My Love Mix-Up! (2021) 消えた初恋
Directed by Kusano Shōgo and Hōrai Tadaaki, starring Michieda Shunsuke as Aoki Sota, Meguro Ren as Ida Kōsuke, Fukumoto Riko as Hashimoto Mio, and Suzuki Jin as Aida Hayato.
Watched 17 June - 5 July 2026 — 10 episodes (KISSKH)
*Finished this wholesome and fluffy series today. Featuring lovable characters and an uncomplicated story about a love mix-up (who has a crush on whom), this is a very easy watch, only 10 episodes of 24 minutes each. And very cute!
*I like the four leads, the two romantic couples, but there's one quibble: Michieda Shunsuke's performance as Aoki Sota is over the top. I like him, but I'd wished he had toned down his goofy acting a bit. His character is an expressive guy with emotions plastered all over his face but I think he could have played it more subdued, with smaller comedic gestures.
*I like Meguro Ren as Ida Kōsuke a lot (seen the actor before in Where Does the Sea Begin and Trillion Game). I thought Michieda Shunsuke and Meguro Ren were totally believable in depicting first boys love. I love how considerate and sweet they were towards each other.
*I like the fact that this show wasn't about being gay or bisexual, but it was just about liking someone and confessing to that person. Aoki liked the female lead Hashimoto before liking Ida, and all friends and students behaved normally knowing Aoki and Ida were dating. The sexual orientation was never an issue. That is, until the student-teacher Mr. Okano saw Aoki and Ida together and suddenly felt uncomfortable around Aoki. But the prejudice was addressed and Mr. Okano realised that people just like different things (in the scene where the three of them are eating ramen together, their soups all differently flavoured).
*Aoki said he was scared about other people finding out about him dating Ida, so he did have some qualms about it. Yet I believe the qualms were never out of embarrassment or because he cared about what other people would think, but more about how other people's negative reactions would affect Ida. Aoki and Ida were always considering each other's feelings and wanted what was best for the other.
*I love Fukumoto Riko as Hashimoto Mio (she's also in Trillion Game). She's so cute yet also feisty. Don't mess with her or hurt the people she cares about! She can dish out a mean hook. I was glad she got her happy ending with Aida Hayato, a character I also like very much. I loved both budding romances!
*I loooove the friendship of Aoki and Hashimoto, maybe my fave part of the show. They are so sweet and supportive of each other. And also funny. I was laughing out loud when Aoki and Hashimoto only scored a carrot each with the food scavenger hunt and had to make a dish with the food ingredients they had found.
*My second BL show! My first was Our Dining Table, also Japanese and very lovable.