A 2022 BL jdrama about an older salaryman whose life has gone dull and monotonous, getting pushed into going out for fancy desserts by his younger subordinate.

Country: Japan 
Local Title: オールドファッションカップケーキ
Year Released: 2022
Number of Episodes: 5
Genre: BL

Main Actors:

Takeda Kouhei as Nozue
Kimura Tatsunari as Togawa

Pre-Recap Thoughts:

Probably currently my favorite Japanese BL and one of my favorite BL’s in general, this show features adults dealing with life and love, which is a big selling point in itself.

While it takes place in an office, it isn’t really an office romance and (thankfully) we don’t have to watch people work much. Our lead Nozue is a quiet, gentleman in his late thirties who is stuck in life. Our other lead Togawa is ten years younger, and secretly, desperately, in love with him. Togawa assigns himself to the task of getting Nozue out of his rut.

Nozue’s quiet kindness and confusion contrasting nicely with Togawa’s intensity and determination. There are only 5 episodes and not a lot of plot, but there is an emotional arc for both of them and a ton of dessert porn to make you wish you were in Japan.

The show is based on a manga and stays pretty close to the original which is available on amazon here!

Recaps and Thoughts:

Final Mostly Non-Spoilery Thoughts:

This show remains one of my favorites and a show I’d recommend to anyone who wants a simple, undramatic, sweet (literally) love story.

One of the strengths of this show is its short length. There are only five episodes and it follows the manga faithfully, telling a simple story about a middle-aged man getting unstuck with the help of an attractive subordinate. It doesn’t try to pack in anything extra but focuses on the main characters in a satisfying way.

It’s like a delicious parfait itself, not a full hearty meal but sometimes exactly what you need.