{Watch Party Wednesday #2} I Cannot Reach You: Episode 3
Hello, Internet, and good mornight to you all!
My name is Taffryne, shoppekeeper of Midnight on Memory Lane, and it is my absolute delight to welcome you back to Watch Party Wednesday!
'Tis a pleasure, 'tis a pleasure.
As the title of this post says, we're going to be talking about episode three of the Japanese BL drama, I Cannot Reach You (εγ«γ―ε±γγͺγ). I humbly present my thoughts for your enjoyment and consideration. Accordingly, please mind that there will be spoilers ahead!
MyDramaList Link: click here!
Disclaimer: I apologize if there are any crucial cultural notes or nuances that I misunderstand or fail to recognize. I, unfortunately, must trust the accuracy of the translated subtitles to represent the story and characters.
Trigger Warnings: Almost-Confession Interrupted, Angst, Pining, Discussions of Feelings
Episode 3
Recollection
- Kakeru and Yamato eat curry buns (2nd best to Pizza Buns/γγΆγΎγ) together
- Yamato's younger sister calls him out for his feelings about Kakeru and tells him to either confess or get over it
- Kakeru is still admist his feelings-for-best-friend panic
- Yamato gets upset after seeing Kakeru shopping at the mall alongside Akane (the girl)
- Yamato's almost-confession gets interrupted by Kakeru's family
- Hosaka, their friend, also calls out Yamato for his angsty feelings towards Kakeru
- Kakeru is confused and sad
- Yamato is angsty, upset, but finally honest with himself about his feelings
Something I want to acknowledge from this episode is just how grateful I am that none of these characters have had that true, and unfortunate, "b-but, he's a boy!" moment. I've not read the original manga series, so perhaps it's just an edit with the drama, but I really appreciate it. I think for a while it seemed like any BL series always had to have their gay-panic and feelings include a substantial amount of emphasizing that their emotions couldn't be legitimate purely because Boy x Boy isn't a thing. News Flash: it's 2026, it's very much was/is/will be a thing, I sincerely hope we put that trope in the past. It's just really nice to see all these characters go to Yamato and tell him "dude, get over it, just tell Kakeru you like him." Everyone from his sister to Hosaka who actually made fun of him are so bluntly telling Yamato to get his head out of his ass. It's fantastic.
Yamato's sister, especially, I think plays a really good "hard love/blunt" figure when it comes to Yamato's side of things. He clearly loves Kakeru and wants to be more than just friends, so he either needs to act on it and see what happens or he needs to move on. His angsty pining isn't healthy for him, Kakeru, or their friendship. I really respect how harsh-but-caringly she spelt it out for him. Could he be okay with Kakeru getting a girlfriend? Getting married? These are legitimately the conversations you have to have with yourself to keep your sanity and stop your own feelings from ruining you and those they're directed towards. Suffice to say, Mr. Drags You Away From Your Shopping Buddy is definitely not okay with that idea.
To specifically hark on the staircase scene (unsurprisingly not the first time a drama has giving me an...intense...scene involving a staircase), I just want to take a moment to talk about the framing of it. Yamato, as our hurting-angst boy, completely takes the charge of the scene and pulls Kakeru from the bright, busy mall center into a hidden and barely light staircase. Kakeru standing there still in full colour while Yamato is completely draped in shadow was just an impeccable use of blocking. I love environmental storytelling and storytelling through lighting. I love how when he's dragging Kakeru you can hear all the hustle and bustle of the mall but once they reach the staircase it goes quiet. They're so focused on each other we don't even really hear his phone buzz or ring. As their own emotoions build and as Yamato works closer to saying those words, the perspective of the camera is always looking in towards the staircase or towards the wall. It makes everything feel hidden and closed off. Then, when the two of them are interrupted at the height of their tension, the camera justs out far to look on from the mall center and their bubble of privacy is burst. Just...agh, it was so, so, so immersive to watch.
Yamato's reckoning with himself at the end was a really beautiful storm to see because, truthfully, the people around you will always be hit by your own circumstances (whether you recognize it or not). Your emotions you display, your actions, even just the way you present yourself all feeds into how they receive and respond in return. One of the most important parts of the memories that I deal with at the shoppe is specifically filling in all the background details with context like this. Kakeru, for all intents and purposes, hasn't slighted Yamato or done him harm (he didn't even get to explain to Yamato about why he was with Akane before Yamato cut him off). Everything has been in Yamato's head and him lashing out (in his own way) at Kakeru over it isn't cool. I really hope that now that he's honest with himself, he'll start making those steps to be honest with Kakeru too. As for Kakeru...honestly, I think the boy needs a bit more time in the panic oven before he'll level out his feelings.
To end off, I'd like to give a quick shoutout to Kakeru for reminding me of that one Seventeen meme with DK and rubbing his hands on the wall after putting them in the mystery box. It got a chuckle out of me for that.
I'd also like to give props to his teacher who is so passionate about giving Kakeru his makeup worksheets. Him popping up all jovial and yelling out γγγͺγ³γοΌγ like he's a carnival game announcer or referee always makes me crack a smile.
Episode 4 Preview
Ohhh, boy, the famous SCHOOL TRIP EPISODE. This will totally be a completely normal experience for these two. Hehe.
Delayed Posts for Whale Store xoxo and Idol I
Hello, it's me again, Taffy from the Office of Delays and Double-Features here at Midnight on Memory Lane. I most sincerely apologize, but due to certain offline circumstances, this weeks posts for Whale Store xoxo and Idol I will be delayed to next week and posted as double features. I'm really, really sorry and I'm working on refining the backend schedule to prevent these kind of delays. I absolutely do not want this to be a common thing as I grow this blog space for us. Thank you so much for your understanding.
Thanks for Reading!
I hope you've been able to watch and enjoy the story for yourself! If you haven't, that's okay too! My thoughts are here to keep you updated and entertained in the meantime.
This caps of this week's gathering for Watch Party Wednesday, so off into the nighttime we go in preparation for tomorrow! I hope you'll come back tomorrow for the next Tokusatsu Thursday! We'll be discussing episode two of Kamen Rider Kuga and Futari wa Pretty Cure.
May we meet again when the clock strikes 12:00!