#allthefujoshiunite answers

[allthefujoshiunite]

Sorry I hit the ask button before finishing. My fav trope are age gap ( > 5 years and even more), height difference and teacher-student relationship. Do you have any BL that fits either or mix of the above? I don't mind smut (explicit) but not a fan of pwp (just smut story).

Again, sorry if I'm too demanding, hope you have a good day @allthefujoshiunite 🍀🌼

Aaand we’re back. You literally listed some of my fave tropes there so BOY do I have recommendations! Not a fan of PWP either, so rest assured.

Let’s get this party started ~

Age gap + height difference + teacher/student

Young Bad Education (Dayoo): I fell in love with Mizusawa’s eyes on the cover and bought the volume in Japanese years ago without an ounce of idea what the story was about. No regrets. Young Bad Education and its continuation Young Good Boyfriend will feed your soul. You can read it on Manga Planet (Futekiya).

Hitorijime My Hero (Memeco Arii): This title is a classic so you might have already seen it but just in case. Hitorijime My Hero has an anime adaptation as well (I’m anime-only) and the manga has a spin-off with the side couple as far as I know. The height difference is less pronounced here but if you’re like me and you love delinquents as well, this will be your jam.

The Trees in Spring (Nakaoka Naka): I’m kind of cheating but I’ll do anything to recommend this title! MCs here are a teacher and student, but the teacher isn’t teaching the student, they meet each other in a different way. I have reviewed this title before and take any chance I can get to recommend it, so there you go!

Age gap + teacher/student

Warbler, Sing of Spring (Nago Nayuta): I felt like they don’t have height difference (and checked the first chapter again) but the MCs are always drawn in weird angles so I’m not sure. Another title with the delinquent sprinkled on top. Really enjoyed reading this, Nago Nayuta’s works have a cuteness I like and the uke in Warbler is kind of unhinged xD Love him!

The Neighbor I Desire (Makoto): This one started off a bit weird for me but I can assure you it’s super cute! I have written a review before so if you want more details, here you go.

The Good Teacher (Eeej): Another title I reviewed before. It’s pretty, fun but short and while the plot is not this series’ strongest point, I think it’s worth giving a shot.

Age gap + height difference

Love for Sale (Dal Hyeon-ji): It’s official, you guys. I will literally disintegrate if I don’t recommend Love for Sale, the doctor said it not me. But honestly, do yourself a solid one and read it if you still haven’t. The pinnacle of ultimate goodness. I wrote on LfS before but since the post contaşns spoilers and is more about sugar dating than a review, I’ll spare you the link. On Lezhin.

Love Me Doctor (ANA): Another series I constantly recommended on Twitter and got a couple of unassuming, kind-hesrted people to read it with me as well. Focuses on a university student and a urology doctor he had tovisit for his ED. If you’re comfortable reading a title where a doctor kind of uses his position to get to know a patient and stepping over boundaries, please give it a chance! TOTALLY worth the time. On Lezhin.

On or Off (A1): Can’t say I understood the drama with the artist and the series being wrapped up rather quickly, but I read this popular webtoon with joy! Not as big of a fan as the rest of the BL fans but if youdig these two tropes I think it’s worth checking out. On Tappytoon, but I think TOKYOPOP has released it in print.

Metro (Chika Hongo): This is more of a dramatic title, where a high school student is being touched regularly by the same man on the train and he likes it, until one day he follows him home upon being invited. If you prefer a story that’s laced with trauma and flawed characters, this is for you! On Manga Planet.

Pound Cake on a Sunday (Amida Shizuku): Man this series is SUPER funny that I had to reread today! A father and son lives alone after the mother’s passing and one day, out of the blue, the father starts complimenting the new transfer to the company about how he’s so beautiful or saying how shiny his hair is. Is his father gay? Did he finally lose it? Read and find out! Very different from your usual BL, worth your time!

Bonus - I’m a Dom and I Want You To Stroke My Head (KINACO): Has dom/sub universe (a big fan) height difference as well, but it’s a teacher x teacher pairing.

Whew! Sorry it took a lot of time to write because it’s not so easy to format these posts on the app, it seems. I hope you like my selection and as always, let me know if you liked anything from the list! I’m always eager to know what people think after reading something I’ve recommended. See you around!

[allthefujoshiunite]

Lots of favorites on the bingo! Thank you for reading my reviews 🧡

These are my Top 24 Favorite BL (until now)....

Special thanks to @lmskitty. Thanks a lot, Lex, because of you I start reading "Fake" and love that series....

Also thanks to @impromptu-sketches, becaue of your wonderful BL recs and reviews, I know a lot of BL series, some of them became my favorite, like "Unintentional Love Story" and "Dark Heaven"....

Another special thanks to @allthefujoshiunite , becaue of your wonderful BL recs and reviews, I know a lot of BL series, some of them became my favorite, like "Love for Sale" and "Stigmata : Love Bites".....

[bts0715]

Greetings!! I just wanted to say I appreciate the work you do!!! Even though their pieces (especially the ones they wear for events) are not really affordable most of the time, I really enjoy keeping track of their clothes!! As a side note: yes, Tae's safety pin earring is from Alexander Mcqueen and is out of stock no matter where I looked... :,( Take care of yourself dear!

Someone sent me the link and yes it is! :D I’ll make a post soon. and thank you so so much! I love doing this 

[bsinoranges]

Tagged

I was tagged by @lethesomething, so heyy.

10 Random Facts about myself:

I play the violin. But I’m a beginner that’s still stuck on scales and twinkle twinkle little star.

Way back in the fifth grade, I once won an award for being Most Industrious, and I still don’t know how and why I was given this.

I got my phobia of spiders from when a kid placed a rubber spider on top of my head as a prank. It got tangled in my hair and i was never the same since.

There are a pack of morning glory seeds I have yet to plant lying somewhere at home.

The first language I learned was English, as opposed to my country’s national language, which I learned when I was five or six. (Shocking but not really, since I live in a bilingual country. But still.)

My first phone lived for a week before it died because I accidentally dropped a cow-shaped sharpener on the screen.

My friends tell me that one of my special skills is my uncanny ability to trip over anything and nothing at random times.

When I was still a first year in college (which is to say, last school year) I bought one whole rotisserie chicken and ate it by myself. Worst choice ever. But my favorite food story to tell. Strangely enough, this experience hasn’t stopped me from wanting to eat a bucket of chicken on my own.

I have kept a writing/drawing/creative journal for the past four years, I’m on my fourth journal I think?

The first story I ever wrote was Barbie Princess and the Pauper fan fiction. I think it was about the magical power of friendship embodied in a magical staff. There were royal sleepovers, singing, kidnapping, self-sacrifice, and great magical defense type moves. I never finished it.

5 OTPS/SHIPS:

(in no particular order, also Mustang/Hawkeye for life)

YachixEveryone except the Karasuno third years. (HQ!!). Shocking.

Alice/Oz/Gilbert (Pandora Hearts)

Lissa/Lon’qu (FE: Awakening)

Yato/Hiyori (Noragami)

Mitsuhide/Kiki (Akagami no Shirayukihime)

Lethey’s Eleven Questions:

Which piece of fiction do you wish you’d written, and why? Hmmm. Mine? Because no amount of love for any series will make me wish I created it myself.

Coffee or tea? Tea. I like coffee too, but tea.

What’s your favourite game of all time and why? It’s a tie between Harvest Moon and Fire Emblem. I would say Zelda, but I watched my brother play it more than I’ve played it. Harvest Moon because it’s aesthetic, and I love how I can bounce between really relaxed to I-really-needed-to-buy-some-turnip-seeds stressed. Fire Emblem, because trying to be a badass strategist is awesome. Also turn-based games are my jam. (I can’t decide, so uh, have 2-3 of my favorite games of all time)

If you could have any kind of hairdo, what would it be? It’d be like Kill La Kill’s Ryuko’s hair when transformed, except less blown away, less flashy and longer. Also, I’d dye my hair grey, and blue in the inside (probably).

Your de-stress method of choice? Lying in bed and thinking of everything and nothing (or food and the various methods of preparation, presentation, and taste). Also listening to EDM or Classical Music.

Favourite guilty pleasure? That book, film of album that you really love but kinda have to hide when the cool people come over? I immensely enjoyed the first arc of Sword Art Online, because of all the things that could have happened. Also, I played Hakuoki and loved the hell out of it.

Biggest anime crush? Do I even. Eliot Nightray from Pandora Hearts. I love him so much.

Which dish or recipe do you wish you knew how to prepare flawlessly? Macaroni Soup. Or any kind of soup for that matter.

Chinese or western horoscope? Western. Only because I’m not really exposed to the Chinese one. I’m a scorpio? I was probably a sheep.

Is there a song that inspired you in life? If so which one? You Raise Me Up from Romeo X Juliet. The Japanese and the English Versions. Also I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You just sets  off millions of feels in me.

Is there a historic figure you’d like to have coffee with? Who? I’d drink coffee with uh, Shakespeare. I can ask what made him write them grim plays. And whether or not he liked Romeo and Juliet. 

My 11 Questions

Do you have any morbid or weird fascinations? For example, I have this weird fascination with the idea of human sacrifices, vessels, and stuff like that.

Favorite flower, and why?

Do you like puns? Why or why not?

How do you describe stuff/ what’s your favorite descriptive style in writing? (e.g. very detailed, with light, color, etc.)

Swords, lances, or axes?

Which do you prefer: soup, sauce, or a soup of sauce?

*eyebrow wiggle*, *finger guns*, or *winks*?

That color you say you hate but actually like.

What’s a hobby that not many people know you dabble in?

If you were going to be executed, would you rather face a firing squad or drink poison?

If you were given a chance to live again what would you want to be? (e.g. athlete, musician, ballerina, etc.)

I’m tagging @haruhi02 @smeboo1004 just because. Also, I like bothering you guys. So eh. @allthefujoshiunite if you don’t mind. @24-7-drunk-bangtan, heyyy. @usualcassey, hi jags. Do this if you want to. Happy answering!!

[allthefujoshiunite]

Entryway to heavens, a.k. the BL genre!

As requested by @weiying-tododeku-2023 , who wanted to dip their toes into the genre, I, Nora, am once again here to compile a recommendation list that you can take a peek. Most titles here won't be any news to my seasoned fujin frens, but it's always interesting to think of which manga or anime would be the best for a newcomer!

BL ANIME

We don't have many options to choose from when it comes to anime, so I might as well start from here.

Stranger by the Shore: This 1-hour, gorgeous movie is an adaptation from Kii Kanna's manga of the same name. Since it's short, I think it's better to focus on what the plot has to offer instead of expecting a deeper dive into the characters individually.

Sasaki and Miyano: Another manga adaptation, but this time it's 12-episode series (with a +1 OVA). Very sweet and emotionally rich coming-of-age story with a fudanshi as its MC. A must see!

NO.6: Less like a BL and more of a sci-fi anime with queer MCs, NO.6 is not exactly suitable for a newcomer, but I still wanted to include it because of its tender story and the companionship between Shion and Nezumi. So you shouldn't expect a big emphasis on romance.

Bonus: This Boy is a Professional Wizard: This is a 4-episode short anime. It's honestly gorgeous and cute, but not very "deep" as every episode is around 8 minutes. You can finish it in one sitting!

There are so many other popular (and great) BLs or action/sports series that have queer characters out there: Given, Banana Fish, Yuuri!! on ICE, Doukyuusei, Case Study of Vanitas, The Case Files of Jeweler Richard, The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window, Antique Bakery, Yes No or Maybe? etc. They are already popular so with a quick search you can find more about them as you finish the ones you've started!

BL MANGA

Now, this... is a challenge. There are SO MANY good stuff that it's hard to pick, so I decided to go with my gut xD

I Didn't Mean To Fall In Love (Suzumaru Minta): There's something in this series that just.. UGH! It hits me. I have reviewed it before so you can head over there to find more information, synopsis, and my thoughts.

Love Tractor (Hmmyongyong & Angrymonster): I started reading it for the sake of the challenge I mentioned above but what a joy this one turned out to be!! Has great balance of fun and drama, gorgeous to boot. The main story is finished but there'll be a continuation! Here's my review.

Here and There and Us (Thanat): This is a very interesting work (as any other Thanat work, I'm a huge fan of the artist) and it's less focused on the romance and more on the main characters and their friend circle navigating their high school life and the the ever-changing relationship between them. If you're looking for something that's more slow burn, this should be your go-to BL.

Under My Skin (Usui Iroha): People tend to stay away from spicy recommendations for newcomers but I say, why not give it a go! Usui Iroha has a way of drawing sultry gazes that'll make your heart skip a beat! I'm taking a break now, but I normally review a new BL title every Friday, and I've also reviewed Under My Skin before because it's THAT good.

Dream Away (Hana Lee): If you like a sprinkle of supernatural on your plate, then this is for you. The art style is simple yet eye catching, it's short and completed, the characters are wholesome; what more you could ask for!

Bonus - Swing Baby (Mudan): This manhwa, again, is a bit different. It does feel like it has supernatural elements at first and is a bit confusing (bc there's an interesting stylistic choice in narration) but it'll feel worth sticking to! Here's another Friday BL review if you'd like to check some screenshots out and read the synopsis.

And that's it! Welcome aboard and hopefully, at least one of these titles will be to your liking. Thank you for sending an ask, see you around!

[allthefujoshiunite]

Hi, Nora....My friend and I made a list of ace and aro characters from BL, and then we get to Love For Sale. We think Sieon is aro, based on he never regret his previous relationships until he is with Namwoo. And how he felt so indifferent about them. But what do you think? Also, do you have any BL characters that you think are ace or aro?

Great question! And thank you for giving me a chance to talk about Sieon. I'm always happy to do so. If you want the tl;dr answer, I don't consider him to be one. However, as is always the case on Wild Wild Web when you express a thought or preference, people take it as me condemning all the other thoughts/preferences. So here's a PSA: if you consider him Aro, good for you! You can interpret him however you like.

Also, lots and LOTS of spoilers for the uninitiated.

As for how I read his character. I think Sieon is hard to understand for a lot of people because they expect him to be either this or that and try to put him into categories he doesn't fully belong in. It's one of the reasons why I'm so enamored with Love for Sale as a whole, and Sieon in particular. Dal Hyeonji, even though this is their first commercial BL work, does an absolutely fantastic job in this character study.

Back to the point. When the story was still being released, I entertained a similar idea myself about him that, maybe he's demiromantic. Not a romance-aversed aromantic, but still a part of the spectrum. Then I kind of abandoned that as well.

We are a melting pot of our environments, cultural codes, family, and our characteristics. That's why most of the time, it's hard to make out whether you've become something due to some external force or you were that something before anything else. A very lame example would be, do I find red lipstick sexy because I find it arousing, or is it because it was marketed in such a way that I am conditioned to think it's sexy? Similarly, it's not always easy to tell apart whether your feelings are genuine, you feel like you have to feel certain ways towards certain people, or something impacted you in such a way that you don't feel a certain way anymore. I know I'm being vague but hopefully, it'll make more sense now.

Sieon, having to shoulder her mother's emotional well-being and their reversed parent-child roles, has found himself in a position where he seeks gratification through the things he can provide to his partners so he can feel 'needed'. The comfort he can provide for his partner becomes his purpose to be in that relationship. I was throwing him bombastic side-eyes very early into the story where he never expressed any type of preference and was very evasive whenever Namwoo tried to probe. Naturally, it was quite frustrating for Namwoo. As for me, it was as if Sieon was trying to erase himself from the relationship and be there for Namwoo as a combination of 'bank account + lips to kiss + a hand to hold' and blend into the ether as a person.

That's also why his relationships ended the way they did. He knew his mom wasn't happy, and even if he tried to alleviate her pain, it ultimately didn't work, thus, the one last good deed he could do for his mom was to let her go. To not be greedy. To not be selfish and say "I need you, don't go." This is the root of his letting go of his exes 'too easily', rather than him not 'loving' his partners.

Here's where things get tricky. Ideally, a romantic relationship requires you to be vulnerable, communicative, diplomatic, etc. Ideally. But none of us are exempt from carrying our baggage with us into the next relationship, no matter how big or small. In that sense, should we say that just because Sieon hasn't been perfectly vulnerable or has been avoiding conflict, he was never in a real relationship before? I don't think we can. 

One of the moments my heart ached for him was during his conversation with his close friend. He reiterates it later on when they're having the talk with Namwoo, but he desperately tries to convey that, no matter what his partners felt, whether they were satisfied on their own account or not, he was always genuine. Has always been. It may not fit the mold of grandiose, shouting-from-the-mountaintops, I'd-swallow-a-sword-for-you kind of love we are constantly sold in the romance genre, but that doesn't mean he isn't capable of love either. On the contrary, I think he does look for romantic companionship, but he just doesn't know how not to intellectualize his feelings.

So, in my opinion, "he didn't love anyone else before Namwoo" is not exactly the correct way to read him. Up until Namwoo decided that he was going to hold onto Sieon and 'show him a selfish love' in Sieon's mom's words, their relationship was following the pretty much same direction as the others. At first, Namwoo is content with what Sieon provides, but then he develops feelings for him and expects Sieon to return them in a way he can't. The same old story that is bound to end with a break-up.

Emphasis on 'in a way he couldn't'. The way I read it, his way of loving is different from what others deem as 'romantic love', so he's convinced that he can't reciprocate others' feelings. If that's love, and his feelings don't look like that, then he must not be in love after all. And when Namwoo shows Sieon that it's okay to be needy and selfish at times, and it's okay to be vulnerable and honest, we see that was the wake-up call he needed all along. 

The verdict? If you consider his past partners through the "he wasn't able to genuinely love them" lens and interpret his "not being able to reciprocate romantic feelings" literally, you can think of him as an aromantic who's not really averse to dating. But as I've tried to elaborate, rather than not feeling romantic love, he does feel love and seek companionship but doesn't know how to handle conflict and can't break free from the behavioral patterns ingrained in him in childhood. 

About aro/ase characters in BL. There's only one work that comes to mind which, interestingly, makes asexuality/demisexuality one of the core themes it explores and that's This is Love by Ziki Masaya. I have reviewed it before (click me) and I highly recommend it! I can maybe mention Sangwoo from Semantic Error, but then again, I think he's just autistic and his approach to romantic love for another guy is different from his normie boyfriend Jongchan because of that. I can't really think of any other works with Aro/ace characters as there's always romance/sex involved. Or maybe I just haven't paid enough attention! Let me know about the list you two came up with ~

PSA: I added the intro because the original link needs you to login to Lezhin as it's a Mature title, but you know the drill. Read on the official platfrorms!

[allthefujoshiunite]

This is the first time (for me), that I found someone thinks therapy game is bland. Sorry, I did not mean anything negative, @allthefujoshiunite. I just find it interesting. Maybe therapy game is popular because of the uke (sorry if I'm mistaken). At least for me, the part that I find most interesting is the uke.

If you don't mind me asking, who are your favorite power bottoms?

Tbh?? I was surprised myself! xD I expected to be blown away after seeing all the love and I even asked opinions of my mutuals multiple times over at Twitter (i even made a poll lol). Lots of praise but it fell flat for me. :(

My favorite power bottoms, hmm...

I have recently finished Merry on the Rocks (INGZIG & Moscareto, on Lezhin) and it was very short, but liked it. Other than that, u-pi's both works have bottoms that are on the dominant side. DOYAK's Wet Sand (on Tappytoon) is another good example. XXX Buddy (daki, Tappytoon) and Woof Wolf (Magu, Lezhin) are fine. And Only Virgins Left Alive (Sanzang, on Lezhin) is another fun & steamy example!

So I guess I could say; both story and character-wise, I like u-pi's works (Pizza Delivery Man & My Way With You) and Sanzang's Only Virgins Left Alive. For Wet Sand and XXX Buddy, I like the characters but I'm on the fence story-wise.

[allthefujoshiunite]

Have you ever thought about red flag uke? Sure, it's easy to find red flag seme, but the uke.... Do you have any BL recs about red flag uke?

Also, can I ask BL recs that kinda remind you of Bokuto x Akashi from Haikyuu? Where one is oblivious, loveable, straight forward person and the other is quite, serious but always looking after the other?

Sorry for this random ask, thanks if you want to answer.....

Hi! It really is easier to find red flag seme (makes sense since the word means “to attack” or “to be on the offence”) but the way authors/ artists depict uke characters have been changing as well ~ I currently don’t have access to my computer, so I’ll just list the titles I have in mind and update if I have any additions next week (ish). Enjoy!

Research is serious business, you guys.

What people consider a “red flag” differs to be honest, some people draw the line at cheating while others may or may not excuse murder depending on the situation. Some want the character to be sweet to their partner but be toxic otherwise, while others want the relationship itself to be toxic. I don’t know which case you feel drawn to, so I’ll be going with my gut (again) lol

Checkmate (Tan): He’s manipulative! He’s petty! Everything you need in a toxic uke, Soohyun has it. And interestingly, Eunsung is not exactly put off by it. I was asked whether I know another title like Checkmate and I honestly don’t. I have reviewed it in the past (now the main story is completed and side stories are being released) so if you want more info, I suggest you check it out.

Wonna Do It? (Cho Sangduck): Another title I mentioned in the answe I linked above. Can be found in Lezhin’s library. This is a very short, unhinged story that I need continuation of immediately!

Liveta (muzi): I have briefly read this one and liked it, you might want to check it out on Lezhin.

Mad Place (Junah): Tbh I was very enthusiastic going into this series and read 30+ chapters but my interest fizzled out. The uke in this title is scheming something (I didn’t stick around long enough to find out) and you can consider him a tad manipulative. There’s crime and investigation and you might find it more intriguing than me! On Lezhin.

Pornographer + Pornographer Playback + Mood Indigo (Maki Marukido): All three are in Manga Planet’s (Futekiya) library. The main character Kijima is an author, and while Pornographer (Playback is the continuation) focuses on him and Haruhiko, Mood Indigo is Kijima becoming an author and his relationship with his editor. I suggest you read Pornographer first and then read Mood Indigo for better context! Kijima will frustrate you to the max skcjdnjc.

A Lotus Flower In the Mud (Tamekou): This is not just a red flag uke but a red flag all over fkfnfj. Be mindful of the tags before you go in!

The King of Home Cooking (Lee Hyun-joo): The uke in this is one of the most frustrating characters I’ve ever read, he’s so unlikable and remains that way until the very end and that’s kinda why I like this series xD It has a very interesting theme as well, highly suggested! Can be read on Tappytoon.

A s for titles similar to BokuAka. I have a previous list that would kind of fit what you’re looking for (except the first and the last one). Here’s another list with puppy seme x cool(-ish) uke types.

That’s all I have for now! Hope you like the recommendations.

[allthefujoshiunite]

Hello, as someone who is new in BL (just started in july 2023) your BL recs & reviews, really help me. Thanks a lot!

Can I ask something? My friend who is shoujosei lover told me that shoujo-BL is just as great as regular BLs and have longer stories. But when I read them, somehow I don't feel like reading BL (sorry, I know it's weird thing to say). What do you think? If a manga have canon m/m couples or romance between males, does it mean they're also BL? Some that I read are : Kieta Hatsukoi, Requiem of Rose King, Cruel God Reign, God Child, and Golden Days.

Hello! And it always means a lot for me when I read people read my stuff & find them useful. Thank you!

Genre is a complicated topic. In Japan, the standard is that publishers have serialized magazines, and these magazines have a "style", so to speak. If you look at the magazine onBLue that belongs to Shodensha for example, you will recognize immediately that the works they serialize are more plot/character driven. Or Moment magazine under Shu-Cream- their works are more of an equal mix of story & sexual content, sometimes the scales tip more towards the sexual stuff. You can get a sense just by looking at the covers!

In the end, editors take the magazine's style into consideration and the tastes of their readers before accepting a manuscript of a new series. This doesn't meant that every single work that is serialized in a magazine is almost identical. There might be works that bend or push boundaries of the style of the magazine. But it should give you an idea as a reader on what to expect from a specific title published by a specific publisher.

I explained all this to say: it's natural for a shojo manga with a mIm couple to feel different than BL. Although BL has emerged from shojo manga and still heavily incorporate tropes & conventiones from the genre, it also has its distinct dynamics that you don't see in shojo manga and vice-versa.

Tl;dr version of all this is technically, even though a series has a mlm couple, it doesn't automatically make it a BL. You can also think of Skip and Loafer, My Love Story or Yakuza Fiance; just because they have romantic plots people tend to think these series are shojosei but they are actually serialized in seinen magazines. That said, I think the lines that separate genres get blurry as times go by.

Sorry for the long explanation, especially if you already knew the bits about BL/manga magazines :,) I wanted to explain just in case you didn't know. I personally enjoy both!

[allthefujoshiunite]

Thanks Nora, because of you I followed Overtake. And it's so good, I almost missed it.

Have you seen anime called, "My New Boss is Goofy (Atarashii Joushi wa do Tennen) "? At first I thought it was BL, but atcually it's shoujo. There are so many cute moments between mc (male) with his boss (also male). Also there are "Apothechary Diaries" & "I'm in love with the Villainese" ..... I think this fall 2023 is the best anime season.....

UGHHHH OVERTAKE IS THE BEST THING HAPPENED TO ME RECENTLY!! So you liked it toooo TvT I never thought I'd be this invested in an F4 anime but I'm literally obsessed. Shipping Haruka and Madoka doesn't help my case either..... :,) I love age gap and normally prefer when both of them are of age, but I just can't get enough of these two!

I'm also watching the three animes you mentioned (and many others) weekly! My New Boss is Goofy is so relaxing and despite the cuteness, it actually does a great job of portraying Momose's traumatic experience in his old workplace. I wish him the best (✿◡‿◡)

I'm also looking forward to The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons each week. Another series that lured me in with the cuteness and I tear up at least once every episode... How dare they make me sad?!

[allthefujoshiunite]

Hi, Nora.....do you mind if I ask for BL recs? A few of my favorite ships are Damen/Laurent from 'Capive Prince' novels (kind, protective, bigger build seme x clever, kuudere, beautiful uke) and Andrew/ Neil from from 'All for The Game : Foxhole Court' novels (both have strong personalities, can be reversible couples, looks weak but actually strong)?

Sorry for this long ask, but can I ask, for BL recs that have the same vibe as one or a few of them (up above)?

Feel free if you want to answer or not....

Thanks so much for your blog, that have become like my guideline (because I'm quite new in BL)....

Thanks again....

Hello! No worries, it's a joy for me to recommend BL and if people enjoy my selection, it makes me all the more happy! However, unfortunately, I haven't read the novels you mentioned... So I feel like my recommendations will be way off the mark but I'll try my best ~

My Dear Agent (Ebino Bisuke): This one has bigger, kind, and protective seme and a cool, beautiful, and funny uke (not a kuudere, though). I not only enjoyed but laughed a lot, and the art is gorgeous so highly recommended! Can be read on INKR (or you can buy it from any place you can get TOKYOPOP titles).

Lullaby of the Dawn (Ichika Yuno): Another bigger, protective, puppy seme with a reserved/detatched, beautiful uke pairing with fantasy elements. I've only read the first volume so far but it's super emotional and beautiful inside and out! Can be read on Bookwalker (or any other place where you can get ShuCream titles).

Our Paradise (Greeneer): My last big & cute, puppy seme with reserved, beautiful uke recommendation that I'm nowadays going crazy over is Our Paradise. You won't regret giving this webtoon a chance! Not only the main characters, but their friend circles and the second couple we started to explore more in 2nd season are also fun & really interesting! And obviously, I need MOAR people to scream about it with me. Can be read for free with daily pass on Webtoon.

Just Love, The Monster (Tsukizuki Yoshi): This is a high school delinquent x honor student kind of story. Both MCs are headstrong and fight a lot obviously, but it was fun to read! It's in Futekiya's library, can be read with your subscription plan.

Total Submission (Tsushiko): This is another delinquent x honor student story with dom/sub element that I love! If you're okay with spicy BL and you love seeing hotheaded characters getting tamed by their sweet and kind senpai, this is for you. Available on Futekiya's subscription plan.

We Aren't Secure (Sojima Yuco): This title is an Omegaverse set in high school. MCs are childhood friends and the story has a bittersweet tone to it, and it's definitely nice to read characters who are on more equal terms in Omegaverse instead of an apparent power hierarchy in between. Available on Futekiya's subscription plan.

BONUS

God is Probably Left-Handed (Mushiba): If you've read any of Mushiba's works before, you might know it takes time to warm up to their stories. They are full of surprises, wacky coincidences, and interesting characters that you don't usually see in BL. But these are the exact reasons why I love Mushiba's works so much, and they are quite unforgettable. God is Probably Left-Handed fits into only one of the criteria you're looking for (I won't mention what it is so I won't spoil the story) but I was sooo surprised the way the manga ended! If you're looking for something different to read, Mushiba is your artist. Highly recommended!

As I have said, I haven't read the novels soI just went with whatever seemed suitable to the dynamics you mentioned, hopefully you'll find something that'll be of interest to you. Thank you so much for the ask and have a nice day!

[allthefujoshiunite]

Hello, I'm the one from twitter yesterday....Do you mind if I ask for BL manga/manhwa/manhua recs? I already seen the Bl recs you gave to anon some time ago, is it better to give my favorite BL manga like that? (Sorry if I get this wrong.... )

My favorite themes are : childhood friends to lovers, enemies/rivals to lovers, taking care of child/children, happy ending....

Sorry again if the themes are too much, if you want to pick either one, I'm really happy....

Welcome back! Actually, people being specific about what they're looking for (theme, platform, tropes, dynamics etc.) makes it easier for me to narrow titles down. I have my own favorites so obviously those are what comes to mind immediately, but when people come to me asking for something specific, I go back to digging old stuff back! Some series provide a good read, but not to a point where I remember them, let's say, 6 months down the road :,) It's also a by-product of reading a lot. N e gays, let's dive!

Enemies/rivals to lovers is a trope I love as well, and I actually have made a short list of titles I like with that trope. Putting that one here in case you have missed it.

Childhood friends is not a big favorite (if it's a childhood friends + a love triangle I avoid it like plague 😣) but there are series that I loved available on Futekiya:

Love and Howling (Masa Masaru) - This one also contains some supernatural elements, overall, it was an interesting read.

Perfect Propose (Tsurukame Mayo) - Has dubious consent BUT older bottoms are chef's kiss imo and it's sooo pretty. If you love domestic life, this will be up your alley.

I'll Make You Cry (Nozomu Hiiragi) - I'll never shut up about this one!!! Sooo cute and extremely funny! I personally love delinquents with an attitude 💞

Revival Blue (itz) - I have my own reasons for avoiding childhood friends that include a love triangle and this one avoids that route BUT the rivalry part still feels a bit forced and bland. Yet! This one has age gap and a bit of angst sprinkled with a happy ending, it was sooooo good!

Life in Our Hometown with Me and You (Isino Aya) - This one is as slice-of-life as it can get. Very chill and perfect for a comfort read.

Not from Futekiya but Living With Him by Miyata Toworu is another chill, very sweet childhood friends-to-forced-to-live-together-bc-of-their-mothers-to-lovers story! Just reread it today 💞

Also, here's a very interesting manhwa on Lezhin (free to read) called Count Tachibana. Love the historical aspect and love the expressive art style with bold colors more! (The list was getting long so I cut it short but if you need more childhood friends recs hit me up again ^^)

Now, BL with kids is less of a favorite. I don't avoid them completely, but don't go into them excitedly as well. Looking for Omegaverse titles would be more likely to find such titles. I'll list a couple that I found cute (despite the kids xD):

Our Dining Table (Mita Ori) - Another down-to-earth, cute and chill title. The kid in the story is actually the brother of one of the male leads (they have a big age gap) but the story is centered around their domestic life and food, super sweet.

Would You Like to be a Family? (Koyama) - I remember reading this on Futekiya, it was a single dad story I believe.

Sorry I don't have a lot of recs that have children in them, the one's I've read are titles that everyone know. For the rest, I tried to go for titles that I don't see circulate around as much, hope they'll be to your taste as well. See you around ~

[allthefujoshiunite]

Hello @allthefujoshiunite, can I ask what anime that you watched this season? I watch Kaijuu no. 8, thanks to your reviews (and I love that series).....Is it just me, but I kinda ship the mc with his young kouhai who always believe in him.....

My top 3 fav this season are :

- Tadaima, Okaeri (wholesome BL, also one of my comfort read)

- -Black Butler : Public School Arc (yes the ship is problematic but you cannot deny the shipper when you watch it. I'm not shipping SebasCiel but I'm not anti too. Their canon relationship is complicated but great story)

- -Wind Breaker (bucchigiri but way better and loveable mc)

Hope you'll like them.....

Helloooo! My TV is busted as of now (and for some reason I decided to rewatch a couple of House MD episodes for nostalgia and now i’m stuck in a rewatch hell xD) so I took a short break from anime. It’s strange; I never had a TV and was perfectly content watching anime on my laptop, that is until 2 years ago… My dad insisted I got my brother’s old TV bc he wants to watch the news or whatnot when he’s visiting me and now I can’t do without it lol

But anyways, enough about me. Tl;dr is that I still haven’t started Kaijuu but super happy that you’re liking it and my review was what led you to watch it 👀 I started watching Tadaima Okaeri and Wind Breaker as well, definitely see the Bucchigiri similarity you mentioned. There’s also the 3rd season of The Duke of Death and His Maid, it’s still cute.

As for other series I enjoy this season:

The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio: Two high school classmates are in voice acting/idol business and they have totally different characters. However, they end up having to co-host a radio show and present their persona like they get along really well. LOVE this one. Chill, sweet, interesting, love that both young women have their own aspirations and shortcomings.

Astro Note: A nod to Rumiko Takahashi’s Maison Ikkoku. A recently unemployed chef gets hired to cook for a shared boarding house. Lots of eccentric characters and a fun, upbeat series.

Bartender: A hotel, soon to be opened, is in need of a bartender. And they do find a bartender that would satisfy the extremely picky owner but he refuses to work there, claiming he’s ‘afraid of heights’. This is one of those edutainment series where you follow a story and learn about cocktails in the mean time. Might not be appealing to a lot but it’s totally my jam! I don’t drink often but love me a good cocktail ~

Where Does the Doomsday Train Go?: Most people are turning into animals that can still communicaate using language and Shizuru is determined to find her lost best friend. Thus, four young girls embark on a train that’ll take them to Harajuku. This one is weird as hell and that’s a plus in my book! The main characters’ dynamic gets stale at times, but the absurdity keeps me hooked. It’s extremely hard to put into words so you have to check the first episode to see if it works for you. XD

Other series that I watch for now, feel ‘eh’ and might drop depending on how they go: Vampire Dormitory, A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics, Oblivion Battery, An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride, A Condition Called Love.

These are the stuff that I watched at least 2-3 episodes from and will continue after I finish rewatching House and get my TV repaired xD The season is packed as always! Thanks a lot for sending the ask ~

[allthefujoshiunite]

Can I ask your top 5 favorite moments from "Love for Sale"?

Thanks, Nora, because of you I found this manhwa, and it became one of my top fav BL ever.

Oh, have you read, "Dear Gene" by Azuma Kaya? It's also one of my favorite BL ever.... (Sorry if you already know it and don't really love them).

I can't put into words how happy it makes me that you liked Love for Sale... I don't think even Dal Hyeonji would feel this happy about someone liking their work SHFKUS but it's just SOO dear to me! Thank you for giving it a chance.

Obviously, there will be spoilers for Love for Sale below.

As for my top 5 moments.

The moment Namwoo finally realizes that he's the horndog in the relationship lol. From the moment they met, he's fixated on what he can provide for the money he's taking from Sieon, and since he's so rich and can literally buy anything he wants, there must be one thing and one thing only he wants from Namwoo: sex. Namwoo thinks Sieon must be a pervert for spending so much money on him (thus expecting a lot of sex in return) but it's actuallly him that constantly initiates sex. I kept waiting for the moment of realization!

The night Sieon went up to Namwoo's apartment to try his "toys". This is another favorite of mine because of how casual, funny and sexy at the same time. Still giggle whenever I remember Namwoo's middle finger action xD

Namwoo's realization that his sunbae was actually in love with him as well. I honestly didn't see this coming?! Probably because we never get to see his side of the story, and his "advances" could only be read as friendly invites. I should've been suspicious because I knew he picked up the nature of Namwoo and Sieon's relationship when they've first seen each other at the mall.

Namwoo and his sister Eunjung having a Love Declaration Olympics in the middle of a crowd. I mentioned in another answer that I love Eunjung for several reasons, and that scene is both so hilarious and emotional, I couldn't help but add it to the list. I love all of their interactions but this one probably takes the cake.

Sieon's blush. You know which chapter I'm talking about, right? xD I wouldn't believe you if you were to tell me that seeing a character blush after 70+ chapters would make me cry but here we are. This is top grade story-telling. Building everything up until such a "minor" point AND having a cathartic pay off, I can only bow down.

WHEW. Thank you for giving me another chance to gush about Love for Sale, because I feel self-conscious lol. I keep inserting the series whenever I get an ask or start blabbing unprovoked... Anyways. There were a lot more I liked about it, like our redhead with anger management issues looking back on his relationship with Sieon, or Namwoo's heartfelt convo with the female friend in his friend circle, OR Sieon reuniting with his mother. It's so hard to pick. But anyways, I'll stop here before I list anything and everything that transcribed in the series.

As for Dear Gene. I did read the parent manga, The Scene of My Rumspringa and liked it a lot! You can feel the weight and importance of the theme to the author, because only then you get a delicate story packed with emotions. Dear Gene was recommended to me as well, but I want to wait for the official English release because my Japanese is not at a level where I can comfortably read manga. I can get by with dictionaries and apps when the BL has your run of the mill story, I usually guess what's gonna happen from the very first chapter anyway. But BLs with deeper conversations and topics are hard to get through. I'll leave it to the translators and enjoy when I can. I'm looking forward to it!

[allthefujoshiunite]

hey there! may i request some recs? i’m looking for sweet, fluffy stories with a lot of pining, whether or not they realize their feelings. high school stories are preferred.

fav manga include: sasaki and miyano (love love love this one!!! the way sasaki will make a bold move and then secretly get really embarrassed…it’s the best (๑>◡<๑) ), hidamari ga kikoeru, the two lions, never understand

Hiii! Except Never Understand, I'm familiar with the rest of your favorite series and LOVE them! And if you liked The Two Lions by Furuya Nagisa, I'm sure you'll love the rest of their works as well. The Summer Of You and its continuation (Kodansha) is already out, and Number Call is finally picked up by Kodansha again! Not sure if it's out yet though. I think Suzumaru Minta has a similar tone to their works, you might want to check their releases in English.

You can find some other works that I love after the jump!

I don't do single volume purchases of manga as much as I did in the past, so most of my recommendations will come from Manga Planet! I'll mention if it's from a different publisher/platform. Starting with *drum rolls* high school sweethearts!!

Advice for Mutually Unrequited Love (Aniya Yuiji): Cute and quite different from the usual childhood-friends-turned-lovers story!

Hello (Kouda Miu): Anything Kouda Miu draws, I read. Another friends-to-lovers story full of future worries, insecurities, and questioning sexualities.

My Best Friend♂ Confessed to Me in a Dating Sim (Fujitobi): Two best friends find themselves transported into a dating sim. Fujitobi is another artist I like and their works always contain a supernatural/fantasy element. Super cute!

We Aren't Secure (Sojima Yuco): Omegaverse. Two close friends (one omega and the other alpha). I think the dynamic was included responsibly into the story and I enjoyed the conflict it brought.

Welcome Back, Aureole (Takatsu - TOKYOPOP): From the artist of Skip and Loafer. More soul-searching than the usual romance tropes but definitely worth the read!

Super Morning Star (Aomiya Kara - Kodansha): How can I NOT recommend a title that's dear to my heart and is finally in English??!! While it isn't really out of your ordinary high school BL, I don't know, I just have a really soft spot for this one!

I have additional titles that are, again, all works that I have reread again and again. The childhood friends trope is still here, but the stories are set in adulthood (college/working). All from Manga Planet, all highly recommended!

See You Later, Mermaid - Hayane Dento

Paint Love and the Colors Will Bloom - Shota Kon

Perfect Propose - Mayo Tsurukame

Aaand that's it! Hopefully these recommendations will be to your liking and don't forget to let me know what you think if you pick either of these series up. See you around ~

[allthefujoshiunite]

Hi, Nora.... I know you have fav ship from Haikyuu. But do you have any ships from other shounen series?

Right now, I'm deep in the satosugu ship from JJK. How could a ship be this tragic yet so beautiful.....

Yeaah with the second season starting, everyone's lost their minds haha! Not blaming them though ~

Hmm, some of the other ships I enjoy from shonen series would be Nanami x Gojo (JJK, i also love Tojo x Gojo), Yoshida x Denji (Chainsaw Man), Rengoku x Uzui (Demon Slayer), Zeke x Levi (AOT), Reigen x Serizawa (Mob Psycho 100). I always fall for the side ships xD

Have a nice day!

Ughhhhhh love them so much....