Hello! I’m Lys, a library worker and BL manga fan. I hope this blog is not only helpful for those who are unfamiliar with BL, such as library staff and booksellers, but existing fans as well!

Author: Lys

  • Happy Yaoi Day 2025!

    For those unfamiliar, August 1st is Yaoi Day! 8 can be pronounced “ya” in Japanese, so 801 can be read as “yaoi”. So what does “yaoi” actually mean?? Here is an except from James Welker’s “A Short History of Shonen’ai, Yaoi and Boys Love” chapter from Boys Love Manga and Beyond (p. 55). “By the…

  • My Instructor Won’t Yield by Deme Kingyobachi

    EN Title: My Instructor Won’t Yield JP Title:  千葉教官はなびかないRomaji: Chiba-kyoukan wa NabikanaiAuthor/Artist: Deme KingyobachiPublisher: KodanshaPublisher Rating: 16+Status: Ongoing (in Japan)* SynopsisThirty-year-old Chiba is a handsome driving instructor, whose looks and kind words capture the attention of all the students. His new student is Yaotome, a handsome man his age. Upon meeting Chiba, Yaotome calls him “Maki” and turns out to…

  • From Screen to Paper: Digital BL Manga Now in Print

    As an American manga reader, I can say with confidence that many others here in the US love and prefer print manga. With the majority of digital purchases of media only granting a license rather than ownership, there are a few concerns. Access to digital media can be easily revoked from platforms when a license…

  • A Quick Introduction to Chill Chill and the 2025 BL Awards

    Last Edited: 02/18/2026 – Some titles mentioned were licensed since this post was written, so I’ve changed the license status of those! In a few of my posts, I mentioned some titles have ranked in the 2025 Chill Chill BL Awards. So today I’ll finally talk about them! In short, Chill Chill is a database…

  • Old-Fashioned Cupcake (+ with Cappuccino) by Sagan Sagan

    EN Title: Old-Fashioned CupcakeJP Title: オールドファッションカップケーキAuthor/Artist: Sagan SaganPublisher: SuBLimePublisher Rating: MatureStatus: Complete (2 volumes, second volume is subtitled with Cappuccino) Content notes: Sexual content (really only seen in the extra chapters) BL featuring men in their forties and above (sometimes includes late thirties too haha) is a subset of the BL genre, sometimes called “ojisan BL” (おじさんBL) or “oyaji BL”…

  • If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love by Maru Kubota

    EN Title: If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in LoveJP Title: 君となら恋をしてみても (なら恋)Romaji: Kimi to Nara Koi wo Shitemite mo (NaraKoi)Author/Artist: Maru KubotaPublisher: Yen PressPublisher Rating: Older TeenStatus: Ongoing (5+ Volumes) Content Notes: Volume 4 has sexual content SynopsisSet on the island of Enoshima (not too far west of Kamakura in Kanagawa prefecture) If It’s You, I Might Try Falling…

  • Lullaby of the Dawn by Ichika Yuno

    EN Title: Lullaby of the DawnJP Title: 夜明けの唄Romaji: Yoake no UtaAuthor/Artist: Ichika YunoPublisher: Tokyopop/LoveLovePublisher Rating: 16+EN Publication Status: Ongoing (5+ volumes) Setting: FantasyContent Notes: Non-explicit sexual content, child sexual abuse (from characters’ memories) I remember seeing Lullaby of the Dawn for the first time on Hoopla, which has a handful of Tokyopop’s BL titles, and…

  • Pink Heart Jam beat 1 by Shikke

    EN Title: Pink Heart Jam beatJP Title: ピンクハートジャム beatAuthor/Artist: ShikkePublisher: SuBLimePublisher Rating: MatureEN Publication Status: Ongoing Setting: Contemporary, universityContent notes: Explicit sexual content Background InformationSuBLime recently released Pink Heart Jam beat, the sequel to the two volume series Pink Heart Jam. For those unfamiliar with the story, it follows the romance between freshman Yuki Haiga and his senior Ryo Kanae.…

  • Shout Loud My Heart by Youga Rayri

    EN Title: Shout Loud My HeartJP Title: シャウト・ラウド・マイハートAuthor/Artist: Youga RayriPublisher: KodanshaPublisher Rating: 18+EN Publication Status: Complete (1 Volume) Setting: Contemporary, universityContent notes: Explicit sexual content SynopsisUniversity student and guitarist Gen rarely notices the people surrounding him, uninterested in most people outside his friends. But when a vocalist from another band captures attention, Gen finds out…

  • Love on the Horizon by Machi Yamashita

    EN Title: Love on the HorizonJP Title: あした愛かもしれないRomaji: Ashita Ai KamoshirenaiAuthor/Artist: Machi YamashitaPublisher: KodanshaPublisher Rating: 16+EN Publication Status: Complete (2 Volumes) Setting: Contemporary, universityContent Notes: Non-explicit sexual content Kodansha released volume 2 of Love on the Horizon just last week! I was pleasantly surprised to see it included extra stories, including a doujinshi (self-published comic).…