Mr.Children "Destiny" I love reality dating shows. Introducing recommended Netflix programs. I wonder if destiny exists.

I love hearing about other people's love lives.
I love hearing someone gush about their partner.
Please, tell me all about the explosion of emotions you feel for the person you love.

I also love hearing about relationship complaints.
Stories about getting jealous, crying out of frustration, or feeling uneasy—
I want you to tell me about those dark feelings, too.

Now that I'm pushing forty, my life isn't exactly overflowing with romance like it used to be.
So, I feel a bit unsatisfied.
I want to hear someone's gushing or complaining.
What made your heart skip a beat, what kind of behavior made you feel sad, the annoying actions of a rival...
Someone!!! Tell me!!!

So, that's why I really love reality dating shows.
I've loved "Ainori" since I was a teenager and watched it all the time.
It was a show where men and women traveled the world in a pink van called the Love Wagon, falling in love along the way...
That's how I became a fan of reality dating shows.

Lately, when I'm lacking the nutrients of "real-life romance stories," I replenish them by watching reality dating shows on Netflix.
They're like supplements, so to speak.

Let me introduce some of the programs I've watched recently that provided me with plenty of nutritional replenishment.

Recommended Netflix Reality Dating Shows

1. Love Village (Seasons 1 & 2)

Adults aged 35 to 60 who have gathered to find their final partner in life live together in an old folk house in the countryside.
When they find someone they like, they ring the "Love Bell" to confess their feelings.
The MCs are Atsushi Tamura from London Boots Ichi-go Ni-go and Becky.

Because the age group is older, everyone has a painful past and a history that led them to this point.
It's overflowing with real emotions you don't see in young people's romances, and you can't help but root for everyone's final love story.

Just because you're an adult doesn't mean you can have a smart, mature relationship.
Being stubborn, sulking...
There's no way trouble wouldn't arise while living life in a folk house they're renovating themselves, all while keeping food costs down.
Including the fights and make-ups between members, the whole thing is fascinating!
And it makes you realize that no matter how old you are, falling in love is a wonderful thing. That is Love Village.

2. The Boyfriend

https://about.netflix.com/ja/news/meet-the-men-of-japanese-reality-dating-show-the-boyfriend

I had almost no experience with same-sex romance, so I wasn't planning on watching "The Boyfriend" even though it was a reality dating show, but
I watched it on a whim because of its incredible reputation, and
I cried at the sheer beauty of their emotions.

The nine men who live together for a month while running a coffee truck are all attracted to the same sex.
They all gathered because they wanted to fall in love, but because they are of the same sex, strong friendships can sprout even without romantic feelings.
Relationships that could become love, but could also become friendship.
That was the beautiful and bittersweet part that other reality dating shows don't have.

Well, all nine of them are cute and cool.
Some have toned bodies (muscular), others have well-balanced physiques (slender models)—everyone is truly beautiful to look at.
And even though they have their conflicts, they get along well, and it's heartwarming to see them all talking together.
Even their jealousy seems refreshing and cute...
It's like, I don't know, a lemon? (What?)

I watched it while crying, thinking, "This isn't just love, this is love!" (lol)
I ended up giving it a glowing review.

3. REA(L)OVE

18 men and women who want to fall in love have gathered in Okinawa.
They will deepen their relationships over three days, and if they find someone they like, they will confess their feelings on the final day.
Hearing that, it sounds like a normal dating reality show, but...

Actually, each of the 18 people has a secret they want to hide from others.
Crimes, affairs, debts... and so on. They will have to reveal some pretty intense circumstances from their own mouths in turn.
Can they find someone to love while carrying such secrets!?
The MCs are Atsushi from London Boots (again!) and Mari Yaguchi.

Is it a common trope to pair Atsushi with a female talent who has had an affair? (lol)
Atsushi is a great MC as expected, and Mari Yaguchi also turned her own experience into a joke, so it felt like this pair was the right choice.
Was it just for show that Atsushi got genuinely angry at the participants halfway through!?

However...
Since the dating show I watched right before this was the beautiful 'Boyfriend', I was terrified by the gap in atmosphere when I watched 'REA(L)OVE'.
There are participants with terrible mouths, lots of dirty jokes, and some who say awful things about the male members. There are also people who blame those who reveal their secrets.

It's so dark!!
But love isn't just beautiful, is it!?
But if I had to choose, I prefer the sparkly ones...

EXIT's Kanechika also participated under a fake name (lol)
What are you doing~

4. Offline Love

'Offline Love', which is strongly conscious of destiny.

In Nice, France, 10 men and women who have let go of their digital devices
start from the point of whether they can meet by chance without knowing each other's names or faces...
Each of them walks around Nice alone, relying on a guidebook, and goes on a 10-day journey of destiny.
The MCs are Reiwa Roman and Kyoko Koizumi.

Destiny is felt strongly precisely because they have let go of smartphones and social media.
The trembling of the heart and the joy when you are able to meet the members by chance after having time alone in a beautiful cityscape without meeting anyone.

A fateful encounter, a fateful love, a fateful partner.
This was the first time I watched a dating reality show while feeling destiny so strongly.

Even though I like dating reality shows, I sometimes become calm and think, 'It's tough to have to find someone you like among this gathered group,' but
my feelings changed significantly after watching 'Offline Love'.

Born on Earth, born in this era, being in Japan, ending up appearing on this program,
walking around Nice with just one guidebook,
and meeting there by chance.
This is an event that happened by stacking many miracles, so what else would you call it but destiny?
It's destiny. Destiny exists!!! (passionately)

I really want many people to watch this special dating reality show.
It's a wonderful program that makes you want to believe in destiny.

Mr.Children's 'Destiny' is going around in my head.
It's a song with a lighthearted, cheerful melody that exudes the excitement of having just met someone wonderful.

Love is fun, sometimes painful, and while it's sparkly, you also worry about muddy emotions.
You love yourself, you hate yourself, and you're busy laughing and crying.

Ah, love is great.
The sight of someone seriously in love is truly precious.
That's why I can't get enough of dating reality shows.

People who were born and raised separately meet and are attracted to each other.

Absolute destiny! That's what I think!!