The Best BL Anime to Watch on Crunchyroll in 2024

bl anime crunchyroll cherry magic sasaki and miyano
Credit: Yuu Toyota / SQUARE ENIX, Anime "Cherry Magic" Production Committee / 2022 Shou Harusono / KADOKAWA / "Sasaki and Miyano" Production Committee

bl anime crunchyroll cherry magic sasaki and miyano
Credit: Yuu Toyota / SQUARE ENIX, Anime "Cherry Magic" Production Committee / 2022 Shou Harusono / KADOKAWA / "Sasaki and Miyano" Production Committee

Crunchyroll's BL anime selection caters to various tastes within the genre. From heartwarming and emotional narratives to comedic storylines, there's something for every BL anime fan.

The BL genre has been embraced by fans over the years, with more titles being produced each season.

Fortunately, streaming services such as Crunchyroll have picked up both old and new BL shows to satisfy their audience.

  1. Gakuen Handsome

    Gakuen Handsome the Animation is set at Baramon High School, where our main protagonist encounters various major players on campus.

    From the outlaw teacher to the soccer captain, the main protagonist strives to fit in with his new environment while exploring the real meaning of love, friendship, and conflict.

  2. Marudase Kintarou

    Onodera Academy is in chaos after everyone finds out the last will of the previous principal.

    Accordingly, the one man who will be able to seduce Makoto with sexual techniques will be given the right to take over as the schoolā€™s new principal!

    Of course, everyone, including Makotoā€™s teachers, is coming after him. It is up to Kintaro, Makotoā€™s bodyguard, to protect him and help him regain his peaceful life!

  3. Merman in My Tub

    This BL anime is very adorable! Merman in My Tub has a very simple yet interesting premise about a merman living in a young manā€™s bathtub!

    This is comedy and slice-of-life anime gold, as Merman in My Tub allows us to peek into the lives of the two main protagonists.

    It all started when Tatsumi found Wakasa drying himself in a heavily polluted river by the upstream dam.

    He decided to take Wakasa in, but everything escalated quickly after he discovered that Wakasa was a merman!

    Thus began Tatsumiā€™s life with Wakasa, as the latter decided to move into his clean bathtub!

  4. Taishou Mebius Line: Chicchai-san

    Taishou Mebius Line: Chicchai-san follows Kyoichiro Hiiragi, a young man who comes to Tokyo to attend the Imperial University.

    Unbeknownst to other people, Kyoichiro has a special ability in which he can see the spirits of the dead.

    It is an incredibly useful ability so Kyoichiro tries to do his best to keep it a secretā€”that is, until the Japanese army begins to set their sights on him.

  5. This Boy Suffers from Crystallization

    This BL anime OVA tells the budding romance between a high school boy who turns into stone when heā€™s stressed and his homeroom teacher, who has a passion for stones and geology.

    Ayumu Tamari is unlike any ordinary high school boy due to his peculiar illness. He struggles to socialize normally and even repeats a year in school.

    To change himself, Ayumu dons a faƧade by wearing fashionable clothes and keeping up with popular topics.

    Meanwhile, Ayumuā€™s teacher, Kouya Onihara, finds Ayumuā€™s stone transformation incredibly beautiful.

  6. This Boy Is a Professional Wizard

    This BL anime follows the relationship between Chiharu Kashima and Utsumi Toyohi in a world where magic and sorcery exist.

    Despite Chiharuā€™s surprise at Toyohiā€™s sudden confession, they start well, and Chiharu gradually falls in love with Toyohi.

    Their days are happy and peaceful until an incident at work causes Chiharu to push Toyohi away.

    Will they mend their relationship, especially since Chiharu has a significant role to play?

  7. Fairy Ranmaru

    Fairy Ranmaru is a magical boy anime with BL elements. That said, expect a lot of fluff and boy action among the characters that fans of BL will surely love!

    This original anime centers on five young fairies posing as high school students in the real world.

    They come from different clans, each with unique personalities and abilities, but they are united by their goal of healing the afflicted hearts of people and collecting "attachments," the resource of their kingdom.

    In the real world, these five young fairies work at a bar called Bar F to help others and achieve their goals.

  8. The Case Files of Jeweler Richard

    The Case Files of Jeweler Richard is a BL andĀ mystery anime about Richard Ranashinha de Vulpian and Seigi Nakata's relationship.

    Richard is a well-known British jewel appraiser, whereas Seigi is a typical Japanese college student.

    After opening his jewelry store, the Jewelry Etranger, Richard takes Seigi under his wing.

    Seigi began working part-time for Richard while the two of them solved mysteries and cases involving jewels. After all, Seigi is a man of great honor and justice.

  9. The Worldā€™s Greatest First Love

    The World's Greatest First Love, also known as Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi, follows Ritsu Onodera, a 25-year-old literary editor, and Masamune Takano, the editor-in-chief.

    After leaving his previous job, Onodera joins Marukawa Publishing and is assigned to the shojo manga department, Emerald.

    Onodera meets Takano, who turns out to be Masamune Saga, his first love. While Onodera is intimidated by Takano, the latter is determined to reclaim Onodera's affections.

    The anime not only revolves around Onodera and Takano but also follows the blossoming love stories of other side characters.

  10. The High School Life of a Fudanshi

    The anime follows Ryo Sakaguchi, a high schooler who is obsessed with Boys' Love.

    Despite being a straight boy, he is a fudanshi. Having no interest in Sakaguchi's hobbies, his best friend, Nakamura, appears to understand him.

    Sakaguchi demonstrates how difficult it is to like BL, especially when he is a straight guy. He frequently sneaks into the girls' section to buy his favorite manga.

    Simultaneously, Sakaguchi is having difficulty explaining BL slang to his best friend.

    He doesn't want to keep his passion to himself. Not only does he want to tell Nakamura about his hobbies, but he also wants to find someone who shares his interests.

  11. Super Lovers

    The story of Super Lovers revolves around the strange relationship between stepbrothers Haru and Ren Kaido. They first meet when Haru is duped by his mother, Haruko, into caring for the wild and anti-social Ren.

    Haru is initially irritated by Ren's attitude but gradually warms up to him as their relationship improves.

    Haru manages to civilize Ren on her mother's orders. He also promised Ren that he would accompany him to Japan to bond with their other brothers.

    Everything was going smoothly until Haru was involved in an accident that caused him to lose his memories of that particular summer.

    Ren returns to Japan five years later to reclaim his older brother and his promise.

  12. Spirit Pact

    Spirit Pact is the first Chinese anime on this list with a Boys' Love theme. It's a mix of business, fantasy, and action that centers on Keika You and Ki Tanmoku's budding partnership.

    Keika You is the descendant of an infamous family of exorcists. His situation changed after he lost his parents. Keika survives by working as a street fortune teller and part-time computer recovery technician.

    Keika died in an accident after being hit by a car one day. Keika, befuddled and shocked by the events, meets the enigmatic and charismatic exorcist, Ki Tanmoku.

    He recalls meeting Ki in a junkyard after witnessing the latter fighting an evil spirit.

    Their collaboration began when Keika and Ki made a spirit pact to fight evil spirits together.

  13. Yes, No, or Maybe

    Will you watch Yes, No, or Maybe? Most likely, your answer will be yes, due to this BL animeā€™s interesting and engaging storyline.

    Yes, No, or Maybe explores the budding relationship between the young and popular TV announcer Kunieda Kei and the animation artist Tsuzuki Ushio.

    Their worlds collided when Tsuzukiā€™s arm got injured and Kei had to compensate by helping him do his job. But the problem is, Kei has another side to him that is opposite of his good persona!

  14. The Betrayal Knows My Name

    In this fantasy and supernatural BL anime, Yuki Sakuragi has the power to read the deepest, darkest thoughts of anyone he touches, similar to Adachi of the Cherry Magic anime.

    Recently, Yuki has had nightmares and mysterious dreams where a young man named Zess often makes an appearance.

    Zess warns Yuki not to go outside during the Walpurgis Night or the eve of the blood-red moon since he will die.

    However, Yuki disobeys Zess, and the rest is history. Will Yuki die, or will someone save him?

  15. Hitorijime My Hero

    Hitorijime My Hero, also known as My Very Own Hero, follows two couples' relationships. The main couple depicts a student-teacher relationship, while the other depicts two childhood friends.

    Masahiro Setagawa is a weak delinquent who is frequently bullied and used as a gopher by others. Kousuke Ooshiba, a well-known street fighter, took Masahiro under his protection.

    Kousuke, it turns out, is a mathematics teacher who also happens to be his best friend's older brother.

    Masahiro and Kousuke's relationship gradually improves after the latter occasionally meddles in the former's affairs.

    The anime, on the other hand, follows Masahiro's best friend, Kensuke Ooshiba, and his boyfriend, the possessive Asaya Hasekura.

  16. The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window

    This BL anime, adapted from Tomoko Yamashitaā€™s supernatural and mystery manga series, revolves around the partnership of a fearless exorcist and a man who can see ghosts.

    Kosuke Mikado tries to lead a normal life as a bookstore clerk, but his ability to see ghosts always gets the best of him. His life changed after an exorcist named Rihito Hiyakawa offered him to be his assistant.

    By entering Mikadoā€™s body, Hiyakawa can exorcise ghosts. Soon after, the duo learned that all these ghostly incidents are tied to a peculiar student named Erika Hiura, who works as a mercenary necromancer!

  17. Hirano and Kagiura

    Hirano and Kagiura, similar to Sasaki and Miyano, is a lighthearted and adorable BL anime. The anime stars the side characters of Sasaki and Miyano, Hirano Taiga and Kagiura Akira.

    Unlike Sasaki and Miyano, Hirano and Kagiura have a more complex love story. Hirano Taiga is not one to easily open his heart to his roommate, Kagiura, who wants him to be his boyfriend.

    Hirano only sees Kagiura as his younger brother and doesnā€™t seem to notice Kagiuraā€™s romantic interest in him.

    This became a problem for Kagiura, who couldn't help but fall in love more and more with his roommate every single day.

  18. Twilight Out of Focus

    Twilight Out of Focus is a school BL anime that features the relationships between three pairs of high school boys.

    The first pair is the roommates Mao and Hisashi; the second pair is the club president Jin and his jealous junior Giichi; and the last pair is a first-year student named Shion and the film clubā€™s member Rei.

    These three couples have different stories, but as the plot unfolds, their interests align with each other, resulting in a beautiful and compelling narrative.

  19. Cherry Magic

    What happens when a 30-year-old virgin gets a strange new power?

    Well, Kiyoshi Adachi can read the minds of those he touches, intentionally or not. It is not the best ability someone can wish for in the world, but it does serve its purpose for a virgin like Adachi.

    One day, Adachi finds out that his handsome officemate, Kurosawa Yuuichi, has an incredibly strong interest in him.

    Of all the female workers in the company, Kurosawa is fascinated with Adachi!

    What will happen to Adachi and Kurosawa? Will Adachi fall in love with and accept Kurosawa, even though he claims he likes girls?

  20. Love Stage

    Love Stage is a BL anime that follows the love story of Izumi Sena and Ryoma Ichijo.

    Ryoma meets Izumi when they are both children. They were both casts in a commercial in which Ryoma mistook Izumi for a girl.

    They cross paths again, but Ryoma's feelings for Izumi remain unchanged.

    Izumi is currently aspiring to be a manga author despite his lack of natural talent. The success of his family members puts pressure on Izumi.

    He is torn between following his dreams and following in the footsteps of his family.

    IzumiĀ alsoĀ has stage fright from his childhood experiences which stops him from doing so.

  21. Tadaima, Okaeri

    Tadaima, Okaeri is not only a BL anime, but it is also an omegaverse anime, the first of its kind released professionally in anime form.

    It revolves around an alpha and omega couple who moved towns to live a peaceful life away from the discrimination they experienced from their past neighbors.

    They also wanted to live in a good neighborhood where they could start over with their son, Hikari.

    Tadaima, Okaeri is a wholesome BL anime that will surely melt your heart.

  22. Sasaki and Miyano

    A heartwarming and comedic BL anime, Sasaki and Miyano tells the budding romance between two completely opposite male characters: Sasaki Shuumei and Miyano Yoshikazu.

    While Sasaki has a bad-boy vibe around him, Miyano has a soft-boy vibe and an androgynous look.

    Sasaki and Miyano explores the complexities of teenage romance between two male characters as they navigate their feelings toward each other.

    The anime follows Sasaki and Miyano at school as they both come to terms with their attraction and emotions.

  23. No.6

    No.6 isn't your typical BL anime. It is set in the dystopian city of No.6, and it follows Shion and Nezumi's twisted and cruel fate.

    While Nezumi is a wanted fugitive, Shion lives peacefully in the luxury of their Kronos home.

    Shion's status, however, has changed as a result of his assistance to Nezumi and his treatment of his wounds.

    He is now a commoner, the lowest caste in society, and begins working as a park maintenance worker.

    In an unexpected turn of events, he is accused of murdering a coworker after a parasitic wasp sucked out the man's youth.

    Shion avoided arrest by the police forces with the assistance of Nezumi. Shion then began to live under Nezumi's roof after that incident.

  24. Given

    Given is a lovely BL anime centered on two couples. The first is about the blossoming relationship between band members Ritsuka and Mafuyu, while the second is about Akihiko and Haruki.

    The first couple meets on the stairs of the gymnasium, where Mafuyu notices Ritsuka. While the latter berates the strings on his Gibson guitar, Mafuyu requests Ritsuka's assistance.

    Fortunately, Ritsuka is kind enough to agree to Mafuyu's request.

    After jamming with the other band members, Ritsuka discovers Mafuyu has a soulful voice. Ritsuka eventually persuades Mafuyu to become the band's vocalist.

    On the contrary, Akihiko and Haruki's relationship grows as the band prepares for their first music festival.

    However, things aren't going as planned because Akihiko's ex-boyfriend, Ugetsu Murata, gets in the way.

  25. Heaven Official's Blessing

    Heaven Official's Blessing, also known as Tian Guan Ci Fu (TGCF), is a Chinese BL anime known for its action, fantasy, and romance story set in a richly developed Chinese world.

    This BL anime also boasts captivating characters, intricate world-building, and a compelling, emotionally resonant storyline.

    The plot revolves around Xie Lian and Hua Cheng as they become entangled in a complex web of magic, divine beings, and period politics.

    Xie Lian was once a former prince who fell from grace and has now become a homeless and carefree cultivator, whereas Hua Cheng is a mysterious ghost-like figure who has been following Xie Lianā€™s journey.

  26. Banana Fish

    Banana Fish is not a blatantly BL anime. However, critics are quick to point out the anime's depiction of homosexuality and homoeroticism.

    Regardless, Banana Fish features a lot of boy-on-boy action, making it a good watch for BL fans.

    The anime follows the relationship between a New York City teen gang leader and a Japanese assistant photographer.

    It revolves around Ash Lynx, who wishes to be free of Papa Dino Golzine, a prominent and powerful mob boss who desires him as a lover and heir.

    To survive, Ash leads a gang in downtown Manhattan while plotting his escape.

    After seeing a dying man in an alley, his fate quickly changed. Before he died, the man handed Ash a mysterious vial and said the words Banana Fish.

    Soon after, Ash meets Eiji, a photographer who is currently covering American gangs.

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