While Western viewers are more acquainted with gay representation in Western media, Asia also has its fair share of gay portrayals in the Asian BL and Japanese yaoi genres. While mistakenly viewed by some as explicit, there are some BL titles that are more on the sweet side, and I Cannot Reach You is one of them. The show might go through the typical childhood best friends to lovers plotline, in overly soft lighting and too many flashbacks, but the cheesy approach can come across as charming to romance fans, as Yamato and Kakeru go through the classic coming-of-age moments other straight teen romances have. The romance isn’t particularly deep, but viewers wanting something easy and lighthearted to explore the genre might appreciate this live action adaptation of the widely popular BL manga.

Anyone familiar with high school romances will find all the standard tropes in I Cannot Reach You. With the premise alone, there’s childhood best friends, contrasting personalities, and hiding feelings, but even the show’s specific plot points bring back certain classic childhood moments like sharing snacks and going to the arcade. This makes the show a bit generic, on top of the overreliance on flashbacks. However, the show still feels fresh because instead of the conflict coming from outside forces, like parents or discrimination, it comes mainly from the couple themselves, as Yamato tries to build up the courage to express himself, while Kakeru tries to figure out his own feelings. I Cannot Reach You might do this with too much bokeh lighting, but it’s still sweet and fluffy enough to enjoy, especially for viewers new to BL.