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!

  • I Don’t Know How to Love by Yu Machio

    EN Title: I Don’t Know How to Love
    JP Title: 恋の仕方がわからない
    Romaji: Koi wo Shikata ga Wakaranai
    Author/Artist: Yu Machio
    Publisher: Yen Press
    Publisher Rating: Older Teen
    Status: Complete

    Content Notes: Sexual content

    Story Overview
    Aimi is known to be willing to date anyone, as long as they agree to his condition. Since that includes meeting up with women, many of his relationships don’t last. But his junior Kaede is happy to agree the open relationship! Aimi thinks Kaede will be like the others but is surprised Kaede genuinely respects his condition. As their relationship continues on, Aimi begins to have seemingly inexplainable feelings, but surely he can’t be falling in love!

    Review
    When Aimi’s friends eventually point out that he’s acting like an elementary school boy, I wholeheartedly agreed. But rather than be irritated at the story progression, I was amused by his attitude and overall. The way he checked his phone, looked out for, and just constantly thought about Kaede throughout the story was adorable. So when he finally admitted his feelings, the goofiness of it was endearing for me. I do think this only worked because the story is in his point of view. If the story were from Kaede’s side, Aimi really would just look like a jerk for the most part. And because Kaede wanted to respect Aimi’s condition, the story would have a bit of a different tone. But I do wish there was a little bit more of Kaede’s inner thoughts in the story. I loved how he would brighten up whenever Aimi showed up, so it would have been nice to know more about him! In general, having more details of the characters would have been nice and give them more depth.

    I Don’t Know How to Love is a quick, silly romcom with low stakes. The story’s pretty straightforward, so I recommend it for those who want something light and sweet. The book is out now!

    Thanks to Yen Press and Edelweiss for the DRC.

  • In Love’s Key, Reprised by Guri Nojiro

    EN Title: In Love’s Key, Reprised
    JP Title: くりかえしあいのおと
    Romaji:  Kurikaeshi Ai no Oto
    Author/Artist: Guri Nojiro
    Publisher: Kodansha
    Publisher Rating: Mature
    Status: Complete

    Content Notes: Sexual content

    Story Overview
    The strict conductor Kiri returns home to Hokkaido to rest due to health issues. Despite Kiri’s harsh attitude, Osamu, his fan and the local grocer, helps him keep warm when his electricity is off and finish moving in. Kiri eventually gets roped into helping the local junior high school’s choir, of which Osamu’s younger sister Lala is a part. As a loner who struggles to get a long with others, Kiri has difficulty getting along with the choir, especially Lala. At the same time, Osamu also gets closer and closer to him, giving him a warmth he doesn’t realize he has been longing for.

    Review
    In Love’s Key, Reprised is a short, heartwarming story of a lonely man who finds both love and better understanding of caring for others. It’s also a story of working with grief, as Kiri’s harshness partially stems from missing his mother who had passed. The comfort and care he receives from Osamu helps Kiri find he does have a chance at changing and improving.

    The story focuses more on the romance between the two and skips out on showing Kiri becoming more friendly with the choir and those in town over time. The story dedicates a few panels showing a timelapse, but I think the story would have been stronger if readers had the chance to experience it more. This story then, once again does suffer a bit from it being a single volume BL. I still found the romance between Kiri and Osamu very adorable, as I do like the dynamic of an overly friendly person and cold loner couple. Even though Kiri for the most part just gave into Osamu’s kindness and warmth, I found it sweet. Guri Nojiro’s linework has a certain softness to it that gives an extra cozy feeling to the story and romance.

    Despite weaknesses that come with being a single volume, In Love’s Key, Reprised is a manga I could find myself going back and reading when I need a little pick me up.

    Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha for the DRC!

    Guri Nojiro is an author I have been a fan of, and has two others works available in English:
    A Beast’s Love Is Like the Moon – published by Tokyopop
    It Was the End of Spring – debut work; localized by Renta! (digital only)

  • Worst Soulmate Ever + Proposal by Haruta

    EN Title: Worst Soulmate Ever
    JP Title: 運命の番がお前だなんて / 運命の番に求婚（プロポーズ）だなんて
    Romaji: Unmei no Tsugai ga Omae da Nante / Unmei no Tsugai ni Kyuukon (Propose) da Nante
    Author/Artist: Haruta
    Publisher: SuBLime
    Publisher Rating: Mature
    Status: Complete (2 Volumes, second volume is titled Worst Soulmate Ever: Proposal)

    Content Notes: Sexual content

    Story Overview
    Yu Shishikura struggles with romantic relationships but is desperate to find his true mate. Being an omega makes is more difficult too. After participating in a soulmate consulting service, he finds out his perfect match is alpha Haruto Kotani, his coworker and former classmate who has been holding a grudge against Shishikura since… middle school?! Kotani may have helped Shishikura through a heat once, but he doesn’t believe in the result! But after having sex again, his thoughts are full of Kotani, who also has a nicer side to him…

    In the sequel Worst Soulamate Ever: Proposal, Shishikura and Kotani have admitted their feelings for each other and have become a couple. Shishikura is finally one step closer to his dream of marrying his soulmate! Kotani, on the other hand states he has no plans to legally marry. Shishikura then has to decide on if he wants to stay with Kotani or his dream of marriage. When another man hits on him, both have to decide on the future of their relationship.


    Review
    I like to say that I’m not the biggest fan of the bickering couple trope, but every time I read a story with one, I eat it up anyways! (In Japanese, these couples are known as ケンカップル (kenkappuru). From the beginning I had to laugh at the story’s set up, especially for Kotani’s long and really petty grudge. And when the steamy scenes came around, Haruta showed the chemistry well! Story wise, their judgments and pride preventing them from admitting their feelings is one I feel is a classic story line in BL, yet I still kept flipping through. I really enjoyed the moments where Kotani was caring toward Shishikura and also seeing him realize he was falling for him. The comic didn’t have much of his perspective, so I was curious to know more about him. The story ended happily with them recognizing their feelings, but I do wish there was more development between the two. There were still were a lot of loose ends as well! Even if the feelings were now reciprocal, what about becoming mates? Luckily, there’s the sequel.

    Worst Soulmate Ever: Proposal starts out with what I assume is an extra story where the two going on a hot spring date, giving more insight on their new relationship. Overall it was really funny, as they try to exorcise a ghost by having sex at the hot springs. As for the main story itself, it gave a little more insight into Kotani’s character and feelings on bonding and marriage, which I had been looking forward to seeing. His reactions to Shishikura talking positively about his family shows Kotani mostly had the opposite. And when his family past is revealed, he finally tells his honest fears and concerns about marrying. The rest of the story was sweet as Kotani makes peace with the past and marries. I found it funny his brother got in the way for two chapters, only to quickly disappear after that until the wedding. I thought he’d also maybe get involved with helping Kotani and Shishikura with the father afterwards, but then again it makes sense he didn’t? But his little appearance was really quick. Regardless, the sequel wrapped up the story nicely, and I’m glad to see the two get their happy ending!

    I enjoy the omegaverse setting, though I like stories that are more unconventional, whether through different gender pairings or a deeper exploration of the setting. But I still had a lot of fun reading Worst Soulmate Ever! There were glimpses to some of the worldbuilding and how people view omegas, which I always enjoy seeing. This is my first time reviewing an omegaverse story, so for those unfamiliar with this setting: it was originally a fanfiction trope that eventually made its way into fanworks and original BL in Asia. The books contain brief information on the setting for unfamiliar readers, which I find is a good practice! Worst Soulmate Ever was overall light and fun, so I’d recommend it for mature readers who want something more steamy and comedic, maybe to wind down after a stressful day!

    Thanks to SuBLime and Edelweiss Plus for the review copies! I ended up getting the books myself afterwards since I had fun reading~

  • 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 early 1980s, the term “yaoi”—in recent years a truly global label for male homoerotic manga and anime—was beginning to be used in the amateur comics sphere to name these amateur homoerotic works. The word is an acronym for “yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi,” or, roughly, “no climax,
    no point, no meaning,” an apt description of the relatively plotless original narratives and parodies replete with implied or roughly depicted male-on male sex. Its coinage and initial use had little specifically to do with the genre, however.”

    Though “yaoi” was originally created and used by doujinshi creators, the term was used in some commercial BL magazines in the 90s. But eventually, boys love/BL became the main term in Japan. While yaoi fell out of use in Japan, its use by English publishers when they began licensing BL manga in the early 2000s means it basically became synonymous with commercial BL for Anglophone readers. Many Anglophone BL fans know and understand it’s an old word, but enjoy using the term. (Me included!) However, some people think yaoi specifically means explicit BL while shonen’ai is focused more on romance and has no sexual content. (That’s a whole other conversation though.)

    I’ve been pretty busy wrapping up my summer classes, but I still want to include some recommendations in this post! While many BL manga is only a single volume, it often means a story has a quick development. That is why my personal favorite type of short BL titles are ones that are 2 volumes long, which gives the story a bit more breathing room. These titles often have 上 (jou) and 下 (ge) to mark volumes 1 and 2 respectively.

    Stigmata: Love Bites by Hidebu Takahashi
    Publisher: SuBLime
    Rating: Mature
    This story was the first one I’ve read from Hidebu Takahashi, whose unique artwork is very captivating. I thought the premise for this was so interesting, as Asako (left) can feel the pain and obtain wounds of victims when he is near a crime scene… So what happens when you feel the emotions of your superior’s ex-wife who was murdered? I loved how both Kuroiwa (right) and Asako struggled to navigate their feelings, trying to figure out if it’s only because of the case or not.

    Before its print release, Stigmata:Love Bites was released digitally on Futekiya. For Yaoi Day, Futekiya announced that Hidebu Takahashi’s work Psychedelia, which also centers around detectives, has been licensed for print! So excited to see another work have a physical version.

    Haberdashery Ginmokusei by Mamita
    Publisher: KUMA
    Rating: Mature
    Note: Currently only volume 1 has released! Volume 2 is slated to release in October.

    When I first started getting into BL manga a few years back, Haberdashery Ginmokusei was actually one of the first manga I purchased in Japanese! Like Mamita, I too love suits and thought the idea of a BL set in a tailor shop was so cool. When Ubuki (left) is struggling to keep customers at the tailor shop he inherited from his grandfather, Theo (right) suddenly appears and offers to help improve business. Learning why Theo decided to help Ubuki was very sweet, and I’m excited that there’s a sequel serializing in Japanese!

    I’ve read most of Mamita’s works, and I can say that this one is still my top favorite. I’ve enjoyed all of them to be honest, so you can’t go wrong with any title! Many of Mamita’s works were licensed in English last year are now releasing this year! Natsume Wants to be Trained will actually release later this month from Seven Seas.

  • 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 Nabikanai
    Author/Artist: Deme Kingyobachi
    Publisher: Kodansha
    Publisher Rating: 16+
    Status: Ongoing (in Japan)*

    Synopsis
    Thirty-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 be the total opposite of Chiba’s expectations. The two gradually get to know each other after meeting again outside the school. Chiba eventually learns Yaotome is an otaku and manga artist. But an off-handed comment from another student leads Chiba to learn “Maki” is Yaotome’s character based on him! Having been betrayed once in the past, Chiba confronts Yaotome. But he still winds up on a Hokkaido trip with Yaotome, who confesses he fell in love with Chiba two years ago. Yaotome once worked at the convenience store Chiba regularly visits. In the end, Chiba sorts out his past and begins dating Yaotome, who earned his license.

    Review
    I originally heard of the title last fall when Kodansha announced new licenses. I would have never guessed there would be a BL centered around driving school! And back in April, My Instructor Won’t Yield was runner-up in the BL Sommelier Recommendation Category for the Chill Chill BL Awards! So, when I saw it available on NetGalley, I immediately read it. The story has a familiar premise of one character, Chiba in this case, having a heartbreak that makes him distrustful of new love. I was delighted throughout the story, especially because of the contrast in Yaotome’s personality and looks. (I am very weak to gap moe.) His clumsy attempts to be put together and failure to hide his feelings makes him an endearing love interest. I particularly loved his introduction, where he initially has an aura of a shojo manga hero. But when Chiba enters the car with him it all vanishes, with Yaotome trembling behind the wheel instead.

    Deme Kingyobachi times the story beats of the different comedic moments really well throughout the story. While there was some emotional whiplash before chapter three’s Hokkaido trip, the story is overall very light and sweet. Being a single volume story, the story progression is rather quick, and I wish there were more! I truly enjoyed the spin of the driving school setting, and the artwork added extra charm. I especially loved the way Deme Kingyobachi drew all of Yaotome and Chiba’s blushing faces and silly expressions. The confessions from both characters were also very sweet moments in the story, especially Chiba’s.

    After reading, I can see why the BL Sommeliers enjoyed this story! Though the storyline is familiar, it’s unique setting and fun characters make it stand out. As a last note, I liked the translation notes on Japanese driving schools at the end, which was a neat culture note. Thanks again to Kodansha and NetGalley for the DRC! My Instructor Won’t Yield releases on August 19.

    Here’s a little illustration from Deme Kingyobachi celebrating the BL Awards Sommelier results!

    * The story is described as a “one-shot” (though I think “single volume” is the more appropriate term) by Kodansha USA, but in Japan the comic release is labeled as千葉教官はなびかない 1. So I’m not sure what exactly the status is?

  • 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 expires, and platforms themselves can disappear. Manga and comics in general have been no exception to this.

    But even with BL’s popularity, it would be impossible to license and print all the titles out there! There are some digital-only titles have been licensed for print release by American publishers. But some digital publishers have also joined in print publishing! Today, I will introduce two different Japan-based manga publishers who have a handful of titles now in print. I briefly mentioned them in my post Who is Publishing BL in English? but am excited to talk about them a little more.

    First off is Animate International (not to be confused with the online store with the same name). The company is a part of the Animate Group and primarily works in importing overseas goods and film distribution. But in 2021, they began to publish titles digitally in English with their first announcements being Kabukicho Bad Trip and Lala’s Married Life. They partner with a few different publishers, especially those within the Animate Group, such as libre and Frontier Works. Their digital titles are available across multiple Japan-based and US-based platforms, giving readers flexibility to choose. While they have no official website, their linktree lists all their available titles. They have a great selection of titles, and I highly recommend checking their works out! Some of my favorite digital titles from them include Breathless Momentum by Zeniko Sumiya, Dear My Killer Tune by Iyada, and Kimi no Sumire: Your Spring Flower by Arashi Arima.

    At Anime Expo 2023, they announced their first print release. Since then, they have released 6 titles in print, with their most recent being the first volume of the popular Tashiro-kun, Why’re You Like This? For multi-volume titles, so far only the first volumes have been released at this time. Animate International’s titles are primarily available to purchase through Animate’s international and US stores, Kinokuniya USA, the Crunchyroll Store, and Amazon. Outside the US, some of their titles are available in Canada through the shop The Beguiling.

    Here are their list of titles available in print:
    ♡ Living with Him by Toworu Miyata
    ♡ Mask Danshi: This Shouldn’t Lead to Love Vol. 1 by Mitsuru Sangou
    ♡ Love and the Highly Sensitive Person by Chimi Sarukawa
    ♡ Countdown to Yes by Roji
    ♡ Kabukicho Bad Trip Vol. 1 by Eiji Nagisa
    ♡ Tashiro-kun, Why’re You Like This? Vol 1. by Yamada

    Next is Manga Planet/Futekiya, a digital publisher and platform owned by FANTASISTA. Futekiya is the BL branch of Manga Planet, which used to be a separate site and subscription until it merged with Manga Planet’s main site in 2023. Now it has both a subscription plan (Manga Planet Pass) and points to purchase works. Some titles are available in full through the subscription, while others are point purchase only. Some are available through both the subscription (either in full or in part) and point purchase.

    I’ve personally really enjoyed the selection of Futekiya titles on Manga Planet since I heard about it last year. It’s a service I recommend for new BL fans, as the Pass gives access to a great amount of titles at an affordable rate. Midnight Bookstore by Tacocasi, the Pornographer (along with its prequel and sequel) by Maki Marukido, Perfect Propose by Mayo Tsurukame, and City Lights Birthday by Chika Hongo (available in print!) are some titles I’ve enjoyed. While most of the Futekiya titles available with the Pass are from 2023 and earlier, there have been some additions in the last year and a half, such as Color Collection by Tomo Serizawa. I’ve only used the current Manga Planet site, but I’ve heard great things about the old Futekiya one. I even heard there was a blog with some author interviews and posts on BL information, which I would have loved to see!

    In 2023, Manga Planet announced they would begin printing some titles. Since then, they have released 14 titles in print, all but 1 being Futekiya titles. While some of the Manga Planet/Futekiya titles are currently exclusively available to purchase from Kinokuniya USA, they have been expanding distribution to other stores, including international ones. Their list of printed books is available here, along with a form for booksellers interested in carrying their books and a form for print requests.

    As I mentioned on Twitter (X), I feel like they are not as well-known outside those who are already fans of BL, so I wanted to highlight them in this post today! Both publishers had their books available at Anime Expo this past weekend and have attended the convention in past years, so happy to see they have a presence there. I look forward to seeing what new titles they will bring digitally and to print. I also hope to see them have greater distribution for their print books. I know I’m fortunate to live in the US and have a local Kinokuniya, but I feel for international fans who wish to support them but cannot as easily.

    And since they aren’t distributed in the same way as larger publishers, I’m not sure how libraries can acquire some of these books! Regardless, I filled a patron purchase request form and we’ll see if it goes through in the coming weeks. I also wonder what the feasibility is to have their digital works on platforms such as Hoopla or Libby (though this is more for Animate International rather than Manga Planet, since those titles are mainly locked to the platform.)

    Regardless, I’m glad these publishers took the chance to print their titles and wish for their continued success! I own a few books from both publishers and am waiting for some to come in as I write this. (I plan to write about some of these in the future too!)

    Thanks for reading, I hope this was informative. If you’re a BL fan and haven’t checked out the publishers yet, I definitely recommend it. Both have a range of sweet to spicy works so there’s something for everyone.

    See you next time!

  • 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 and community site dedicated to BL. (Please note the site is all in Japanese and has mature content.) Users can browse recent releases, rate and review them, discover titles through extensive filters, read author and artist interviews, log your bookshelf, and more! Users can also choose their favorite authors, artists, and works. This information in turn can be used to find recommendations through their BL Sommelier service, which does utilize some type of AI. Chill Chill also has several social media accounts outside their main site.

    The top of Chill Chill’s front page.

    On their front page, they list the top 10 rated works over the last 10 days, with options to change the time range. This ranking is determined by how many ratings the work has received in that time. While there’s a primary focus on commercial BL manga, Chill Chill’s extensive database also includes novels, drama CDs, and doujin/self-published works. It also includes some non-BL works and works translated into Japanese, such as M/M novels like Captive Prince.

    Today’s top 10 ranking for manga, and top 5 for novels and drama CDs.
    Licensed manga titles include:
    ♡ Our Dining Table: Seconds, Please! 2 (#1) – Seven Seas
    ♡ PUNKS TRIANGLE stitch 1 (#2) – Seven Seas
    ♡ Love Tattoo (#4) – Seven Seas
    ♡ Kitayama and Minamiya 5 (#5) – Seven Seas
    ♡ My Beautiful Man 5 (#8) – Tokyopop

    Now, the BL Awards is an annual event that ranks the top works of the previous year, primarily focusing on manga. This only includes commercial BL works that were released as a volume/tankobon. For 2025, they also have categories for best webtoon, novel, and drama CD. Ratings on Chill Chill determine which works are nominated, and then users vote over the course of about 10 days. The results were then released in April, showing the top 20 for most categories. As long as they have a Chill Chill account, anyone can vote! The page is mostly in Japanese, but there are some parts of the site that have translations available.

    The top 3 Best Overall Comics:
    🥇Noumi-senpai no Benmei – Seven Seas (coming late 2026)
    🥈 You Should be the One to Come Kiss Me – Renta! (Digital only), Seven Seas (coming late 2026)
    🥉 My Noons and Midnights are For You – Tokyopop

    While I mentioned the BL Sommelier service earlier, these people can actually become a Chill Chill certified BL Sommelier through an exam! This exam is in two parts and offered once a year! The exam has a 1.4% pass rate, with only 36 of 2,508 test takers becoming certified BL Sommeliers as of 2024. The next exam takes place in October of this year. Sommeliers work with Chill Chill for a variety of online projects and events, now including the Chill Chill BL Awards! The BL Sommelier Recommendation category was a new category for this year, where Sommeliers nominated and voted on works. As this is not based on general popularity in comparison to the other categories, I hope they continue to have this category in future BL Awards.

    Titles licensed in English in this category are:
    ♡ My Instructor Won’t Yield (2nd Place) – Kodansha
    ♡ Yotsuya Ghost Night – Tokyopop
    ♡ My Cute Teacher – Renta! (digital only)

    While Chill Chill is primarily for Japanese audiences, they have begun to connect with international fans. Their English X (Twitter) account has been growing over the last year. It’ll be interesting to see what they’ll do in the future! Japanese and international audiences in general do have different tastes, but Chill Chill and the BL Awards is still a valuable resource to those who are interested in the Japanese BL world.

    To be honest, I would adore an English version of Chill Chill. But hosting a database and website and then maintaining it is rather costly. There was a project called Ouendan Blue that was similar to Chill Chill for English licensed BL but unfortunately ceased updating a few years back. (The site seems unreachable now too.) General English manga and anime databases like anilist and MyAnimeList already exist, so I am unsure of the need. (I personally would love to participate in making one dedicated to BL manga…)

    To end this post, I will refer to two more blog posts from Renta!’s BLog for further reading on Chill Chill. Renta! in Japan is a well-known e-book platform, and the English version of Renta! differs a bit from the Japanese site, as it’s not only a platform but a digital-only English publisher as well. And while the Japanese site has all genres, the English site focuses more on romance and BL. The BLog is run by the localization team and a neat resource for information on BL culture within Japan, which I feel is rarely available in English. (Note: the BLog may discuss/have mature content.)

    ChillChill BL Awards 2024, and their Importance in the BL Landscape
    ♡ Gives an overview and history of Chill Chill and the BL Awards

    We Attended the ChillChill Fujoshi Seminar!
    ♡ Introduces Sandias, Chill Chill’s parent company and their BL market research
    ♡ Discusses Sandias’ seminar that focused on international fans and BL

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

    EN Title: Old-Fashioned Cupcake
    JP Title: オールドファッションカップケーキ
    Author/Artist: Sagan Sagan
    Publisher: SuBLime
    Publisher Rating: Mature
    Status: 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” (やBL), from what I’ve see on ebook sites and social media. Depending on the person, ojisan BL can include a story between an age-gap couple between a younger and older man. For others, they must both be middle-aged or older men. While not as popular in Japan, it’s much loved by English-speaking fans. In English, the equivalent term is “old man yaoi”, which has gone viral online. I am very much a fan of this sub-genre, and I find Old-Fashioned Cupcake to be a great story to introduce it.

    Synopsis
    At work, many admire the popular and reliable Nozue. Approaching forty, he remains unmarried and lives a simple and routine life and has no plans of changing it. Togawa, his subordinate who is ten years younger, one day convinces him to try something different: to hang out like teenage girls. So the two begin to visit various spots popular with young women. As they become closer and closer, their conversations become more personal. When Nozue learns Togawa likes someone, the atmosphere changes and Nozue becomes aware of his changes. Togawa eventually admits the one he’s in love with is Nozue, who too recognizes and eventually accepts his own feelings. In with Cappuccino, the two have been happily dating for six months. But when Nozue’s friend and coworker recognizes Togawa wearing one of Nozue’s old ties, the Nozue begins to fear for their relationship. He especially worries about what would happen to Togawa if others learned about the two. He puts distance between them, but he learns how his one-sided decisions hurt Togawa. Togawa also wishes to find a solution, and he eventually decides to take a new job in order to grow. The two reconcile their thoughts on a trip, and they move together in the end.

    Review
    Old-Fashioned Cupcake wonderfully tells the story of a man who slowly learns to embrace new changes in his life. In the beginning, Nozue is resigned to live his routine life, believing himself too old for things like romance. His self-deprecating attitude makes him resist both his growing attraction to Togawa and realization that he himself is Togawa’s crush, seen in his thoughts. But in the panels, Sagan Sagan hints at Nozue’s true feelings through his expressions until Nozue finally admits it to himself. One of my favorite things about comics as a medium is the way artists can stretch or crunch time within a page and give feeling through its visuals. I also love the use of close ups and overall flow of the pages Sagan Sagan creates.

    The story itself is also oh so sweet in the way they fall for each other over their dates. They had inspired each other to live and enjoy their lives, leaving deep changes on each other. They’re not drastic in the sense they become completely different people, but enough to find the courage to accept their feelings. Both of Togawa and Nozue’s confessions to each other were a delight, but Nozue’s was especially adorable. Togawa’s response is one of my favorites.

    Togawa: I don’t want to be just “a part” of my life. I want you to be all of it.

    With Cappuccino is a strong sequel continuing on with their relationship. In a way, it calls back to the end of the first volume, where Togawa hopes they argue and make up more in the future. It may feel like Nozue is regressing in his development as he gets caught up in his thoughts again, but it doesn’t feel like an exact repeat of the first volume. I’m reminded of the scene near the end, on their way to the onsen. Nozue still worries about Togawa changing their jobs. They talk as they walk, until Nozue wants to stop. Togawa once again has a sweet reply. (Thank you Adrienne Beck for the translation of both volumes!)

    Nozue: I don’t want to ruin our vacation by fighting.
    Togawa: Nozue… What’s wrong with it? Fights are fine. Life isn’t like the movies. Problems don’t end with one solution. You wrestle with them again and again.

    Old-Fashioned Cupcake and with Cappuccino, for me, is a love story that isn’t like the movies. It’s not a glamorous romance that sweeps readers off their feet. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore BL like that, but I also love stories grounded in the everyday.

    I originally read this story in Japanese and didn’t read it in English until now. Thank you to SuBLime and Edelweiss for the DRC for the first volume! I ended up getting my own copies so now I have both the Japanese tankobon and English translation of the story haha.

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

    EN Title: If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love
    JP 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 Kubota
    Publisher: Yen Press
    Publisher Rating: Older Teen
    Status: Ongoing (5+ Volumes)

    Content Notes: Volume 4 has sexual content

    Synopsis
    Set on the island of Enoshima (not too far west of Kamakura in Kanagawa prefecture) If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love tells the love story of two high school classmates. Amane, a gay teen whose relationships have been strictly physical, prefers not to fall in love. But his chance meeting with Ryuuji just after he arrives turns his plans upside down. The next day, they find out they’re classmates. Having been hurt in the past by a friend after coming out, he jokes to Ryuuji about his sexuality to see how he’ll react. But to his surprise, Ryuuji calmly accepts it. After getting to know Ryuuji better and seeing his kindness toward others, Amane begins to realize his attraction has turned into something more.

    Review
    With soft artwork and a steady story pace, If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love is a very sweet high school romance BL. While I’m honestly not one to gravitate towards a high school setting, I’ve liked the light yet grounded feeling of the story. I think Maru Kubota does well in introducing the main characters, especially Amane, whose point of view is the most prominent in the first volume. Through his thoughts, actions, and words, readers get a rather clear picture of who he is. I also love the artwork! Even with a simpler art style, her character art is expressive. I especially adore the extra simplified and exaggerated expressions of the characters sprinkled throughout the volume! In addition to character art, the pacing of the panels to story beats keeps the story flowing smoothly.

    Volume one is available now, with the next releasing in August. I started reading this story after hearing about it on social media, getting the digital volumes in Japanese. Volume one’s exposition of the story drew me in to want to continue reading on. And if you’ve seen the blurb for volume two, it doesn’t take much longer for Amane to confess! The story then follows them navigating their new relationship, and the sweetness from volume one definitely continues on. Seeing Ryuuji also fall for Amane is a treat, so I’m excited for it to release in English! For those who want an a heartwarming romance story, I definitely recommend If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love.

    Thank you to Edelweiss and Yen Press for the DRC for volume 1!

    A few weeks ago, there was an exhibition for Hanamaru, the BL magazine If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love is in. Amane and Ryuuji were two of the characters featured in the event, so here is an illustration Kubota Maru drew a week into the event! (The thread below this post introduces some of the illustrations that were displayed.)

  • Lullaby of the Dawn by Ichika Yuno

    EN Title: Lullaby of the Dawn
    JP Title: 夜明けの唄
    Romaji: Yoake no Uta
    Author/Artist: Ichika Yuno
    Publisher: Tokyopop/LoveLove
    Publisher Rating: 16+
    EN Publication Status: Ongoing (5+ volumes)


    Setting: Fantasy
    Content 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 being pulled in by the art. Around the time volume 4 released, I finally decided to start reading it. After catching up, I was stunned to hear that it’s Ichika Yuno’s debut work!

    Story Overview
    Lullaby of the Dawn is set on an island closed off from the rest of the world due to strange creatures that come from the black sea that surrounds it. Only the chosen known as the Kannagi have the powers to defeat them night after night. Picked as children when their hair suddenly turns white, they are slow to age… But they are doomed to a short life, as the fighting in the sea turns their skin an inky black until it consumes them entirely. Feared by the people, they live lonely lives.

    The story begins with Alto, a young boy who moves in with his aunt, meeting Elva, the Kannagi of the South. Unaffected by the rumors of the Kannagi, Alto wishes to help Elva. When Alto isn’t attacked by the black sea, Elva allows him to stay. Several years pass and Elva lives beyond the average age of a Kannagi, with his cursed black skin retreated to his fingertips. With the change happening only after Alto’s appearance, they begin to wonder why. The mystery of the island begins to unravel as the two seek answers, and their relationship begins to change as well…

    Review
    With an intriguing mystery at the heart of the story, Lullaby of the Dawn has been a highly captivating manga. The truth of the island begins to unravel with each volume at a steady pace, building up in a way that keeps readers wanting to know more. The romance between Elva and Alto is also extremely sweet after they recognize their feelings for each other. Ichika Yuno’s combination of strong storytelling and breathtaking artwork has helped captivate many BL fans in Japan, and the manga ranked first in overall pick for the BL Awards in 2022! Lullaby of the Dawn has truly become one of my favorite BL series, and it’s one I could even recommend to non-BL readers because of its strong storytelling. Volume 6 just released in Japan, and I am very eager to read it after all the reveals from volume 5! The English version has a current release date of November.

    To address the content note I mentioned, volume 4-5 reveals the Kannagi in the past were exploited for their abilities and often sexually abused as well. Elva too experienced similar abuse by the people who took him in before he became a Kannagi.

    Here is a partially animated PV for volume 1! I would seriously love to see this series animated one day.

    One last thing to add: Lullaby of the Dawn was featured in MyAnimeList’s You Should Read This Manga 2025 in the Unique Art/Story category! Ichika Yuno wrote a comment for it.