The BL genre has always been a pretty popular genre among manga readers and has become popular in anime, too. Thanks to the success of shows like Given, Yuri on Ice, No. 6, and Sasaki and Miyano, it’s become a pretty mainstream genre to watch. More BL manga are slowly getting anime adaptations, but there’s a large pool of them that haven't (at least not yet).

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These BL manga might not be the most dramatic or over-the-top forms of media out there, but they have very good stories and great characters. Watching a friendship turn into a relationship or just seeing characters working on their relationships, there is much to enjoy about BL manga, and many deserve an anime adaptation to show viewers their stories in a new and exciting way.

Updated on March 31, 2024, by Sarah Prado: BL manga is becoming more mainstream and popular, but there is still a surprisingly small pool of BL anime for fans to watch. Quite a few BL manga have gotten live-action adaptations, but some notable ones have yet to be given the luxury. There are plenty of BL manga to pick from that deserve their own show or anime movie because of how good their stories are. Most offer nice slice-of-life topics, but a few venture outside this and are a little more dramatic, incorporating fantasy elements. Regardless, all of these BL manga would be great candidates to get an anime adaptation. Even if they don’t get one, fans of BL/yaoi are sure to enjoy reading these manga nonetheless.

20 Glass Syndrome

Two Struggling Students Find Comfort In Each Other

• Creator: Eiko Ariki
• Year Published: 2018
• Number of Volumes: 1
• My AnimeList Score: 6.53

A manga that is a little more on the dramatic side. Glass Syndrome is about high schooler Nijou, who is seemingly perfect at everything he does. He’s the class president, amazing at sports, and very popular in school. His teacher asks him to check on fellow student Toomi, a student who’s been absent a lot recently. It turns out Toomi has a secret that explains why he’s been absent, but this secret could very well destroy his life if it gets out. Nijou finds out his secret and must decide if he should confront Toomi about it or not.

This manga does have a lot of emotional baggage between Nijou and Toomi but for very different reasons. Toomi is extremely insecure and fears others rejecting him if he’s not perfect, so he’s constantly making sure to keep his facade up. Toomi, on the other hand, is emotionally drained from dealing with his family’s financial circumstances. The only time the two of them can be themselves is around each other.

19 The (Pet) Detective Agency

A Man Falls In Love With His Boss

• Creator: Noji
• Year Published: 2020
• Number of Volumes: 1
• My AnimeList Score: 7.06

Rou Nakamura is a young man who looks intimidating due to his rugged looks and intense stares. Though people are afraid to approach him, animals seem to adore him, and this makes him great at his job as a pet detective. If helping find lost pets wasn’t reward enough, Rou is also in love with his boss, Detective Fumika Sato.

This manga does have some mystery vibes mixed with slice-of-life that would make for a great anime adaptation. There is only one volume so the anime could either expand this or make for a great movie. Sato and Nakamura’s relationship is a slow burn, but it’s sweet to watch it develop.

18 This Wonderful Season With You

A Former Jock And A Kind Nerd Fall In Love

• Creator: Atsuko Yusen
• Year Published: 2018
• Number of Volumes: 1
• My AnimeList Score: 7.39

Junpei Enoki is a typical nerd that fits all of the stereotypes. He’s small, smart, and physically weaker than most guys his age, but he’s got a good heart and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. Enter, Ryousuke Shirataki, a typical jock whose baseball career has ended due to an injury. Shirataki is lost on what to do now and ends up joining the Electronic Engineering Club, where he meets Enoki. They are complete opposites of each other, but a blossoming friendship might turn into something more the longer it develops.

It’s a classic opposites-attract love story that’ll make readers squeal from how cute these two are together. A manga like this would make for a nice little rom-com anime that would be entertaining to watch and give more variety to the BL anime pool.

17 Toritan: Birds Of A Feather

Birds Connect Two Men In An Unexpected Way

• Creator: Kotetsuko Yamamoto
• Year Published: 2017
• Number of Volumes: 2
• My AnimeList Score: 7.39

Inusaki is a detective, along with being known as a handyman, and does a lot of odd jobs for his neighborhood. But there is one thing that haunts Inusaki: He can understand and talk to birds. However, there is one bird, whom he calls Kuro, that reminds him of his landlord’s son, Mitsuru. It seems like Mitsuru has a secret of his own, but it's not what Inusaki thinks.

The story is full of hilarious interactions between Inusaki and random birds, along with quiet and sweet moments between him and Mitsuki. Their relationship doesn’t move too fast or too slow, but it still has a pretty good development that would be great to see on-screen.

16 Change World

A Couple Faces Challenges From Colleagues And Work

• Creator: Yuu Minaduki
• Year Published: 2017
• Number of Volumes: 2
• My AnimeList Score: 7.46

This manga showcases a couple going through life changes that could threaten their relationship. Yosuke Ito and Ikuo Arimura have known each other since high school but have only been dating for a year. Their relationship is going well, but they do have some trouble expressing their real feelings. Then there’s Masato Hozumi, a former classmate of Arimura and a man who’s still in the closet, putting doubts about their relationship in Yosuke’s mind. It also doesn’t help that Yosuke has an opportunity in his company, but it requires him to work overseas.

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Considering it only has two volumes, the story and characters have some pretty good development. There are some dramatic moments, but it’s not over-the-top, and Yosuke and Arimura handle their problems like mature adults. This could be a short series since Sayonara Game is a prequel to Change World that shows how the couple got together. Plus, it even has a sequel series, Love Nest, that follows Hozumi and his life.

15 Hello, Green Days

Two College Students Move In Together, And Love Blooms

• Creator: Daria
• Year Published: 2019
• Number of Volumes: 1
• My AnimeList Score: 7.48

A manga that manages to have a compelling and sweet story. Tomo Mikage is a graduate student who meets junior Youji Nanajoshi at a seminar they study at. Though intimidated by Nanahoshi’s large size, Mikage gets to know him and finds out that he’s a very nice and sweet man. Nanahoshi notices Mikage’s well-being not looking good, so he invites him to live with him. What starts as a roommate relationship slowly blossoms into more.

With just one volume, readers get everything they want in a BL manga. From a relationship starting great to the characters becoming a couple, this manga is a great read. It would be great to have an anime adaptation just to see the sweet romance of Hello, Green Days come to life.

14 Links

Follow Four Different Couples And Their Stories

• Creator: Natsuki Kizu
• Year Published: 2014
• Number of Volumes: 1
• My AnimeList Score: 7.56

A manga that follows four different couples and their stories. Akiha and Yahiko are in a friends-with-benefits type of relationship, but the former doesn’t know what to truly think of their relationship. Sado and Nakajo are always arguing with one another that some might think they’re already a couple, but they’re not. Nakajo doesn’t think they could ever be together but remains close to Sado. Sekiya is a socially awkward man who finds himself at the center of Shibata's attention — a man who hits on him every chance he gets. Then there’s Kameda and Ogikawa, who bond over a stray cat that Ogikawa found in the streets.

The manga only features one volume, and it does get a little confusing to keep up with all four couples, but it is a good read. An anime adaptation would be nice to watch since it would follow four very different couples with very different stories. Plus, the anime could make the story flow a little better, making it easier for viewers to keep up with the story.

13 I Didn't Mean To Fall In Love

A Single Man Falls In Love With A College Student

• Creator: Minta Suzumaru
• Year Published: 2018
• Number of Volumes: 1
• My AnimeList Score: 7.59

30-year-old Yoshino has never been on a date and thinks he’s meant to be alone in life. One night, he decides to muster up his courage and goes to a gay bar. There, he meets Rou, a charming, silver-haired college student who buys him drinks, allowing the characters to get to know one another. After spending the night together, an awkward but cute courtship begins.

With only one volume, this manga has a short but sweet love story that would be great to see as an anime. There’s no unnecessary drama or misunderstandings; the story simply follows two men as they explore a new, unexpected relationship that has developed between them.

12 Tonari No Metaller-San (AKA The Metalhead Next Door)

Neighbors Become Friends And Later Become Lovers

• Creator: Mamita
• Year Published: 2019
• Number of Volumes: 1
• My AnimeList Score: 7.67

Sometimes a series of unfortunate events have to happen for love to blossom. Graduate student Kentou Sasaki moves into an apartment after the dorm fees increase, but unfortunately, the stove or bath don’t work. After a horrible snowstorm, Kentou nearly freezes to death but is saved by his neighbor, Soushi Ikematsu. Though he looks scary and is aloof, Soushi gives him a warm meal, and the two begin sharing meals together. Kentou does fall in love with him as time goes by but keeps his feelings to himself since he doesn’t know if Soushi is gay or not.

It’s a classic love story between a tall, scary-looking man who’s actually shy and nice and a friendly extrovert who helps him open up. This is just a warm, slice-of-life BL that’s a good read and would be nice to see adapted into an anime.

11 The Two Lions

An Introvert And An Extrovert Slowly Fall In Love

• Creator: Nagisa Furuya
• Year Published: 2017
• Number of Volumes: 1
• My AnimeList Score: 7.67

A manga where old classmates discover each other. Junpei Shishido is a first-year college student who is friendly and warm to anyone he meets. One day, he runs into Leo Onizuka, a loner who keeps to himself and feels like he’s familiar. After Leo brushes him off, Junpei discovers that he and Leo went to the same high school, and Leo is rumored to be a gang leader. Junpei sets out to be his friend despite these rumors, and Leo begins to slowly open up to him.

It’s a classic opposites-attract story, but it’s really good to read. Leo is more than just a grumpy-faced guy. He genuinely wants to make friends, but so many people fear him. Junpei is more than happy to befriend him and realizes that his feelings are becoming something more than friendship.

10 Escape Journey

A Former High School Couple Gives Their Relationship A Second Chance In College

• Creator: Tanaka Ogeretsu
• Year Published: 2015
• Number of Volumes: 3
• My AnimeList Score: 7.77

A manga about two young men who went out during high school and had a rather ugly breakup before reconnecting during their college years. Naoto Hisami is ready to have fun as a freshman in college and begin a new chapter in his life. Unfortunately for him, he runs into his ex from high school, Taichi Hase, on his first day. The two of them were together for a while during their high school years but broke up. They try to keep their relationship to just being friends, but the feelings of love are still there. Now, they must ask themselves if they want to try being together again or settle for just being friends.

Taichi and Naoto’s relationship does have some ups and downs, but readers will see how far they’ve come since their high school days. Aside from being a couple, they also discuss things about their relationship and address the issues regarding it. Problems like how marriage isn't legal for them, coming out to their families, and other societal issues are talked about and highlighted in the manga. It’s about the relationship, of course, but this BL manga also tackles real-life issues that would be great to see in an anime adaptation.

9 I Cannot Reach You

Best Friends Realize They Have Feelings For Each Other

• Creator: Mika
• Year Published: 2018
• Number of Volumes: 7
• My AnimeList Score: 7.83

A sweet manga with a slow-burn romance. Kakeru and Yamato have been best friends for a long time, but most of their peers don’t understand why. The two of them are complete opposites. Kakeru is more friendly and outgoing, whereas Yamato is quiet and almost expressionless when talking to others. When Kakeru sees a girl talking to Yamato, he thinks his best friend is going to get a girlfriend. However, Kakeru realizes that the idea kind of bothers him and tries to figure out why it does.

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The story follows the typical best friends-to-lovers trope, but it takes time to build up. Yamato already knows he likes Kakeru and admits it when asked who he has a crush on. Meanwhile, Kakeru grapples with his feelings and concerns, asking himself if entering a romantic relationship is worth risking their lifelong friendship. I Cannot Reach You has not received an anime adaption, but there is a live-action take on the tale available to stream on Netflix.

8 Old-Fashioned Cupcake

A Middle-Aged Man Falls For His Younger Subordinate

• Creator: Sangan Sangan
• Year Published: 2019
• Number of Volumes: 2
• My AnimeList Score: 7.90

Nozue is a 39-year-old man who feels stuck in his life. He feels he can’t take many risks at his age, has no romantic prospects in mind, and doesn’t do much outside of work. His subordinate, 29-year-old Togawa, makes it his mission to get Nozue out of his shell and experience new things. Though Togawa introduces him to a few women, Nozue finds himself falling for Togawa instead and is confused about what to do.

Old-Fashioned Cupcake only has two volumes, but it has everything it needs for a short series or a movie. It’s not every day that an anime has two older, working adults as the main couple, and it’s a nice story in how it shows that it’s never too late to have new experiences and find love.

7 Kazoku Ni Narou Yo (AKA Let's Be A Family)

A Couple Raises Their Friend’s Abandoned Daughter

• Creator: Tomo Kurahashi
• Year Published: 2016
• Number of Volumes: 1
• My AnimeList Score: 7.90

A manga that explores the struggles of parenthood. Chiaki and Kazuma have been a couple for almost a decade. Their free-spirited friend Tomoe shows up one day and reveals she’s pregnant. The two of them help her out during her pregnancy, and all seems well after she gives birth to her daughter, Ayumi. However, this is short-lived, and Tomoe more or less abandons Ayumi, leaving her in Chiaki and Kazuma's care. Now, Chiaki and Kazuma must navigate the new and unexpected roads of parenthood that test their relationship in a way they never thought about.

It’s not every day that a manga starts with a couple already together, let alone having been in a long-term relationship and now raising a child. Though they didn’t expect this at all, Chiaki and Kazuma adjust to having a daughter and do a pretty good job raising Ayumi. Even though this story only features one volume, this BL manga has everything it needs to make it a great anime show or movie.

6 Crimson Spell

A Prince And A Sorcerer Look For A Way To Break The Prince’s Curse

• Creator: Ayano Yamane
• Year Published: 2004
• Number of Volumes: 7
• My AnimeList Score: 8.11

Prince Vald is a young man who is cursed for using the family sword. Looking to lift the curse, he seeks out Halvir, a powerful sorcerer who will help him end it in exchange for the sword. Together, they set out to end it. Unknowingly to Vald, who doesn’t know much about the curse, he turns into a violent demon at night and doesn’t remember anything the next morning. Only Halvir seems to know how to keep the demon from being a true menace to society.

Crimson Spell has been a popular BL manga for a long time, and it’s a wonder why it doesn’t have an anime adaptation yet. There aren’t many fantasy BL anime out there, so this manga becoming an anime would be a great addition that could open more doors in for genre.

5 Our Dining Table

A Man Finds Love And Gains A Family

• Creator: Ori Mita
• Year Published: 2015
• Number of Volumes: 1
• My AnimeList Score: 8.18

Our Dining Table is a manga that is good for anyone wanting to read a good slice-of-life story. Yutaka is a salaryman who has a talent for cooking, but he struggles to eat around people at a dining table because of past trauma. One day, he meets two brothers, Minoru and Tane, after Tane eats one of his homemade rice balls. They ask Yutaka if he can help them make meals, and he agrees, finding himself sharing meals with them.

The romance between Yutaka and Minoru is a slow burn, but it’s not painful or boring to watch develop. Both men have had different lives and are dealing with their own problems, but watching them work through them and realize their feelings for one another makes this story great. This would make for a great anime and let viewers have something sweet and wholesome to watch. Also, Tane is just so cute and adorable, it’d be a crime not to see his antics animated.

4 Only The Flower Knows

Love At First Sight Happens Three Times

• Creator: Rihito Takarai
• Year Published: 2009
• Number of Volumes: 3
• My AnimeList Score: 8.20

Only the Flower Knows is a sweet manga that’ll leave readers with all kinds of feelings. University students Youichi Arikawa and Shouta Misaki meet each other on campus and then at a train station. Arikawa doesn’t know what Misaki looks like since he wasn’t wearing proper lenses to help his eyesight, but he knows that he feels strongly for him. All he has besides a fuzzy image is a glass flower pendant that Misaki dropped. The two eventually meet again for a third time, and Arikawa boldly declares his love, starting the beginning of a sweet relationship.

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For anyone wanting to read a sweet, wholesome manga, this one is a very good one to dive into. The romance between Arikawa and Misaki develops slowly, which might make some readers question if it’s really a BL. Seeing a relationship develop at a slower pace, however, would be great to see in an anime since most BL relationships tend to move pretty fast.

3 Snow Fairy

Two Men Bond Over Photography While Stuck On A Mountain

• Creator: Tomo Serizawa
• Year Published: 2021
• Number of Volumes: 1
• My AnimeList Score: 8.24

Haurki Homura lives an uneventful and solitary life in the mountainside of Hokkaido. One day, he meets wildlife photographer, Akihito Narumi. Narumi was originally looking for the mythical “snow fairies” of the mountain but is now stranded due to a horrible snowstorm. Homura agrees to let Narumi stay with him, and the two men bond over photography.

For only having one volume, Snow Fairy manages to build a great relationship between Narumi and Homura that gives readers all kinds of feels. The wholesome relationship that plays out in the manga is one that simply deserves time on a screen.

2 My Love Mix-Up!

A Love Letter Sent To The Wrong Person Has Unexpected Results

• Creator: Wataru Hinekure
• Year Published: 2019
• Number of Volumes: 9
• My AnimeList Score: 8.35

My Love Mix-Up! is a manga with a pretty funny love triangle. Aoki is a male student who has a crush on a female student, Hashimoto. When he borrows her eraser, he is heartbroken to see classmate Ida’s (a male student) name on it. Ida just happens to see the eraser on Aoki’s desk and assumes Aoki has feelings for him. From there, a series of hilarious miscommunications happen, while feelings between Aoki and Ida blossom.

Love triangles are common, but few are as funny as this one. The love triangle between the three students is resolved pretty quickly instead of frustratingly carrying on for a long time. Having a story that took a different route with the love triangle trope would be a refreshing sight to watch in an anime. It’s a romance story with slice-of-life elements and comedy moments that are sure to keep viewers watching. Though the story has yet to receive the live-action treatment, those who wish to watch the tale unfold in a different format are free to check out the My Love Mix-Up live-action adaption that released in 2021.

1 I Hear The Sunspot

Loves Blooms Between A Deaf Man And His Classmate

• Creator: Yuki Fumino
• Year Published: 2013
• Number of Volumes: 7
• My AnimeList Score: 8.16

I Hear the Sunspot is a manga with a relationship so sweet, it deserves to be animated. Kouhei has a pretty difficult life because of his hearing disability, so he tends to avoid people. In comes Taichi, a loud and boisterous man who is very friendly to everyone but is often misunderstood because of his loudness. The two of them meet and start a friendship that slowly becomes more as Kouhei learns to open up to someone who doesn’t mind his disability, while Taichi helps him and pushes him to have more happiness in his life.

Both characters have plenty of layers to them, and fans can easily relate to something in their personalities and hobbies. The story is solid, and the romance is so slowly built that it might come off more as a bromance, but it’s still great to see this slow-burn romance bloom. It’s also pretty rare to have a character with a disability and even rarer to see one in a BL manga. Making this manga into an anime would add to the very small pool of shows that feature disabilities, and it would be a nice progressive step in the anime world.

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