Chastity High begins with an incredibly basic premise that improves as the story progresses.
While it can appear to be a silly story about teenagers whose world revolves around sex and relationships, the series also tackles deeper topics.
It touches on privilege, gender, poverty, family, and a plethora of other issues woven throughout the story.
In Season 1 Episode 5, “Why Doesn’t Gay Romance Count?” the show’s tone changes considerably as a beautiful yet tragic story between Yumi (Shoki Nakayama) and Ruka (Kyoya Honda) unfolds.
The episode is masterfully done, marking a significant change in every aspect of the show. It tackles serious issues relating to the lives of queer teens in Japan and around the world.
With Yumi and Ruka, Chastity High explores the extremes of existing as a queer kid in a predominantly cishet society, how society does a number on queer kids, why some queer people never get the love story they deserve, and more.
In ‘Chastity High,’ Gay Romance Counts
As the school principal cracks down on love and relationships with her Rabbit Hunters, Ichica (Ai Mikami) sees an opportunity to make bank by becoming the savior of secret couples.
In other episodes of the show, Ichica sneaks into the school counselor’s computer, finds her targets, and moves on.
The viewer barely learns anything about the targets, the only important information being whether they coughed up the money.
But when Episode 5 begins, we follow Ruka as he joins Yuma on a train ride to school. Yuma lights up when he sees Ruka, and when they begin conversing, he even has a gift for Ruka.
Yuma catches Ruka up on his life, and they reference the school trip from the previous episode, during which Yuma was definitely checking Ruka out.
Here, the music changes and the tense percussive score from earlier episodes turns to a soft lull that accompanies Yuma and Ruka on their train ride.
Apparently, they shared a passionate moment during the school trip that is highlighted in flashbacks.
Since then, their connection has grown.
The focus on the couple marks a significant departure from how the show handles the romance among Ichica’s targets.
It takes time to develop Yumi and Ruka’s relationship, letting the viewer know that it is not like any other. This allows a connection to develop between us and them.
But trouble is on the horizon since their relationship is a secret one.
Having Yuma teach Ruka the word “conceal” was a perfect choice to highlight the issue in their relationship.
Opposite Sides of the Closet
Yuma and Ruka exist on the opposite ends of the queer existence spectrum. Yuma is in the closet, while Ruka is in the open.
When Ruka attempts to develop their connection by spending time together, Yuma shuts him down.
Isn’t it nice and a little absurd when a boy suggests that walking to school together will make the distance less tiring?
Spoiler alert: it will still be tiring but enjoyable.
By highlighting how different the characters are, the show dives into the experiences of out and closeted queer teens.
While any love carries risk in Chastity High, Yuma and Ruka’s has added extra risk.
Being out is a little easier for men in shows like The Boyfriend since they’re older. Sadly, Japanese culture has not evolved to the point of teen boys living and loving openly.
Yuma and Ruka must pay for more reasons than one. Not only will they be expelled if their relationship is leaked, they will be outed.
Yuma is also a high achiever.
He sits at the top of the student council, studies hard, and is a stickler for rules. Students like Yuma don’t give themselves a lot of grace.
The impending collapse of his world, as he knows it, causes Yuma a lot of stress as he tries to hide his relationship.
For Ruka, the stress comes from a different source. He is usually upbeat and jovial, but some things get to him.
Being out means he is not ashamed of his queerness, but when he reaches out to Yuma only to be rebuffed, it’s like his heart breaks every time.
The word conceal hits hard because it describes something he’s going through but would rather not.
When Yuma suggests they play their relationship as a joke, Ruka feels like a knife has been driven through his heart.
The Worst Happens
Despite everything going well for them and their relationship doesn’t lead to suspension, sh*t hits the fan.
A disgruntled student, who ironically is struggling with feelings for her same-sex friend, outs them by leaking photos of the kiss.
This incident confirms their worst fears.
Yuma’s worst nightmare comes true as the power is taken from his hands, and everyone learns that he’s queer.
He shuts down and doesn’t come to school for days on end.
Ruka has to hear comments about himself and people like him.
What hurts the most is that the school did not consider their relationship “real” enough to warrant an expulsion.
Even more than Yuma breaking up with him, Ruka is hurt by comments by a teacher when she says that two boys kissing is “corrupting morals.”
Through Yuma and Ruka’s story, Ichica better understands why affirming people’s love stories is important.
She even confronts the principal about her behavior towards Ruka and Yuma, nearly outing herself as Love Keeper.
In one episode, Chastity High takes the viewer through the highs and lows of queer teens in Japan and elsewhere in the world.
It achieves a major feat in storytelling that some shows take several seasons to get to.
The cherry on top is the performances by the actors, Kyoya Honda specifically.
He captures the character of Ruka, complete with his strengths and vulnerabilities,
The scene where Yuma and Ichica leave Yuma’s house is hands-down one of the best acting I’ve seen in a while.
That scene is also thanks in no small part to a well-written episode.
Even though Yumi and Ruka’s story doesn’t get much development after the episode, Ichica learns something valuable that changes the course of the show.
She learns that love stories involve varying experiences, and she can’t pretend to know how everything will play out.
It forces her to confront her actions and their consequences.
Chastity High Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.