#opinions on bl manhwas

[lovefrombegonia]

Had to stop myself from being a toxic stan coz...I read a twitter post about how [*name of the bl manhwa that i do personally like*] has the best plot and storyline, and has the best art...AND I HAD TO STOP MYSELF FROM JUST COMMENTING "BUT HAVE YOU READ THE TURNING MANHWA?!" LMAO XD

KishYu has me in a chokehold, my brothers and sisters...

But on a serious note, that manhwa does have a fantastic plotline. No doubt. Definitely one the best storylines. Also, about the art style. The manhwa in question has the most aesthetically beautiful art style I have ever seen. Like, I can say without a doubt that objectively, this manhwa has one the most beautiful artworks ever... but... ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, I do like artstyle of some other manhwas more. Again, this is about my subjective taste. I prefer the art style of POTN and Dangerous Convenience Store more, (especially, POTN...like goddamn...), not because I think the artstyles are superior, it is coz their artstyles appeals to ME more. I FEEL like that the latter ones have more character. Again, this is my SUBJECTIVE OPINION. I am not an artist nor a writer. I got a pea brain, and these are my pea brain's opinions.

[pan-gaa]

My problem with the BL industry -part 1-

Where do we draw the line?

I want to start this by saying I myself have been a BL fan for many years, I just want to share my thoughts on the issues cultivated by this industry in the eyes of a queer man. I want to focus on the sexualization of “toxic” more so abusive relationships that are portrayed. Because the manwha Jinx is one of the most popular BLs at the moment and it fits as an example of my point, I’ll be speaking a little bit about it.

What was the purpose of the BL genre? Well for women it was a media that served as escapism since most mature media was very much male oriented. Women could not feel connected to the characters portrayed only to please men’s disturbing fantasies. Between the impossible body standards and the clear lack of regard for the woman autonomy it isn’t a surprise that women felt quite disconnected from 18+ media. That’s when an adult genre came to fruition, 18+ media for women by women but no woman was portrayed in these stories in fact the main focus was relationships between 2 men. The disconnect from societal pressures helped woman enjoy 18+ content without feeling guilt or disgust. But how a genre created to disconnect toxic attributes in media became just that but for another demographic? Now the people on the other end of this discomfort are queer people, not only gay men. Romanticizing dangerous power dynamics, dubious consent, sexualizing toxic stereotypes,infantilization ect. The list goes on of all real life issues that the queer community deal with but are nothing but entertainment within this genre.

Not all BLs are bad! Im very aware since again I am quite the fan of some but this is more me criticizing the industry per se. The problem is that toxicity sells, what companies want is to sell and that opens the doors for people to make more toxicity for whatever their reasons. All that moves us to where we are today were we have one the most popular current themes being Stockholm syndrome and how it is hot. I’ve been seeing myself how I have been dropping more series than I have finished, I kept getting hit with more and more of this toxic clichés. It was like I was playing bingo and hoping I didn’t win, I would get so excited for stories that did the bare minimum and yet those were hard to find which has made my current experience quite exhausting. Of course I’m no longer the teen who would let anything pass because “hot characters” and even more hot scenes but now as an adult that just doesn’t cut it anymore. Showing toxic situations in media on its own is not the problem but it is the context in which they are shown, these are not cautionary tales but “love stories” the intent is for you to root for those characters. Not only is the relationships an issue but the way they portray queer people overall, the disrespect for bisexual people, trans people and lesbians in some of these stories is quite appalling since these are suppose to be queer stories. I think this says a lot about the industry and some of the artists involved, before it could maybe be used as an excuse the lack of knowledge but to me that no longer holds in the age of the internet.

Now I’ll like to mention one of the stories I’ve personally been a little tired of seeing, Jinx. I was quite interested in the manwha when it was announced, as I’ve mentioned before I’m all about the visuals and seeing the improvement of the artist was endearing. I’m aware the BL is still ongoing but I have read BJ Alex which can add a little context on how the artist manages their stories. This is not a personal diss on the artist or those who are reading the story, I just think with all these kinds of popular stories we gotta ask ourselves, Where do we draw the line? Jinx is your typical story of the protagonist being someone that went thru trauma and has to spent their whole life trying to pay some insane debt, then comes the romantic interest being a famous rich person with an unchecked personality disorder that takes advantage of the power dynamic and uses the protagonist to his convenience. It is quite an overdone premise and in this story we see it as a black listed physical therapist and a famous athlete, the protagonist Dan appears to act like an Angel while Jaekyung keeps bullying him and using him for other acts. The story so far has been quite literally only this, and you see in the comments people hoping for a redemption arc for Jaekyung, at some point in this story readers have to realize that a good ending would be Dan leaving this situation but unfortunately I don’t have much hope for that. Jinx is not the only story doing this but it is one of the most popular at the moment, we also have stories like Painter Of The Night which is literally the love story between a kidnapper and his victim.

BL is a genre that can be enjoyed by anyone yet it seems like lately it can become queer stories but not for queer people but more so toxic fantasies put onto another group of people that also have to fight for their own respect. It’s perfectly fine to enjoy good ol 18+ media that is morally grey or maybe somewhat toxic but when an industry gains so much money on portraying real issues as unserious fantasies so continuously, I think it’s time we ask ourselves as the readers; When is it too much? When does it get disrespectful to the people it’s portraying? Where do we draw the line?

[pearlboybby]

calling him a red flag is like calling jaekhyung a green flag. wtf how stupid can you be?

sorry for bad wording . “but what he did to the twins!” the incestuous twins who kidnapped and tortured jooha? they kind of had that coming in a way, despite how gross it was. (not defending it, but im not defending them either, theyre still evil) it’s still nasty behavior but it’s not like the twins did any better.

and dont the twins work for pilwon? anyone who willingly associates with that monster sucks.

[muffin-0]

Jinx

Tbh I kinda want jinx to end as an angst bcs after chapter 45 I don't think Joo having any kind of redemption arc can help . Joo doesn't deserve my man Dan but I can't blame Joo either either bcs Dan just got his boss a present and he told him to 'shove it' (we all know where) and my man's first reaction was to confess like ?? At this point this better be an angst or do some heavy redemption from Joo and make him a green flag. If this ends like this then it'll be disappointing. Also I'm gonna ignore the toxicity since manwha has pretty much normalized it by now.

[arise-somehero]

Love or Hate ° Yaoi/Love triangle

(Complete)

(Abridged: The mc loves the actor step brother but can't express himself due to pressure of the industry also because their relationship was ruined causing the divorce of their parents. And uhh the best character is the photographer)

Score: 92/100 fuck you author-nim, I hate you for doing that.

[reblogsssss]

Tbh i agree with this opinion

I think Horus is also a red flag- just not as much as Osiris (hate that dude)

I see where the fandom is coming from to even make this ship but its just really unhealthy and hes acting too possessive to call it love (like u said)

It also doesnt justify his actions- like i think he almost raped Seth once in season 1? Thats def not what someone whos got a healthy mind set would think

Oh and i absolutely agree that all his love interests r trash- Seth is better off being single or smth

(I cut this short since im pretty sure that u dont want to see a long text)

Unpopular Opinion on Ennead

Honestly i'll never understand the appeal of Horus x Seth to the Ennead Fandom

Like im not surprised if the two of them are the main paring but at the same time, it's way better if they didn't ended up together

Horus is WAYYYY too obsessed, possesive and infatuated with Seth, i know a lot of people say his in love with him but for me personally his way to obsessed to him that idk if it can be considered as "love"

Ngl his feelings towards seth gave me the same vibes as what osiris felt about seth.. But horus is less.. Disturbing..? Ig.. Not a lot of rapey stuff

I get Horus is genuinely an attractive men im not gonna deny that, cause im not that blind... But if the series ended or something i genuinely want that man to stay away from Seth.. Like his feelings towards him are definitely not Healthy

Like it gives me mixed feelings

In season one... He kinda wanted to be Seth's son.. I think?? And then wanted to fuck him???

Ok fine i know some of you are gonna say the "Their Gods so It's valid since their entire bloodline is a circle and seth's parents are siblings just like seth's wife is his sister"

But again... Horus feelings towards Seth is completely Unhealthy and Toxic.. At this point im not even surprise if he chooses his fucking uncle over the well being of Egypt

(Yes ik this post is not gonna get any likes or replies since the Ennead fandom is probably dead)

[absolutebl]

Because your opinion means a lot: Any chance you feel like sharing 5 upcoming BLs you're most excited about and why? And maybe as a bonus, something you think many BL watchers will love but that you will hate?

Ooooo, how exciting what a fun one. You sure you want this from me? I have very odd taste.

The 5 Upcoming BLs I'm Most Excited About

(this forced me to put together the 2024 Announced BLs list which is coming soon)

1 Spare Me Your Mercy

Increased rates of deaths in terminal patients has a police captain investigating the palliative care doctor with whom he's fallen in love. Their relationship deepens but the mystery persists, driven by mistrust.

Why? It's adapted from the novel Euthanasia by Sammon (Triage, Manner of Death) but more important, it stars some old guard BL actors: Tor Thanapob from Hormones as the doctor and (fuck me YES) Jaylerr from Great Men Academy and goddamn Grean Fictions as the captain!

2 Wandee Godday

GMMTV and AllThis Entertainment producing a very pulp offering with new pair, GreatInn doing high heat, boxer meets surgeon. It features a one night stand, fake relationship, and all the cheesiest of tropes. Also features Drake, Podd, and Thor+ pretty boy (be still my heart).

Why? This is totally my kind of BL even if it isn't GMMTV's style of BL, and it's GREAT, so I'm in.

3 The Next Prince (ZeeNew)

Domundi brings us more ZeeNew in a fantasy/historical set in a palace where Zee plays a knight and Nu a prince - YES PLEASE.

Why? I did not expect this pair to stick so I really hope this happens. Give us the Little Pink Riding Milk BL we deserve!

4 Lover Merman

Fantasy BL about a man who falls in love with a merman.

Why? I don't think it will be good but I LOVE merfolk.

5 Me and Who

Domundi for WeTV brings this adaptation of Wickedwish’s novel of the same name. It depicts a young man who dies and is reborn into the body of a billionaire heir. The heir happens to be engaged to a handsome man.

Why? I flipping LOVE this trope but I never expected to see it drive a BL.

10 I am cautious of but VERY intrigued

JAPAN'S Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka

From YTV releasing 1/11 about Soga, who, after a divorce and relocation to Osaka, seeks solace in dining at 26-year-old Sakae's restaurant. Unbeknownst to Soga, Sakae sees him as more than just a regular customer.

TAIWAN's Love For Love's Sake

Based on the Manhwa Love Supremacy Zone by Hwacha, this will star actors Lee Tae Vin, Cha Jun Wan, Oh Min Su and Cha Woon Ki. The plot of the drama is based on Tae Myung Ha, a young man who is dropped into a game based off of a novel that he knows. His mission is to make another player, Cha Yeo Woon happy. Cha Yeo Woon is Myung-Has favourite character in the novel. But then the game starts going completely different from the novel.

City of Stars AKA Fueangnakorn

Star Hunter started filming this 12/23 about an actor falls in love with a programmer and the narrative intends to “explore the ramifications of being public figure in the social network era who must endure critics, bullying, and defamation.” Looks like another Lovely Writer, Call It What You Want sort of thing.

My Stand-In AKA My Stand In

Chinese IP ALERT! Adapted from the novel Professional Body Double (职业替身) by Shui Qiang Cheng (水千丞) stars Up (Lovely Writer) and Poom (Bake Me Please).

OMG Vampire AKA OMG! Vampire (LeeFrank)

Frank and Lee Long Shi are back only vampires now. So many vampires.

The Rebound (MeenPing)

VIU Basketball based romance staring Meen (a national basketball player, so yay for that).

We Are (PondPhuwin)

GMMTV's university friendship Bl featuring PondPhuwin, WinnySatang, AouBoom, MarcPawin - basically ALL in the good kind of messy friendship group (so more My Engineer and less Only Friends). Looks a bit like the Kiss series but everyone is gay. I'm IN! Trailer here.

Love Upon a Time (NetJames)

Domundi announced for 6/7/2023 then delayed to 2024. NetJames in a historical BL! Also feat Tonnam (Dr Sing from Triage).

Jack & Joker (YinWar)

DeHup brings us be gay, do crimes. Yin, War, Mark and a few other familiar faces doing Leverage but gayer. Yes, thank you, I will have that.

My Love Mix-Up Thai Remake (GemniForth)

GMMTV. Hum, well I do love this pair and I did like the original and maybe this time these characters will actually kiss? I'm actually fine with this pick-up. I kind of enjoy seeing different countries remake the same IP. Especially if it's IP I'm mostly unfazed by.

[dinadumas]

Hiiii~

Dear novels lovers, I sincerely want to recommend you one of the best works I've read. So if at the moment you are in search of something interesting don't pass by!

This novel actually has a manhwa with the same title, so if you're not interested in the novel you can find and read the manhwa! It does not have any plot discrepancies from the original.

"Turning" by Kuyu (쿠유).

It's a novel in the bl, fantasy, and omegaverse genre.

Wait wait. Those who now thought that the omegaverse is not interesting or poorly written, you are sorely mistaken! The novel itself doesn't pay that much attention to this genre, so you won't feel any discomfort while reading it! I even forgot about this genre at times. (Although most of the hot scenes are related to it, but you'll be satisfied, I promise.)

There are approximately 970 chapters in the original, and 305 are available in English (free).

If you are already a bit interested, please read the description first~

Yuder was a commoner Omega who rose to the top with his ability.

When he woke up again after being falsely accused and executed, he was back 11 years ago before everything began.

He must not repeat the same mistake he did before.

A chance to get back……

To survive, and to save the world, now he had to save the man he had killed!

Are you more interested? Jesus, I love you already. Keep going!

If you want to hear the opinion of someone who has already read all the chapters available in English, @armed-teddy-bear answered some questions especially for you!

Q : Dear reader, please tell us what you liked most about the novel "Turning" by Kuyu?

Teddy : It’s hard to pinpoint a single part of it, since all of it is perfect in my eyes. The characters are well-written and never act like walking tropes with no common sense, the worldbuilding is one of the best I’ve ever seen, the intrigues are taking and all well-linked together to form an enduring mystery and drama that, as of 300 chapters, is still just as interesting…

If I really had to pick, I would say the relationship between the two protagonists is honestly a high point. Heavily influenced by the past only Yuder can remember, it still manages to progress naturally while never having a boring moment. Every scene where the two of them interacted became one of my favorites.

In short, I would say: If you think you’ve read a novel like this before, no you haven’t. In my opinion, this novel is the best you could achieve in the genre of rebirth/time travel.

Q : Do you think the omegaverse genre is ruining the novel?

Teddy : It’s not a problem to me at all. But there are a lot of people who are uncomfortable with it. I don’t understand why exactly, but it’s like that.

On the contrary, I think the way Turning handles it makes it even more interesting. It hasn’t played too much into the story that far, so it could even be ignored by people who don’t like it, but I think it adds to the story quite a bit by adding more worldbuilding to the “awakeners” characters and the powers of this world.

The reason given for why it happened in universe is also good in my opinion. 👍

So it’s a complete OK for me!

Q : Can you highlight any flaws in the novel?

Teddy : I became the number one fan overnight. In my eyes, Turning can do nothing wrong.

But if I try to see it from someone else’s eyes… Maybe the length would be too long for someone else. You have to wait 200 chapters for the main couple to kiss for the first time, and at times you see characters and situations being set up.. and then you don’t see them begin to unfold for another 50 chapters!

There’s also a very, very large cast of characters, some of them named only to never properly appear… although that can also be seen as a quality! The novel feels very realistic and profound thanks to this, as allies and antagonists fade in and out of the storyline in accordance to the plot, never overstaying their welcome or standing uselessly in the background of a scene.

The supporting cast is also characterized and explored, even if they don’t stay for long, meaning that every character is inherently interesting. It’s thanks to this length in chapters and depth in characters that the novel gains in worldbuilding and intrigue with each new chapter.

Q : Please tell potential readers why they should not pass by this novel?

Teddy : Not reading Turning means passing by a novel that can and will satisfy anyone!

If you don’t like romance, then you’ll find your happiness in the worldbuilding, magic systems, and political plots.

And if you don’t like worldbuilding, magic systems, and political plots… well, think again! I thought I didn’t like those either before, but reading Turning, I found myself on the edge of my seat with every word. Everything is explained clearly and logically when it comes to intrigue, making it easy to understand and all the more interesting — but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in emotions either! This novel masterfully meshes both plot and character building, making each moment count.

But most importantly, you’ll miss reading the developing relationship between Yuder and Kishiar, which I think is the biggest appeal of all. I’ve never rooted for a couple more in my life. Despite a past together filled with pain, they still manage to be one of the healthiest and most sincere relationships I’ve read in a long time.

So, to whoever is listening, please read Turning. You definitely won’t regret it.

Wow if you read to the end we really appreciate it! Thank you for your attention.

Please read Turning~

[hellenic1864]

Turning by Kuyu

okay. I acknowledge the fact that I wasn’t expecting much when I started reading Turning. Just out of desperation since the manhwa was still at early stages and I ended up on the novel. I was kinda expecting disappointed (bad experience with to novels) and was sceptical about the absolutely humongous amount of chapters.

Even as I started reading it, it felt a little boring and slow paced (mostly due to being used to Fast and Furious(tm) in bl romance), but I gradually started to enjoy how Kuyu-nim developed their characters. In all the instances of reading novels, one thing had remained the same for me: not being able to remember the side-characters. Obviously, this time it was different. Even the most insignificant character showed development as the story progressed, something which I really loved and am wholly invested in. And soon enough I found that I started to crave for even more chapters to read. Finished 1/4th of the tl in two days, three weeks to catch up. Not a moment passed when I felt the need to drop it due to bad plot OR bad to (kudos to the translators).

I almost couldn’t believe it was omegaverse. The fetishisation of the a/b/o trope in many novels wasn’t present here. Then comes the world building. Like TOTCF, this novel has mages, swordsmasters and divine power users, along with the author’s personal inclusion of ‘awakeners’, all of which Kuyu-nim has masterfully balanced and structured.

That aside, the political intrigue in this novel has been a major highlight, since the mc’s and ml’s shenanigans in this sphere (especially ml’s) has been an absolute delight. While in the power sphere, the mc’s fights are engaging.

I could rant all day, but to all those who are apprehensive of starting reading this, lemme tell you I am 89% sure it’ll get famous when the manhwa catches up. Early readers gonna get the perks. Please, please read this novel. Show all your support, cuz in my humble opinion, I have stumbled upon a masterpiece I place right beside Little Mushroom in standards and way above mdzs, svsss and maybe even tgcf in comparison

[diegamerdie]

Those tropes exist and are romanticized in m/f media (steamy novels as an example/or even hentai)

BL simply rarely gets enough viewership to actually garner the controversy m/f romance does.

consider the fact that "BL/yaoi has a precedent of being written by women for women, and with that tend to romanticize tropes that are usually considered toxic in m/f media because it's instead being acted between two men" and "the assumption that any piece of media (whether described as BL/yaoi or not) coming from countries like japan, china, or korea that includes a relationship between two men automatically suffers from this issue and european/american media with gay relationships don't and are better somehow is just straight up racist" are statements that can and should coexist

[pan-gaa]

My problem with the BL industry -part 2-

The decrease of media literacy and understanding of intent.

"Who cares? Its all fiction anyways." Is a statement seen a lot when encountering discourse on the ethics of some media. This statement is seen as a fixed all for some people when defending their interests and characters or media that can be considered quite questionable. But is it really true? Is all fiction safe from criticism on their morals or showcasing of sensitive topics? Well in my opinion no, and ill be yapping about how massive this problem is on the BL industry and fanbase.

This is when media literacy comes into play and show how important it is to understand it. A lot of the time when this is needed is to understand the intent of the creator. The intent of the creator seems hard to pin point but we can get a pretty good idea by how they showcase these scenes and situations. In a lot of criticism towards some of the top BLs in the recent years is that it romanticizes abuse and toxic relationships. Of course the issue we most have is not that these stories showcase these real issues, its that there is no real consequence on the abuse, the stories are written with a "happy ending". The abuser gets the victim in the end most of the time after a "redemption arc", so what does the intent tell the reader? When you see these types of relationships you root for the redemption arc of the person at fault? Victims should just get used to it because their toxic partner is attractive? It might seem like a stretch and dramatic when I say it like this but I invite people to always question what intent is being portrayed in the story.

Of course just because something bad is shown, it doesn't mean it is supporting it. That's why media literacy is very important when consuming any type of media, its about understanding what message is being portrayed under that intent. Whether it was the creator's intention or not, it is important to bring up these criticisms specially when its media consumed by so many types of people. Another example I wanna share is not only the intent in the writing but also in the art of the work. I'm gonna use Painter of the Night and Killing Stalking as examples, both show situations of kidnapping, of course one leans more towards horror than the other but that just earns it even more criticism. Both somehow showcase something in similar way, the intimate scenes, long and detailed intimate scenes. Multiple angles, frames and poses, reminiscent of media that is made to be enjoyed. Its not only the fact that these scenes were drawn but how, what was the intent on showcasing these characters in difficult situations but still drawn the exact same way as the media created to be enjoyed. Of course both of these stories had different endings but I think the intent interpreted by how they were drawn can be reflected on the type of fandom that has been attracted.

There are more examples that you see once you start to question the intent that is being shown in these stories. People interpret these differently and shape it to their liking, that's why I think there is quite a big problem with media literacy lately. Again, I myself have been a BL consumer for many years and this is all my personal opinion so take what I say with a grain of salt.

[pesedjet]

hi guys. i know my entire blog is like. ancient egypt based. and thats because ancient egypt is my number one special interest. but you also know whats my number two special interest? ennead.

like idgaf if you dont like ennead. like genuinely. that is your own personal opinion. i, some random fuckass on the internet, is not here to tell you that you should like ennead. it deals with very heavy topics that i, myself, find uncomfortable.

however.

it is also apparent that some of you guys havent read ennead. which, ynknow. is fine. you do not need to read things that make you uncomfortable. however, i think the discussion about whether or not ennead is a good "kemet mythology" interpretation would be benefited if you guys read—nay, skimmed—over a good chunk of s1. or hell, even looked outside of the mythology/religion aspect and into the bl biosphere as a whole.

why is x character light skinned? because that was mojito's artistic interpretation. also, light-skinned bottoms paired with a larger, buffer dark-skinned top is a very prevalent trope in bl/yaoi. why is ra a woman? because shes based off raet-tawy, the feminine form of ra. why is osiris the bad guy? because that was mojito's interpretation. why is rape (towards seth) so heavily prevalent in ennead? because the men in seth's life saw him as a mere object, and the repeated assault not only reinforces the toxic masculinity osiris has pushed onto him, but also that he is worth nothing. unfortunately, it is integral to his character in ennead (as we seen in s2-ep107, the only person who treated him as a person and not as a body to fuck is horus).

ENNEAD IS NOT SUPPOST TO BE A 100% INTERPRETATION OF THE EGYPTIAN MYTH. MOJITO HAS LITERALLY SAID THAT. the more yall harp about the "inconsistencies" (that are very much artistic interpretation on mojitos part), the more i want to rip out my hair. (in my opinion,) ennead also has one of the better ancient egyptian god designs that arent mecha/bulky/extremely pop-culture based. is it better than more personal interpretation of the gods? no, it cant beat that. but the fact you guys think its orientalism drives me nuts.

edit: also, i should add—it's much funner to digest ennead if you dont view it from the lenses of bl but instead some really slowburn mystery type of shit. dont discredit mojito, shes put a lot of work and love into the series (hell, the hieroglyphs in the manhwa are literally translatable) not for you bitches to go "actually, this shit fucking sucks"

[olderthannetfic]

Odd request for this blog, maybe, but this feels like a welcoming place with many different kinds of people. Does anyone have any recommendations for fiction (preferably books, tv shows, or manga/hwa)? I've been trying and failing to find good recommendations from random blogs on tumblr, but everything feels a bit too sanitized. I've found myself drawn to characters like Lestat and Louis, Griffith, Irako Seigen, Seth (bl manhwa ENNEAD), Sephiroth, MK (Trigun), Miyamoto Musashi, Thorfinn, Johan (Monster), and Reinhard (LoGH). I'm not sure what all these characters have in common, but there's something about them I just find engaging. Any recommendations at all would be great, if possible.

--

I don't know enough of these characters to have an opinion.

[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.

[danmeichael]

Top 10 BL's you've read for 2024?

the top in this 10 is "off the top of my head", tbh. i also didn't list ten, and these aren't in any particular order. these also aren't my all time favorites (necessarily. i think a couple on this list qualify)

Anotoki Kara Sukidattanda to Omo (and its sequel)

here's the thing: this bl is not good and most people aren't going to like it. it is schlocky, messy, and melodramatic, it's borderline surreal, extremely absurd, relentlessly horny, and it has the pacing of a tiktok edit to an early 100 gecs song set to 150% speed. very prototypical in a lot of ways, one of the most unique bl i've ever read in others. an absolute fever dream. but it's one of those things i read at just the right time, and there's something about it that means a lot to me. it's first so you understand how esoteric my taste gets right off the bat and have 0 expectations for anything else i put on this list. also some cws for this one so like you can dm me if you want to know.

Reunion (by 2coin and deulsum)

something you need to know about me is i really love manhwa that people think is boring and by god reunion is that bitch. long-winded, gently achy character study with identity porn. it's shockingly lowkey, grounded, and comforting to read for it's initial premise... that being "poor guy with terminally ill mother poses as the dead grandchild of a rich terminally ill old dude's nanny in order to pay for his mom's treatment and his brother's schooling and oh no there's this mean chaebol grandson who is obsessed with him except it's 7 years later and the chaebol grandson has amnesia and gives his boss a briefcase of cash to buy him" you'll see what i mean when you read it, it's really actually good. you'll like it if you like quiet slowburns.

Eat Your Heart Out (by Samak Satang and AI_tuner)

do you like scalies? do you like amazing worldbuilding? do you like plotlines about social class and eugenics? do you like yandere older brothers? do you like aggressive bottoms who are slutty and insufferable? do you like 2 and a half foot long dicks? boy do i have a one of a kind manhwa for you. eat your heart out was an unexpected delight right from the start due to it's amazing art and character design. but then i got to know helm and i fell deeply, deeply in love. he is just so fucking annoying and borderline unlikeable at times in a way that makes him an amazing protagonist. crazy about this one, a new favorite for sure. also i am not joking about dick size. you are reading "two and a half foot long dick" and thinking to yourself "surely, danny is exaggerating" i am not exaggerating. please pray for helm. he is not making it out alive.

Tameshi ni Komando Itte mita

if you like domsubverse you probably won't like this domsubverse. if you don't like domsubverse im also not sure if you'll like this. really, to enjoy this you should have a neutral opinion on domsubverse and a positive opinion on kissing the homies goodnight. dom getting dommed. sweet, bunny-soft, funny, and i just really love the relationship between the two leads.

90 Days for the Delicacy

phew, look at those two whole normal recommendations! time for bdsm and gore! i can't really tell you anything about the plot of this one without spoiling it. im sorry, i hate when people do that to me, too. if you know what my favorite manga are: this is in a similar genre.

Nekura to Gyaru Otoko

a simple manga about an outgoing gyaru boy, his childhood friend who has spent his life taking up as little space as possible, and the quiet, painful conflict that causes. one of the first manga i read this year that made a lasting impression on me. i love the art, i love the characters, i love the quiet moments in the story, i love it's bluntness, i love it's weight and temperature and how it tastes when i read it. a must-read for chronic doormats and those who would rather die than burden people they love, imo.

One Summer Day (by ker)

grim reaper fucks up a reaping reaaaal bad and has to babysit his charge until the paperwork comes in. unfortunately being still-alive when you're not supposed to be comes with some... side effects. such as becoming a huge murderslut. good news though! the cure for undead murderslutism is in fact nasty sloppy bareback marathon sex. this is by the same author+artist as sign and i absolutely love it. the characters are likeable and you can feel that this one is going to suckerpunch you with pain between the multi-hour fuckfests.

Spectrophilia

a young man is haunted by his past... literally. and, uh, hornily. after attending the funeral of his highschool bully/situationship/best friend the protagonist finds himself plagued by raunchy "dreams", the star of which being his dead friend. i think i started this in 2023 and i don't care you should read spectrophilia. the art style is really unique and im crazy about it. slow, quiet, a hint of yandere. don't ask me why two entries on this list feature dead people.

OΣG!!! = Oh My God

lets round this out with a banger i fucking love oh my god, it's great, it's gore-camp, it's playfully dark, and the characters are fun! it's a yandere serial killer/salaryman romance wrapped up in an amazing art style and slutty bloodsplatter. this one's light, easy, fun, and exactly what it's trying to be. i adore it.

[bibibbon]

Hello, can I ask why do you think there are so many BL ships from BNHA and JJK? Do you also have fav ships from those two series?

I don't mean any negative things to any fan fics writers or fan art artist (thanks so much every one for sharing your hard works in the fandom).

But like, I'm a fan of both series for years now, and I saw them mostly as just platonic (bakudeku, tododeku, kiribaku, satosugu, itafushi, etc). Now, I'm not anti mlm or wlw because I love BL and GL media (manga, manhwa, books, tv series, etc), but I'm kinda hard to enter into shipping. Do you think I'm weird? Or maybe I'm slow in understanding the romantic subtext in those scenes from both series?

My take on it I guess is that people just love shipping characters together. Fandoms low-key thrive on shipping most of the time and especially when it comes to rareships. In my opinion any legal ship can work depending on how someone writes the story so there's that.

Iam not a huge shipper myself and if I do ship stuff I tend to be a multishipper prefering to enjoy multiple amount of contents that people make. MHA has horribly written ships point blank. Sure togaocha could of worked but it doesn't the same with BKDK. Any ships in MHA that were introduced as possibilities also lack any sort of development. This obviously doesn't stop people from shipping and developing their own ships (as they rightfully should) but canon wise there isn't much going for MHA

When it comes to Jujutsu kaisen akutami already acknowledged that he isn't that good at writing romance so he chooses not to excpet of already established ships like hakari x kirarka or tragic ships like mechamiwa. Even when it comes to that people do view stgs and itafushi as heavily romantically coded and I can see where theyre coming from as there is some heavy romantic subtexts.

Overall, Iam not much of a romantic shipper myself I just love platonic bonds and ships. For some reason I find that platonic ships and bonds are just better written and can connect with the audience a whole lot more easily and better compared to romance. Iam not much of a romance fan so I don't consume much of that side of media. Iam not sure if it's only me but stories centering around one ship get really boring for me whereas other stories that go out to critique stuff or explore ideas are more enjoyable.

Also no I really don't think you're weird I do somewhat relate to you tho.

I don't think MHA has any romantic subtexts however I definitely do see the Jujutsu kaisen romantic subtexts.

Writers usually give readers freedom to decide how they view things. Iam not much of a romance type of reader so I just like viewing a lot of things as platonic just because I think platonic relationships are overall stronger and better then romance ones