The Best LGBTQ+ Manga: BL, Yuri, and Beyond
Standout BL, yuri, and trans stories, from tender romance to honest memoir.
By Web Admin
LGBTQ+ manga has grown from a niche corner into one of the most vital parts of the medium, and English-language publishers now translate more of it than ever. The umbrella covers a lot: boys’ love (BL), girls’ love (yuri), stories about trans and nonbinary characters, and honest memoir. This guide picks the best across all of it, with clear content warnings so you can find the right fit.
A quick note on terms: BL and yuri are marketing genres that range from all-ages sweet to explicitly adult, so we flag maturity throughout. Prices are approximate US figures per volume. If you want Western queer comics too, our best LGBTQ+ comics guide is the companion piece.
How to navigate LGBTQ+ manga
The single most useful thing to know is that maturity varies enormously within these genres. Some BL and yuri titles are gentle, all-ages romances; others are explicit. We split the picks by category and mark content warnings so you can choose confidently. For readers new to Japanese comics generally, start with our best romance manga guide for the format basics.
Best boys’ love (BL)
BL centers romance between men. These are the standouts, from sweet to serious.
- Given (2013–) — Natsuki Kizu’s music-and-grief romance is the modern BL gateway: sincere, beautifully drawn, and anchored by real emotion. Content warning: grief, past loss. ~US$13/vol.
- Sasaki and Miyano (2016–) — Shou Harusono’s gentle, wholesome high-school romance about a boy who discovers BL manga. All-ages friendly and utterly charming. ~US$13/vol.
- 10 Dance (2015–) — Inouesatoh’s stylish story of two competitive ballroom dancers. Adult, elegant, and grown-up in tone. Content warning: mature. ~US$13/vol.
For the deeper shelf, see our best BL manga guide.
Best girls’ love (yuri)
Yuri centers romance between women. The genre has matured hugely in translation.
- Bloom Into You (2015–2019) — Nakatani Nio’s complete, thoughtful romance about a girl who cannot feel love and the senpai who complicates that. A modern classic. ~US$13/vol.
- How Do We Relationship? (2018–) — Tamifull’s grounded, funny, and refreshingly honest story of two college women who start dating almost on a whim. Content warning: mature themes and sexual content. ~US$13/vol.
- Whisper Me a Love Song (2019–) — Eku Takeshima’s sweet band romance, all-ages friendly and endearing. ~US$11/vol.
More recommendations live in our best yuri manga guide.
Best trans and nonbinary stories
Some of the medium’s most important work centers trans and questioning characters. Content warnings apply throughout.
- Wandering Son (2002–2013) — Takako Shimura’s landmark, empathetic series following two trans kids from childhood into adolescence. Content warning: dysphoria, bullying. ~US$17 per hardcover volume.
- Boys Run the Riot (2020–2021) — Keito Gaku, a trans creator, tells the story of a trans teen who finds himself through streetwear and fashion. Complete in four volumes. Content warning: dysphoria, discrimination. ~US$13/vol.
- Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare (2015–2018) — Yuhki Kamatani’s gorgeous, complete series set at an LGBTQ+ community drop-in center. Content warning: depicts suicidal ideation and homophobia. ~US$13/vol.
Best memoir and non-fiction
For honest, real-life perspectives, these autobiographical works are essential. Heavy content warnings.
- My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness (2016) — Nagata Kabi’s raw autobio about depression, sexuality, and mental health. Unflinching and widely acclaimed. Content warning: self-harm, eating disorders, mental illness. ~US$14.
- The Bride Was a Boy (2016) — Chii’s warm, accessible memoir about a trans woman’s relationship and marriage. A gentle, informative read. ~US$13.
- My Brother’s Husband (2014–2017) — Gengoroh Tagame’s award-winning, all-ages story of a Japanese widower and his late gay brother’s Canadian husband. Quietly powerful. ~US$20 per 2-in-1 volume.
Best all-ages and gateway picks
If you want to hand LGBTQ+ manga to a younger reader — or you simply want something warm and low-stakes — these are the safest, most welcoming starting points.
- Sasaki and Miyano — the gentlest, most wholesome BL on this list, and a genuinely charming high-school comedy first. ~US$13/vol.
- Whisper Me a Love Song — a sweet, all-ages yuri band romance with warm art and zero explicit content. ~US$11/vol.
- My Brother’s Husband — an all-ages family drama that doubles as a gentle education in acceptance. ~US$20 per 2-in-1 volume.
- The Bride Was a Boy — an approachable, informative memoir that many readers give to family members. ~US$13.
For Western equivalents in the all-ages and YA space, our best LGBTQ+ comics guide has more gateway picks.
A quick history of the genre in English
For years, only a trickle of BL and yuri reached English shelves, often from small presses. That changed over the last decade: mainstream publishers built dedicated imprints, digital platforms made simultaneous releases normal, and breakout anime adaptations like Given pulled new readers in. The result is that a genre once treated as niche now sits on the front tables of major bookstores, with clearer age ratings and a far wider range than ever. That range is exactly why content warnings matter — the same shelf holds all-ages comedies and explicitly adult titles side by side.
Picks at a glance
| Title | Category | Maturity | Status | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Given | BL | Teen+ | Ongoing | BL newcomers |
| Bloom Into You | Yuri | Teen+ | Complete | Yuri newcomers |
| Boys Run the Riot | Trans lead | Teen+ | Complete | Coming-of-age |
| My Brother’s Husband | Drama | All ages | Complete | Any reader |
| My Lesbian Experience | Memoir | Mature | Complete | Honest autobio |
A note on content and age ratings
Pros
- Publishers now print clear age ratings on the back cover
- Many standout titles (Sasaki and Miyano, My Brothers Husband) are all-ages
- Complete series like Bloom Into You are safe, satisfying commitments
Cons
- BL and yuri labels cover both sweet and explicit titles
- Some acclaimed memoirs carry heavy mental-health content warnings
- Ratings vary between the original and the English edition
Our advice: check the publisher’s age rating and our content warnings before buying, especially as a gift. When in doubt, the all-ages picks above are safe starting points.
AmazonCheck price on AmazonWhere to go next
To go deeper into a genre, our best BL manga and best yuri manga guides expand each shelf. For Western queer comics, see best LGBTQ+ comics. And if it is the romance you are after regardless of genre, cross over to best romance manga and best shojo manga.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best LGBTQ+ manga for a beginner?
Given for BL and Bloom Into You for yuri are the two friendliest gateways — both are acclaimed, emotionally rich, and not explicit. If you want an all-ages drama, My Brother’s Husband is perfect.
What is the difference between BL and yuri?
BL (boys’ love) centers romance between men; yuri (girls’ love) centers romance between women. Both are marketing genres that range from gentle all-ages stories to explicitly adult ones, so always check the age rating.
Are there manga with trans main characters?
Yes. Wandering Son is the landmark series, Boys Run the Riot was written by a trans creator, and The Bride Was a Boy is an accessible memoir. Each carries content warnings noted above.
Which of these are appropriate for teens?
Sasaki and Miyano, Whisper Me a Love Song, and My Brother’s Husband are the safest for younger readers. Titles like How Do We Relationship? and My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness contain mature or heavy content and are aimed at adults.
