I am still struggling to process the experience of watching my first fully AI-generated vertical BL, an encounter that felt uniquely unsettling. There is a distinct difference between viewing brief AI-generated clips and sitting through a feature-length production constructed entirely this way, though I cannot quite articulate that specific sensation. My head and my gut are currently at odds, leaving me undecided on whether to continue exploring this medium or to simply back away. What is certain, however, is that for a creation made by an AI that presumably faces no limits on storytelling, the decision to rely on the same exhausted tropes that this genre has recycled indefinitely is a major letdown. Furthermore, the entire production bears a very obvious hangover from Heated Rivalry.
Hockey rivals Adam and James can’t stand one another, yet a shared punishment leads to an unexpected hookup that leaves both of them stunned. Adding to the chaos, they find out their parents—his dad and his mom—are dating and planning to marry, effectively making them stepbrothers. Forced to share a bed under the same roof, their relationship shifts from barely tolerating each other to something entirely unplanned. James initiates things by flirting his way toward Adam, but the drama intensifies when a girl who used to live next door to Adam arrives, triggering James’s jealousy. He reacts by pretending to date someone else, sparking yet another cycle of back-and-forth tension. While they remain fierce rivals at school and on the ice, they continue to end up in bed together behind closed doors. The tension peaks with the upcoming draft for top players, leaving both uncertain if they are ready to reveal the truth of their situation. However, on the day of their final match victory, they pull each other into a kiss in front of everyone—including their coach and parents—and both of them get picked.
Because of its vertical format, the pacing moves at a breathless speed, rushing through the transition from enemies to emotional vulnerability in a way that somehow lands without feeling jarring. However, the AI elements present a much larger problem. The characters’ facial expressions frequently feel wrong, appearing as though they have been placed on the faces rather than being genuinely felt, which creates a distance that a real performance avoids. While standard vertical BLs aren’t exactly a high benchmark, a gap still exists here. The show does have one functional element: the physical chemistry between Adam and James. Their mutual attraction feels real, and they constantly find reasons to get close to one another. Meanwhile, the girlfriends serve as mere filler drama, though it is a relief that neither is portrayed as a villain. The story avoids unnecessary darkness, leaning instead toward a positive resolution. If you are curious about where this technology is heading, it is worth a look as a test case for whether AI-generated long-form content can hold your attention. As for whether it actually gets there yet, the answer is not really. (3/10)
