HIStory2: Boundary Crossing (2018)

Ahora entiendo a la gente que le gusta Haikyuu

Esta serie -como mucha otra gente acá quiero creer- fue mi introducción al BL taiwanés.
La saga HIStory está confirmada por diferentes partes que se dividen en dos historias distintas por parte. HIStory 2: Boundary Crossing es la primera historia de esta parte contando la historia de dos chicos de secundaria -Qui Zi Xuan y Xia Yu Hao-, uno siendo un revoltoso y el otro el líder del equipo de voley de la escuela con un ~oscuro pasado~ que lleva a que Zi Xuan pida que Yu Hao sea incorporado en el equipo para que deje de mandarse cagadas por los pasillos y use el físico que tiene para el bien. Es una premisa simple que juega mucho con el recurso gracioso y a veces hasta con romper la cuarta pared (está el personaje femenino que es una chica piola y la abanderada de las fujos más calmadas) Ahora, lo que me sorprendió es lo bien que funciona la mezcla entre romance homosexual y deportes de mayor contacto físico porque la verdad que estos se miraban a través de la red cada dos por tres como si estuviesen por comer la boca en cualquier momento (hasta que pasa).
Toda historia de HIStory tiene su parte de conflicto también, pero en esta el drama dura el tiempo suficiente para que su final termine de forma perfecta en mi opinión, y te deje con una sonrisa en la cara de lo tierna y sencilla que es. Van a encariñarse con todos los personajes y van a querer tanto a la pareja principal (porque la verdad que la toxicidad acá no existe), que se les va a quedar en la cabeza por un tiempo largo y, capaz que una vez cada tanto, se van a encontrar diciendo "como los extraño".
Mirenla, porque la verdad que no tiene desperdicio y todxs nos merecemos una caricia al alma de vez en cuando (y ver gays jugando voley).

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(This is my 1st review so... hope it will be useful for you. I watch the series with english subtitles but I write much better in Spanish!! Sorry!!! ;) ) HIStory2: Boundary Crossing es una de mis series favoritas del año pasado. No digo una "serie BL" -que también- sino "serie". Y me sorprende que, en sólo ocho episodios, todo esté hecho con tanto mimo.

La trama, ambientada en el entorno de un equipo masculino de voley, está estupendamente escrita por Lin Pei Yu. Cabe decir que por aquí el voley es un deporte minoritario pero, lo que podría ser un hándicap, funciona muy bien en la serie. La historia tiene sentido, no hace giros extraños en las relaciones y líneas argumentales que plantea y tampoco deja cabos sueltos -más allá de los previstos para permitir un desarrollo de personajes si hubiera una continuación-. En líneas generales te deja una agradable y positiva sensación porque las historias logran mostrar, con bastante humor, emoción y naturalidad, temas que gustan: la juventud y su manera de abrirse al mundo, las dudas del enamoramiento, la importancia de los amigos, la lealtad y confianza, los conflictos familiares o las responsabilidades que vamos adquiriendo en la vida.

El reparto está estupendamente escogido, es creíble y "casan" increíblemente bien. Más allá de su atractivo físico los dúos formados por Hsia Yu Hao (Fandy Fan) y Qiu Zi Xuan (Yan Ze Lu) y Wang Zhen Wen (Meng Lin Yang) y Wang Zhen Wu (Po Yu Shih) como parejas principales funcionan muy bien, transmiten mucha química y complicidad entre sí y, con seriedad y sobriedad, te van atrapando poco a poco pero desde el principio. E, importante, las relaciones que forman entre sí se escapan de algunas convenciones en que las series BL suelen caer: son chicos normales y corrientes, acostumbrados al deporte, con vidas y problemas cotidianos (las relaciones de poder seme-uke brillan por su ausencia y creo que es... ¡genial!). El reparto de apoyo aligera la trama con humor y un punto de socarronería como, especialmente, el encantador personaje de He Cheng En (Yi Hong Xie) icónico capitán del equipo.

La banda sonora (no sólo las canciones, también los sonidos, la voz de los actores en exteriores o en una cancha etc.) encaja como un guante con lo mostrado en pantalla. Aunque le hecho en falta una "gran canción" como sintonía de inicio o final (pienso por ejemplo en un "Everything will say goodbye" de Advance Bravely o un "Proong Nee Took Wun" de Waterboyy: The Series como ejemplos). Pero se nota que hay mimo y cuidado en lo que han elegido.

Si estás buscando una serie que te enganche durante unas horas HIStory2: Boundary Crossing es una estupenda elección. Tiene muchos ingredientes para atraparte y, una vez vista, es de esos títulos que volverán insistentemente a tu cabeza para volverlos a ver. Está muy bien hecha. De veras, no te arrepentirás.

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A breath of fresh air in the dry land of BL storytelling.
This is a very well written, well acted, well produced mini series I highly enjoyed.
The cast was very charming, their interactions felt natural, the chemistry was on point. I really liked how they included the volleyball theme. It's not only a series about cute boys falling in love, it's also about your dreams and not giving up (even though they had not enough time to explore this further). All the side characters were great to watch. It was funny, light hearted, romantic and really kept you on the edge of your seat. The music is worth mentioning too. Very, very beautiful. Unfortunately because of the low budget, the development felt rushed sometimes. Even so they did a lot with 8 episodes.
10/10

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SANA ALL!
(HOPEFULLY ALL!)
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After watching Right or Wrong, this series comes the way but i didn't expect something from this series. I just see random screenshots from viewers and since i'm busy preparing for graduation requirements, i have this ample time to watch BL series.

Qiu Zi Xuan is a sleek and small pointed eye guy who captures my feeling for this series. I don't knokw, but since highschool days, I adore those guys with small and pointed yes(sleek eyes haha). He is serious to his studies, loves volleyball and just a quiet guy. Then his world stumble upon when Hsia Yu Hao came. He is so sexy and hot in every single way. He make the life of Zi Xuan more colorful. He is that guy that is tough on the outside but very soft and jolly on the inside. I thought he would be like that guy from Addicted but hell no, they are different!

When Yu Hao started showing his true colors, letting us see his perspective in life and being undenial of his feeling towards Zi Xuan, that really captures my heart! He is just being tru to himself, doing the things that will make him happy and make his love being reflected on Zi Xuan. He is unafraid, ignoring the rules of the world. He just focused on his love, his passionate intimacy toward Zi Xuan! Sana All!

I also love the brotherly love between the two guys. They reminded me of Addicted Gu HAi and Bai Lou Yin. Is this called incess afterall? Anyway, i stilll adore their love for each other.

The song and music choice all thoughout the series is perfect especially that song played on the last episode, on their confession scene, the magical kiss! I just wonder how did they doi it very professionally? It's perfect and really hot! The thrusting of their mouths, hahaha, sorry, it's very passionate and full of love and affection. (and they are both straight, gosh!)
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HIStory 2: Crossing The Line
10/10
032918

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This was something special - no girlfriend in the way (little sister seriously in the way, but hilariously and cute), just boys in love. The writing was excellent, the acting was superb, and Fandy Fan just plain hot anf gorgeous. If you like Timmy Xu, you'll like this guy.

I'm not sure why Asian series all have to have sappy easy listening soundtracks - does anyone actually voluntarily listen to music like that? I'd rather have Classical Chinese opera than this dreck. Fortunately it's only mildly annoying because the story and characters were so engrossing.

I wish it had maybe two more episodes to have a smoother transition for Xia Yu Hao from bad boy to sweet and sensitive - it was a little too quick. It would have been better if it had taken longer for Qiu Zi Xuan to make all the discoveries that uncovered what kind of person Yu Hao is. But for four hours, it was superbly written, a tight narrative without a lot of extraneous activity or repetition.

You won't be sorry you watched this.

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Definitly one of the best BL series of 2018, and one of my favorites!!! Loved the story, simple but very well done and you can't wait to watch the next episode. Also loved the characters(even the supporting ones), they were unique in their own way, the acting was great and the actors had great chemistry!!! And not having akwards moments when they're kissing or flirting(of course, if is not needed in the story) is a huge plus for me. The music is just perfect, specially the one that plays on some scenes, like when Zi Xuan is doing the Jump Serve alone in the volleyball court or when Zhen Wen falls asleep and Zhen Wu hugs him, very beautiful. The only bad thing that I can say about this series is that it was too short making the development feel a little bit rushed and some things were left unanswered.
Anyway, still is a 10 out of 10 for me, and I'm quite sure that anyone that watches this series won't be dissapointed.
10/10

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Once again the HIStory production team did not let me down! This was such a great and sweet story from the producers. Anyone who knows me around here knows I SUCK at remembering names so forgive me if I can't write them properly or even try to.

ACTING: Spot on. The chemistry between EVERY SINGLE character was great.

The Senior and the Junior were amazing in the push/pull and they had me confused throughout the entire 8 episodes as to who was the top or bottom, which, meant the directors and actors did a GREAT job showing viewers that in gay relationships you don't always have to have SET ROLES. These two very well seem to be the type that switches and that's so refreshing to see in a BL drama. Can we talk about THOSE KISSES? Whoah, they give Bernard and Teddy a run for their money (though Bernard and Teddy are still the top couple to beat in the HIStory series in terms of chemistry and kissing...IMO)

The Senior and his sister: Super cute and I can relate as an older sibling myself. We would do anything for our little sisters/brothers even when they are annoying or impossible. However, it was also nice to see the sister support her brother in the end and actually go and talk to the junior.

The step-brothers: Although I am tired of the step-brother trope in mangas, I wasn't too put off by these brothers here. They were adorable and they had great facial expressions and played off each other's characters really well.

The team captain: MY GOSH what a great comedic best friend. He was sooooo hilarious and totally a character that people probably have in their lives.

The opposing team twins: Brief introduction to the series, but their antics were quite memorable. Kudos to the production team for playing with viewers when they had one of the twins take an eyelash from the other.

STORY: I have watched several dramas where sports are the main them, and I liked that Volleyball was the one they picked here. I used to play in a team as a kid so it was nostalgic for me. However, it was a backdrop for the romance, so it wasn't too central, which is okay. I also loved that it was a junior after a senior, usually we have the senior going after the junior.

Music: Both OSt were okay, not that memorable like the other HIStory stories, but it was still enjoyable.

Re-watch value: Easily see myself watching these episodes again. There was some things I missed due to some videos not being fully translated, so I'm going to repeat them after I find all of the subbed episodes and not just scenes of the episode.

Overall: really glad that this story was made and I hope that the HIStory team is able to produce more.

My top 3 HIStory stories
1) Obsessed
2) Right or wrong
3)Boundary Crossing

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With regards to BL stories: it doesn’t get any better than this!

1. An uncomplicated plot which is easy to follow.
2. Not one but TWO perfectly charming couples of incredible chemistry.
3. A ‘bad’ guy (à la James Dean) turning good who was good from the beginning.
4. And a perfect world where all of these gay affairs take place in friendly settings and surrounded by a cadre of supporting friends.

And best of all, in the middle of all of this high-apple-pie-in-the-sky kind of dreamland, the series somehow makes one forget that reality is anything but and the entire story strikes one as real: as if the world had been turned upside down. And all of it without leaving out some heart wrenching scenes between crisscrossed lovers that would put many Mexican soap operas to shame... lol. I mean... this is my dream script come true!

Oh, and to top it all off… check episode 4 for the most ardent and passionate kiss between two guys I have seen in anyone of all of these BL stories. And mind you, I do not watch BL stories for the physical display; I get my fill of that without any need for celluloid... LOL. It’s just that this one is so hot and yet so tastefully done.

I seldom ever give a perfect score but...

The Story is a 10 because you will enjoy it from beginning to end without a drag.

The Acting is a 10 because in spite of their age they act as if they had been acting for ages.

And the rewatch value is a 10 because this is, in fact... the second time I watch it!

Lastly, the series also carries a strong message with a few pearls of wisdom that would put most conservatives, and many Christians I know, to shame. When asked if he believed in genderless love and could like a man, Qiu Zi Xuan answered: “The key of ‘like’ is ‘like’ itself.”

BAM!

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Cute & Character-Focused.

Four 45min Episodes. Acting 8.5, Story 6, Script 8, Chemistry 8, Music and Cinematography 8, Recommendation Value 7, Rewatchability 7.

So cute and sweet (and some hot moments too). Characters actually feel like high-schoolers for the most part. The focus is on the relationship between characters. While there is vollyball training, it is not a typical sports story (they only play one warm-up match).

All actors seem very comfortable with each other and there are a couple of sweet yet impassioned kisses. Even though there's not much plot the series was engaging (I did not fast-forward through anything). Both the main couple and secondary couple (step brothers) had me invested in them. There's light angst but medium tugging of the heart-strings and it's happily resolved.

I will likely re-watch at some point.

Same screenwriter as We Best Love, My Tooth Your Love, HIStory2 Right Or Wrong, and HIStory1 Obsessed.

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Best HIStory By Far

My favorite HIStory so far. By the time I got to this series, I was thinking to myself, "is continuing the HIStory series really that important to me?" By this time I had already seen the first HIStories and Right or Wrong, all of which I gave less than 6 stars to. They weren't keeping my attention very well, I wasn't having much luck with liking the couple or the content, so should I really keep going? But, I'm so grateful that I did.

Let's Dive In.

Some soft high school students falling in love?? yeah I’ll take it. Once again, enemies to lovers are not my forte, but I loved this with my entire heart. The first thing that drew me in was Zach Lu's beauty. There is no denying that his presence was one of the best things about this film. He portrayed his character so perfectly, and in such a way that an actual teenager would act, and I'm in awe. Qui Zi Xuan was my favorite character. He had a meaningful story and a sad past that made me feel for him. Even with the enemies to lover trope, it was still a slow-burn. You could see Xia Yu Hao steadily falling more in love with him, which led to one of the best kisses in BL history. Literally a kiss between the net?? Pure magic.

I really liked the shower scene. It was hilarious! I haven’t really cried laugh like that while watching a series in a while. I wasn't sold on the side couple at all. Even looking past them being step-brothers (ewe, why?), they had no chemistry and barely any screen time. Had they not been stepbrothers, I might've actually tried harder at paying any attention to their plot.

I loved this series, point, blank perod. It has to be one of the best ones best that depict a real relationship and how harsh the beginning of feelings and attraction can be. I would completely recommend this to anyone willing to watch.

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Simple But Cute!

A simple story told effectively. It was SO CUTE! My heart felt full at the end. The story did feel a bit rushed which is understandable as it is only 8 episodes. There were some inconsistencies with the plot though, such as Xia Yu-hao's personality doing a complete 180 degree from a bad ass to a hyper-excited child, which didn't feel natural. Qui Zi Xuan is so attractive and was great as the stoic volleyball manager. The performances were all all around great. The chemistry between the two leads was palpable. I loved that they included a step-brother couple, which was also SO CUTE! I would have loved to learn more about them! Huge props for the realistic portrayal of gay relationships! Although not my favourite BL series (which belongs to SOTUS and SOTUS S), this is definitely among the best!

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