Review of Heated Rivalry (2025)
Seen in 2026.
Review applies to the first season.
Three North American hockey players, all captains on their respective rival teams, fall in love.
I was surprised to find this show running on a high proportion of solid craftsmanship to fujoshi tropes. Sure, the bodies aren’t realistic for professional hockey and you do get the occasional thumping beat, softcore pornography and cutesy feminization of gay men, but it is mostly two good love stories. Homosexuality and team rivalry do not reduce the characters to tokens; instead they’re the arbitrary obstacles used to establish drama and enable longing.
References here: Kokuhō (2025).