I saw all the hype surrounding this anime and just assumed it to be your typical cliche romance anime, but boy was I wrong. This show surprised me with it's refreshing take on the genre and the way it dealt with the common issues young couples face.

The show focuses heavily on the BL genre itself(the main character being a fujoshi himself) and the tropes it brings. If you're new to BL you might miss out on a few jokes and references, but don't let that hold you back from watching. Even without the BL aspect, just as a love story between two people this show stands out.

This show starts out as your typical high school romance while also poking fun at all the popular tropes in BL and Romance genres, but progresses into a story about finding and understanding love and what it means to like someone.

It made me feel all warm and fluffy inside every episode, and doesn't have the angsty melodrama and misunderstandings that a lot of shows use to engage viewers. It's not often you find a pure love story, especially in the BL genre, that doesn't have dubious consent and toxic relationships. The show doesn't need to rely on those tropes to keep you engaged, and instead focuses on real issues couples go through while trying to understand their own feelings.

The main characters are beyond respectful of each other's feelings and act as role models for a healthy relationship. I also enjoy that the side characters are actively engaged in the story and not just background characters. I found myself liking Miyano and Sasaki's friends a lot during the show, and cared about their relationships as well.

Sasaki and Miyano is a wonderful and fulfilling dive into the nostalgic feeling of young love, and portrays a couple doing everything right in a relationship. Of course they have their ups and downs, but they always approach these issues with care and it's very refreshing to see in the BL genre.

I hope this show marks the start of a new era of BL that portrays healthy relationships and real problems couples face. As a long time BL reader/watcher I have grown used to the typical toxic relationships and ridiculous situations they often portray. Most of the BL genre is full of adult content and plot lines relative to adult films. Seeing a BL that is purely about the relationship and not sex is such a breath of fresh air.

This show gave me similar feelings that Yuri On Ice when it aired a few years ago. (and that's saying a lot because that show reduced me to a pile of fangirling mush. I cringe at myself but I physically cannot stop the squeals of happiness I made during these shows.)

It's been green lit for a second season and I could not be happier or more excited to see the show continuing.