On the first day of December Kira sent to me... "a problematic ship in a series"

Okay, indulge me.

I've been wanting to rant about and review some of the stuff I've been watching and following, so since it's the countdown to my Bday, I decided to do just that on this blog.

Yes, I have a fandom blog, too but that one's really specific and I will also update with stuff but I want to talk about some different fandoms and things here. Feel free to skip over these blog posts if you're not interested or if they bore you but just this, while I'll be talking about fandom stuff, I will also be talking about more general issues in these posts as the fandoms lend themselves to those.

Ah, since ALL fandoms would be too much, this will focus on Japanese and Thai BL stuff mostly. Some of the series mentioned might be explicitly labelled BL, others might not.

...ugh I wanted to have this post up on December 1st (hence the title) but since life got in the way it'll be going up later. Wanted to keep the title though so again, bear with me.

Alright, here we go.

I'm going to talk a bit about Mame's epic BL universe today. This will mostly consist of Love By Chance (henceforth LBC), A Chance To Love (ACTL) and Tharn Type The Series (TTTS) Season 1.

 

Characters:

Ae

 Season 1 Ae vs Season 2 Ae.

Visually, Season 2 Ae because I like Perth with longer hair >>;

Story wise I prefer Season 1 for him because in Season 2 it's basically "AEMOTIONAL" moping for the first half of the series and then he's just... thrown in there for no really good reason other than probably being popular and having a contract. Since there was the whole re-set of TinCan the timelines and story get pretty jumbled up so it's... confusing.

I mean, I enjoyed Ae and Pond's interactions (and hello, Ae owning a motorcycle instead of his shabby mama-chari now) but to be brutally honest, Season 2 would have been fine without him. ^^; Storywise at least. But since he and Pete were the main couple from Season 1, you gotta keep at least one half of the couple in it for popularity reasons (getting fans to watch) I guess.

Pete

 

Only appears in one season, so there goes that.

Considering it was Saint's acting debut, I think he did a great job - although watching him now and seeing how much he has grown ever since is even more fascinating and praise worthy.

 

Can

 Considering Season 2 was a reset for the couple and characters...

I kind of prefer Season 2 Can because I think Plan settled into the character more in Season 2 and his acting wasn't as stiff as it was in Season 1 either. He had time to grow and it shows.

There was also a bit more depth to his character in Season 2, not surprisingly because he got more screentime and focus. He was still very distinctly Can, though.

Tin

He gets the happier end in Season 2. I also kind of like the idea that he isn't as much of a douchebag in Season 2 as he is in Season 1. I heard some people were unhappy about how Mean portrayed Tin in Season 2 but I think t was an improvement from Season 1. Season 1 Tin was unpleasant and douchey and even though he changed in the end because of his relationship with Can, he was still kind of 'eeh' for me then. I enjoyed him in Season 2 and I think the story and interactions with Tul, Hin, Phu and his dad were well done as well. I think Season 2 showed the different sides of Tin's character better and gave him more depth. Again, probably the result of getting the focus this time around.

Techno

I really enjoy both versions of Techno but man their takes on the character couldn't be more different.

Gun's Techno is definitely a way more goodlooking version of Techno than the novel intended lol He is also more confiden and assertive in terms of aura in my opinion. He isn't as much of a dumbass pushover as he is in the novel as well. Nevertheless, he keeps the main traits of Techno: a good friend, caring, a bit of a pushover, kind of slow on the uptake, clumsy... but also gentle, vulnerable and easily flustered.

Mild's Techno is probably closer to the one in the novels. Not super goodlooking (sorry Mild), a blabbermouth and gossip, a pushover, kind of dumb... but optimistic, positive and friendly and overall hilarious. A meddling and yet very deeply supportive friend.

The only reason I would choose Gun over Mild for Techno is with regards to shipping. I just can't see Mild with Mark, seeing that Mark is also the actor for Kengkla in TTTS (at least in Season 1).

Kengkla

What happened to Kengkla in the TV series is basically what happened to Draco Malfoy in the HP movies. Fanon and Canon diverged a lot thanks to the actors.

I would probably dislike if not hate novel Kengkla because from what I've seen so far, he is pretty damn douchey in those (though I blame some of that on the terrible translations). I mean, I don't mnd being a cunning trickster but some of the things he did in canon are pretty damn cringey.

The way it's portrayed or shown in the series seems softer. And while he ultimately still screws up (ha, screws) I think the way he changes from Season 1 to Season 2 is nice. While he has a big ego and all that in Season 1, I think he really mellowed out in Season 2. I liked that development a lot. And I think Mark said as well that you don't really see the kind of Kengkla we saw in Season 2 in any of the original works.

So yeah, I really like Kengkla (the way I also like Draco...) because of the way Mark portrays him and because he and Gun have such great chemistry together.

Tum

I am gonna get hit for this but I do prefer the guy with the terrible nickname for this one (really Hither, your name LOOKS SO WRONG when you look at it... and I kinda tweaked it to not risk it too much). To be honest, acting wise there is still room for improvement but hey.

Tar

Earth. Hands down Earth. This might just be personal preference just like with Tum...but I think Earth is both better suited for the character and also protrays him better on an emotional level? It's hard to describe. But yeah if the description in canon is "angelic, young, pretty boy" I'd go for Earth and not Kokliang. I guess this is really just my personal preference. Kokliang just kind of looks too old?

Tul

Meen! Definitely Meen in Season 2. Not only because he's younger and better looking but also because of how he and Mean (yeah I will never get over Meen and Mean as brothers) actually kind of resemble each other a bit - enough to be half-brothers? Like, I feel like they have a family resemblance somehow. And the way they act and behave is also more 'natural' in a way.

Tul gets more story in Season 2 of course and I enjoyed that story. And his interactions with Tin and Hin and Phu... and man Vadee is pretty, too but I'm drifting off.

Hin

Est is a great new addition to the cast. I really enjoyed the little screen time he had and the story he got. His chemistry with Meen is good and I hope to see more of the 'baby shark' in dramas in the future?

Tharn

There is only one. Mew is Tharn and Tharn is Mew? I mean, yeah, he diverges from canon Tharn visually but at this point there is literally no one else in existence who would be able to be Tharn. They are one and the same now lol Although not really. But yeah Mew pretty much owns Tharn.

Type

Yeah Gulf. I mean Earth's Tharn-less Type was okay and I guess he fit the character but let's face it, there is no one else who can be Type but Gulf. Probably because there is no one else who can be Tharn but Mew and Mew and Gulf must be together.

Technic

I prefer Kris as Technic (pictured on the right in the picture with two people in it). Funnily enough, Kris' Technic resembles Mild's Techno a lot more in terms of character (esp. the way they speak is very similar!!). Also Kris looks a lot younger. Kenji is kind of...  wouldn't believe him if he told me he was still a high schooler lol (this is what Japanese people call 'ossan face'... sorry Kenji). 

 

Champ

I loved Seaon 2 Champ even though he got like what 2 minutes of screen time in total?

Boat's Champ, just like Mild's Techno, is just a different category. Him and Khun now are great together in Season 2. And well, considering Boat's Champ is a lot more prominent in TTTS than Champ is in LBC or ACTL, he of course gets more character development and thus charactr depth there.

Ships:

LBC

Ae / Pete

In terms of ships, Ae/Pete would probably be pretty healthy and pure? Neither of them does anything that would be considered questionable or bad, although Ae not being able to get over things for 3 years in canon is pretty uh let's say impressive. Judging by what we see in the series of the two, I would say this is an unproblematic ship (they have enough problems outside of their ship...ahaha).

 

Tin / Can

I can't say I enjoyed them too much in Season 1 to be honest. I'm kind of glad they re-set the ship in Season 2 to give them a fresh start and a chance to build their characters.

As their Season 1 ship... I think this ship might be kind of problematic. There are things tha Tin does that are pretty sketchy and he is pretty douchey in Season 1 as well, which might be why I didn't quite like it.

 

Kengkla / Techno (KlaNo)

The most problematic ship of all problematic ships. Canon KlaNo is just a giant ... MESS. And like, I wonder how this became mainstream and all but then again I've read some pretty dubious manga, so I can't really say anything here. It seems like a trope that some people enjoy. To be brutally honest, I enjoyed SOME parts of it but other parts made me cringe really really REALLY badly. Which is why I wrote a fix-it-fic to make this pair healthier because I do love their characters and actors...

To be fair, if you disregard what happened in episode 14, the ship isn't so bad. It's the gaslighting, guilt tripping and well, taking advantage of a drunk person that makes it bad and extremely problematic.

I am purposely using the epxression "taking advantage of a drunk person" because while some people like to throw around the R word, canon makes it seem slightly less, uh well, disgusting, I guess. Both the drama and the novels show that Techno enjoyed it and asked for more. This doesn't get rid of the big problem of consent and of what happened after but makes the act slightly less (slightly) bad?

Like in episode 14, Techno is dead drunk but when Kengkla kisses him he pulls Kengkla closer and kisses him back and then in Season 2 Techno does admit that it felt good that night (he initially couldn't remember a thing but clearly some memories came back to him at some point).

 

Tum / Tar

Aah the good old stepbrothers trope. Did not enjoy this ship to be honest. Neither in LBC nor in TTTS. The only good thing was Earth's acting in this. I also enjoyed Tar and Type's interactions in LBC and their kind of mutual understanding an comraderie considering what happened to them in the past.

Tum in LBC is pretty terrible, though. ~_~ So yeah this gets a problematic stamp. I mean, yes, Tum's character has some serious anger management problem and his protectiveness overshoots in all the wrong places but he went too far in LBC in my opinion. That scene before Tar spills the beans is just...painful.

Tharn / Type

They're mentioned here and there in LBC but since there was no actor for Tharn, I guess we can't really consider this a ship in this series.

ACTL

Tin / Can

As mentioned above, so much better than in Season 1. We get more character development and story for them and it makes it more interesting to follow them. They also get a happy end, so since I'm a sucker for happy ends, that's good. They're also less problematic in this season, although Can's tendency to go around and punch people might be a BIT of a problem?

 

(Ae / Pete)

#AEMOTIONAL

Spoiler alert, this ship does get a happy end at the end of Season 2 but other than that they are pretty much not really there in this season, so while Ae moping around or just being there for almost no reason might be a 'problem' for some, the ship itself is not problematic.

The only problematic thing might be Ae's self-destruction in the beginning where he drowns his sorrow in alcohol and even starts smoking as a coping mechanism.
 

Tul / Hin

I enjoyed this ship more than I thought I would. They didn't get much story time, compared to some of the other ships but the scenes they did have were good. There are some elements some people might consider a little unhealthy in a relationship (at least in their past depicted relationship) but I think in the one that they have moving forward, things are okay and will be okay. And hey gay dads!!!

Kengkla / Techno (KlaNo)

 

I really think Techno and Kengkla had a good character development in Season 2, although I wish we could have SEEN more of it. I liked the contrast of Techno's silly scenes vs the ones where he is in inner turmoil and is trying to deal with what happened and with his feelings for Kengkla.

On the other side, Kengkla showed a different side of himself as well, one that was more caring and honest and 10000% less douchey than the novel one.

Season 2 is basically Kengkla literally doing the "senpai notice me!!' for 12 episodes. While Kengkla's methods are still a bit pushy, there is a bit of lovable clumsiness to them in this season. He is persistent and sometimes insistent but he is not outright forcing Techno.

Especially in the end, he lets Techno make the decision. Techno is also a bit more assertive here, a bit more in control. Especially in episode 13, where he tells Kengkla to back off and scolds him a bit but then ultimately has a soft spot for the younger male.

 

This couple also gets a happy end here. And again, Kengkla is more proactive and everything but Techno is not the extreme pushover he is in the novels. He tells Kengkla off and does not immediately give in. And then he is the one who sort of initiates things in the end - although Kengkla is the more active and enthusiastic one of course. But the way they ended felt like their relationship could get healthy from here on out instead of the toxic mess that it was in the novels...

 

Tum / Keen

The ship that just hit everyone out of the blue and sank Tum/Tar for good. I liked it. I liked Keen (especially his "Aow??" in the scene in episode 13). And I think this will be a good pair.

Can't say anything about how this relationship will be, considering we saw almost nothing of it.

TTTS

Tharn / Type

Well, at this point, is there a more iconic couple in Thai BL? lol Both on and off screen. (I mean yes, there were others in the past but I'm talking about these days).

Nevertheless, I don't think Tharn and Type are not problematic. The beginning of their relationship is eyebrow raise worthy and more. I mean, there are interesting aspects but also aspects that I think could have been worked out a little bit differently - or well, not glossed over unless it worked for the plot.

I am referring to Type's past and then how Tharn approached him. I mean, inititally it was okay becaus Type was being a shithead and Tharn retaliated. But then after he heard from Type about what happened... I had a few momens of doubt about the consensuality of that shower scene.

Also, note how Tharn's "prank" is kind of exactly what Kengkla did to Techo? Type wakes up with Tharn in bed, Tharn is topless, Type's shirt is pulled off and he has HICKEYS... and Tharn tells Type that he drunkenly crawled into his bed. Type is shocked out of his mind and it goes deeper than just his anger... because of his past. Something Tharn couldn't have known but... that scene kind of shows how Mame is glossing things over in her works. To put it lightly. Saying how it's okay for a relationship to start with something like that. Even if it was meant in jest - or with ulterior motives.

[One of the reasons why in my head, while Kengkla might not be able to get along with Type because their intellect clashes, Kengkla and Tharn might see eye to eye sometimes... they're also both cheesy romantics, so I think they'd make good friends lol]

Another thing I think of as pretty problematic but in a different sense is Type's lack of anger management. It is part of his character development but I'm wincing in some scenes because it's a bit leaning toards DV. Which gets talked about a bit in the series luckily so it doesn't get the stamp of complete disapproval.

Tum / Tar 

This wasn't as strong as it was in LBC, so I didn't mind it and if you didn't know better, you can just see it at Tum being a really overprotective brother (I mean *looks at Thorn*). There is no underlying romantic tone here in my opinion. So while the base material has them together - which is kind of okay because they're not related by blood but still weird because uh family I guess - if you are no aware of that fact, this relationship is not on the problematic end of the scale here. I think.

Seo / Khlui

Man I do hope we get more of them in Season 2. I love them XD

Sorry, that's all I can say about them because they are not actually together (yet).

Okay thanks for indulging me.