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A Man Who Defies the World of BL Final (Japanese Series)

This final season keeps leaning on the same old formula, and once again never actually gives its main character any real sense of closure. Quick refresher, our lead is a university student who spends all his time frantically trying to dodge romance. No matter what he does though, the universe just keeps shoving him into one intimate situation after another. A lot of these setups are lifted straight from classic love story cliches. The whole point is watching him come up with creative ways to escape his fate and avoid falling for another guy. This season's still got six episodes, each around 23 minutes, and every episode features two of these tropey flags that could tip him into a BL storyline. Season three left off with Mob possibly caught in a love triangle between his ex Kikuchi and Hatano, the younger guy who's still a minor. Turns out that was all a dream sequence, but what hasn't changed is that Hatano is still into him. The first four episodes basically run through ev...

Il Ragazzo Dai Pantaloni Rosa (Italian) [The Boy With Pink Pants]

I wont call this film as a gay film at all but it does fall somewhere in the queer spectrum showcasing the aftermath of bullying young teenager, which could equally be true for any kid, gay or straight. This is based on a true story when in 2012, Andrea Spezzacatene took his own life immediately after his 15th birthday, following a succession of profoundly dehumanising homophobic attacks bot in school and online. The film has no surprises since it starts with Andrea himself revealing in the very first scene that his life ended prematurely.

The film focuses on Andrea's life. Known to be a very happy kid always, bespectacled teen is a skilled singer and the best student in his class. HIs parents are going through a separation but he is still ok in the otherwise loving household with his younger brother. Enter the manipulative Christian, a guy in the same class, extremely good looking and for some reason Andrea wants to be friends with him. Christian makes him friend to get help with studies but is also the first one to laugh at him or mock him. Andrea realizes that his influence is toxic, confessing that his move to a different high school should come as a relief. He also admits that he experienced some sort of fascination with the extremely handsome student,. This sentiment does not equate to homosexuality. Andrea's only true friend is Sara, who have been buddies since childhood. When Christian also joins the high school and extends a hand of friendship to Andrea, he happily agrees despite Sara reminding him that Christian is toxic. HIs mother one day gifts a pant to him that become pink after washing. Despite the hostile environment, Andrea continues to wear the titular trousers to schools. The colour or the garment sparks constant ridicule. Homophobic and even transphobic slurs become commonplace. The full-blown humiliation happens during a major school event, when Andrea falls in a trap that Christian and his stooges carefully laid out for him. This leads to more school and online bullying and Andrea ends his life. 

This film is based on the book that Andre's mother wrote later. One of the areas where the film succeeds is in avoiding stereotyping Andrea. He is essentially a normal teenager, who enjoys sports as much as books. He wears the pink trousers because he thinks they’re cool, not because of any gender identification. It is never indicated that he is gay, in fact he even confesses his love for Sara. The bullying he faces isn’t just about his uncertain sexuality; it’s about how his cruel, unpredictable peers latch onto any excuse to make him a target. The film at places feels like stitching of life events of Andrea while also trying to deal with the concept of bullying. It captures how kids who feel excluded tend to find each other, forming tight-knit friendships often built around a shared love of the arts. For many queer teens, these art-driven connections are a lifeline — not just a way to get through tough times but a glimmer of hope that there’s more to life than teenage angst and nonsense. Thankfully the film doesn't show actual tragedy. The boy playing the titular role is fantastic and does a good job.

The Boy In Pink Pants does have a strong message for teenagers at its heart that what may seem like innocent ‘fun’ can have a lasting effect. It seems that may be more strongly needed than ever. (6.5/10)

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