#but watching it has brought me to some realizations about romance and bls as a genre

[llycaons]

not me is on the backburner rn because I foolishly overbooked myself but I AM planning on finishing it. however it's a good thing this show has a plot outside the romance bc I think I just am not really into bls :( the romances are cute but they're just not enough to keep me invested in a whole show

[tanenigiri]

I'm floored that people are still liking and reblogging the collage of BL and BL-adjacent works that I reviewed two (!!) years ago. I haven't stopped growing my collection of manga, so I figured I'd make a sort-of Part 2 with a collage of some other fluffy slice-of-life BL and BL-adjacent titles I've enjoyed ever since I ended that project.

While I don't have time to give them full-fledged reviews like before, you can find some of my quick thoughts on each of them under the cut. I recommend all of these titles just as much as the 18 I included in the first collage - if you liked any of those, give these 10 stories a try!

Hirano and Kagiura by Shou Harusono - From the creator of Sasaki and Miyano and set in the same universe, this series revolves around one of Miyano's senpais and the roommate that he's been shipping him with since the start. This is every bit as charming and wholesome as Sasaki and Miyano, though I think this is a lot more chaotic considering the more hilarious take on the main pair's dynamic. I did a more comprehensive review of its first volume here if you wanna check it out.

Candy Color Paradox by Isaku Natsume - I'm not usually a big fan of enemies to lovers - the tropes they work with are rarely my cup of tea. This is one of the few stories I've read where that dynamic works really well, though, with these two reporters clashing a lot early on but finding out that they're exactly what the other needs. I wasn't too sold on the first volume but the second one really brought me onboard - I thought they treated the personal conflicts of one of the main characters incredibly well there.

My Brother's Husband by Gengoroh Tagame - More BL-adjacent than BL, this tells the story of a man reconnecting with the husband of his late brother (and no, there isn't any romance involved at all - this is a family-centric story first and foremost). It doesn't focus entirely on dealing with this loss, though - it's also a look into the protagonist's own family dynamics and troubles, with his daughter being a very prominent character here a la Tane in Our Dining Table. One of my favorites of this batch as it has a lot of heart and soul poured into it.

My Love Mix-Up by Watanu Hinekure and Aruko - The most comedic title here, this takes the misunderstanding trope to a really funny direction and builds a really good story out of it. The main couple is very adorable, and their dynamic with the side couple evolves in such a fun way that I ended up seeing this as a story about the four of them that just so happens to have two couples. If you watched the live action, the manga has a slightly different take on the story, and of course it spends more time on certain plot points, but it has the same chaotic and hilarious vibe.

Hyperventilation by Bboungbbangkkyu - I've only read a few Korean BLs, but this one is easily my favorite of the ones I've read so far. This is a lot steamier than most of the titles in this and in the previous collage, but those scenes are surrounded by a heartfelt dynamic between its two leads who are realizing that the connection they shared back in high school was a lot deeper than they thought. If you've watched the animation of this title, the manhwa's pretty much that but in book form, but I did notice some differences in the manhwa that made the story stronger in my opinion.

I'm Kinda Chubby and I'm Your Hero by Nore - I was slightly wary of this title since body image issues are quite difficult to tackle, but it turned out to not really be the focus of the story - one of the protagonists just happens to be chubby, and while there is some discussion on it, this story focuses a lot more on his growth as an actor and his newfound dynamic with the story's other protagonist. It's a really sweet story at its core, and the pun is definitely intended as the other protagonist is a pastry chef lol. (I'm also not sure if I would consider this as BL or BL-adjacent, coz by the second volume (which is the latest one so far) they aren't really together, but you can definitely sense that their dynamic goes beyond friendship.)

That Blue Sky Feeling by Okura and Coma Hashii - Picked this up mainly because the story is by the same person behind I Think Our Son Is Gay, one of my favorites in the original project. This has a slightly similar vibe, where it focuses more on exploring homosexuality and identity instead of romance, and it does so with the same interesting depth that Okura did in the other work. This one definitely has more BL tropes than I Think Our Son Is Gay though, and I'm more inclined to call it BL than BL-adjacent.

I Want to Be a Wall by Honami Shirono - "Marriage of convenience between a gay man and an asexual woman" is such an incredible pitch that I picked this up immediately, and I really enjoyed it for what it is. Said asexual woman is also a fujoshi, and the man that her husband is crushing on (who is straight) is a prominent supporting character, so you can imagine the hilarity that ensues. This isn't a comedy though - it's very much a heartwarming tale about identity and finding joy in a situation that isn't exactly the best.

Delinquent Daddy and Tender Teacher by Tama Mizuki - Already the second title here that has the same two-male-leads-plus-child dynamic as Our Dining Table - do you see the clear bias hahaha. This is quite far from that story and My Brother's Husband though, and I honestly thought that this was going to be trashier than it was because of the title, but I really shouldn't have judged this book by its cover as it's a great story about family and building connections with each other. It ended up being closer to Would You Like To Be a Family? in that regard, but this takes the time to flesh out the relationship between the two protagonists and the child, creating a silly but heartwarming dynamic.

Hello, Green Days by Ayu Sakumoto - Stumbled upon this short story online, and it has stayed with me ever since even if it doesn't have a physical English release (yet?). The dynamic between the protagonists is really sweet, and how it weaves in the plant talk (one of the main characters is a botany major) into the story is very clever. I also did a more comprehensive review of this before, so check it out here if you want.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading! I hope you found more titles to add to your to-read list.

[ecargmura]

Cherry Magic Episode 4 Review - You're A Wizard, Tsuge

As the first half of the episode has shown, Tsuge has become a wizard now. Like Adachi, he has gained the power to listen to people’s hearts. How will Tsuge use this to find a love interest? Well, he found one already. That was darn freaking fast. Who does he fall in love with? The cute deliveryman Minato.

I think their ship name is called Tsugemina. Anyways, Tsugemina’s portrayal in the live action is a bit exaggerated compared to the manga and anime (which are pretty much identical). In the live action, Tsuge is very dramatic when he falls for Minato and when he realized he’s in love, he actually bashes his head against a bookshelf. When I watched the live action, I thought that Tsuge was a bit of a weirdo, but reading the manga and watching the anime made me realize that the way Tsuge is portrayed here is more faithful as he is a stoic man by nature. While the Tsugemina section seems short, that’s because the Tsuge chapters are pretty short in comparison to the main couple; there aren’t a lot too, so who knows when we’ll get another segment of them in future episodes.

I do like the Tsuge and Adachi scene. As Tsuge is a novice wizard, he’s unsure how to make use of the power, but for Adachi, the power has brought good things into his life; Tsuge even notices this too as Adachi has become a bit more talkative, especially when the topic revolves around Kurosawa. In the manga, this scene actually takes some time after the second Tsugemina scene as Adachi had mentioned that he read Tsuge’s new book and noticed the change in his usual heroine types as he added in a heroine with the exact same description as Minato, showcasing how down bad he is for this guy he barely knows (heck, he doesn’t even know his name until later on). Despite the changes, I do like the scene but I dislike the fact that Tsuge gets blocked from the chances he gets to talk to Adachi about the magic.

After Tsuge and Adachi meet up, the episode then shifts to Adachi being the focus character, which I think is a rather good way to transition. Adachi gets jealous for the first time when he sees a pretty lady talking with Kurosawa and starts getting insecure about himself. Despite his jealousy, he does realize that if he did get jealous of that woman, that means he does like Kurosawa in that way. I do like how he was fast to process that and accepted it right away. It sort of shows that even if he doesn’t have romantic experiences, he’s still mature enough to understand what love is.

It’s kind of sad to see why Adachi’s so hesitant towards romance. I sort of get it. If I heard someone say that it’s impossible to date me because of the lack of experience, I’d get insecure too. I’m glad that Kurosawa exists to show that Adachi can be loved no matter how much he adverses romance. The part where Kurosawa comes over to his house was sweet; however, how the heck did he know his address? The way Kurosawa thought about how he’d cherish all of Adachi’s first was heartwarming. I legit stomped my feet in a giddy mood. Why is this anime so cute? Why are they so cute?

No worries, though. The pretty lady happens to be Kurosawa’s sister, Mari. She’s hilarious as she feels like a typical older sibling trying to pester her brother to get what she wants: to stay at Kurosawa’s place until her boyfriend apologizes to her. She even followed him to Adachi’s house via GPS. I do like how Kurosawa feels like a bullied little brother here. She is also good with words as she managed to convince Kurosawa to stay at Adachi’s house, to which his simp self accepts after fantasizing a domestic AU he conjured up in his mind. Haha, he’s such a simp.

Oh and uh, the voice actor trivia of the week is that Gen Sato, Minato’s VA, only has done BL recently. Like out of the four main cast, he has the least amount of experience in BL media but I’m sure that’ll change. In the drama CD, he was voiced by Kouhei Amasaki.

What are your thoughts on the birth of the side couple? How about Mari as a character? What about the whole Kurodachi segment? What did you think about the episode as a whole?

[animechick2015]

The Untamed: Why this is the best book adaptation made in television history

In 2021 I made I did a verrry minor review on the Chinese animation The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation and within the review I gave it a solid 4/5. With this being my second Chinese animation I was still very confused with the names of the characters but the action, OSTs, intriguing plot and characters themselves made up for it. When I saw that the series was based on a book by the same author of Heaven’s Official Blessing I hopped on google to find the English translation. I started reading the book in late 2021 but quickly lost interest. It just didn’t have the appeal like the it’s predecessor. Then in January 2022, The Untamed came up as a recommendation on Netflix; another google search later and I realized that it was based on the novel I was currently struggling to read. So me being as curious as a cat I opened Netflix and told myself I’ll just watch one episode to compare it to the beginning of the book and the animation. One episode turned into two, then to four before I knew it I watched 8 episodes in one sitting. I was stunned. Never before had I gotten so caught up in a drama. When I saw that certain events were changed and plot lines were added I decided to pause my binge watching mode and actually complete the novel and I’m glad I did. I still firmly believe that HOB is top tier BL romance but this is definitely 2nd place. The plot, though slow to start was fun, emotional and gripping. But after completing the novel I began to understand that the writers of The Untamed began to flesh out the characters more, they went way more in-depth with the plot of story. After going back to complete the drama this is my take on it:

1. Perfect Casting

Look I didn’t know who these people were but they were perfect! Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo were brilliantly casted to bring these characters to life. Xiao Zhan brought Wei Ying’s playful energy and bright smile to life so effortlessly and portrayed his grief so well that you couldn’t help but break down with him. Wang Yibo, even though he didn’t have much lines as his cast mate he still had the difficult job of portraying Lan Zhan’s emotions through facial expressions and it was so beautifully done that every micro smile was enough to know just how much he loved his Wei Ying.

2. More in-depth look at the background characters

Wen Qing is a queen and I am her loyal follower. Seriously she needs to be praised. I loved that we got to know a more humble side to her. I also loved how we got to see more of Yangli’s relationship with her brothers. I could just feel the pure love.

3. Wen Ning is a rare species and he must be protected at all cost.

Seriously protect this little bean. He is too precious for this world. And also kudos to him for standing up to Jiang Cheng and revealing the truth. My baby forgot his stutter and everything when he was ripping in Jiang Cheng.

4. Jiang Cheng

I loved the way the drama portrayed this character. I hated him in the animation and felt so-so about him in the book but the drama and his actor made him portray his emotions so much better that I understood his frustrations. We could see his conflict and how much he wanted to protect his brother but he also has his sect to think about. When he discovered the truth about Wei Ying my heart shattered. When he returns Chenqing to Wei Ying it made more sense in the drama than the animation as to why he held on to it for so long.

5. The Theme Song

I really hope the composers for this masterpiece won some type of award because honestly they deserve it. Every time the tracked played you felt the love of Wei Ying and Lan Zhan

6. The Villian

I’m just gonna leave this here. I think it’s self explanatory why I love this villain so much

Overall this was an amazing series that has a permanent place in my heart. Honestly, Hollywood should take notes from the writers of this series on to how to properly made a book to tv adaptation. I have such high hopes for HOB live action series. If you haven’t watched this series please give it a chance. And if you already watched it, go watch it again 😋

[heretherebedork]

Hey,

Quick background, I have been reading m/m romance, fanfics and yaoi manga for a very long time. Currently I’m more interested in Korean webcomics BL and Chinese web novels.

I was never interested in TV shows or movies, since there used to be the bury your gays in so many of them.

Then I stumbled into the world of Thai BL at the beginning of the year and been watching a few shows, TharnType, Manner of death, ColorRush and SOTUS.

I realized pretty early that I like it better with some additional story line, than just college or high school angst.

So, I really want to dive in the Shows, I even got a Viki subscription, but I’m unsure on how to proceed.

Since you the expert in this field, what would be your best shows to start? I prefer already finished, shows since I like to know that there is definite a happy ending.

thank you!!!

Welcome!

Okay, so you're looking for... plotty romances with happy endings. Definitely can help you out there! Also, holy shit, got called an expert in something.

ANYWAY.

I'll pull together a list here (and tag @absolutebl because they have SO many lists) so they can also support you in this fantastic journey. And their much more organized post is here!

Tale of a Thousand Stars: Up on YT for free, an absolutely fantastic piece about changing your point of view, accepting yourself and learning about others and discovering who you can really be. A beautiful, deeply plotty and deeply romantic show.

Until We Meet Again: Also beautiful and deeply plotted. There is a distinct warning on this show for death and suicide but there's also a happy ending so... take it as you will. A story about reincarnation, taking chances, true love, pain and learning to be better brought to you by some absolutely amazing actors.

Most of the Korean BL movies: ... I was gonna get more specific but then I realized that, frankly, this applies to almost all of them. Think of them as romance short stories. Color Rush is one of the best but To My Star is also beloved. My Sweet Dear and The Tasty Florida are also enjoyable little romps. Not deeply plotted but they aren't university or high school either.

Lovely Writer: Oh, also fantastic. Also on youtube! Very, very good story about a writer of BLs whose novel gets picked up for a show and the main actor in the show ends up moving in with him. Lots of tones of choice and love and coming together and the intricacies of the BL/Entertainment industry. Imperfect but good and enjoyable, do recommend.

Anything by Strongberry: I got a GagaOOlala membership to fulfill this need but you can also find their stuff on vimeo to support them directly. A tiny production house in Korea making authentic and amazing queer short films. Just everything by them gets the stamp of approval.

Cherry Magic: Practically perfect in every way, a darling office romance about a shy and introverted young man who gains the ability to read minds with a touch because he's a virgin on his thirtieth birthday and finds out his amazing coworker has a huge crush on him. Soft and beautiful and just... one of the best.

He's Coming To Me: Another of the Best Thai BL set, this is the story of a boy who can see ghosts and a ghost the he falls in love with and rescues from the graveyard. Also crime, solving old issues and a still happy ending at the end of it all!

History (2, 3, 4): Just any of these will fit you will. Even the ones that are set in university/high school have enough plot to carry them through and they're all great. Only go back to History 1 if you really find you like their stuff and, even then, I mostly only recommend Obsessed. All of these are on Viki, FYI. Trapped and Close To You are likely to both be up your alley. Close To You comes with a stepbrothers/stalkers warning, though. MAKE OUR DAYS COUNT IS NOT ON THIS LIST, DO NOT WATCH, NO HAPPY ENDING!!!

Love is Science?: The BL is a secondary plot, it's true, but Mark and Ou Wen is one of the most amazing love stories I've ever seen and it's just fantastic. An unintentionally homophobic hairdresser and an out gay matchmaker (basically) cross paths over and over again, building a friendship into a relationship into a family as they grow closer and closer. Just... it's so good, it's worth the rest of the show to watch these men.

We Best Love 1+2: Mostly only available on grey sites, sadly, depending on your location (possible WeTV if you're if you have a VPN? No idea). It starts as a college romance and turns into a gorgeous office romance and it's deep and fantastically acted and I feel like I just kind of have to recommend this on the principal of everyone should watch it.

You Are Ma Boy: A Vietnamese BL on youtube about a barista and a popstar and their very soft love story. Lots of domesticity and care and a tsundere barista and a puppy popstar. Far better than it probably should be, frankly, and very enjoyable.

Absolute BL (The Man Who Defies the World of BL): This is best to watch after you're watched a bunch of others... but it's fantastic and enjoyable and on Viki as well! It's a loving send off to tropes and the entire genre.

In terms of not BL, though, may I interest you in 3 Will Be Free ( a poly mafia story that's fantastic and has BL vibes but also a girl).

Also, depending on your stance on censorship, I am also willing to offer recs of Chinese censored romances but I do not offer those unless requested.

Also, depending on how queer you want and how you define a happy ending... Like in the Movies (Gaya Sa Pelikula) is a beautiful and authentically queer story that's amazing and heartrending and ends without a romantic happy ending but with a generally happy ending? So, take that as you will.

ANYWAY.

This is the best I can do as my dog stares at me because it's time for his walk, I'll add links when I get back from that! Hopefully this is a good list!

[he-is-lightning-in-a-bottle]

Nice to know another fellow Supernatural fan turned to gay Asian dramas as well 😂😂 I love that! I haven't been this excited about a bl since...well this may actually be the first time! Kinnporsche is actually really good!

Yesss! I've been watching BLs since early in 2018 or so, and they have come a really long way. Ironically, my very first BL was a censored Chinese one (Advance Bravely), but I fell in love with all the fanfic tropes brought to life on the screen. I didn't even know what BL was at the time, but as soon as I posted about it here literally dozens of people let me know about the genre. Apparently we're all zealots when we fall down the BL rabbit hole.

I only sporadically posted about them on Tumblr because we were getting so much content from the spn fandom.

Yet the true turning point for me when I decided to post about them more freely was the night that the Supernatural finale aired, November 19 2020. Everyone here was mourning that finale (which I still haven't watched) because of how dirty it did Cas, and particularly Dean. Yet that same day the finale to I Told Sunset About You also aired AND IT WAS GLORIOUS. Literally some of the best TV ever with beautiful cinematography, A+ acting, amazing lead chemistry, and it told the story of two queer boys finding their way into a romantic relationship with each other. It was just so... hopeful. I thought it could be a salve to the fandom that had been so gutted by a horrible ending. So I spammed my dash with ITSAY posts, and that's all she wrote.

I love the same things about BLs that I do about kdramas -- fun tropes I'd previously only read in romance novels or fanfic, and contained plot arcs (a series usually runs for a single season and has a beginning, middle, and end). Short run times (a whole series usually takes only 2 to 4 months to air, at most) mean that I will LITERALLY NEVER HAVE TO FEEL BETRAYED BY A TERRIBLE ENDING EVER AGAIN. A few BLs do have bad endings, but 1) I'm spoiled about them by the fandom before I start watching them so I can just choose not to watch it, and 2) the fact that I only invested a few months of my life (at most) into the fan experience greatly lessens the size of the wound from any perceived betrayal.

Basically, I love BL and kdramas so much, they're basically the only media I consume these days unless something from the west seems particularly awesome (like Heartstopper or OFMD). I also love how the fandom for BL and kdramas is literally a fandom for those entire industries, instead of just a single particular show. We all jump from show to show as they air, watching multiple shows at a time. And there's so many shows to chose from, you really can prioritize only watching the shows that resonate with you. It's like a banquet hall of tables filled with food to feed our queer little romance-loving hearts!

Before I discovered BL, I felt like I was starving eating only the queer content scraps we get in the west. I invested in shows with ships that never went anywhere like Sherlock and Merlin and Hawaii Five 0 and Supernatural and Vikings. Every couple of years, I'd find a new show to feed me slightly better queer scraps because of queer showrunners and incredible storytelling like Hannibal. I very very occasionally gorged on the few shows with actually positive queer content like Queer as Folk and Black Sails and Sense8.

Imagine my delight when I realized that countries like Thailand, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan were literally churning out legitimately queer shows in quantities I couldn't keep up with even if I'd wanted to!!!

I am simply so full and satisfied these days. And with shows like Kinnporsche and Not Me stretching the very definition of the genre this year, I feel like we're only going to keep getting a better variety of shows to indulge in.

[life-rewritten]

Gifts of BL! Aka Christmas Goodies For BL Fans Who Want Important Discussions About   Representation.

Oh wow, we're closer to Christmas. Where has the time gone?. So here's a gift for you all—another list of great BLS that will make you have a great time. If you find it fun rewatching and feeling all the emotions from these love stories, then I hope you enjoy these. Today I bring you guys a list of recommendations for our sometimes serious, sometimes heartfelt, sometimes innovative educators in BL that are very much needed.

Ah, The educators, the teachers, the serious topics, the displays, the emotional moments. Some of these shows decided to surprise me when I came in expecting something odd and not realistic; only for them to break my heart but also humble me and teach me and others some of the crucial conversations we need to have about LGBTQ+ representation in BL. We have couples discussing about their sexuality accepting they are gay or bi(Yes not just in love with only one person but they actually embrace their sexuality), we have essential coming out scenes and looks into the mindsets of people who struggle with coming out and being in the closet, we have supportive families that have to learn and show our characters warmth because of their own experiences, and we have metaphorical outlooks of what it feels to have to please society with the result of losing ourselves. These are the great BLs, they break our hearts, but they make it hopeful to see people who go through their issues and come out in love, strong and protected and supported. Their journey is worth it, so if you want to find some shows that give you these feelings, then join me and let's look at these great representations in the BL genre. 

BL has a bad rep. How could it not when the reason BLs were created was for straight girls who fangirled about two boys kissing. Not that I even hate fujoshi's, you're allowed to be whatever you want, like whatever you want as long as you don't cross the line and make people uncomfortable with outrageous demands or actions (like the fujoshi's in some BL shows). But BLS has become something more, though some people refuse to take them still seriously and doubt their authenticity, some people refuse to accept some shows as BL, they instead just call it a queer film or tv. But why? BL has become a place for people to run away into a fantasy of stories where there's drama, romance, comedy, mystery, passion and more. BL can be anything, and in 2020 BL showed it could be anything, it could be serious and well produced and not filled with its past problematic enquiries, it could be funny and still tug at the heartstrings, it could be deep and painful and full of lessons but still have a happy, hopeful ending, it could be any genre it wanted, from supernatural, action, thriller and more. BLs improved and also became a source for the representation of LGBTQ+. And I think that's beautiful. It might have a taken a while for people to learn, for own voices to find a way to write new shows, for risks to be made. But 2020 saw the influx of BLS that weren't just fan service but actually art or just good stories with a great message. Here are some of them. 

Thai 

Dark Blue Kiss

It's weird to say that Dark Blue Kiss is an excellent representation for the qualities needed in this list. But what can I say apart from the overbearing, jealous plotline and some irrational over reactiveness with some of our characters. Dark Blue Kiss and Kiss me again has always been a show that has been worth it. Dark Blue Kiss is one of the first Thai BLs, where we saw a supportive parent, and that's Pete's father. He's incredible; he's everything that's healthy, understanding and helpful. He makes jokes with Pete about his relationship but also supports and gives him advice. He's protective and sweet when it comes to Kao and Pete, and they are themselves when they're with him even daring to speak about things like intercourse etc. It's incredible; he was a breath of fresh air for parents we usually encountered in this genre. He had discussions with his son, and in doing so, we saw his son also have more conversations and discussions with his partner about what their sexuality was, why they should come out as a couple, why they were scared to do so, what was holding them back etc. Pete's dad isn't the only supportive parent with advice and warmth, we later also add Kao's mum to the list, she's always known about Pete and Kao and was waiting patiently for Kao to come on his own and tell her. It's incredible. Dark Blue Kiss brought out conversations that didn't seem meaningless, there was an actual exploration of the fears some people have with coming out, and it was brilliant and wonderful to see on screen. Honestly are we shocked? It's Backaof as the director; all his shows should be on this list, every single show of his explores these topics with care and heart. And it's incredible.

Why it's a gift

Deep conversations and moments where you see two people learn and wonder about their sexuality and how the world may react to it. Supportive parents that are understanding, helpful and sweet. A relationship that's incredible despite its flaw, shown wonderfully and thoughtfully. Even the hurtful moments like when Kao gets outed and also has to struggle with claims of being a predator is done well and leads to Kao finally accepting his fears and coming out to the people he loves. By the end of it, all Pete and Kao are back together, happy, finally healthy and mature. Dark blue kiss also explores these two ambitions, their dreams, their ideas for the future and more. And it also has a great friendship group worth stanning. Pete and Kao aren't the only couple in this show worth praising and noticing you also have Mork who goes through his own acceptance of his sexuality once he falls for Sun, they're also great and also have their own plot revolving around dreams, jobs and character and angst. A great side couple in BL.  It's amazing. 

Special mention:

My Dear loser: Another Backoaf directing, no words this is incredible, I think everyone knows how great this is despite the BL coupe being a side couple, that may have an ending that feels unfinished. You can watch both this and My sky for a full experience. This deals with everything so well and also has a great support system from friends. Chimon is such an amazing actor in this.

As always I leave a gift: 

LINK HERE FOR MY DEAR LOSER IN/SUN CUT

DARK BLUE KISS EDIT FOR PETE KAO THEIR STORY

I told Sunset about You

I mention this show on every list; it's like not even a surprise anymore to see it. There's a reason why this show is incredible why people prefer to see it as a queer film instead of BL. Why people think calling it a BL is an insult (which I think why? A BL should be allowed to be seen as a good form of representation). This show has it all. Honestly, a great production company behind it, acting that's phenomenal, and a story that will blow your minds each time you watch it and try to piece it together. What's even more respectful about ITSAY is that it's a coming of age done well, it showcases feelings of the youth and how feelings are seen as a storm that can't be stopped. 

Especially when you are struggling to understand your sexuality, we have two characters, Teh who learns as he grows that he has uncontrollable, addictive and crazy feelings for his best friend, they're drawn to each other, but Teh can't understand what he feels, he doesn't know what this means. He struggles to comprehend it as well with his struggles with ego, pride and selfishness because of his young age. Then we have his best friend Oh Aew he knows what he is, he also is torn apart by feelings when Teh reenters into his life, he also struggles through losing his self, individuality and his confidence because of his feelings for Teh. It's brutal, but one thing stands for sure, these two are meant to be together, these two love each other. Why is this so great? Because the directing and production of this show is serious, every single scene counts, every single action has a meaning, but also this show has incredible moments that show you the struggles of internalized homophobia. 

It's something that's always mentioned in BLS as a struggle. Still, this show used scenes to show it, like for example, OH wearing his mother bra because he wished he was born a girl to be with Teh. Still, then he breaks down in self-loathing only to later stand up and embrace who he is, and Teh who finally comes out to his brother in a heart-wrenching scene; another supportive and healthy relationship who understands him and tells him it's okay to be who he is, to be with Oh, to be brave and take a leap to what he wants. His brother's conversation is everything someone who struggles with the same issues wants to hear; it's a healing effect, a hopeful and painful realization that some people don't have someone like Oh and Teh's family who help them and let them accept who they are. 

It's a journey of discovering the truth about how so many people have to go through this fear because of what society put in our heads, it's a wake-up call, but the fact that ITSAY has a happy ending despite all the realistic representation and angst is a hopeful meaning for everyone who saw themselves in Oh and Teh. It's incredible. 

Why it's a gift:

It's unbelievable; it's not told to you but shown to you the amount of struggle some people can have when they're coming of age and realizing their sexuality. It's a beautiful representation of what it's like to fall in love: the angst, pain, healing but also sabotage, and the growth. It's produced with so much effort and hard-work and research on what would be an excellent story for LGTBQ to see. One of the best made BLs; this is not us being dramatic. 

.A Gift for You

GREAT OST PLAYLIST OF ITSAY

An Edit For Teh/OH 

He's coming to me

Another Backoaf, directing masterpiece. This show is incredible. Like words can't explain how good this show is. Words can't describe what a gift this show still is. How much a BL like this was needed. First, this show is already unique; it deals with supernatural world-building, with ghosts and mysteries of death/murder, it deals with also coming of age, and falling in love and accepting your sexuality. It has two confirmed gay characters who we see explore and finally reveal who they are, they've both known and as they fall in love, they have to go through the angst of what it means that they love each other. 

It's incredible, not just because of the fact that Thun's ability to see ghosts and his need to hide that also mirrors his need to hide his sexuality, the way he breaks down later after realizing that people won't let him just be him or the way people made him feel bad for being who he is. The way that Mes also went through the same thing before he died, and the person who connected them was Thun's mom. She's incredible, and I still believe the coming-out scene of Thun to his mum is one of the best as incredible as his confession on the rooftop to Mes as he breaks down in the rain because he's afraid he's been left. 

The amount of repressed feelings these two hides is insane, and when they later confront it,  it's like OMG really they knew about their feelings all along? It's incredible, with a show that already has an incredibly well thought out plot about ghosts and supernatural, but it also has two characters that are fleshed out, who both have discussions with everyone around them about what they are and the way they have a happy ending after all the angst and tears. It's worth it thousand times over and over again. This show is just great. And no one else can do it like Backaof he just has the most excellent formulas: supportive family members, supportive friend unit, serious conversations about sexuality and feelings, important relationships and no censorship, unique plotlines and risks. He's incredible. No words.

Why this is a gift?

The actors are also one of Thailand BLs veterans. Both of them are incredible and nuanced in their scenes; they make you cry, scream, sigh, and swoon. They make you learn, and it's fantastic, they're amazing people. They're worth it both Ohm Pawat and Singto, their performances are incredible. Every character in this show is fleshed out and necessary, the plot makes sense and isn't written haphazardly, and the directing is phenomenal. Watch it. 

A gift for You

He’s coming to me the whole show

PINOY

Gaya Sa Pelikula 

This time we have the Philippines if Thai isn't your cup of tea I guess. This show is just, so great? It was made with the intention for representation, a love story to the LGBTQ community, actors devoted to researching and learning about the topics presented in the show. This show is outstanding, no words, it's not preachy, but it's still educative. Not one episode goes back when you don't see the effort and brilliance of this show; each message of each episode is so important and needed. The story isn't afraid to explore topics which haven't been shown correctly in this genre, and it's so good they did. 

We have two characters, one a gay out guy (Vlad) who is very bitter about everyone and how they treated him, he's dying to be loved for who he is, and he's desperate to find a safe space where he can be himself loud and proud, he falls in love with another (Karl) who is more in the closet, with secrets that you discover later about his circumstance he's not sure of who he is and as the show progresses he and us get educated about everything. He learns to accept that he is gay. 

This show is about self-acceptance, love and healing. By falling in love; our characters are forced to question everything about who they are, what they've gone through and how that shaped them, and we realize that both perspectives is right in their own way. The show is for people who feel like the guy who's out, who wants to be proud and tell the world he's in love but also it's for people like his partner who feel guilty for struggling and having anxiety about accepting who they are, but this show doesn't force him out, it doesn't force them to be together, it just becomes a realistic story full of hope about the future of these two. It's a healing show; it makes you question your self, it makes you go through your own journey of how you feel you're perceived in the world, it takes you on a trip of your own self-learning, exploration and discovery. And it ends making you feel grateful for the experience of it all.

Why it's a gift:

 I think the best thing about this show is the other extra gifts it brings. It's music playlist, it's like your own gift bundle of new artists to explore and listen to every song is beautiful and needed, with different messages and feelings, you will find one music you love in this playlist, and you'll end up spending hours weeping about them. But it's beautiful, it's euphoric, and the show is worth it. The show has amazing actors and a great team of people behind the scenes. The writer is brilliant, poetic and serious; he knows how to make a plot. He knows how to teach you without you feeling patronized, he knows how to humble you if you didn't know anything before. He's just great. 

A gift for You

GSP OST PLAYLIST- THE BEST

Gameboys 

I haven't mentioned this show on here before, which is sad because it really should be praised. It's an outstanding show that showed up during a time where the world was on pause. Gameboys provided a gift for everyone who looked for something during the lockdown in the pandemic. The fact it revolves around events in the pandemic, it uses it as a great plot device and has important moments that touch your heart and make you reflect on the situation without being too heavy. 

Gameboys is incredible; it also has a unique storyline, a Gameboy and his fanboy who falls in love with him and is confident he can win over his heart. Except, our Gameboy Cairo has to go through some self-exploration first, some self-healing and acceptance, some coming to terms with guilt and self-hatred he feels for things that happened to his past. This show makes you cry, so bring the tissues, I mean every show on this list probably does, but this show has so many moments, we have supportive parents, but even in a more heartbreaking way, we have warnings of what happens when people selfishly out people, the consequences of that, how much anxiety and fear you can have as you deal with internalized homophobia and being in the closet, how it affects family members, and what it means to finally accept who you are and stand up for who you are. It's brilliant, painful, but it also makes you grin from so many heartfelt moments we needed during a dark time. The actors are also amazing, and they make you feel everything they feel so naturally, they're also three dimensional and have exciting character arcs. There's a great support system as well in this show, with the best friend, who makes you smile whenever you see her. This show is worth it. 

Why is it a gift? 

I feel like without knowing it Gameboys was an actual gift for everyone who was struggling during the pandemic, it showed the reality of what was going on, but it also showed healing and hope and happiness derived from being in quarantine and lockdown. It showed that even in lockdown nothing had to stop, we could still fall in love, grow and learn about our selves if we wanted to. It also had a great love story to follow that was both funny, romantic and heartfelt. The directing was genius also, and it touched many people. It was outstanding. 

A gift for You

ALT GAMEBOYS: A SIDE STORY FOR ONE OF THE CHARACTERS

JAPANESE

Cherry Magic 

Finally, we come to this gem of a show. What else can we say about Cherry Magic? Oh I know, no one expected this Japanese BL to be so full of heart, joy, magic but also depth. This show is just ridiculously good, it's not as painful as the other shows, it's slower and more softer than the other angst in the other shows, but this show still tugs at your heartstrings and makes you laugh and cry. It deals with everything that has already been mentioned: self-acceptance, questioning of sexuality, trying to please society that you lose your self, being brave and finding your self, loving your self, etc. 

It's just so great, it's also unique a story about magic and reading minds that our main character has. As he realizes his person (Kurosawa) loves him, we watch Adachi struggle through self-hate, self-deprecation and anxiety to finally come out of his shell and become who he wants to be. This show has an incredible love interest who's just wonderful, he's the ideal man, but that doesn't mean he's one dimensional or stale. 

He's also deep, and has his own flaws and hurts, and the way he loves Adachi is just breathtaking and frankly makes you so jealous. Why is this show for representation? Because it's a slice of life of an office romance, it deals with what people go through in life, the gruels and requirements from work whilst also watching both our characters choose to be brave and come out to each other and pick each other despite their fears about what their environment thinks. 

These two are each other's healing, comfort, support system and they both have incredible personalities. This show is also quite deep, you wouldn't think so, but when you listen to the dialogues and watch some of the scenes, you'll see how deep this show can be for its characters whilst still being fluffy. It perfectly represents the fear of coming out and coming to terms of having feelings for someone you weren't expecting. Its message is more hidden, but it's still great for conversations about representation, in my opinion. 

Why it's a gift?

It was made as one; the last episode is coming on Christmas haha. This show takes some tropes of BL and chooses a healthier option, it also just fleshes out its characters incredibly, you watch how Adachi and Kurosawa changed each other's life without knowing and how their love keeps being needed by each other in many ways. It also is called Cherry Magic, because this show is magical, it makes you grin, be happy and excited from seeing one episode, it tugs at your heartstrings whilst making you blush and squeal from happiness. Its softness is something to look forward to after a hard day of whatever real life looks like to you, it has a healing effect, a warm effect and it makes you smile and forget your troubles in those few minutes. It's wonderful. 

A gift for You

Adachi and Kurosawa EDIT

I hope you enjoy these shows they’re all incredible, they’ll surely make you smile and be happy. They’re all important in their own way, if you haven’t seen any have a go and see which you love. Let me know if I’ve missed some, to be honest I chose the ones that had scenes with important discussions that make you think or scenes that bring out emotions and feelings but also make you learn and realise something. Hope you enjoy the recommendations or if you’ve watched them before hope you enjoy the reviews and commentary. Merry Christmas guys :)

Other recommendations

GIFTS OF BL FOR FANS WHO LOVE ANGST, DRAMA AND PASSION

[nextwarden]

Webtoons are good for the soul [Long post] [but worth it] [hopefully]

Bit of a long one (for a change...), sorry.

I haven’t read that many that’s a lie but here are my favs!

Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe [ongoing - every Sunday]

or when Hades met Persephone. It’s a love story, fluffy yet deep and sad at times. Very well told and with incredible art (as you can see from the cover ci-dessus), in a pastel/watercolour fluid style, as is the storytelling. It has compelling characters, character growth, love, funny moments, and basically the best you could ask from a romantic story. And it had enough material to get you through good number of hours of reading before you have to break down every sunday in wait of the following week like the rest of us.

mah-hart-mah-sole/10

Love Advice From the Great Duke of Hell by unfins [ongoing - every Friday]

Paul is in love with a cute girl who works in a café nearby. But Paul is shy and can’t work out how to go ask her out. So Paul does what anyone would do and summons one of the Great Dukes of Hell in order to get better at fumbling his sentences and blushing at beautiful maidens. It’s about discovery of one’s true self and how getting deep into shenanigans will lead you to find so much more. Also, sister. (You’ll understand when you get there.)

It’s funny but also compelling and serious but still incredibly funny. I don’t think I’ve laughed as much reading any other webtoon and yet the story is also really cool. It strikes a perfect balance, or near perfect. The expressions and the action scenes are just incredible too.

chenandeler bong/10

Suitor Armor by Purpah [ongoing - every Friday]

In a land with magic and war between humans and fairies, Lucia is the princess’s lady in waiting and her only goal in life at the moment is to get her Lady to have the wedding she wishes for and deserves. But then she gets a flower from a magic armor and everything changes. Also, she’s a fairy.

It’s well drawn, characters all seem unique, varied and personnality-driven. The art style is beautiful. It’s also deeper than what I expected, with inklings of different types and levels of drama.

Alright, I’ll say it, it feels like a ‘promising new Lore Olympus’. By which I mean not to compare but simply to say I felt as taken by the story as I did with L.O.

Modeus/10

Facing the Sun by ArtbyTesslyn [ongoing]

Aarya reaserches the intricacies of dobotics and artificial intelligence with her companion robot Liza who's expiration is long everdue. Things change with a hardware update. One can’t live without the other, and neither can the other.

It’s dark but beautiful, both in the art and in the story. The sci-fi elements aren’t overwhelming and pieces of lore bring begin to pain a picture over time. It’s a slow burn but oh lord! if it isn’t going to be blazing hot...

I Robot/10

Spellbound by Ronce [ongoing]

Eglantine joins a new highschool midyear and finds herself paired with a refractarian roommate. She does her best to fit in to her new school despite not conforming to all the expectations that others might have of her. Or of her strange but likeable roommate.

It’s a cute and queer little romance, very underrated in my opinion. The art is wonderful, it’s black and white in the beginning and starts having touches of colour here and there before going full blown coloured, and I didn’t even realize it had until many chapters into it... The characters all all diverse and interesting. Also did I forget to say it’s set in France and it’s a wizarding school? Because it is!

conseiller principal d’éducation/10

180 Angel by King Katbird [ongoing]

Chloe is an angel, she lives in Heaven and goes to school in the hopes of becoming a delivery angel one day! However her plan are compromised by her inability to do anything well except halo manipulation. Even flying is not easy for her. But a fateful meeting with a reaper sends her on a trip to Hell and back which changes her. Or is it that she had always been different?

It may not seem much from the banner but I tried it and I got hooke. The art is great and still improves over time, the plot takes a bit of time to set in - I’m still not sure it’s fully set in yet - but it’s worth it, and the characters are visually deep. It sometimes jumps weirdly between scenes or sequences but not so much it completely loses you.

LAMP/10

Letters on the Wall by JaelynGs [ongoing]

Tara comes back fom spain after a five years abroad to find things have changed and others haven’t, to her equal pleasure and dismay. This is how she and her friends deal with these old relatioships that they are now reviving.

Everything doesn’t go smoothly despite each and every character deserving them to. The art is good to begin with and manages to improve over time, as well as the storytelling. Where it might have been a bit hectic before, it smoothes over time. It was for the longest time the only reason I would stalk Webtoons everyday to see if there was any updates. Also each chapter has a colour in the name and that’s just cool!

If Da Yomanville Gang [see below] got me to come to Webtoons, this sealed the deal for me to stay. [And then there was Lore Olympus.]/10

Not So Shoujo Love Story by Curryuku [ongoing - every Tuesday]

Rei Chan-chan loves Hansum, the chin chin chinny goodest looking student, more than she loves her shoujo manga. But gorgeous Hannah is in her way and won’t seem to let her get her way with him. Why is that? Well, gaybe there’s a secret hidden behind her motives? Read it to find out...

It’s funny, it’s cute, and it’s so, so stupid. I love them all. It’s dumb but so much fun to read. There aren’t that many chapters yet but enough to get into it. Also, sisters. (You’ll understand when you get there. Bis) So this is what the spring of youth feels like, huh...

chips/10

Always Human by walkingnorth [completed]

Sunati, a young engineer in training, fan of all those mods you can add to change your appearance, meets Austen, a beautiful yet modless girl who she’s been admiring from afar for a while now. She thinks the girl’s beautiful, but sdly she’s refused when she asks her out on a date, and for rather good reasons.

Now watch as they gravitate around each other and how it influences them both.

It’s a slow-burn quite realistic lesbian sci-fi story about finding love and accepting oneself and others in the midst of life and all it brings upon us. It’s cute, it’s fluffy, and it’s heartwarming despite broaching serious subjects - in a good way -, and it’s finished so you can read the whole thing! (It has enough chapters to give you a few hours of reading)

hay fever sucks/10

Da Yomanville Gang by Jason King [ongoing - every Tuesday]

Layla moved recently, to get away from a dose of angst she didn’t want to have to deal with. She meets new people, fun and friendly people, but it seems the angst can’t quite seem to leave her alone. Alone is what she’s not to deal with it anymore, however.

This is the one, long before Lore Olympus, which brought bme over to Webtoons. It’s not the best drawn, not the most compelling, but the strong point and what made me love it - beyond Layla’s chara design - is the depth of most of the characters, how not all good is good and all bad is bad, and reality often lies in the middle - and how they evolve over the course of the story. Definitely worth a read.

wheelbarrow/10

Love Bot by Chase Keels and Miranda Mundt [ongoing - every Sunday]

In the near future - the year is (Blade Runner) 2049 - technology has advanced enough to creat pseudo-artificial intelligence and thus lovebots. Xada mods and repairs those emotionnaly intelligent robots for a living. What brings this story about is him toying with a less-than-friendly client’s bot so much so that he finds himself in quite a pickle when the bot ‘wakes up’.

It seems to be BL. Let it be BL, please! The art is very nice, the story feels dark but the pitch give way to many interesting possibilities, and, well, the characters are quite nice to look at, I’ll admit... Also, angst. I don’t always enjoy it but when I do, I do.

Not many chapters but it’s getting there.

i’ll let you bot my love/10

Mage & Demon Queen by Color_LES [ongoing - every Thusday]

Malori is the best and the most promising mage student at her school. Aided by Cerik, her best friend and swordsman party member, she attempts to conquer the last floor of the demon tower, reigned over by the ferocious Velverosa, the demon queen, whose defeat will bring glory and richess to those who defeat her. But all is not quite as it seems and, what is that, might it be a crush I see over there? Oh, wait, no, that’s just our protagonist getting squished by the weight of her love...

Once again, it’s fun and stupid (a pattern? noooo) but it’s worth a read.

LES/10

Down to Earth by Pookie Senpai [ongoing - every Tuesday]

Kade live alone and depressed in spite of fleeting relatioships since his big breakup, content with simply going by life while he works in retail. One day, an alien crashes into his backyard. Zaida’s an alien but she’s cute, seems innocent, is unfamiliar with everything, so he agrees to help. Thus begins a slice of life story of them roommating in his appartment until, maybe, one of them crashes into the other’s heart?

It’s cute, heartwarming, and I sort f relate with the main character. Although I don’t know if’d prefer a cute alien, a dragon or a stalking neighbour... [that’s an inside joke, I’ll explain if I ever make a list of the good yamete onii-chan! I’ve been reading] It’s a slow burn with enough depth to hook you up. Some characters are still uncertain in my eyes but that makes me curious.

loner/10

The Remarried Empress by Alphatart / Sumpul [ongoing - every Wednesday and Sunday]

Navier Ellie Trovi is an empress. Perfect and perfectly content in every way with her life until the day a mistress enters her husband’s life. Things sort of go downhill from there. Or do they? For she also learns about herself and what she might actually want out of life to be happy. Breaking the status quo might be the way.

It feels like one of those poor quality isekai comics or manga in which the MC is brought back to a time where she has the power to change her life and decides for emancipation and revenge, but it’s not. It’s more ‘yolo’ and had interesting characters, especially the MC - no pushover - and a slow-burn plot. Don’t expect to see the flash-forward in the first chapter quite yet, but come to experience the whole affaire in detail and in the most satisfying of ways! Also the art is cool!

divorce/10

Muted by Miranda Mundt [ongoing - every Friday]

On her 21st birthday, Camille fails the ritual to become a full-fledged witch and is isolated from what remains of her old and successful family. This leads to her discovering truths about herself and her powers that will change her and those around her.

By the same author as Love Bot. I haven’t read the whole thing yet but the designs are good, the plot is interesting, the characters have depth and personnality, it has witches, magic, romance [I guess, still unsure of the details though], a bit of angst, and it’s set in Louisianna. All good points.

plant magic/10

Cursed Princess Club by LambCat [ongoing - every Monday]

Gwendolyn and her sisters, each a princess in their own right, are set to be betrothed to three princes of a neighbouring country after living all their lives happy and sheltered with their father and brother. Unfortunately, Gwendolyn is not like her sisters - and brother, for that matter - in that her beauty is... less than conventionnal. Devastated by what outsiders think of her she escapes into the forest and meets kindred spirits in the form of the Cursed Princess Club - non-gendered, they also have that one prince there! - and it might just help her grow into the confident woman she is destined to become.

I clicked for the funny hahas ‘because she’s ugly’ and cursed princess trope, I stayed for the genuine laughs and smiles and the heartwarming good nature of most of te characters. Also, haha, funny characters are funny. So, yeah, I started this with a bias - still haven’t caught up yet - and have been seduced by this lesser known webtoon. Don’t let the visuals fool you, it’s really good!

respect wahmen/10

Andy Bass by KenneDuck / Gia [ongoing - every Friday]

Andy Bass is our average highschool girl. Litterally. She’s half human, half fish, a real mermaid but vertically. That leads to less-than-friendly looks and reactions from others. However, the arrival of a new, and frankly very cute, transfer student might change all that.

Haven’t read it all yet, not that there are many chapters out, but it feel fun and promising. Also, physically imperfect characters are best characters. Down with the reign of beauty and up with 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔪𝔲𝔫𝔦𝔰𝔪!

Chin Hansum 2.0/10

For the Sake of Sita by Haga [completed]

A medical student passionately falls in love with a fallen goddess during his volunteer abroad in Nepal, and he desperately tries to fight off destiny to save his love. [the actual summary]

Okay, I’ll be honest: I haven’t quite read that one yet. I’m guilty of only having looked at the beginning and the end to see if it seemed worth it and, oh my gorsh! it does. The art is beautiful, the story seems sad yet beautiful too (I had tears reading the last chapters without knowing much of the rest) and it’s short, so jump on it!

[I’ll probably come back to that later when I’ve actually read it completely]/10

Us Right Now by yurineseventeen [ongoing]

Rina's long-term girlfriend, Noa, decides to run away from home. Rina has limited time to find her.

Not much more to say other than it’s sweet and it feels real. I like the beginning, haven’t read the rest yet, but will definitely soon.

keep going/10

New Normal: Class 8 by Youngpaka [ongoing - every Sunday]

Dongwoon has a big head. It does not make life easy. But what if he wasn’t alone being so... different? He discovers it is the case when he joins his new school a special class full of people who are different. Things get weird fast but also better and fun.

I haven’t read this in a long time, it’s on my list though. But until the moment I stopped at least, it was fun, funny, and interesting. It’s slice-of-life comedy, often ligthearted and stupid, sometimes more serious, but globally a pleasure to read.

sensei/10

The Witch and The Bull by Moonsia [ongoing - every Thursday]

Tan's job as the King's royal advisor has nothing to do with his hatred for witches, but it does make him a prime target for a curse that turns him into a BULL! The only way to undo this hex is to rely on the beautiful witch, Aro. Can her kindness turn his feelings around, and break this spell? [the actual summary]

There are two bulls and they have to ask it questions to know which is the real bull? I dunno, I haven’t read this one... But it’s been recommnded by @berigolote​ so it’s worth a try I guess? She did recommend Lore Olympus to me, so it’s on my list anyway.

to try/10

The Right Knight and Our Days in Lumain by buttersphere [completed & ongoing]

A fun short comic about a play on the ‘knight comes to fight dragon to save princess in her tower’ trope and it’s sequel. The sequel is not finished yet (seems on hiatus) but they are worth the read for cute, funny, fluffy knight and dragon/witch romance and grumpy princesses.

need more/10

NetOL by Forever9Nine [completed]

A slice of life comic about a veeery shy cat-girl (not literally) falling in love with a warm-tempered bookshop employee ( and NOT her colleague), and all the shenanigans that ensue. It’s short, it’s fun, and it’s cute. What more to ask?

oh wow sports/10

Susuhara is a Demon by Soya S. Holm [ongoing]

The usual romance storyof perfectly perfect girl meets absolutely bazongers delinquent and reluctantly carries her unconscious ass to her appartment to help her after witnessing a gang fight between multiple idiots and her (future) idiot and saving her from a knife attack by bashing the last standing dude with a wooden shop sign. Legend says there’s a demon in K-city, I still am unsure of whom it might be.

fun/10

It Stems From Love by Soya S. Holm [competed]

A short story about a girl who loves flowers and finds herself unexpectedly coughing them up dramatically whenever she’s jealous of those around her crush. It’s short, it’s cute, a bit dark at times, but definitely worth a read!

bouquet final/10

Lesbiampires by fabarts [ongoing]

So, yeah, lesbian vampires. Nuffin’ ta add.

Well, anyway, it’s cute, it’s funny, it’s serious too, it makes me root for antihero type characters who actually murder people for fun (but in a fun and respectful way, I swear!) because, well, love./10

Perfect Harmony by bluebloodtanuki [ongoing]

An Overwatch fan-comic about Symmetra and her disaster roommates.

I don’t play Overatch but I like the lore and got dragged into fanfiction and shipping (by myself, mind you), so a fan-comic about similar dynamics AND it’s funny? Gimme.

Roadhog & Junkrat best duo/10

Love Doesn’t Talk by Ann [completed?]

A misunderstanding is fine. Two? Hmmm. Three? Surely that’s fate, no?

A cute love story unfolding before your eyes with no dialogue, only pretty pictures. I’m not actually sure it’s completed but even if it isn’t, the ending doesn’t feel disappointing in the least.

no words/10

AntiSTALKER by VOKIVORMOK [ongoing - every Thursday]

Humans, vampires and werewolves all cohabitate in this freaky highschool, despite tensions between the three races. A bittersweet yet fun love story between a fake stalker and his amnesiac prey...

Eugene wants Kira’s heart, she wants his head.

who?/10

Kiss It Goodbye by Ticcytx [ongoing]

Two lesbians in love recount to their drunk friends the story of how they met. It’s fun and cute, both in story and in art.

delinquent x prim&proper/10

Avril and the Divine Being by Charlie Genmor [ongoing]

Avril is a waitress, Cat is a reccuring client. Feeling blossom before they even exchange words and when they finally do, embarassment ensues.

I got hooked by the art style for this one and I have yet to be disappointed. Not many chapters but keep it close.

sunny/10

Sunflower by EtoileKonijn [ongoing]

Wednesday, an art student, meets Sophie, a friend of a friend. Feelings ensue. It’s beginning to have a good number of chapters (even if they are short) and it feels like it’s actually the slowest burn of them all. Very much worth a read though, for the art style especially.

cute/10

It Takes Two by love_of_pi [ongoing]

Common art style: imperfect but improving. Classic story: normal girl meets famous girl by accident and leave a great first impression. Shenanigans and romance ensue. However the tints of drama, the fun interaction between characters, and the smooth plot make it worth it.

Honolulu latte/10

A Mild Flavor by Ru-rin [ongoing]

A slice of life of different couples. One with a compromised relationship and bittersweet reflections of the past, and the other which is hidden from plain sight, at different times if life. It is not perfect but it managed to worm its way into my heart nonetheless.

tasty/10

The Greenhouse by Viesallon [ongoing]

Another one I haven’t read, but from the extracts I’ve seen the art is compelling, the story seems worth it - definitely deserves the drama tag it seems - and I keep it on my shortlist until I have time to read it.

supernatural/10

My Masochistic Boss by Arisas_Art [ongoing]

Debuting goth writer meets hellish boss of editing company about her new book. Disagreement and tensions ensue. It starts with a slap and might very well end in bed, stay tuned!

This one rebooted recently and the art is soooo beautiful, moreso than before is I may say.

sexy/10

Still Alive by Comic Kat19 [ongoing]

Half-zombie girl meets emo boy, baby ensues.

After the zombie apocalypse, they have to survive, and despite their differences, maybe together is better?

This I classify in the ‘Yuuutsu-kun to Succubus-san‘ category: a somewhat rough art style that I have come to love and enjoy greatly. Also the story is fun.

cat creature/10

The Biggest of Treasures by Aixn [ongoing]

That smile, that damn smile. It’s what got me to try and it got me to stay. The art style is beautiful and the chara designs is too. The plot? Not much to say yet, but cuteness is enough.

bright/10

---------- ---------- ----------

And there you go for now. These are my picks. I haven’t read everything on Webtoon, I haven’t even read everything I’ve subscribed to, but if I had to recommend anything I have tasted, here it is.

Sorry if I missed any you deem worthy; feel free to harass me and mock my lack of culture by flaunting your own.

Maybe more later, in the mean time: keep scrolling, scrub!

PART II

[takipsilim88116]

Steps to Forever

Even in his wildest fantasies, Mes never thought that this would happen to him. 

Or,

(A snippet of Mes and Thun’s life after the season finale.)

Tags: Mes Wongsakorn Thanarunsiri/Thun Thunyakorn, Post-Canon, Introspection, Established Relationship, Romantic Fluff, Romance, Fluff, Marriage Proposal, Domestic Fluff, Love Transcends All Boundaries

Read on ArchiveofOurOwn: Link

Notes:

I recently finished watching He’s Coming To Me and I must say that it’s definitely one of my most favorite BL series. The story touched my heart so much.

This fic is Post-Canon, vaguely set a few years after the end of Episode 8. Crossposted on ArchiveofOurOwn under TakipSilim.

Please excuse any grammatical errors and I hope you enjoy!

Steps to Forever 

Even in his wildest fantasies, Mes never thought that this would happen to him. 

On some days, he wondered if all of this was just an elaborate dream—that in reality, he was still stuck in the cemetery, aimlessly listening to a repeating soundtrack and wondering why none of his relatives ever bothered to visit him. As he had been unable to leave the cemetery at all then, Mes had been resigned to the fact that he was going to spend the rest of his time doing that exact routine while waiting for his turn at reincarnation. 

However, things changed for Mes when Thun saw and left candies on his unmaintained grave. Suddenly, all Mes could feel was hope—hope that there was finally someone who could see and hear him and converse with him, even if it was only once a year during the QingMing Festival. He always looked forward to seeing the younger boy because despite having A’Ngoon and P’Jeng’s friendship, Mes was still a very lonely ghost. Thun eased some of that loneliness with his smiles and his stories and his offerings of Mes’ favorite foods. Mes had resolved that he would learn to be content with just that—enjoying Thun’s company, no matter how brief it was.

But then, Thun had brought Mes out of the cemetery and had driven him around in his car, showing him the sights and sceneries he had missed these past twenty years. 

But then, Thun had told Mes that the reason he hadn’t been able to reincarnate yet was because Mes hadn’t died from a heart attack but from something else.

But then, Thun had invited Mes to live with him while they had searched for the real reason Mes passed away because Thun had wanted to help him reincarnate.

And in living and spending even more time together, Mes discovered that Thun was kind and attentive and clever and cheeky and mischievous and he couldn’t help but be endeared. He couldn’t help but want more, and foolishly hope for more. Thun was a breath of fresh air, a source of joy to him. Despite being dead for over twenty years, Mes felt alive whenever he was with the other man. 

It was painful, but Mes had to constantly remind himself that a deeper relationship between the two of them would never be possible. He had to constantly remind himself that he was already dead, and that Thun was only helping him out of pity. When the secrets surrounding his identity slowly unravelled, Mes found that he had even less reason to pursue a relationship with the only person he ever fell in love with. It didn’t matter that he knew Thun felt the same way towards him—a ghost and a human could never be together. 

But Thun was stubborn and brave and unwavering in his love for Mes, and Mes realized he never really stood a chance against Thun. Mes allowed himself to fall even deeper in love with the young man who easily became his world.

And somehow, against all odds and circumstances and expectations, they were still together now. Even in his wildest fantasies, Mes never thought that this would happen to him. On some days, he wondered if all of this was just an elaborate dream that his mind had conjured to help with his loneliness.

Beside him, Thun mumbles incoherently and it makes him smile. If anything, Mes thinks, this is his proof that all of this is real. Thun is right next to him on their shared bed, and he’s close enough that Mes can feel the warmth radiating off his body.

As if aware that Mes is thinking of him, Thun turns in his sleep to face him. Blindly reaching out, Thun manages to place a hand on Mes’ waist, pulling him even closer and maneuvering himself so that he ends up pillowed against Mes’ shoulder. Fondness surges up his chest at Thun’s sleepy display of affection.

“Why are you still awake, P’Mes?” he asks in a scratchy voice.

Running his fingers through Thun’s hair, Mes replies, “Ghosts don’t need sleep.”

Thun hums. “Yeah, but you like to sleep.” He lifts his head and looks at Mes. “What are you thinking of, P’Mes?”

He lets his fingers travel from Thun’s hair down to his back, tracing the curve of his spine and smiling when he feels the other man shiver. “I was thinking of you,” Mes answers softly.

Thun chuckles. “Am I that irresistible to you, P’?”

He doesn’t miss a beat. “You know you are.”

Unexpectedly, Mes’ honest reply makes Thun bury his face on his chest. “P’,” he whines. 

“Did I make you shy, Thun?” he teases. When Thun raises his head, Mes sees that his eyes are twinkling. 

“I didn’t think that P’ could be so shameless,” he says, “where did my good and sweet P’Mes go, huh?” 

Mes resumes running his fingers up and down Thun’s back slowly. “I never said that I was a good boy to begin with,” he whispers. Thun’s breath hitches when Mes lets his hand travel even lower. “Shall I show you just what I mean?”

“P’Mes!” Thun half-laughs, half-gasps, scandalized by the implication. Mes can’t help but laugh out loud and soon, Thun joins him. The sound of their laughter fills the room for a good minute and it’s something Mes wants to hear for as long as he is able to.

“I’ll stop, I’ll stop,” Mes concedes, “you need to sleep some more. You said we’re going somewhere again tomorrow.”

(Thun made it his personal mission to take Mes out on road trips as often as he could. He had claimed that he wanted Mes to have the opportunity to visit all of the places he wasn’t able to when he was still alive. 

“But of course,” Thun had added with a grin, “I just want to have another reason to spend even more time with you, P’Mes.”

Mes’ heart had swelled with fondness for him and he had proceeded to hug Thun tightly.) 

Nodding, Thun begins to make himself comfortable on the bed. “Cuddle me to sleep, P’Mes?” he requests. Acquiescing, Mes wraps his arms around Thun, relishing the feeling of their bodies pressed together.

(It will never get tiring, Mes thinks, this feeling of holding Thun and being held by Thun. He had spent so many years without physical contact that any sort of touch from Thun—the person he loves the most—is welcome.) 

In no time, both of them fall into an easy sleep.

)+( 

They’ve been on the road for roughly an hour now. 

(Mes doesn’t know where they’re headed to. No amount of pleading or pouting from him made Thun tell him where he planned on taking them. “It’s a surprise, P’Mes,” Thun had answered every single time Mes asked. “You’ll see when we get there.” 

Mes had pouted some more, but all it did was make Thun kiss his cheek.) 

“How much farther, Thun?” he asks.

Glancing at Mes for a brief moment, Thun lets a small smile curve up his lips. “Just a bit more, P’,” he replies cheerfully. 

True to his word, they reach their destination within a few minutes. Thun parks the car on one corner and takes a deep breath. Mes looks at him questioningly, but Thun only shakes his head. “Let’s go, P’.”

Mes obediently follows him out of the car and intertwines their fingers together as a silent show of support. Thun’s nervous, Mes can tell, but he has no idea why yet. He was fine this morning and when they were on the road just a little while ago.

Thun squeezes his hand. “I wanted to show you this, P’,” he says before pointing in front of him. Mes looks to where Thun is pointing, and he finds himself awestruck at the view that greets him. 

It’s like a painting, the way the fully bloomed purple and gold flowers gently sway with the wind. The scenery is delicate and romantic, and Mes is just about to ask Thun if they can take a picture of it when he starts speaking again.

“I found this place when I first learned how to drive,” Thun begins, “I thought it looked like something out of a fairytale.” 

“It’s very beautiful,” Mes says honestly, unable to take his eyes away from the field of flowers. There were a lot of places Mes wasn’t able to visit when he was still alive, so he’s very grateful to Thun for taking the time to bring him to places like these. 

(He’s so grateful to Thun for so many things.)   

Mes feels Thun’s thumb caress the back of his hand and it makes Mes glance at him. Thun is already looking back at him, his gaze filled with unadulterated warmth. “I told myself that I’d bring the person I love to see this place with me,” Thun continues with a shy smile.

Thun takes another deep breath, seemingly gathering all of his courage. ”I told myself that I’d bring the person I love to see this place with me,” he repeats, “and that I’d propose to them right here.” 

It takes a few moments for the words to register, but once they do, Mes’ mouth falls open in surprise. From his small pouch, Thun brings out an electric incense and a pair of simple silver rings. Stunned, Mes can only watch as Thun shoots him a small smile before getting down on one knee. 

“I want to spend forever with you, P’Mes,” Thun says tenderly, sweetly, “will you do me the honor of marrying me?”   

“Thun…” he whispers, heart full and eyes watering. Even in his wildest fantasies, Mes never thought that this would happen to him—he’s a ghost that’s been dead for over twenty years, after all. But then, Thun has always had a way of exceeding all of his expectations and even now, that holds true.

Nodding, Mes cups Thun’s cheek with a trembling hand. “I would be honored to marry you,” he answers softly, “I would want nothing more, Thun.” 

Expression lighting up like the sun at his response, Thun takes Mes’ other hand and kisses his palm. He slides the ring onto the designated finger and smiles up at Mes with so much love and contentment. 

How fortunate he must be, Mes thinks, that he’s on the receiving end of this wonderful man’s love, that Mes has the honor of loving him back. 

Thun gives Mes the other ring and raises his hand. “Put it on for me?” he requests. Mes does as he’s asked, kissing Thun’s knuckles once he’s done. Thun stands up and takes both of Mes’ hands into his, quietly admiring the way the matching rings look.   

“I promise I’ll make you happy, P’Mes,” Thun declares and Mes can’t help but chuckle even as tears roll down his cheeks. He can’t remember ever being this happy before. 

“Oh Thun,” Mes assures him,“you already do. You make me so happy.” Thun grins and allows himself to be pulled down by Mes.

Mes can’t help but think that the kisses they share in that field of fully bloomed purple and gold flowers taste like sunlight and overflowing happiness.   

)+( 

The ring has become a comforting weight on his hand. 

Mes can’t help but smile in contentment every time he catches sight of the silver band. Thun is the same; his lips always curve up whenever he sees their rings. The rings may be simple in design, but they hold a much deeper meaning. They symbolize Mes and Thun’s promise to love and care for each other endlessly.  

If one followed logic, all of this would have been impossible. Logically, he would have reincarnated after finding out the reason behind his death. Logically, Thun would have gone on with his life after helping him find peace. Logically, they would have never fallen in love with each other in the first place because of their fundamental differences. 

Instead, Mes was allowed to stay. Instead, Thun wanted to spend the rest of his life together with Mes. Instead, Mes and Thun fell in love with each other in spite of their differences and only continued to fall deeper in love with each other everyday. 

As Mes leans against Thun, enjoying the soft sound of music and the chatter of Thun’s friends and Kwan at their engagement party, he thinks that perhaps love truly does have the power to override everything—how else could a ghost like him and a human like Thun have the chance to spend the rest of their lives together like a pair of ordinary lovers? It’s not supposed to be possible in any way.

Thun gazes at him tenderly and Mes smiles when Thun presses gentle kisses on his lips. 

It’s not supposed to be possible in any way, and yet here they are, taking their steps to forever. 

Notes:

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my fic! Please tell me what you think.

Have a great day ahead of you and stay safe!

[arsnovacadenza]

Lan Wangji, Sir, I’m Sorry

So, today my friend ranted about the changes in NCT Dream and how she feared that SM Entertainment might end up letting go of her favorite Chinese member to the Chinese management forever. It leads to us talking about weird marketing directions and the resulting alienation of the non-Chinese fans. 

In the middle of that conversation, I found myself coming back to that time when I criticized the danmei’s characterization of Lan Wangji and his romantic plot with WWX up to chp. 59. Needless to say, the reactions I got were rather…..curious to say the least (more on that later). 

After that painful trip down the memory lane, I decided to sit down and put into words what was it that made me stray away from Lan Wangji as a character and eventually the MDZS fandom as a whole. Now after some thought and seeing the matter through new perspectives, I’m ready to put this case to rest.

After some time away from the fandom, I began to watch the first season of the donghua, which, surprisingly endeared me to Lan Wangji’s character. It shows that, on his own, Lan Wangji actually has the potential to be a solid, complex, and relatable character (which, in my opinon, was in no small part thanks to the animation team, the show’s writers, and his outstanding voice actor). Therefore, I conclude that my troubled impression of Lan Wangji of the novels may have stemmed from factors related to the writing style (since the POV is exclusively Wang Wuxian’s) and other stuff lost in translation (although Exiled Rebels Scans’ translation was nothing but excellent), and me just being more interested in Wei Wuxian’s platonic relationships with other characters.

In any case, I understand that other fans find Lan Wangji (in any incarnation) an appealing character and a good romantic lead for Wei Wuxian. I respect their opinions because everybody deserves to be part of the fandom despite having different opinions.

But marketing-approved fandoms are where opinions and healthy discussions go to die. Especially if the producers or creators make demographic-pandering decisions that alienate portions of their fanbase. Especially if said creators micromanage what their own fans can and cannot produce (even ships, apparently). 

And everything is made worse when the majority endorses their behavior and overtakes nearly the entire fandom by driving away other camps that voice objections to those decisions. Meanwhile, the creators continue to shower fans with loads of fanservice dedicated to the remaining demographic. What results is a symbiosis that not only alienates part of their audience but also ensures that newcomers from different demographics will never feel comfortable within the fandom.

That, my friends, is my impression of the MDZS fandom —now entirely converted to WangXian hell. And my plunge into the SVSS fandom further confirms that.

You see, I’ve been following SVSS fan artists on Instagram and while they do make MDZS art once in a while, I never follow artists or artwork-stealing fan accounts that exclusively post MDZS content. Still, this doesn’t keep Instagram algorithms from flooding my explore tab with WangXian pictures and nothing else, aside from the occasional Jiang Cheng or Jing Lin fanart. Thankfully, the whole thing died down a bit once the donghua’s second season and The Untamed drama came out  (not gonna lie, I’m thankful for C-Drama and x nine fans suddenly getting involved in the fandom and making Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo content).

Last year, out of curiosity, I looked around Youtube for MDZS video essays and came back empty-handed. While there are plenty of review videos, the most views they can get is at 95K. Needless to say, I don’t recall ever seeing big-name reviewers specializing in animated series (Gigguk, Mother’s Basement, Saberspark, etc.) pick up the donghua.  Which in my opinion is baffling since it made quite a scene among the Japanese BL fandom. And then I realized something.

To sum up what I feel about the MDZS donghua’s marketing as a foreigner: it’s a BL work made for MXTX’s loyal fujo fanbase. Not the Chinese-speaking or BL fans, mind you, just MXTX’s fujo fanbase.

The post I made (which mostly addressed my problems with LWJ’s characterization up to chapter 59) led to an interesting exchange with a Vietnamese fan who attempted to refute my opinions but couldn’t because of potential spoilers. I should probably chalk it up to the misfortune of reading slow-burn romance novels (which MDZS supposedly is) with untranslated chapters, but all direct responses to my post were all from people who share the same ideas, among them a fan who has read the novel from start to finish. 

To date, no one has ever approached me directly via DMs or reblogs in the defense of Lan Wang Ji’s characterization. It could be that my post is just too irrelevant to warrant replies or reblogs by other fans, but it sure didn’t stop people from making passive-aggressive posts that in no way address the points made by me or other LWJ critics directly.  

See, this is where the author-endorsed hive mind mentality rears its ugly head. As someone who didn’t immediately buy Lan Wangji’s setup as the romantic lead found it baffling at how quickly the English-speaking fans embraced him as the perfect Seme without question. It doesn’t help that we get bombarded by promotional pictures that fans quickly translate as Wangxian fanservice.

To be fair, the English fandom is directly influenced by English and Vietnamese speaking fandoms and the official materials they translate. However, I can’t accuse them of deliberately concealing information and refusing to translate promotional materials unrelated to Wangxian, because there are little to none, apparently. Which brings us to the bigger problem at hand.

Now, I don’t know if the donghua on its own has exploded outside of Weibo or Twitter (do tell me if you know), but it certainly doesn’t circulate well enough to be picked up by foreign audiences with no prior interest in BL, which is strange because the Donghua itself doesn’t contain the same amount of homoerotic elements, unlike the novels. It could be that Tencent is trying to protect its reputation to avoid association with a novel that is sure to put them in trouble with the Chinese government. 

But why wouldn’t it garner a cult following outside of China, especially with more and more people embracing same-sex relationships in media regardless of whether or not they’re hardcore BL fans? While I understand that Western fans may have trouble accepting some aspects of MXTX’s depiction of same-sex relationships, I think that everyone can still have a good time and make great content together while respecting each person’s preferences and values—

Oh. 

Well, my friend, to quote Anita Sarkeesian:

In case you mistake me didn’t get my point, the problem is not about the acceptability of MXTX’s depiction of her couples by Western fans, it’s her fans (Western, Eastern, what have you) that’s censoring discussions brought up by other fans and then deeming said fans unfit to stay in the fandom. 

Funnily enough, people in the SVSS fandom do frequently point out things they don’t like with the main pairing or the characters themselves without facing repercussions from fellow SVSS fans. I also never hear anything about TGCF fans being banned from shipping non-canon pairings. CMIIW though.

So, to sum things up, I find the MDZS fandom uncomfortable due to MXTX and her fans acting like inquisitors whenever somebody critiques her work or simply pointing out things they simply don’t sit well with.  

Cry all you want about me not being able to comprehend MXTX Chinese values and writing style, but I’ll have you know that I’m part of the SVSS fandom where everybody acknowledges that some parts aren’t for everyone due to language barriers and cultural dissonance and that’s FINE.

Ex-MDZS enthusiast signing out.

[trishmilburn]

An Exploration of The Untamed’s Romance & Mystery, Episode 7

Disclaimer: This post and others in this series will be filled with loads of spoilers if you haven’t seen The Untamed, the Chinese drama based on Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s novel, Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation). My chief interest in doing this series as I re-watch the drama is to chronicle the development of the romance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, but I also highlight the progression of the mystery that helps bring them together. Keep in mind that I’m writing these posts with the knowledge of what’s going to happen throughout the series and having read the novel. If you’d like to read my examinations of previous episodes, links are provided at the end of this post.

On to Episode 7…

We pick up where we left off at the end of Episode 6, in the cave beneath the cold pool with Wei Ying and Lan Zhan talking with elder Lan Yi. Wei Ying asks her what happened to his grandmaster, then explains that he’s the son of rogue cultivator Cangse and that rogue cultivator Baoshan was his grandmaster. Lan Yi says that the mess she made with the Yin Metal years ago caused Baoshan to have to live in seclusion.

Lan Zhan asks Lan Yi if she beckoned him and Wei Ying into the cave, but she replies that she didn’t. Instead, in recent years the Yin Metal has been showing signs of movement and her spiritual consciousness has gotten weaker and weaker, making this possible. She says she’s afraid the resentment of the Yin Metal has polluted the water of the cold pool and thus that’s why the two of them were pulled under into the cave. Wei Ying asks her why the Yin Metal has been making movements, and she speculates it’s because the other pieces have resurfaced. At this news, Wei Ying looks at Lan Zhan and says that the cultivator they saw suffering from spirit absorption was turned into a ghost puppet by someone following the methods of Xue Chonghai.

Wei Ying asks Lan Yi if there’s another way to keep the Yin Metal from hurting humanity, but she says it’s a natural object with an earthly spirit, thus it’s impossible to completely eliminate. The only solution is to find all the pieces and eternally freeze them in the cold pool.

Lan Yi starts to fade away, and Lan Zhan bows and says he’ll undertake the task of finding the Yin Metal pieces and freezing them. Wei Ying follows suit, but Lan Zhan decides to be stubbornly standoffish again and tells him it’s a Lan Clan matter and has nothing to do with Wei Ying.  But Wei Ying says that Lan Zhan can’t stop him because he has never taken the principles of humanity and justice lightly, and because the Yin Metal issue forced his grandmaster to live as a recluse for a hundred years. He can’t sit aside and do nothing.

Lan Yi says she hopes they won’t repeat her mistakes, and when she disappears completely the Yin Metal piece falls from where it’s been slowly spinning in mid-air. In that moment the protective barrier falls as well, and an invisible wave flows out of the cave across the surrounding area. Wen Qing feels it as she’s searching the back side of the mountain, and Wen Ning feels it, his eyes going wide, as he helps search for the missing Wei Ying and Lan Zhan.

Then comes one of the more humorous parts of the entire series. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan tumble out of the side of the mountain, their wrists still tied together with Lan Zhan’s “only parents, child and wife can touch it” forehead ribbon, and Wei Ying lands on top of Lan Zhan. So this is how you get a bit of a BL moment in a show that can’t be explicitly BL because of government censorship. When Jiang Cheng and Wen Qing see them in this position, Wei Ying’s all smiley and “Hey, guys!” while Lan Zhan clenches his jaws and tells Wei Ying in no uncertain terms to get off him.

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan are surprised that outside of the cave, they’ve been missing for an entire day and night, and everyone’s been worried about them. Wen Qing mentions that their foreheads are emitting cold energy and asks what is in the mountain. (Let me pause for a moment to marvel at how fast Lan Zhan got that forehead ribbon off their wrists and once again tied properly around his head before anyone else saw the inappropriate connection between him and Wei Ying.) Smoothly covering the truth, and perhaps surprising Lan Zhan in the process, Wei Ying tells Wen Qing that the cave was filled with cold water and ice and he thought he might freeze to death. Then the little devil turns and gives Lan Zhan a grin as if to say, “See how smooth I was. You should be impressed and be my friend.”

We next see Lan Xichen playing his magical flute to calm the piece of Yin Metal that Wei Ying and Lan Zhan brought with them from the cave as they and Lan Qiren watch. Then Lan Qiren puts it in of those magical spirit-trapping bags we’ll see throughout the series. While discussing the Yin Metal and what they should do going forward, they hear and then see one of those wraith-like birds of the Wen Clan. Lan Zhan observes that the Wens attended the lecture series just for the Yin Metal. Lan Xichen says they were right to deduce that Wen Ruohan has a piece of the metal already and knew one was at the Cloud Recesses. Lan Qiren adds that this means Wen Ruohan must have had help from someone to locate the first piece.

Wei Ying tells the others that Lan Yi said the pieces of metal can sense each other, so they should use theirs to find the others. Lan Qiren disagrees and says they should seal their piece once more and put it back in the cold pool, then recreate the barrier. Lan Zhan says he fears that will be to no avail. It’s the first time we see Lan Zhan disagree with his uncle in any way, but it definitely won’t be the last or the most vehement disagreement. When Lan Zhan finally falls in love in the future, there is literally no one he won’t go up against to protect Wei Ying. But we’re not there yet.

When we see Wei Ying outside after the conversation, Nie Huaisang runs up to him and asks where he was. Wei Ying responds that the Cloud Recesses is so big that even Lan Zhan almost lost his way. After Huaisang walks away, Jiang Cheng says that Wei Ying is getting mighty close to Lan Zhan (remember, he saw them with their wrists tied together with that forehead ribbon), so much so that he might as well become a Lan disciple and not go back to Lotus Pier. Part of this is his normal poking at his “brother,” but there is likely a part of Jiang Cheng that wouldn’t mind if Wei Ying stayed behind. Then he wouldn’t have to compete with him and constantly come in second place.

Next we see Wen Chao and Xue Yang standing outside Wen Ruohan’s throne room. It’s obvious the chief cultivator doesn’t like colors other than black and red. How very on brand. They have to talk to Wen Ruohan through a big black door, and Wen Chao congratulates him because the Yin Metal has resurfaced in the Cloud Recesses. But Daddy Dearest asks why he’s congratulating him. Does Wen Chao have the piece in hand? Yeah, this guy isn’t winning any Dad of the Year awards. Wen Ruohan tells Xue Yang to go to Yueyang, a command that excites Xue Yang in that wide-eyed, “I’m going to murder some people” sort of way. Yueyang is the seat of the Chang Clan, and we’ll later see that Xue Yang has a beef with them. He reassures Wen Ruohan that he has no interest in the Yin Metal.

Then we go to another of my favorite scenes in the series, where the Lan Clan and the various visiting disciples are making paper lanterns that they’ll send up into the sky along with their prayers. While Lan Zhan is very stoically making his, Wei Ying watches him, a little smile tugging at the edge of his lips. Why does this boy not know he’s smitten? He says to Lan Zhan, “Since we’ve been through life and death experiences together, let’s release a sky lantern together to pray for blessings.” Predictably, Lan Zhan responds that he’s used to doing it by himself, which strikes me as very sad. Despite having family, Lan Zhan has been very much alone and shut off emotionally since the loss of his mother when he was very young, which we’ll find out more about later in the story. Wei Ying says that habits can change and that he made his lantern specifically for Lan Zhan. And then the most beautiful moment occurs, a small but not insignificant turning point in their relationship. Lan Zhan looks at the lantern, on which Wei Ying has drawn a bunny, and smiles. It’s not a huge smile, but it’s big considering it’s Lan Zhan. He looks genuinely stunned and happy, and it makes you think that perhaps no one has ever done anything that thoughtful for him.

Of course, Wei Ying can’t help laughing and pointing out that Lan Zhan smiled, which totally ruins the moment. Lan Zhan’s smile disappears in favor of his more usual disapproving glare as he grabs his sword. Wei Ying jumps to his feet and backs away, inadvertently setting Nie Huisang’s expensive lantern ablaze and destroying it.

When everyone else lets their lanterns float up and start making their prayers and wishes, Wei Ying says, “I wish that I can eliminate evil and protect the weak.” This is significant because not only does it foreshadow the complicated and often sad path he’s going to travel, but the unguarded look Lan Zhan gives him when Wei Ying isn’t looking shows that despite how he might act he’s developing feelings for Wei Ying. It’s more than just curiosity or a crush now; I think this is the moment he starts to fall in love. He probably doesn’t really realize it yet, is maybe even confused and fighting the truth, but it’s going to be a losing battle. These two were drawn to each other from the first moment they met, no matter how much they might fight it or think that it’s something other than what it is.

During the whole lantern scene, Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan were making eyes at each other in that shy little way they have, but when their engagement is brought up by Mian Mian and some of the other Jin disciples, Jin Zixuan’s attitude changes and he says it’s time to leave. As Mian Mian questions him about the engagement as they walk down the road, he tells her not to bring it up again because the engagement was not of his free will. Wei Ying overhears this and hates anything that might hurt his beloved sister. Next thing you know, the two are in a fight. Lan Zhan arrives and goes straight to Wei Ying, telling him to stop, and a random disciple explains why Wei Ying was defending his sister’s honor, because Zixuan was seemingly looking down on her. It takes Yanli’s arrival to get Wei Ying to back down even though she’s obviously hurt by the things that were said.

Because fighting is prohibited in the Cloud Recesses (really, what isn’t?), we next see Wei Ying kneeling in the courtyard while Zixuan is supposedly receiving the same punishment elsewhere. Lan Zhan catches him playing with ants, saying they’re cute, instead of reflecting on his wrongdoing. Next Wei Ying sees that Jiang Fengmian has arrived because he and Jin Guangshan have been summoned by Lan Qiren because the fight was over their children’s engagement. At the end of this meeting, Fengmian asks that they end the engagement since he doesn’t believe in forcing the two into a marriage that won’t make them happy. Guangshan reluctantly agrees.

After Jin Guangshan leaves, Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen tell Jiang Fengmian that the fight wasn’t the only reason they asked him to come to the Cloud Recesses. They tell him about the Yin Metal situation, and he vows to help however he can.

When Jiang Cheng tells Wei Ying that his father ended Yanli’s engagement, Wei Ying races off to see his sister because he knows she’ll be upset. Plus, he feels guilty that it’s his fault that things have come to this. When he sees how sad she looks, he floats a paper man talisman toward her to make her smile. When she comes outside and catches him, he apologizes and tells her she’ll marry a man a thousand times better than Jin Zixuan. Wrong. She loves him, and Zixuan likes her, too. He just doesn’t like being forced into things with no say, and I can understand that. Yanli then tells Wei Ying, “You will also marry a beautiful and talented female cultivator.” Wrong again, but she’d only have to change one word in that sentence for it to be right. After all, Lan Zhan is beautiful and talented.

She then tells him that since the lectures are over, they’ll be going back home to the Lotus Pier. Wei Ying looks disappointed when he says, “It has ended already?” You get the feeling that he’s talking about more than the lecture series. He must be wondering if his budding friendship with Lan Zhan is ending, too, or how long it might be before he sees him again.

Jiang Fengmian tells Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen that while on the way to the Cloud Recesses, he heard disturbing news that in the Yueyang region, some cultivation disciples were murdered with no survivors and that the killer is a young retainer of the Wen Clan with the last name Xue. Yep, looks like Xue Yang went on that killing spree he seemed so excited about.

As Jiang Fengmian, his children and Wei Ying bid the Lans farewell, he and Lan Zhan seem to be extra aware of each other and their imminent parting despite not saying anything to each other or making eye contact. When Wei Ying tries to say something to him, Jiang Cheng drags him out as Wei Ying overhears that Lan Zhan is going on a trip. Once outside, Jiang Cheng asks why with so many other disciples around, why did Wei Ying only want to say goodbye to Lan Zhan? Wei Ying replies that he looks up to Lan Zhan and then teases that he was unbeatable until he “finally met his match.” Oh, sweetie, he’s your match in more ways than fighting.

As Lan Zhan watches the Jiangs and Wei Ying depart, perhaps reluctantly and very privately wondering if he’ll ever see Wei Ying again, and quite possibly why he’d want to, Lan Xichen asks him if they should tell Wei Ying about his trip to look for the pieces of the Yin Metal. Lan Zhan says there is no need.

In the final scene, we see Wei Ying saying goodbye to the white bunnies he brought out of the cave and left to roam over a hillside at the back of the Cloud Recesses. He wonders aloud if he should take them to Lotus Pier with him, but then decides to leave them for Lan Zhan in case he gets bored. He wonders where Lan Zhan is going by himself and then seems to remember the promise Lan Zhan made to Lan Yi about finding the other pieces of the Yin Metal and can’t believe he’s going by himself. After all, Wei Ying had promised to help despite Lan Zhan telling him it was a Lan Clan matter.

So this episode had more revelations about the Yin Metal and Wen Ruohan’s devious plans, but on the bright side it also had some beautiful moments in the early development of the romance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan. We see some softening on Lan Zhan’s part. Wei Ying’s infectious personality and caring nature are making inroads in Lan Zhan’s closed-off heart. And I don’t think he quite knows what to make of Wei Ying, how he surprises him, and his own changing feelings toward this man who is so totally opposite in personality to himself. But that’s what makes you the perfect pairing, dear Lan Zhan, as you will grow to realize.

Previous posts in this series:

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

[officialkmi]

Top 5 Non-KPop Songs

(and a KPop song/artist you might like if you like these songs)

“Spark” by SBFIVE

I love “Spark.” It’s probably one of my top 5 Thai songs. It’s fun, the music video is colorful, and the boys are all really handsome. If you’re like me and enjoy a great romance drama, the boys all act in the drama 2Moons, which has announced its second season.

If you like this... Try listening to NCT 127′s “Touch.” The two have been compared for their aesthetic, which is very cheerful. Some people say “Spark” is the Thai version. I disagree in that I think Spark flows better between the members (but it’s also 5 members versus NCT. So...big difference). Both songs are really cute, though.

“Love Song” by Sekai no Owari

I’d 100% recommend watching the video for this song. The song itself is extremely haunting, but the video really draws you in. The vocals are hypnotizing and I recommend it even if you don’t like JRock. Sekai no Owari themselves have quite the musical collection of songs and have even worked with artists like Owl City.

If you like this... Try F.T.Island. While not all of their stuff compares, I’m especially reminded of “Love Love Love.” It’s an older song of theirs, but it again has that beautiful musical sound behind it and a haunting video. If you already like F.T. Island, watch the video anyway because it’s always fun to look back and be like “wow...so much time has passed.” I mean...the MV is from 2010...

“We Could Be Beautiful” by Wrabel

If I’ve done Thai and Japanese, it’s only natural I’ll include a few English songs on here. I’m always a big supporter of anything LGBTQA+, as Wrabel especially is amazing because he’s not only done songs about being gay, but also did a whole MV and song about trans youth - “The Village.” For “Bloodstain,” it’s a song that tends to speak to me because of my horrible luck with love. I also just love the sound.

If you like this song... Try Holland’s music. Holland made waves as South Korea’s first openly out gay KPop idol. His sound in songs like “I’m Not Afraid” especially reminds me of some elements of “Bloodstain.” People looking for more LGBTQA+ positive music can definitely find it in his songs.

“Bird” by Boy Sompob

Anyone who likes Thai BL dramas like I do has likely bumped into a Boy Sompob song. He’s done songs for Waterboyy (one of my favorite movies ever), Love Sick the Series, and Love by Chance. I listen to a number of his songs, but I only recently discovered “Bird,” which is a beautiful song about self love and not changing who you are.

On the YouTube page for this song, a pinned comment by the channel explains what brought Boy Sompob to write the song:

It was inspired from stories and situations that he encountered in his life. He wants to tell the stories and give everyone encouragement to love themselves and not to change themselves just because of someone. He wants everyone to realize and be proud of who they are and to cherish the freedom they have.

If you like this song... Try “5tar” by A.C.E. It’s a beautiful ballad which brings tears to my eyes while I listen to it. Whenever I’m feeling down, I typically will listen to “5tar,” “Epiphany” by BTS (Jin solo), “Just Right” by GOT7, and “Answer: Love Myself” by BTS. All of those songs help to lift my mood, just like “Bird” will do as well now that I’ve fallen in love with it.

“Walk Slowly” by Timmy Xu

I’ve including English, Thai, and Japanese. Now...I think it’s only natural a Chinese song makes its way on. For those who don’t know, “Walk Slowly” is a song which is performed by Timmy Xu/Xu Weizhou - one of the actors in the series “Addicted (Heroine).” I wanna say the show never got its second season because China banned depictions of gay people on television.

they kinda got around that with an unofficial conclusion through the two version of the “Walk Slowly” MV - my favorite of which is the one I linked. We never really got to see these two progress too far in the series and I’m not sure if they even progress further in the novel (It’s on my to-read list...I swear. I just hate reading).

The song itself is a beautiful ballad, and no one can deny the beauty in Timmy Xu’s voice. It really makes me want to cry just listening to it. It’s a beautiful song that I recommend if you haven’t heard it yet.

If you like this... Try “Lover” by Kevin Oh. There are two reasons for this. 1) It’‘s a beautiful ballad with beautiful vocals. Absolutely gorgeous and pleasing to the ears. It’s so difficult for me not to cry, as he’s so good at conveying his emotions. 2) The MV also features a gay storyline. However, this one isn’t nearly as happy as the one shown in “Walk Slowly.” While “Walk Slowly” shows the two progressing further, “Lover” is the heartbreak as the relationship comes to its end.

[cafeleningrad]

☕ Boys' Love & Girls' Love

The anon asking about GL & BL tea meant manga genres, only afterwards they realized it might be a confusing question ^.^

Hi anon, no problem at all. Happens to me or time than I can count so you’re in good company ;) (And mostly it’s due me forgetting to check my typos... DX)

Your question brought  me back some early teenage nostalgia To be quiet honest, I don’t have many opinions on the genre, but some thoughts on why I do enjoy the genre quiet a bit. Not passionately, not actively seeking out but I think I do like it.

The genres are rooted in manga and anime which are nothing special but another medium in which stories are told in a comic style - albeit be it a medium heavily influenced by conventions and story tropes from the country in which these mediums originated. I any medium there’re extraordinary, mediocre, forgettable, charming, cashgrab, hit or miss works. the stories are to varied in content and quality to paint them with the same brush.

Usually romance is a genre I generally avoid as from Western writers because reading about individuals I don’t care, even less so in a common dynamics, make me feel like having wasted time and energy. However, i caught myself enjoying a lot of romance anime and manga. Maybe perhaps because most manga romance stories are focused on putting characters first which I think is the key to working romance stories. I, the reader, must care for the individuals first and anticipating what dynamic might come out of personalities matching/clashing.

Especially for BL/GL they were ice companions during my teenage years. Admittedly, I was missing a lot of GL offer in my time because the best and most explicit was Utena - which is a great anime although a bit much for a twelve year old. (Oh god, has anyone beside me watched Kannzuki no Miko? Lesbian mecha anime because I was this desperate for GL content.) Anyway, the offer for GL grew massively over the past year which I note as a positive. Overall, my library did actually offer LGBTQA+ themed literature but many teenage-audience-targeted books were about coming out etc. which is helpful first but at some point I wanted to read indulgent stories without the known drama. B and GL had the strength of general romance writing in manga, were cute, romantic but same sex which was simply yet effectively refreshing.

Further, I noticed a trend in the genre, merely by having a look over the shelves how more and more titles are discussing LGBTQA+ themes more seriously (if I’m not mistaken Qualia under snow features an explicitly asexual main character), or more grounded, featuring an array of men in same sex relationships who’re burly, chubby, or not pretty to the common bi-shounen image. This could be me cherry picking impressions and drawing wild conclusions, so correct if I’m wrong but I think, more writers are becoming more open to discuss the wide variety of sexualities and more serious topics in the genre as well - which I think is a positive for writers as well as for readers.

send me a ☕️ and a topic and I’ll talk about how i feel about it  

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 4/2/18

ACCA 13-Territory Inspection Department, Vol. 2 | By Natsume Ono | Yen Press – I’m not entirely certain how seriously I should be taken the plotting against the crown here, or indeed the crown’s own attempts to overthrow ACCA. It does seem like Jean has no shortage of people who hate him and want to see a) his department obliterated and b) him arrested for treason. The trouble, of course, being he’s not actually plotting any sort of coup. In fact, he seems to be doing his job more because he has the hots for his superior officer more than anything else, although that’s as much of a lost cause as his own junior who has a crush on him. ACCA is a great series to read, but I don’t think I quite feel the sense of ominous danger I’m meant to. It needs a corpse or two. – Sean Gaffney

Battle Angel Alita: Deluxe Edition, Vol. 2 | By Yukito Kishiro | Kodansha Comics – Having previously read only a portion of the sequel/alternate ending Last Order (parts of which I greatly enjoyed although as a whole the series didn’t overly impress me), I never quite understood the immense popularity of Battle Angel Alita. But now, thanks to the deluxe, hardcover edition from Kodansha Comics, the original manga is back in print in English and I finally get it. The series is terrific, with an appealing lead, intense action sequences, and a striking and visually imaginative cyberpunk setting. The story of the second omnibus (most closely equivalent to the third and fourth volumes), turns to the dangerous and deadly sport of Motorball. After a tragic end to her first romance, Alita leaves behind her life as a bounty hunter to become a rising star of the game. Her search for identity continues as she strives to find purpose and meaning in who she is. – Ash Brown

A Centaur’s Life, Vol. 14 | By Kei Murayama | Seven Seas – I’ve said this before, but the longer this series goes on, and the less the main cast appear in it, the more I suspect that the anti-war story with the frogs that he has going on is the story he really wanted to tell, only he had to write about 7-8 volumes of fanservicey monster girl antics in order to get the series so popular he could get away with it. This is not to say we don’t still see Hime and company, or that there’s not fanservice—just look at the first chapter. But there’s more and more of the warfare in this book, and as it goes on it’s becoming clear that the participants being centaurs or frogs or angels is irrelevant to war being hell for all concerned. Easily the strangest monster girl series coming out these days. – Sean Gaffney

The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Vol. 11 | By Aya Shouoto | VIZ Media – Anyone expecting any sort of evolution of Aoi and Himari’s relationship in the wake of his confession at the end of volume nine will be disappointed, since here we are in volume eleven and the gang is primarily focused on getting control of a spreading darkness at the back of Momochi House. Himari is learning more about what happened to the previous Nue(s) and what fate might await Aoi, too, but for the most part this volume just has a lot of battles between Aoi and his immediate predecessor, whose body has been resurrected by his one of his shikigami. I appreciated the BL vibes I got from them during their final panel, but otherwise this volume was a trifle meh. – Michelle Smith

Flying Witch, Vol. 5 | By Chihiro Ishizuka | Vertical Comics – There actually is some plot development here, as Makoto is starting to get jobs, though the job amounts to ‘babysitting.’ More importantly, Chinatsu has been watching witches and magic for some time, and apparently her body is allowing her to use mana now, meaning… she can become a witch! For the moment that just amounts to squirting people with water, but I’m sure that the series is going to have a lot more to do with this going forward. Other than that, and the affirmation that there really is not going to be any romance in this series, even one-sided, thankyouverymuch, and that it is content to have chapters like “try to cure hiccups.” For fans of Yotsuba&! and similar series. – Sean Gaffney

Golden Kamuy, Vol. 4 | By Satoru Noda | Viz Media – There is… a bit less gore this time around, though that’s mostly relative. In fact, at times the genre of Golden Kamuy seems to be switching with every volume, as this time it’s turning into a political thriller, as there’s a lot more focus about what to do with the gold once it’s found, as well as showing off that the comedy relief character, while still funny, may be a bit less goofy than we expected. But rest assured there’s also lots of what brought people to Golden Kamuy in the first place—cooking wild anmals, lots of discussion of poop, and the occasional bloody death and cool action shot. Also, please do not let your heroine get kidnapped by eagles. She is far too valuable. Thank you. – Sean Gaffney

Kiss & White Lily for My Dearest Girl, Vol. 5 | By Canno | Yen Press – Another volume, another relationship, this one featuring the classic forgotten childhood friend. Sawa and Itsuki are entertaining on their own, but there’s no real drama as to whether or not they’ll get together The best part is that Sawa takes a while to struggle with “oh, yeah, I guess I do like her this way,” rather than having an immediate epiphany like some other couples we’ve seen. We also get more attention devoted to the main couple, as we see Ayaka dealing with her Education Mama and her frustration at not being able to be number one… even if she’s not sure that should be her goal anymore. This is not the best yuri manga out there, but it’s pretty solid overall. – Sean Gaffney

Twinkle Stars, Vol. 5 | By Natsuki Takaya | Yen Press –Twinkle Stars, Vol. 5 | By Natsuki Takaya | Yen Press – And so, Twinkle Stars comes to a sometimes painful, sometimes lovely close. Just when Chihiro has finally accepted his feelings for Sakuya, he gets a surprise phone call from Sakura, who has actually been awake for some time. He’s afraid that she’ll try to kill herself again unless he shows her what he learned from Sakuya—that kindness and warmth are not an illusion—and so he chooses to leave for Tokyo to be by her side. Not before Sakuya realizes that he’s in love with her, though—in a majorly tear-inducing scene!—and not without telling Sakura that he can’t consider her his girlfriend anymore because he’s fallen in love with someone else. There’s a lot of self-sacrificing going around, including Sakura eventually realizing that she alone can make Chihiro happy… by setting him free. This was such a great series and I look forward to rereading it in the future. – Michelle Smith

Wake Up, Sleeping Beauty, Vol. 3 | By Megumi Morino | Kodansha Comics – Well, that cliffhanger from the last volume went nowhere fast. Instead, we deal with Tetsu’s love of soccer, and the fact that various circumstances led him to leave the team despite that love. This has not sat well with some friends of his, and Shizu and her ghosts end up being dragged into things in order to get him to reconcile with the team. This is pretty heartwarming, and also shows us that Shizu is getting better at being herself when she’s outside, even if the ghosts still occupy her body much of the time. We’re now halfway through the series, and I suspect things may get a little more serious towards the end, so it’s nice to see something like this that is serious yet easily solvable. Also, Shizu’s cute. – Sean Gaffney

By: Michelle Smith