10 Things I Want to Do Before I Turn 40 – Series Review & Episode Guide

Suzume Tojo is a 39-year-old bachelor who lives alone. He works as a team leader in his company's department. With a soft-spoken demeanour and friendly personality, he earns the respect of his subordinates. Yet, he rarely socializes outside work or shares much about his personal life. At home, Suzume enjoys collecting cute items, especially animal plush dolls. His favourite is Suzuko, a round sparrow doll with a pink ribbon that sits on his sofa. Suzume even imagines having conversations with her.

As his 40th birthday approaches, Suzume feels unfulfilled. After spending many birthdays alone, the solitude weighs on him. While watching a TV program, he's inspired to create a bucket list. One evening, he stays at the office and types out a list of random goals to complete before turning 40. Some are small, like hosting a takoyaki party, eating an ice cream parfait, change his fashion, visit the ocean park, or buying a custom-made pillow. These may seem like simple pleasures, but for Suzume, they feel surprisingly difficult to achieve at his age.

Suzume continues adding to his list. He wants to enjoy a delicious personalized meal at a café. Then, he pauses before typing something more personal. Suzume wishes to find a companion to fall in love with. For his final goal, he wants to be kissed and touched by someone before his 40th birthday. Suzume blushes as he writes down his deepest desires. Suddenly, his subordinate Keishi appears, catching him off guard. Suzume quickly hides the list. Feeling flustered, he accepts Keishi's invitation to join the team for after-work drinks.

During the drinking party, Suzume's love life becomes the topic of conversation. His coworkers urge him to try dating apps and ask about his ideal type of woman. Keishi notices his discomfort and quickly changes the subject. Later that night, Suzume checks out the dating apps. Instead of searching for women, he finds himself drawn to gay apps. His first date with a man ends in disaster. Overcome with nerves, he panics and leaves before introducing himself. Afterwards, Suzume looks at his bucket list and thinks finding a companion might be impossible.

As Suzume reflects on his bucket list, Keishi interrupts him again. This time, Keishi secretly takes a screenshot of Suzume's laptop screen with his phone. Shocked, Suzume demands that he delete the photo, but Keishi refuses. He reads through the list instead. Then, Keishi confesses that he likes men too, just like Suzume. He gently embraces his boss and offers to be his companion. Keishi wants to help Suzume complete each goal on the list, one by one.

10 Things I Want to Do Before I Turn 40 started with so much potential. I loved the idea behind the story, following a lonely protagonist who creates a bucket list in his late 30s. Many goals are simple, yet he feels too shy and anxious to achieve them. His age adds to the psychological barrier. The early episodes are charming because they portray his journey of building self-confidence. With each completed goal, he begins to believe in himself more. I enjoy watching his inspiring character growth throughout the series.

Despite the meaningful premise, 10 Things I Want to Do Before I Turn 40 loses my interest over time. The story doesn't explore its themes deeply enough, which is disappointing. I wanted to understand Suzume better. Why does he feel unfulfilled? What are his insecurities? Instead of adding new layers to the main character, the series approaches his journey superficially. After completing a few goals on the bucket list, the rest of Suzume's experiences are roughly the same. It reaches a point where the later episodes feel like filler. I get bored because the plot is too simple without trying harder to be more complex.

Suzume is a sweet protagonist. I have a soft spot for his gentle nature and kind heart. Unfortunately, his love interest sucks. Keishi instantly turns me off after taking a screenshot of Suzume's bucket list and invading his privacy. In Episode 2, Keishi makes an odd comment about peering down women's tops, because apparently not doing so makes you "gay". I also don't like how Keishi hijacks Suzume's bucket list and inserts himself into someone else's personal journey. My opinion of Keishi quickly soured. He comes across as a weirdo who doesn't respect boundaries.

Episode after episode, I remained critical of Keishi. Any character development wasn't enough to erase my first impression of him as the sleazy office creep. My dislike of Keishi stopped me from shipping him with Suzume. They seem utterly mismatched. Personality-wise, the couple has little in common. Are these two only together because they're both gay? Chemistry-wise, there's no spark. While their age difference doesn't bother me, the boss-employee dynamic is icky. Worst of all, I feel bored during their relationship scenes. This slow-burn love story is a snoozefest!

Sadly, nothing could make me care about this dull couple. Even though the series has beautiful visuals, I was immune to the romantic atmosphere. Despite all the pretty lights and pastel colours, my heart remains unswayed. Likewise, the acting didn't change my mind. Suzume's performer (Shunsuke Kazama) captures his character's warm aura and slightly nervous energy. His co-star (Kohei Shoji) serves as handsome eye candy, especially when strutting around in a sharp business suit. Even with their looks and talent, neither actor makes me feel invested in the relationship.

10 Things I Want to Do Before I Turn 40 goes downhill in the later episodes. Suzume and Keishi decide to distance themselves, so the romance stalls instead of progressing. Fans want to see the couple grow closer, yet the series drags out their relationship drama until the end. Since I never liked this pair from the start, the last few episodes only deepened my apathy toward them. By the finale, the story has lost so much momentum that it can't win me back. Despite feeling so excited by the premise, its potential goes to waste in this underwhelming BL drama.