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Nishida Higashi has done it again: delivered an unusual love story far removed from the well-tread paths of the genre. The story verges on being a psychological thriller while remaining grounded in the intricate nuances of feeling between the main characters. Highly recommend this you're in the mood for a police procedural mixed with broody supernatural drama, with tight pacing and excellent writing, and some genuinely moving moments.
This manga pulls off the nearly impossible: it seamlessly combines what is effectively just a kinky porn setup with a psychologically plausible, well-paced love story. Both characters are well-developed, as is the evolution of their relationship from an awkward transactional connection to love. Recommended as a rare fetish manga done right. Check this out if you're craving manga that is a little kinky, where the romance evolves through an exploration of sexuality without overusing BL cliches.
A realistic BL relationship that is both sweet and romantic. Watching them come together, fall in love, and misunderstand one another is incredibly rewarding because of this underlying sense of who they are as different complementary individuals. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a gay love story with meticulously developed, idiosyncratic characters, storytelling that pays attention to attention to detail both artistic and psychological, and an adult sensibility about relationships.
A story that explores how excessive proximity can coexist with a lack of communication. The dynamic between the spoiled young master and his fussy best friend and secretary is enjoyable and (relatively) realistic. Recommended if you have a tolerance for art that is more expressive than skillful & want a lighter story featuring a couple who have known one another for years and yet still don't seem to know one another at all. It's better than the main story of which it is a spinoff.
Boasts an atmospheric - almost allegorical - mode of storytelling. Emotional resonance lies in the artwork, which deploys evocative details and a clever use of panels to set the pacing and mood of the romance, as well as the metaphor contained in the business of fixing or re-purposing things that others throw away. Recommended if you want a story that proceeds through emotional logic and a novel setting, featuring a relationship of exquisite delicacy and tenderness.
The attention to psychological nuance and its theme of family make this manga heartwarming without being cloying. It doesn't shy away from the challenges of navigating difficult subjects with family members and with the complexity guilt can introduce into a friendship. Recommended if you're ih teh mood for an emotionally rich friends to lovers romance that is neither angst nor fluff: just a solid, well-told story with distinctive characters.
While this manga is a romance, it eschews the usual stars-and-roses BL cliches to tell a love story that is more real and down to earth than you often find in the genre. Intelligent, well-written, and fun, I recommend picking this up if you want a fundamentally happy story with complex characters and a little more grit than you usually get with slice of life BL.
Contains three stories of varying lengths: one is set in the shadowy underworld of the drug trade, one is a high school drama, and one is about a mechanic and a car salesman. Each is distinct from the others and number among the best the genre has to offer.
This manga has sharp dialogue, laden with hidden meaning and innuendo, and an impeccable use of panels, light, and shadow. I highly recommend checking this out if you like smart, varied, and well-constructed BL.
A manga that inverts certain genre cliches. Where normally BL driven by the "oh no am I gayyyy???" panic, this manga is largely concerned with how someone who is closeted can build trust with someone who is comfortable in his sexuality. The story is grounded, taking its time to develop the emotional makeup of its two leads. With great art and pacing, this is a breath of fresh air in the genre.
NOTE: this review is for (1) Seinen Hakkaten, (2) Yakedo to Tsumeato, and (3) Aoi Tori Yori (must be read in order). A satisfying series that has some sweetness, some effective comedy, and even some plot arcs with a little bite. I include all three on this list since while not groundbreaking, they are competently written and engaging, featuring both a fluffy couple with a healthy dynamic and a pair with a more complicated relationship. Well-written and varied enough to be interesting.
Yoru ga Owaru Made