriend. And Koichi lived again because the love they had for each other brought them back. Koichi withheld his own peace, his own rest, to be there for Mitsuru until he could come to terms with Koichi’s death. Mitsuru loved Koichi so much, Koichi was able to take form once again, Mitsuru loved Koichi so much he almost willed him back to life. He loved Koichi back in to his body, he loved Koichi back in to warmth. Koichi was sunshine, and Koichi was tired, and Koichi was slowly fading from the memories of everyone else around him. But Mitsuru held on. Mitsuru held on for dear life. He held on so tightly for so long. And Koichi let him. Because Koichi knew how loved he was. Because Koichi loves Mitchan just as much. 

I know some people think the ending of Eternal Yesterday is tragic. But I don’t think it is. I think it is melancholy, but I also think it is beautiful. Five years later and Mitsuru has not gotten over Koichi’s death. And that’s okay. Because I do believe he’s made some sort of peace. Who knows if he will ever love someone as much as he loved Koichi ever again, but how beautiful for him to know for certain how much Koichi loved him in return. 

Haruhiko and Rio

At risk of you taking away all of my electronics until I can exert some modicum of self-control, I think I need to rewatch The Pornographer series. You’d think for a relationship that started out with as many lies and manipulations as it did, that they’d have a less healthy/mature relationship, but alas. I think they are genuinely good together, and I did really enjoy watching their relationship progress. I don’t know why the scene where Haruhiko finally catches on that he is re-writing Rio’s previously published novels stands out to me so much as The Scene between them. Maybe I think it is a really good indicator of their base personalities, and the way they will function together. Rio may be trying shit, but Haruhiko is studious, he does pay attention, and he will eventually catch on to the bullshit Rio is pulling and call him on it. 

Despite the fact that I do think Haruhiko and Rio work well and I’m happy where we leave things with this series.  I don’t think Haruhiko and Rio’s relationship stuck with me as much as Rio and Kido’s did, mostly cause we have so few shows that actually dedicate as much time and energy in to showing an old relationship that didn’t work as we do here. Usually we get a shitty ex, occasionally we get a lovers to friends scenario. Rarely, extremely rarely do we get an entire prequel series that explores an old relationship and provide so much rich context for who they are as people, how they got to where they are in life, and why a different relationship will work where theirs failed. 

And on top of that I think I am just so much more intrigued by Rio’s life and psyche as an individual than I am to his actual relationship with Haruhiko, though to be fair so much of that psyche does inform how they interact. Rio’s just a fucking freak who faked an arm injury so he could guilt trip a hot boy in to hanging out with him, and I had a lot of fun watching him try Haruhiko 2: Electric Boogaloo on another boy, since it seemed to work out so well the last time.

Send Me a Ship and I’ll Share My Thoughts

[fellhalcyon]

four years ahead of its time smh. y’all would have eaten this up

[twig-tea]

For the BL trope ask game: 8, 9 and 10

Whew, coming out swinging! Ok here we go.

8. May/December

There really are not a lot of these where the age gap is truly significant. My actual favourite BL couple with an age gap where their ages are part of the conflict they face is The Pornographer/The Novelist though I acknowledge their age gap is probably not enough to fully be considered May/December. Rio becoming a mentor for Haruhiko does add to the May/December aspects so I'm just going to commit lol.

The concerns around their age gap came up in the sequel short more than the original series, but they definitely started their relationship in the original series at different life stages and it was one of the things that caused Rio to run from Haruhiko in the first place. To my memory there are some funny reversals in this one because Haruhiko gets his life together faster than Rio does but that means even as Haruhiko gets older they remain at different life stages and it continues to be a source of conflict.

Also just going to say, for anyone looking for old man yaoi, there is also a bonus fantasy/nightmare imagination scenario that Haruhiko pictures between Rio and his mentor that takes place in Continued Spring Life (though I would not call Rio's relationship with his mentor a romance!).

[NGL my favourite truly May/December romancecin BL is Choko and Maru from Ossan's Love and Ossan's Love Returns in which Choko is older than Maru's mother and it is a major source of conflict between her and her new mother in law until they find common ground.]

9. Fake Dating

I know I'm pretty alone in this, but YYY is one of my faves and it is actually a perfect example of the fake dating trope. For those who never saw this show, the central plot is that Nott and Pun are pretending to date in order to be allowed to stay in their apartment (the landlord loves BL). There are constant misunderstandings, pining, and it's compounded by the fact that one is also in a BGP with a different guy. There are real stakes tied to their fake dating, and the faking of the relationship becomes painful to the point that they become willing to risk those stakes (getting kicked out) rather than continuing to fake it. This show is absolutely wild and a LOT of nonsense happens, but the core is a pretty standard execution of this trope! And I love it a lot.

10. Bodyguard

I'm going to include censored projects in this because my ultimate favourite in this trope is Sleuth of Ming Dynasty. Zhou is at points of the story assigned to be a literal guard for Tang Fan, but he also just does it anyway off the clock because that's who he is. This show, to my mind, hits all of the important beats related to a bodyguard tripe including the person being protected balking at the protection and sacrificing himself so that his protector is not hurt (as well as at other times and being entirely blasé about his own safety because he trusted Zhou to protect him and had full faith he would).

Link to the original ask game post!

[respectthepetty]

Since I was memorized by Izuka Kenta in Candy Color Paradox and @gillianthecat wrote a great recommendation for it, I decided to finally watch The Novelist and Mood Indigo, and, boy(s) oh boy(s), do I have thoughts:

Both sexual relationships began in very fucked up ways because Kijima gave Kido and Kuzumi exactly what they wanted by pushing a boundary they didn't think he was capable of crossing. Kijima tricked Kuzumi into his life but gave him an out. Kido manipulated Kijima into his life but refused to let him go.

While Kido was disgusted with Kijima and himself ("I hate myself when I'm with you"), Kuzumi was worried about Kijima ("There's something wrong with you"), and those two reactions dictated how each man interacted with Kijima.

Kido's relationship with Kijima was sexual solely because Kido wouldn't allow himself to feel anything beyond that. He was aggressive, domineering, and distant with Kijima, so he would never have to evaluate why he loved him.

Kuzumi's relationship with Kijima was intimate from the beginning because of the nature of their work arrangement. Unlike Kido, who was seen as some kind of life saver since he gave Kijima a job even though Kujima gave him a place to live, Kuzumi was introduced as merely an observer and temporary guest of Kijima's life, so the power dynamic that was prominent in Kijima's relationship with Kido didn't exist with Kuzumi. Kuzumi got to watch Kijima unscathed because he comfortably fit into Kijima's life rather than disrupted it like Kido.

Because Kido kept Kijima at a distance, their interactions were tangled with flirtatious comments and lust. There was always an underlying tension that could boil over, but they never reached deep enough to allow anything beyond the superficial and sexual.

Kijima tried to treat his relationship with Kuzumi like his relationship with Kido. Kuzumi wouldn't allow that behavior from Kijima. He didn't want his defense mechanisms. He didn't want Kijima's fake smiles and intrusive advances that masked raw emotions. Kuzumai didn't hide his feelings in hopes that his vulnerability would allow Kijima to feel safe enough to express his. He wanted to see Kijima for who he was, not for who he pretended to be.

Kido wanted to know he always had Kijima and became possessive and jealous when others made Kijima happy. Kuzumi admired Kijima and was pleased when Kijima experienced happiness with others.

The closer Kijima got, the more alert Kido became and stayed awake because he couldn't trust himself. Kuzumi easily fell asleep with Kijima by his side.

Kido stopped writing because he believed he could never achieve Kijima's level of technique and skill. Although Kido loved his job, he was willing to transfer because of societal expectations. Kido needed to be seen as successful, which is why he couldn't give into his attraction to Kijima. Being in a relationship with a man made him feel lesser. Kuzumi didn't know what he wanted to do for a career and was aimless. He openly purchased the pornographic books without caring about how it would be perceived. He had a successful career, but it didn't matter to him, and he even skipped a meeting.

Kido and Kijima began in the light with an audience, and Kido never allowed that to happen again, only interacting with Kijima in the dark and behind closed doors. Kuzumi and Kijama began in the dark, but Kuzumi had only shown Kijima light and openness since then.

Kido was never happy when he was with Kijima. Kuzumi was always happy with Kijima. Kido would never love Kijima openly because of his need to be seen as normal. Kuzumi wanted to love Kijima openly because it was the only space he really felt normal.

As Kido stated in the last scene, the flame in Kido's heart that flickers for Kijima will never be extinguished, but Kido has proven that he is willing to burn Kijima if he comes too close. Kuzumi's love started as a flame but is now a raging fire. It cannot be contained, it cannot be stopped, and even though it is terrifying, it is a force of beauty.

[waitmyturtles]

CW: MAJOR SPOILER ALERTS FOR THE MOVIE “THE PORNOGRAPHER: PLAYBACK.” LONG POST!

I feel like there’s been something humming in the wind lately around the franchise of The Novelist/The Pornographer. We’ve seen a cameo by the incomparable Izuka Kenta in Candy Color Paradox, Yoshida Munehiro is about to cameo in The End of the World, With You, and The Novelist’s Twitter account has been buzzing with news about new DVDs and theater showings of the last installment of the franchise, The Pornographer: Playback. Miki Koichiro, the screenwriter and director of the franchise, has TWO shows out at the moment, the aforementioned TEOTWWY, as well the sessy-sessy Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu, the three seasons of which I am dying to watch as soon as there’s a solidly bad season of QL sometime in the future (which seems like will never happen in my lifetime, bless all these amazing QLs for coming out every season!). Couple all of this with recent reviews of the OG Novelist and Mood Indigo series by the fabulous @gillianthecat (here) and @respectthepetty (here), and I was happily reminded of good times of watching all of these parts way way back when I first discovered QL/BL in 2019/20. 

When the amazing @lurkingshan commented on a stray thoughts post by @bengiyo that she had seen The Pornographer: Playback, I was VERY intrigued. With HUGE thanks and big ups to @lurkingshan, I watched it over the weekend, and here are my thoughts! I’m going to put up a break to keep y’all from getting spoiled if you want to avoid it.

First off, let’s make sure we know what all the installments are, and that we’ve watched what we’ve needed to get to the movie. We have:

1) 2018 -- The Novelist: the original meeting between student Kuzumi Haruhiko and adult author Kijima Rio

2) 2019 -- Mood Indigo: a prequel depicting the sexual engagements between Kijima Rio and his classmate, Kido Shirou 

3) 2021 -- The Pornographer: Spring Life: a very short vignette set 2 1/2 years after Kuzumi and Kijima first met. They’re now in a long-distance relationship, and Kuzumi visits Kijima in the countryside at Kijima’s sister’s house, where he’s living as he continues to write.

(The first three works are all available on Viki.)

So I was BEYOND THRILLED to get to watch the movie and see all of this wrap up. If most of y’all only watched up to Mood Indigo, you saw Kijima re-meet with Kuzumi. Kuzumi, at that time, was just becoming a successful employee in the advertising business. 

Spring Life hints that things are still going well for Kuzumi, and that he was looking forward to spending a summer break with his long-distance boyfriend. Most notably, the piece ends with Kuzumi jumping from honorifics, by asking Kijima if he (Kuzumi) could call Kijima “Rio-san,” which we know indicates intimacy. Kijima’s like, whatever you’d like, and the smile on Kuzumi’s face takes up the whole screen, it seems.

So then we finally get to The Pornographer: Playback, which begins during the same summer break. Continuing with the theme and mood that I like to call melosexual (the music alone of this franchise is SO INTENSE, let alone the heaty sex scenes), the guys head to a love hotel and do their thang. At the end of the night, as they’re getting dressed, Kijima finds a business card in Kuzumi’s wallet for a hostess club that Kuzumi is forced to go to with work colleagues. 

Without divulging a tremendous amount more about the plot at this moment, the movie is basically structured around the push-and-pull of Kijima’s inability to move authentically closer to people -- not just Kuzumi, but also his sister, who Kijima disappoints repeatedly by backing out of family events. 

Kijima’s essentially paralyzed by fear and insecurity that he is a terrible person -- one that is not worthy of love. His sister is so overwhelmingly angry about it that she essentially kicks him out of the house, and blames their mother for never calling him out on his namby-pamby bullshit (at least, that’s in her eyes). At another point in the movie, he frustrates Kuzumi so much that Kuzumi walks out on the relationship and heads back to Tokyo, a surprising move for the otherwise always-devoted younger companion. 

It takes a serious scolding by a hospitalized and flirtatious owner of a karaoke snack bar (you read that right) for Kijima to get his damn head back on straight and fight for his relationship with Kuzumi. (And, HILARIOUSLY, I was cackling -- in the process of this, Kijima has KIDO -- KIDO OF ALL PEOPLE -- call Kuzumi on Kijima’s behalf, to get Kuzumi to talk to Kijima to reconcile. KIJIMA used KIDO to call KUZUMI. Lord.)

Okay, so what I’m really getting at here is that the movie showed that the whole franchise was missing two KEY elements that the first three parts did not have: comedy and authentic emotional connection. There was actually a little comedy in this! Besides the whole Kido thing (which I’ll get back to in a minute), there were a couple of bumbling moments that were designed to elicit some lightness, mostly with the snack bar owner, a flighty gal with a lovely son who tries to hook up with takes Kijima under her wing.

About the other element: we FINALLY, FINALLY SAW KIJIMA SHOWING SOME EMOTION ABOUT SOMETHING. He really regretted letting things go to shit with Kuzumi. Kuzumi called Kijima out for wasting Kuzumi’s time to leave work in Tokyo and visit the countryside. Kuzumi felt like Kijima wasn’t taking him seriously, and was constantly pulling back. I mean -- Kijima was living away from Kuzumi.... for what, exactly? It’s not ever clearly explained. And Kuzumi got angry and left.

This is a great time to mention the excellent post by @emotionallychargedtowel on pursuer-distancer dyads, because the Kijima-Kuzumi push-and-pull in this movie perfectly defined this dyad dance. When Kuzumi got fed the fuck up and pulled way back -- Kijima finally stepped into his emotion and owned his desire to be with Kuzumi. 

Honestly, in the first three installments of this franchise -- I felt like Kijima really didn’t talk too much. I felt like he was far more defined by his brooding, his letting the winds take him to where he was at any given moment, ragingly sexual and lonely all at once. He simmered -- he was flinty, defensive, and used his sexual energy to dominate and burn the emotional energy all around himself. 

The movie showed a TOTALLY different side of him. To me, the movie showed that his relationship with Kuzumi, long distance as it was, HAD a softening impact on him -- even to the point that Kijima dropped everything he was up to in the countryside to head to Tokyo and fight for the relationship. Kijima needed to be rendered totally alone, one last time, to come to realize that the connection he had with Kuzumi was worth fighting for.

And, yes, in the process of it, he brought back Kido in the mix -- which was also seriously poignant. 

REALLY SERIOUS SPOILER HERE, y’all, especially if you love/hate/gaaahh that awful devil, Kido!

. . . . . .

Kido asks Kijima if they could have ever had the same kind of relationship as Kijima is fighting for with Kuzumi! AAAAAHHHH! AND! AND! KIJIMA SAYS, no way. We’re too similar.

WHICH IS TOTALLY TRUE! They’re both self-indulgent, selfish assholes! I mean, after that insane sex scene in Mood Indigo, Kido just fucking LEFT -- he just LEFT, and GOT MARRIED, and HAD A KID, and was like, peace the fuck out, I can’t actually be my honest queer self with you, Kijima, because I think that’s actually abnormal (oh, Kido, you internally messed up piece of shit, AAAHHH). 

Whereas, as beautifully analyzed in @respectthepetty‘s review, Kuzumi represents honesty and openness -- the kind of traits that Kijima doesn’t have, but is aspiring to, in order to be with Kuzumi. AAAHHH. 

I was seriously like, WHOA, WHAT AM I WATCHING HERE, at that moment. AND, AND? At the end of that scene? Kido wishes Kijima good luck. And says: “You better keep Kuzumi-kun. He’s a valuable asset.” Of course, what a Kido thing to say -- that humans are assets, commodities. But -- he sends Kijima off with good wishes. 

And then.

Kijima reunites with Kuzumi. He called Kuzumi by Kuzumi’s name, Haruhiko. AND -- holy shit, y’all, my mind was blown. He tells Kuzumi that he loves Kuzumi by saying ichiban aishiteru.

I tell you, I was FLOORED. All throughout the movie, I’m like, “dang, Kijima keeps talking and talking, and I just don’t remember him TALKING all that much before in the other three series.”

And then he DROPS the ichiban aishiteru! And I think BOTH me AND Kuzumi are BOTH LIKE, WHAT THE DAMN, DUDE!

I’ve spoiled a LOT, but I won’t say more after this, except to say the following:

The ending was one of the happiest, LOVELIEST endings of a drama/movie I’ve seen in QL. Oh. my. god. Talk about SATISFYING. EVERY. CHECKBOX. MARKED. Takezai Terunosuke and Izuka Kenta were MAGNIFICENT. I had SERIOUS tears. They got in everything -- they got the heat, they got in FAMILY, LOTS OF FAMILY, GORGEOUS shots, FEELINGS. ALL OF IT. 

@bengiyo made an excellent point recently in one of his reviews of TEOTWWY that it seems like Japan lately has only been doing high heat in stories about death. It’s an accurate point: all of the pieces of The Novelist came out well before TEOTWWY and Eternal Yesterday, the two most recent shows about death that had heaty elements. I kind of wonder about something. I wonder if other directors and screenwriters are like.... The Novelist did it the best. We can’t mess with that standard. 

Because -- Takezai’s and Izuka’s acting in those scenes is BEYOND EXCELLENT. It was NECESSARILY EXCELLENT to end this franchise on such a warm, happy, COMPLETE high note. 

Now that I can look back on all four parts of the whole franchise, what Miki Koichiro did for us by way of Kijima was to show the whole-scale growth of a man vis à vis love. This guy, Kijima -- a brilliant writer who was influenced by a sexually provocative teacher, someone who was left inexplicably behind by a tormented, internally homophobic lover/benefactor -- felt he was deserving of nothing. And then he found his something in Kuzumi. He nearly destroyed the relationship, multiple times. And as he fell and slipped while climbing the hill of happiness, he was able to get a stronger and stronger grip each time he tried harder. And he was supported by people around him, including family and random friends, to give him lift. 

This movie was a lot more straightforward than I had honestly expected. I 100% expected more of the melosexualness of the first three parts of the series. Instead, what I got was a WHOLESOME (I can’t believe I’m using that word, but it’s true!), complete, and uplifting story of a man finding his true happiness in his lover, his companion, his chosen family. All of it certainly laced with heat, for sure, but also very deep, very convincing love. 

It was utterly fabulous. It might be too emotional, maybe too family-oriented for some who preferred the dark heat of the previous installments. But Playback, in my eyes, was a perfect closing note for a man who honestly deserved happiness after the work, and the SELF-CHANGE he put in, to get love in the first place. If you are a fan of this whole series, and can get your hands on the movie, I beg you to watch it, even just for one of the best happy endings you’ll ever see in QLs.

[mejomonster]

The Pornographer is begging for a Guardian au. This would just work SO good as a Guardian au. Zhao Yunlan as a student at Dragon City university. Shen Wei as a nearby novelist he hits with a bike. Shen Wei faking his arm broken so he can spend more time with Kunlun despite himself, Zhao Yunlan playing into it because he knows his dad the chief of SID is investigating Shen Wei (and he both wants to get in on the action and then later save this handsome man). Shen Wei eventually pushing him away, saying he shouldn't have done this, he doesn't want to let Zhao Yunlan down. That Zhao yunlan is so young, he shouldn't want to be around Shen Wei (an immortal who genuinely is physically not good for his health). Zhao Yunlan not understanding. Desperate for Shen Wei to want him. To take him. To stop pushing him away.

These scenes just. These lines just. A Guardian au would work SO WELL.

[lovetoreadrose]

Done watching all installment of pornographer series,

Loved it

[lurkingshan]

Hiii!

So I’ve been using your JBL starter pack from last year as a bit of a guide and thanks to you, Old Fashion Cupcake is my favourite BL ever! I love those two and their little cake dates with all my heart.

But! I’ve recently arrived at the Pornographer series and trying to find Playback is like trying to find a BL boy who doesn’t immediately get sick after being in the rain for a sec. Noticed you’ve kindly suggested asking you for this sooo if you know where it lives, I’d be very grateful if you could please point me in the right direction. Thank youuuu!

Oh yay, I'm so glad you're making your way through the list! The film goes up on grey sites often but not always with good subs and it inevitably gets taken down every time. I have the file so I'll DM you a link to where you can grab it.

[scarefox]

It’s hilarious for me that he’s in this drama 

I am sorry I can’t unsee Kuzumi from The Pornographer series, I was not prepared when he appeared last ep.

[shihlun]

Bertrand Bonello

- The Pornographer

2001

[ghoul-haunted]

-erotic novels tend to be full of lies and fantasy. I think that if you can write about your true desires then it will resonate with the reader.

インディゴの気分  ep 3

[homo-ousios]

I hate forehead kisses I hate head pats I hate every single time a bl tries to simulate hetero dimorphism by infantilizing one of the leads and I hate it when a guy calls his infantilized boyfriend cute and I hate it when the cute boyfriend acts like the sexual interest of his partner is shocking and embarrassing as though he has never experienced a hard on in his life *deep breath* and frankly I don’t care how weird and dysfunctional a storyline is if it avoids this musty bullshit

[geekygirl24]

Prompt from 1967_Chevy_Impala: You did a prompt at Christmas for Kijima and Kuzumi from Pornographer. I'd love to see another work with them because that tag has been sorely dry. I would request that it is NSFW. But beyond being NSFW, I'll leave the prompt open. Go crazy. Have a grand old time. Write whatever you want to see for that pairing or have been wanting to see in general. Thank you so much for continuing to write these and taking the prompts! 

This Chapter is NSFW