Cosmetic Playlover: Season 1 (Japanese Series)

This series is a sweet, low key romance set in the cosmetics industry, and honestly I can't think of another BL that's used this particular backdrop before, so at least that part feels fresh. But once you get past the setting, it falls right back into the usual pattern, two attractive leads who fall for each other, run into a string of misunderstandings, work through them, and end up together by the finish. The good news is the simplicity actually works here, and the leads are likable enough to carry it. At just eight episodes, twenty five minutes each, it's an easy watch you can get through quickly.

Our two leads are Mamiya and Sahashi. Mamiya is warm, upbeat, and a hardworking cosmetics consultant who's genuinely popular with his clients, something he's wanted to do since he was a kid after watching a hardworking man do the same job. That same admiration turned into a crush, and that guy is now his boss. Sahashi, on the other hand, is fairly new to the company, keeps to himself, and used to work as a model. Mamiya believes in him anyway and keeps pushing him to work hard and stay motivated. Things take an unexpected turn when Sahashi finds out about Mamiya's crush on their boss and, for reasons that aren't fully clear, starts pushing Mamiya to actually go after him and put in more effort. The two end up becoming genuinely popular as sales consultants and start driving real numbers for the company. From there the rest of the series follows their slow journey of falling for each other while supporting one another's careers along the way. Mamiya eventually gets promoted to chief, and Sahashi gets sent to the Tokyo head office for a few months. That time apart makes both of them realize just how much they actually care for each other, and not long after they move in together. A new intern joins the company, and you'd expect that to stir up some tension in the relationship, but thankfully the show doesn't go there. We also get some background on both their family histories, which only ends up deepening their connection further.

This is yet another opposites attract story at its core. Mamiya has a genuinely charming presence and the actor playing him is honestly really good, from his expressive eyes to his teary moments, he's clearly putting everything into every scene. That said, the character himself swings between being a relentlessly positive cheerleader and an irritating overthinker who keeps his real feelings to himself and, worse, jumps to conclusions about what other people are thinking. That naturally creates the typical communication gaps you see in a lot of BLs, mostly just there to manufacture some drama. The actor playing Sahashi is just okay in my opinion. His character is supposed to be a former model with some kind of past controversy that pushed him into the cosmetics world instead. The chemistry between the two is decent at best, and outside a few slightly awkward kisses there isn't much actual intimacy shown between them. What the show does get right is that despite how different they are, Mamiya and Sahashi consistently support each other's growth across every part of their lives as they fall for one another. It's not a flawless show by any means, but it's still genuinely charming to watch, mostly because of the leads and because it never leans on unnecessary drama to keep things moving. The misunderstandings that do happen actually make sense and get resolved in a mature, sensible way. (6.5/10)