Review of given

I wouldn't think of this show in terms of being "BL;" it's a romance that happens to be between two guys, one that I wouldn't put on the same level as the more tropey "shounen-ai" or "yaoi" categories. The romance is very natural and healthy, but beyond that: this show is so much more than its romance. It hit very close to home to me so perhaps my review is excessively biased, but as someone who lost a very close friend recently it was almost cathartic in being able to relate so much to a character and song lyrics and the show immediately shot up toone of my Top 3. Given portrays a very moving and visceral experience of grief. Everything about the show just seemed so well done to me; no excessive tropes, (mostly) realistic depictions of music, grief, and romance, and though the plot is seemingly simple it still had its complexities and quirks that made it feel like more. The show is a work of art, balancing comedy with tragedy with beauty, and I highly recommend it to all.