When It Rains, It Pours – Series Review & Episode Guide

Kazuaki Hagiwara lives with his long-term girlfriend, Kaori. They have been dating for three years. They first met as coworkers before Kaori changed jobs to become a nail technician. She dreams of opening her own shop one day. At the start of their relationship, Hagiwara and Kaori were physically affectionate. Over time, Kaori lost interest in intimacy. While they still get along, she always turns down his sexual advances. Hagiwara grows increasingly frustrated and feels unfulfilled in their relationship.

One night, Hagiwara looks up restaurants on his phone and tries to send the choices to himself. His email is kazuaki0927@kuhoo.com, but he accidentally entered the wrong address and sent it to kazuaki0927@degole.com instead. Realizing his mistake, he sends a polite email to apologize. The recipient, Sei, replies back, telling him not to worry. They continue exchanging short messages, developing a casual back-and-forth. Despite being complete strangers, their conversations feel easy and natural. Over time, they become pen pals.

Hagiwara tells his girlfriend about his new pen pal. Since Sei is just another guy, Kaori doesn't think much of it. She takes pride in respecting her partner's privacy. She trusts her boyfriend and won't snoop around on his phone. Initially, Hagiwara and Sei continue exchanging light, casual conversations. As time goes on, Hagiwara opens up about his struggles. He confides in Sei about the lack of physical intimacy in his relationship. Hagiwara admits that he and Kaori were once affectionate, but now they haven't had sex in over a year.

Sei responds by sharing his relationship struggles. He lives with his best friend, Kazuaki Fujisawa, a famous product designer. After losing his parents, Sei relied on Kazuaki for emotional support and fell in love with him. Since Kazuaki has no interest in dating or marriage, he promises to stay by Sei's side forever. However, he refuses physical intimacy and repeatedly turns down Sei's advances. Sei and Hagiwara realize the parallels in their situations. They can relate to each other.

Hagiwara works in sales at his company. He doesn't know that his pen pal, Sei, is a coworker in the business administration department. They sometimes chat at work, but only as casual colleagues. Neither of them realizes they have already shared their personal struggles with each other. At the same time, Hagiwara and Sei grow closer around the office. The more they talk, the more they get along. Whether through messages or in person, their bond continues to deepen.

When It Rains, It Pours begins with both protagonists in unfulfilling relationships. While their partners are devoted, they have no interest in physical intimacy. The main characters feel sexually frustrated since every advance gets turned down. The story explores their emotions deeply and shows how repressed desires can grow into heartache. One particularly poignant line captures this pain: "The word forever means being gently rejected forever." The series is filled with beautifully crafted insights, transforming sorrow into poetry.

After meeting each other, Sei and Hagiwara's worlds slowly intertwine. As they open up about their struggles, both realize how much they have in common. Instead of rushing into a quick, meaningless fling, their journey unfolds over multiple episodes. The series takes its time to build intricate emotional arcs. The storytelling feels skillful, like constructing an elegant structure where every piece is placed carefully. It ensures you understand their personal lives, sympathize with their inner conflicts, and care about their happiness. Before I know it, I'm invested in how Sei and Hagiwara's relationship will develop.

This romance has a wonderful sense of serendipity. Sei and Hagiwara connect through an unlikely chance encounter as an accidental email turns two strangers into confidantes. By coincidence, the leads work at the same company and interact without knowing they're pen pals. They grow even closer on rainy days. The weather, a recurring motif, is like an invisible thread that brings them together. The series teases viewers with moments where they come close to recognizing each other. This love story feels dreamy because two soulmates cross paths without realizing it.

Hagiwara's actor (Jun Muto) is strikingly handsome. He looks so sharp on camera with his brooding gaze, defined jawline, and an air of sophistication. This leading man has a naturally captivating aura, and I can't take my eyes off him. I recognize his co-star (Asahi Ito) from A Man Who Defies the World of BL, although he never stood out to me in that series. In When It Rains, It Pours, he delivers a solid performance, conveying a sea of lost thoughts through his enigmatic expressions. I like how he portrays Sei as a quiet and moody character that's hard to decipher.

Although I enjoy most of the story, Hagiwara and Sei's partners feel underdeveloped. Kaori and Kazuaki have prominent roles, yet I don't know them well enough. They seem like mere obstacles to the relationship instead of fully realized characters. I want to understand their perspectives better, especially why they avoid physical intimacy. Episode 6 includes an excellent scene with Kaori, giving her some much-needed depth. Yet, Kazuaki's backstory is less satisfying. As he explains his motivations, I listen with skepticism. IMO, the series mishandles his subplot.

As Hagiwara & Sei's affair unfolds, their relationships with Kaori and Kazuaki get messy. The focus shifts to the fallout from the angsty melodrama, almost overshadowing the romance. For a series about expressing your desires, I expected the leads to have a steamy hookup. Instead, their encounter lacks the passion I was hoping for. The finale is also missing a spark of excitement. After so much tension and longing, the conclusion feels more like a drizzle than a downpour. When It Rains, It Pours tells a solid story, but these few flaws are enough to dampen my enjoyment.