More than a BL Fantasy series
Honestly, I dropped this series after 2 episodes 2 years ago. I felt exhausted with Adachi character. Rewatching it this time taught me a huge lesson: It will not always be fireworks at first but given the opportunity and time, it may not just be fireworks but dancing beautiful colors along with it.Best part I love about this series is how it didn't end in just their romance story but it included dealing with their filial responsibilities. I love the bravenes of Adachi of wanting their parents' blessings and fighting for it.
The animation for this is slightly different in few areas but I like it the same. Still turned out satisfying to watch. I did flinch a bit couple of times for the overreaction in some scenes that is typical of Japanese series.
Overall, I will recommend this series and don't stop there. Watch the movie because it has a lot more to offer.
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Interessante
Parto col dire che questa recensione sarà una recensione anche basate su sogni e speranze sul futuro, cioè racconterò anche quello che spero accadrà (due robe in croce dirò) sulla serie Thai recentemente annunciata. Parto però dalla storia che mi è piaciuta molto, mi sono ritrovata nel senso di ineguatezza che prova Adaichi (e anche gli altri) nell’essere circondati di persone che hanno ottenuto (o stanno ottenendo) tutto subito, mentre ci si sente sempre e comunque un passo indietro, in questo caso anche con un potere rognoso che continua a ricordartelo. Quindi la storia mi è piaciuta molto. Ora io non sono una che critica attivamente quello che pensano gli altri, però vorrei fare un piccolo recap del personaggi di Adaichi e del perché ha senso che si senta spaventato di perdere i poteri: allora, lui per 30 anni non ha avuto una relazione e la prima che ha gli si presenta con un potere che forse tutti noi entro un certo limite vorremmo, quindi la capacità di sentire i pensieri degli altri, di non avere incomprensioni e di sapere sempre cosa vuole dire uno sguardo particolare piuttosto che un sospiro più profondo, quindi ha senso che si senta impaurito dal restare “senza una via di fuga”, un modo per essere sicuro di quello che sta pensando forse l’uomo più perfetto che conosca (che ha si le sue imperfezioni, ma che le nasconde molto bene). Poi devo dire, non ero troppo interessata ai personaggi secondari, però mi sono piaciuti molto lo stesso. Bene passiamo ora agli attori. Allora parto da un presupposto, a me non da fastidio se in una serie non c’è il lime pesante (livello KP), ma non deve esserci nemmeno necessariamente il bacio leggero alla SOTUS, insomma, serie BL dove non avviene alcun bacio le ho viste e mi sono piaciute (possono essere Kiss Me o My Dear Loser) però ritengo che in questo senso, parlando anche di temi “adulti” (sempre fra tante virgolette, nel senso che non è che la verginità sia un tema da adulti, ma tutta la serie è ambientata con personaggi adulti) credo sarebbe stata una conclusione interessante avere anche un bacio. Poi la chimica c’era e si vedeva, addirittura mentre si sentivano i pensieri dell’uno e dell’altro mi sono venuti i brividi dall’intensità delle loro voci e dei loro momenti quindi non è un fatto di attori è proprio un fatto che secondo me era una giusta chiusura. Poi se due attori etero hanno remore a baciarsi… è lecito però forse allora non recitare in un BL? Ecco, poi le mie speranze sul futuro: spero di vedere del movimento fra Tay e New, perché ho già visto prodotti loro e so che hanno chimica ed essendosi già baciati spero che quella barriera sia stata abbattuta. Ecco questo.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
More than meets the eye
I had 0 expectations with this one. The title isn't really helping and the premise is a bit...strange. However, I was, for the most part, pleasantly surprised.I don't know the manga this was based on, but this adaptation really smoothed a lot of edges of what "regular BL content" is mostly like. They took a story that could have been yet another one of those, and gave it a lot of heart, polishing some (not all) of the problematic aspects of storylines that play in the edge between representation and fanservice.
The main relationship is devoid of a lot of the toxic tropes you normally get, not only in BL content, but in romantic dramas in general. The premise of the lead being able to read thoughts makes it so that the situation could have gone into a serious dub-con territory and it never did. The relationship progresses in a natural, interesting way and the mind-reading assists in telling the story, rather than provoke unnecessary complications.
The absolute gem for me in this one was the first ever canon aroace character I've seen in a jdrama. I've found ace and aroace characters in manga before (few and far between) but this is the first time that, not only I see one in a jdrama, they are also confirmed by the writing team. I won't spoil which character this is, so I'll remain ambiguous with my description, but it's not one of the two mains, it's a side-character. Not only are they iconic, they're also depicted as loving, caring and a fantastic friend, and that's the kind of aroace representation I want.
My only issue with the drama was the side couple. It made me kinda uncomfortable, I'm not gonna lie. Minato (Goto Yutaro) looked incredibly young and Masato (Asaka Kodai) looked even older than he is. I'm glad Minato wasn't supposed to be a teen, and that at least the actor was older than he seemed, but I couldn't help feeling pretty uncomfortable with their development, especially since they had more physical scenes than the lead couple, albeit nothing major.
All in all, I wanted to leave a review because 1) I was super close to not watching this at all, based on the marketing and title and 2) it has an aroace character and pretty good handle of relationships, for the most part. I'm glad I gave it a chance.
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One of the best Jdramas I’ve watched!
I’ve watched a lot of japanese dramas in the past, but Cherry Magic definitely is the one I will be a fan of for a long time. The story is simple but in a good way, as there aren’t any confusing plot points. The two main characters are great and it’s heartwarming to see their relationship improve and fix, unlike a lot of other dramas. I find a lot of jdramas (even BL) have toxic and unhealthy representations.The music wasn’t overwhelming or underwhelming, it was simple enough to compliment the show. Personally, the music wasn’t a big part of the main plot so didn’t pay attention to it too much.
One of the main points is the two male leads! Their acting exceeded my expectations. They seemed to have chemistry, even off screen. I really look forward to seeing a season two, although there’s no plan yet. I just want to see Kurosawa and Adachi be happy!! I’m a big fan of Kurosawa’s actor (Keita Machida) he’s amazing. He’s been in many other movies and shows and is very versatile. So if you’ve been disappointed by Jdramas you’ve been watching, please watch this one! It’s super refreshing and nice to watch.
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Kurosawa, the perfect man
Honestly one of the main reasons I love this so much is Kurosawa. Let's give this man a round of applause.So, he is probably the sweetest and least problematic man I have ever seen in any show ever. The way he regards Adashi and appreciates him when Adashi thought that he wasn't noticed by anyone just makes me so happy. Even his thoughts are all pure. If this was a real story you know Adashi would have caught him thinking something dirty from time to time but I think he respects Adashi so much that his mind just doesn't go there. He worries constantly about making Adashi uncomfortable by being too close.
I've become used to seeing certain things in BLs. Sexual assault, physical intimidation, sexism, so much more. Things like this make me sick and have ruined good shows for me like Why R U. While watching this I was just waiting for him to do something that would annoy me but there was nothing, nothing at all. We need to hold our BLs to a higher standard; hell, we need to hold MEN to a higher standard. The way Kurosawa behaves with Adashi should be the bare minimum.
Thank you Japan for allowing me to see what the perfect man looks like. He can:
1) control himself and keep it in his pants.
2) respect his partner fully and never push their boundaries.
3) read his partner's discomfort from their expression and body language when they seem unable to answer yes or no.
Kurosawa, sweetest man ever. I think I will be fantasizing about meeting a man like him for the rest of my life.
As for everything else: I liked the story, it was a weird but unique idea and was well done. However, I didn't care for the second couple; I thought they were an unnecessary addition. The acting was good as well. I especially liked Adashi's actor, he was really good at being this puppy faced gay panicking baby. Lol. The music was fine. And rewatch value, I would watch this again and again. Such a good BL. Hope everyone gives it a chance.
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Cute Cherry's
I greatly enjoyed watching. And I feel I have an appreciation for how the two gifted characters think and react internally when hearing someone elses thoughts. I have to say the lead charachter and secondary minor leads reaction to being overwhelmed perplexed me (when they hear something through the gift or have a moment of excitement or perhaps initimate). I think I just felt their responses or emotions while real their method of reaction was too much. occasionally, I could feel myself starting to cringe but thats with any movie or show with unneccessary and continual overreactions.I think while good I will give a rating of 8 as it had some depth, but if it had a little more and creativity with the relationships, there problems and with relationship building beyond the generic I would give a better score. Definitwly worth a watch. No time is wasted enjoying this sweet dish of a show.
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A Great Japanese BL Series
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! was a great series. The production value and audio value were top-notch. The plot was simple yet unique. The dialogue was casual and pretty realistic. The score and music were nice. The main couple and secondary couple's chemistry were sweet, cute, and genuine. The two couples were adorable and handsome. The acting performances were natural. Their acting wasn't stiff. I enjoyed the series very much. I have no complaints about the series whatsoever.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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Emotional Depth and Beyond Expectations
It was very hot, enjoyable, and (especially in the first half) rich in passion. The BL series exceeded my expectations. The quality of Japanese BL series in recent times surprises me. I highly recommend it. It was emotional, but the pace was not slow. It had a very appropriate flow.The lack of focus on the fantasy part was odd. I loved how Adachi's emotions and thoughts were portrayed so beautifully, realistically, and logically. At one point I could only watch Adachi; he could carry the story alone.
In fact, at the end of the series, it seemed like Adachi was with Kurosawa to spare himself from the sorrow of not being loved. After all, his exploration of his gay identity happened entirely because of Kurosawa's intense love for him. I wonder if Kurosawa were a woman, would Adachi have agreed? Probably yes :D. Again, Kurosawa won, and that didn't come as a surprise :)
I didn't like the storytelling of our second couple. It started with great potential but turned out to be empty and developed too quickly. There was no chemistry between them and our author's behaviour was too exaggerated for his age. While the writer's tough and mature side was excellent, falling in love in two days and the absurdities in their actions were very nonsensical. I couldn't feel the love.
Lastly, Adachi's decrease in confidence in the second half saddened me. Adachi should have been cool, silent, and aloof because Kurosawa was outgoing, talkative, and social. They were a beautiful contrast to each other. However, when Adachi became insecure towards the end, it made me wonder why the boy was so fixated on him.
And in my opinion, the reason they presented was insufficient for falling in love with someone lacking self-confidence. If Adachi were confident but cold, distant, and introverted, then the given reason would have been sufficient.
And please, I'll cry, but we NEVER GOT A SINGLE KISS. Well, even if we did, it probably would have been just a touch of lips, but I would have been okay with that, knowingly. 😣😫
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Funny and heartfelt
Love all the characters.. There is so much variety that it doesn't get boring..Many giggles.Including amazing cringe worthy Asaka K.. loved him
Perfect re-watch for those Grim days when the world doesn't make any sense. I actually came back to watch again after enjoying Machida K in 3-Star Bar.
The settings have a realistic down to earth quality that is a nice contrast to many overpolished shows.
I also was touched by the moral of the ending.. Voluntarily relinquishing that special power and trusting to new instincts and fate.. A nice touch
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The best, hands down.
This is still so good, this is what I recommend to anyone wanting to ease into BL. This is BL done right, DONE HEALTHY TOO might I add without the toxic bs that is unfortunately rampant in so many still to this day.I've rewatched this many times and realized I never gave a review. So, here it is. I've been reading and watching BL content for many years and like I said before, the genre is chalk full of shitty stories, shitty characters, and shitty so called "love stories" that is inhumane with little respect.
The cast is amazing, the music is perfect, the story is - well, the cherry on top. Gone are the days where you go "Oh no he's gonna force himself on him" and then be met with disappointment. Not one scene with non-con nor dub-con which is already pushing the bar higher than many and should be a standard already at this point. No more forcing oneself onto the other, it's all respect here between the two and it's refreshing. If you know, you *know* what I'm talking about. This is a world of sweet and caring love and I am here for it!
Give it a go, even if it's not your thing. There's nothing naughty to worry about either for those who don't prefer it (I honestly don't mind it).
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Soft and Communicative.
I had my reservations about watching 'Cherry Magic' due to mixed feelings about the acting and overall story, but I will say I was not let down and it definitely will go down as one of the better BLs I've seen to date.The story isn't one that is necessarily extraordinary, but it definitely was a good one. I thoroughly enjoyed the composition of the scenes and the way the cinematography was done--light yet effective, not to mention the kind of music used. The acting was not as seamless as I would've preferred, but I'm positive that it was intentional, especially for Adachi's character, which was almost incel-like. (I've seen it being discussed that the book version of Adachi seems to be more like that.)
The psychological perspectives were excellently done--the internal battles on both ends, from Adachi not knowing how to express himself to Kurosawa and it being mirrored via Tsuge and Minato, to Kurosawa's internal fight about how to interact with Adachi. It communicated (no pun intended) the importance of thorough communication between lovers and the immense amount of patience a relationship requires. This drama did a pretty good job at portraying how an inexperienced person and an experienced person's relationship would appear normally--something that can be worked on regardless of it's imperfections and misunderstandings.
The one thing that stuck out to me was Kurosawa's soft character, patience and self-restraint. I admire it and really wish to be that patient one day, it really is commendable. Some may argue that he may have been pushy in some instances which I cannot disagree with, however over the course of the 12 eps, we can say that he's pretty decent. The actor also did a great job at expressing the kind of emotions through his eyes although his thoughts were being shown to us on screen.
Morale, the drama was quite nice. It isn't one I'll speak of much, but I don't have many negative things to say about it. For first time BL watchers it has been deemed a staple and I now understand why. If you're contemplating watching 'Cherry Magic', I'd say to give it a watch, it does have some adorably soft moments.
- Z
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Dare I say, THE best live-action BL series? Yes, I said it.
I didn't really have any expectations when I went into watching "Cherry Magic"—I've sadly been disappointed by manga-to-live-action adaptations before and I didn't want to get my hopes up that this was going to be a good one, either. But I'm so glad that it was way better than I could've ever expected. This series is almost nothing but feel good. When I say "almost", I'm referring to a few moments that made my heart ache a little, but in the end it's overshadowed by the immense amount of good, positive vibes. Exactly what we need in these times, honestly.The acting is absolutely stellar in "Cherry Magic", for the most part. I must admit that I think Masato Tsuge's acting was a bit over the top for my taste, but otherwise I have no complaints. My favourite moment that really showcased the good acting in this series, where I went "okay, that was NOT acting- this is him straight up just talking from the heart", is in the last episode where Adachi tells Kurosawa that he'll try again and again if he screws up after losing his magic. The way Adachi/Akaso's voice breaks in that moment broke my heart in half and I FELT the emotion there. Wow.
"Cherry Magic" not only changed how I now view live-action adaptations and also dramas in general, but it's also a series I can say, without a shred of shame, that I will continue re-watching every now and then just because of how feel-good it is. I'm very glad I stumbled upon this series.
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