Fake Fact Lips – Series Review

Zen Shido is a salesman at a large company and the top performer in Division #2 every single quarter. Despite his impressive numbers, he's competing against Ryo Yotsuya, the top salesman in Division #1. Ryo loves to brag about his bigger sales, which annoys Zen so much. Everyone at the office knows about their heated rivalry. These two bicker constantly, and it's not always about work. Sometimes, they'll settle things with an arm wrestling match just to prove a point.

You may not know it at first glance, but Zen and Ryo share a long personal history. They were friends and study buddies in high school. Even then, they couldn't resist competing over grades. After graduation, they lost touch and went to different universities. Then, by total coincidence, they ended up at the same company. Both guys picked up their rivalry right where they left off.

Their coworkers are a little puzzled by their competitiveness. At work, Zen usually seems pretty cool and laidback. He gets along with everyone else and doesn't start any office drama. Yet, Ryo is the only exception. His office rival brings out a totally different side of him. Zen can't fully explain it either. He doesn't hate the guy. If anything, they're still good friends. He just really, really wants to win against him.

Outside of work, Zen and Ryo actually hang out regularly. They'll meet up at Ryo's place for drinks and catch up. They even have a rule. Whoever loses a competition has to do whatever the winner says. Usually, it's nothing major, like buying the next round of drinks. But tonight is different. Zen casually brags about chatting up Kiritani, the beautiful office secretary. When Zen mentions he's planning to ask her out, Ryo gets weirdly annoyed about it.

Ryo makes a snide remark that she's only into Zen because of his looks. Zen doesn't take that well. Ryo doubles down, pointing out that Zen's ex-girlfriends were also just attracted to a "pretty face". Zen claims Ryo is jealous of how popular he is. Zen boasts that he could seduce literally anyone, men included. Ryo gets petty. He suggests that Zen is probably terrible in bed and just coasts on his looks. Zen insists he's actually a fantastic lover, even if there's no way to prove that. And then Ryo suggests something wild. Why not make it a competition?

Ryo's big idea? They jerk off together, and whoever finishes first loses. Zen thinks his friend must be drunk, but he agrees anyway. There they are, jerking off in the living room, side by side. Zen admits this competition is pretty weird. Ryo asks if he has ever done anything like this with another guy before. Zen says he's open-minded about his sexuality, which makes Ryo perk up. Ryo dares Zen to spend the whole night with him. Zen, a little drunk and more than a little curious, says yes.

I'm giving an absurdly high score to Fake Fact Lips, a series I don't even like that much. Some episodes annoyed the hell outta me! Yet, this drama has created such an oddly endearing couple. Zen and Ryo are both ridiculous idiots, but they have wormed their way into my heart. I love their off-the-charts chemistry. I love their bickering, their flirting, and their shagging. My love for RyoZen has eclipsed every shortcoming from this series. Against my better judgment, the romance between these two hilarious weirdos entertains me.

Good news, everyone! Fake Fact Lips is really smutty. Almost every episode has a spicy scene. Zen and Ryo may not be ready to admit their feelings, but they're ready to fuck like bunnies. They'll find any excuse to explore each other's bodies. Who the hell challenges their coworker to a jerking off contest? These two chaotic bisexual legends, that's who! But every time I wanna write off the series as dumb smut, the story surprises me with a heartfelt moment. It could be a quiet high school flashback or a meaningful chat. While Fake Fact Lips isn't deep, it sneaks in just enough substance to make you care about the characters.

Wow, the two leads have incredible chemistry! They seem so comfortable around each other, especially during those hot-and-heavy makeout sessions. My only complaint is the lighting. Some bedroom scenes are too dark, which makes it hard to see the action clearly. Can we install a few more lamps? Even so, I'm impressed. It has been a while since a Japanese BL pairing has given us this much sizzling passion. Zen's actor (Yusuke Sato) looks sharp on camera. That little pout is a lethal weapon. His co-star (Kaito Hori) is lively, bringing tons of energy to every scene.

At first, I only liked this series because it was sexy. All I need to enjoy a BL drama is two dudes kissing in business suits. But somewhere along the way, I realized I liked this couple a lot. While their romance began with casual sex (and Street Fighter-coded names), it grew deeper than that. Ryo & Zen can be sweet, but they don't magically agree on everything. They bicker or even get sassy. They also see each other's annoying flaws and still fall in love anyway. It's more fun when a couple's relationship isn't always a perfect fantasy. The playful little spats keep their sparks alive.

On a good day, this couple can be so goofy together. Zen tells Ryo, "Being around you, I feel like I'm getting dumber too." That's the best endorsement of them being stupidly in love. But oh boy, they also have really annoying moments! Their office rivalry is meant to be silly, but ugh… Those damn arguments give me a headache. Should we call HR and remind everyone about the policy on hostile workplaces? And the dumb misunderstandings! I facepalmed in a few scenes because Ryo & Zen are so dense about their feelings. Please knock some sense into these knuckleheads!

And then, there's Futami. This irritating little shit isn't even a legit love rival. He's just an itty bitty supporting character with a bob, spreading unnecessary drama everywhere. I'll never forgive this man for hijacking two episodes and stealing my precious RyoZen time. Anyway! The series recovers beautifully near the end. The finale is great. The epilogue special is amazing. I cracked up at the last scene, where Zen's "5 Things I Love About You" turns into a roast! Overall, Fake Fact Lips has been so much fun. It's silly, smutty, and a little bit stupid, but I still had a blast watching it.