Best Boy Love & Yaoi Manga That Need Anime
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Highlights
- BL manga is gaining popularity in mainstream entertainment, but many deserving titles have not yet received anime adaptations.
- These BL manga have compelling stories and well-developed characters that would translate well to anime.
- From older adults finding love to slow-burn romances and real-life issues, these manga offer a variety of themes that would appeal to BL anime fans.
The BL genre has always been a pretty popular genre among manga readers and has become popular in anime. Thanks to the success of shows like Given, Yuri on Ice, No. 6, and Sasaki and Miyano, it’s become a pretty mainstream genre to watch. More BL manga are slowly getting anime adaptations, but there’s a large pool of them that don’t (at least not yet).
These BL manga might not be the most dramatic or over-the-top out there, but they have very good stories and great characters. Watching their friendship turn into a relationship or just working on their relationships, these BL manga deserve an anime adaptation to show viewers their stories.
Updated October 17, 2023 by Sarah Prado: The BL genre is steadily growing more popular and more mainstream in entertainment. Some BL manga have gone on to get live-action adaptations, but very few are getting an anime one. Shows like Sasaki and Miyano, Yuri On Ice!, and Given have shown that they can be successful, and considered some of the best shows in the anime world. As more BL manga come out, fans can only hope that they’ll be given an anime adaptation.
22 Old-Fashioned Cupcake
Nozue is a 39-year-old man who feels stuck in his life. He feels he can’t take much risk at his age, has no romantic prospects in mind, and doesn’t do much outside of work. His subordinate, 29-year-old Togawa, makes it his mission to get Nozue out of his shell and experience new things. Though Togawa introduces him to a few women, Nozue finds himself falling for Togawa instead and is confused about what to do.
Old-Fashioned Cupcake only has two volumes, but it has everything it needs for a short series or a movie. It’s not every day that an anime has two older, working adults as the main couple and it’s a nice story to show that it’s never too late to have new experiences and find love.
21 I Didn’t Mean To Fall In Love
30-year-old Yoshino has never been on a date and thinks he’s meant to be alone in life. One night, he decides to muster up his courage and goes to a gay bar. There, he meets Rou, a charming, silver-haired college student who buys him drinks and gets to know one another. After spending the night together, an awkward but cute courtship begins.
With only one volume, this manga has a short but sweet love story that would be great to see as an anime. There’s no unnecessary drama or misunderstandings, just two men exploring this new, unexpected relationship that has developed between them.
20 The (Pet) Detective Agency
Rou Nakamura is a young man who looks intimidating due to his rugged looks and intense stares. Though people are afraid to approach him, animals seem to adore him and this makes him great at his job as a pet detective. If helping find lost pets wasn’t reward enough, Rou is also in love with his boss, Detective Fumika Sato.
This manga does have some mystery vibes mixed with slice-of-life that would make for a great anime adaptation. There is only one volume so the anime could either expand this or make a great movie. Sato and Nakamura’s relationship is a slow burn, but it’s sweet to watch it develop.
19 Sick
Keito Sudou’s life is perfect. He’s popular, good-looking, charismatic, and comes from a rich family. He’s got drama-free friends, no girlfriend to tie him down, and college life is going well. There’s not much more he could ask for. But ask his classmate Shouta Kishi, who is a frequent target of Keito’s teasing, and it’s a different story. However, there might be a reason why Sudou teases him.
This manga does have some typical cliches found in most BL manga, but it’s still a pretty good manga even though it only has one volume. Having an anime series could make this story even better if given more time and extra scenes to make it wholesome.
18 Crimson Spell
Prince Vald is a young man who is cursed by using the family sword. Looking to lift the curse, he seeks out Halvir, a powerful sorcerer who will help him end it in exchange for the sword. Together, they set out to end it. Unknowingly to Vald, who doesn’t know much about the curse, he turns into a violent demon at night and doesn’t remember anything the next morning. Only Halvir seems to know how to keep the demon from being a true menace to society.
Crimson Spell has been a popular BL manga for a long time and it’s a wonder why it doesn’t have an anime adaptation yet. There aren’t many fantasy BL animes out there that are also sword and sorcery so this manga becoming an anime would be a great addition that could open more doors in this genre.
17 Snow Fairy
Haurki Homura lives an uneventful and solitary life in the mountainside of Hokkaido. One day, he meets wildlife photographer, Akihito Narumi. Narumi was originally looking for the mythical “snow fairies” of the mountain but is now stranded due to a horrible snowstorm. Homura agrees to let Narumi stay with him and the two men bond over photography.
For only having one volume, Snow Fairy manages to build a great relationship between Narumi and Homura that gives readers all kinds of feels. This would BL fans a nice and wholesome relationship to play out onscreen.
16 This Wonderful Season With You
Junpei Enoki is a typical nerd that fits all of the stereotypes. He’s small, smart, and physically weaker than most guys his age, but he’s got a good heart and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. Enter, Ryousuke Shirataki, a typical jock whose baseball career has ended due to an injury. Shirataki is lost on what to do now and ends up joining the Electronic Engineering Club where he meets Enoki. They are complete opposites of each other, but a blossoming friendship might turn into something more the longer it develops.
It’s a classic opposites-attract love story that’ll make readers squeal from how cute these two are together. A manga like this would be a nice little rom-com anime that would be entertaining to watch and give more variety to the BL anime pool.
15 Escape Journey
A manga about two young men who went out during high school and had a rather ugly breakup that reconnects in college. Naoto Hisami is ready to have fun as a freshman in college and begin a new chapter in his life. Unfortunately for him, he runs into his ex from high school, Taichi Hase, on his first day. The two of them were together for a while during their high school years but had a rather ugly breakup. They try to keep their relationship to just being friends, but the feelings of love are still there. Now they must ask themselves if they want to try being together again, or just be friends.
Taichi and Naoto’s relationship does have some ups and downs, but readers do see how far they’ve come since their high school days. Aside from being a couple, they also discuss things about their relationship and issues about it. Problems like how marriage isn’t legal for them, coming out to their families, and other societal issues are talked about and shown in the manga. It’s not just about the relationship and fluff, but this BL manga tackles real-life issues that would be great to see in an anime adaptation.
14 Only The Flower Knows
A sweet manga that’ll leave readers with all kinds of feelings. University students Youichi Arikawa and Shouta Misaki meet each other on campus and then at a train station. Arikawa doesn’t know what Misaki looks like since he wasn’t wearing proper lenses to help his eyesight but knows that he feels strongly for him. All he has besides a fuzzy image is a glass flower pendant that Misaki dropped. The two eventually meet again for a third time and Arikawa boldly declares his love, starting the beginning of a sweet relationship.
For anyone wanting to read a sweet, wholesome manga, this one is a very good one and worth it. The romance between Arikawa and Misaki develops slowly which might make some readers question if it’s really a BL, but it’s at a good pace. Seeing a relationship develop at a slower pace would be great to see since most BL relationships move pretty fast.
13 Kazoku ni Narou yo, AKA Let’s Be A Family!!
A manga that explores the struggles of parenthood. Chiaki and Kazuma have been a couple for almost a decade. Their free-spirited friend Tomoe shows up one day and reveals she’s pregnant. The two of them help her out in her pregnancy and all seems well after she gives birth to her daughter, Ayumi. However, this is short-lived and Tomoe more or less abandons Ayumi, leaving her in their care. Now, Chiaki and Kazuma must navigate the new and unexpected roads of parenthood that test their relationship in a way they never thought about.
It’s not every day that a manga starts with a couple already together, let alone having been in a long-term relationship and now raising a child. Though they didn’t expect this at all, Chiaki and Kazuma adjust to having a daughter and do a pretty good job raising Ayumi. Even though it’s only volume, this BL manga has everything it needs that could make it a great anime show or movie.
12 Hello, Green Days
A manga that manages to have a compelling and sweet story. Tomo Mikage is a graduate student who meets junior Youji Nanajoshi at a seminar they study at. Though intimidated by Nanahoshi’s large size, Mikage gets to know him and finds out that he’s a very nice and sweet man. Nanahoshi notices Mikage’s well-being not looking good, so he invites him to live with him. What starts as a roommate relationship slowly blossoms into more.
With just one volume, readers get everything they want in a BL manga. From a relationship starting great to the characters becoming a couple, this manga is a great read. It would be great to have an anime adaptation just to see a sweet romance come to life.
11 Delivery For You!
Izumi Fukuya is a young man who lives alone and spends most of his time at home. The one joy he has in life aside from his otaku hobbies is seeing the handsome delivery man, Ryouta Tsuchiya, every day. Izumi feels like he isn’t good enough to be with Ryouta and tries to make himself seem cooler. Little does he know, Ryouta already has feelings for him and thinks Izumi is cool.
The manga has one volume, but it’s another sweet story that’s easy to follow. Seeing Izumi’s antics and attempts to appeal to Ryouta will leave fans laughing at how silly he is, but also happy that Ryouta enjoys seeing Izumi try.
Sometimes a series of unfortunate events have to happen for love to blossom. Graduate student Kentou Sasaki moves into an apartment after the dorm fees increase, but unfortunately, the stove or bath don’t work. After a horrible snowstorm, Kentou nearly freezes to death but is saved by his neighbor, Soushi Ikematsu. Though he looks scary and is aloof, Soushi gives him a warm meal and the two begin sharing meals together. Kentou does fall in love with him as time goes by but keeps his feelings to himself since he doesn’t know if Soushi is gay or not.
It’s a classic love story between a tall, scary-looking man who’s actually shy and nice and a friendly extrovert who helps them open up. This is just a warm, slice-of-life BL that’s a good read and would be nice to see adapted into an anime.
9 Change World
This manga shows a couple going through life changes that could threaten their relationship. Yosuke Ito and Ikuo Arimura have known each other since high school but have only been dating for a year. Their relationship is going well, but they do have some trouble expressing their real feelings. Then there’s Masato Hozumi, a former classmate of Arimura and a man who’s still in the closet, putting doubts about their relationship in Yosuke’s mind. It also doesn’t help that Yosuke has an opportunity in his company, but it requires him to work overseas.
Considering it only has two volumes, the story, and characters do have some pretty good development. While there are some dramatic moments, it’s not over-the-top, and Yosuke and Arimura handle their problems like mature adults. This could be a short series since Sayonara Game is a prequel to Change World that shows how the couple got together. Plus, it even has a sequel series, Love Nest, that follows Hozumi and his life.
8 Links
A manga that follows four different couples and their stories. Akiha and Yahiko are in a friends-with-benefits type of relationship, but the former doesn’t know what to truly think of their relationship. Sado and Nakajo are always arguing with one another that some might think they’re already a couple, but they’re not. Nakajo doesn’t think they could ever be together but remains close to Sado. Sekiya is a socially awkward man who finds himself at the center of Shibata’s attention—a man who hits on him every chance he gets. Then there’s Kameda and Ogikawa, who bond over a stray cat that Ogikawa found in the streets.
The manga is only one volume, and it does get a little confusing to keep up with all four couples, but it is a good read. An anime adaptation would be nice to watch since it’s four very different couples with very different stories. Plus, the anime could make the story flow a little better and make it easier to keep up with the story.
7 Glass Syndrome
A manga that is a little more on the dramatic side. Glass Syndrome is about high schooler Nijou, who is seemingly perfect at everything he does. He’s the class president, amazing at sports, and very popular in school. His teacher asks him to check on fellow student Toomi, a student who’s been absent a lot recently. It turns out Toomi has a secret that explains why he’s been absent, but this secret could very well destroy his life if it gets out. Nijou finds out his secret and must decide if he should confront Toomi about it or not.
This manga does have a lot of emotional baggage between Nijou and Toomi but for very different reasons. Toomi is extremely insecure and fears others rejecting him if he’s not perfect, so he’s constantly making sure to keep his facade up. Toomi, on the other hand, is emotionally drained from dealing with his family’s financial circumstances. The only time the two of them can be themselves is around each other.
6 Our Dining Table
A manga that is good for anyone wanting to read a good slice-of-life story. Yutaka is a salaryman who has a talent for cooking, but he struggles to eat around people at a dining table because of past trauma. One day, he meets two brothers, Minoru and Tane, after Tane eats one of his homemade rice balls. They ask Yutaka if he can help them make meals, and he agrees, finding himself sharing meals with them.
The romance between Yutaka and Minoru is a slow burn, but it’s not painful or boring to watch happen. Both men have had different lives and are dealing with their own problems, but watching them work through them and realize their feelings for one another makes this story great. This would make a great anime and let viewers have something just sweet and wholesome to watch. Also, Tane is just so cute and adorable; it’d be a crime not to see his antics animated.
5 I Cannot Reach You
A sweet manga with a slow-burn romance. Kakeru and Yamato have been best friends for a long time, but most of their peers don’t understand why. The two of them are complete opposites. Kakeru is more friendly and outgoing, whereas Yamato is quiet and almost expressionless when talking to others. When Kakeru sees a girl talking to Yamato, he thinks his best friend is going to get a girlfriend. However, Kakeru realizes that the idea kind of bothers him and tries to figure out why it does.
The story kind of follows the typical best friends-to-lovers trope, but it takes its time to build up. Yamato already knows he likes Kakeru and admits it when asked who he has a crush on. Meanwhile, Kakeru grapples with his feelings and concerns, asking himself if entering a romantic relationship is worth risking their lifelong friendship. Seeing this become an anime would be an entertaining watch and give viewers another sweet romance.
4 Toritan: Birds Of A Feather
A manga that has some hilarious moments revolving around birds. Inusaki is a detective, along with being known as a handyman, and does a lot of odd jobs for his neighborhood. But there is one thing that haunts Inusaki: he can understand and talk to birds. However, there is one bird, whom he calls Kuro, that reminds him of his landlord’s son, Mitsuru. It seems like Mitsuru has a secret of his own, but not what Inusaki thinks.
The story is full of hilarious interactions between Inusaki and random birds, along with quiet and sweet moments between him and Mitsuki. Their relationship doesn’t move too fast or too slow, but it still has a pretty good development that would be great to see on-screen.
3 My Love Mix-Up
A manga with a pretty funny love triangle. Aoki is a male student who has a crush on a female student, Hashimoto. When he borrows her eraser, he is heartbroken to see classmate Ida’s (a male student) name on it. Ida just happens to see the eraser on Aoki’s desk and assumes Aoki has feelings for him. From there, a series of hilarious miscommunications happen while feelings between Aoki and Ida blossom.
Love triangles are common, but a few are as funny as this one. The love triangle between the three students is resolved pretty quickly instead of frustratingly carrying on for a long time. Having a story that took a different route with the love triangle tropes would be a refreshing sight to watch. It’s a romance story with slice-of-life elements and comedy moments that are sure to keep viewers watching.
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