This is basically a high school BL where two guys who have nothing going on in common somehow end up getting really close to each other, and that's kind of the whole point of the title too. There's barely any drama or fluff packed in here, it stays pretty straightforward the whole way through. A little bit of friction pops up here and there, but it's nothing compared to what you'd normally get in this kind of show. Runtime wise you're looking at 8 episodes, each one sitting around 25-30 minutes. The two guys carrying the story are Akira and Kanata, and funny enough they knew each other's faces way before they ever knew each other's names. Kanata's the type everyone likes, always got people around him, popular guy, but there's this distance to him that people can't quite place. Turns out he had an injury that ended his football days, and that's what pushed him into being more withdrawn, and it only got worse once his younger brother got picked...
16 year old Otto has massive imagination and he always dreams of how a particular situation could play out. On his birthday he decides to come out to his family. His sister is very supportive and unexpectedly so is his father , but his mother needs some time. He goes to school and wonders if he should tell his best friend Max as well. These two awkward kids get bullied at school all the time, and even though Otto has a crush on Max, he cannot come to tell him in fear of losing friendship. When the bullying gets too much, one day Otto stands up to the guy and the matter goes to the principal. This is when Otto comes out to the school and Max is shocked to hear this. In a very charged scene, Otto's dad goes to principal office and demands suspension of the bully. (Even though comically done, I actually thought that scene was very well done). Max says he is happy for Otto but that he is not gay and that they can still be friends. When everyone including Otto's family assumes Max is Otto's boyfriend, they end up embarrassing Max who runs away. Eventually in the end he confesses to Otto that he is gay too and has always secretly like Otto.
Storywise the film may seem simple, but the treatment and execution is what it sets apart. Almost the entire tone is light and comical, with situations when Otto dreams on how they could play out, bring out the laughters. Otto breaks the fourth wall quite a few times to directly talk to the audience and most of the scenes make so much sense. It's this dilemma of what one may think and how reality actually plays out. Like how he imagines he will standup to the bully v/s what really happens. Or when he imagines how his parents may talk about his sexuality to their colleagues and what really happens. As I mentioned above, this film is supposed to be a feel good film to remind folks that with a supportive family environment, coming out doesn't have to be a bog deal at all. The way Otto's sister is supportive and the pop-inspired granny, they were all pretty cool. All the actors did a fantastic job, and I believe that the film was made after a stage play where likely most actors played the same role and the film is made by the same team, which is wonderful, in my opinion. So, don't expect anything part shattering here. A simple story, using some innovative ways of telling a story, this is a feel good film. (6/10)
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