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Contrast (Japanese Series)

By Golu
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 Turns out he had an injury that ended his football days, and that's what pushed him into being more withdrawn, and it only got worse once his younger brother got picked...
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Healing Thingyan (Burmese Mini-Series)

By Golu
There haven't been many queer or BL themed shows from Myanmar, so this Burmese mini-series was a welcome change. With only 3 episodes plus one special episode, the total duration is just under 50 minutes, so this is a very easy watch. The story is simple love story that finds its feel thanks to the supportive group of friends. Thingyan is. Burmese festival, where one gets to sprinkle water on others as a way of symbolically wishing them good luck in the coming year. It is believed that water can fix mistakes, drive out bad luck, and bring greater health and happiness. It usually lasts 3-5 days.

Always celebrating this festival together are two very good friends. Nway Thit and A-Ta have been close since they were young and always celebrate the Thingyan festival together. Secretly, however, A-Ta is in love with Nway Thit but does not know how to tell him. So, when Nway Thit tries to confess and sprinkle water on the girl he liked, A-Ta thwarted his efforts and interfered at every single opportunity the previous year. This created some tension between the two of them in last year’s celebration. Therefore, for this year’s celebration, Nway Thit decides that he would not celebrate the festival and would stay at home. But A-Ta cannot bear the thought of celebrating the holiday without his best friend. Realizing that his friendship is more important and also sensing that something is troubling him, Nway Thit decides to go back and stay with A-Ta. Turns out that last year, A-Ta tell the girl that he likes his best friend and this sudden confession had put Nway Thit in a dilemma. Finally, this year Nway Thit realizes that his feelings for his friend are also on a deeper level than merely friendship and want to be more than just friends; they want to be together as partners for life.

This is a warm, sensitive story about how love can be easily recognized by others and accepted by others; yet ironically not by the one person it is meant for – until that individual gets to see and feel the depth of that love for himself. It is a joy to watch its evolution in a short period, using the artistry of a festival to enhance what is already there and evident. A simple production and a new step by a country that is historically not known for BL. Even though the episodes are short, the acting is replete with sincerity and honesty and displays a genuine sense of commitment to what they were portraying. The story could have been more straight forward rather than constant flashbacks. But overall I would say this was a decent first attempt and we need to motivate film makers to take more risks like this. This was nice and pleasant escapism watch. (5/10)
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