Note: As of writing this review I have not read the manga in its entirety though I am aware a large portion of the story particularlys Harukas character were invented solely for the anime. This review will contain semimajor spoilers for the ending. Monochrome Factor was another stop for me on my journey to take a look at every anime thats ever been tagged with BL. The premise was a definite win for me delinquent meets a beautiful man who helps him become a magical boy in order to fight shadow monstersand they even seal his first transformation with a kiss Unfortunately this aspect of their relationship takes a sideline for a great deal of the anime and the anime itself is bogged down by filler. Im normally quite a fan of what some might consider filler episodes I think at their best they can be great opportunities to slow the pace down and give viewers a chance to spend time with the cast away from pressing plot concerns. Unfortunately in a 24episode anime you really cant spend that much time on filler without making it feel like the plot hardly matters and thats definitely the case with Monochrome Factor. In fact I actually binged the first 18 episodes in a couple days but took a break for several months to even finish the last 6. Episodes 1721 have literally almost nothing to do with the main plot and dont even really focus on the main characters at least not to the point where any significant development happens. They also really drive home something that bothered me about the show and that was its reliance on cheap gags. The show can be very funny. Unfortunately most of the time its not very funny and the attempts at humor only serve to ruin what tension has been established for the more dramatic scenes. Overall the characters are likeable and the show is actually pretty funny before the recurring gags become overplayed. The greatest strength the show has is the relationship between Shirogane and Akira and as stated before they really arent allowed to develop their relationship that much. Much of the show is spent showing Shirogane pining or jokingly flirting with Akira to which Akira responds with either violence or disbelief. It would have been really compelling to see Akira begin to trust Shiroganepreferably sooner than during the last three episodes which attempt to tie up the plot in one of the biggest rushjobs Ive ever seen I cant rate the anime too poorly my fudanshi heart was greatly pleased by the bookends of Shirogane and Akira meeting with a kiss and parting with a kiss. I honestly wasnt sure if it was going to happen in the end with how much Shiroganes affection for Akira was played for laughs I wasnt sure if the show would emotionally commit to it. But even if it was a bit sloppy I do think the show committed to that aspect at least in the end and Ill give it credit for that. If anything the opening and ending themes definitely pulled a LOT of weight in getting me invested in the show. Even if you dont watch the series I definitely recommend listening to both of them. The lyrics and visuals are extremely compelling and bring a tenderness to Shirogane and Akiras relationship that sadly just isnt as present in the show.