“No matter if you are someone with a different culture and speaks a different language. Even if we have different skin and eye colors. No matter the gender … I will accept everyone and everything. And I want to be the one to tell them … “You are not weird.”
My initial feelings for the Japanese drama Kami-sama no Ekohiiki have not changed. If anything, they’ve been reinforced. Love is a complicated emotion that brings as much pain as happiness, and Kami-sama no Ekohiiki does a brilliant job exploring everything from falling in love to regret.
Based on the manga by Komura Ayumi, Kamisama no Ekohiiki tells the story of Yashiro (actor Fujiwara Taiyu) and the love he has for his longtime friend Kenta (actor Kubozuka Airu).
I reviewed the first four episodes of Kami-sama no Ekohiiki a short while back, and my thoughts on it haven’t changed.
What has changed is my level of commitment to it. If I was invested before, it’s nothing compared to my investment now.
During the final episode, I cried.
I cried a lot.
Kami-sama no Ekohiiki is one of the most self-affirming Japanese gay romances I have seen. And yes, this IS a gay romance. Despite the body swap concept it begins with, it is one of the most powerful gay romances I have seen in a long time. The last time I cried this hard was during the Japanese gay drama Fujoshi Ukkari Gei ni Kokuru. However, don’t let that scare you. It’s not sad, I swear. But you will cry.
This isn’t just a BL; it’s about representation. It’s about being gay in a country where being openly gay is still a work in progress.
As a part of the community and as someone who has been watching BLs for years (as many of us have), it’s become a market saturated with cute and sexy romances. All of which makes for good watches. But occasionally, you get a pure gold series, a series that stands up and stands out. A series that doesn’t just offer cute and sexy, but also offers truth.
There is a lot of truth in Kami-sama no Ekohiiki that many people need to hear. A lot of truth that many people need to see.
This series is one hundred percent well worth every second.
Stay locked into this one. Like many Japanese dramas, it has a crazy start that makes you go “WTF” before mellowing out as it moves forward and then ends on a seriously high emotional note. The growth in this drama is incredible.
Kami-sama no Ekohiiki should be experienced rather than spoiled, so I will hold off on breaking down the scenes. But I do want to shine a spotlight on actor Furukawa Yuki. Known to many as one of the leads of the Japanese BL Film Restart After Comeback Home, Furukawa Yuki excels in his role as a god full of regrets. He presides over the entire series in a quietly arrogant manner, imparting words of random wisdom when least expected.
And then he takes center stage, not only stealing the show but offering a deep look at the effect societal judgment can have on anyone, even a god.
Love is love. This is the message that Kami-sama no Ekohiiki spreads, and it does it in a way that stays with you long after the final episode ends.
If you are looking for a drama that offers more than just romance, then this is certainly one you don’t want to miss. Check it out on Hulu Japan. For English subs, please follow fansubber Furritsubs.
Rating- 4.5 out of 5
Krishna’s Sidenote-
☆ Adorable pictures shared by the main leads on their Instagram
The BL Xpress 