Therapy Game – Series Review & Episode Guide

Minato is a freelance photographer who's pretty jaded about love. He has a tight relationship with his older brother, Itsuki. Things get awkward when Itsuki introduces his new boyfriend, Shohei. Even though Shohei swears he's serious about this relationship, Minato just gives him the cold shoulder. He has never liked any of Itsuki's partners in the past, and Shohei is no exception. Minato is annoyed because he thinks Itsuki will stop paying attention to him and focus everything on his love life instead.

Elsewhere, Shizuma is a vet student who's in a slump after a brutal breakup. His girlfriend, Yuka, fell for someone else while they were still together. That betrayal really wrecked him, and he's having a hard time moving on. His friends, Tatsumi and Chikazawa, decide they've seen enough of him moping around. They drag him out to a bar, hoping some drinks will help Shizuma snap out of it and feel a little better.

Minato heads to his usual spot, a bar run by Mama and a crew of proud LGBTQ+ staff. While he's there venting about Itsuki and Shohei, the staff tells him he needs to get over his brother complex. Shizuma is sitting next to him, eavesdropping on the whole conversation. He shows Minato some sympathy. Since Shizuma has a younger brother of his own, he gets where Minato is coming from. As they keep talking, Shizuma starts getting all touchy-feely with Minato, who thinks they're flirting with each other.

Shizuma showed up at the bar with his friends, but Tatsumi and Chikazawa end up ditching him to go somewhere else. By the end of the night, Shizuma is pretty wasted, and Minato starts getting worried about him. He decides to take Shizuma to a nearby love motel since it's the most convenient place. Once they get to the room, a very drunk Shizuma starts getting physical and goes in for a kiss. Minato tries to resist at first, but he eventually gives in to the advances. They end up spending the night together.

The next day, Shizuma wakes up in bed with the guy from the bar, but he's totally confused and can't remember a thing. Minato is still feeling playful and tries to keep flirting like they did the night before. He even teases Shizuma and ties him up, thinking it'll turn into a sexy game. Shizuma just panics and kicks Minato to get away. Minato is deeply offended by Shizuma's hostility, and they end up leaving on bad terms. Shizuma forgets his ID in the room, leaving Minato wondering whether he should see the guy again to return it.

Early on, Therapy Game doesn't leave a great impression because of how the characters meet. One guy is totally wasted at a bar, the other takes him to a love hotel, and the consent gets blurry after that. The next day, they have an ugly confrontation. Minato ties up his partner and tries to undress him, while Shizuma is physically fighting to get away. I finished the first episode with a heavy sigh and a bad taste in my mouth. Unfortunately, this story's introduction has too many problematic BL tropes for my liking.

After a rocky start, Minato and Shizuma try to fix their relationship. By Episode 3, they spend a whole day at a theme park. Yeah, they have a jolly old time together. I enjoy the cheerful vibes and seeing the couple get along better. But then, Shizuma drops the "I love you" bomb. His confession seems shockingly premature. Sure, you went on some rides together, but is your connection that deep? For Shizuma to go from "I don't remember sleeping with you" to "I'm in love with you" after a few hours of fun feels like a massive leap. At this point, they still barely know each other. Sorry, I'm not sold on the romance just yet.

As Minato and Shizuma spend more time together, my feelings have mellowed. I didn't like them initially. Now, they don't bother me. For all the commotion they caused at the start, the couple stays out of trouble. Even when Minato gets caught up in some messy drama, it never escalates. The romance is inoffensive enough that the bad taste in my mouth fades away. Most scenes portray them as an ordinary dating couple, and they even share a few sweet moments. Shizuma may have rushed the confession, but I'm finally at a point where I agree they're falling in love.

This series has some boring parts. The storylines are unoriginal and seem a bit clichéd. Shizuma is a nice guy, but not very memorable. Aside from working with animals, his life is just really ordinary. He's basically the vanilla flavour of BL leads. Minato is the one who brings all the personality and the spark to the relationship. Even the couple's sex scenes feel a little bland and lack the chemistry to keep me interested. With that said, I do like how sex is a regular part of their lives. The series treats physical intimacy like it's just as important as their emotional bond.

Although Minato's actor (Naoya Kida) tries his best, his performance is lacklustre. His character needed more edge, more charisma, and more of everything, but it felt like he was holding back. I wanted him to turn up the intensity and unleash his fierceness. Sadly, his co-star (Yuki Tomita) doesn't stand out either. Shizuma is already a plain character, and the performer doesn't do much to make him interesting. As for the secondary couple, they aren't given enough screentime to shine. I did like seeing Itsuki's actor (Ryuga Sato) with longer hair. It's a good look for him!

The therapy part of the BL drama comes near the end. Minato reveals a shockingly traumatic backstory that explains why he's so cynical about love. With Shizuma by his side, Minato heals from his childhood trauma. While the plot sounds meaningful on paper, it isn't exactly riveting to watch. The energy drops off during those last few episodes. Overall, the series moves past a bad first impression. I liked it more than I did at the start, but I still don't feel strongly about the characters or the romance. For me, Therapy Game seems like just another mediocre love story.