Ruiyao Zhu-33832865

Throughout the history of cinema and research, cinema has changed from “author-centered” to “audience-centered” (Huang, 2023). In recent years, trans TVs have received much attention and have been widely discussed in any country in the world. In addition to focusing on sexual minority groups, dramatic conflicts, and the development of trans TV, the values ​​conveyed by some excellent works through the language of the lens, and the emotional resonance people feel through these have become topics worth discussing.

“オールドファッションカップケーキ(Old Fashion Cupcake)” is a highly watched Japanese drama adapted from the BL manga of the same name by Sagan. This short drama was broadcast in 2022 and starred by Takeda Kohei and Kimura Tatsunatsu. The protagonist of the play, Nosue, is a 39-year-old ordinary office worker whose life has fallen into a mechanized daily routine. He lacks dreams and is confused about the future. At the same time, his junior colleague Tokawa, who is young but mature and steady, has always had a good impression of Nosue. One day, Tokawa took Nosue to a dessert shop. By tasting desserts and exploring different lifestyles, Nosue gradually opened up, learned to enjoy life and face his emotions.

In my opinion, the play also uses many soothing long shots, and its lens language plays an important role in narrative and emotional expression. The play uses a lot of soft natural light, matched with warm-toned pictures, to create a warm and comfortable visual experience. Long shots are used many times in the play to capture the subtle interactions between the characters, such as the eye contact between Nosue and Tokawa. This lens language amplifies the emotional layering and allows the audience to experience the delicate emotional changes between the characters. The camera often stays on the back, side face or empty scene of the character, leaving the audience with room for imagination and contemplation. This “blank” technique enhances the lyricism of the work. In resonance, the interactants’ behaviors and affective experiences may not necessarily resemble each other, but yet they are a jointly created dynamic, shaped within the relational interplay (Mühlhoff, 2014).

Trans identity in Levinson’s canon is an accepted feature of a youth culture invested in authenticity. His aesthetic treatment of trans subjects as fashionable, self-assured, and ultimately cool suggests that trans identity is now something to be coveted or at least respected, a demonstration of one’s capacity to be true to oneself (Macintosh, 2022). “Old Fashion Cupcake” is a very gentle BL drama, without too much dramatic conflict, but focusing on the natural expression of the two people’s feelings. This low-key and affectionate narrative method breaks the stereotype of BL dramas and attracts more mainstream audiences. This drama uses desserts as a medium. In addition to depicting the gradually warming relationship between the two protagonists, the plot focuses on discussing themes such as adult anxiety, career thinking, social expectations, and self-acceptance, allowing audiences in the same culture to gain spiritual emotional resonance.

“オールドファッションカップケーキ (old fashion cupcake)” tells the story of life and emotions through the warm carrier of desserts. It is not only a BL drama about love, but also a perfect work of emotional transmission through the lens, a gentle realistic narrative, and it has also become a masterpiece that explores the living conditions and inner growth of modern people.

References:

Huang, X. (2023). Film and animation storyboard camera language exploration. Art and Performance Letters, 4(7). doi:https://doi.org/10.23977/artpl.2023.040704.

Macintosh, P.H. (2022). Transgressive TV: Euphoria, HBO, and a New Trans Aesthetic. Global Storytelling: Journal of Digital and Moving Images, [online] 2(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.3998/gs.1550.

Mühlhoff, R. (2014). Affective resonance and social interaction. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 14(4), pp.1001–1019. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11097-014-9394-7.

Ryu Matsuyama (2022). Ryu Matsuyama / blue blur feat. mabanua【ドラマ『オールドファッションカップケーキ』コラボMUSIC VIDEO】. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDzYIT8Nu-M [Accessed 25 Nov. 2024].