I saw a few posts on the feeds praising “ BL Drama no Shuen ni Narimashita: Crank Up Hen”, so I decided to check it out. I’m glad I did. It’s an adorable drama about unrequited love in the world of filming a BL. Japan is known for some of the cutest and fluffiest BL dramas, along with some quirky ones.

I really like being able to hear each male lead’s inner monologues. Oftentimes, you only get one perspective and maybe another perspective in the very last episode. These monologues greatly enhanced my viewing pleasure during both comedic and more emotional scenes. I also appreciate that both characters are pretty similar in personality. I was worried that Hajime is the typical naive, innocent and introverted character, and would be too shy to utter any word. Luckily, he was just starstruck in the beginning, and is able to actually hold a conversation like a normal person. Akafuji, on the other hand, is not the typical superstar but a crazy stan. I feel that because they have a pretty balanced personality, they are on equal footing in regards to their romance.

This drama special starts with a lot of comedic and typical Japanese over-the-top manga adaptation moments. But eventually it dives into the emotional side of each character. One of the reasons I really enjoy this special is because it has 2 of my favorite things - unrequited love + those mini heartaches, and the guessing of whether he likes me or not. Both of these elements give me all the feels I need and especially in a manga adaptation comedy.

The acting of the leads is good. There isn’t anyone annoying or super loud. I do find the suits too big on the guys and they look too old in these oversized suits. Does anyone find Hajime in glasses looks like Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter? LOL. Ok, maybe it’s just me.

This is a short 3-episode fun watch with a lot of laughs, a lot of feels and a lot of cuteness.


Completed: 1/14/2024 - Review #395