Best Boys Love Manga of 2021

Born the crown prince of a prosperous kingdom, Xie Lian was renowned for his beauty, strength, and purity. His years of dedication and noble deeds allowed him to ascend to godhood. But those who rise, can also fall...and fall he does, cast from the Heavens again and again and banished to the mortal realm. Eight hundred years after his mortal life, Xie Lian has ascended to godhood for the third time. Now only a lowly scrap collector, he is dispatched to wander the earthly realm to take on tasks appointed by the heavens to pay back debts and maintain his divinity. Aided by old friends and foes alike, and graced with the company of a mysterious young man with whom he feels an instant connection, Xie Lian must confront the horrors of his past in order to dispel the curse of his present.

Chinatsu and his older brother, Fuyuki, have been trained by their father to become professional assassins for their whole lives. However, Fuyuki is slain as a result of Chinatsu failing at his first job. Chinatsu is discovered by a blind boy who lends him a shoulder to cry on. The trauma still haunts Chinatsu five years later, and he is unable to kill any of his targets as a result. While waiting around the streets, he recovers a stolen object owned by Kasumi, the blind boy he had met back then. As a token of gratitude, Kasumi invites the assassin to his home that is located in a traditional Japanese inn. Chinatsu learns that the boy sees himself as a burden to his family due to his disability. Despite being complete strangers, Kasumi feels a connection with Chinatsu and asks him to be his friend, to which the assassin readily agrees. But Chinatsu discovers more from being around Kasumi's kindhearted nature, and he realizes he may have found a way through the darkness of his life: a light worth protecting amidst the abyss.

Haruki Homura lives in solitude in the snowy countryside of Hokkaido. Hiding all his emotions in his lonely heart, he can not help but detest the bleak, colorless world around him. One day, Haruki meets the outgoing photographer Akihito Narumi, who came from Tokyo to capture the elusive snow fairies with his camera. With no place to stay amidst the snowy conditions, Haruki decides to let Narumi stay at his house for the winter. As the affable photographer cracks open his host's frozen heart, Haruki slowly warms up to the beauty of the world around him. Gradually developing a close bond, these polar opposites begin to dread the arrival of spring, as their time together will come to an end once the cold winter passes.

A killer must be prepared to put on the perfect act for their assassination to be successful. They must be exceptionally meticulous when erasing any trace of evidence, and they must absolutely never be caught. These are some of the simple rules that Joo Taeman has followed for 14 years, never allowing his emotions to interfere. Meanwhile, the famous actor Kang Dahyeok, nicknamed the "Heart Assassin" due to his attractive looks and dreamy eyes, is a huge fan of gritty film noirs. He has always dreamt of starring in something with an edge, but he keeps getting stuck with swoony romantic dramas. After witnessing Taeman's ability to effortlessly switch from a scowl to a smile, Dahyeok is determined to befriend him and learn the trick. However, Taeman falls for Dahyeok at first sight, facing a dangerous challenge: how to separate his high-risk profession and this deadly, killer crush!

In the Kingdom of Romelidahl, omegas—individuals with a secondary sex that causes them to emit enticing pheromones and become pregnant regardless of their primary sex—hold the lowest status in society and are often sold into slavery. As the 13th son of the royal family, Ilya is spared this fate, instead being married off to the neighboring Kingdom of Hanu for political gains. Though he assumes that he will be one of many partners used for the king's pleasure, he is surprised to learn that in Hanu, omegas are thought to be messengers from the god Ratati. Moreover, Khalid, the king, is only 10 years old. Ilya is unprepared to enjoy such a peaceful life, but Khalid slowly proves himself to be a wise ruler and a caring companion. However, these calm days do not last forever, as some wish to claim the throne of Hanu for themselves.

After leaving a scar on his best friend's face years ago, Tsubaki feels responsible and is determined to grow up big and strong so he can protect Yuu. Yuu is already in high school and Tsubaki is only in elementary, but he is sure that his feelings will get through and Yuu will eventually come to rely on him.

For four years, Naruse was swept up in his love for his novelist boyfriend, Toui. But tiring of his flightiness and lack of commitment, Naruse finally walks away from his relationship. Or at least, he tries to. Every time he runs into Toui, they seem to get tangled in one another's emotions and end up sleeping together. They argue and fight, then afterwards comes the pang of regret. Maybe their relationship is doomed to fail. Or maybe, it just needs a new angle...

Amane hadn't seriously liked anyone since middle school. He learned how painful it was to be laughed at for sharing your feelings and had sworn off ever since. Now, he's just transferred to a new high school in Enoshima, where he meets Ryuuji, a boy in his class. Fast friends, the jaded Amane quickly warms up to the eager Ryuuji—but that warmth continues to grow into feelings much deeper than friendship. Follow the boys as they navigate a frustratingly authentic journey through high school romance.

A dizzyingly sweet urge he is feeling for the first time. Kentaro, a second-year high school boy, meets Mizuki, a popular senior on campus. One day, Kentaro sees Mizuki with a girl in the infirmary, Kentaro catches Mizuki afterwards and impulsively kisses him....... A possessive junior x a playboy senior!

Tensei is a college student who's a hobbyist photographer. One day while taking photos, he encounters and becomes captivated by a boy with burn scars on his face, Makito. Worn down by people staring at his scars from an accident, Makito escaped the flashy modelling industry and instead found work at a small-town library. Tensei, who knows nothing about this past, comes to talk to Makito whenever he borrows and returns books. He begins to fall in love with Makito's delicate and beautiful profile, and before he knows it, he's pointing his camera at him. He's hopelessly attracted to the way Makito looks in his photos. But, as he realizes his overwhelming feelings, a guy from Makito's modelling past shows up to take him back...?

When an office lady is reincarnated into the world of a spicy BL game she played, she’s shocked to find out that she’s now part of the story…as the younger brother of the main character! What’s more, by the time “Akira” realizes what’s going on, his older brother has already gotten together with one of the game’s love interests! But what about the other boys? How will they cope with losing out on the beloved main character? And what’s in store for the main pair after the credits roll? Akira couldn’t have asked to be in a more delicious position! But the weird thing is…he doesn’t remember there being a younger brother when he played the game?!

*“I didn’t follow you, you came next to me.”* Ian Gloucester, a paladin of the religious country 'Derwin', secretly traces the source of the rumor for Cardinal Heron, who took him away when he was a child, when rumors of preparations for war in 'Arcaia', a great country with a peace treaty, circulate. Meanwhile, Ian realizes that human trafficking is secretly rampant in his country when runs into 'Sol', who has the same special powers as him. Ian instinctively senses that Sol is a danger to him and tries to avoid it, but the more he does, the more he unintentionally becomes involved with Sol. Meanwhile, Ian notices that the real purpose of the King of Arcaia's recruitment of special knights is to find someone, not to prepare for war as rumored...

Hira has always dreaded the first day of new classes. Ever since he was little, he's had a stutter that only worsens when he's anxious, causing Hira to always sink to the bottom of the social pyramid. This year of his high school career might not have been any different if it weren't for him: Kiyoi, the most beautiful and kingly man Hira has ever seen. Normally, their lives would never intersect, but Hira suddenly gets a chance to grow closer with Kiyoi when he's made the popular group's gofer and gets Kiyoi's phone number! Hira treasures every order Kiyoi gives him and every bit of change he's handed to run errands... Is this what they call love?

A young man discovers that his mother has been going out with a sugar baby for a while. But is that really what is happening? A heartfelt story of finding love and family.

Sakutaro's former colleague and No. 1 sales rival, Shizuka Kuji, saved him from danger when he was out having a good time one night.When Kuji left the company a step earlier than Sakutaro, he looked at him with envy, thinking that he must have a brilliant second career now.But when Kuji reunites with Sakutaro for the first time in eight years, his sarcastic personality is still the same, but for some reason, he is now working as a translator, looking languid and with long hair...

An unassuming worker in a long-established public bathhouse is really the lustful 450-year-old vampire Ranmaru Mori! The heir to this esteemed Koi No Yu Bathhouse, Rihito Tatsuno, is a fifteen-year-old virgin—who is about to fall in love for the first time with a girl in his class! Ranmaru begins to weave a desperate plan to prevent Rihito from losing his virginity and to make him fall for Ranmaru instead, so the bloodsucker can eventually have pure, eighteen-year-old virgin blood for his own vampiric self!

The delinquent Tong Yang was suspended after getting into a fight on the first day of school. Upon return, he was shunned by all his classmates. The top-scorer Xiao Zhen ran into Tong Yang hidden away crying by himself. Tong Yang tried to act tough, but his bluster only got him beat up instead. But for some reason, Xiao Zhen began to tutor Tong Yang after school, until Tong Yang found out that the boy who fought him that day was Xiao Zhen's little brother... *Note: The series was originally self-published on Jing Jian’s Weibo blog. Currently releasing on Kuaikan Manhua and Bilibili Manhua since July 31, 2021.*

Kii Saiki is enrolled in the graphics course at an art university and he's been feeling anxious because he's not been doing too well with his assignments. That's when Souta Amano, a senior from the sculpture course, suddenly called out to him telling him, "Hey, you're cute." Ever since then, Amano started to appear more often in front of him and though Saiki was initially dumbfounded by this, he eventually...? This is an omnibus of youthful love stories all set in an art university.

Hisaya Yano has trouble with his roommate, Sono Odajima, at the boarding school. He breaks curfew and brings female students into the boy's dormitories. Sono is having intimate relations when Hisaya walks in and is left confused and aroused. Sono forcefully helps him deal with his erection. Made fun of for being "a serious model student," but in fact he finds himself in a jumble of romantic feelings that he can't tell anyone about, combined with his emotional trauma.

Jiang Cheng, an accomplished student, was "exiled" to the steel mill where his biological father worked. This strange, foreign environment, coupled with his rather vulgar biological father, caused Jiang Cheng to feel quite depressed. That is, until one day, he met Gu Fei, the "Delinquent of the Steel Mill", by chance. Thus begins the story of Jiang Cheng and Gu Fei, a story of salvation and hope.

Kousuke may be an omega, but he's a tough, blue-collar worker. He lives with his mate Haruka, a gentle alpha who works as a writer and stays home to care for their family, Kousuke and their two children, Marin and Yosuke. Being an omega, juggling work, housework, and parenting... life isn't always easy or fair. Even so, their days are filled with joy and warmth because Haruka, his one and only mate, showers him with endless love every single day.

Asuma is the sleepiest boy in school—and the tardiest. He’s either late or completely missing class, which means he’s now become Mahiro’s problem. As head of the disciplinary committee, Mahiro is responsible for ensuring his classmates follow school rules and order, but he never imagined that meant he’d have to be someone’s personal alarm clock! Forced to room with Asuma, Mahiro quickly learns that Asuma is something more than a deep sleeper—he’s practically catatonic! Not even a world-ending disaster could wake this snoozing student. Except, a surprising solution presents itself when the sleepy Asuma suddenly pulls Mahiro into his arms and bed. Somehow, some way, Asuma wakes up! Looks like the secret to waking the school’s sleeping prince is to share a bed. But this definitely isn’t what Mahiro signed up for! Can these two total opposites share sweet dreams or will this end in a nightmare?

**Love in the limelight!** Kunieda Kei is the up-and-coming Prince Charming of the evening news, but inside, he’s anything but princely. He’s brash, hot-tempered, and prickly as can be. For years, he’s been able to juggle his private and professional personas, but a run-in with animator Ushio Tsuzuki threatens to bring that all crashing down. Will Kei’s mask slip and expose him for who he is, or is there someone who might love and accept both his sides? *Source: Seven Seas Entertianment, Vol. 1*

After parting ways nine years ago, Youngmin and his first love, Jihoon, have been reunited in the same homeroom class. There’s just one problem… that’s not really Jihoon. When the boys were young, a traumatic car accident landed Jihoon with an entirely new soul! To avoid suspicion, the fake Jihoon enlists his old friend’s help in fooling the rest of the world about his identity. This arrogant new guy is nothing like the old sweet, polite Jihoon… so why is Youngmin still getting butterflies? *Note: Season 2 is rated R19.*

Insomniac Mashiro is an introvert who keeps to himself in class. But, one day, his outgoing classmate Rihito talks to him out of the blue, and his life begins to change... When Mashiro tells Rihito he suffers from insomnia, Rihito offers to help tuck him in bed at the nurse's office! Mashiro's amazed at Rihito's kindness, but fails to see the real reason Rihito treats him so well... This is a soul-healing adolescent love story between an outgoing and popular (but glum) hottie and a cute (and innocent) insomniac *Note: The original serialization ran for six chapters until 2022-04-19. The serialization was restarted on 2023-04-20.*

After being involved in a car accident together, Hajin is asked by Sihyeon to take care of Sihyeon's younger sister after his death. Hajin never expected that to mean he would wake up in the hospital in Sihyeon's body instead of his own. Even worse, Sihyeon was an infamous idol who would do anything for money, had multiple sponsors, and was apparently about to abandon the boy band he was a part of to sign a new contract with a larger agency. At first, Hajin believes the public’s negative opinion about Sihyeon, but the more he learns about Sihyeon’s miserable circumstances, the more enraged he becomes. Determined to get revenge in Sihyeon’s stead, Hajin decides to reach out to an old acquaintance for help. However, the deeper he goes into his revenge plot, the more people he becomes entangled with...

When the weak and unconfident Choi Yikyung first found out that he was a user, he thought he had finally hit the jackpot. In Yikyung’s mind, Necromancy seemed like the ultimate mix of cool and interesting. Back then, he had no idea that the Necromancer class was the weakest of them all! But as Yikyung enters the newly reopened Tower of Spirits in search of enhancement materials, he is sucked into a mysterious area of the dungeon where he encounters a frightening corpse. “Ding!” A quest window pops up, and it says… “You have made a pact with Seo Dawon, a vengeful spirit.” When tackling quests, it doesn’t hurt to have a companion or two, especially if one of them is the spirit of an ultra powerful and handsome young man. After all, “it’s dangerous to go alone”! (Source : Tappytoon)

In a modern Japan where vampires and werewolves are commonplace in society, Kioi Uzuki runs a sharehouse with his grandmother. He's super excited when they get their first vampire tenant, but their first meeting is a bit of a bumpy one. How will this shy and closed off vampire react to a bubbly enthusiastic all-things-occult-loving human who really wants to be his friend?

Surdo was the king of the golden wolf tribe and Dyria a soldier from the enemy country, who was sent to kill the king. However, things didn't go as planned and it became a major problem when Dyria became pregnant with the Wolf King. Keeping a secret that he was carrying the king's son, he gave birth to and raised his son, Ash, alone in a remote village. Six years later, Dyria and Ash were forcibly taken to live in the golden wolf tribe's palace. Then he meets Yudha, the wolf's younger brother who was his first love.

Keiichiro, who is actually the object of Reo's unrequited love, mistakes Reo for a girl and confesses to him. When Keiichiro admits to being bad at dealing with girls, Reo suggests that Keiichiro practice with him, while thinking of him as a girl... An impatient, fiery love story, as sweet as sugar, between a devilish, pampered boy and a straight-laced, super sweetheart.

It's more than just coincidence. Young Pal-Jae drifts to the isle at world's end to be taken in by Mun-Ryeong, a hermit with a mysterious past. But when Pal-Jae begins to waste away in the sun-bathed climate, Mun-Ryeong takes his little companion on a journey to the cold north that uncovers their forgotten past encounter.

College boy Kiyo has one thing on his mind—girls, girls, girls! But after struggling for-EVER to get the ladies swooning over his every move, he figures he’s gotta try a new trick. Enter his smolderingly sexy clubmate Issei…a stud muffin who’ll act as the perfect foil for his Mr. Refreshing vibe. However, after being tragically friend-zoned by all the gals as their best gay buddy, he soon realizes he may be in over his head when it looks like Issei intends to turn faux into beau…

Watase Akira, a high school student, notices that his classmate Watari Fumiya, who sits behind him, is extremely popular with the girls. Out of curiosity, or perhaps even as a joke, Akira decides to try and date Fumiya, thinking it might serve as good camouflage for Fumiya, but turns out...!?

Kiryuu Akira is an unknown actor and while he was looking for a partner to mess around with one night, he met an odd man. *"I couldn't take my eyes off of you... because of how foolish you were acting."* That man is Oomae Takao, a science researcher who is also a weirdo who claims to be "looking for love" for various reasons. Besides that, Oomae is also Akira's ex-classmate who back then had claimed to be Akira's fan. *"How can you forget me when you said that you were my fan!"* Apparently, Oomae doesn't remember Akira at all and Akira, who was really shocked by this, swore to make Oomae fall head over heels for him. And that's how their cohabitation life together began.

*"I want to be the place you come home to."* Ao and Sou live together in a house a little ways removed from the city. Ao is far too kind for his own good and always gets the raw end of the deal, which frustrates Sou to no end. Despite all this, they eat together and passionately connect their bodies, and soon the days they spend together grow into something so precious that they are afraid of losing it. See their personal happiness shine bright in this charming daily life shared by two clumsy people. *Note: Originally published as a one-shot in onBLUE Vol. 54, it was then picked up for serialization.*

*To all the black sheep, resist your fate.* Shizunaga Rei, the son of a powerful yakuza boss, lives as a regular high school student. But one day, his father is attacked by hostile forces, and Rei is suddenly appointed as the acting leader. Unexplainable events begin to unfold around Rei, and alongside his secretary, Ouga Masumi, Rei witnesses the reality of the organization’s society—?!

Naho grew up being doted on by his loving parents, who constantly reminded him just how cute he is. It wasn't just his parents, though—his trusty childhood friend Kana, who's two years older and lives in his apartment building, would also shower him with praise. Not to mention Kana is handsome, nice, and popular among the masses, so if someone like him thinks he's cute, then he must really be cute, right? At least, that's what Naho genuinely believed, until he enters the same high school as Kana. First, Kana turns down his invite— which he's never done before—and then, he starts getting strange looks from the people around him. Slowly, the world that Naho once believed in starts to fall apart... An ordinary, clueless boy wrapped around the finger of his seemingly mild-mannered childhood friend! Originally a popular web novel adapted into a comic!!

Private detective Ousuke found an unexpected guest on his doorstep one day: his old friend Yaichi, now an ex-yakuza with a strange new power... and a mission for revenge. He was looking for the man who killed his beloved mentor, and Ousuke agreed to help him. He never was able to resist rescuing the guy. Even worse, almost as if he knows Ousuke is pining for him, Yaichi crawls into his bed whenever he has nightmares of his mentor's death, tormenting Ousuke without even realizing it. All Ousuke wants is to get away from Yaichi once and for all before his old feelings take over again, but that might be harder than it sounds...

Falling star to superstar! Forced to give up on his dream of becoming an idol, Yoo-Sung laments having to spend the rest of his days working as his crush's manager. That is, until he wakes up as a trainee! How did he go back to the past? What are these mysterious skill bars only he can see? Could they be the key to success?

Mr. Takasugi is a clinical psychologist at a loss after breaking up with his ex, who he controlled through abuse. He realizes that Isamu, a high school student at his side gig as a school counselor, is the same as him, lonely, and wanting to be needed by someone. He decides that he's the only one who can understand this boy's feelings... While knowing he shouldn't, he reaches out. Meanwhile, Isamu tries to force Mr. Takasugi to become his lover... A story about two lonely souls, a school counselor with insomnia and a sharp high school student, and their journey from dangerous co-dependence to the true love that lies ahead.

White lion, the tactical commander and pace-setter mermaid, they are the experimental body of the research institute before. They depended on each other but they used each other too. Because of a misunderstanding, the white lion was injured by the mermaid, and said that the next meeting would be revenge. But the next time they meet, he can do nothing but protect his mermaid...

Someone's tattooing me in my sleep. On the night of his birthday, Xin, the sole heir of the powerful Zhou family, reunites with Lau, his clan guardian, and confides in him about the mysterious tattoo forming on his back. Lau begrudgingly sets off to investigate this strange phenomenon, but what secrets will he uncover along the way?

Uzurai, a high school boy, loves cute things. He has a crush on his classmate Yamaki, but his true love is his childhood friend Enaga, who treats him naturally, even though he is a little different from "normal boys." Not wanting to ruin this relationship, Uzurai has kept his feelings bottled up since elementary school, but in fact, Enaga is also hiding certain feelings from him...

Included one-shot: Volume 1: Fractal

*"I can't go back to the time before I knew you."* At Nanahoshi Academy, an elite all-boys boarding school with a pseudo-brotherhood system, the only things missing are freedom and girls—or so they say. This luxurious school, catering to the privileged, will accept even the most troubled students, as long as they have the money and connections. Minai, the floor leader of the third dormitory, "Hakushu," was once known as a troublemaker, constantly causing headaches for his mysterious and charming roommate—and “brother”—Narasaki.

Hikaru, a third-year high school student, is forced to stay with his cousin Manabu for family reasons. Hikaru is looking forward to meeting Manabu, whom he adored as a child, but to his surprise, Manabu has become an erotic manga artist!　 A boy's love story about a pure high school student and an adult manga artist living together.