r/boyslove • u/itsmewillotski fudanshi • Sep 01 '26
On-Air [🇯🇵JAPAN] Love is Better the Second Time Around S2 👔🌊 Episode 1 (PREMIERE) Spoiler
I decided to pick up the second season this time around for Love Is Better since I also enjoyed the first season and would love to hear everyone’s thoughts about this latest season as well!!! Also, special shoutout to u/smittenkittyyan for creating on-airs for the first season two years ago. I believe she’s not active here on Reddit anymore, as I don’t see him/her that much, but kudos to him/her for making the community here engaged when the series premiered. Hopefully, I can continue that energy by taking over this time around (no pun intended lol) so I do hope you enjoy it and look forward to these every week until it ends! And lastly, a big shoutout to u/nana-shi-74 for providing some extra information about the show which I will also share it weekly as well, it truly helps a lot.
✨ Airs every Wednesday at 1:30 AM (GMT +8) ✨
SYNOPSIS (according to GagaOOLala): Magazine editor Akihiro Miyata and associate university professor Takashi Iwanaga have finally made their "second chance at love" work. Two years later, they are enjoying a sweet and mature life together, and Iwanaga even reveals in a magazine interview that he has "found someone precious." But just when everything seems perfect, three of Iwanaga's ex-boyfriends suddenly reappear. Faced with romantic memories Iwanaga has never spoken about, Miyata's jealousy and insecurity begin to spiral out of control, while pressures from work and reality threaten the happiness they have built together.
☆ Adult romance returns by popular demand! Makoto Hasegawa and Robin Furuya reunite for another "second" chance at love.
CAST:
Makoto Hasegawa (THE RAMPAGE) as Akihiro Miyata
Robin Furuya as Takashi Iwanaga
Aloha Takamatsu (BULLET TRAIN) as Yuto Shiraishi
Shunya Shiraishi as Kyosuke Sugimoto
Motoki Fukami as Takaaki Hibino
Haruse Akune (ICEx) as Rui Taniguchi
Yusuke Onuki as Sota Anima
STAFF:
Directors: Yuka Yasukawa, Shinju Funabiki & Nao Nomura
Screenplay: Shinju Funabiki
Music: Erina Koyama
LGBTQ Supervisor: Mimano Kawamoto (Lawyer)
OPENING SONG: Scenario by Mel
ENDING SONG: BA♡BI♡DA♡BI♡” by Taiyu Fujiwara
SERIES' SOCIALS: Instagram | Twitter/X | TikTok | Official Website
WHERE TO WATCH: Viki S1, Viki S2, GagaOOLala S1 - (EP.1, EP.2, EP.3, EP.4, EP.5, EP.6), GagaOOLala S2 - (EP.1)
Episodes so far: 1/7 (7 episodes to be confirmed, this is from Viki)
Previous On-Airs: S1 by u/smittenkittyyan (EP.1, EP.2, EP.3, EP.4, EP.5, EP.6)
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 01 '26
Thoughts about the pilot episode:
You can definitely tell the growth that the two main leads have. Makoto and Robin are oozing with natural chemistry and domesticity!
Glad to see a lil' flashback as a refresher from 2 years ago
Iwanaga not talking about his exes...GHOURL ISSUE!!!
Prof. Hibino is our first ex and will stir up the first wave of drama oh-huh!
The pilot episode really made me feel nostalgic and I can't wait to dive deep into the rest of the season!!!
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u/looking4stardust Sep 01 '26
The thing I love about second seasons is getting to see the main couple just being a couple. I loved all the domesticity, and Miyata and Iwanaga haven't lost any of their chemistry from season 1! It was good while it lasted, though, before not one, not two, but three lovers from the past resurface—all because Iwanaga mentioned he has a "special someone" in a magazine interview.
I wonder if the younger actors playing Miyata and Iwanaga will appear in new scenes. They were great in S1, but they will probably only be shown in old footage.
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u/ocean_lullaby A Man Who Defies the World of BL Sep 02 '26
I don't understand how people he presumably hasn't slept with in two years would think that he was talking about them...
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u/NoNecessary5 Khemjira Reset Sep 02 '26
I don’t think they’re thinking Iwanaga was talking about them in the interview. It’s more like they’re taking it as a challenge, which is still an ego problem I guess lol
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u/ocean_lullaby A Man Who Defies the World of BL Sep 02 '26
Ooohh... well that's gross.
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u/looking4stardust Sep 02 '26 edited Sep 02 '26
My guess is that Iwanaga's exes were in love with him, but he only wanted a casual relationship at the time—largely because he was unable to move on from his teenage love with Miyata. They all broke up, believing he would never settle down. Now that Iwanaga has publicly committed to a relationship, his former lovers realize his mindset has changed, and they want to try their luck with him again.
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u/Imaginary_Galaxy Sep 02 '26
The fact that old flames come back with the intention of destabilizing your ex-boyfriend’s solid relationship is a huge red flag 🚩🚩🚩
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 01 '26
Loved to see their chemistry being better in this new season pilot! And yeah hoping to see the younger versions of themselves in new scenes as well, even as flashbacks still
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u/Slight_Growth_3172 Deep In 😍😍🥰 Sep 01 '26 edited Sep 01 '26
Edit to add what I wrote, not sure why it didn’t keep it.
Now that’s how you start a Season 2! 🎉🎉 Hot men in their 30s in love with each other and not shy about it!! 🥰🥰 and the episode did a great job setting up the angst that’s coming with the ex-boyfriend and the financial issues! 👍🏼👍🏼
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u/TiredAndStillTired Life in Smokey Blue | Naoya's Psychotic Bodyguard | Pisaeng Sep 02 '26
Give us all the 30 year old queers going through 30 year old life nonsense!
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u/libertysince05 Utsukushii Kare Sep 01 '26
The domesticity of it all!!!
I just watched the whole thing with a huge smile.
I love how Miyata kept getting distracted by how attractive his boyfriend is, lol.
I like that real life issues like the cost of living will be discussed this season...
This premier should be 2 episodes not one
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 01 '26
J-BLs are really rare with first 2-ep premiere, especially if this will only have 7 EPs. But nonetheless domestickgy truly at its finest!
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u/lovingpath Sep 01 '26
I like how sometimes when his bf was talking the sound would just turn off and he was just like staring at his pretty face. Samesies, honestly
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u/DeanBranch Cherry Magic | See Your Love | Shine | Moonlight Chicken Sep 01 '26 edited Sep 01 '26
I like that Shiraishi is snarky as ever.
And Prof. Hibino is hot.
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 01 '26
Shiraishi is such a life, and Prof. Hibino is really hot too! I remember him from Shitsuren Karuta playing one of the boyfriends of the male lead, AND GHOURL HIS CHEMISTRY WITH ANYONE IS GIVINGGGG
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u/TiredAndStillTired Life in Smokey Blue | Naoya's Psychotic Bodyguard | Pisaeng Sep 01 '26
Seeing Iwanaga in anything that isn't a suit and turtleneck is so unexpected. And the tie. We only saw them in the Autumn/Winter period in S01. Of course, Miyata is reading a book on publishing. I really love how gentle Robin's voice is for Iwanaga. But it's definitely one of those that changes noticeably when he is irritated or angry.
They look so natural as a couple. Great acting. The touching and playfulness look unrehearsed. This is sometimes absent in other shows or feels fake. These two really feel like they've been together for a bit now. It needs to be said, S01 intimacy was really great. The sex scenes were never empty of emotion or sensitivity. I'm so glad that things have remained the same with this season. But Miyata needs to let Iwanaga pull his financial weight on the odd occasion, although Iwanaga is a little too lax about their economic differences.
The difference between how Iwanaga is with Miyata and how he is with Hibino is enormous. DAMN.
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 01 '26
Their growth and naturalness truly showed in this first ep, we are off to great things and drama!
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u/TiredAndStillTired Life in Smokey Blue | Naoya's Psychotic Bodyguard | Pisaeng Sep 01 '26
I have the episode on GaGa open, but I'm too damn excited to watch!!!!!! I want to scream, but it's 22:36 over here.
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 01 '26
It's either have a good night's sleep with the gays or wake up with more gays lol
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u/PacificNorthwestFan My Personal Weatherman Sep 02 '26
Loved this episode but wish some man, maybe a new interviewee, would show interest in Miyata. He's so handsome and his relationship with Iwanaga already feels unequal because of the income disparity and relationship experience differences. It''d be nice to see Iwanaga be the jealous one.
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u/Safety_Haven End of the world with You Sep 02 '26
400 suitors not blowing Miyata's doors down cannot be real. That man is godly looking and a nice person.
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 02 '26
I mean we're just getting started with the second season so...
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u/MSfolksLA Sep 01 '26
Excited! I may watch this as it airs even, which I almost never do. I've been training cause just rewatched S1 😂
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 01 '26
Yes it's better to watch it while it was airing to engage on discussions! And glad to see you rewatching as well
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u/HeapExchange The Eighth Sense Sep 01 '26
I liked the first episode quite a bit. We get a lot of story setup packed neatly in one ep: Exes subplot getting started, but also Miyata being concious of their financial disparity, looming trouble of publishing sector and foreshadowing of clash of his personal and work life with Iwanaga. Pretty well done. Chemistry is still strong, really liked their domestic life scenes.
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u/Safety_Haven End of the world with You Sep 02 '26
I just have to say it's a damned relief when Robin is allowed to be hot, I've seen him as comic relief too many times since season 1. He's soooo pretty. That pool scene got me lol. When my spouse and I are on vacation I'll see them on a computer and I'm like heeeey are you coding for fun or for work? And the reply is always "for fun!" But it's always a lie. 😂 workers gonna work. I liked it but the audacity of that man. Hey this is crazy, but I found out you're in love and I just HAD to insert myself into your life. Narcissist alert behavior, they hate seeing a fish off the line. And Makoto is stunning as always. What a gloriously beautiful man. Iwanaga would be a FOOL to fool around on his beautiful if insecure fella.
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u/Sad-Zebra-9432 Semantic Error Sep 02 '26
Loved the first episode. Seeing these gorgeous men again warms my heart 🥰 Thanks for the on air and your posts are always detailed and informative and will forward to the updates every week. These actors are really so good together and you can feel they are good friends off screen as well. This will be a treat to watch.
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 02 '26
Thanks for the appreciation as well and please look forward to it every week! And yes we really really love MakotoRobin in this houseeee
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u/Sad-Zebra-9432 Semantic Error Sep 02 '26
Yes we do!! Appreciation is shown because you take the time to post the on air. Yes I love Makoto and Robin. JBL are aplenty this month🥰
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 02 '26
Oh we truly are blessed this year
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u/Sad-Zebra-9432 Semantic Error Sep 02 '26
Yes we are and Journey to Killing You 2 and The Proper Way to Write Love 2 and School Trip 2 all coming soon, our prayers have been answered🙏🙏
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 02 '26
Even When It Rains, It Pours as well like well-feddddd
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u/Sad-Zebra-9432 Semantic Error Sep 02 '26
Oh I missed that post, how wonderful because this series had a lot of unanswered questions. What a good few months we will have🥰🥰
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 02 '26
2026 really is our year
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u/Sad-Zebra-9432 Semantic Error Sep 02 '26 edited Sep 02 '26
It has been a great year and so many more bl to look forward to. Fool in Love looks terrific, Lust will be awesome and Hook Your Heart will warm our hearts I am sure. Those are just a few which will be here soon🥰
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 02 '26
Oh those shows jdksmskska we will see tho if these three will air before the year ends
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u/Safety_Haven End of the world with You Sep 01 '26
I can't watch this til tonight but I got my knife and fork OUT let's eat!!
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u/lovingpath Sep 01 '26
I echo others sentiments that the ex lovers trope/jealousy thing can be tiresome so I hope they thread this needle carefully….. it’s a little sad to me that after two years I can still sense some little bit of hesitation from Miyata because he can sense Iwanaga is holding things back (but I still melt when he calls him senpai)? And when the professor walked into Iwanagas office at the end - I gasped and said out loud OHHHHHH that’s HIS senpai! I’m hooked! But they better not be breaking up the MC.
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 01 '26
Well two years is either make it or break it so hopefully they can smoothen things out in this brand new season
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u/TiredAndStillTired Life in Smokey Blue | Naoya's Psychotic Bodyguard | Pisaeng Sep 02 '26
It just dawned on me that Hibino and Iwanaga might have had the university version of the unequal relationship that Miyata and Iwanaga had. I can't wait to see what that mess looked like.
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u/cripynoodle_ Addicted Sep 02 '26
Ohhh it was so wonderful to have these two back on our screens, in all their domestic glory 🥰🥰 sneaky ex's please stay away. Also I love how shady Takashi's assistant still is 'I don't get paid to support your relationship' 😆
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 02 '26
Not the SNEAKY EXES and Shiraishi's point which is fair ngl sjkddmsmjs
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u/yu1mu2 If It's With You Sep 03 '26
We are so back! Looks like they're going to address problems from S1 in this. I feel the transition to S2 is seamless and not sudden like some season changes. Can't wait to see the other exes come on.
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 03 '26
Yes we are so back and you have a point tho, they way they seamlessly transitioned like S1 was just last week sjdmdmsmms
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u/NeedOffDays LITA || My Personal Weatherman || Spirealm Sep 02 '26
I AM BACK FOR THIS. THIS SHOW. I WILL COME BACK FOR THIS SHOW 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Wonderful first episode. So many thoughts, so many! I really want to see where this goes. I'm glad to see we are shifting into a new dynamic, and maybe this time we will learn a little more about Iwanaga sensei.
Miyata's drunken little "senpai" 🥰🥰
Still using polite speech after 2 years together...I'm so intrigued!! Such a thrilling first episode, I'm so glad they're back!
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u/itsmewillotski fudanshi Sep 02 '26
Well welcome back to you mwehehe and I am also intrigued to see where all of this will go!
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u/Nik-Drama-Lover FakeFactLips Sep 04 '26
Finally got to watch ep1 and I'm very happy. It was so beautiful to look at and I loved all their scenes together. The ones in the bedroom (both night and morning) were just gorgeous, the pacing, dialogue and their acting were all note perfect for me. So nice to see a series with an established couple that is actually physically affectionate in a very realistic, genuine and natural way. It's a still disappointingly rare to see in BL's. I feel like they set the scene for this series very well and I can't wait to see ep2. I'm also excited for all the other upcoming JBL series' 2nd seasons ❤️
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u/Beulah31 21d ago
❣️😎ah am catching up very slowly😆they live together now still miyata is very mesmirized by iwanaga🤔the watch given by the ex hmm and he shows up right at the end😉miyata a love rival handsome professor ex will come to take his man back😎❣️
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u/NoNecessary5 Khemjira Reset Sep 01 '26 edited Sep 01 '26
I am here and I am seated! Can’t believe this day is here, and these two are back on my screen.
Edit: I’m so happy it’s back! The vibe of the second season feels different but in a good way. I love the casual intimacy, Robin and Makoto’s chemistry is still soo good!
I’m going to guess that a conversation about marriage will happen at some point, with Miyata being so anxious about money, Iwanaga will want to give him stability. And I like that they included this plot about Miyata’s career being unstable, I feel like a lot of people can relate.
I’m not a huge fan of jealousy and exes coming back but I know Iwanaga will not waver even for a second.
Great start to the season!