More than Words (2022)

It won't make you happy, but it will open your eyes :)

It was a production in which life was handled more realistically. Everything is not as easy and rosy as it seems in other bl's. Every definite had faults and many mistakes were made. And the conclusion we can come to is this: choose the people in your life wisely.

! There are spoilers after here. !

Personally, I find the conclusion they come to very absurd. Eiji has a very fragile nature, so he hastily decided without thinking about what he should do, and the result is in front of you. Still, Makio made an attempt to get someone into his life. I believe those two (Eiji and Makio) still love each other. there was something special between them and i find eiji sinful. I don't expect season 2 to come.

Leia Mais

"Heartwrenching and captivating"

I just finished this series and I m literally crying ...More Than Words" is a series that truly lives up to its name, delivering a narrative that goes beyond mere dialogue and action, delving deep into the hearts of its characters and its audience alike. Throughout its episodes, the series masterfully weaves together a tapestry of emotions, leaving viewers simultaneously moved and captivated by its heartwrenching storytelling.My favourite character was Makio.Makio's character is a poignant reminder of the power of storytelling to touch the soul and leave a lasting impact.I m sorry i believe not every viewer will agree with me but I really hated "meiko ejji parents and ejji the most(most hated).they didn't even try to search makki and lived a happy life with their child in that period makki was alone in his room ...I know makki ran away but ejji didn't even search or tried to contact him .....it was all perfect till episode 6 but after 7..I didn't stop crying because I felt so bad for makki ...The most cheerful character just became so ...😔 Ejji choose child and meiko over makki ...but I m glad makki was not alone in the last episode .I really hate Ejji or what he did to makki 😭 and Meiko (in my opinion she was really jealous of makki from the very first episode.
I m literally writing this review to relieve my anger and hatred towards Meiko and Ejji but its only becoming more and more hatred and anger😡.. obviously I will never watch this series again ....😭
❤️Makki (the most pitiful character. Get hurt by the people whom he love,care and trusted the most.I m really glad that in the end the writer decide to give us some clues that makki is trying to move on ..)
Ejji (I just hate him..I don't even. Want to write about him)
Meiko (the 2 hated character....she was just jealous of makki .makki was present in her hard time and look she payback to makki ...)Exclude the parents ther are just awful😡

Leia Mais

A very unique and realistic drama

I came here to watch this in hopes of a cute bl, but this was a very unique and amazing show. One thing i loved about this show is how realistic it was, it wasn't fiction but the reality that most queer people face in real life.

What i liked about this show: all the people in the show were very unique and they were all different from each other, they had their own personality, all the cast delivered an amazing performance and executed their characters very well. This show was very realistic and not some fiction. The best thing about this show was in the last ep when meiko told eji,"do as you please, please don't think about whats good for shihi and me". This kinda brought tears to my eyes.

the reason i watch bls is to run away from reality only to be bombarded with reality in the face ........

What i didn't like about this show:
One of the major things i didn't like about this show is that it was a little too slow paced for my liking, i would catch myself zoning out a couple times, like that ep where eji was blow drying maakis hair, it went on for so long and they weren't even talking, so it was a bit awkward. They should've made eji and maakis relationship a little longer, should've added more days and alone days with just the two of them, we just kept jumping from year to year but they didn't really show that the two characters build up and having those random lovey dovey moments, because of this, ejis and maakis relationship didn't really seem that strong and they were both kind of awkward around each other. They just seemed like they were each other high school crushes and nothing more.

Storyline: the story line was amazing and every bit of this show was a masterpiece, it felt like i was watching a reality show than a fictional bl drama because of the camera positioning and the dialogues, it just felt like they were talking from their own mind rather than a script and we were actually there and that was one of my fave things about this show, sometimes its good to face reality, haha. I liked how every single character is portrayed, just amazing. the story went from interesting, cute and fun to realistic, sad and depressing and i somewhat liked it.

Music wasn't it really there but the end of each ep with the credits and the music was kinda nice, i really like the simplicity of the show

Rewatch value: I would kinda never watch it again, it was a cute and fun show but it gets to depressing for me, if i were to watch it ever again, i would only watch the first 4-5 eps because the days where eji, maaki and meiko were chilling and going to fun places was very fun and entertaining to watch, then when they became adults, the show starting taking a more serious turn it got too much to handle.

Overrall a great show, i really enjoyed, there were some scenes that were cute and recording worthy, the show is just too depressing for me, it was such a perfect end, i don't want another season, if there is another season, it better not have a single second of a depressing moment, every second and every ep should be the cheesiest and unrealistic moment as possible

if you're into dark, realistic shows with queer characters existing, then you will really like this show.

Leia Mais

tragic, but neededly grounded

I really enjoyed the cinema style and dialogues, they gave the show have a sense of realism. I enjoyed the characters and how the story unfolded, it captured a youthful love between friends and lovers that I felt really moved by. The story is happy yet tragic, and I can't help but wish for a different outcome. I truly wish I could have seen more fight from the lead lovers and not turn practically into a surrender, as I felt way too attached to them to want to let them go. However life isn't a drama series, so I can appreciate the writing and direction of how the story plays out. That doesn't mean I didn't wish things turned out differently but, Makki is human after all. I'd recommend the show for a decently emotional lgbt coming of age story between friends and lovers.

Leia Mais

Story

Watching this series I got very resentful with mieko and ejie. She got pregnant to be a surrogate for Makki and Ejie but in the end they started Acting like a couple where Makki felt left out. Selfish behavior and as soon as she agreed to be a surrogate I thought what a stupid
idea. The father got his wish after his disgusting behavior to Makkie. Ejie was a coward. He shouldn't have entered into a relationship if he couldn't deal with the outcome. Being gay unfortunately is still taboo in some Asian countrys so until laws are reversed LGBTQ
young men will still have to live in the shadows. Great series to watch.. Great actors.. Great script.. I love Bl Japanese series and I I've fell for the Japanese people.

Leia Mais

An original story with remarkable surprises

Through the interwoven stories of Mieko, Makki, as well as an older Eiji, More Than Words makes the point that all relationships have to evolve with time.

The story takes a particularly interesting turn when Mieko decides to become a surrogate mother for Makki and Eiji’s kid. To the 3 of them, this is the only way they know how to move forward. It’s a way for Makki and Eiji to exist in society, and a way for Mieko to cement her indispensable significance in their lives.

And as the characters are placed under the ultimate test, their fraying relationship teases out the worst tendencies of human nature. I don’t want to spoil what happens in the end so you’ll have to watch it to find out, but the twists and turns that the story takes is remarkable.

The storyline is creative, emotionally wrecking and sometimes, deeply uncomfortable to watch.

More Than Words is a slow burn that you must be prepared to sit through patiently. There are moments where the show just involves 2 people having a conversation while eating a meal. It feels realistic and mundane, which adds to the charm of the show, but can get a little dull if you’re looking for more stimuli.

All in all, it's a truly original story.

Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/10/31/more-than-words-2022-review-bl/

Leia Mais

Actions speak louder than words.

Objectively a great show, this show falls short of a 10-star review because 1) That's for shows I actually loved and enjoyed every moment of and 2) The storytelling falls short of delivering the proper emotions at parts.
I also feel very conflicted about whether I should recommend this or not. The thing is the production level of this is amazing. The cinematography, set design, lighting, make-up, clothes, directing, and acting are on par with the best of the best, I believe. It's a naturalist style, to a fault! Every character, situation, and interaction feels, painfully, like it was plucked from a real moment. And from episodes 1 to 6, I loved that world so much, that I wanted to open the screen and crawl into it and live in the characters' lives. The show just makes Japan look lovable!...and then episode 7 happens.
For the record, I don't think the show is "ruined". They didn't "mess up". The plot works. The doomed, terrible fallout is logical and expected. It's just that that moment feels like a balloon has burst and suddenly the rose-colored glasses are off and you see the grimy, messed gore of the show's underbelly. Nothing in life is that clean, easy, and straightforward forward, and as a show that feels more like a documentary in its realism than a scripted scenario, it was bound to fall apart as magnificently as it did. But just because it's logical and true to style, doesn't mean I enjoyed sitting through it. This was so upsetting. Maybe because it felt so real, it hurt more than your average drama. It was devastating and I felt so much distress during the final hours of the show. So how can I just consider the technical part when the emotional part was so scarring and dissatisfying?

Summary: The story follows three friends. Meiko, a girl with a hardened heart but a deep fear of abandonment, Makki who is the poster child for a manic pixie dream boy but who is actually hiding his fear of being left behind under a sunny personality so people around him don't feel burdened by his sadness and won't leave him, and Eiji a spineless but kind university student who I would like the punch very very hard in his soft face but that's not related to the plot. Meiko has sworn off relationships, and Eiji has recently discovered he's gay. He falls for the INAPPROPRIATELY younger Makki and Meiko who is lowkey 100% also in love with Makki just sort of settles for supporting them and hangs around like a really lovely third wheel. Things fall apart later. Of course they would...ugh!

Plot: I could probably write a whole essay on this show's plot. It's low-key brilliant but it's also so frustrating. So you end up wanting to acknowledge how brilliant it was but being too pissed off by everything that goes down to be able to appreciate its greatness. That's why you would see a lot of reviews either praise what a great show it was but avoid talking about the details or people ranting angrily at how much they hated this and rating it suspiciously low. I'm here to tell you both are valid reactions. I also feel like throwing the metaphorical show out of the window from frustration but also give the crew a standing ovation. Frankly, I'm only just leaning towards praise because I didn't like Eiji's character much and liked the fourth (mysteriously kept out of my summary) main character who shows up way too late into this show. Now if I wanna get real deep into it, this is how I would review the plot. There are two issues with the plot:

1) The core of this story lies in the name of the show: More than words. In order to understand the plot, the characters, their motivations, and their ridiculous choices, you need to pay attention not to what the characters say with their words but what they say with their actions. Characters say they want something but don't really mean it. Others say they don't want someone but actually do. Other characters just don't say much but show their feelings with their actions and ultimately the tragedy of this story comes from the fact that even the characters miss each other's silent pleas. It's beautiful but also...it wasn't totally well delivered? Some bits of the editing work to the detriment of the plot. They manage to trivialize certain dynamics or underplay the importance of certain connections to the point that until the end, I'm still not sure who feels what and how much. And not knowing this, affects how you see these characters. This works especially against the relationship between Eiji and Makki which in addition to having a very imbalanced power dynamic, also suffers from the fact that I could never be totally sure just how committed one was to the other. Meiko is our POV character for most of the show and she herself knows there's a deep part of Makki and Eiji's relationship that she can never gain access to (and she desperately wishes to insert herself into it! Gosh!) But because of this, it just feels like Eiji and Makki are really good friends who are randomly living in the same house! Now, in retrospect, this may have also been due to an unreliable narrative situation involving Meiko's perspective of things (and how she wanted to make it SEEM less deep than it was due to personal...guilt) because, in the last 3 episodes of the show, you get ALL that when Makki is the POV character, lol (and honestly? that's when I started to feel nauseated watching this because a 16yo should never date a 22yo because that clearly fcked up his perception of intimacy and it was just painful to watch during those last few episodes AAAAA) Anyway, I'm getting off track but what I'm trying to say is, I could never trust Eiji's feelings, not the whole time throughout the show and he just irks me, that creepy mf.

2) The second arc is too short. So turns out, this show is an adaptation of a manga called "More than Words" and a partial adaptation of another manga called "In the Apartment". With MTW being the prequel to the main story of ITA. Unfortunately, though, this show is 80% More Than Words and only includes one arc of In The Apartment. Mainly because that's when the narrative set up in MTW reaches its conclusion and this being more focused on MTW, they probably added the extra episodes for clarity. But, In the Apartment is a nice story too! It's not as raw or lovable as MTW, but MTW was actually a mirage so that's why it was too good to be true, anyway. ITA is more realistic in its gloominess but less so in its characterizations because we only get a very very summarised glimpse of it. To be honest, I would have loved it if this show had 3 or 4 more episodes so that we could see Makki's character recover a bit from the messed up indoctrination that his former relationship left on him. He was so flawed and beaten down by the end, I wanted to just sit and cry for the kid.
I also have to talk about the characterizations because, despite her selfishness and bad choices, I really liked Meiko's character too. All the characters are so flawed but so well-written. Even though I want to sucker punch Eiji, I still appreciate his characterization. It's so brilliant. And of course, I feel deeply sorry for Makki because we just don't see enough of his interiority but what little we glimpse of him through the eyes of others is so intriguing and interesting. And that brings me to the next point:

Acting: The acting in this show is wonderful! Usually for me, Japanese dramas are a hit or miss as frequently they have this cartoonish, cutesy, over-the-top acting that I just hate. I simply hate it. There was none of that here. Maybe, some background characters had a bit of that but the main cast was so good, so natural, so level-headed, and so realistically awkward in their performances that I just can't praise them enough. Such a wonderful cast. I love them. They made the characters FEEL complex, like real humans.

Production and music: I already said how wonderful the production is. I will just add that the credits are so beautiful too. So smart. Also, the music on this show is amazing. This is how you score a show! SK and China please take notes...please! I am begging!

Rewatch: Hell, no.

Negatives: There is a freaking minor/adult relationship in this show. It's never properly addressed as being weird and I know, it's not legally wrong in Japan since I think the age of consent is 13?! But still. How do I say this... this must be how the relationship is in the show because the show may not say it but as you watch, you can literally see the bad education and emotional scarring that such a relationship left on the minor. The show doesn't mention it but it's there! Right there! Especially if you have seen this in real life, you will know the signs and they are there and it's heartbreaking. I just wish we got more of the show so we could see more of that aftermath and maybe some form of recovery because no minor deserves to be taken advantage of like that and then just be left to fend for themselves. (now if you'll excuse me I'll go cry)

Overall: I don't know if I should recommend this. I would have recommended it if I'd written this while watching episode 5 but...I've seen all 10 and while I know it's a good show, the lingering emotions I feel after watching this are not what I would like to share with you all. Dive in at your own risk!

Leia Mais

When a 10/10 Drama becomes a 7-8

This had the potential to be a very powerful story, however the level of angst pile on is akin to torture p*rn. Granted, the Japanese are one of the best at film noir and striking heavy tones, but at times it can be overdone. It seems to me that this story was made as bleak as possible just so it can seem tortured. Sometimes this works but in the case of this drama, the better story or the better direction would have been to rein in the tortured narrative somewhat as it didn’t fit the overall direction of the things that had been established about the story and also it needed a bit more in-depth backstory and time to sit with the secondary characters in order to make it work. We needed to have more of an emotional connection with the secondary characters in order to see them as grey, complicated humans instead of one dimensional antagonists. It would have made their outcome feel like the only possible ending for them instead of it feeling very disconnected from the narrative and their only function being to be the catalyst for a climax/obstacle/angsty vibes. Essentially we were missing the pay-off for the emotionally tortured ending to resonate with the viewer. I know the ending is supposed to be bittersweet with an optimistic outlook but that’s not what you get from it. That’s why I say there’s very little pay-off.

I can’t fault the acting and I think they had a good premise with the story. It’s just the pile on of the bleakness (there’s a time and a place for this), and some of the story direction that lets the narrative down, but quality-wise it’s not a badly written or executed story. If not for these things (which unfortunately dragged the score down substantially) this could have been at the top of my drama list with a 9.5 or a 10. Because this movie is technically well made, I couldn’t give it lower than an 8. It’s a proper movie, filmed artistically and professionally.

*Please be advised this review is based on me watching this movie three times over a 2 year period in order to give it as much of a chance as possible.

Leia Mais

Realistic BL that shows our society.

First of all I really liked this BL because it was based on reality.
I just want to tell everyone if you want your relationship to be good so never ever involve a third person in it.
I only liked the character of Makki because he did what was right and he was straight forward.Maybe people will not agree with me but Makki was brave enough to leave them and Eiji was the shit character.
He was shown as an adult but he didn't do a single thing like an adult.
He was terrified from his dad and didn't fight back even though he had a job and was independent.
But you know what was the villian in this story that was Mieko.She was a good friend but she gave the most idiotic idea ever which leads to the break up.
And she always said I don't really like men but she did end up marrying Eiji.And that jerk said I like you too like bit*h please choose your sexuality first then date.
I liked the ending that Makki didn't return to Eiji and started living his life.

Leia Mais

Must Watch

Alright so I have been continuously watching this drama non-stop and honestly compared to alot of others BLs that I have watched, this one would be a strong contender for the first spot in my favorites. This drama isn't the typical romantic BL like the other ones but instead, has a really realistic view of the world and a very strong storyline to keep you hooked up. Even though it might sound like I might be overselling this drama, but it honestly touched me a bit.
The casts did a really good job expressing the thoughts and brought out the characters very well, be it sadness, depression or happiness, it actually felt kind of genuine.
If I speak about the directory and production value, some parts of the drama such as like a scene when they carry out an activity seems kind of extended and unnecessary, (or so I thought at first) felt realistic and like as if it wasn't really a drama at all. I have never seen anyone use this style of production and directory in a movie or drama so I liked it and it was totally new to me.
Speaking about the music and stuff, it goes well with the drama but at times I thought they could have done better than that but nevertheless it was good.
Will I rewatch it again? No. Why? Even though I honestly loved it, I don't think I would actually rewatch something be it any movie or drama, twice.

Leia Mais

Heartfelt

I will keep it short and will not include any spoilers.

One of the best Japanese BL that I watch. But, at this point i'm not sure if i could call it a BL. This could have very well be a movie good for Cannes Film Festival.

It turned out to be an adult love story. It addresses a plethora of real-life questions offering no easy answers, and refusing to pander to romantic movie stereotype.
Heartfelt, real and emotional to the bone. Good acting and a good chemistry between them.

I will 100% recommend to watch the series. As for me, it raise the bar when it comes to BL movies / series.

Leia Mais