Are you a Boys’ Love (BL) anime newbie? Do you ever feel like everything you come across is just about kids finding awkward romance at school? Well, lucky for you, the Japan Gay Guide is here to be a guide for gay anime from Japan! We’ll take you through seven of our favorite shows, each fulfilling a particular niche, so you never feel like you’re endlessly watching the gay couple in the 11th grade fall in love over and over.
Which BL Anime Should You Watch?
Looking for a specific vibe? Or characters of a specific age? Or perhaps a specific setting? Well, that’s exactly why we’ve put together this lucky seven list!
- Twilight Out of Focus: Follow the lives of three gay students in a high school film club. Contains scenes of an intimate nature.
- Tadaima, Okaeri: A domestic BL in an Omegaverse setting.
- Cherry Magic: An office worker can read the minds of anyone he touches — including his crush.
- Given: Trace the lives and loves of four boys who form a rock band as they go through the ups and downs of young adulthood.
- Sasaki and Miyano: A friendship between a BL fan and his admirer develops slowly but surely into something deeper.
- The Stranger by the Shore: A novelist living in Okinawa meets an orphan living with his relatives after the latter’s mother passes away.
- Twittering Birds Never Fly — The Clouds Gather: A dark BL set in the world of the Japanese mafia, where a yakuza boss makes advances on his subordinate.
Need a little more info? You got it!
Twilight Out of Focus
This anime is a slice-of-life series about six young men in a high school film club. Yes, this is set in a school — but we have to start somewhere! Following the romantic lives of the film club, we explore the lives of three gay couples and their unique dynamics and personalities. Each couple gets a significant amount of time dedicated to them, fleshing out the backstories of each individual, as well as the start of their relationship.
The members of the club are divided into first years, second years, and third years — and each year is competing to create the best film of the year. The show also considers what each person and each couple plans to do after graduation, adding a bitter-sweetness to the proceedings.
Just 12 episodes in length, this is an excellent starting place for anyone new to BL, as well as those who want their heartstrings tugged on. Read more of our thoughts here.
Tadaima, Okaeri
Breaking away from school, this is a BL romance that focuses on more mature characters. Masaki and Hiromu are a married couple with an infant son who have recently moved into a new neighborhood. Set in the Omegaverse, Hiromu is an alpha who works at a major company, while Masaki is an omega househusband. For those unfamiliar with the Omegaverse, “alpha” and “omega” are secondary sexual aspects, where alphas are naturally more dominant and omegas naturally more submissive.
Because Masaki and Hiromu are in a ‘mixed’ marriage — which is not universally accepted in this story — they face prejudice from those around them. This is a source of familial strain, and Hiromu is the subject of gossip at work. It was actually the reason that the pair moved in the first place. However, over the course of the series, they make friends who are willing to accept them.
A sweet story that, while not necessarily paralleling actual social issues directly, may ring familiar to many queer people. With a lot of tender and funny moments among the more serious overall story, there’s plenty to enjoy no matter what your taste. Check out our review here.
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!
This anime is an office-based BL… with a super-powered twist. Kiyoshi Adachi has just turned thirty, and as we all know, if you are a virgin on your thirtieth birthday, you gain psychic powers. Kiyoshi can now read the mind of anyone he touches. Unlucky in love his whole life, he is stunned when he brushes against his office’s most handsome man, Yuichi Kurosawa, and discovers that Yuichi is head over heels for him.
This is a fun story about self-discovery, with the development of Kiyoshi’s telepathy interpreted by some as a metaphor for discovering one’s sexuality. The dichotomy between the confident Yuichi and the more nervous but now in-the-know Kiyoshi is fun to watch play out. It does slow down a little at around the midway point, but luckily there are fun side characters to pick up the slack.
This anime is hugely popular — and for good reason. Funny, touching, and with experiences that will resonate among many in the audience, you don’t have to be a mind reader to know that I’m going to recommend it. Read a more full review here.
Given
Heading back to school for a moment, Given is the story of Mafuyu Sato and Ritsuka Uenoyama, two musically gifted students. Because Ritsuka is a talented guitarist, and Mafuyu is a gifted singer, the two join a band together… but their interactions are rarely totally harmonious.
The tension of the push and pull between the two as they try to understand their feelings towards one another and themselves is the driver of this show. It has emotional setups and pay-offs that don’t always come easily, for Mafuyu, Ritsuka, and others in the band. One for those in a more contemplative mood.
Sasaki and Miyano
The last school-set one on this list, Sasaki and Miyano is more of a slow burn. After a bullying incident wherein Sasaki Shumei saves Miyano Yoshikazu from being beaten up (only to be hassled in retaliation), the two become friends. Miyano reveals that he is a fan of BL manga, and Sasaki, who hasn’t read anything in the genre, asks to borrow his books.
Sasaki begins to fall for Miyano, who in turn is, at first, oblivious. As time goes on, though, and their friendship deepens, Miyano begins to wonder if he is developing more than platonic feelings for Sasaki. This journey is mediated, for Miyano and the viewer, through the lens of BL.
A little bit meta, being a BL with BL as a central conceit, this is a fun one for genre experts and newcomers alike.
The Stranger by the Shore
It’s 2026: thigh gaps are out, age gaps are in. This 60-minute film focuses on the relationship between Shun Hashimoto, a novelist living in Okinawa, and Mio Chibana, a high schooler living with his relatives following the death of his mother. After a chance meeting, the two grow closer, though Mio has to move away from Okinawa.
After three years, the two reunite, with Mio confessing his love for Shun, beginning their relationship for real. Shun, however, feels guilty about his time with Mio, and has family issues that he must contend with.
A moving tale that will suit anyone who enjoys a story with a time skip, an easy watch for anyone who wants a bit of BL that won’t take up too much time.
Twittering Birds Never Fly — The Clouds Gather
A story set in the Tokyo underworld, this story follows Yashiro and Chikara Doumeki. Yashiro is a high-ranking yakuza boss, and Chikara is his bodyguard. After spending time together, Chikara discovers that Yashiro is a masochist and hypersexual. Yashiro makes advances on Chikara, who rejects them all — and reveals that he is impotent.
As the story continues, the two fall in love, but must contend with the homophobic and masculinity-obsessed world of organized crime in Japan.
This movie is praised for the maturity of its themes and execution, as well as its subject matter. One for the viewer looking for something with a little edge to it — but be aware that there are scenes of a sexual nature and violence.
Looking for More BL or Queer Anime?
Those are our picks, but don’t fret: there are plenty more queer anime to choose from. Check out our gay anime listings for new reviews and impressions. For anyone looking for lesbian anime and manga, why not try our yuri hub?
