Highlights
BL anime gains popularity worldwide, celebrating the sweet, funny, anxious, and adorable sides of love.
Unique BL anime like “Cherry Magic” and “Heaven Official’s Blessing” offer refreshing takes on the genre.
From romance to mystery, BL anime like “Doukyusei” and “No.6” explore love in diverse settings with likable protagonists.
It’s difficult to overstate the popularity of “boys love” (BL) manga and anime in Japan. Romance is one of the most popular genres of storytelling in any medium, and BL is just another manifestation of that. No surprise, it’s now popular throughout the world.
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The genre adopts many classic elements of romantic comedies, from meet-cutes to misunderstandings. The popular series Sasaki and Miyano doubles down by letting Miyano introduce Sasaki to BL, sharing his passion for a fandom that’s all about passion. The sweet, the funny, the anxious, and the adorable unite in this anime all about the many possibilities of love. For those that haven’t got their fill, here are some other great BL anime.
Updated June 16, 2024, by Mark Sammut:Boys’ love anime like Sasaki and Miyano do not come around often, so they need to be treasured when they do. Spring 2024’s Welcome Home is still going strong and should scratch a viewer’s need for wholesome but grounded romance; conversely, they can check out a much darker ONA series that has been added to this list.
17 Spring 2024: Welcome Home
A Progressive Romance About Family
Welcome Home Japanese Title Tadaima, Okaeri Release Date April 9, 2024 Studio Studio Deen Based On Manga Creator Ichi Ichikawa MyAnimeList Score 7.38 Expand
As
Welcome Home
has only just started airing as part of the
Spring 2024 anime season
, it is still too early to warrant more than a cautious recommendation. That said, the show is very good, and Ichi Ichikawa’s manga is generally considered great.
In a season containing sequels like KonoSuba, Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, and Mushoku Tensei along with exciting new adaptations such as Kaiju No. 8, Whisper Me a Love Song, and Spice and Wolf, Welcome Home was always destined to be among Spring 2024’s least-discussed series. Romance is an acquired taste, and throwing boys’ love into the equation sends everything into the most niche corner imaginable. Add the fact that Welcome Home is also part of the Omegaverse, a project consisting of dozens upon dozens of stories set within a unique universe that shakes up gender roles, and the result is one of the most niche series on air at the moment.
Omegaverse’s main hook is the introduction of gender statuses that move away from traditional identities.
Omegas
are people (men or women) who can give birth.
Alphas
are people (men or women) who can get both genders pregnant.
Or, at least, that might be someone’s impression if they never try Studio Deen’s anime. If they do, they will find a touching and nuanced story about family, gender norms, and generational trauma. Masaki, an Omega, and Hiromu, an Alpha, are a married couple who are raising their very young children. For the most part, their days are filled with love, affection, hide and seek, and wholesomeness; however, they have to occasionally deal with society’s prejudice against Omegas. Masaki is all too familiar with discrimination, and he is determined to avoid passing on those fears to his kids.
Although touching upon heavy themes, Welcome Home is primarily a cute slice of life anime that just follows the Fujiyoshi family as they lead their best lives. The series balances drama, comedy, and romance pretty well, delivering a whole that is more than the sum of its parts.
16 Dakaichi -I’m Being Harassed By The Sexiest Man Of The Year-
Relationship Grows As Anime Progresses
Dakaichi: I’m Being Harassed By the Sexiest Man of the Year Japanese Title Dakaretai Otoko 1-i ni Odosarete Imasu Release Date October 5, 2018 Studio CloverWorks Number of Episodes 13 Based On Manga Creator Hashigo Sakurabi MyAnimeList Score 7.37 Expand
Sasaki and Miyano is supremely wholesome, which is something that is not all that common for BL anime. The genre is known for its less-than-family-friendly tropes, and Dakaichi does contain a few of these elements. Takato is a famous actor who has been repeatedly labeled as the sexiest man alive; however, he finally loses the top spot to a newcomer named Junta. The two performers wind up on a film together, and long story short, Junta manipulates Takato into a relationship.
The pair’s initial BL encounter is fairly uncomfortable as there is clear reluctance from Takato, but their dynamic improves as the anime moves along. The leads have good banter and chemistry, and their partnership eventually becomes engaging. It is also neat to see a BL anime that focuses on two adults, even if there is still a substantial age difference.
15 Hitorijime My Hero
Taboo But Safe
Hitorijime My Hero Release Date July 8, 2017 Studio Encourage Films Number of Episodes 12 Based On Manga Creator Memeco Arii Streaming Service(s) Amazon Prime Video , HIDIVE MyAnimeList Score 7.29 Expand
If someone is interested in fully exploring boys love anime, they need to know that a lot of shows deal with taboo relationships. In many ways, Hitorijime My Hero serves as a litmus test for someone’s tolerance for these dynamics since the anime covers quite a few divisive yaoi tropes while still playing it safe by the genre’s standards. A timid teenager, Masahiro yearns for a hero, and he finds his savior in the form of Kousuke, a high school teacher.
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Naturally, Masahiro develops feelings for his sensei, but Kousuke is not sure whether to commit to the younger protagonist or not. The story also follows Kensuke and Hasekura, two students who are a couple. Hitorijime My Hero does a decent job of exploring its characters’ backstories and why they are attracted to their specific relationships. While not devoid of melodrama, the romance anime incorporates plenty of humor as well.
14 Gakuen Handsome
BL Parody
Gakuen Handsome Release Date October 4, 2016 Number of Episodes 12 Based On Game MyAnimeList Score 6.72
Yaoi anime are already rare, and that goes triple for parodies of the genre. Gakuen Handsome has hideous art, detestable love interests, and the blandest protagonist imaginable; more importantly, all these things are intentional. Consisting of short three-minute episodes, the hilarious anime pokes fun at some of the more polarizing aspects of boys love stories, particularly older shows like Junjo Romantica and Gravitation.
Due to its nature, Gakuen Handsome should not be someone’s next BL anime after Sasaki and Miyano since the latter does not contain many of the tropes mocked by the 2016 series. Although enjoyable enough without context, Gakuen Handsome improves significantly if a viewer knows their yaoi.
13 Mignon
Intense Boys Love Anime
Mignon Release Date August 11, 2023 Studio ABJ COMPANY MyAnimeList Score 8.04 Seasons 1 Number of Episodes 12
Before proceeding with this suggestion, it needs to be stated clearly that Mignon is far darker than Sasaki and Miyano. In fact, they arguably represent the two extremes of the boys’ love genre. The latter is a wholesome, cute romance with slice of life elements; meanwhile, the former is disconcerting, violent, and occasionally uncomfortable. Just because someone enjoys one show does not mean they will like the other, but Mignon still deserves a mention for one simple reason: it is fantastic. Furthermore, the episodes are just 5 minutes each, so this story can be consumed in roughly an hour, making it a quick and captivating watch without anything resembling a dull moment.
To avoid spoiling any of the major (and well-done) reveals, let’s only go over Mignon’s basics. The core “romance” involves the eponymous character, an underground cage fighter, and a doctor named Young-One who works at the same pit. While strong and somewhat direct, the former is pretty naive, young, and dependent. He lives under the tutelage of an awful coach, who is responsible for some of the most unsettling sequences in the anime. Comparatively, Young-One is far more experienced, and he occasionally gives Mignon advice that falls on deaf ears. They have an interesting dynamic from their very first scene, but the first episode ends with a big twist that propels the story forward.
While it exists in a different genre than Sasaki and Miyano, Mignon is still ultimately built on a strong relationship between two characters who are slowly breaking the barriers between them, finding comfort in a pretty dark world (which is, obviously, different than Sasaki and Miyano).
Hyperventilation
is another
BL anime
made by the same studio, and it is also worth watching.
12 Sukisho!
Nothing But Romance
Sukisho Japanese Title Suki na Mono wa Suki Dakara Shou ga Nai!! Release Date January 9, 2005 Studio Zexcs Number of Episodes 12 Based On Game Streaming Service(s) Tubi MyAnimeList Score 6.63 Expand
Sukisho centers around the relationship between boys at an all-boys boarding school. Its attractive animation is one of the first things to hook most viewers. As for its plot, it will be too much fluff for some, with several episodes in its 13-episode run that could be considered filler. In many ways, Sukisho is an archetypical BL anime: heavy on romance and light on deeper themes.
The anime just focuses on the developing connection between two young men. Toss in some fan service and youthful high jinks and one has the makings of a solid if simple BL series.
11 Love Stage!!
Strong Core Relationship
Love Stage!! Release Date July 9, 2014 Studio J.C.Staff Number of Episodes 11 Based On Manga Creator Eiki Eiki MyAnimeList Score 7.18 Expand
Stylish, with well-rounded characters and a plot that hits on most of the staples of the genre, Love Stage is the story of Izumi, a college student who is also an aspiring manga writer. His mother is an actress, his father a director, and his brother the lead vocalist for a band, meaning Izumi has big shoes to fill creatively.
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Complicating things is Ryoma, a man two years older than Izumi, who fell in love with the protagonist years ago, mistaking him for a girl thanks to his small figure. Ryoma retains his feelings even after discovering Izumi’s true gender, however, allowing the embers of romance that were kindled years ago to reunite. Neither is sure where their new relationship is leading, but discovering the answer to that question is exactly what makes Love Stage captivating for the audience.
10 Heaven Official’s Blessing
Romance Is One Part Of An Epic Whole
Heaven Official’s Blessing Release Date October 31, 2020 Studio Haoliners Animation League Number of Episodes 22 Based On Tian Guan Ci Fu by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu MyAnimeList Score 8.34 (Season 1) Expand
A Chinese donghua anime, Heaven Official’s Blessing takes the idea of divine love seriously. So seriously, in fact, its protagonist is literally divine: Xie Lian was a once-mighty god. Now reduced to a fraction of his former glory, Xie meets Hua Cheng in heaven, a divine entity even more frightfully powerful than himself.
The romance between Xie and Hua is elegant. It unfolds gradually, and because it plays out against a backdrop of mystery, religion, and myth, it never feels the tremendous pressure to carry the entire story as romance does in many BL anime. Instead, the love between the gods feels natural, which makes it a whole different kind of divine.
9 No.6
Fun Setting, Likable Protagonists
No. 6 Release Date July 8, 2011 Studio Bones Number of Episodes 11 Based On Novel Creator Atsuko Asano MyAnimeList Score 7.56 Expand
No matter the time or place, whether deep in Earth’s past, the far-flung reaches of outer space, or a medieval fantasy world where dragons and sorcerers rule the day, love more or less always looks like love. No.6 is a near-future sci-fi story about two young men in a dystopian world.
The series succeeds in giving viewers three-dimensional characters in a three-dimensional setting. It isn’t perfect by any means, but the richness of its animation and artwork lends an extra layer of great on top of an already good manga. It might not have the humor of Sasaki and Miyano, but it lacks little else.
8 Spiritpact
Charming Banter
Spiritpact Release Date June 21, 2016 Studio Haoliners Animation League Number of Episodes 22 Based On Web Manhua Creator Pingzi MyAnimeList Score 7.19 Expand
Another series that falls short of perfection but has a great deal to offer fans of Sasaki And Miyano,Spiritpact is about Tanmoku, an exorcist, and Keika, the victim of a freak accident that took his life. Two men, one dead, could have been the end of it.
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Instead, Tanmoku offers Keika the opportunity to carry on as Tanmoku’s spirit shadow, allowing Keika to maintain his bond to the real world, even if he isn’t an ordinary human being. The interesting plot and supernatural hijinks are fun, but what is likeliest to keep viewers watching is the banter between Tanmoku and Keika, two men who, for obvious reasons, have a lot to say to one another.
7 Beryl And Sapphire
Unique BL Anime
Beryl And Sapphire Release Date August 27, 2018 Studio Big Firebird Culture Number of Episodes 120 Based On Manhua Creator Ocarina MyAnimeList Score 7.46 (Season 1) Expand
How much can this anime realistically accomplish in eight minutes? More than most anime can accomplish in 20, it turns out. Despite its short runtime, Beryl and Sapphire takes BL fans on a journey unlike any other in the genre. It manages this by re-framing the story every single time, casting Beryl and Sapphire in new roles, even as the story of their lives and romance presses ever forward
Intersecting storylines and shifting settings make Beryl and Sapphire difficult to describe, but captivating. There simply isn’t another BL anime like it, and Sasaki and Miyano fans shouldn’t miss it.
6 Cherry Magic! Thirty Years Of Virginity Can Make You A Wizard?!
BL With A Supernatural Element
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! Japanese Title 30-sai made Doutei dato Mahoutsukai ni Nareru Rashii Release Date January 11, 2024 Studio Satelight Based On Manga Creator Yuu Toyota MyAnimeList Score 7.65 Expand
A Winter 2024 anime, Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! is one of those shows some people might outright dismiss due to its peculiar title. On paper, it almost sounds like a parody of boys’ love anime, which is not the case. Although not devoid of humor, Cherry Magic is a refreshingly earnest attempt to tell a cute story that just happens to feature a supernatural element. The “cherry” in question, Adachi celebrated his 30th birthday by acquiring telepathy, although the ability only activates through direct contact. For the most part, this skill has been nothing but a headache for Adachi, but his life takes a strange turn when he learns that his coworker, the popular Kurosawa, is interested in him.
Kurosawa is seen as something of a stud at the office, coming across as charismatic and confident; however, he has plenty of hidden insecurities, which he accidentally reveals to Adachi. Without this insight into the character, Kurosawa’s steps to impress Adachi might come across as aggressive; in reality, they are just somewhat desperate attempts to connect with someone Kurosawa cares deeply about. Adachi is a fascinating character in his own right, and he is also struggling with his own sexuality and desires.
5 The Stranger By The Shore
Heartwarming Movie About Self-Discovery
The Stranger by the Shore Release Date September 11, 2020 Director Akiyo Ohashi Studio Studio Hibari Based On Manga MyAnimeList Score 7.86 Expand
It’s discouraging and misleading when the only depiction of a community is of the suffering it faces, but it’s worse for media to ignore the very real suffering that does occur. Shun Hashimoto dreams of an author’s life, only for his parents to abandon him for being gay. With this simple premise, Umibe no Etranger places itself on the side of painful realism, but the anime doesn’t dwell unnecessarily on the negative.
To that end, Shun soon meets Mio Chibana, an orphaned high schooler in Okinawa. The bond they develop is soon tested, but their struggles are painted with a compassionate brush. Umibe no Etranger looks at the good and bad of love alike.
4 Doukyusei: Classmates
BL At Its Finest
Doukyusei -Classmates- Release Date February 20, 2016 Director Shōko Nakamura Studio A-1 Pictures Based On Manga MyAnimeList Score 8.29
While there’s nothing wrong with elaborate world-building, complicated plots, and twists at every turn, there’s something undeniably satisfying about a simple tale well told. Doukyusei: Classmates is a story about two classmates in love.
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Rihito and Hikaru are both in the school’s chorus. Rihito is an introverted honor student, while Hikaru an academically struggling extrovert. Hikaru offers to help Rihito with his vocals, and romance ensues. The simplicity of the story, far from being a drawback, is part of the appeal. Sometimes BL anime should just be about boys in love. Here it is.
3 Yuri!!! On Ice
Most Famous BL Anime
Yuri on Ice Release Date October 6, 2016 Studio MAPPA MyAnimeList Score 7.90
When one thinks of sports anime, what often comes to mind are titles like Prince of Tennis, All Out, Ace of Diamonds, and Kuroko’s Basketball. Baseball, football, and basketball might arise in the imagination. Male competitive ice skating probably doesn’t.
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That changes with Yuri!!! On Ice. This series does what all good sports anime should, which is to tell a story so compelling that it draws viewers in even if they aren’t fans of the sport. Yuri!!! on Ice is a brilliant BL anime as well, with a wide and engaging cast of characters, sharp dialogue, and solid twists. Whether one watches for the triple Axels or the hand-holding, this series exceeds expectations.
2 Banana Fish
Dark, Grim Seinen Anime With BL Elements
Banana Fish Release Date July 6, 2018 Studio MAPPA Based On Manga Creator Akimi Yoshida Streaming Service(s) Amazon Prime Video MyAnimeList Score 8.48 Expand
Every genre has its progenitors: the titles that helped define and popularize it, giving shape to stories and characters for decades to come. For BL anime, Banana Fish is one of those progenitors. Based on the 80s manga by Akimi Yoshida, Banana Fish is about New York gang leader Ash Lynx and his investigation into the drug that led to his brother’s murder.
As the investigation gets underway, Ash meets Eiji Nakamura, and the two soon fall in love. The anime adaptation is as emotionally punishing as the original manga, and there’s no denying that Banana Fish is close to BL perfection.
Please note,
Banana Fish
is far darker than
Sasaki and Miyano
.
1 Given
Challenging But Rewarding
Given (2019) Release Date July 12, 2019 Studio Lerche Based On Manga Creator Natsuki Kizu MyAnimeList Score 8.32 Expand
Music touches the spirit uniquely, perhaps one reason that music anime is so beloved. Given is both a BL anime and music anime, following the story of high school students Mafuyu Sato and Ritsuka Uenoyama. The latter helps the former tune and play his guitar, unaware that it belonged to Mafuyu’s first love. Mafuyu joins Ritsuka’s band soon after.
Given is emotionally tough, unafraid of throwing viewers into the deep end of their feelings. Yet probing heavy themes is always done in the name of enriching the romantic plot between the two, and Given flourishes exactly because it’s willing to use the dark to illuminate the light.
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