Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
‘Fake Fact Lips’ is that rare Japanese romantic-comedy BL which embraces its silliness, delivering a generous amount of laughs, without skimping on the steam.
Directed by Takeshi Matsuura, this nine-episode show is an adaptation of the manga “Fake Fact Lips” (フェイクファクトリップス) by Suehiro Machi. Sato Yusuke, best known to many BL fans from ‘Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice but to Kiss!’, plays star salesman Shido Zen, whose favorite hobby appears to be competing with co-worker Yotsuya Ryo (Hori Kaito). The two have been trying to outdo each other since high school, so when a drunken night takes an unexpectedly sensual turn, they respond in the most sensible way possible: by placing a bet on who will fall in love first.
“On this day, the most stupid battle of our history began!” both leads declare in the very first episode of “Fake Fact Lips”, acknowledging the silly premise of challenging each other over love. But Ryo turns on the charm immediately, going all guns blazing to woo the pants off Zen, and you’ll love how it’s extremely evident that he is already in love with his so called ‘high school rival’, and it had been the case since their student days.
Fujii Ren as the younger Ryo is a casting triumph. Not only does he bear a remarkable resemblance to Hori Kaito, but he also perfectly captures the character’s mischievous and competitive personality. Horiguchi Ibuki, meanwhile, plays the teenage Zen. While the physical resemblance is less convincing, he nails Zen’s nerdy, earnest, and overly serious demeanor down to a T.
But of course, Sato Yusuke and Hori Kaito are the absolute stars of ‘Fake Fact Lips’ as the adult versions of Zen and Ryo. Their on-screen chemistry entertainingly swings between comedy and romance. One moment, they’re behaving like petty teenage rivals rather than grown salesmen, and the next they’re sharing genuinely sweet and intimate moments together. Throughout its nine-episode run, the series strikes an excellent balance between its romantic and comedic sides. In fact, Zen and Ryo begin dating much earlier than expected, allowing the story to focus on how they navigate their new relationship rather than endlessly teasing it.
Even when “Fake Fact Lips” throws a clichéd love-rival subplot into the mix, with a new colleague Futami Yuya (Hirai Amon in a comic bowl cut), the character turns out to be far less troublesome than expected. He does cause a few misunderstandings and moments of jealousy, but ultimately feels more like a source of comedy. At least, that’s the case if you look at things from his perspective: poor Futami genuinely believes Zen and Ryo are nothing more than fiercely competitive rivals and simply wants to join in on their contests, completely oblivious to the fact that those same contests somehow turned the pair into lovers.
If I had to name my two favorite Japanese BL comedies, they would probably be “My Love Mix-Up!” and “Cherry Magic!“. However, Fake Fact Lips differs from both in one major way: its leads waste absolutely no time getting together. While the couples in those shows don’t even share a kiss, Zen and Ryo are already aggressively making out (and more) by the end of Episode 1. What Fake Fact Lips lacks in exaggerated slapstick and body-comedy, it makes up for with a relationship that feels more physically and emotionally believable.
The one area where Fake Fact Lips occasionally stumbles is its soundtrack. While several tracks are upbeat and memorable, others feel as though they’ve been borrowed from an entirely different series, especially a few random sitar-infused cues that stick out for all the wrong reasons. Thankfully, the opening theme song by the Japanese rock band ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ is a fun highlight, elevated by a laid-back montage of the two leads simply going about their daily lives.
Hori Kaito is memorably charming as the lovestruck Ryo, conveying entire paragraphs with longing glance at the oblivious Zen right from the beginning. He’s equally hilarious when his cocky side emerges, constantly dragging Zen into new competitions just to stay close to him. Sato Yusuke is quite endearing as the normally composed Zen, who becomes adorably flustered around Ryo. Aside from a brief bout of climatic drama, the pair’s biggest challenge is simply finding time for each other, with the series highlighting their maturity through small moments of understanding rather than grand romantic gestures.
If you’re looking for a fun Japanese romantic-comedy, look no further!
Watch ‘Fake Fact Lips’ on iQIYI.
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