Sasaki and Miyano – Anime Review & Ending Explained

Story

Miyano

Miyano is a fudanshi, a term used to describe a demographic that loves the BL genre. Fudanshi refers to male fans, and fujoshi is its female equivalent. As far as fandom goes, Miyano is a pretty obsessive BL fanatic, enjoying all sorts of manga, films, and raunchy audio dramas. I like BL too, but it doesn't consume my whole life as it does for Miyano. You can tell he's genuinely passionate about this hobby. He gets excited talking about BL, recommending his favourites, and analyzing every scene. Oh wait, that does sound like me. I guess I am Miyano? 😅

I wish Miyano existed in real life and he could be my friend. I would love to have someone recommend BL manga to me, discuss the story afterwards, and even lend me his private collection. Miyano sounds like a dream come true, someone I'd get along with immensely. Where can I sign up to be his friend?

Boys Love

Although Miyano adores BL, he feels self-conscious about his hobby. Miyano is comfortable enough to discuss and joke about his interest with friends. However, he seems embarrassed to come out as a BL fan. Miyano worries about going into the bookstore to buy manga with another guy. He also shushes Sasaki when their discussions grow too loud. Miyano fears other people's judgment, who'd make assumptions about him based on what he likes.

Miyano feels highly defensive about his sexuality. The prevailing opinion is that guys who love BL must be gay. Miyano must constantly field nosy inquiries about his same-sex attraction, an allegation he denies every time. His official stance is that he likes BL, but he doesn't like guys. Miyano leans into his middle-school crush on a girl, using that excuse to convince himself he can't possibly feel attracted to men. I'm not gay because I liked this girl once!

For a BL fanatic, Miyano seems narrow-minded about entertaining the possibility of liking guys. The Boys Love genre celebrates a fluid attraction between two men, yet Miyano keeps a rigid attitude and resists a romance with Sasaki. What's strange is that Miyano has no trouble openly shipping his male friends, but he can't fantasize about himself with a man. Everyone is eligible for a gay relationship except me! Miyano is almost like a walking contradiction, a BL fan seemingly opposed to a BL romance.

Insecurity

After Sasaki's love confession, Miyano takes his sweet time mulling over a response. He tells Sasaki to wait since Episode 5, but hasn't finalized a decision for the next five episodes. We hear a barrage of excuses from Miyano: "I need time to be sure about my feelings…" "But I've only ever liked a girl…" "I don't want to be mistaken…" He's hesitant to enter a relationship with Sasaki because of his gender. Frustratingly, Miyano has convinced himself he isn't attracted to men.

Miyano denies having feelings for Sasaki due to his deep-rooted insecurities. Others had teased him for not matching the conventional image of masculinity in the past. His middle-school friends think his appearance is "cute" and "girly". These descriptions emasculate Miyano, casting a permanent shadow on his confidence. Miyano becomes self-conscious about how he presents himself, aware that men are expected to look and behave in specific ways. According to society, the typical teenage boy doesn't enjoy BL or feel attracted to guys.

Miyano feels the need to conform, a pressure that seems amplified at an all-boys school. He wants to be like his classmates, who are interested in girls, and not stand out as the gay BL lover in his school. Keep in mind that Miyano's friend Kuresawa got bullied for lesser reasons, so this campus isn't a safe space for gay teens to thrive. Miyano insists he likes girls as a coping mechanism, because he thinks declaring a same-sex attraction will make him the subject of ridicule. Out of insecurity, he doesn't want to be honest, open, or admit his sexual orientation.

Sasaki

This anime depicts Miyano's journey of self-acceptance. He begins the series feeling insecure about liking BL and guys. However, he ends the series with newfound confidence, being more honest about his hobby & same-sex attraction. Miyano undergoes the personal transformation because of Sasaki, an influential role model. Sasaki is a pivotal figure in Miyano's life, inspiring the latter to be more open, act courageously, and feel reassured about himself.

Sasaki has a drastically different personality from his love interest. While Miyano is demure and bashful, Sasaki is outgoing and vivacious. This senior high school student oozes confidence, independence, and defiance. The dyed hair and piercings are emblems of self-expression, indicating he is comfortable in his own skin without feeling pressured to conform. Sasaki is like an open book, defined by a distinct identity, and won't change himself even if other people judge him. His individuality is an admirable quality he carries over to his friendship with Miyano.

Sasaki isn't ashamed of liking BL. When Ogasawa questions his friend's hobby, Sasaki gives a calm, mature response that impresses Miyano. For years, Miyano has been conditioned to believe his love for BL is a guilty pleasure, something he must hide in secrecy. His new friend proves otherwise. Sasaki empowers Miyano to embrace his repressed identity. You'll notice the leads chatting openly about BL in the later episodes without hiding anymore. That's remarkable progress from Miyano, showing his growth as a person thanks to Sasaki's encouragement.

Romance

Attraction

This anime features a down-to-earth love story between two high school students. The leads meet based on a chance encounter. They become friends after getting to know each other better. The pair finds a common interest in BL, something Miyano recommends eagerly to his new friend. As they build a genuine rapport, their friendship blossoms. Sasaki develops a physical attraction to Miyano early on. "He's so cute," Sasaki thinks whenever an excitable Miyano gushes about BL. 

Sasaki's BL hobby stems from having a schoolboy crush on Miyano. His interest in the genre is motivated by having something in common with his new friend. Sure, Sasaki likes the manga, but he also enjoys talking to Miyano about it afterwards. I doubt he would've continued reading BL if the adorable Miyano wasn't part of the experience. Despite his dubious starting point, Sasaki eventually becomes a genuine fan and even purchases the manga himself. Miyano gets the satisfaction of converting someone to his BL fandom.

Sasaki's fondness toward Miyano grows over time. It began as a physical attraction, but it has strengthened into an emotional connection. Sasaki likes Miyano's personality, enjoys the one-on-one conversations, and cherishes their time together. Eventually, Sasaki reaches a point where he cannot conceal his desires anymore. "I like you," he whispers into Miyano's ear at the end of Episode 3. It's a simple statement, yet the moment is exhilarating and makes me excited about how their dynamic will evolve!

Confession

Sasaki's first confession sends Miyano into a tizzy. He only saw his senpai as a friend up until this point, never considering the idea of a romantic connection. However, the confession happened under ambiguous circumstances. Plus, the leads separated over a long school break. When they reunited weeks later, Sasaki and Miyano resumed their normal friendship without addressing the elephant in the room.

Sasaki's second confession happens in Episode 5. "I like you, Miyano." His statement is loud and clear this time, leaving no room for any other interpretation. A stunned Miyano is unprepared to give a response, asking for more time to think over his feelings. Curious, Miyano asks what does his love interest like about him. Caught off-guard by the valid question, Sasaki stumbles and replies inelegantly, "Your face…"

It wasn't the best answer, reducing Sasaki's attraction to an oversimplified dimension. He seems shallow, only liking Miyano because of his looks. While there's a physical attraction, Sasaki also enjoys Miyano's personality, his enthusiasm, and the rapport they share. Yet, he was nervous and only blurted out the first thing that came to mind. Afterwards, Sasaki is devastated about misrepresenting himself and giving an awful impression. He goes to great lengths to clarify the misunderstanding until Miyano understands Sasaki likes him more than just a pretty face.

Rejection

The series falters after the confession scene, spending a needlessly long time on Miyano's indecision. I'm sorry, but it shouldn't take him six episodes to respond to Sasaki's love confession. Evidently, the anime isn't ready to advance the relationship past a certain point. It's maddening to watch Miyano avoid the obvious when he clearly likes Sasaki. "I need more time…" "Do I really like him…" "How can I be sure…" Oh, you know the answer, but you just don't wanna admit it. 🙄

The truth is Miyano gives an implicit reply by taking so long to decide. He isn't ready for a relationship. And that's fine, Miyano is under no obligation to say yes. However, he should reject Sasaki and say you're more comfortable being friends for now. Stop dragging out the situation. It isn't fun for the viewers to watch multiple episodes of apprehension. It also isn't fair to Sasaki, making him agonize over the uncertainty.

In Episode 10, Miyano and Sasaki spent a lovely day at the school festival. As they enjoy the fireworks together, Miyano tells his love interest he ~needs more time~ to sort out his feelings. At this point, his vague answer already feels like a rejection. If I were Sasaki, I'd be thinking if this guy is simply too polite to say no to me. Sasaki confesses ILU! and Miyano replies with TBD? How long are we stuck in this hellish standstill where Miyano gives false hope? Reject him already and stop prolonging the torment!

Aggression

The longer it takes for Miyano to decide, the more erratic Sasaki's behaviour becomes. This anime launches an iffy subplot, exploring Sasaki's struggle to respect boundary issues. The storyline is unfortunate. Seeing multiple episodes of "I can't control my urges! I have to touch him!" makes your protagonist look like a predatory creep. I generally adore Sasaki, but I can't overlook this one glaring red flag. Sometimes, it's better not to hear his inner thoughts around Miyano.

Sasaki has several questionable encounters making body contact with Miyano, brushing the line of inappropriateness. Miyano's signals are clear: it's a red light and you gotta stop crossing into his personal space. In Episode 11, Sasaki comes awfully close to losing self-control around his love interest without consent, not his finest moment. Thankfully, the anime condemns his actions, and Sasaki gives a remorseful apology for being invasive. He seems sincere and I forgive him, but it's still an ugly notch against his likable character.

Happy ending

Sasaki and Miyano has a happy ending where the leads become a couple in the last episode. It takes Miyano a long time to accept that he has feelings for a guy. However, he makes a breakthrough and confesses his love to Sasaki in a spectacular fashion. The two characters meet up after school, arranged by their friendly matchmakers Hirano and Masato. Finally, Miyano gathers his courage and tells Sasaki that he reciprocates his romantic feelings.

Before Miyano's confession, Sasaki interrupts him with an apology. Earlier, Sasaki loses self-control and almost kisses his love interest without consent. He holds back in the last second, but the close encounter brushes the line of inappropriateness. Sasaki is angry at himself for forcing himself on Miyano, overpowering his physically smaller partner. He apologizes profusely, remorseful for crossing the line. However, Miyano doesn't feel bothered by the incident. In fact, nearly getting kissed makes him realize he wants to be with his senpai.

Miyano proceeds with the rest of his love confession. "I like you, Sasaki." The proclamation startles Sasaki so much that he asks to hear it again. Miyano repeats his statement with more conviction and describes various reasons why he likes Sasaki. He is nervous and stumbles over his words occasionally, but the sincerity is loud and clear. Sasaki responds with an intimate kiss against the rosy backdrop of the sunset. They become boyfriends, exchange phone numbers, and the two lovers giggle among themselves as the ending credits roll.

Sasaki and Miyano kiss

Miyano and Sasaki kiss twice in the last episode. Their first kiss is not shown on screen, cutting away at subtle angles so that we don't see their lips touch. My gut tells me the exchange got censored. It's peculiar not to display the big cinematic kiss between the leads. We reach the damn climax of the series and you shy away from showcasing the best moment in its entirety? Hmm, how sketchy. 😔 

With that said, Sasaki and Miyano sneaks in a second kiss afterwards. It's a short and casual smooch, but we see the leads interact definitively this time. I guess it's an alright compromise. Kiss or no kiss, it doesn't undermine the powerfulness of this love confession. I can feel the overpouring love between the characters, and the romance was definitely in the atmosphere. The second kiss is like the cherry on top of the sundae, capping off a magnificent moment in this anime.

Love confession

Most of us focus on the "I love you!" proclamation, the kissing scene, and the beautiful visuals. However, the rest of Sasaki's sensitive confession deserves play-by-play. I like how his character explains everything he loves about Sasaki. If you may recall, Miyano asked him in Episode 5: "What do you like about me?" Now, Miyano answers the same question himself, listing all of Sasaki's wonderful attributes:

I like being with you, Senpai. The time we spent talking on the train, I really liked it.

Your support during the cultural festival made me happy.

After the movie, you treated me like normal. You made me feel so relieved.

When I say I enjoy being around you, it's not just that I admire you. I also found you cute! And cool!

I wanted to become brave like you. After we started talking, you showed me how wonderful it is to have someone take an interest in what I like. I enjoy finding out what you like, and talking to you puts me at ease.

But it's more than that. Sometimes, I want to hug you. It makes me happy to see you smile. And I want to touch you, Senpai. 😳

Ending explained

It's not often we hear someone articulate everything they like in their partner. Occasionally, Miyano stumbles to get his words across due to nerves, but you can tell he put a lot of thought into this confession. He explains why Sasaki is special to him, how Sasaki empowers him, and what feelings Sasaki evokes in him. Miyano also highlights specific exchanges and sincere emotions. It's not the inane ramblings of a shallow schoolboy crush, but a genuine and contemplative showcase of his adoration.

The Sasaki and Miyano ending is satisfying because the two leads are finally on the same wavelength. Sasaki was fond of Miyano since the premiere, like love at first sight. Each episode intensified his attraction. However, Miyano wasn't ready for a relationship, and Sasaki tormented himself over an indecisive response. It takes twelve episodes for Miyano to sort out his sexuality, a long personal journey filled with doubt. At last, he admits to being infatuated with Sasaki on a physical, emotional & romantic level. Sasaki has been waiting patiently, but Miyano is caught up and reciprocates his love.