A 2022 BL Jdrama about an upbeat idol and a downbeat doujinshi artist who knew each other in High School meeting again as adults.

Country: Japan
Local Title: 壁サー同人作家の猫屋敷くんは承認欲求をこじらせている
Year Released: 2022
Number of Episodes: 8
Genre: BL

Main Actors:

Matsuoka Koudai: Nekoyashiki Mamoru
Nakao Masaki: Kazama Issei/Issay

Pre-Watch Thoughts:

Kabe-Koji, as it is called for short, is a new BL Jdrama. I saw that this show was coming and was interested because it has the kind of premise that I really enjoy. Positive/Negative pairing, one of them is an idol and the other a doujinshi artist, what’s not to love? I haven’t read the manga though I want to now. As soon as the first episode aired I checked it out and was impressed by the style and storytelling, so it’s going to be my first recap-as-it-airs.

Notes:
Doujinshi = Self-published print works, which is in this case manga/art.

Recap and Thoughts:

Final-Watch Thoughts:

Japanese dramas have a certain style of over-the-top, comic book-feeling dramas. They’re usually light and fun and silly, which I really like, and the downside is they are often not very deep.

Kabe-Koji is one of the better BLs of this nature for me so far this year. The style was fun and interesting, the characters had as much depth as they needed. Nekoyashiki’s angst was at times heart-wrenching and at other times kind of funny. Issay’s resolute positivity both sad and inspiring. The plot was fine, I was more invested in Nekoyashiki’s life than Issay’s, but I also recognize the limitations in length, with only 8 slightly over twenty-minute episodes.

Ultimately, it doesn’t have enough psychological depth or intimacy between the to give me the kind of feels of Old Fashioned Cupcake, which at this moment feels like the gold standard of Jdrama BLs (and one I hope to recap at some point). So if that’s what you’re looking for this won’t satisfy you. But at the same time, it did address in a small way the reality of being gay, which is something I rarely see.

Light, fun, upbeat, silly, over-the-top, with realistic characters and a little depth, it’s that kind of show if that’s what you are looking for.