First Impressions: “Popular Serizawa Acts Weird Around Me” Is A Meta-Coded High School BL

In “Popular Serizawa Acts Weird Around Me,” a BL-loving boy bases the main character of his own BL on the popular guy in his class. When said popular guy accidentally finds out, he receives an unexpected reaction. This BL is a fun meta-coded twist on an adorably awkward high school romance with what might be the perfect pairing: an overthinking, timid student and the most popular guy in school who is actually a goofball. The premiere episodes set things up in a really fun way, and it’s only just the beginning. If you enjoyed Japanese BLs like “Takara-kun & Amagi-kun” or “School Trip: Joined a Group I’m Not Close To,” you’ll like this one too. Warning: Spoilers from episodes 1 and 2! You’ve probably heard of a fujoshi, a girl who likes BL. They’re often portrayed as over‑the‑top super‑fans, but that’s not the whole story. There are, in fact, all kinds of fujoshi, and there’s an interesting backstory behind the term. If you’re curious, an iconic fujoshi can be found in “Kabe-Koji-Nekoyashiki-kun Desires to be Recognized.” Either way, in “Popular Serizawa Acts Weird Around Me,” there’s no fujoshi, but there is a fudanshi. Suzuki Hajime (Koizumi Kosaku) is a closeted fudanshi, a gu...