#silent 2022

[lurkingshan]

Hi Shan!

Help! I am looking for another Japanese drama to watch. However, my queue is only filled with BLs right now and I wanted to venture outside of the genre a bit. So my question is - do you have any favourite non-BL doramas to recommend? (Preferably not romance-oriented, but any genre will do)

Ooh, fun one. I do have a few I've seen that might be interesting to you, though honestly I do find that Japanese queer media is more to my taste than their more mainstream het stuff. Here are a few to try:

Koisenu Futari

Honestly on my hands and knees begging everyone to watch this fantastic drama about two people on the aroace spectrum who form a platonic bond and create their own kind of family.

Silent

This one has romance, but the narrative is not about romance. It's really about the process of coping with becoming disabled, the harm caused by abandoning your loved ones in a fit of noble idiocy, and the slow repairing of relationships. So good.

One Room Angel

An utterly beautiful show. Though it aired as part of Drama Shower, it's not actually a bl. This story is about healing from trauma and finding a reason to live. It’s also one of the most visually stunning shows of the last year.

She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat

Only just barely a romance, this is the female WDYEY and it's so precious. Two women develop a close bond and learn about themselves as they form a relationship around one cooking meals for the other.

Monster

This is a movie but I simply had to include it. I am not telling you anything about the plot, but it's excellent and a must watch for Japanese cinema fans, IMO.

Chugakusei Nikki

It wouldn't be a proper jdrama list without some taboo content! This is a serious, deep, thoughtful exploration of what happens when feelings develop between a teacher and student, and the fallout that comes with it. Probably the best treatment of this trope I have ever seen.

Rinko-san Wants to Try

This one is a romance with some classic tropes, but one I think does some really interesting things with gender dynamics and sex positivity. It's a fun watch!

If you end up liking any of these, let me know! A few of them might be tricky to track down, as well, so hmu if you’re having trouble finding anything and I’ll point you. I have a few more on my upcoming watchlist that may end up being future recs, as well.

[sakurasou]

"What are words for? Why were they born and why do they continue to exist? Why do several languages exist on this one planet? Just as I put my thoughts on words into writing in this way, depending on who I want it to reach, depending on those feelings, words can take on any form. I'm sure words are born so that we can connect with that someone at the other end of our feelings."

- Silent (2022)

[kanelune]

Itagaki Rihito in Silent as Aoba Hikaru (2022)

[rotblut]

I loved you, and that's why I didn't want us to meet. I wanted you to hate me. I wanted you to forget about me. Meguro Ren as Sakura Sou ➤ Ep. 01 SILENT (2022) dir. Kazama Hiroki

[myromancedramas]

SILENT (2022)

[stuff-diary]

Silent

TV Shows/Dramas watched in 2024

Silent (2022, Japan)

Directors: Hiroki Kazama & Mai Takano

Writer: Miku Ubukata

Mini-review:

In the 10+ years I've been a part of the J-drama fan community, very few shows have taken it by storm like Silent in Fall 2022. There was so much hype and buzz around it that it felt daunting to watch it, so I ended up putting it off time and time again. Now, I regret not starting it back then, cause it really is that good. All the characters and their relationships are beautifully complex, even if I have to admit I didn't always understand/agree with their decisions. Also, I loved that the writer put the focus on healthy communication, pretty much showing that it's the key to everything, no matter what shape it takes. The drama's reflections on society's perception of disabled people are also quite interesting, and most dramas would never dare to talk about this stuff so frankly. On top of that, Haruna Kawaguchi and Ren Meguro give two beautiful, nuanced and unforgettable performances, making the whole thing all the more special. And kudos to the drama's team for actually casting some deaf actors, even if they only play very minor roles. (Yes, that's not much, but it's really rare in Asian dramas, so it's a start). Anyway, I'm really glad this gorgeous show met my crazy-high expectations.

[amerain]

Don’t talk to me. No matter how hard you try, I won’t understand what you’re saying. Because I can’t hear you. Don’t look so happy when you talk. Don’t smile so happily. I found out I was ill right after graduating from high school. After that, my hearing got worse bit by bit. Three years ago, I could hardly hear anymore. Now you know why I didn’t answer your calls and why we broke up, right? I didn’t want to talk to you anymore. I wouldn’t be able to listen to music with you. I wouldn’t be able to hear your voice. To be with you despite knowing all of that  was so hard for me… because I liked you. That’s why I didn’t want to see you. I wanted you to hate me. I wanted you to forget me. You don’t understand what I’m saying, right? We can’t talk to each other anymore.

Be quiet. You’re too noisy.

[hyeoni-comb]

Togawa Minato: "You don't want to speak out, that's why you don't talk. Right? It's fine with me. Just choose whichever way you prefer. You see, I'm relying on a machine to chat with you like this. So it's all right for you to decide how you want to chat, too."