When I first saw the poster for My Beautiful Man on Viki, I was so unimpressed that it was bothering me because it felt like every time I was on the Viki home page, it was staring me right in the face. I swear to God! Every single BL that has elicited this initial reaction from me has surprised and captured my heart. So, yeah, don't judge a book by its cover! My Beautiful Man certainly exceeded expectations after my initial resistance. The first season, in particular, was challenging because Yusei Yagi's acting was a little awkward and his character, Kiyoi, had a tough personality to fall in love with at the beginning. Major thanks to the writer for doing a great job. [Sksksks]
My Beautiful Man follows Hira, played by Riku Hagiwara, an awkward, stuttering mess of a high school boy with freakishly skeletal-looking fingers (sorry Riku) and zero interest in anything living. And Kiyoi Sou, played by Yusei Yagi, a 'cool, popular, Bishonen-like, aspiring idol who joins Hira's Home Room class at the start of a new semester. The two are clear polar opposites, one awkward and too open to being bullied, the other absolutely gorgeous, petulant but kind and vulnerable. The show follows their slow but steady journey to - you guessed it - falling in love.
Two episodes into Season 1, there was one turn of events I certainly didn't expect. The inclusion of a time jump. Syaing that, the placement of the scenes denoting the year after they graduated and the general pace of the episodes leading up to it meant that it worked out extremely well. In the context of the unexpected twists, I must say, I appreciated how they surprised me with the evolution of Kiyoi's character. From Kiyoi first being presented to us as just another popular brat of few words and thus easy to misidentify as a pretty airhead. To later being revealed to us as a vulnerable, in search of belonging, and possessing such depth. It was done beautifully and with nuance while utilizing a change of P.O.V.
The characters are well-developed, given that at moments where Hira and Kiyoi are at odds with each other, we are not left baffled as to why they act the way they do. For instance, Hira's consistency in his inability to understand Kiyoi's feelings of wanting to be seen not as a King but as a boyfriend. The growth in Hira and Kiyoi - slow for one and at an even pace for the other - as the show progressed made sense throughout. If you had asked me in the first season, I wouldn't have bet on Kiyoi being the one to push for understanding and intimacy between the two. Or that he would be the bottom! That was a delightful surprise. I also enjoyed how persistent Hira could be at times, like when in the final scenes following Kohaku with Kiyoi, Hira took the lead, kissed Kiyoi ever so passionately before ravishing him on what looked like a science room worktop. It was delightful. A few of us did notice how, in comparison to Riku (Hira), Yusei (Kiyoi) was reserved in his physical response during this passionate scene. But not to worry, dear reader, he definitely came through and shocked us oh so delightfully in Season 2 and the Eternal movie.
Riku portrayed Hira's gradual growth in character oh so well and with so much nuance and beauty. He was so very awkward; think back to the various scenes where he fails to understand Kiyoi's feelings even when it seems so obvious to everyone. Think back to the scene in Season1 Episode 6, Hira had just protected Kiyoi from a falling tower of boxes and upon noticing that Kiyoi's hand was flushed red from a bruise, Hira caressed Kiyoi's hand with his lips, ran his tongue along his bruised middle finger before sucking it into his mouth in a lust-induced haze. Now, dear reader, you would think, surely no one could fail to respond to anything that came thereafter with ease, but alas, this is Hira. He completely fails to grasp what Kiyoi is asking of and needing from him, and the whole situation goes to pot. For fear of spoiling this scene for you, i shall stop here.
Hira, to me, is near irresistible in moments he is overcome with lust. Take as a demonstration, from the Eternal movie; Hira getting so jealous after learning that Naguchi-san, his boss, would be photographing Kiyoi. Oh and lest we forget, although how could we, the bath scene, also from the Eternal Movie, that I am sure, left many a fan in lusty haze. This is your cue, go watch it again and listen for Kiyoi's throaty gasp of Hira's name. If you know, you know.
I also absolutely adore the comedic ability that Riku brought to the role, especially when showcasing Hira's 'superfan' a.k.a creepy side. A favourite scene in Season 2 is that of when Hira finds Kiyoi right in front of his precious Kiyoi Shrine. Hira first freezes, lets out a shriek and then hurriedly tries to pull Kiyoi away. Kiyoi is of course not having it, and repeatedly wrestles with Hira trying to gain access to this shrine for closer inspection.
Kiyoi, on the other hand, was easier to relate to somewhat and understand because, for the most part, he was normal in comparison to Hira. I think what I appreciated the most about Kiyoi's evolution as a character was that he was willing to over and over again leave himself vulnerable to hurt to painstakingly get Hira to see him and their relationship as more than Fan and Star. At the beginning and in the first few episodes, I wasn't too keen on Kiyoi's personality as i found it to be almost too abrasive. But, with the layers of Kiyoi being peeled back, I fell in love with how vulnerable, childlike, petty, and courageous he could be, in his growing affection for Hira. I also fell in love with how he kept pushing Hira to grow.
The series was shot beautifully, and the production team understood the assignment. Oh, how well they did. If genuinely felt like I could feel what they felt, like i was where they were. I was so immersed, that every single time Hira was looking at Kiyoi, it felt like I was Hira. In those moments, i found my body tensing in excitement with my eyes trying to take in as many details of visage as i could. They did the thing. I, a woman from the west, the west, where we are constantly bombarded by images of nudity, partial or full, got so bashful that I could not watch some of the scenes without turning away. To this day, and after many rewatches, I literally feel like I am intruding on some of the moments.
In terms of scenes that stood out to me, one of the most memorable forms part of the end scenes in Eternal. Kiyoi orders Hira to "photograph him, more beautifully than Naguchi-san" and dear oh dear, that scene permanently etched itself into my mind. The almost predatory look of immense passion that entered Hira's eyes, proceeded by the fading in of the musical notes - "Time to forget myself" by Yoshitaka Fujimoto. And the view changed so that the audience, like Hira, could feast upon the vision that was Kiyoi, his one and only star, through the Camera’s lens! I have watched this scene countless times. Dear reader, were you as stirred as I was?
The sets, oh the sets! Without them being so good, I genuinely think it would have taken away from the story and the feelings elicited. Personally, Hira's back porch, you know, wooden floors providing a perch, wooden shoji sliding doors, always left open, the one that leads to his back garden, is the best and most integral part. I can't imagine it not being there. Most of the scenes shot on that back porch, I constantly replay because most are favorites of mine. For example, in Season 1 Episode 2, after their mutual friends left them alone at Hira's house, for the first time, Kiyoi and Hira were alone in a more intimate setting. It was also the first time Hira called Kiyoi, Kiyoi and not Kiyoi-kun. In the same scene, we were also treated to the beautiful vision that is Kiyoi, in slow motion, playing with sparklers as Hira watches on in rapture. My second favorite scene on Hira's back porch is a sad one this time around - this scene is the one that followed Kiyoi catching Hira in Koyama's arms after Kohaku. I am still haunted by Koyama telling Hira he was okay with things carrying on as they were between them - you know, hanging out at the photography club and eating together. Shockingly, Hira did not agree, instead, he said to Koyama "I may be an idiot, but even I know that will hurt".
I think the pacing and the structure supported the story really well, and huge credit to the production team because I was utterly immersed each and every time I watched the show.
The only thing I did not like about the structure was that international fans, after coming to end of Season 2, had to wait months to see the movie, which was also coincidentally, the end of the story! I understand why they did that, and I am always happy to support, but the wait was too much torture. Especially because dodging spoilers on social media is getting harder and harder.
I think the quality of dialogue and the writing is elite. They manage to convey so much with such indirect speech (as is typical in Japanese culture). If someone was unfamiliar with this aspect of the culture, they could miss the meaning behind some of the dialogue. An example of this formed part of the opening scene of Season 2 Episode 1, where Hira apologizes to Kiyoi for 'being too persistent last night'. Dear reader, Hira was referring to the way he had ravished Kiyoi in the Chemistry lab after they had confessed to each other and worked through the hurt at the end of Season 1.
My most memorable and favourite lines are from these scenes in the Eternal Movie. The photoshoot Scene where Kiyoi says to Hira 'Make me look better than Noguchi-san's photos', followed by Time to forget myself by Yoshitaka Fujimoto starting to play. Hira, in a tone filled with male virality while looking ever so intensely back at Kiyo, says "of course" and consequently, this is the start of what would become some of my favourite scenes. Another favourite line is from the very last dreamy scene of the Eternal movie. After Hira kisses Kiyoi under the tulle sheet and lifts his head, Kiyoi, still looking into the depths of Hira's eyes, then in a raspy voice whispers 'I think...you've got me head over heels in love'. Hira, clearly shaken and stirred into feeling even more aroused, leans back down and lays a scorching kiss onto Kiyoi's lips. The scene continues with a monologue of Hira saying this; "Spring, Summer, Winter, Autumn alternate non-stop. Life is full of uncertainties. But I'll stay with Kiyoi, the perfect king, forever". Isn't that just the most beautiful piece of dialogue.
The chemistry between these two, in my opinion, was felt the most in the second season. In Season 1, it felt like they made it work but in season 2, I thought to myself, oh my gosh, it happened, they have fine gotten truly comfortable each other. So much so, that while watching Eternal, it felt like a punch to the solar plexus. It quite simply stole my breath at particular moments - Riku and Yusei were that electric on screen! But do not be mistaken, dear reader, their chemistry transcended beyond the passionate scene and into the typically mundane moments between couples.
The music made the movie for me. It is and has always been the soundtrack that makes or breaks the story for me. Especially when it comes to the telling of romantic stories. Yoshitaka Fujimoto did a phenomenal job from start to finish. In Season 1, my favourite pieces were 'Through the viewfinder' and in Season 2 and the movie, my favourite pieces were 'Time to forget myself and Intersect'. Special mention to Bitter by Roce, which was the theme song for Season 2.
My Beautiful Man has absolutely and completely stolen my heart, so much so that it is now a comfort show of mine. Most especially Season 2 and the Eternal Movie because of how well the writers explored Hira and Kiyoi's stilted but sure-footed and obsessive affection for each other in so many ways. Their love and regard for each other reminds me of the earth revolving around the sun. I was very satisfied with the end of the series and wasn't left wanting more than was served. They did what they had to do, and I am so glad I did not brush it off in the end.
I rate My Beautiful Man: Season 1, 2, and the Eternal movie 9/10. They don't get a perfect 10 simply because we had to wait so long for the movie. I get the reason behind it, but it was much too torturous.