Sasaki and Miyano
Synopsis — from MyAnimeList
Yoshikazu Miyano's troubles first start one hot summer day when Shuumei Sasaki steps into his life. Sasaki saves Miyano's classmate from a group of bullies, and after that, Miyano cannot seem to shake off his eccentric upperclassman. His silent admiration for Sasaki gradually sours into annoyance each time the so-called delinquent refuses to leave him alone. Constantly being called by cute nicknames and having his boundaries ignored, Miyano wonders why Sasaki wants to get close to him. The shy and easily flustered Miyano harbors an embarrassing secret—he is a "fudanshi," a boy who likes boys' love (BL) manga. The last thing he wants is for other students to find out, but through a slip of the tongue, he reveals the truth to Sasaki. Intrigued, the clueless Sasaki asks to borrow a book to read, which he is given very reluctantly. To Miyano's surprise, Sasaki enjoys the BL that he receives and asks for more, marking a shift in their strange dynamic. Although Sasaki appears to possess some personal agenda, his feelings for Miyano become complicated the more time they spend together. As they now share a common interest, their relationship is poised to change and further develop.
Audience Consensus
Sasaki to Miyano is a polarizing show, with many praising its wholesome and healthy depiction of a same-sex romance, especially its subversion of common BL tropes. However, a significant portion of the audience finds the pacing too slow and repetitive, and criticizes the lack of depth in character development and plot progression.
Strengths
- Wholesome and innocent depiction of a same-sex relationship, praised for its lack of toxic tropes.
- Healthy portrayal of consent, boundaries, and emotional connection between the main characters.
- Characters are relatable and well-developed, with satisfying progression.
- Art and animation are generally considered good, with some specific praise for artistic direction.
- Self-aware narrative that cleverly references and subverts BL genre tropes.
Weaknesses
- Pacing is too slow and repetitive, with plot points feeling dragged out for a 12-episode run.
- Lack of character depth outside of the central romance for both protagonists and supporting cast.
- The 'fudanshi' angle and the inciting incident feel disconnected from the main plot.
- Animation can be jerky, stilted, or lacking, with overuse of visual effects to compensate.
- Some critiques suggest the portrayal of queer experiences isn't entirely grounded or realistic.