The Anime News Network article: Best LGBTQ+ Characters of 2019

Titles mentioned

NO canon LGBT+ main characters:

• Promare - anime movie
• Naruto - shounen manga and anime
• Supernatural - TV series
• Fullmetal Alchemist - shounen manga and anime
• Sherlock (BBC) - TV series
• Law and Order: SVU - TV series
• Boku no Hero Academia/My Hero Academia - shounen manga and anime
• Free! - sports anime
• Fate/stay Night - visual novel, anime, and manga

YES canon LGBT+ main characters:

• given by Kizu Natsuki - BL manga and anime
• Hoshiai no Sora/Stars Align - sports anime
• Dakaretai Otoko 1-i ni Odosarete Imasu/DAKAICHI - BL manga and anime
• Sarazanmai - shoujo anime and BL manga
• Banana Fish - shoujo manga and anime

Still up for debate about LGBT+ characters:

• Yuri!!! on Ice - sports anime - (don’t identify, but generally accepted as having LGBT characters)

Supplemental watching:

• A Good Swiss Watch by Franzeska Dickson

Follow Baozi and Hana at these fine retailers today:

YouTube: Baozi & Hana's Makeup Channel

Instagram: @moemoebaozi and @moemoehana

Facebook: Baozi & Hana

Twitter: @BaoziHana

Many thanks to the Baozi & Hana Singapore Fanclub for the amazing work they do translating all the social media posts, and for answering our questions about Baozi and Hana at the convention! You can find them at:

 Instagram: @moemoebaohan

Facebook: Baozi & Hana Singapore Fanclub

The 2019 Yeet! List: the top 10 titles that were released 1) in print, 2) in English, and 3) in North America in 2019

10. I Hear the Sunspot/Hidamari ga Kikoeru Limit 2 (AKA volume 4) by Fumino Yuki 

9. Candy Color Paradox/Ameiro Paradox volumes 1-3 by Natsume Isaku - Note: volume 4’s release date in print in English was after the time of voting and recording, so only volumes 1-3 were discussed in this recording

8. Don’t Be Cruel/Hidoku Shinaide volume 8 by Nekota Yonezou 

7. Escape Journey volume 3 by Ogeretsu Tanaka- also, runner-up for Critics’ choice best packaging/cover

6. Coyote volume 2 by Zaria Ranmaru

5. Love in Limbo/Hengoku no Calendula complete series by Haji 

4. 10 Dance volumes 1-4 by Satou Inoue

3. Yarichin Bitch Club/Yarichin Bitch Bu volume 1 by Ogeretsu Tanaka - also secord runner-up for Critics’ choice best packaging/cover

2. Classmates/Doukyuusei volumes 1-3 by Nakamura Asumiko

And... 

Last but not least... 

And to no one in BLG's surprise...

1. Fourth Generation Head: Tatsuyuki Oyamato/Yondaime Ooyamato Tatsuyuki  by Scarlet Beriko (listen for TWs)

Mentioned, but didn’t make the list 

• World’s Greatest First Love/Sekaiichi Hatsukoi volumes 11 and 12 by Nakamura Shungiku  
• Blue Morning/Yuutsuu na Asa volume 8 by Hidaka Shoko - Critics’ choice for best final volume of a 4+ volume series
• Melting Lover/Torokeru Koibito by Yamada Bukuro - Critics’ choice for best packaging/cover
• Our Dining Table/Bokura no Shokutaku by Mita Ori - special shout-out because it rated high (almost broke into the top 10) even though it’s not very well known and hadn’t been released in English as of the time of voting (GO BUY IT)
• The Untamed (Chinese Drama) - Critics’ choice for best live action
• The Wize Wize Beasts of the Wizarding Wizdoms/Wizdoms no Kemonotachi by Nagabe - Critics’ choice for most unique (in a good way!)
• Vibrator Company/Warera Takarara Corporation -Ookina Vibe no Sha no Shita de- by Sakurai Shushushu (read it if you like Yarichin Bitch Company!)
• Liquor and Cigarette by Zaria Ranmaru - coming in 2020!
• given (manga) by Kizu Natsuki - coming in 2020!
• Can an Otaku Like Me Really Be an Idol?/Doruota no Bokudesuga Shinken ni Aidoru Mezashimasu!? by Wacoco Waco - coming in 2020!
• Dekoboko Sugar Days by Yusen Atsuko - coming in 2020!
• RePlay by Tsukahara Saki - coming in 2020!
• Caste Heaven by Ogawa Chise - coming in 2020!
• Hitorijime My Hero by Arii Memeko- continuing in 2020!
• Seven Days Monday-Sunday (2-in-1) by Tachibana Venio and Takarai Rihito
• Secret XXX and Therapy Game by Hinohara Meguru - coming in 2020!
• Hoppe ni Himawari by Mita Ori (unlicensed)
• Rumspringa no Joukei by Azuma Kaya (unlicensed)
• Twittering Birds Never Fly/Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai movie by Yoneda Kou (mangaka) - coming in 2020!
• Honto Yajuu by Yamamoto Kotetsuko (unlicensed)
• Only the Flower Knows/Hana no Mizo Shiru by Takarai Rihito (licensed by DMP, as yet unpublished in print in English)
• Maiden Rose/Hyakujitsu no Bara by Inariya Fusanosuke
• Does the Flower Blossom?/Hana wa Saku ka by Hidaka Shoko
• Crimson Spell by Yamano Ayane

Titles mentioned:

NOT BL:

• Yuri!!! on Ice - sports anime
• No. 6 by Asano Atsuko - sci-fi novel, manga (with Kino Hinoki) and anime
• Kyo Kara Maoh! by Takabayashi Tomo and Matsumoto Temari - shoujo light novel, manga, and anime
• Ballroom e Youkoso/Welcome to the Ballroom by Takeuchi Tomo - sports manga and anime
• Owari no Seraph/Seraph of the End by Kagami Takaya and Yamamoto Yamato - shounen manga and anime
• Promare - anime movie 
• Sarazanmai - shoujo anime 
• Shoujo Kakumei Utena/Revolutionary Girl Utena (not yuri) - manga by Saitou Chiho and anime
• Banana Fish (anime) - shoujo anime; see manga below
• Free! - sports anime
• Sherlock - TV series
• Supernatural - TV series
• Boku no Hero Academia/My Hero Academia by Horikoshi Kouhei- shounen manga and anime

BL:

• Kaze to Ki no Uta/Song of the Wind and Trees (the “first BL”) by Takemiya Keiko - BL manga and OVA
• Zetsuai 1989 by Ozaki Minami - BL manga and OVAs
• Ai no Kusabi by Yoshihara Reiko - BL novel, OVAs, and series 
• given by Kizu Natsuki - BL manga and anime
• Rak Haeng Sayam/Love of Siam - Thai mainstream movie prominently featuring a gay romance
• Smells Like Green Spirit by Nagai Saburou- BL manga
• Happy Shitty Life by Harada - BL manga
• Doushitemo Furetakunai/No Touching at All by Yoneda Kou - BL manga
• Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai/Twittering Birds Never Fly by Yoneda Kou
• Yuuutsu na Asa/Blue Morning by Hidaka Shouko - BL manga
• Hidamari ga Kikoeru/I Hear the Sunspot by Fumino Yuki - BL manga and live-action movie
• Hengoku no Calendula/Love in Limbo by Haji - BL manga
• Coyote by Zaria Ranmaru - BL manga
• Kashikomarimashita Destiny by Sachimo - BL (omegaverse) manga
• The works of Kusakabe Keri (BL mangaka)
• Sekaiichi Hatsukoi: Yokozawa Takafumi no Baai/The World’s Greatest First Love: the Case of Yokozawa Takfumi by Fujisaki Miyako and Nakamura Shungiku - BL light novel and anime movie

Grey area:

• Banana Fish  (manga) by Yashida Akimi - proto-BL manga

Remember, just because it's not "good," doesn't mean we can't like it!

"Good" Titles Mentioned:

• Doukyuusei/Classmates by Nakamura Asumiko - BL manga and anime movie
• given - BL manga and anime
• Henshin Dekinai by Shinozaki Hitoyo and Kousaka Tohru - BL manga (spin-off of Okane ga Nai)
• Bukiyou na Silent/Awkward Silence by Hinako Takanaga - BL manga
• Starfighter by HamletMachine - M/M webcomic
• Mo Dao Zu Shi/Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation or Founder of Diabolism/The Untamed by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu - Chinese danmei (BL) novel, manhua, donghua, and live drama (THE UNTAMED IS ON NETFLIX NOW!!! GO WATCH IT!!!!!!!!!!!)
• Koi wa Naniaro Shichihenge!? by Yamano Deko - BL manga
• Kuro ka Shiro Ka/Black or White by Sachimo - BL manga
• No. 6 by Asano Atsuko- Japanese novel, manga, and anime (canon gay couple, but not technically BL)
• Itsuka Koi ni Naru Made by Kurahashi Tomo - BL manga
• Escape Journey by Ogeretsu Tanaka - BL manga (we disagree on whether this is "good")
• Hidamari ga Kikoeru/I Hear the Sunspot by Fumino Yuki - BL manga
• Yondaime Ooyamato Tatsuyuki/Fourth Generation Head: Tatsuyuki Ooyamato by Scarlet Beriko - BL manga
• Coyote by Zariya Ranmaru - BL manga
• Novae by KaiJu - M/M webcomic
• Heir's Game by suspu - LGBT webcomic
• That Awkward Magic!! by SomeBunny - BL webcomic
• Kurui Naku no wa Boku no Ban by Kusabi Keri - BL omegaverse manga

Other Titles mentioned:

• Promare - sci-fi anime movie (non-BL; still in theaters as of the end of October 2019!)
• Captive Prince by CS Pacat - M/M Rmoance Novel
• Okane ga Nai/No Money by Shinozaki Hitoyo and Kousaka Tohru - BL manga and anime
• Super Lovers by Abe Miyuki- BL manga and anime
• Junjou Romantica by Nakamura Shungiku - BL manga and anime
• Sekaiichi Hatsukoi/World's Greatest First Love by Nakamura Shungiku - BL manga and anime
• Koisuru Boukun/The Tyrant Falls in Love by Hinako Takanaga - BL manga and OVAs
• Hyakujitsu no Bara/Maiden Rose by Fusanosuke Inariya - BL manga and OVAs
• Mousou Elektel/Elektel Delusion by Nekota Yonezou - BL manga
• MADK by Suzuri Ryo- BL guro manga
• Hidoku Shinaide/Don't Be Cruel by Nekota Yonezou - BL manga
• Killing Stalking by Koogi - horror manhwa
• Yarichin Bitch Bu/Yarichin Bitch Club by Ogeretsu Tanaka - BL manga and OVAs
• Loveless by Kouga Yun - BL manga and anime

M/M Romance Titles and Authors Mentioned:

• Author Amy Tasukada
• Starfighter by HamletMachine (webcomic)
• Captive Prince series by C.S. Pacat
• Brokeback Mountain (LGBT movie)
• Cut and Run series by Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban
• Freshman Pledge: the Magic of Love by Larry Coles
• Adrien English series by Josh Lanyon
• Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez (YA Novel)
• The Heart Rate of a Mouse series by Anna Green
• Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (non-M/M)
• Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling
• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (LGBT Novel)
• Wolfsong by TJ Klune 
• Psycop series by Jordan Castillo Price
• The Magpie Lord (Charm of Magpies series) by KJ Charles
• The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by KJ Charles
• Whyborne and Griffin series by Jordan L. Hawk
• Beautiful Monsters series by Jex Lane (contains het)
• Brute by Kim Fielding
• Family of Lies: Sebastian by Sam Argent
• Hexworld series by Jordan L Hawk
• Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
• In the Middle of Somewhere series by Roan Parrish
• Tell Me it's Real by TJ Klune
• How to Be a Normal Person and How to Be a Movie Star by TJ Klune

Want to dive in even more? Check out the Top to BOTM Podcast!

The fujos of BL Garden discuss the latest BL manga and anime they've been devouring this summer season.

Mentioned:

ANIMEFEST 2019

Friday, 8/16 - BANANA FISH & The Female Gaze @ 12:00 p.m in P2

Saturday, 8/17 - All Yaoi Considered [18+] @ 10:00 p.m. in P2

Sunday, 8/18 - Broadway Karaoke @ 8:00 p.m. in W2

Monday, 8/19Otome's Guide to Japan @ 1:00 p.m. in P2

San Japan XII

*"The uke is such an idiot and I LOVE HIM." *— Kit

In this episode, the fujos of BLG review the Renta title "If We're Gonna Do It, Use the Daddy Hole."

Recommended for fans of Super Lovers, Older Uke/Younger Seme pairs, and horny idiots in love.

This episode is sponsored by Renta!

Kono BL ga Yabai!

What was your favorite BL manga of 2018? Any frontrunners for 2019? Let us know!

Thank you for listening!Remember: If you read a scan, buy the physical copy in Japanese!