Yaoi, also known as Boy’s Love, focuses on romantic relationships between men and is far more popular than yuri, a genre that focuses on wlw relationships. Many yaoi end up being more erotic and focused on fanservice or simply don’t feel like something written with an LGBT audience in mind. Finding good quality queer content in Japanese media can be tricky sometimes, so we’ll guide you through some of the best yaoi anime of all time.
11 Must-Watch Yaoi Anime
The range of subjects represented in this list is big, so surely there’ll be something that picks your attention; however, as boy’s love, all of them have the same romantic element at their core. These 11 must-watch yaoi anime are great entries for anyone wanting to get to know more works of the genre.
Given
Also one of the best music anime available, Given shows us a healthy, beautiful, and realistic gay relationship. Obviously, the songs are amazing and make the story and the relationships between the characters much clearer. And something weird happens with music anime; they are the funniest thing ever, or they’ll make you cry nonstop, and Given is the latter. Be prepared for a very emotional time.
Doukyuusei
When Kusakabe sees Sajou, known for being an honor student, having problems with a song for a chorus festival, he takes an interest in him. The story is very straightforward; we just see the characters meeting each other and hanging out. And it’s because of that straightforwardness that it’s so easy to see how much they love each other and how relatable they are.
Sasaki and Miyano
Sasaki and Miyano end up meeting and helping each other by pure coincidence, but they quickly become friends and start getting closer. The anime takes its time while developing the romance, mainly because of Miyano’s obliviousness, but that makes the show even cuter and more wholesome. And that gives time for the side characters to develop too. If you like Horimiya, this might be a good pick for you.
The Stranger by the Shore
Mio and Shun are very close, but Mio suddenly leaves the island they leave on, only to come back three years later with an also sudden love confession to Shun. Their relationship feels very real, and their struggles are relatable. The best part of it by far is the visual atmosphere; it’s rich, and the colors draw you in.
Banana Fish
Banana Fish isn’t precisely considered yaoi, but it influenced the genre a lot. It’s full of heavy themes, so be aware of that. The relationship between the two characters is beautiful, and it’s impossible not to cheer and empathize with them and their situation. Also, seeing how it affects BL to this day and discussions about how it represents queerness is an experience in itself. Don’t miss out on such an interesting anime.
Related: Best Romance Anime You Can Watch Right Now
Heaven Official’s Blessing
The best yaoi anime on Netflix and one of the most fun donghua you can check out, Heaven Official’s Blessing is beautiful in all senses. The romantic plot is sweet, the songs (mainly the opening and the ending) are a feast for the ears, and the animation is incredible. Its slow pace doesn’t affect how entertaining it is and gives you more scenes to just enjoy the characters being together.
Yuri!!! on Ice
If you like anime, you’ve probably already heard of Yuri!!! on Ice, the lovely story of an ice skating athlete named Yuri and his romance with Victor. The thing is, the anime isn’t precisely a romance. However, the dialogue and subtext are so well-done that it’s a general consensus that this is a gay romance. There’s no way you’ll look at it and think otherwise. It’s beautiful and emotional, and fans can’t get enough of it.
Antidote
The male leads, Cheng and Jian, have completely different “statuses,” but Cheng needs to depend on Jian in many situations, so their bond grows really close. And, even though their relationship is the core of the anime, it’s a breath of fresh air to see their other interests and activities. It also talks about mental health and issues related to that, which is a bit rare too.
No.6
Instead of being as romantic as the others, in No.6, Nezumi and Shion take part in an action-packed adventure fighting a dystopian government. Romance isn’t the biggest focus, but if you like that and sci-fi you can’t miss out on this. The character’s relationship feels very real, and its development is well-done.
SpiritPact
Well, no reason to be scared of the “bury your gays” trope if one of the leads is already dead, right? Jinghua is a spirit and works as a guardian for the exorcist Xi Duanmu in exchange for protection. The characters have good chemistry, and the plot is unique, not to mention it only gets better, mainly during the second season.
Mo Dao Zu Shi
Unfortunately, it’s an example of censorship being awful, but it’s still a sweet show with a very clear LGBT subtext. The mystery focuses on two antagonistic characters investigating the spiritual world together. Even though it’s quite slow-paced, there are many action scenes, and it’s enjoyable following the leads and the situations they are involved. And the stellar animation makes everything better.
