Gold Standard (BL) Manga

This is one of the first yaoi manga I read, and it really is one of the best. The story of a chef at a restaurant and one of his repeat customers.

One of the things that sets this manga apart is that while in many ways it is a very romantic and sweet story, it has a more adult feel to it. Conflicts with side-characters are not melodramatic or one-dimensional. The relationship that both characters have with their work is central to the plot of the manga. Great read, highly recommended.

One of the best out there, in my opinion. It's a sexy, dramatic, and idiosyncratic comedy featuring an extremely sex-positive single father who runs a sweets shop in a small town and a stuffy, awkward big-city physician who has been forced to work at the local clinic. The art is lovely, the characters larger than life, and the story genuinely funny and melodramatic by turns. It manages to be sweet without even coming close to being saccharine. A rare treat indeed.

This was amazing. Mature (for its genre), slow burn, excellent side characters (gramps was a particular treat), sexually aggressive uke - first time same-sex experience for seme relatively well handled. Lovely story about a brewer and a salesman. Can't recommend this enough.

This really is one of my absolute favorites. Sensitive bouncer whose face is difficult to read meets empathetic, effervescent clubber who uses his effusiveness as a mask. This manga deals with homophobia, bullying, and sexual awakening more seriously than most, without ever becoming overly gritty or depressing. A wonderfully told narrative all around, and the art beautifully heightens the emotional impact of this fully realized story - definitely the mangaka's best. Highly recommended.

One of the gentlest & most tender yaoi manga out there - a sweet story of a divorced single father who works as a chef & a regular customer. What sets this manga apart is that while it does have some yaoi cliches (straight man falls for gay man), the progression of the relationship is slow and feels - if not more realistic than your typical yaoi story - more mature. The characters behave like adults and the buildup to the romance is wonderful. The art is nice and cleanly drawn.

Sakai, a novelist, realizes his bisexual husband, Shizuka, likes children. Feeling guilty for depriving him opportunity to be a father, he has just decided to break it off when Shinuka suffers a terrible accident.

This is one of the most straightforwardly romantic manga I have ever read. It's an amnesia story, & while the premise is cliche, the depth of the relationship between the two characters makes this manga absolutely irresistibly sweet and genuinely moving. The art is perfection.

The main story centers on an effervescent & affectionate hair dresser who decides to befriend an exceedingly handsome but socially inept & emotionally stunted colleague. The second, shorter story is about how an older brother, who has lived in the shadow of his cossetted younger brother, finds love in the form of an overly-eager younger co-worker. These two interrelated stories are well-told and compelling. This manga is notable for both its emotional complexity and its excellent artwork.

This manga is exquisite - the slowest of slow burns, incredibly rewarding. This is a love story, but it is not just a love story. It is about what it means to be a family and what it means to learn to understand the world in a new way, what it means to grow up, what it means to come to terms with the past & forgive. The art is fantastic, and the characters are complex and realistic. A very long manga, but it never drags and feels very self-contained and thought-through. Truly one of the best.