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Journey With You (Chinese Series)

By Golu
I've always had kind of a love hate relationship with Chinese historical BLs. Some are genuinely excellent, but then there are others that cram in so much plot that keeping track of all the layers of betrayal and scheming gets exhausting, and I end up checking out mentally. Part of the issue is also just how much content is out there in this space, so something really has to stand out to keep me hooked. In this case, the production value is genuinely impressive, top tier stuff, but story wise, I just couldn't bring myself to actually care about these characters. There's a ton of political scheming and backstage manipulation running throughout. Somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, a hostage ends up falling for his own Prince Charming. The show runs eight episodes, each around 50 to 60 minutes long. After spending three years guarding the border, Fifth Prince Yin Qi gets called back to the capital because of a secret letter, only to end up walking straight into a deadly...
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Baban Baban Ban Vampire (Japanese)

By Golu
Honestly I wouldn't call this a gay film at all. Categorizing this in BL genre is also pretty much borderline. There is no BL or romance as such, this film is more of a comedy that uses queer themes to explore a dangerous dynamic between the vampire and the boy. Adapted by a manga and an anime series of same name, I would not wanna see the anime now, especially since, there is in't too much of BL content here. Yes, it is funny but thats about it.

Mori is a 450 year old vampire. Injured one day, he is taken home by a 5 year old boy Rihito. Since then, Mori has lived with Rihito and his family. He was given a cleaning job at their bathhouse. Mori works at night, rests during the day, and keeps a low-key routine. Mori has told the family he is vampire, but they all joke about it and cal it his 'persona'. Years have passed and Rihito is now 15. Mori always craves for young virgin blood and has his eyes on Rihito since he will turn 18 in three more years, but he also loves him very much. Mori looks forward to drinking Rihito's blood. Before doing so, he wants to keep the teenager in perfect physical condition for the next three years. In Mori's view, that means absolute purity. Mori believes having sex might ruin the body, so he fixates on Rihito's virginity. Mori wants to ensure there isn't any possibility that Rihito might have sex. This leads to a comedy of error or sorts. In high school Rihito meets a girl Aoi and instantly takes a liking for her. Trying to dissuade him and the girl, he shows Aoi his vampire persona and the girl immediately falls for him. Then there is this school teacher, who is a vampire hunter looking for Mori but when he finally meets him, he begs Mori to drink his blood and then finally there is Aoi's brother. This group forms a bond and get involved in various shenanigans. Rihito thinks that Mori also likes Aoi and so they become rivals, but still very much caring for one another. Towards the end we have a villain of sorts show up, another vampire who is Mori's brother. The film sends with Rihito turning 18 and Mori now just needs to wait another 2 years.

As you can read, there is literally no BL content. Mori cares and likes and loves Rihito but is also very keen on drinking his pure virgin blood. Mori, the vampire lead, fixates on a teenager's virginity. He claims abstinence will keep Rihito's blood pure for drinking purposes. Yet, many jokes and comments about the "virgin boy" sound suggestive, almost implying that he has perverted thoughts. At times, it feels like Mori might be grooming the 15-year-old Rihito. We dont see clear sexual inclination here, but Mori's relationship with Rihito still feels predatory. The film introduces all major cast members with musical montage which is an absolute fun to watch. It is a clever idea that quickly explains their backstories. Actors all do a good job of making sure that the film is funny and quirky. The boy playing Rihito has that charm and innocence and fits the bill. The actor playing vampire Mori is also quite good. In the story, Mori was once in love with a man, but their romance ended in tragedy. As the movie shows a relationship montage, those few seconds of affection come and go. Sadly, the BL content has no substance. Sleek camerawork, elegant special effects, and gorgeous styling help bring the story's immersion together and make it for an exciting watch. The last fight sequence between two vampire brothers is also funny. My problem is that there just wasn't enough BL content at all and still there as just enough hint that I have to review it on my blog. (5/10)
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