A fading child star finds unexpected romance while filming a boys' love drama series
In short: Hajime Aoyanagi was once a famous child actor, but his career has stalled. When he lands a lead role in a boys' love drama, he is paired with Yuichiro Akafuji, a popular younger star who hides a secret, lifelong obsession with him behind a facade of cold, professional distance.
The manga series I Became the Main Role of a BL Drama, created by Machi Suzuri, began as a series of illustrations and short comics posted to Twitter and Pixiv in 2020. It centers on the fictional production of a boys' love manga titled I'm in Love with My Childhood Friend. The story follows 25-year-old actor Hajime Aoyanagi, who gained early fame in an orange juice commercial 15 years ago but has since struggled to maintain his career. He is cast alongside 23-year-old Yuichiro Akafuji, a currently popular actor who has secretly admired Aoyanagi since childhood. Akafuji’s inability to manage his starstruck nerves leads him to treat Aoyanagi with unintended coldness, complicating their professional dynamic.
The narrative explores the behind-the-scenes world of entertainment, featuring characters like Kijima, Aoyanagi’s manager and a former actor, and Yukari, Akafuji’s manager. The manga was serialized on the Comic Pool label from January 2022 through mid-2025, eventually spanning five bound volumes. Suzuri, who was initially unfamiliar with the logistics of live-action production, even included a script for the fictional drama within the manga volumes when an editor noted the resemblance between a script booklet and a manga volume without a dust cover.
A live-action adaptation was announced in November 2023, directed by Izuru Kumasaka with a script by Erika Tōyama. The first season was split into the Crank In Arc, broadcast on December 24, 2023, and the Crank Up Arc, which aired on January 2, 2024. The series stars Nichika Akutsu as Aoyanagi and Alan Abe as Akafuji. Following its success—GagaOOLala reported it as a top 5 series in Taiwan in 2023—a second season was produced, airing from June to July 2025. This expansion introduced new characters, including Aoyanagi’s senior, Ryunosuke Haibara, who views himself as a protective older brother to Aoyanagi and considers Akafuji a professional rival.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: I Became the Main Role of a BL Drama
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-i-became-the-main-role-of-a-bl-drama.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Born on this day · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics
