Love Begins in the World of If
| Love Begins in the World of If | |
|---|---|
Promotional poster | |
| if の世界で恋がはじまる | |
| Genre | |
| Based on | "If no Sekai de Koi ga Hajimaru" by Sachi Umino |
| Written by | Shimo Ayumi |
| Directed by |
|
| Starring | |
| Opening theme | "Around I" by 36km/h |
| Ending theme | "Secret" by Unfair Rule |
| Composer | Sakamoto Hidekazu |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Original language | Japanese |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Culture Entertainment |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company | Union Film |
| Original release | |
| Network | MBS |
| Release | 21 November – 26 December 2025 |
Love Begins in the World of If (Japanese: if の世界で恋がはじまる, transl. If no Sekai de Koi ga Hajimaru) is a Japanese romantic drama Boys' Love television series directed by Hariu Yuji and written by Shimo Ayumi. Starring Kotaro Daigo and Daisuke Nakagawa, the series premiered on November 21, 2025, on MBS, and is also available internationally on Viki, GagaOOLala, and TVer.[1][2] The series is based on the original novel of the same name written by Sachi Umino.[3]
Synopsis
After wishing for a different life, a reserved office worker awakens in a parallel world. In this alternate reality, he becomes confident and enters a romantic relationship with the colleague he has long admired, highlighting the contrast between his ordinary existence and the new world.[4]
Cast
Main
- Kotaro Daigo as Kano Akihito[5]
- Daisuke Nakagawa as Ogami Seiji[5]
Supporting
- Yuki Okamoto as Ryota Tomioka (sales department employee)
- Sojiro Yoshimura as Kaito Uchida (sales department senior)
- Mamoru Hagiwara as Kentaro Iwase (sales department employee)
- Kazunari Tosa as Tadashi Fukushima (sales department manager)
- Kaoru Kobayashi as Gaku Ibushi (Akihito's client)
Broadcast
The series is broadcast in Japan on MBS and streamed internationally via Viki, GagaOOLala, and TVer.[6]
Reception
On Viki, the series has a rating of 8.5/10 from over 250 reviews.[7]
Japanese media outlets also covered the release. Eiga.com reported on the premiere and initial reception,[8] while TV Guide analyzed the narrative concept of parallel worlds.[9]
In Brazil, specialized dorama websites such as Lazer Sem Fronteiras and Aiigo Doramas highlighted the show as part of the growing presence of Japanese BL dramas in 2025.[10][11]
References
- ^ "MBS – Cast & Staff of Love Begins in the World of If". MBS (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ "醍醐虎汰朗＆中川大輔、新ドラマ「ifの世界で恋がはじまる」に主演 恋を予感させるティザービジュアル公開 : 映画ニュース" [Kotaro Daigo and Daisuke Nakagawa star in new drama "Love Begins in the World of What If" - teaser visuals hinting at romance revealed]. 映画.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ^ "中川大輔×醍醐虎汰朗、BLドラマ『ifの世界で恋がはじまる』11月20日放送！冷たかった同期が"熱視線"を向けてくる並行世界にドキドキ（ウォーカープラス）". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ^ "TV Guide – Love Begins in the World of If". TV Guide (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ a b "醍醐虎汰朗と中川大輔がドラマ『ifの世界で恋がはじまる』で共演。挑戦するのは現実と理想の狭間で揺れ動く繊細な恋模様" [Kotaro Daigo and Daisuke Nakagawa co-star in the drama "Love Begins in the World of What If." The challenge is a delicate love story that wavers between reality and ideals.]. メンズノンノウェブ | MEN'S NON-NO WEB (in Japanese). 2025-12-18. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ^ "Ken-On – Official announcement of the series". Ken-On (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ "Viki – Love Begins in the World of If reviews". Viki. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ "Eiga.com – Love Begins in the World of If". Eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ "TV Guide – Love Begins in the World of If". TV Guide (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ "Lazer Sem Fronteiras – Love Begins in the World of If". Lazer Sem Fronteiras (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ "Aiigo Doramas – Love Begins in the World of If". Aiigo Doramas (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 December 2025.
External links
- Official website of the TV drama (in Japanese)
- Love Begins in the World of If at IMDb