Kimi No Koto Dake Mite Itai – 君のことだけ見ていたい [2022] Series Impressions

The stuff Japanese BL dreams are made of! Here we have two gorgeous MEN’S NON-NO WEB | メンズノンノウェブ models going for each other in a light-hearted mini-series that is understated as it is dreamy.

—Edited by TheFNGee

If you need to watch one particular young Japanese actor, it has to be Kura Yuki – who plays the more aggressive ‘seventeen’er among the two. Mind you, his co-star Mizusawa Rintaro is as gorgeous and dream boy material!

This is Kura Yuki’s second BL lead role after the much-acclaimed His – Koisuru Tsumori Nante Nakatta (released in 2019) with Kusakawa Naoya. In Kimi No Koto Dake Mite Itai (I Only Want To See You), he levels up his performance by doing some tender kissing scenes. Something unexpected but totally delectable and, quite frankly, sweet!

This review covers acting and character development, direction, production values, and the overall appeal of the mini-series.

The Story:

Childhood friends Nagase Yuma (Mizusawa Rintaro and Asakura Sakura (Kura Yuki) have been together through elementary school, junior high school, and high school. Sakura has always felt something for Yuma that he could never say to him. In their final summer of high school, Sakura confesses his feelings to Yuma and kisses him.

Storyline from Anime News Network

Acting and Character Development (with Casting News):

The mini-series begins with Yuma piggy-backing Sakura as they fall into the dirty pond near their school. You immediately get the feeling that both 17-year-old boys are close. After school – as they were about to go their separate ways—Sakura began his confession. It was totally unexpected that Yuma was speechless and could not even react. Then, the kiss!

With four 20-minute episodes, the mini-series successfully encapsulates what both boys feel for each other—there are no toxic scenes to speak of. Both Mizusawa and Kura play their characters in the most nonchalant of ways. I have no idea if both have to undergo those famous ‘acting out sessions’ or even the ‘buddy-boardinghouse-protective-interaction‘ exercises that Thai BL performers have to go through. Yet, their on-screen chemistry is just about right – charming and believable.

As a typical school-based series, the classroom interaction is to be expected, yet certain scenes stand out – Sakura’s piano practice and Yuma’s panty-chasing antics, the campfire intimacy, and eating spaghetti (after harvesting those bright red young tomatoes!). These are Japanese slice-of-life scenarios that are both a novelty and an enchantment.

While both were discovered as models. Mizusawa Rintaro held some records of sorts. While still barely 17, he bested more than 2,000 aspiring models at Japan’s 34th Men’s Non-no model audition. This is the most prestigious male model search in that country. In this mini-series, he plays the less aggressive but loyal Yuma. He has made more than 20 drama series so far, almost matching Kura in quantitative terms.

Direction and Production Values:

Veteran Japanese director Kariyama Shunsuke is a master at classroom interaction. In this mini-series, he made good use of close-ups (zooming into the lead actors’ faces to highlight certain emotions). The light and shade scenes where he transitions from his actors into the sunlight were added to create ‘dreamy’ feelings. The musical background is relaxing and, while generic, is just right for the series.

Overall Appeal:

This series is definitely worth watching (time and again). Kura Yuki and Mizusawa Rintaro – both male models – are definitely pretty to look at. Their romantic scenes were amusing as well as fascinating to watch. This light BL is made to make us happy and, yes, dreamy!

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars. [See our Review Guide]