Perfect Propose – Series Review & Episode Guide

Hiro is an office worker at a technology company. He feels burned out by the stressful work environment. For the past five years, his job has required him to meet tight deadlines, work overtime, and handle excessive responsibilities. His boss is an unsympathetic jerk who mistreats employees. He constantly belittles Hiro and makes him feel worthless. Hiro endures all the workplace abuse, lacking the courage and motivation to defend himself.

Out of everyone, Hiro's boss picks on him the most. The boss likes to criticize his work or give him extra assignments. Hiro's colleagues sympathize with him. Kaneko, the team leader, tries to look out for Hiro. He offers to handle some projects. Sakamoto, Hiyori, and Tatsumi are the junior employees. Despite their inexperience, they also behave kindly toward Hiro. Yet, everyone keeps quiet and pretends to work dutifully when the boss is nearby. Due to self-preservation, they don't dare to speak up in Hiro's defence.

One night, Hiro is so physically and mentally exhausted that he collapses on the street. Hiro encounters Kai, a childhood friend from the past. Hiro is slightly older than Kai. Despite their age gap, they used to have a close relationship. As kids, Kai and Hiro once joked about marrying each other. Even now, they still remember about this proposal. However, Hiro moved away with his family. He hasn't stayed in touch with Kai since then. This reunion is the first time Kai and Hiro meet as adults.

Kai explains he doesn't have a place to stay. He used to work at a restaurant with Kenji, his boss. That business was also his residence. However, Kenji recently collapsed from poor health. The restaurant must close down after the owner's hospitalization. With nowhere to go, Kai seeks Hiro for charitable assistance. He wants to live in the apartment for the time being. Kai brings up their engagement in the past, a memory that Hiro didn't take seriously. Kai also reveals he's gay, shocking Hiro.

Reluctantly, Hiro allows Kai to cohabitate in the apartment. Kai is a helpful roommate. He uses his culinary skills to prepare delicious meals for Hiro after work. The food puts a smile on Hiro's face after each stressful day. Kai also prepares bento boxes for his roommate, bringing even more joy to the workday. Hiro slowly realizes that he enjoys Kai's companionship. Since moving in together, he doesn't feel as depressed anymore.

Perfect Propose explores a toxic workplace culture, mirroring a prevalent issue in the technology sector. Like many real-life employees, the protagonist faces urgent deadlines, abusive management, and overwhelming workloads. He feels utterly demoralized by the unhealthy work-life balance. I appreciate how the story portrays his emotional and psychological struggles, illustrating the nuances of occupational burnout. Perfect Propose fascinates me because its meaningful plot tackles gritty, complex topics.

Contrary to your typical lighthearted BL dramas, this series takes itself seriously. Workplace toxicity is a grave subject, as reflected by the solemn tone of the narrative. The main character's prolonged misery makes each episode gloomy, like I'm watching him suffer slowly. While some scenes are unpleasant, I sympathize with Hiro's experiences. His angsty journey leads to emotional climaxes, and the ending of Episode 4 is particularly poignant. The actor (Shunya Kaneko) brings an admirable gravitas to his performance.

Don't expect a quick resolution to Hiro's troubles. Perfect Propose highlights the difficulty of breaking away from an abusive environment, so the torment persists for a long time. He goes to work, endures mistreatment, and returns home unhappily. This routine creates a predictable monotony in the narrative. Episode after episode, the story repeats similar messages it established earlier. I grow frustrated by the stagnant plot as Hiro's downtrodden journey continues. The series needs a shake-up. When will Hiro quit his job? Please rescue him from the bleakness!

Hiro's life revolves around his career. The story emphasizes the workplace drama, which overshadows his romance. He spends too much time with colleagues rather than his love interest. I'd gladly swap a few office scenes for more relationship moments between the couple. The leads enjoy domestic bliss at home, like eating meals or doing chores. Yet, their bond doesn't develop deeply enough. Since both characters have reserved personalities, they seem subdued when expressing their feelings. The series insists they share an intimate attraction, but I don't sense it.

I was caught off-guard by the non-consensual scene in the first episode. Kai climbs into bed and gropes Hiro, even though the latter tries to resist his advances. The brief yet disturbing encounter casts an ugly shadow over the couple's romance. It damages my impression of Kai, who perpetuates the harmful stereotype of a predatory gay man. I also can't connect with Kai's aloof demeanour. He behaves like an enigma who rarely shows vulnerability. His stoic expressions and muted responses make him seem distant. Secretly, I prefer shipping Hiro with his coworker.

Kai's actor (Kota Nomura) is a handsome stud, yet he portrays his role dryly. Instead of a brooding protagonist, he seems bland and dull. He's missing a spark with his costar, even during exchanges where they flirt. Their weak rapport compounds the existing issues with the relationship. I have little interest in the couple and don't care about them. As a story, I admire Perfect Propose for tackling significant topics around organizational culture. But as a BL drama, this romance fails to engage me. The series focuses excessively on work and not enough on love.