The series adaptation of Natsume Isaku’s manga, ‘Candy Color Paradox’ starts with a surprisingly rapid and sweet start, with our couple meeting and immediately getting thrown in a stakeout as henceforth, partners.
Candy Color Paradox is a BL series featuring two tabloid journalists assigned to work together on a new case despite their clashing personalities. Despite their initial hostility toward each other, they form a compatible team and develop an unlikely bond as they uncover the truth behind each story. Will their opposite personalities and conflicting work ethics prevent any chance of a romantic relationship between them? We’ll find out through the following episodes!
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD. Read at your own risk!
Episode 1
Onoe Satoshi, a reporter dedicated to politics in the editing department for the weekly magazine Dash, is suddenly reassigned to the stakeout team. He is partnered with Kaburagi —who he secretly resents and considers his rival— on an upcoming story where they have to capture scandalous photos of actress Yumi who is engaged in an affair. During their stakeout to get a picture, Onoe’s mistakes on the job frustrate Kaburagi, causing problems between them. After work, Onoe vents about Kaburagi at his friend, Masaya’s restaurant, where Kaburagi arrives with two women whom he starts flirting with. Onoe confronts Kaburagi for two-timing once the girls leave, but Kaburagi explains he only flirts to gather intel and blows into Onoe’s ear to show off his seduction skills. Onoe calls out Kaburagi for taking advantage of women, which Kaburagi finds hypocritical since they work for the same magazine. Onoe confides in his seniors that he finds it difficult to work with Kaburagi, who will stop at nothing to get a good scoop, even if it means using his body to gather intel. However, Onoe has no choice but to work with him if he wants to succeed as a journalist. During a stakeout to capture photos of Yumi once again, they start talking about their motivations for journalism. Onoe states that he wants to expose evil in the world with a single pen, which inspires the apathetic Kaburagi and reminds him that he too was once like Onoe when he started. Onoe is surprised to find the magazine where he got the cover story to be in Kaburagi’s bag but before he can properly confront Kaburagi about it they finally catch a photo of Yumi with her lover, whom Onoe identifies as a yakuza leader.
Episode 2
Onoe and Kaburagi’s superior has requested a clear shot of Yumi and her yakuza lover so Kaburagi sets off to meet with Kaori, a club owner who holds valuable intel on the matter. In exchange for a fee, she offers to provide the yakuza boss’s location and with the information secured, the two-part ways to execute their respective tasks. Kaburagi tails Yumi while Onoe keeps watching over the yakuza’s lair. As Onoe relays information to Kaburagi, their communication is unexpectedly cut off, causing Kaburagi to worry for his partner’s safety. Onoe unexpectedly didn’t get in trouble with the yakuza but got scolded by the police for loitering. The police didn’t believe that he was on a stakeout since he is unable to provide a valid identification that he is a journalist. Luckily, Kaburagi came to his aid and rescued him from the situation. Onoe begins to have a crush on this Kaburagi who is softer and more caring but he doesn’t want to acknowledge it. He’s touched that Kaburagi abandoned a stakeout just to look for him. Despite what happened, they managed to accomplish their goal after waiting some more. The story about Yumi and her love is published, exposing the actress’ illicit affair. Kaburagi suggests that Onoe change teams soon before he becomes numb to ruining people’s lives like him. Onoe embraces Kaburagi, telling him that he’s a good person, but then quickly becomes bashful and runs away before Kaburagi could hug him back. Onoe is left to sort out his confusing feelings after Masayan confirms that he is in love with Kaburagi. Meanwhile, Kaburagi can’t stop thinking about the time Onoe hugged him on the rooftop.
