Review of Sasaki and Miyano

While I am a huge fan of romance anime, this show marks my first foiree into the bl subgenre. I don't usually post reviews like this, but this show has been living rent-free in my head since I finished it three days ago - and it's all because of one scene. Spoilers for the 12th episode ahead. Usually slow-burn, "will-they-won't-they" plots aren't really my thing. I've seen enough romance anime in my life that I've grown pretty tired of them. I won't lie, I almost dropped Sasaki to Miyano halfway through for this exact reason. I ended up finishing it, and I'm glad I did -because Miyano's confession scene in episode 12 is so good, it redeemed the entire show for me.

The shot composition and lighting in the scene is near perfection. The sunset-bathed scene sets the tone perfectly, and watching the swaths of color slowly shift from yellow to orange to a soft pink is breathtaking. Not actually showing the kiss, but pulling away to that wide shot under the gazebo perfectly captures the intimacy of the moment - this also happens to be the best use of the "geometric shapes" visual motif present throughout the show.

The writing in this scene is also standout. Their lines are sweet without stumbling into mushy or saccharine territory - but most importantly, the lines are all 100% believable and totally character appropriate. Even in the "Big Romantic Scene," both Sasaki and Miyano are still talking like themselves. But the writing is only half the work here: the lines are delivered with the perfect amount of sincerity and heart from both the Japanese and English voice actors. What I like most about the writing in this scene, though, is how sparse it is. The scene is given the time that it needs to breathe and feel truly organic.

Lastly, and in my opinion most importantly, is the music. I'm a musician by trade, so I tend to value shows with great osts. That being said, I've often found that the thing that makes or breaks a show is not so much the quality of the music, but how the director decides to use it (take Digimon for example. STELLAR ost. Horrible placement). All things considered, the ost for Sasaki and Miyano is completely fine. I do give props to the composer (the phenomenal Kana Shibue) for weaving a couple of themes and motifs throughout the soundtrack.

But the way that the music is used in this confession scene is a masterclass in romance directing. The soft, solo piano rendition of the show's theme gives the whole scene an air of sentimentality. Sonically, it's the same as the color wash from the sunset - it bathes the entire scene in this glow that's hard to look away from. The writing being as sparse and organic as it is really allows the music to carry the emotional weight of the scene - and it pays off in big ways. I get chills every time I revisit the kiss perfectly-timed to the most impactful moment of the music.

TL;DR - This one scene in a bl anime made me, a straight man, feel a lot of emotions. More so than most romance media I've watched. Anyone looking to write or direct romance in any medium should be taking notes.