BL Manga for Beginners Main Page
Part 05: Publishing in English✧ Part 07: Recommendations for Adults

While BL may often be seen as an adult genre, there are a good number of coming-of-age and romance stories rated for teens. For today’s post, I’ve listed some English-licensed titles available in print rated teen and older teen that I recommend. While I definitely had librarians in mind while creating this list, I do think it can be used by booksellers, family, friends, etc.

Note: Some titles rated for teens or older teens by English-language publishers may contain topics such as sexual violence, age gap relationships, implied or mild sexual content. I will do my best to include any content notes below. I also recommend checking out the publisher pages for the series!

Recommendation List

Title: Blue Summer Haze
Author/Artist: Dondon
EN Publisher: Kodansha USA
EN Publisher Rating: Teen (13+)
EN Publication Status: Ongoing (5 volumes total)

A high school pitcher finds himself caught between two catchers: his childhood friend and current batterymate.
Vol 1 Review
Publisher Series Page

Title: Contrast
Author/Artist: itz
EN Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
EN Publisher Rating: Teen (13+)
EN Publication Status: Complete (1 volume total)
Content Notes: One character had a relationship with an older man

Two high school student find company with each other on the rooftop, where they become closer despite their differences.
Publisher Series Page

Title: Given
Author/Artist: Natsuki Kizu
EN Publisher: SuBLime
EN Publisher Rating: Older Teen (16+)
EN Publication Status: Ongoing (10 volumes total, final vol 10th mix will release in Nov 2026)
Content Notes: Mentions of death by suicide (side character), consent issues, implied sexual content

A chance meeting in the gym stairwell leads to the formation of a new band and much more.
Publisher Series Page

Title: Go For It, Nakamura-kun!!
Author/Artist: Syundei
EN Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
EN Publisher Rating: Teen (13+)
EN Publication Status: Hiatus (2 volumes; serialization on hiatus in Japan)

A comedy about the unrequited love a high schooler has for his classmate.
Publisher Series Page

Title: If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love
Author/Artist: Maru Kubota
EN Publisher: Yen Press
EN Publisher Rating: Older Teen (16+)
EN Publication Status: Ongoing (8 volumes total)
Content Notes: Mild sexual content in later volukmes

A gay transfer student who hid his sexuality from others and swore off falling in love finds himself falling for his classmate.
Vol 1 Review
Publisher Series Page

Title: Let’s Eat Together, Aki and Haru
Author/Artist: Makoto Taji
EN Publisher: Tokyopop
EN Publisher Rating: Teen (13+)
EN Publication Status: Ongoing (8 volumes total)

Two college students living together navigate their future while cooking up tasty meals.
Publisher Series Page

Title: Love in the Palm of His Hand
Author/Artist: Rinteku
EN Publisher: Square Enix Manga & Books
EN Publisher Rating: Older Teen (16+)
EN Publication Status: Ongoing (5+ volumes)

A college student and stage actor and a deaf student connect with each other, and find themselves falling for the other.
Series Review
Publisher Series Page

Title: Love on the Horizon
Author/Artist: Machi Yamashita
EN Publisher: Kodansha USA
EN Publisher Rating: Older Teen (16+)
EN Publication Status: Complete (2 volumes total)
Content Notes: Mild sexual content

A college student finds himself getting closer to his upperclassman crush and neighbor, who just may like him back.
Series Review
Publisher Series Page

Title: Lullaby of the Dawn
Author/Artist: Ichika Yuno
EN Publisher: Tokyopop
EN Publisher Rating: Older Teen (16+)
EN Publication Status: Ongoing (7+ volumes)
Content Notes: Some characters experienced child sexual abuse in the past

On an island attacked by creatures from the sea, one of the protectors finds himself a devoted companion. The two eventually become embroiled in unraveling the mysteries of the island and black sea that surrounds them.
Series Review
Publisher Series Page

Title: My Love Mix Up!
Author: Wataru Hinekure
Artist: Aruko
EN Publisher: Viz Media
EN Publisher Rating: Teen (13+)
EN Publication Status: Complete (9 volumes total)

A borrowed eraser results in a misunderstanding that just might lead to love! The series technically a shojo manga and not BL, but a title definitely enjoyed by BL fans.
Publisher Series Page

Title: My Summer of You
Author/Artist: Nagisa Furuya
EN Publisher: Kodansha USA
EN Publisher Rating: Older Teen (16+)
EN Publication Status: Complete (3 volumes total)
Content Notes: Mild sexual content

Two teens who share a love for film bond over a summer.
Publisher Series Page

Title: Nagahama to Be, or Not to Be
Author/Artist: Scarlet Beriko
EN Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
EN Publisher Rating: Teen (13+)
EN Publication Status: Ongoing (3 volumes total)

A teen trying to navigate his future spends his days with his friend, who already has chosen a path.
Publisher Series Page

Title: Our Not-So-Lonely Planet Travel Guide
Author/Artist: Mone Sorai
EN Publisher: Tokyopop
EN Publisher Rating: Teen (13+)
EN Publication Status: Complete (7 volumes total)

A gay couple travels across the world, promising to marry when they return home.
Publisher Series Page

Title: Our Dining Table
Author/Artist: Mita Ori
EN Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
EN Publisher Rating: Teen (13+)
EN Publication Status: Ongoing (3+ volumes)

A homemade rice ball helps a lonely man find joy in sharing meals with others and find love.
Publisher Series Page

Title: Restart after Coming Back Home
Author/Artist: cocomi
EN Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
EN Publisher Rating: Teen (13+)
EN Publication Status: Complete (2 volumes total)

After being fired from his job in Tokyo, a man returns home and becomes close with a neighbor who moved in while he was away.
Publisher Series Page

Title: Snow Fairy
Author/Artist: Tomo Serizawa
EN Publisher: Tokyopop
EN Publisher Rating: Teen (13+)
EN Publication Status: Complete (1 volume total)

A photographer visiting Hokkaido is rescued from a snow storm by a local farmer, and they end up spending the winter together.
Publisher Page

Title: Strobe in the Dark
Author/Artist: Nojico Hayakawa
EN Publisher: Tokyopop
EN Publisher Rating: Older Teen (16+)
EN Publication Status: Complete (1 volume total)

A teenager photographs his childhood friend and crush to hide his feelings. He even eavesdrops on confessions, only to find out his friend may just love him back.
Publisher Page

Title: Voices in the Sea Foam
Author/Artist: Kotaro
EN Publisher: Kodansha USA
EN Publisher Rating: Older Teen (16+)
EN Publication Status: Complete (1 volume total)

A college student swore off love after remembering his past life as the doomed little mermaid but finds himself attracted to a fellow student.
Publisher Series Page

Title: What if I Said “I Love You”?
Author/Artist: Kumosoku
EN Publisher: Kodansha USA
EN Publisher Rating: Teen (13+)
EN Publication Status: Ongoing (4+ volumes)

A high school student tries to hide his love for his childhood friend.
Publisher Series Page

Wrap Up
Next time, I’ll be creating another list geared toward adult readers!