The untroubled July arrival of the country’s first same-sex dating reality show, “The Boyfriend,” on streamer Netflix, may be another sign that normalization of queerness in Japan is on the way. “It’s no different from the familiar reality shows we’ve seen before. The only thing that felt odd or questionable was that, while there have been plenty of heterosexual reality shows, there have been so few featuring same-sex couples, and none in Japan,” casting director Taiki told Variety. The commentators included central host Megumi, an entertainer; drag queen Durian Lollobrigida; Tokui Yoshimi, a veteran of previous reality shows including “Terrace House”; Horan Chiaki; and style diva Thelma Aoyama. “As this was Japan’s first romance reality show featuring male same-sex relationships, it was crucial to have someone from that community in the studio,” Lollobrigida told Variety.

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Persons: “, we’ve, ”, Taiki, Dai, Shun, Taehon, inoffensively, Roche, Kimura Hana, Hishida Keisuke, Ota Dai, Durian Lollobrigida, Tokui, Horan Chiaki, Thelma Aoyama, ” Lollobrigida, …, Kitano Takeshi, they’re, ’ Organizations: Netflix, New York Times, Fuji Television, Kyodo Television, Netflix Japan, “, Tokyo Locations: Japan, East Asia, Shinjuku Ni, “ Terrace