Yashiro, the ruthlessly efficient leader of the yakuza group Shinsekai, is also a brazen sexual deviant and masochist. Having been hurt by the only person he had ever fallen in love with, he now engages in strictly physical relationships.
One day, Yashiro's superior assigns Chikara Doumeki, a recently released prisoner, to the role of Yashiro's new bodyguard. The stoic and observant Doumeki is also clumsy and impotent, much to Yashiro's dismay. Although Yashiro has a personal policy to not get involved with his subordinates, he finds himself strangely drawn to Doumeki, who keeps denying his advances. Despite his refusals, Doumeki finds Yashiro beautiful and wishes to stay by his side, yet he knows that he will never be able to satisfy his boss. As the two grow closer, their complicated pasts slowly begin to reveal themselves. Will their histories get in the way of their emergent feelings?
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
DesiSkorm
I feel like it's my duty to write a review on this anime, since I'm a huge fan of the manga. Ever since I heard we were getting an anime adaptation, I was both hyped and very afraid, because it can always go both ways and I didn't want to see something I hold so dear be destroyed. Thankfully, that wasn't the case and I ended up enjoying the anime quite a lot. A lot of details, of course, will remain in the manga alone, since they will need to make at least a 12 episode anime to cover everything, but they actually managed to finda great balance between the plot and the erotic scenes. The main characters didn't lose that special spark they had and their relationship was portrayed very well in the anime.
I just have to praise the voice actors. Those were not only top notch, but they sound exactly like I imagined they would while reading the manga.
Story (8) - Well paced and balanced. Time flew by while I was watching.
Art (8) - Much better than I thought it would be and it matches the manga art style. The kind of censorship they chose was funny, I ain't gonna lie.
Sound (6) - I'm not much of a fan of the soundtrack here, but it didn't really bother me. The only thing that stood out was the ending song, which I really liked.
Characters (10) - On spot with the manga.
Enjoyment (10) - More than I bargained for.
Overall (8) - Can't wait for the next movie!!
whither
• Story 8/10 One of the best BLs I've seen - very well-paced character-centered drama. This movie adapts the first 8 chapters of the manga quite faithfully. There are only some minor differences in scenes. Delving into some characters' pasts involves uncovering sexual assault and trauma. If you are uncomfortable with that or depictions of sadomasochism, this is not the movie for you. The story also explores loneliness, unrequited love, and slowly blooming affection really touchingly. While physical relations progress immediately, it's development of emotional ties that is the heart of the plot. • Art 9/10 Very high quality. The characters looked beautiful - their facial expressions, the waythe fabric of their clothes folded or got wet, the way strands of hair moved when touched.
The issue of censorship is tackled by simply not drawing the parts in question. No pixelation, no white-out - they're just invisible.
• Sound 6/10
The OST was only thing I didn't like. The tracks, while they don't sound bad on their own, didn't fit the mood of certain scenes. Some parts of the story that were supposed to be brooding had oddly peppy music. The ending theme was nice though.
• Character 8/10
This movie covers a lot of ground and reveals much about the characters' past, how they came to their current jobs, and the traumatic experiences that drastically changed their lives.
Yashiro's fascinating because of the contrast between the dominant (professional) and submissive (personal) aspects of his lifestyle.
It's entertaining to watch Yashiro and Doumeki's personalities and desires clashing. Their interactions - equal parts adorable, awkward, hilarious, and steamy - were just great all around.
The voice acting was great - especially Yashiro's VA. Really fits his personality. Doumeki's voice was a lot deeper than expected.
• Enjoyment 9/10
Time flew by while I was watching this. I've been looking forward to this movie for months and it completely fulfilled my expectations.
• Overall 8/10
Really looking forward to the 2 sequel movies and the OVA.
frozenpancake
Look, I don't want to be that asshole who says "the manga was better" but in this case, use that previous statement as a fair warning if you're even remotely interested in watching Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai: the Clouds Gather. Because man, the awful production value alone is enough for me to tell you to just skip this movie and read the manga. Animation 2/10 Going right into this review, let's start off with the weakest aspect to Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai: its sloppy animation. Now usually, I'm not picky of art in anime-- yet for this movie, I simply could not turn a blind eye tohow abhorrently unready it looked! One of the main issues was how unrefined the characters looked when put against ultra-detailed and high contrasting backgrounds. You see, the animators decided on a very simplistic style to draw the characters in (flat designs, blocky shading, sharp outlines, and dull color palettes) which would've been fine EXCEPT for the fact that they practically pasted these characters onto garishly colorful and precisely intricate-looking backgrounds that didn't mix well together at all! So instead of having beautiful backgrounds that blend seamlessly into the scene, they only acted as a jarring distraction to the viewer. Simply put: the characters and backgrounds just don't look like they belong in the same anime.
To further illustrate my point, I have to comment on the laughably bad lack of movement in this anime! Because my god, the body movements (even down to basic walking sequences) felt so stiff and awkward-- as if this was made by a bunch of amateurs from ten years ago! More so, what's up with the emotionless, and, there I say, deadpan fish faces? Such a shame because the manga had so much content to offer: subtle looks that convey a lot of what a character is feeling, but we lost all of that to monotonous facial expressions. Because in short, these characters just move, look, and feel like robots! To me, this was the worst offender of them all because what's the point of even making this into an animation if these were the results? The whole point of the animation medium is to bring life to the characters, to give them movement and dimension, so it defeats the whole purpose when they reduce their characters to mere mechanical automatons!
Soundtrack 5.5/10
If I were to judge the soundtrack entirely on its own, I would've given it a pretty high rating. I absolutely adored the ending song "Moratorium" by Omoinotake and the ost background music alone are some really strong and memorable tracks. Therefore, the problem I had with the soundtrack isn't its quality, but rather, its placement throughout the movie.
Basically, the overall mood of the soundtrack is kind of peppy and jazzy which doesn't fit with Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai's more or less somber atmosphere, so certain scenes had way less of an impact due to how conflicting and out-of-place the music felt. In the end, the soundtrack served to nullify my enjoyment of the movie, instead of enhancing it.
Plot and Characters (6/10)
Alright, so I presume this adaptation is the first installment in a series of upcoming movies because this movie only covers the first 8 chapters of the manga. It stays fairly close to its source material so not a lot of complaints here, except that nothing really takes place in these 8 chapters!
At most, you get introduced to the main characters, Yashiro and Doumeki: who they are, what they're like, and what their backstories are. And while I think the script executed in writing the characters well enough, the movie still felt too meandering and directionless because nothing else happens!
This problem could've been fixed if only the writers would've uncovered more of the chapters from the manga because as of now, this entire movie could've easily been condensed in 30 minutes or so. Ultimately, I just didn't see the point of making an entire movie that dragged on for 1 hour and 25 minutes long from only 8 chapters with not a lot of, well, anything.
Final Thoughts 5/10
This movie just didn't seem finished. If they had just pushed the release date to do polish some things (cough, the animation, cough) then I think Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai: the Clouds Gather could've had the potential to become a really great movie! Although, that was definitely not the case since it fell rather flat in its execution (to put it lightly). I just hope the upcoming movie(s) will learn from these mistakes.
Overall, if you're a fan of the manga then check it out to your own demise, but if you're a completely new viewer interested in the story, then I would strongly advise you to just go and read the manga.
noirOrion
*NO SPOILERS* Where do I even start? Maybe here: To simply slap a BL label on this and leave it at that feels downright criminal. I’m very grateful that I stumbled upon this without any prior knowledge or pretext. Had I read a synopsis or character description, I doubt I would have given it a try. Almost everything I found on this movie and manga fails to capture the essence of this story and its characters. It very much sounds like one of those cliches where BL is predatory and abuse is strangely romanticized. But I can promise you, that thisis not the case. At all.
I should preface anything else with a bit of a warning. This manga/movie is without a doubt 18+. No, it isn’t hentai. No, it’s not all just about juicy sex scenes. BUT the story is heavy-laden with crime, violence, sex, abuse, rape, and abuse of minors. But let me say it one more time for the people in the back: In no way, shape, or form are any of these heavy topics romanticized or fetishized. They are merely used as tools to depict what (unfortunately) is reality for many people. Generally, it could be said that mentally healthy and sound individuals with a normal childhood don’t end up in the Yakuza and that’s where this story unfolds…
Yoneda Kou is the author of this journey, that started in 2008 with the one-shot Don’t Stay Gold. The focus is split between the main characters Kageyama & Kuga and character development of Yashiro, the main character of the movie/manga series.
In 2009, the story continues with the one-shot Though They Drift, They Do Not Sink, But Nor Do They Sing, where the focus is on Kageyama’s (one of the mains in Don’t Stay Gold) and Yashiro’s Highschool years, though the focus is again on character development of Yashiro.
Since 2011, Twittering Birds Never Fly has been serialized in HertZ magazine. It depicts Yashiro and Chikara Doumeki (first name, family name) and their struggle to make sense of many difficult feelings in an environment that is ruthless and unforgiving, all while suffocating in profound trauma. Both characters are immensely complex, Yashiro especially so, using his hyper-sexual facade as a tool - both weapon and shield - to navigate the choppy waters of a harsh, men-only crime syndicate. Doumeki, a newcomer to this lifestyle, quickly becomes Yashiro’s anchor, grounding him and pulling him under at the same time. Their affection and fascination with each other is both, tragic and hopeful; twisted, yet simple. But this story is about more than just two people’s attraction. It’s a deep, dark, and intense dive into the Japanese underworld.
You can absolutely watch the movie without having read any source material, just as you can read the main story without the one-shots first. They may all be connected and will absolutely give you a much deeper understanding of all the characters involved, but hey are all stand-alone stories at the same time. I started with the movie and then couldn’t rest until I had found the manga!
The movie adaptation Twittering Birds Never Fly - The Clouds Gather was released in 2020. The adaptation follows the manga very closely and the art is identical to the source material which is a huge plus in my opinion. The movie score has jazzy undertones and fits the whole “mobster theme” well. The ending is a beautiful song with poignant lyrics, and having watched the music video I wonder if the interpretive dance is foreshadowing the storyline? The same year, a sequel The Storm Breaks was announced, but has yet to be released. A third, still untitled movie has also been announced. All three films were licensed by Sentai Filmworks for screenings & releases in North America, so I remain hopeful that it will happen.
When it comes to the voice actors, I have nothing but praise! They infuse Yashiro & Doumeki with so much character and really bring them to life. The acting is truly superb and gives the whole story yet another layer of depth! If you have read the manga and are now watching the movie, you will be amazed by how perfectly they were cast for their respective roles! Likewise, if you’ve just watched the movies and are now diving deeper into the manga, having experienced their “voices” will make reading their story that much more exciting!
There are currently 8 volumes spanning 56 chapters with the next chapter release scheduled March 29, 24. Yoneda sensei announced that the story will conclude within the next 2-3 volumes, so we may be looking at many more years of waiting to see where life will take these two amazing characters.
I hope I could convince you to give this a try and I hope you won’t be disappointed! If you are a fan like me, consider buying original works to support not just the amazing author, but to guarantee the next two movies!
If you are still reading, thank you! I’ve said as much as I could without spoiling anything and now I’d just like to give my opinion:
I’m an avid reader (of literature) and have also watched anime my whole life. Considering that, I want to say how profoundly complex this story is. I occasionally re-read the manga and continue to see more connections, meanings, and interpretations. It absolutely blows my mind that Yoneda sensei pulled this off with the limited medium that is manga, where you don’t have pages upon pages to explain all the details and plots. She has a real talent to convey complex emotions like suspicions, fears, as well as hopes, dreams, and longing (sometimes all at the same time) with a mere sketch of a few characters. It translates very well in the movie! Though the ending definitely leaves you wanting more. If I’m honest, I’m very unsure of where these two characters are headed. It’s so hard to imagine a happy ending given their background and environment, but at the same time it would utterly wreck me if they didn’t get that redemption in the end.
Banyana
I know that all these other reviews are pitching this anime as 'not as good as the manga', but I'm wondering if they've ever seen any other yaoi anime adaptations. The budget is always much lower than more mainstream genre animes, so no, it's never going to be as slick as something such as Death Note. RELATIVE to yaoi animes though, this one is pretty gosh darn impressive. They more than compensate for low budget with clever framing angles and techniques; some shots really took me out of the anime to just appreciate how it's been made as a piece of art. The story, characters,and atmosphere carry the whole thing in a fashion that, for me, doesn't leave anything feeling lacking. I damn near cried several times.
The manga is one of my all time favourites, so I'm absolutely someone who could be disappointed by the adaptation. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the subtle, slow-burn pacing of the manga, the scorching tension that comes to fill in the space left by that gradual pacing, and anyone interested in how a low budget anime can still play with cinematography to grasp an audience.
Side note: several reviews found the music lackluster, and whilst I completely agree that it's nothing mind-blowing, I found the understated tone of the music suited the anime's other aspects really well. Outro song slaps in a heart-ruining way too.
MachinaEm
Twittering Birds Never Fly is a character drama that primarily focuses on the dynamic between the two leads. Yashiro is a promiscuous masochist who constantly has sex without emotional attachment. Doumeki can't feel sexual arousal, but develops romantic feelings for Yashiro. The juxtaposition between them is what makes the story compelling. Sex is a main theme of this story, so yes, there are sex scenes. (That's probably what you came here for, right?) Compared to other shows/movies within this genre, I think this film handles sex as a theme with a little more maturity and finesse. If you're here for some hot and steamy action,yeah, there's a little, but that's not the point here. Sex is used more as a narrative device to tell us about characters and their internal conflicts.
I liked that this film doesn't fall into the typical stereotypes when it comes to the 'top/bottom' roles. Despite Yashiro's reputation within the yakuza as a masochist, he still commands authority. Even when he's mocked by others, Yashiro isn't ashamed. He's unapologetic about his desires. Despite being the 'bottom', he's more confident and assertive than his counterpart. He has agency and personality. On the other hand, Doumeki, the 'top,' is soft-spoken and a little more sentimental. The relationship between the two of them feels more authentic because they aren't cookie-cutter clichés.
As the first installment in a series, this film sets a solid groundwork for the relationship between the two leads and leaves you wanting more, which is exactly what a good movie should do.
MidoriYosei
Honestly, I never thought I would see a great Yaoi anime ever again since Junjou Romantica the second season the fact that this is a raw portrait of trauma, suffering, and pain dragged through adulthood and trying to overcome it is impressive. The not pg 13 scenes is amazing, hot, and hard to watch, I think is supposed to make you feel that way because not all in real life is cute and bubbly. This Movie is pain, sadness, and hopefully in a 1 hr a half package. Its been about 7 years since a yaoi manga made me feel like that excited, sad, andhopeful for a happy ending that I am sure we won't have also de fact that the love interest is impotent is impressive how can you carry the sex tension thought out the movie without release... hahaha pun intended.
Overall 10/10 for me in Yaoi Category
Alice0006
As someone who watch the movie first before read the manga, I will tell you my opinion of the movie. Some people complain that it only cover 8 chapters but I actually surprised it's only 8 chapters because it feels long. This is what I got after watching the movie: 1. Character background story 2. Relationship development (You can tell mainly from the sex scene. For example: First Yashiro only do blow job but little by little he masturbate while do blow job then he try to imagine Doumeki do it with someone else while have sex with someone else. From this you can tell his perception ofDoumeki change and Doumeki become someone who can arouse him. Doumeki is also the same. First he almost touch Yashiro's hair, next he touch his hair, next he play with his hair.)
3. A bit character development
4. Insight about trauma, For example: This story try to show you two people with the same trauma but different consequence, most likely because of one or two factor in their life. In this case, it's because one person receive unconditional love during traumatic experience and saved (Aoi) but the other not (Yashiro).
5. Character depth, especially Yashiro
About character, I can tell Yashiro is really complex character just from knowing his background story and his way of thinking. Doumeki is like the opposite of Yashiro, his character depth is not yet explored as much as Yashiro but honestly watching their interaction is interesting.
I think the animation is average but I don't expect much since BL anime often like that (except Given). The ending song is really good, match with the atmosphere and the lyrics match with the story.
Overall I enjoy the movie and it gives me general idea what the story is about and what it will be in next movie. I recommend you to read the manga because there are inner feeling that isn't conveyed in the movie and will give you more insight about the character.
Noel_45
So I just got done watching this and I had to write a review. This is my first so hopefully I dont say any spoilers. Okay so at first I was very confused. But I kept watching cus the main character had me hooked. I wanted to know why he is the way he is. As I kept watching, I found myself getting sucked into this story. The art is amazing, the characters were amazing, everything was just.... wow. The end killed me. My heart just aches. This really shows awareness of how ones childhood can change them. The thought of what happened to himmakes me want to beat up that lousy "father". I could only imagine what that man had to go through growing up. Tiktok led me here and I am glad it did. I thought this was gonna be a juicy yaoi that I can giggle and scream over, but instead it made me want to spread awareness about this topic. Anyway, can I just say how much the main character looked like levi from aot... like the eyes... just me? Okay, I'll leave.
RauLeCreuset
ReviewSaezuru Tori wa Habatakanai, this anime well was kinda of shocking, but not so much because I actually looked up the term that was tagged with this particular anime "yaoi". After I had done that then I fully understood what this anime was going to be about more or less. I was not shocked as I thought I was going to be, probably because I have seen the live action series "spartacus" which is not anime at all, but I mentioned it because it has homosexuals in it as well as sexual activity between men. But, despite this anime having such strong sexual content, someparts I did feel somewhat uncomfortable, I honestly really enjoyed this anime I found it both comical and enjoyable, though short it, it was full of much details both from the main character and the other one. Some parts, I even recorded on video and posted them on iFunny. Because they made me laugh that much. I have seen an anime before called "Koi Kaze" based off a incest relationship, between brother and sister, so this one wasn't really that difficult to watch really, I think I actually added another anime to my list before this one, both this anime and the other I added to my list were both related titles from the anime "Banana Fish". Overall, I liked this anime.
AkaiOne-san
I feel like it's a story about everything and nothing with a very good ending. Short review: : The story is sad and based on sentiments. The main characters have a sad and difficult story. I watch it as a psychologist and I know how much childhood and trauma affect on adult life. This was reflected in this anime adaptation. If you care about a psychological story that seems trivial, but as you get to know the characters further, you realize that it isn't - this is anime for you. History 7/10 -> it is a huge mess, there is no yakuza storyline, or even the relationshipbetween the main characters, it just goes on and you don't know where it's going, but it's good to watch
Characters 8/10 -> their story is not complicated, but it touches upon heavy and important topics such as rape of minors and the influence of past experiences on the character and life of abused people
Art 7/10 -> is a new and nice line, nothing extraordinary
Music 7/10 -> nothing extraordinary, but the ending is very nice
Overall -> 7/10, notice that the anime is 18+, there is a lot of profanity and sex scenes, it's yakuza anime after all
yorokobisenpai
From a psychological standpoint, this was quite an interesting piece on how some respond to trauma and the long-term impact that this has on one's perception of the world and relationships amongst peers and romantic partners. I think that aspect is depicted very well. You have the notion of hyper-sexuality which is rarely understood or overlooked as a result of sexual abuse or sexual assault, however it exists and it is a real response from many victims. For that rare yet refreshing depiction, I think makes this worth watching. If you can look beyond the sexual undertones and understand the deeper meaning in why thatis important to the story and in the manner that it is being represented, then you will see something almost terrifying yet tragic at the same time. In watching this, I appreciated it deeply for showcasing a broken person who can still also be beautiful and healing to another. Would it have been different if it wasn't focusing on a dynamic between men? Yes, it would have. Why? Because of the stereotypes and views that are carried with gender amongst societies. However, this brought about a balance that I found very fascinating. The voice actors in this were incredible and awakened these characters in a way that cannot be undone. It is a beautiful tale, one that I will recommend over and over again.
moping
I would give it a higher score if this is an original story, but we all know this is based on the manga which has already provided one of the best stories and art work. I think some of the important details about the characters' deep psychological activities are missed. One of the reasons the manga is so good, for me personally, is that it touches the most subtle level of the characters' struggles and pain, using the best drawings. instead of showing these details, the animation gives too much time for less important parts of the story. Overall, it is still a good movie.I am not actually disappointed but i think it can be better.
k-0da
This was interesting. I've never watched a hardcore BL porno, so I definitely had an experience. For some reason, the movie made me feel very relaxed the whole way through. I'm not sure how else to describe it, but everything was very chill, which was nice. The animation is okay. It was a lot of guys standing around in a room, guys smoking, or sex. I liked the colors and the character design, but nothing really stuck out to me or amazed me. I liked the score, I feel like it helped sedate me throughout the course of this movie. I liked Yashiro and Doumekias the main leads. I thought they had decent chemistry, and their relationship developed well. I'm a fan of a more confident uke and a lame (pun intended) seme. It was nice. I don't like how the narrative treated Yashiro's hypersexuality. It felt like a lot of the sex scenes exploring that aspect of him was for shock value, or for porn, rather than treating his hyper-sexuality with respect--one might say that because it's a BL, I should expect things like that, but the problem still exists.
As a whole, this movie uses rape as a major plot point for basically every major character's plot, which felt overwhelming. I kept saying, "oh my god," "jesus" while watching. It felt like it was just there for shock value, rather than a nuanced exploration of sexual violence. It feels like a lot of the show's racy elements, beyond even just the sexual violence, was there just for a fetish.
I had a hard time following the hardcore Yakuza plotlines, but that might just be a me thing.
Overall, I somehow finding myself recommending this movie, because I enjoyed it. I'm honestly not sure how I enjoyed this after all that it is and all of my complaints, but somehow, I enjoyed it. It is absolutely not for most people and I highly recommend you heed any trigger warnings. Beyond that, the general plot and dynamics really aren't that much better to counteract the everything wrong with this, but despite everything in this movie really not being great, I still liked it. I'm not sure why.
EllieCats
This isn't quite in the same vein as other Blue Lynx BLs, but it is very good. Not as colourful and sweet as the more popular BLs out there but worth a watch if you like this kind of thing. If you prefer BL that doesn't really make it past first base, then it isn't for you. Story: Not sure if it matches the manga (other reviewers say it doesn't), but it is a fairly generic yakuza employee/boss to lovers kind of thing. Has heaps of typical BL tropes including a world where basically every man is into men, the MC is in love with hisbest friend but doesn't pursue it, the MC is addicted to sex and his counterpart isn't, etc. etc. I think it's not done in a way that makes it intolerable though. A lot of the story is just stuff that kinda happens and then the MC gives his counterpart a blowjob so like if you came here for No.6 levels of story you're not gonna get it.
Characters: The MC, Yashiro, is a sex-addicted pervert who has past trauma that made him the way he is. Another common BL trope. Doumeki is a quiet subordinate who also has past trauma that made him the way he is. Not quite as typical considering what happened. The rest of the characters are mostly fill-ins that don't play too much of a role, other than Kageyama (the MC's best friend) and Nanahara (his underling and right-hand man basically). I wouldn't say any are particularly memorable, but they all fill their roles well.
Style: It's got that BL-look about it. I can't explain it but if you're a BL-enjoyer you'll know. This isn't a bad thing, I like the art and I think it suits the premise well.
Recommendation: I'd recommend it for anyone who's watched other softer BLs and maybe wants a step up into something less fluffy and cute. Bring on part 2!
jus7aguy
Overall this felt like a lot of setup for very little pay off. The characters were established and developed, the world and social interactions were done. A lot of history was divulged. And nothing really happened. I'm anticipating that this will be more effective as "part 1 of 3" than as a stand-alone. We'll see when the other 2 movies come out. The art was very well done though nothing stands out as distinctive. It does what it needs to do and sets the tone and mood very well. Camera angle choices were .. creative at times. The character developmentwas slow paced but effective. The sound doing well to fit the moods.
Over-all it's really the pace that is a negative for me. It feels that this was very much written as the "first of three movies" rather than as a movie in and off itself.
SapphiRubyCrys
The Mixed feelings and the 7 stars out of 10 is not because of anything the anime does wrong or any problems in the story or characters it's because of what was needed to be shown. what the story is about and what the characters are going through and went through. This anime will not be everyone's cup of tea and does deal with mature things. I was surprised by how much they could actually animate. The characters are strong and it's not your shojo yakuza trope you find in mangas. Both the MCs are one of the movie's strong points and are very interesting and straightforward. I want them to find happiness or at least some peace and comfort with each other
WARNING:- There is rape in this anime and don't worry it's not between the MCs (and it's not brushed aside like in some BL animes I watched and immediately dropped) and they don't shy away from discussing about it and how the characters were affected by it.
Also the sex shown in this anime was something I didn't expect.
All in all, the reason I am giving 7 is only because not everyone will want to watch this but those who do will not find any major faults in the storytelling or the characters. I watched this movie but even I feel like there was a 50-50 chance of me watching this. It has been postponed for a year now. (I recently stumbled upon the manga and remembered it has a movie and it peaked my interest to get a feel of the genre and story of the manga)
mononokegrl
**CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM THE MOVIE AND MANGÁ** English version: Finally some good fucking food!! I love the manga of this movie, and when I knew there is a movie of it, i freaked out. It didn't disappoint on the whole: The animation lives up to the manga's features. The piano soundtrack with that mysterious air and jazz beat was magnificent. The story is very similar to the manga, even though the ending implied that Yashiro died, when in fact, being shot by the other group from yakuza, only happens in chapter seven and there is still a lot of history after that. The plot has depth: yakuza,past traumas, unreachable romances, memorable characters (nanahara ♡), it has a real reason to watch beyond the romance between the two characters.
There will probably not be a continuation, and those who have not read the manga may have had several open questions, so I suggest: GO READ THE MANGA WHICH IS 10/10 !!!!!
Portuguese version:
Obrigado meu deus pelos mimos!! Eu amo de paixão o mangá desse filme, quando soube que tinha um filme eu corri pra assisti.
Não decepcionou em um todo: A animação faz juz aos traços do mangá. A trilha sonora de piano com aquele ar misterioso e a batida de jazz foi magnífico. A história muito similar ao mangá, mesmo que o final tenha dado a entender que o Yashiro morreu, quando na verdade esse acontecimento de ser baledo acontece apenas no capítulo sete e ainda tem muita história depois disso.
O plot tem profundidade: yakuza, traumas passados, romances inalcançáveis, personagens memoráveis (nanahara ♡), tem um verdadeiro motivo pra assistir além do romance entre os dois personagens.
Provavelmente não haverá continuação, e quem não leu o mangá pode ter ficado com várias questões em aberto, por isso eu sugiro: VÃO LER O MANGÁ QUE É 10/10 !!!!!
TheLastBraincell
This is gonna be my first review on this page and I wanted to start with something I really enjoyed. Now, that being said, I need to point out something first: I´m reading Saezuru´s manga. So, although this movie only covers the first 7 or 8 chapters of the story, I know what´s going to happen next. I want you to keep this in mind before I proceed to explain. That being said, here´s my opinion. THINGS I LIKED: - Even though this is a BL, what I liked the most wasn´t the relationship between the main characters (though I also liked that, don´t get me wrong), butthe fact that the character development is SO well done. Especially on Yashiro´s part, from the very beginning you can see he behaves the way he does because there´s a problem with him. It´s subtle and unspoken for the most part of the movie, but it shows and then bursts at the end.
- Speaking about Yashiro´s traumas, they don´t romantize them. Not only that, there´s a few sexual scenes within the movie and they don´t portrait them as romantic which I deeply appreciate because I truly hate when they put a scene of rape or sexual abuse trying to make it look like wanted or like both characters are enjoying.
Well, here that doesn´t happen. Yashiro gives his consent to X sexual activities, but it´s quite obvious he´s not really into it.
- Have I mentioned already that Yashiro is my fav character precisely because how complex he is as a person?
- Another thing that I loved about the story is that Doumeki is not that kind of creepy and pushy guy you use to see in BL. He respects Yashiro and doesn´t do anything (sexual) without consent. I´m not gonna say here that he and Yahiro (or Yashiro and any other guy he slept with) have a 100% healthy relationship because I´d be deceiving you and, tbh, most people in this manga needs to go to therapy. But anyway, my point is that I like the relationshio between the main characters. It´s a nicely done slow burn.
- Every character has their own story and that also plays a bit part on the plot. I gotta say, I´m a fan of yakuza stories (or almost any realistic story featuring delinquents) so it´s a delight seing that there´s more to Saezuru that simply a romance story about a yakuza boss and his bodyguard. As a matter of fact, the yakuza plot is so well done that if you take out the romance part of the plot I´d probably enjoy the anime anyway.
- This is a sad story (you´ve been warned). Not in the sense that it ends badly (this is only the first movie, so of course there´s a lot more to it), but in the sense that there´s a lot of melancholy and adult themes on it (and no, I´m not referring only to the sex: there´s mentions to past rape, abuse and probably even depression). It´s sad, but realistic: Nobody gets cured by the power of love. Not now, not ever.
- Music is top tier. I swear I´ve been obsessed with the ending for a while. It just describes the story perfectly.
THINGS I DIDN´T LIKE:
- My only complain is that there´s gonna be another two movies and there´s no date for them yet.
And yes, that´s pretty much it. I don´t have complaints against the pacing of the story, characters or whatever you may think about. I think the movie fullfilled its purpuse though, I still say, the manga is better (as cliché as it sounds).
OVERALL, this is one of the few BL that I´d fully recommend. Though I´m quite aware it´s not for everyone: If your looking for a sweet story where there´s not much conflict and expect the main characters to get together in the first movie then let me tell you this one is not for you.
