Most of the fans of animes are either really hetero guys or women who have a thing for what boys love. But there’s this group of anime lovers who are men but are attracted to their fellow men. That’s right, which is why you have the boys’ love or the BL anime genre, which is also beloved by those who want to explore how a man can fall in love with a guy, too. Here’s a list of nine of the best BL animes around.
‘Banana Fish’
When you hear the word “banana,” you’ll go green-minded and think of nasty things. Bu “Banana Fish” is for the homo anime lover who loves a bit of action. This anime’s plot focuses on the feud between Dino, a Mafia boss, and a young character named Ash Lynx, set in the 1980s. Now, Lynx is also involved in a romantic relationship with another character named Eiji Okumura amid the war. This tops this list partly because it is from MAPPA Studios, the company behind your favorites, such as “Jujutsu Kaisen,” “Chainsaw Man,” “Vinland Saga,” and the like.
‘Given’
Second is “Given,” an anime that takes its cue from a formula The Beatles discovered several years ago. This is the story of four youthful heartthrobs who love playing the guitar and making a cultural impact on those around them.
It starts with a high school guitarist named Ritsuka Uenoyama, stuck in a creative rut. His creative juices get revitalized after learning that his classmate, Mafuyu Sato, could sing. The two decide to enlist two of their other classmates and form a band bound to take over the world.
‘Yuri On Ice’
The world of sports is a male-dominated field, but there are certain sporting events where unstraight men are more common. “Yuri on Ice” is also from MAPPA Studios, with a story that revolves around the adventures of the main character and Yuuri Katsuki, a figure skater. Now, this talented figure skater catches the attention of his fellow figure skater, a dashing Russian, Victor Nikiforov, who takes the risk to be Yuuri’s ice skating coach to bring him to his glorious days. You can just imagine the development of their relationship on ice. How cool is that?
‘Sasaki And Miyano’
Next up is “Sasaki and Miyano,” which is probably the most popular of this bunch and the anime that has gotten the loudest wails and cheers from the fans. The story is a modern-day love blueprint, as seen in live-action Thai BL series.
Simply, its story is about a high school boy who meets a fellow high school boy. The show does not need heavy themes like Mafia or worldwide themes like sports to be fresh for the eyes.
Miyano is a shy first-year student and an anime fan, while Sasaki is a second-year sweetheart with a bad reputation. They ignite a friendship that slowly transforms into something that Miyano realizes he’s not into girls as he initially thought he was.
‘The Stranger By The Shore’
Meanwhile, this is more of an anime movie than a series. The story follows the lives of two men, Shun Hashimoto and Okinawa. The former is a novelist disowned by his mom and dad after he came out of the closet. The latter is an orphaned high school who likes sitting by the sea. One day, they just met, and a bond started to grow between them.
Unlike other movies, this is just spanning one hour, but you will be treated to a lot of beautiful visuals and delightful character stories. Don’t resist crying.
‘Love Stage!!’
If some animes here have Mafia or beach themes, this show is all about stage performances. There’s Izumi Sena, a nepo baby born in a family of celebrities. His father is a musician, while his mother is an artist, not to mention having a brother who is a member of a pop band. Sadly, like Mirabel in “Encanto,” who wasn’t gifted with powers, considering she came from a family of magicians, Sena wasn’t born talented. Instead, he is nerdy and poor. But he’s got the good looks. Thus, he got cast in a commercial, and during the shoot, he caught the attention of actor Ryouma Ichijou, who fell in love with him after mistaking him for a woman. But, even if he found out that Sena was actually a guy, his feelings for him remained. Quite interesting.
‘The Untamed’
Alright, this BL anime is more Chinese than Japanese. The story follows the reign of Wei Wu Xian, which came to an end when one of his allies murdered him. You may already know what happens next. Yes, he gets reincarnated as a madman, not a slime, 13 years later and reunites with his former classmate Lan Wang Ji. They collaborate to unravel the mysteries of their worlds. Did the PVP Live team mention it is set in ancient China? Wow.
‘The Night Beyond The Tricornered Window’
“The Night Beyond The Tricornered Window” is BL with horror themes. You’ve got Kosuke Mikado, a mild-mannered bookstore worker who can perceive the supernatural. He then encounters an exorcist named Rihito Hiyakawa, who drags him into the spirit world. That story is quite weird, so you better watch it to discover what happens.
‘Heaven Official’s Blessing’
Last is “Heaven Official’s Blessing,” which is also a Chinese anime adaptation. This time, it tells the tale of Crown Prince Xie Lian, who rises to heaven after eight centuries of “Cultivation.” The moment he gets to heaven, he actually gets imprisoned in the mortal realm again. Do the gods in heaven have something to do with this? He embarks on a journey to find out. The visuals are splendid, and the soundtrack is brilliant.
