Minato Shouji Coin Laundry (2022)

I enjoyed this one for the most part. I don’t think it’s slow paced as some have complained about. I can see Akira’s insecurity and the magnitude o flow it has affected and shaped him as an adult. So him being supper resistant and cowardly despite his attraction is understandable. The relationship dynamic also works for their personality - Akira retreats consistently while Shin is the more aggressive one. Shin said it best, “with you being indecisive I thought I’d wear you down” i’m paraphrasing here but you get the gist. Besides I love the 18 year old Shin making the 29 year old squirm and blush. It was always a delight to see.

The problem with this one isn’t so much the characters but the length of the drama which made the build up and tension fizzle out. Episode 9 was the death nail for this drama which took a strong end of episode 8 and followed it up with a boring filler episode and nothing that came after that one was able to match the intensity built with that beach side conversation. This missed opportunity made the resolution and end fall flat. The remaining episodes weren’t used to give the main characters any additional growth or development but rather was spent on a last minute relationship development for a side couple whom lets be honest, no one was as invested in. Although I liked the side characters individually well enough, their story wasn’t remotely interesting enough to warrant the time taken on their story either. I think this one would have worked best if it was 10 episodes.

Overall, not a bad watch but I felt a little sting from the disappointment since I love age gaps and especially ones where the younger one is the pursuer and while it had potential it failed to stick the landing for me.

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Cute and realistic story about a 10 year romance waiting in the wings.

I liked how this series wasn't unapologetic when dealing with the age gap between MInato and Shin. I also felt like the writers dealt with Akira's feelings realistically when it came to Shin. Also the fear of being way older than Shin not being good enough for him and dealing with society hit me hard. I understood where Minato was coming from. Sure the story dragged in those moments and felt like it hit a snag. But, at the same time those were the moments where the actors really shone and their chemistry did too. I feel like their chemistry really saved the series when it got reduntant. Could it have been written better? Yes! But like I said Minato's struggle felt real to me and I like that the writers kept it real.
I also really enjoyed Shin's character. He never once gave up no matter how many times life threw him down when it came to Minato. He fought til the end and got what he wanted.
Minato's character was also realistic in how he dealt with his insecurities, those are not a quick fix so I like how he took his time to learn how to heal himself from past pain & indecisiveness/cowardliness.
All in all I liked MSCL because even when it was angsty, it mostly delivered in the cuteness. The characters were well rounded and the actors were good with their work here.
Overall I give it an 8.0. Not too deep of a series as others but it does make you think and handles some situations well. In the end this series is a good time that leaves the audience satisfied and happy with the conclusion.

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Good at the start

If you turn this series into a graph, you will see a line going up for a short while before it plateaus until the last episode.

17-year-old (almost 18) Shin is in love with Akira, a man about ten years older. Shin is totally Akira's type, but of course, the age gap and the fact that Shin is not even 18 yet stops Akira from accepting Shin's love. Of course, there isn't really a big issue if nothing happens between them until Shin has turned 18.

Perhaps Akira's attraction to Shin is toned down drastically to avoid controversy, causing his reactions to Shin's advances to seem somewhat silly. But to avoid controversy, why not just start the story with Shin meeting Akira after he has turned 18? The age gap could hold Akira back, but there probably won't be a major ethical issue there.

Instead, the story meanders here and there, even revealing Akira's crush on his teacher when he was a high school student. The turns in the plot are largely pointless, and I think the only significant thing is Akira deciding not to be with Shin so that Shin can pursue his studies elsewhere.

Perhaps the series would have been better if it had only been 4 episodes? The characters are rather cute, but the story drags on needlessly.

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Full of moral character and direction

This BL series tackled a usually taboo subject and that was a May-December relationship. And it handled it with distinction and moral fiber. Not once was there any impropriety and while the temptations were there, the adult did not give in. So many people misunderstood his decision making as indecisive but I completely disagree. Minato always weighted the consequences of his actions against the effects on the other person. I found that refreshing and showed he was moral and upstanding. A good story filled with ethical behaviors. It also has a cast of characters who are quite quirky and I found them to be very entertaining.

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Not for everyone, but it is cute.

At first, the age gap made me worry. However, I found myself smiling after a few episodes because of how cute Shin is. I know Minato is kind of irritating sometimes, but I understand him. Perhaps, he is asexual(?). I think it would be interesting if he turned out to be asexual since he often panics and becomes stressed out every time Shin makes a move. This show is not for all, but I really like it. It became my comfort show because of its ambiance and I just love the background music. If you don't like aggressive young characters pursuing older men, then this is not for you.

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So Very Disappointing

I loved series 1, It was cute and quirky, and I have been waiting excitedly to see their relationship develop and grow.
Sadly series 2 is more or less a repeat of S1, but way worse. There is zero development and growth and absolutely no chemistry between the main characters.

Considering Minato and Shin have now been together for 3 months, they appear to be in exactly the same place that we left them at the end of series 1. Minato has a hissy fit every time Shin gets any where near him, and runs away screaming, while Shin stands about looking like a wooden plank. Shin isn't even allowed to use Minato's first name!

The whole series goes on like this for every episode until it becomes extremely annoying and boring.
Later there is a horribly contrived "accident" that is utterly pointless and adds nothing to the story. It is lazy writing and I have to wonder if even the script writer was bored by this point!
Overall a disappointing story I blame the script writer and the director.
... :~(

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This one was pretty cute!

I didn't know what to expect exactly from this drama, but I can say that it was a pleasant discovery!

In terms of story, the premise is actually not very exciting - it's about a man who decides to live a peaceful life as the sole owner of a coin laundromat, and about a high schooler who starts to hang out at said laundromat every day. What I believe makes this series much more interesting as it goes on lies in the character dynamics, their introspection and their slow but steady development.
Shin is at his last year of high school, and he's a delightful mix of mature and youthful personality traits: he's responsible with his duties and takes good care of the people surrounding him, even when he doesn't really like them, but he's also very passionate about what (and who) he likes and never afraid of being straightforward and honest with his feelings.
Akira is comfortable in his skin at first sight, but it's also a comfort that he created by building a wall around his feelings: he can be affectionate with other people, but he also makes sure to draw a clear line so that nobody crosses it, not even himself. For this same reason he'd rather hide what he actually feels and put on a facade.
As the story goes on, we can clearly see how both of them influence each other's attitudes in a positive way. Shin gradually learns to compromise and to accept things that he doesn't like for the sake of the people he loves, while Akira slowly comes out of his shell and comes to terms with the painful events of his past, as well as the feelings he has in the present. The feelings they have for each other take time to fully bloom, but the result couldn't be more satisfying in my opinion.
I was half expecting to hate the secondary characters, but I actually ended up loving most of them. Even the secondary couple, while not explored as much as I would've liked, was very cute. The only character I wouldn't say I liked was the fujoshi, as I saw both her and the events tied to her as pure fanservice.
I can't recommend this series if you're looking for steamy love scenes, as there isn't any. If you're looking for a cute slow burn romance, make sure to watch this one!

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Nice but extended, not exactly slow paced

I liked the series as the director did a great job with the casting, setting the scenes, etc.
The acting was good with a scope of improvement, more emotions could be shown there.
The series was more extended according to me, I don't mind the age gap between them at all since it's more than just consensual and most of the things there are maturely done.
But most of the episodes are just the same things being repeated over and over again, however, it is done beautifully in a calming way.
The ending however could have been better, it seemed a bit illogical if we look at the series as a whole.

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Too Much Sweet With No Salt.

Aah... the age gap returns. Or did it really?

After inheriting his Grandfather's local coin laundry, Minato Akira leads a simple and happy life. His life takes a turn when he encounters Katsuyaki Shin, a 17 year old high school student, who happens to have an intense crush on him. His straightforward advances and innocence enamors Akira, but also digs up unpleasant memories.

Honestly, I really liked the first two episodes, but it sort of descended into boring land very soon. Both the characters of Shin and Akira were beautifully written - everyone had their own fears and setbacks. I loved how straightforward Shin-chan was in particular and it was hilarious to see Akira-san's scandalized reactions. All the actors played their roles well.

Setting that apart, it did have other aspects of friendship, study life and even a sprinkle of Shin-Chan's sister and a few passerby's. Hanabusa Akusa was my favorite, unfortunately. He had a vibe and story that seemed more intriguing to me.

This drama is not a complete waste of time. But, for some reason all that sweetness and tug of war exhausted me and I found myself skipping through the episodes to make it to the end.

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