10 Dance, the Netflix live-action adaptation of the popular Japanese BL (boys’ love) manga by Inouesatoh, has come to Netflix with great choreography, the same level of yearning, slightly less racism, and a story as incomplete as the manga. Because yes, this movie is indeed called 10 Dance. No, we do not actually get to the 10 Dance competition. Eh, sequel or…?
Netflix is obviously banking on the or, because the decision to basically end this movie in what feels like a beginning is a clear ploy to make us ask for more. And we’re asking. Give us more. More dancing, yes, but more yearning as well. More romance. In fact, the only thing we don’t want more of is the stereotypes! You can keep those.
Let’s start there. The biggest problem with 10 Dance is that, as a Latina, I felt insulted every time Cuba was brought up and the stereotypes of Latinos were hammered in—whether in Japanese or horrible Spanish. To be fair to this adaptation, the manga is much more racist. So, they did improve it. They could have just cut out the racism altogether, though. That would have been my preference.
Outside of that, the show translates the manga pretty well as it focuses on two rival male dancers, Latin dance champion Shinya Suzuki and Ballroom champion Shinya Sugiki, who team up to learn each other’s styles for a competition. Pretty straightforward. Rivals to lovers is a trope, and one we absolutely eat up. Rivals to lovers in the world of competitive dancing? Sign us up.
A lot of the movie has to do with dancing, and that part of 10 Dance absolutely works. The choreography is amazing, the way the dancing sequences are shot, down to the slow motion when the two rivals first start practicing together, to the subtle changes that are obvious when different people pair up work great. If you like dancing, this will move you. If you don’t, it still works very well.
But if you’re not here for the stereotypes (and you shouldn’t be!), or the dancing, but the BL, then that feels like a mixed bag. There could be a lot more yearning, but the movie seems to go too fast from hate to hate dancing to making out in a train, and then to dramatically breaking up for… reasons. The chemistry between Ryoma Takeuchi and Keita Machida is great when they’re allowed a chance to be together—be it dancing or talking—but the movie still feels like it needs a touch more yearning. And by a touch, I mean a lot.
Still, the romance parts of the film are mostly enjoyable, and Takeuchi and Machida’s best moment on-screen comes at the end. This works out perfectly for Netflix’s clear plans to continue making content in this world, because now that we got a glimpse of what could be, we really need these two men to continue competing after having basically come out by kissing each other in the middle of the dance floor.
Right now, there are no consequences. Nothing to worry about. The movie ended, and everyone is smiling. In fact, they’re looking forward to the next competition. And so are we. Will we get it? Likely, if Netflix is smart. Hopefully, when we do, we can dial up the yearning, get many more scenes of these two dancing together, even if we have to invent contrived reasons for them to do so, and oh yes, get rid of the stereotypes. That would be good.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of 10 Dance? Share with us in the comments below!
10 Dance is now available to stream on Netflix.
I’m not part of the Latin culture, so I can’t speak knowledgeably on any culturally insensitive issues with this movie. For that reason, I will accept that there were some. I can however give credit to the director at two specific points. At the beginning, the film includes a quote from Aristotle. “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” Then during the street scene when Sugiki proposes to teach Suziki and Aki the finer points of ballroom dancing, there is a shot where the two lead’s bodies seem to merge courtesy of filming through glass windows. Excellent foreshadowing. There is a similar technique when Sugiki seems to catch the spark of dancing while holiday lights are superimposed on him. Very well done.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. For those who doubt whether seemingly straight people can connect romantically I recommend an article published several years ago in the New York Times. In it, they highlighted actions and words that can facilitate falling in love. One of those was staring deeply into the other person’s eyes for at least 8 seconds. Latin dance especially has that in spades.
i didnt see any the problem like you as a latina as well. ofc its a little stereotype, but i dont think its racist. anyway i would have loved to see more of them together, but the ending and the pase makes sense to me. the movie was perfect imo. but i want a sequel and them together for real
I’m latino, Puertorican and I loved It!
Honestly I was so glad to hear them speak Spanish and to showcase a lot of Hispanic Culture, I don’t think it was stereotype, I think they did very good. The BL was perfection, the dance was exhiting, the female leads were also very good. I think the Chemistry was through the roof with the two make leads, they really hit it hard. Ryoma Takeuchi was splendid and so was Keita Machida!
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. I was left feeling like there were gaping plot holes, nowhere near enough relationship building and a lot of dialogue that ended up being rather unneeded in a movie that ends without really going anywhere. I never did get why Suzuki is supposed to be interested in Sugiki. The latter is cold throughout and the one moment of passion on the train just feels weird and unwarranted at that point, as does the ‘break-up’… of what exactly? There’s like nothing to break-up.
Also, both pairs losing badly in the last dance competition has no build-up at all, just a throw away line. The world of competitive dance gets almost no time devoted to it, really, so that also just leaves a watcher who is there for more than just BL going…huh? After they’ve both fallen off their pillars, why are they still all gung-ho about the 10 Dance anyway? It’s nonsensical.
I do want more m/m content, and certainly the leads are hot and play well together. So, I will support Netflix in that… but please, do a better job next time with the plot and the relationship build-up, especially if you don’t know that you’re ever going to get anymore.
This film might be based on a BL manga (which I’ve read), but they took a silly story full of tropes and turned it into serious queer cinema. The 2023 Blackstone acceptance of all-gender couples in international ballroom competitions became a spring board for this film and propelled it into a much more realistic narrative. The entire production is filled with symbolic images, using reflective surfaces as a recurring theme. Not only are the actors tremendously talented dancers, but they displayed brilliantly nuanced performances as actors. I imagine most BL fans who are accustomed to formulaic series and over-the-top romances would probably miss all the references and poetic moments dedicated to gay history. In my opinion the movie is not a BL at all. It’s story about the performance arts that is inherently queer and targeted at an art-house film audience rather than BL fans.
They admire one another, they are solely inspired by one another. That’s why there’s interest. He is not intimidated by his cold demeanor, in fact he likes it, he likes the way he makes him feel and his partner kind of explained why when she said that he makes you want to listen to him. He is both cold and warm. Anyway, if you only watch a movie through your lens with your set expectations or biases you will miss some storytelling, be open to accept the world as it is and you will understand the characters a lot better.
The film is about the path to making art! Every artist knows what it is about. Inspiration and love are almost the same thing, they are caused by the same creative energy.. One of them knew the path (he had already experienced it), but he did not have enough passion. And the other did not know the path, but he had passion. Love united them as one. And flow …. A wonderful film about people of art
I agree with Payton Jacqueline Berry, one needs to pay attention to the dialogue as there is subtle reference to why they are attracted, notes about dominant/submissive in MM relationships are throughout though slyly woven in. Very sharp dance photography and choreography!! Yes , needs development of the Ballroom Competition process/games, I didn’t care for the last competition wins-results being tossed in , it kills a chunk of the story tension. Overall I think this Romance Entertainment BL & LGBT+, and Dance movie Gold !
The movie was ok, but something like this gives overtones to Bi / gay relationship; which is something that Netflix company has been pushing for awhile. Why couldn’t they have m/f roles instead like Dirty Dancing, which everyone enjoyed. For the Spanish culture, it was great that they spoke spanish, but this new genre type of films is getting way out of hand, especially with the straight community, where LGBTQ+ is being forced in every culture. Critics will say “oh, its just this, or that”. As previously stated, this movie could have been just as effective if it had the m/f roles. Netflix, is trying to find every opportunity to push this lifestyle even in films. It has gotten to the point that people are so blinded now that they cannot see the real truth, and are so quick to support the community. There are people that love Spanish culture, but take offense to it being done this m/m way, and even more kids who may look at this film, which will even further confuse them. There is too much intensity around the romance scenes between the 2 (kissing). We all love and appreciate art, but keep the queer drama side out. Let us appreciate Hispanic culture and heritage, passion and desire for the art and inspiration, and leave everything else out
I sincerely hope you get well soon. Because your homophobia is causing you to completely miss the point of the film. No, it would NOT have been effective as a m/f romance, as that fundamentally changes EVERYTHING about the main pair’s dynamics, conflicts, and personal development.
I don’t know if you’re being purposely obtuse or are just seriously ignorant, so let me break it down for you. Queerness isn’t being forced into culture; queerness exists (and has existed since the world began) in every corner of the world— yes, including the Americas! Secondly, this film isn’t meant for kids in the first place— there are naked bodies in the first ten minutes, lots of substances, and swearing. That said, queerness isn’t a factor that makes it unsuitable for children. Maybe if you had been exposed to non-straight characters while you were growing up, you wouldn’t be so grossly misguided now.
Most importantly, this film wasn’t meant to be a capstone of Latin culture. There are influences and standout scenes since one of the leads is part Cuban and is devoted to Latin dancing, but this is far more than just a display of heritage. Maybe you’re too close-minded to even realize that stories can be about more than one thing, but if you want to just “appreciate Hispanic culture and heritage”, go watch a Spanish film. A documentary on Latin America. Something, anything, where that is meant to be the sole focus. 10Dance was never intended to be that. Don’t go to the aquarium and then complain that you didn’t see land animals.
I can’t believe people like you even exist in 2025, but hopefully your bigotry will go away as you grow up and gain actual, meaningful insight into the world. Instead of being loud and wrong on the internet and trying to “fix” a film that isn’t even broken, take a moment to look in the mirror and realize that not everything is about you, nor is it created to appease you.
The LGBTQ community has existed for centuries and will continue to exist regardless of how often you spew your hateful rhetoric. Again, get well soon. Prejudice doesn’t look good on anybody.
Kudos to Maude, who said — and said very well — what needed to be said.