I Hear the Sunspot is a 2024, 10-episode Japanese BL series adapted from manga. Its episodes last an average of 30 minutes, and I can say it is a drama containing both romance and light comedy. Taking place in a university environment, this story handles the changes and personal growth in the lives of Kohei, who experiences hearing problems, and Taichi, who stands by his side.
If I compare it with classic and stereotypical Thai BL series; this drama offers a slightly more internal story. The characters have a process of development and completing their characters.
🏳️🌈🇯🇵 Curator Recommendation: Best Japanese BL catalog
I Hear the Sunspot (2024) Plot and Summary
Kohei is an introverted youth who becomes lonely with increasing hearing difficulties. He feels socially excluded at school, generally met with pity by his friends. In order to attend classes and maintain his academic success, he needs someone by his side to take notes. Right at this point, Taichi steps in.
Taichi is someone who had a difficult childhood, lives with his grandfather, and was abandoned by his mother. To support his financial situation, he takes class notes and begins to help Kohei. Friendship begins first between the two youths; however, much more than this friendship sprouts in Kohei’s heart.
While Kohei struggles to confess his feelings, Taichi cannot realize his emotional confusion. This uncertainty and introversion turn the bond between them into a complex state. Kohei decides to distance himself by hiding his feelings; but suppressing his true emotions will not be that easy.
A mini review and commentary
More details (I will talk about psychological depth, not about how cute the actors are and their physical features)
There is an invisible wall between Sugihara Kohei and the world. One day, he will meet Sagawa Taichi, who is full of life and outspoken. Taichi’s sincere persistence and warmth slowly begin to break Kohei’s silence. At this point, a personal development and coming of age theme will emerge. Again, the trust and friendship between them evolving into romance will also make it easier for the duo to overcome psychological barriers.
The personal growth theme in the series becomes visible right at this point. Thanks to Taichi, Kohei will dare to mingle with society again. Taichi will realize his own emotional void in Kohei’s world. Even if it is a bit cliché, the duo will also experience misunderstandings and familiar dilemmas at this point. The series progresses at this point with the dynamic of the “desire to be understood” and being able to express oneself rather than love. In my opinion, the main theme in the series must be the “desire to be understood” that I mentioned.
Identity and acceptance are also important. Kohei will learn not only to accept his own identity and feelings, but also to express them openly. The series is a drama on self-acceptance and the importance of expressing oneself. “I Hear the Sunspot” shows that even in a noisy world, silence can establish the deepest bonds. In this respect, it has a story over the psychology and development of individuals rather than being “idol” focused, and I liked this.
The series is calm and natural. Unpretentious and minimalist. Instead of glittering and equally sweet “idol” actors and characters, there is more natural acting. It is necessary to focus on the emotions inside silence, on the importance of being understood. Since it is a manga adaptation, the audience who read the manga will of course love the series more.
Kohei is an introverted youth, cautious towards his surroundings due to hearing loss. Communication becomes both a physical and emotional effort for him. This theme is actually very universal. It is also a sincere theme in terms of people understanding each other’s loneliness. Taichi, on the contrary, is someone outspoken, energetic, and extroverted. His warm approach slowly melts the walls Kohei built around himself. Maybe in real life too we need such energetic, extroverted people.
Can we accept the person before us as they are? Actually, this drama tells us this. In real life too, instead of accepting each other, we choose to make everyone resemble ourselves. We don’t really know how to use the common language of love.
While Taichi teaches Kohei to trust again; Kohei shows Taichi that silence can also be a kind of love language. The balance between the duo is unique: one makes the voice of the outer world heard, the other makes the depth of the inner world felt.
More Details
The 12-episode Japanese BL series themed around communication and exploring each other’s world is adapted from the manga named “Hidamari ga Kikoeru” (ひだまりが聴こえる) by Yuki Fumino. The series is officially broadcast on iQIYI. For more technical information, you can also look at the MyDramaList page. I also wanted to write that this series is adapted from the same manga as the film named Silhouette of Your Voice (2017). Don’t forget to write your comments too.
