Is this technically a gay show? Even after getting through the whole thing, that's still kind of tricky to answer. There's never any physical intimacy shown between the two leads, not even a single kiss. What it gives you instead is something that goes way deeper than that. It traces an emotional bond that spans a full decade between two guys who are both dealing with their own baggage, and what they share basically amounts to being soulmates. The story moves across Japan, South Korea, and Berlin. Honestly, whether people want to call what they have a romantic relationship or not doesn't really matter to me. A relationship doesn't need a label like boyfriends attached to it to actually mean something. And closeness doesn't need to be physical to feel genuine. What this show captures is something quieter but way more powerful, a bond rooted in understanding, respect, and just showing up for each other. Across eight episodes, each running 35 to 45 minutes, this is one...
Kelsa is trans teen who along with her two other girlfriends are ready to go back to school after summer. Kella wants to soon finish school and move to a bug city like New York. As a trans teen, she is also trying to find balance between unihibited expressions (like loud clothing) while also expecting to be treated like normal teenager and nothing different just because she is trans. Enter Khal, a nice and shy muslim boy from an Egyptian family. They dup meet in an art class and there is a connection. Kelsa knows that one of her friends like him so she stays away but Khal make a move and proposes her to be his girlfriend. They duo fall in love, falling hard for each other while being a little shy and awkward in each other's presence. BBUt you can expect drama when Khal's friend and the girl who liked Khal get together and lodge a complain against Kelsa. So of course there is a bot of drama, even within the relationship when Kelsa keeps saying that she doesn't need anyone's help and can handle everything on her own. Of course, eventually everyone talks it out, misunderstandings are cleared and Kelsa and Khal take upon themselves to be who they are - a young couple very much in love.
Kelsa is cool and confident and shares her innermost feelings through YouTube vlogs. On the other hand, Khal is quiet, mild-mannered, and anonymously gives relationship advice on Reddit. He is very cute meets shy boy and the actor plays the role really really well. He even leaves friendship with his best friend since kids because he is bigoted and transphobic. As actor, the film definitely is all around Kelsa and she take the opportunity and come out in flying colors. Throughout the narrative, Kelsa is hesitant to express her feelings and wary of letting anyone love into her heart, but Khal manages to break that. She often says she wants to be loved and accepted for being who she is, but is also always questioning everyone's motives which makes it difficult for people around her. With Khal she find the love and pleasures of experiencing teenage love. Despite a healthy dose of standard teenage romantic troubles and friendship drama, I feel like this film could have been a lot more. I wish there was a little more of adult time. I mean, I do understand that the film primarily wants to be a teen rom-com but the positivity that is shown for both Khal's parents and Elsa's single mother could have used a little more of that in the film.
The film does just bring an authentic display of trans identity for a teenage, but it also somehow gets lost in making it a normal rom-com (which could have as well been the intention, and nothing wrong with it, because we want it to be normal). But I just expected little more. (5.5/10)
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