Join Our Newsletter
  • Visit Our Store
  • Come Write for J-List!
J-List Blog
Visit J-List - Your Favorite Online Shop and Friend in Japan
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan
No Result
View All Result
J-List Blog
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan
No Result
View All Result
J-List Blog
No Result
View All Result

Sasaki to Miyano – A Boys Love Anime Review

Calw Walker by Calw Walker
1 year ago
in Featured

When Sasaki to Miyano was first announced back in November 2020, it was exciting to see a new Boys Love (BL) TV anime in the works since there had been a dry spell for the genre ever since 2020 ended. We reviewed the first volume of the manga when it was released and concluded that it wasn’t too exciting, but had the potential to make a good series, depending on narrative choices.

Now, over a year later we see the first season come to a close, and… our opinion couldn’t be any worse than it is now.

Sasaki to Miyano is about a shy fudanshi (a boy who enjoys boy’s love manga) and his confident, friendly, and somewhat hot-headed senpai. In teasing Miyano for his feminine face, Sasaki warrants a few comments that quickly establish he had no idea about BL or doujinshi. Maybe if he shopped at J-List he’d be less of an airhead in that regard.

Sasaki To Miyano Book Loan

Regardless, Sasaki randomly asks Miyano to loan him a manga to have something to read during his downtime, and on a whim Miyano throws whatever BL manga he has on him, thinking he’ll get it back the following day in disgust. To his surprise, Sasaki returns it with a smile and asks to borrow the next volume Miyano has. The story continues with meetings on stairwells and around hallway corners to exchange BL manga and compare titles. The whole joke of the series is that they are BL fans unaware that they are the stars of their own BL story… and then the series does absolutely nothing new and enticing with this.

Every overdone trope is still there from the generic “what is this feeling” line to the “but he’s a guy” panic without doing anything new, different, or at least comically remixed. The joke runs stale after three and a half episodes, and Sasaki and Miyano’s chemistry feels flat and disengaging for almost the entire series. Most scenes, in the beginning, are Miyano rambling about various BL manga titles while Sasaki’s thoughts cloud over everything, questioning his feelings while fawning over how cute Miyano’s face is.

Sasaki To Miyano Hallway

It isn’t until about halfway through the series when they start to show more of themselves than just liking manga, but it’s to a minimal degree that only offers surface-level relatability. Most of the time, Miyano acts so surprised to see Sasaki standing up against all of the two people who harass him for being a fudanshi or for being so relaxed and making an effort to learn about his interests (BL manga is seemingly the only thing Miyano cares about).

Sasaki to Miyano does have moments where it is wholesome and cute, such as when Sasaki comes down with a cold and Miyano takes care of him. However, most of the golden moments come from both characters’ respective friend circles. Funnily enough, most of Miyano’s friends get better development. They have more realistic dialogue and interactions that reads like a real friendship than Miyano does with his love interest for 80% of the series.

Sasaki To Miyano Sleeping

Episode five heats things up when Sasaki confesses his feelings for Miyano and they start d-IVING into the longest, most drawn-out arc of Miyano questioning his feelings, sexuality, and relation with his senpai. Cue the “I’m a virgin still! What do I do about sex” panic attack. Funny that such a moment even happens with a character whose entire free time is spent reading erotic manga. After 100+ books I’d imagine you’ve at least understood sex to a minuscule degree, but apparently not.

Of all 12 episodes, it really feels like only five or six can’t be missed. Most scenarios feel like they are implemented to stall scenes of any real relevance for as long as possible. Even funnier is that the characters are constantly aware and make note of the passage of time. The series clocks out with Miyano taking over six months before finally returning Sasaki’s feelings in the final episode.

Sasaki To Miyano Finale

By the end of the series, twelve episodes feel like a chore to get through. If you made it to the end it was either because you were painfully desperate for something to watch or you actually enjoy anime designed for people who think ketchup is too spicy.

On a more positive note, it was nice to see a series that didn’t pull from a lot of creepier and darker tropes that result in piles of uninspired colorless tragedy-porn. Still, Sasaki to Miyano is just as soulless, but with brighter colors and slightly more comedic cross-dressing.

Nevertheless, Sasaki to Miyano has received worldwide popularity, in Japan especially, and a new anime was announced to have been greenlit at the end of season one. Needless to say, we will probably be skipping it.

Sasaki To Miyano New Anime Announced

Tags: Animeboy's lovereviewSasaki and MiyanoSasaki to Miyanoyaoi

More Posts Like This

TenPuru Episode 11 Yuzuki Maid Cleavage FC
Featured

TenPuru, Ep 11: Maid Service Means Serve the Maid?

by joeschmo1of3
3 days ago

Akemitsu massages Yuzuki to prove how tired she is. Tsukuyo struggles with her attraction to Akemitsu. Episode 11 — “The...

Rurouni Kenshin Review Episode 11 11
Featured

Can Rurouni Kenshin’s Kenshingumi Defeat the Oniwabanshu?

by Justin James
3 days ago

Kenshingumi has barely gotten started after Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Yahiko tear through a small army just to get to Kanryu's...

Anime Maids May10 2023 3

Anime Oni Girls Who Might Let You Grab Their Horns

5 days ago
My Tiny Senpai Episode 9 Shinozaki In Shiori's Chest

My Tiny Senpai, Episode 9: Smol Sticky Situation!

1 week ago
TenPuru Episode 10 Kagura Tempts Akemitsu Feature Crop

TenPuru, Episode 10: Legs in the Dark Up to No Good!

1 week ago
Infinity Ark Interview Constancy Roa1 4

InfinityArk On Constancy Roa: Indie 90s Anime Tribute

1 week ago
Next Post
Birdie Wing Golf Girls' Story Episode 4 Vipere Captures Eve

Golf Girl Bites Back in BIRDIE WING, Episode 4

Trending Today

Summer Heat Anime Fan Service
Your Friend in Japan

Summer Heat! What Were the Best Fan Service Moments This Season?

3 days ago
Neko Pako Fuck Paradise
Featured

J-List’s Top 11 Hentai Cosplay JAV Works

3 years ago
16bit Sensation Another Layer PV1 20
News

16bit Sensation, Heir to World God Only Knows, to Air

19 hours ago
Real The Real Hip Toy Blog Post
Your Friend in Japan

New ‘REAL The REAL’ Hip Toy Lets You Smack That Booty

2 years ago
Get the Newest Figures from J-List - Your Favorite Online Shop and Friend in Japan
Summer Heat Anime Fan Service
Your Friend in Japan

Summer Heat! What Were the Best Fan Service Moments This Season?

by Peter Payne
September 17, 2023

Villainess Level 99 Dark Otome Isekai Life

Why Is Tokyo Disneyland the Best Theme Park?

New AI App Lets You Talk to Saya from Saya no Uta!

Silver Link Unveils More Tearmoon Empire

Legend of Dragoon — Sony Japan’s Ambitious RPG

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Discord
  • YouTube

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.