A BL Manga… About BL Manga!?
When you think of BL, you probably think of the hot men who are seducing or being seduced, but have you ever thought of.. the people who actually create your beloved gay comic books? Well, that’s What this manga is here to show you! What is it like to write and create a manga? And how about when you come into contact with one of your idols… who idolizes you?
Summary of Comic Party Wonder Love
In this manga, we follow the life of Hatake Raizou, an up-and-coming yaoi manga artist and writer, who is beginning to find success in what is — even in Japan — a relatively niche genre. One day, whitle giving signatures at a convention, he is taken aback by a weird, creepy looking dude whose face is hidden behind a mask, who is muttering senseless death threats. But before Raizou knows it, he’s informed that this fanboy is, in fact, TOS, a renowned BL manga artist who is… in a bit of a rut.
TOS reveals that he is envious of Raizou’s artistic style, and wants to learn from him, and quickly inserts himself into his life. TOS starts over to Raizou’s apartment, reading over the drafts of his comics… and stating out loud his frustration that he can’t draw or write the way that Raizou can.
This discrepancy is especially pronounced when one considers the type of manga they produce. TOS makes shoujo-ai-style manga: men who are in love with men, but with an especially feminine perspective: cutesy, fun, cotton candy manga — even though TOS himself is a depressive, kind of a bummer of a man.
Conversely, Raizou, the well-adjusted, kind-hearted manga-ka who insists that he just likes reading, writing, and drawing BL manga for the love of the game, is creating edgy, porny, BDSM-style manga. The opposites attract both in terms of the person, but also in terms of the art they create. How are you not reading this!?
Sudden Notoriety on X/Twitter
This manga suddenly rose to a degree of infamy on Twitter (or, “X”, as the Neo-Nazi who owns the platform insists on calling it) when a series of panels went viral. Raizou was initially encouraged by his sister to read BL manga, because she enjoyed it too. Moreover, she was thrilled when Raizou began to create BL himself! But when her friends suggested that her brother might be gay, and he responded that he might be, she replied, “you should just give up.”
Many people related to the superficial support of BL fans who like the idea of men who love in in the abstract, but when confronted with the reality of if in their own lives, are unsupportive. This is a phenomenon that is not unusual to many queer people, and especially gay men. There are a lot of people who are happy, in a hypothetical sense, to know and to love gay men. Why not, after all? It’s the big 2026.
But when confronted with the reality — that someone they already know and love is gay — they become… squeamish, at best. This is something that many LGBTQ+ people (and especially gay men) have experienced at some time or another in their life. It might be difficult for some to read, as it may open up old wounds. But for others, it may feel reassuring: other people have been through this before, and you are not alone.
A Must-Read About a Must-Read?
This is definitely an interesting BL manga. It sheds a light on the creative process — something your humble typist deeply appreciated. At the same time, it is very fast-paced to get to the, ahem, climax, and it can feel a touch heavy-handed. But overall… I liked it. I loved the dichotomy between both the characters and the manga that they produced. It was also satisfying to see them come together (even if they didn’t…well).
I’d say it’s worth a read. Volume 1 is solid and promising. Here’s to iur manga-ka manga-kaing more manga-ka manga-kaing!
