A new Japanese language boy-love film, 10 Dance, has taken the world by storm. You’ve got to know, even if boy love is mediocre or even bad, if there’s chemistry and yearning, it’s going to be received with much more love than a regular film that’s got all the same shortcomings. 10 Dance happens to be one of those films, because it doesn’t really do anything progressive for its community; in fact, it’s both racist and a little bit regressive in its story. But apparently, that’s not the only disappointing thing about the film. It also doesn’t complete many of its arcs, and despite the title, we don’t actually get to see the championship, though I suppose Suzuki and Sugiki do dance 10 dances at the end of the film. It has an open ending that leaves you wondering why the heck you spent 2 hours watching this film when it literally doesn’t go anywhere. Sure, you could argue it’s to watch them dance, but that also comes all the way at the end, and I personally didn’t think the wait was worth it. Not to say the dancing was bad, I could’ve just skipped to those parts. Now, if you’re reading the manga, you already know it’s still running and has already been adapted, but that means there’s much left to explore in this story. I mean, really, the movie gave us nada, and with so much attention, it’s definitely going to come back for seconds, even if there’s no official announcement yet. But with that said, let’s jump into some theories for what we can expect from a second part from a non-reader’s perspective.
The “10 Dance” Championship
The first thing that has to be in the second film is the dance competition itself. The film ends with Suzuki kissing Sugiki in front of a full audience, which honestly made it feel like a dream, but then I remembered Japanese fiction tends to do this with LGBTQ+ films and shows (I’m thinking about “Yuri On Ice”). Oh, not to mention, this is after they share a long dance, and then Suzuki says he’ll see Sugiki at the “10 Dance” competition. This means the two rivals-turned-lovers-turned-rivals will meet again in a competition. That is clearly when they truly feel the fire in them. Now the part I can’t understand is if it’ll be the first thing in the film or the last, because if it’s the first thing, I don’t know what the second half of the film would even be about, and if it’s the last bit, then a lot needs to be covered in the first half, making the wait feel genuinely interesting.
Boy Love or Not?
According to something I read online, Suzuki and Sugiki aren’t even gay in the manga. They’re completely straight, but it’s the dancing that draws them to each other. This would mean there’s no chance for an eventual happy ending for them. They’re only into each other because each needs the other to do their best in the competition. Additionally, we don’t really have any backstory for the two characters, and Suzuki’s reaction to some of his Cuban friends asking him if he was interested in Sugiki makes me sure that this is the first time he’s even considered sleeping with a man. This wouldn’t be a problem if the whole thing were addressed a little bit. But there’s no addressing, which means there’s no understanding of what’s really going on here. I could be completely wrong, though; it’s just a theory, so treat it with a grain of salt.
More Yearning or Actual Romance
The film is quite tame for a boy love, and though there are a couple of steamy kisses, it doesn’t compare at all to any of the boy love stuff we’ve seen in recent years. Specifically, when it’s a film about dance, and that can be so hot on its own. But apart from one really pretty scene on a train, 10 Dance has got nothing, so I think if there’s a sequel, it definitely needs more going on for it. The film covers the first 4 volumes of the manga, which means a whole second half can still be adapted.
Are Aki and Fusako important?
My biggest criticism of this film is that it uses its female characters as rag dolls that have no use but to look pretty and support the male leads. We already know how Sugiki treats his partner, but there’s something about Aki and Suzuki having been involved romantically, which means that’s something we can expect to see a little of at least. Not in the present, in the past. In the present, I feel like she’s going to take on the role of agony aunt for Suzuki, who needs not just a partner in dance but emotional support as well. On the other hand, Fusako is basically a puppet for Sugiki, and I’d really like to see her have an actual nice arc. She is definitely a good dancer and Sugiki’s partner, so let’s hope this checks out. We do know she was told she wasn’t good enough, but Sugiki basically restored her (only because he could control her), so we might get to see some of that trauma, too.
New Characters
The manga introduces two new queer characters, Norman and Max, the latter of whom is apparently very problematic. This means they have to be in the film, but it will probably try to tame things down a little bit. Additionally, if the championship is happening, there have to be a few new supporting characters too. Ultimately, I don’t know if a second film will be announced, but if that day does come, we’re going to have to see some real improvement in this storytelling.
