Best BL Anime For Beginners

Boys love manga rarely get anime adaptations, but when they do, it can be jarring for first-time viewers. Many of the adaptations are of popular titles that feature toxic tropes and unfavorable themes. This can throw newer fans off the genre in its entirety, as a lot of the BL that has been made into anime is problematic.

Luckily, as the genre becomes more popular, more and more anime are being made that present healthy relationships and narratives not driven by sex or abusive behavior. With so many BL stories being flawed, it’s easy to write them off; however, many series exist that challenge the troublesome cliches and storylines so often seen in the genre. Here are some great entry-level boys love anime.

Updated on November 26, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Boys love can be seen as inaccessible, and most of its shows are a hard sell to the uninitiated. Fortunately, the genre has produced its share of stories that are relatively newcomer-friendly, and they have become more common in recent years. For instance, Summer 2024 had Twilight Out of Focus, a series that explores three relationships that are quite different. Winter 2024’s Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! was also quite good, even if its title can be off-putting. While not included below, both of these shows are decent BL anime for beginners.

This article has been updated with galleries, new information, and a new show for viewers seeking a mature crime drama.

In this case, “for beginners” does not mean young viewers/children/etc, and mature anime will be considered, as long as they are still good options for people who are not already fans of boys love anime.

15 Descendants Of Darkness

An Old School Anime Perfect For Those Who Want To Dip Their Toes In The BL Pool

This anime follows a group of Shinigami, also known as the Guardians of Death, and specifically follows work partners, Tsuzuki and Hisoka. The duo goes on various missions, and it leads to their meeting with Dr. Muraki. Though he seems innocent at first, Muraki is hiding some dark secrets linked to Hisoka and Tsuzuki’s pasts.

Though not officially a BL anime, Descendants of Darkness is often considered an honorary one because it features a lot of BL elements. Between Muraki’s obsession with Tsuzuki and Tsuzuki being affectionate with Hisoka, it’s easy to see why. Overall, there are a lot of romantic undertones in the characters’ interactions with each other. This show is a great one to ease viewers into the BL genre. The affectionate moments aren’t overly romantic and leave fans wanting more between Tsuzuki and Hisoka.

14 Yes, No, or Maybe?

An Anime Movie With A Relatable Lead Who Is Hilarious

Kei Kunieda is a popular newscaster who is known for his kind yet professional attitude at work. However, his attitude is quite the opposite once he’s out and shows that he’s very grumpy. His world is turned upside down when he meets stop-motion animator, Ushio Tsuzuki, who meets his grumpy side. Kei now finds himself struggling to balance his two personas and must decide how he wants to move forward with Ushio only knowing half of him.

It’s a sweet little 53-minute movie for viewers looking for a little drama and comedy in the BL genre. Watching Kei try to balance his two personas makes it all worth it and it’s very relatable how he is at work and at home.

13 Welcome Home/Tadaima, Okaeri

The Perfect Anime For Those Wanting To Dip Their Toes Into Omegaverse

Hiromu and Masaki Fujiyoshi are a married couple with a two-year-old son named Hikari. The couple has faced a lot of discrimination because they’re an alpha-omega couple and because of Masaki’s omega status. The two of them decide to move elsewhere that’s better suited for their son and a fresh start.

This is a very sweet and wholesome slice-of-life anime that is a great choice for those wanting something nice to watch. Even with all the challenges Hiromu and Masaki face, it’s hard not to smile when Hikari is there being so cute. It’s also a great intro anime to omegaverse and helps ease viewers into the lore of it.

12 Yuri On Ice

The Anime That Made BL A Little More Mainstream In The Anime World

Yuri Katsuki is a young man who’s struggling with life and trying to figure out if he should continue figure skating after a crushing defeat in the finals. After a video of him skating goes viral, Yuri is visited by his idol, Victor Nikiforov, who offers to coach him. If that wasn’t enough to rattle Yuri’s world, another figure skater, Yuri Plitsetsky, comes to Japan and demands Victor to be his coach.

Yuri on Ice took the anime world by storm thanks to its amazing story and characters, and respectfully depicting mental health issues like anxiety. The relationship between Yuri and Victor is a nice slow burn and will leave fans weeping from how beautiful it is.

11 No. 6

A Perfect Choice For Fans Of Dystopian Mystery

Shion is a boy who was raised in the city known as “No. 6.” He’s lived a pretty privileged life, but it is turned upside down when he finds another young boy, Nezumi. He provides Nezumi shelter for the night, and it leaves an impression on both of them. Because he helped Nezumi, Shion is stripped of his elite rank and forced to move to a different area with his mother. He and Nezumi meet again four years later and team up to discover the secrets of No. 6.

If fans are looking for a BL story that features a dystopian sci-fi with mystery mixed in, No. 6 is an ideal pick. Shion and Nezumi are complete opposites in a lot of things, yet the two of them manage to find common ground and build a pretty good relationship.

10 Hitorijime My Hero

An Anime That Isn’t Afraid To Talk About Issues Like Age Gaps

Masahiro Setagawa is a high schooler who is often bullied by the neighborhood gang and is their errand boy. One night, he meets a boy named Kensuke Ooshiba, who offers to help take care of a kitten. Soon after this meeting, Masahiro finds out the neighborhood gang was beaten by someone known as the “Bear Killer,” who turns out to be Kensuke’s older brother, Kousuke. What starts off as admiration slowly becomes something more, and Masahiro and Kousuke struggle to keep their feelings to themselves.

Admittedly, this one might raise a few eyebrows because Masahiro is a high school student, while Kousuke is an adult and his teacher. But the anime does acknowledge that a relationship like this is very unusual, and their friends even tell them to think very carefully before entering a relationship since there are people who won’t accept it.

9 Given

A Great Drama That Takes Viewers On An Emotional Rollercoaster

Given is a story about overcoming trauma through connection and music. It tells the story of Mafuyu, a high school boy traumatized by the death of his first love, and Ritsuka, a boy from the same school as Mafuyu, who is in a band looking for a lead singer. When Ritsuka starts giving Mafuyu guitar lessons, he learns that Mafuyu is a talented singer and is just what his band is looking for.

As the series progresses, the two get closer, open up to each other about their struggles, and make amazing music along the way. Given features multiple couples, all centered around the band, and is an excellent watch for BL fans and non-fans alike.

8 Doukyusei (Classmates)

A Classic Opposites-Attract Story Set In An All-Boys High School

Doukyusei, or Classmates, is a one-hour-long film about Sajo, a quiet and studious high school student who is struggling with his singing for the school choir competition, and Kusakabe, a musician and cool guy who helps Sajo get ready for their class’ performance.

This opposites-attract anime presents a healthy relationship between two high school boys at an all-boys school in Japan. It is a beautifully made film with a unique art style that doesn’t stray from the manga.

7 Heaven Official’s Blessing

A Donghua (Chinese Anime) That’s A Great Introduction To The Donghua Scene

After his third ascension to godliness, the Crown Prince Xie Lian must undertake a difficult task in order to pay back the debt he acquired during his ascension. During this adventure, Xie Lian, along with two deputy gods, comes across a ghost by the name of Hua Cheng. Xie Lian and Hua Cheng grow close to each other, budding a supernatural romance quite unlike any other.

This is a donghua (Chinese anime) based on the novel by Mo Xiang Tong Xui. Its second season premiered in 2023 and is a great choice for new BL fans and those new to the donghua scene.

6 Love Stage!!

The Perfect Choice For Those Who Want Drama And Comedy

Love Stage!! is a quirky story about first loves and show business. Izumi Sena is an otaku, and his entire family is in the entertainment industry. When he was young, he played a little girl in a commercial, but since then, he has refused to act. When Izumi’s co-star for the commercial, Ryoma Ichijo, meets him again in the future, it turns out that he’s been in love with him since they were children, but Ryoma thinks Izumi is a girl.

This BL anime is a classic for fans of the genre, as it was one of the few healthier relationships in BL at the time of its release. Izumi and Ryoma make for an adorable couple and bring with them a ton of laughs, some steamy scenes, and a lot of love.

5 Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi – World’s Greatest First Love

A Good Slice-Of-Life Anime That Follows Multiple Couples

This workplace romance is about rekindling old feelings and building a firm, healthy relationship out of them. Not devoid of cliches, World’s Greatest First Love is a classic BL adaptation that shows it’s shojo roots in both the art style and content. It follows Ritsu Onodera, a new member of the shojo department at Murukawa Publishing. There, he meets his boss, Masamune Takano, who, as it turns out, went to the same high school as Onodera. Will their history turn into something more?

World’s Greatest First Love is a spin-off of another classic by the same mangaka, Junjou Romantica. Although they don’t have to be watched in a specific order, fans of World’s Greatest First Love might enjoy the slightly more problematic, yet enjoyable nonetheless, Junjou Romantica.

4 Stranger By The Shore

An Anime That Tackles Heavy, Realistic Issues

Stranger By The Shore, or L’etranger De La Plage, is a film adaptation of the first manga in the L’etranger series by Kanna Kii. It tells the story of Shun Hashimoto and Mio Chibana. When they first meet, Mio is still in high school, and Shun is an author. Though they grow close, nothing ever happens between them, and Mio moves away. Three years later, the two reconnect, and romance brews.

This is a BL film that grapples with themes of internalized homophobia, loss, and overcoming. It’s a quick watch that won’t disappoint new or old fans of BL.

3 The Founder Of Diabolism

A Donghua Filled With Action And Drama That’ll Leave Viewers Wanting More

When Wei Wuxian is summoned into the body of Mo Xuanyu 13 years after his death, he must fulfill the wishes of his summoner as per the ritual’s rules. However, Wei Wuxian was a demon cultivator of the highest order back in his day, and he can’t help himself from meddling in the local demon cultivator’s efforts to rid the area of demonic spirits. Further, an old friend (or maybe something more) surfaces, and Wei Wuxian must help him figure out what’s going on in his village.

This is an action and adventure BL donghua based on the best-selling book and manhua by the same name. It has three seasons and an additional chibi season and is great for those looking for engaging writing and unique animation styles.

2 Banana Fish

A Mature, Heavy Crime Story With A Boys Love Relationship As Its Heart

An adaptation of a classic shojo manga, Banana Fish is not for the faint of heart, regardless of their familiarity with boys love content. Set in New York City’s criminal underbelly, the story revolves around Ash, a guy who was forced into the mafia and abused by its most powerful member. His entire personality is designed around survival, and he finds himself on the run when he tries to discover the truth behind the eponymous MacGuffin. More importantly, he befriends Eiji, a kindhearted Japanese photographer who is very naive.

Banana Fish is a peculiar recommendation. Tackling themes of child abuse, prostitution, and depression, the anime is heavy and does not pull any punches. In the grand scheme of things, it is not an entry-level anime; however, when it comes to boys love anime for beginners, it is one of the best options for those craving a mature crime-driven series. Banana Fish tells a gripping and heartbreaking story that never loses steam.

1 Sasaki And Miyano

A Great Choice For Those Who Want To Watch Something Wholesome

This high school BL romance anime is a newer BL adaptation based on the popular manga of the same name. It follows Miyano, a quiet fudanshi (male BL fan), and Sasaki, a delinquent type that is a year ahead of Miyano. One day, the boys meet when Sasaki breaks up a fight that Miyano is trying to help with. The two become friends, and Miyano opens up about his taste in manga to Sasaki.

This is a slow-burn slice-of-life anime about self-discovery, friendship, and love. It is easy to watch, with there being little conflict, and it is perfect for first-time BL fans looking for something innocent and healthy.