recommended

A demanding young man in his early twenties struggling with his confidence falls in love with his tailor. Scarlet Beriko's art is gorgeous; there is so much movement and expression. I've read this so many times I've lost count. LOVE.

Matsuoka seeks to repay the kindness of the only person who ever treated him as human, the young son of a former employer. This author is spectacular.

A gay man falls in love with his company president's son, but when the president learns of their relationship, he undermines it, coaxing his son into an arranged marriage. A realistic, mature love story that ends well and happily, with incredibly touching moments - both happy and sad.

This is the spinoff of "Doushitemo Furetakunei." It follows Onoda and his aforementioned friend at TAG, who'd known about Shima's situation. Deguchi and Onoda have been friends for three years, but Onoda doesn't know that Deguchi - a charasmatic, 31yo salesman - is gay, or that he's harbored feelings for Onoda since they met. When Onoda admits his feelings for Shima, Deguchi seizes the opportunity to confess.

A manga where someone can cook without injury! A man who works as a cook in a family run store takes notice of a salaryman who always seems to pick up the dishes he makes. This was sweet, with no unnecessary miscommunication, grown-up characters, and no unhappy feelings. I loved it.

Ayumu has been in love with a sempai at his company for a long time. They're so close and Toujou is so affectionate with him that coworkers joke they're married, but Ayumu has no intention of confessing his feelings and only wishes for Toujou's happiness. Breaks several genre stereotypes & has beautiful art.

Years after graduation, a man still harbors feelings for a childhood friend who is moving to Tokyo for work and will live nearby. One afternoon, he drops his wallet only to have it returned by a regular at the bar he frequents - and they strike up a conversation. This story is sweet, hopeful, sad at moments, realistic, and ultimately happy. I was delighted to find it. (Warning for a character's mention of past one-sided feelings for his older brother.)

A lonely young office worker is befriended by a child who steals his rice ball, and his older brother - Minoru - who asks him to teach him how to make them. (This! Feels like sunlight!)

I just gained ten years on my life after reading this. After he's dumped in the street, a man sits on a bench to cry and is startled when a pair of underwear falls on him from the apartment above. It belongs to an older man, recently divorced, who effortlessly inserts himself into his life. Gentle, sweet, hopeful, mature, no pain. This is a lovely story.

A really sweet, shortish story about a young man, Yuki, who is in love with his brother-in-law. They live together following his older sister's death three years earlier. But Yuki knows he can never be with his brother-in-law and plans to move on with his life. (Features awesome BFF character)