I received an ARC of At 25:00 in Akasaka by Hiroko Satsuno, volume 1 from the publisher, Seven Seas Entertainment.
If I see “entertainment industry” anywhere near a BL manga’s description, you can trust and believe I am adding it to my “to be read” list. There’s something so whimsical about these highly unrealistic scenarios that manage to fill my delulu brain with joy. Does the industry really operate like this? Who cares! The stories are fun and dramatic — exactly how I like them.
When I learned of At 25:00 in Akasaka, I did what I always do and pre-ordered it. I got the ARC before I received the copy I ordered (which is still unopened after a week so that I can film a cute Instagram reel for it). I was excited to dive in ahead of schedule.
At 25:00 in Akasaka is by Hiroko Natsuno and is published by Seven Seas Entertainment. Natsuno is also the mangaka of The Love of Calendula. In At 25:00 in Akasaka, the main character is Yuki Shirasaki, an up-and-coming actor who finally lands his big break in a BL drama. Starring alongside him is his former college senpai and now a big name in the industry, Asami Hayama. After a few drinks, the two end up almost sleeping together before production even starts!
Shirasaki decides that he needs some practice to properly play a gay character and that leads to him and Hayama becoming friends-with-benefits. Why not sleep with your co-star in the name of acting? As the production goes on, these two fall deeper into their mess and each other and have to decide what to do with their feelings once production is over.
As far as industry BL plots go, this “physical relationship to deepen the acting” is not uncommon by any means. But that to me makes it even more exciting! Why yes, show me how this story handles this trope and what different elements they throw in to make it different. In 25:00 in Akasaka specifically, the addition of the college history between the leads adds a level of investment. What’s better than people having history, right?
This story feels so light and fluffy, despite the minor angst of wondering if the two leads will stop fooling themselves and admit their feelings. It’s a case of being in your head too much and not trusting the vibes. I love the lead-up so much and the added deadline of the drama ending.
My favorite part aside from how adorable Shirasaki is with his naivety, is how this is just volume one. The story feels like it could be a perfect one-shot but since it’s not, I’m looking forward to seeing what else Shirasaki and Hayama will deal with when it comes to being in love in the acting industry. There is so much that can be covered or different avenues that can be explored. I think volume one does a great job of setting the foundation for what is to come.
