#Minato kun

[captainstrawberrywings]

Graffart is celebrating Persona 25th anniversary and has made merch featuring all the main characters from all the persona games This one includes all the protagonists of the series together as well as one featuring all the Persona characters.

Persona 1 Persona 2 Persona 3 Persona 4 Persona 5 Velvet Room

[starlit-doodles]

Memento Mori

time for a reload

[absolutebl]

Top 10 Best BLs on Gagaoolala

My Beautiful Man AKA Utsukushii Kare

Japan 2021

One of the most Japanese BLs to release in the last decade, as weird and as messed up as any 2000s yaoi: emo af and hella warped, entirely true to itself with no attempt made to modify its POV for modern sensibilities or current BL fandom. It used seriously old school problematic and kinky tropes, like whipping boy, for a truly uncompromising piece that also manages to hit up themes of communication, consent, and self acceptance. It’s a wonderful BL but uniquely dirty and harsh, in the best possible way - Japanese cinema, uncompromising.

I lost my ever loving mind over the ending. This show won the Grand Prix “My Best TV Award” at the 16th Galaxy Awards.

Minato's Laundromat AKA Minato Shouji Coin Laundry

Japan 2022

A classic age gap romance where a high school student pursues the man of his dreams (who runs a laundromat). This BL is so steeped in yaoi nostalgia, not to mention a classic romance arc, that it will overload some, but those of us who love this genre for its DNA will adore it. It made me very happy because it did everything I want a BL to do - there’s not much more I could ask of a show than this. It’s the closest Japan has come to perfect live action yaoi since Seven Days (and I never make that comparison lightly).

Squee watch-along here.

My Ride

Thai 2022

Thai BL grew up with this pulp (the first ever to make my end of year top 10). It’s a truly lovely and special little show featuring the extremely rare pairing of sunshine/sunshine (AKA a cinnamon roll couple) plus mature explorations of relationships using one of the softest, sweetest, and most innocent friends to lovers vehicles. Kindly, overworked doctor meets broken-hearted motorcycle taxi driver in an “other side of the tracks” slow burn romance. The support cast is excellent, making for great friendship groups and family dynamics. With honest queer rep that adds to, but doesn’t impede, the story, and genuine conversation about the nature of class, wealth, and classism, not to mention communication, honesty, and respect for boundaries, you can’t go wrong with this show. In other news, I am a sucker for a single dimple.

Takara & Amagi AKA Takara-kun to Amagi-kun

Japan 2022 I gnawed on my knuckles and squealed a lot with this BL. Reserved cool kid who must learn to communicate to keep the tiny disaster nugget he’s madly in love with. It is beyond charming: soft and gentle, packed with cuteness and high school angst, thirst, & yearning. Was there plot? Not really. Was it emotionally tense and paced well enough for me not to notice? Absolutely. Did I enjoy the hell out of it? Oh yes.

Kiseki: Dear to Me

Taiwan 2023

The plot is totally ridiculous and slightly unhinged, but that’s normal for Taiwan. It involves all the tropes under a very casual framework of gay mafia gangs + food = love. Absolutely every character is queer. There’s a gum-ball machine of cameos, elder gay rep, great chemistry from all pairs, and a KILLER side couple. As a result Kiseki is a poster child for Taiwanese BL, and I happen to love Taiwanese BL. Bonus? They also managed to END IT WELL, which we cannot expect from Taiwan.

My Personal Weatherman AKA Taikan Yoho

Japan 2023

This style of live action yaoi really only works from Japan. Basically: boys who fell in love in college end up living together but both are so repressed they actually don't realize they're in love. It's higher heat than we usually get from Japan's HEA stuff, and that part is also very well done, but it leaned into the "why don't they just talk for fuck's sake?" trope which is only exacerbated into undiluted frustration by the fact that they're already fucking. It's great, but watching requires more patience than usual, even for Japan.

Our Dining Table AKA Bokura no Shokutaku

Japan 2023

A lonely salaryman and talented cook gets accidentally adopted by a college kid and his little brother. I was always gonna love this show if they stuck to the manga (which is very dear to my heart). And they did, paralleling it almost exactly. It’s a quiet & cozy little parable of found family alleviating loneliness. Possibly too slow for some but definitely high up there for me as the best of what Japan can do with softness (like Restart After Come Back Home). It’s only flaw (if I dare say such a thing) is that it is not really “romantic.” Lovely & sweet but the romance beats are being used to build a family relationship, not just couple intimacy, but that's OK with me. This is a very safe show for anyone to watch.

Step By Step

Thai 2023

This was Thailand’s answer to The New Employee, and everything I loved about that show I loved about this one. This office romance between a stern boss and sweet subordinate felt more authentic to cubical work than previous Thai BLs of this ilk. That authenticity added tension to the narrative and its characters development (how novel). I also really enjoyed the charming side characters and the brothers' relationship to each other (although I could have done without that brother's side BL).

Long Time No See

Korea (Strongberry) 2017

Catfishing assassins on either side of a turf war who fall in love not knowing they are on opposite sides. Or do they? Suspenseful plot, good fight sequences, mature characters, hot sexitimes and even hotter beating the shit out of each other and kissing while covered in blog (this came from KOREA?), plus an HEA. One of the hidden gems of the BL genre.

About Youth

Taiwan 2022

A truly lovely little coming of age high school BL with a classic YA low drama but high angst and an earnest depth. I didn’t even mind the singing, and that’s saying a lot. A weak seme/uke dynamic but tons of BL tropes (both rare in a high school setting but common for Taiwan) makes this one feel both sweet and colored by real world authenticity and grit.

Some of these shows ALSO appeared on Viki or iQIYI, but these BLs will appear only once on these round up posts (here for Gaga), not on the other platforms top 10.

(source)

This list updated Spring 2024, not responsible for cool stuff that aired on Gaga (or was taken off the platform) after that date.

This is part of a series more here:

[gillianthecat]

I feel like Japanese BLs use place and space and landscape differently. Perhaps it’s as simple as the fact that Japanese architecture and plant life looks different from Thai, Korean or Taiwanese architecture and plant life. Perhaps it’s just that the Japanese industry generally has higher budgets and more experienced/skilled people behind the camera, which creates a certain look. But there’s something about the use of space, either expansive and wide open, or closed-in and intimate that’s… I don’t know what it is, but it feels like it’s something.

This was brought on in part by watching Eternal Yesterday and then watching @iguessitsjustme’s HiraKoyoi video (which almost made me cry this time, now that I’m primed to). And they got thinking about the way there’s a certain… almost desolate emptiness? that’s not the right feeling. perhaps just… openness, realness, slight wildness… to the landscape in this trio of small town high school BL I’ve watched recently, the two above plus Takara-kun to Amagi-kun. Even Kabe Koji somehow felt that way when they returned to their hometown. Is that just what all small towns look like in Japan? (Are they even set in small towns?) Or are these locations deliberate choices.

And even in city settings there’s a certain way that buildings and spaces are shot, inside and out. But I don’t know enough about filmmaking techniques to say what it is.

If anyone else has any thoughts on this I’d love to hear them. I’ve never been to any of these countries and haven’t watched all that much other media from there, outside of BLs, so I have little context, just vague feelings.

[wolvenfarts]

fake p3 movie screenshot edit feat aikoto

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Characters who are so done with this shit. (Part1/?)

Kieta Hatsukoi

Semantic Error

Minato Shouji Coin Laundry

Love Mechanics

Behind Cut

History 2: Crossing The Line

About Youth

Kabe-Koji

My favorite bl-tropes collection, in no particular order.

[grac3nocturne]

I truly think Teru being canonically Gay and him having an possible unrequited love on Aoi Akane would actually be a very interesting choice for him and also narratively wise. But also having a lot thought about it for it to be even possible to happen one day.

I've been thinking about it cause we already have Kou to be extremely implied or even canon Bisexual. And having some feelings for Mitsuba. And even if in real life having more than one lgbtq person in the same family is possible and actually most of the time, real, I never really see it depicted in animanga before outside of LGBTQ manga, even having more than one lgbtq characters is rare, It's not impossible but extremely rare.

And TBHK is described as a shonen, and even if I personally think a lot of characters of the manga are LGBTQ, I am really wondering if it is possible for Teru to be gay, it would be wonderful move for the autor but yes it's still very rare thing in manga media *thinking thinking*

[nina-the-ninth]

Color Your Night and It’s Going Down Now have officially taken over my life, so here’s a little bit of the door himself while I wait for the high quality versions to be released.

[bakafurai]

I made this like a month ago I never posted it on my socials bc i thought the anatomy felt a little wonky to me when i doodled it but. Someone has to add fuel to the kenji/makoto fire,,,,

[melting-sugar-cubes]

.˚{𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒚 𝑮𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒙 𝑨𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒇𝒆 :𐫱: 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏}˚.

Image Source: Hinohara Meguru’s Twitter

[captainstrawberrywings]

Graffart is celebrating Persona 25th anniversary and has made merch featuring all the main characters from all the persona games this one is with the Persona 3 cast

Persona 1 Persona 2 Persona 4 Persona 5 Velvet Room Protags

[my-boys-love-boys]

2022 has been the year of meaningful and messy BL, and I predict next year is going to be even better.

[absolutebl]

Which Japanese BLs should Thailand actually remake?

I should say up front I am NOT a purest. I actually like seeing different country's takes on IP. It says a lot about the culture in question and how they perceive themselves and queerness. I don't have "babies" so Thailand can fuck around with whoever they want to IMHO.

However, I do think Ossan's Love is a poor choice. And much as I love the original I think My Love Mix Up is a fine choice and Gem4 will do a great job.

But still, let's play a game.

The JBLs that GMMTV should adapt

You ready to be offended?

Seven Days - oh yes, I said it. ME! This BL is actually perfect (I WILL FIGHT YOU), but I think it would be fun to see what GMMTV could do with such an elegant piece of clean storytelling. It's right in their wheelhouse. I want an 8 ep run: One ep for each day plus one for them as a couple.

Minato's Laundromat - give us the age gap we deserve, Thailand.

Mr. Unlucky Can Only Kiss - I think Thailand could do a much better job with this one, frankly.

Eternal Yesterday - and give it a happy ending, damn it

Candy and Kiss - I'd love to see Thailand adapt this underappreciated little manga.

Takumi-kun - YES, I said it... bite me.

Wait For Me at Udagawachou - this is a long pull (and QL not BL) so I think only the 180 Degree people could handle it, but I'd love to see Thailand try.

Hand if off to Taiwan instead

My Personal Weatherman

My Beautiful Man

Tokyo in April

Silhouette of Your Voice

Same Difference - fucking please adapt Docchi Mo Docchi Taiwan, I will love you FOREVER. This is a GREAT IP that was criminally mishandled by Japan.

Hand if off to Korea Instead

Given

Kabe Koji

I Want to See Only You

Senpai, This Can’t be Love!

Jack o'Frost

Fujimi Orchestra

Ones I Think No One Else Can Handle

Our Dining Table

Takara & Amagi

Old Fashion Cupcake

Life: Love on the Line

His

What Did You Eat Yesterday?

The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese

I'm gonna remind you all the Thailand has already adapted Love Stage!! and they did a better job than Japan, IMHO.

(source)

[tortured-artist-tourney]

TORTURED

Shijima Mei

Actually an Artist

Art as Escapism

Physically Ill / Disabled

ART = IDENTITY (literal)

Drawings come to Life

Alone in the Atelier

Art Replicas

Mentally Ill (had to cope with being terminally ill, and accepting her death)

Ohse Minato

Actually an Artist

Mentally Ill (suicidal)

Alone in the Atelier

Inferiority Complex

[jeffbarcode]

jeffbarcode's top 10 bl series & movies of 2022 (in random order)

not me • love in the air • choco milk shake • between us • takara kun to amagi kun • cherry magic • kinnporsche • my secret love • minato shouji coin laundry • cutie pie

[petrichoraline]

First kisses preceeded by hugs

criteria:

first kiss as a whole (if the first kiss we see isn't the couple's first, it doesn't count)

first kiss is defined the first time their lips touched

hug happens shortly before the kiss (even if there are words and other gestures exchanged in between)

not a dream or fantasy sequence but flashbacks are okay

pulling in for a kiss doesn't count as a hug (A Tale of Thousand Stars, UWMA)

spoilers for the following shows (images and timestamps):

Our Dining Table

Stay by My Side

Minato Shouji Coin Laundry

A Man Who Defies the World of BL

Laws of Attraction

A First Love Story

Long Time No See

Be Loved in House: I Do

My School President

Vice Versa

Manner of Death

Takara-kun to Amagi-kun

❗ please keep in mind the timestamps i've put in are closer to the beginning of the scene than the actual moment of the hug, just for additional context :)

Minoru and Yutaka (Our Dining Table)

a hug that brings a sigh of relief from episode 9, 11:20

Bu Xia and Jiang Chi (Stay by My Side)

Jiang Chi's natural response to feeling needed and loved from episode 5, 09:50

Asuka and Shuu (Minato's Coin Laundry s2)

long awaited moment from episode 11, 07:50

Tojo and Ayato (A Man Who Defies the World of BL)

Mob's nightmare coming true in episode 3, 11:05

Charn and Tinn (Laws of Attraction)

a reassuring backhug filled with meaning from episode 6, 40:25

Jaesung and Mingyu (A First Love Story)

butterfly-inducing moment from episode 1, 03:37

Chisoo and Gitae (Long Time No See)

a play wrestle that led to a first kiss and a lot more from episode 2, 06:00

Some honorary mentions! (which don't abide by the rules but i was excited to share)

Zhao Gang and Si Qi (Be Loved in House: I Do) - a sort-of backhug situation (episode 7, 09:21)

Sound and Win (My School President) - it's more than pulling in with both of them embracing the other but less than a full hug (episode 12, 54:15)

Puen and Talay (Vice Versa) - Talay is more or less hanging off of Puen lol (episode 2, 27:07)

Tan and Bun (Manner of Death) - another drunk kiss with questionable form of physical contact (episode 1, 17:20)

Takara and Amagi (Takara-kun to Amagi-kun) - not their first kiss but their first fully consensual one (i learned too late and was excited to add it so i'm keeping it <3) (episode 6, 18:37)

((also mentioning the almost kiss in Gaya sa Pelikula and the ChopperBen hug in Never Let Me Go that I would imagine would be followed by a kiss in a different scenario))

surely there are quite a few instances of this trope missing so i would appreciate additions! <3