Love is a Poison, a Japanese series is based on an unconventional show between a lawyer and a conman. Ryomo Shiba, a lawyer is considered one with a cold soul and has been recently facing many issues in his career. Despite being good at his job, there have been some hurdles. It's the same time when Haruto, a con man, forcibly enters his life and tries to make himself established in the lawyer’s life. The way he gets involved is quite funny and is not the best way that I would've imagined or guessed a romance plot to start. Later on, their romance scenes too feel like a joke and though Haruto says he takes up various jobs as per Ryo’s necessities, he doesn't seem less than a pawn who's ready to sacrifice his life for his owner (literally and otherwise).
The first episode focuses on the same, about Haruto’s forcible entry and the subsequent episodes are about the couple (who're trying so hard) to grab their footing. Haruto tries to prove himself useful and even sabotages Ryo's relationship with his succulents. In various trials Ryo takes upon, Haruto proved instrumental in gaining crucial evidence. This is how the relationship starts and Ryo always had his doubts about Haruto but his wild imagination began in the first episode itself. I think that the writers wanted to make it a quick romance, however, in such a feat they messed up a lot of things including how no proper intimacy scenes were included. Where Shogo Hama was too rigid as Ryo, Katsumi Hyodo was too much giving as Haruto and they both didn't match each other's energy. The synchronicity and rhythm varied a lot making this a flop pair.
There are just six episodes in this Japanese series with a duration of 19 minutes each. Looking at how it had gay romance which was so poorly executed and fast-paced, the makers should learn from series of the same genre like Heartstopper. I didn't expect the show to be so devoid of any worthy plot. Though I've never been a fan of most of the Japanese series due to the acting style and dialogue delivery, this one served as an example of the same. The intensity the actors carry in this show appeared like they were more suited for a historical drama involving war scenes. Love may not be a poison but this series definitely is and it made me blind. I don't think that the international audience will like the show. Looking at how they had a sneak peek at the upcoming season, it's disappointing how shows like these are getting renewed while the worthy ones are facing a hard time. The short duration of the series might have gone in the favor if it had been binge-worthy but the cringe plot just adds to one of the reasons, the other lies in the nonexistent chemistry.
Final Score – [2/10]
Reviewed by - Riya Singh
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Publisher at Midgard Times