Takumi-kun Series: Drama (Japanese Series)

So, about a decade ago, there were these five movies that made up the whole Takumi-kun series. Now, the creators have come back with a six-episode show, with each part running about 25 minutes. I'm guessing they wanted to introduce a newer generation of BL fans to this world, but honestly, it backfired. The whole thing feels incredibly dated, like it’s completely out of touch with how modern BL shows are made today. Between a cast that’s way too crowded and a mountain of different couples to keep track of, the storytelling is just a total train wreck that doesn't make a lick of sense.

The whole thing takes place at an all-boys boarding school. You’ve got Gii, who just moved back from the States and is the son of a super wealthy CEO, and he's roommates with Takumi. Right from the very first episode, Gii is basically obsessed, taking every chance he gets to shout his feelings from the rooftops. Takumi is really shy and has no clue how to handle all that heat, so he just doesn't give anything back. Of course, the other students start whispering, and the rumors about them being a couple really get under Takumi’s skin, causing him to shut down and pull away from everyone. Gii doesn't seem to care at all and just keeps being loud with his love. You can tell Takumi is sitting on some kind of secret or past trauma, and when it finally comes out in the sixth episode, it’s a pretty intense and dramatic reveal that explains why he's so afraid of being touched. On top of that, the show tries to squeeze in a bunch of other couples. There’s Takabayashi, who thought he liked Gii at first but realized after a weird chat that his actual crush was his roommate, Yoshizawa. Takabayashi has this huge ego and keeps slapping people to protect his own insecurities. There are a couple more pairs thrown in there too, but it was honestly so messy I could barely keep track of who was who.

The biggest issue with this show is that it’s just not put together in a way that makes sense. It honestly feels like someone just taped a bunch of random clips together and hoped it would tell a story. While some of the side plots had potential, it was impossible to actually get into them because we never got to know the characters at all. Takumi was probably the most fleshed-out person in the bunch, but he still needed more screen time, and Gii was a total mystery. I never understood why he was so possessive and obsessed with Takumi in the first place. If you haven't seen the original movies, I can’t imagine how confused you’d be trying to figure out the "who" and "why" behind everyone’s actions. All four of the romances are written pretty poorly, but the main one is definitely the worst. We don't even get to see Takumi and Gii fall for each other; they're already together when the show starts, so we miss out on all the chemistry and buildup. Gii also comes across as a pretty toxic partner. He says "I love you" so much that it feels like love-bombing, and the words start to mean absolutely nothing because he never actually shows it through his behavior.

Honestly, I’m sitting here wondering why this series was even greenlit. It’s hard to imagine that anyone watched the final version and thought it was ready to go—I’ve got to wonder what they were thinking when they released this. It’s a total mess that you should definitely skip. This is a confusing and outdated reboot that fails to build any real connection between its characters, leaving viewers with a disjointed story and zero romantic payoff. It’s a complete waste of time that fails to capture the charm of the original material. (1/10)