Friendships in BL/GL Series

I was having dinner with a friend (celebrating our friendaversy), when we began talking about what friendship means to us. My answer being that I would much rather go without romantic love than without platonic love. My friends are what makes my life what it is, they bring me immense joy and happiness. So whilst I do love all the romance we talk about here, I would like us to turn an eye to all the wonderful friendships we see in BL and GL.

(From here on mild spoilers for: ‘Takara-kun to Amagi-kun’, ‘My Love Mix-Up’ and ‘Somewhere Somehow’)

Sometimes your friend is your soulmate

My first example of this has to be Katori and Amagi in ‘Takara-kun to Amagi-kun’. ‘Takara-kun to Amagi-kun’ is a sweet high school romance made in 2022, but the romance is not the focus of this post. 

Amagi is slightly immature, prone to overthinking and panic, but whenever he needs advice Katori is there. Katori is the type of person who doesn’t have a lot of experience, but prides himself on giving good advice. He takes himself way too seriously, which is a match for Amagi who doesn’t always think ahead and acts more on instinct. The two fit together as puzzle pieces, they are more than just best friends, they are ‘kindred spirits’ as seen in this humorous exchange they have in episode 2:

Amagi: “What do I do? I'm at a loss. Help me, kindred spirit.”

Katori: “Kindred spirit? Do you mean me?”

Amagi: “Who else would it be?”

Katori: “I don’t remember becoming one.”

Amagi: “It happened naturally.”

Totally normal conversation for two teenage boys. Furthermore, Katori is the only one who figures out that Amagi and Takara are dating, he doesn’t confront Amagi about it, Katori waits for Amagi to tell him himself. Instead he helps the relationship along in his own ways, giving Takara advice on how to talk to Amagi when conflict arises (this happens in episode 2). 

Katori: “Oh, I am the one who gives him advice. He is hard to handle at this age.”

Takara: “Are you his dad?”

Katori: “I’m his kindred spirit.”

Katori is a best friend, a kindred spirit, and at times almost like a goofy dad. For example when Amagi tells Katori that he will have a sleepover at Takara’s place, poor Katori almost has a heart attack, telling the confused Amagi that he can tell him anything.

I also love how Takara, the cool, aloof guy, promises Katori that he will treasure Amagi, as seen in this (again totally normal) promise he makes him in episode 8:

Takara (very serious): “I’m going to treasure Amagi-san.”

Tanaka (very confused): “Why are you reporting that to him? Are you Amagi’s dad?!”

Katori: “I’m his kindred spirit.”

Katori always has Amagi’s back, clearly the one who knows him the best, it is a joy to watch someone always in Amagi’s corner. I only wish that we had gotten more of their friendship.

Being rivals doesn’t mean you can’t be friends

What better way to make a friend, than in the most complicated mess of feelings that happens in ‘My Love Mix-Up’? Aoki has a crush on Hashimoto, but Hashimoto thinks he has a crush on someone else and wishes to help him. Whilst it might have started out as a crush, Aoki instead develops feelings for his Ida, leaving him and Hashimoto as friends. There are multiple instances in the show of Aoki and Hashimoto standing up for each other, wanting to help each other out in various ways.

Such as in episode 2 when the class is looking for someone to play Cinderella and the only option seems to be Hashimoto. Hashimoto is clearly uncomfortable so Aoki steps in, ready to play Cinderella. I think this is such a telling moment of who Aoki is, and how he is ready to help a friend out in need. It is also later in this episode where for the first time Aoki tells someone that he has fallen for Ida, he tells Hashimoto who also has a crush on Ida. You also have to remember that this is Aoki coming out for the first time, and luckily he is met with understanding and enthusiasm from Hashimoto (episode 3):

Aoki: “Do you think I’m weird?”

Hashimoto: “You’re not weird. It’s not weird at all.”

They then go on to bond over how much they like Ida, and are from here on out rivals, but that doesn’t stop them from being friends. The final moment I will use to highlight the friendship of these two is in episode 4, where Aoki’s friend Hayato has decided to ‘clear up the misunderstanding’, telling Ida that Aoki doesn’t have feelings for him after all. Hayato, not having grasped all of the situation, is talking about this with Hashimoto.

Hayato: “He [Aoki] shouldn’t have deceived him in the first place. He deserves punishment. He should reflect on his actions. By the way, don’t you think you’re being too soft on him?”

Hashimoto will not stand for this being said about her friend, and does the only rational thing; she slaps the shit out of Hayato, knocking him off his feet. 

Hashimoto and Aoki have each other's back throughout all of the show, high school is turbulent, crushes are difficult, but these two will always be there for each other, and they truly stole the show for me. 

Where would we be without our best friend?

If you have watched ‘Somewhere Somehow’ (2025) you will not be even slightly surprised that Pock and Kie’s friendship ended up on this list. Never have I seen a more loyal ride-or-die friend as Pock. 

Kee and Pock meet each other as kids, Kee stepping in when Pock is being bullied by two boys, which then leads to Pock and Kee full on fighting the two boys and winning (this takes place in episode 1). 

Kie: “And that was the beginning of our Pocky Gang. Pock has become my best friend who understands me the most.”

From here on out the two are inseparable, truly the show is packed to the brim with all the times Pock has Kie’s back. Going as far as to travel to Japan to act as wing-woman to get Kie and Pheem back together. Pock, to me, was the highlight of the show. Looknam is just so funny in this role, and acts exactly like a committed best friend would. Always ready to stage whatever scenario is needed to help her best friend along.

In the final episode, Kie shows Pock a model of Kee and Pheem’s future house, alongside it, she is building a house just for Pock.

Kie: “I want you in every moment of my life. [...] You’ll always have a home to come back to here.”

[...]

Pock: “Damn you. Look at what you gave me. A house! Are you nuts?”

Kie: “You’ve always been the one who gives. So, I just want to return the favors. It’s a thank you gift. Thank you for always being there for me on my every birthday. For taking my hands and guiding me through painful memories. And for never leaving me no matter what happened.”

The exchange between these two made me tear up, it being followed by a montage of their memories and scenes throughout the show. The show is about Kee and Pheem, but it is also about just how much one friend can change your life.

There are certainly more friendships which deserves to enter the hall-of-fame and one day I might write more about them, from the boys in ‘HIStory3: Make our Days Count’, to the trio in ‘Until We Meet Again’/’Between Us’, to the girls in ‘23.5’, there truly are so many great examples.