The idea of "love" in Japan used to be defined by literature until manga came along and changed the scenery. Now, almost everyone dips into manga to learn the ropes, and often that process starts as early as the first grade. My niece was just 6 years old when she was poring through "Detective Conan" and decided that she would date a childhood sweetheart, even though her childhood was just beginning.

A successful manga series about love almost always spawns a movie and "Bittersweet" is one of the latest in this genre. This rom-com is directed by Shogo Kusano, best known for quirky indie movie "Karappo," which featured a significant amount of male semi-nudity. We get that again in "Bittersweet," which marks Kusano's foray into mainstream Japanese cinema, with a cast to match.

Heart-throb de rigeur Kento Hayashi stars as a gay art teacher at a boys' high school, and given the frequency with which he bares his torso, he should probably ditch the easel for the swimming pool. Hayashi's fragile, anime-boy looks hasn't changed much since his debut 10 years ago, and it suits the story perfectly, which amounts to: No one (of any gender) can resist the charms of Hayashi's character, Nagisa — even his name is adorably androgynous. Nagisa, however, sports the lofty aura typical of gay manga characters. He's also a vegetarian foodie who cooks all his own meals.