My Summer of You Review (Japanese BL) | MyAsianBinge

The Binge Team
October 2, 2026

Grab your popcorn and prepare your fragile hearts, because I am officially spiraling! My Summer of You (君は夏のなか ) has finally graced our screens, and ever since it premiered on June 24, 2026, I have been completely hooked. This 12-episode gem is based on Nagisa Furuya's iconic manga, and it has everything I could want from a summer BL: golden-hour sunsets, deep teenage yearning, and so much romantic tension that I was left staring at my pillow at 2 AM.

If you've been obsessed with the soft, emotional friends-to-lovers romance of I Hear the Sunspot or Countdown to Yes, I can already tell you this Japanese BL is going to feel like comfort food. The story follows two high school boys,Wataru Toda (Tomoya Oku) and Chiharu Saeki (Kazuto Mokudai), who share a quiet passion for indie movies. What starts as a simple friendship and a love of movies soon turns into a once-in-a-lifetime summer trip to visit real filming locations, and that trip ends up messing with their hearts in the best possible way.

My Summer of You Review: Summer Romance and Pilgrimage

I am so weak for a good soulmate-like connection! Wataru Toda is a perfectly ordinary guy who loves watching movies and prefers to stay out of the spotlight. Then there is the ridiculously cute and insanely popular Chiharu Saeki, who somehow becomes Wataru's favorite person in the world. The two bond over their shared love of film and come up with an ingenious plan: spending their summer vacation visiting real-life filming locations from their favorite indie movies.

I was smiling from Episode 1 through Episode 3 as they rode trains, shared snacks, explored new places, and had deep late-night conversations. Then Episodes 4 and 5 came along and hit me like an emotional freight train! Their romantic feelings start bubbling to the surface, forcing both boys to confront the scary truth about what they really mean to each other.

By Episodes 6, 7, and 8, I was practically biting my nails off as self-doubt started to ruin the mood. Wataru keeps wondering why Saeki would choose him, especially when Saeki is so popular and admired by everyone around him.

Then Episodes 9, 10, and 11 arrive, and things get even more emotional. Both boys have to stop making assumptions and finally figure out how to express what they really want and feel before we reach the end of the story.

School Trip: Joined a Group I'm Not Close To Review (Japanese BL)

The Sunshine and Sparks

First, the visuals. I was completely fascinated! Every scene looks like a vintage postcard glowing in the golden sunlight, with calm blue skies and a dreamy, nostalgic atmosphere. And Wataru Toda? He deserves all the awards! His micro-expressions of panic, confusion, and raw warmth were so good that I felt every single emotion right along with him.

There is such a natural spark between Wataru Toda and Chiharu Saeki. I can't get enough of how their love story grows organically from the respect and friendship they already have instead of feeling forced. Watching them slowly fall for each other while geeking out over movie trivia had my heart turning into a puddle!

The Bumpy Pacing and Communication Roadblocks

Now for my petty rants!

The pacing slows down in the middle, and that became a problem for me because some parts started to feel boring and difficult to get through. The story moves quickly at first as Wataru and Saeki build their friendship, but then it suddenly hits the brakes in the second act and leaves them stuck in angst and miscommunication for far too long.

And some of Chiharu Saeki's decisions had me seriously frustrated! He doesn't even tell anyone about his plans for his future studies, which creates so much unnecessary drama and leaves Wataru completely heartbroken for no good reason. And don't even get me started on all those dramatic silences. There were so many moments when I was practically losing my mind watching them refuse to just talk to each other.

Seriously, a 10-minute conversation could have saved us from three whole episodes of emotional anguish!

My Summer of You Ending and Final Verdict

The final episode, Episode 12, gives us the emotional climax we've been waiting for while still keeping everything grounded and real. After a long period of silence, Wataru and Saeki finally meet again under the summer sky. By this point, Wataru has had plenty of time to realize just how much Saeki's secretive nature has hurt him.

Then it's Saeki's turn to step up. He takes responsibility for his terrible communication skills and promises Wataru that he will become someone he can trust. Instead of making a "foolish sacrifice" or giving up on his own future, Saeki decides to be completely honest about his dreams and what he wants for his life.

Wataru chooses to forgive him, and he finally steps out of his shell to stand beside Saeki as an equal. It's such a satisfying moment because Wataru isn't simply accepting Saeki's choices. He is choosing to support him while also standing confidently on his own.

The final moments are pure bliss as the two begin their college years together. It's such a beautiful reminder that real love requires real effort, patience, trust, and honest communication.

And my final verdict? Put everything else aside and indulge in this one right now!

✦ Watch This If You Loved

I highly recommend My Summer of You for slow-burn lovers who crave gorgeous summer aesthetics, deep yearning, and a genuine friendship-to-lovers story.

Looking for more BLs like My Summer of You? Check out our similar picks:

Drama Info

TitleMy Summer of You (2026)

Total Episodes12 (Complete)

Review12 Episodes

CountryJapan

Genre BL · Romance

Release DateJune 24th to Sept 9th · 2026

Stream

🎬 GagaOOLala

Main Cast

MAB Score
8/10
Overall Rating

Story

Acting

Chemistry

Cinematography

Rewatch Value — 7/10

The cozy summer vibe, comforting soundtrack, and top-tier lead chemistry make it the ultimate comfort drama to rewatch whenever you need a boost.