Nowadays, everyone is more accepting and open when it comes to the Boys' Love or BL genre. There are a lot of dedicated fans of BL anime, but there's also a massive fanbase when it comes to BL manga. That said, here are the best BL manga to read in 2024!
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Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols, also known as Love Pistols, is a BL manga with an interesting and original plot. The manga's art and character designs are also very impressive, albeit disproportional at times, as is typical of the genre.
The premise of Sex Pistols, as well as the character issues presented, are, on the other hand, very realistic and easy to relate to.
Sex Pistols follows Norio, a normal young boy who discovers that some people in society are not descended from monkeys.
Norio learns that his DNA is of a rare breed after finding out the truth. To his chagrin, he becomes prey in the modern jungle.
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No Touching at All
No Touching at All, also known as Doushitemo Furetakunai, is a BL manga that is incredibly realistic and gritty.
Not to mention that the plot revolves around a romance between two system engineers, which is uncommon in today's material.
No Touching at All is about Shima, a rookie office boy who meets his drunken boss, Togawa, in an elevator.
While the latter's personality has always put Shima on edge, he has a different perspective on Togawa without even realizing it.
The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese
The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese is a BL manga that may not be everyone’s cup of tea. It encapsulates what everyone sees as two people that are so bad for each other yet so good over the course of time.
Trust me, there are a lot of red flags in this manga.
The BL manga focuses on Ootomo Kyoichi's failing marriage with his wife. It turns out he has been cheating on her, which causes his wife constant anxiety.
To save her marriage, the wife hires Imagase, a private investigator who was Kyoichi's underclassman in college.
In an unexpected turn of events, Imagase admitted to being interested in Kyoichi back in the day.
Imagase is willing to save Kyoichi the trouble of his wife in exchange for a few make-out sessions here and there in order to conceal Kyoichi's affair.
Ouchou Haru no Yoi no Romance
Ouchou Haru no Yoi no Romance is a manga adaptation of a popular novel from the Heian period.
If you don't like Shotacon or romantic relationships between people with a large age difference, you should probably skip this one.
It differs from the other BL manga on this list in that the premise contains some political issues, which is to be expected given its historical significance.
It revolves around an orphaned young boy named Senju, who is more beautiful than any woman in the village.
He was saved from some of the most treacherous monks by a kind monk who lives in a nearby temple.
Senju was released from the temple one day because the new leader intended to use him for political gain.
He was quickly taken in by Fujiwara Moe, a government official whom he promised to serve in exchange for his kindness.
Seven Days
Seven Days is a BL manga that provides an enjoyable experience on par with, if not better than, straight romance manga.
It is one of the sweetest BL mangas to have ever existed, thanks to its likable characters, heartwarming narrative, and level of authenticity.
Seven Days follows Touji Seryou, a kind, and respectful womanizer who has dated a long string of girls.
Every Monday, he agrees to date one girl after another, only for the relationship to end on the seventh day.
Everything changes when Yuzuru Shino, Touji's classmate, and fellow archery teammate, asks him to be his partner.
Yatteranneeze
Yatteranneeze is a BL manga concerned with confronting one's true self. It also discusses standing up for what you believe in and maintaining your dignity.
However, there are many explicit scenes in the manga that will turn you off in some way. Despite being out for quite some time, Yatteranneeze has a very distinct art style.
The BL manga follows Fujimoto Hiroya, the vice president of the student council, who admires Masaki's carefree and outgoing personality.
Masaki, on the other hand, does not enjoy studying and would rather play soccer.
Hiroya vows to change his life and become more like Masaki one summer, sporting dyed-new hair, clothes, and piercings.
Embracing Love
Embracing Love, also known as Haru wo Dateita, is a BL manga that debuted in 1999. It combines beautiful men, angst, drama, romance, and sex, all of which are elements of a good BL manga.
Embracing Love differs from others in that it is more episodic in nature and lacks a driving plot that carries through to the end.
The mature relationship between Iwaki Kyosuke and Katou Yuji is the focus of Embracing Love. They have one thing in common: they are both big stars in the adult film industry.
To escape their predicament, the two boys auditioned for an erotic film in which they were asked to perform a love scene on the spot!
Dog Style
Dog Style is a BL manga that features delinquent romance; thus, you will see some tough and stubborn guys roughing it in an after-school setting.
Dog Style not only has a compelling plot narrative, but it also has some realistic characters that readers will relate to.
Miku Teriyama and Chiaki Teru's unconventional high school romance is followed in Dog Style. They're both tough guys who have feelings for other people.
However, after school, they are always fooling around and messing with each other.
One thing leads to another, and they've developed a complicated relationship!
False Memories
False Memories is one of the most intriguing BL mangas to date.
False Memories' strength stems from its incredible storyline, pacing, well-developed characters, and genuine interactions between the characters.
The art is also simply beautiful, with a good representation of various expressions.
False Memories is a love story about a second chance. It follows two ex-best friends, Nakano and Tsuda, who had previously severed ties after Tsuda broke Nakano's heart.
However, the two of them will collaborate once more on a project that will put their professionalism to the test.
My Love Mix Up
My Love Mix Up is one of the most adorable BL mangas out there. It's a comedy and a high school romance that's both entertaining and delightful.
Its effortlessly funny narrative will not only charm you, but will also make you laugh. Not to mention the manga's underlying themes of sexual maturity, love, and friendship.
The manga follows Aoki, a high school student who has a crush on his classmate Hashimoto. However, Aoki discovers that Hashimoto prefers Ida.
To cover her tracks, Aoki decides to confess to Ida, who is unsure whether to accept his unexpected confession.
Vassalord
Vassalord, one of the most well-known BL manga, goes far beyond the relationship of two males.
It also contains a lot of sex, nudity, gore, violence, and drug use, so it's not for the faint of heart. If you're just starting out with BL, this manga isn't for you.
Vassalord follows Charley, a cyborg vampire who prefers to feed on his creator, Johny, rather than harm humans. He is a vampire hunter who works for the Vatican.
They learned about Vassalord, a threat to humanity, one day. The duo hopes to discover the truth about Vassalord and put an end to the unnecessary deaths by working with the investigator, Craig Bernstein.
Snow Fairy
Snow Fairy is one of the most beautiful and adorable BL mangas to date. Not only is the art aesthetic, but the characters are also visually satisfying.
Reading it will warm and soothe your heart, but it will also want you to re-read the story as much as you want.
The character development and the overall premise of Snow Fairy will be your much-needed breather in the BL genre.
The BL manga depicts the blooming romance between Haruki, a farmer, and Narumi, a Tokyo-based animal photographer.
As it turns out, Narumi is without a place to stay in Hokkaido, prompting Haruki to offer his humble abode.
To get closer to the highly guarded Haruki, Narumi employs his charisma and seduction talents. Narumi has no idea that Haruki finds his actions amusing as well.
Therapy Game
The Therapy Game is a spin-off series from the Secret XXX BL manga series. Despite having a basic liar revealed storyline narrative, it is a sensual and exciting love story.
What's more, the manga is brief and easy to read. It's a lovely, wholesome tale with sweet and endearing characters that don't rely on oversexualizing situations.
The Therapy Game depicts the aftermath of Shizuma and Minato's one-night stand. Minato was there to help Shizuma get out of his funk.
Minato's pride and ego, on the other hand, were put to the test when Shizumi admitted that he couldn't recall a thing about their one-time fling.
Minato promises to seduce Shizuma in order to make him fall in love and dump him as a form of retaliation.
Blue Sky Complex
Blue Sky Complex is a fantastic manga that illustrates how successful the narrative can be with proper execution, despite its clichéd plot and simplistic art style.
Narasaki is a high school student who desires nothing more than peace and quiet. One of his greatest desires in life is to be able to study without interruption.
To his delight, he was assigned to assist at the library reception desk one day.
He will, however, quickly find himself in difficulty with Natsuki Terashima, a high school delinquent.
Honto Yajuu
Honto Yajuu is one of the best BL manga out there, depicting the love tale of a cop and a yakuza.
It's a story about forbidden love between two charming characters that will instantly brighten your day.
It's a story about forbidden love between two charming characters that will instantly brighten your day.
Don't worry, they have a good connection and don't rely on the heavy concept common in other BL mangas.
After catching an underwear thief, police officer Tomoharu Ueda is visited by the heir of the Gotouda gang, a renowned Yakuza clan.
Aki Gotouda declared his affection for Tomoharu, much to his surprise!
Boy Meets Maria
High schooler Taiga Hirasawa joins the school's drama club in the hopes of becoming a hero alongside the heroine in this BL manga written and illustrated by Kouhei Eguchi.
Taiga meets the beautiful, enigmatic, and graceful Maria on his first day of drama club activities and quickly falls in love with her.
When Taiga confesses to Maria, she reveals that her true name is Arima Yuu and that she is a boy!
Regardless, Taiga is drawn to Arima's personality, not to mention his true self.
In Boy Meets Maria, witness a love unlike any other between Taiga and Arima!
One Room Angel
One Room Angel is a BL manga written and illustrated by Harada that was first published in 2017.
It centers on a helpless 30-something part-time convenience store clerk who has lost his sense of purpose in life.
Kouki lives in a run-down apartment that lacks both internet and air conditioning. His lifestyle precluded him from making friends, let alone dating a woman.
One day, Kouki gets into trouble when two thugs decide to cause trouble in the store by stabbing him and leaving him bleeding in a dark alley.
Kouki thought it was the end for him until a beautiful angel in the form of a boy suddenly descends from the sky.
Not long after, Kouki recovers from his injury, but he is in for even more surprises when he discovers the angel sitting idly, waiting for him to return home to his shabby apartment.
Until I Met My Husband
This short but sweet BL manga memoir is based on the true story of how gay activist Ryousuke Nanasaki met and married his husband in 2016, in Japan's first religiously recognized same-sex wedding.
Until I met My Husband will follow Ryousuke's uphill battle to find love in a judgmental world.
Experience Ryousuke's life and journey to finding happiness, from heartbreaking breakups to coming out to his family.
Our Dining Table
Our Dining Table is one of the cutest manga on the list, with a simple yet warm and gentle relationship between two boys who share meals together.
Ori Mita's BL manga follows Yutaka Hozomi, an office worker who has always eaten alone due to his poor socialization skills until one day he meets Tane, a young boy who wants some of his onigiri.
Yutaka also ran into Tane's much older brother, Minoru Ueda, who apologized for his younger brother's behavior.
Tane kept asking his brother to eat the onigiri Yutaka had given him before, and that was the beginning of Yutaka and Minoru's simple relationship.
Joy
Joy is a slice-of-life and BL manga that explores the relationship between a manga artist and his assistant.
It tells the story of Goh Akazaki, a 26-year-old manga artist who discovers that his assistant, Yusuke Akune, is gay.
In an unexpected turn of events, Goh was asked to draw a BL manga and decided to seek inspiration from Yusuke.
That's when their romance blossoms, as Goh gets to know Yusuke better than ever before.
Love Stage
Love Stage boasts heartwarming moments and humor with engaging characters, beautiful artwork, and a decent portrayal of LGBTQ+ relationships in its story.
It has been adapted into an anime series, drama CDs, and even OVAs, which has expanded its popularity among BL and non-BL anime fans.
The plot of Love Stage follows Izumi Cena, a college student who wants to become a manga artist despite coming from a family of entertainers.
He reunites with Ryouma Ichijou, a famous actor who was once his fellow commercial model back when they were young.
Izumi and Ryouma’s unexpected reunion brings the two of them closer than ever.
Their interactions often lead to comedic misunderstandings but also to their romantic development.
Junjou Romantica
This list will not be complete without Junjou Romantica. It is also a widely popular BL manga with a massive fan base.
It is one of the first BL manga that introduced the genre to other anime viewers, which in turn expanded its popularity in the community.
Junjou Romantica revolves around several couples and their intertwined love stories.
Each couple has their own story, dynamics, and challenges, which BL fans would love to follow and see to the end.
Sasaki and Miyano
Sasaki and Miyano is yet another famous BL manga that has gained a significant following since it began serialization.
It explores themes of love, self-discovery, friendship, and coming-of-age, combined with humor and a light-hearted tone.
The story follows a high schooler named Sasaki who falls in love with an avid BL fan, Miyano, who’s also his junior at school.
It is a wholesome BL manga that has received praise for its endearing characters and thoughtful storytelling.
Classmates
If you want a more realistic portrayal of teenage romance, Classmates is a good BL manga to read.
It has been adapted into an animated film, which will immerse the readers more into the story of Rihito Sajou and Hikaru Kusakabe.
Rihito and Hikaru are opposites, but despite their differences, they are incredibly drawn to each other.
Eventually, our main protagonists learn more about each other, and they develop a very meaningful relationship.
Given
Given is a BL manga that delves into the complexities of love, friendship, and acceptance. It also explores themes of self-discovery and grief as it depicts the LGBTQ+ relationships between the characters.
It is a widely popular manga known for its beautiful artwork and fleshed-out characters that will make anyone attached to their story and their personal lives.
Given revolves around a group of high school students who decided to form a band together. The story then follows the budding romance between the characters.
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