Hi! Welcome back to my site. More importantly, welcome to my BL library. I am your BL librarian.
Today, we’ll go through all the mail I received in May and check out all the BL manga, manhwa, manhua, merch, and more.
Before we dive in, it is worth noting that I am not sponsored by anyone in this haul. These were all purchases made with my money (except for one item, but we’ll get into that).
Manga
Manhwa
OEL and Other Comics
Novels
Merch
Manga
Mobsters in Love – Volume 1
This is the start of another yakuza BL, which I feel like I’ve been seeing a ton of recently. This one is a Square Enix license, and they publish one of the cutest titles right now: Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!. So, I’m pretty keen on picking up any of their titles in hopes that they license something equally as lovely as that. Of course, I’m not expecting immense amounts of fluffiness from a yakuza BL, but I’m hoping for something good nonetheless.
A Beast’s Love Is Like the Moon – One-Shot
I love a good Tokyopop one-shot, and this is one of them. I’ve been reading a lot of different beastman-style BL recently, some being hits, others being misses. I’m looking forward to seeing where this one lands. The art looks really light and airy, which really speaks to me. I’m excited to give this one a read.
BL First Crush Anthology: Five Seconds Before We Fall in Love – Volume 1
Printed anthologies are rare, so when I saw this one coming out, how could I not get it (granted, what BL do I not pick up)? It’s a collection with many different creators, some of whom I’ve read and some of whom I haven’t, which makes this all the more exciting. I imagine this will be a great way to sample a bunch of different types and styles of BL, and I’m super excited about it.
Kei X Yaku: Bound By Law – Volume 1
So, I recently did a “1st Volume 1st Impression” on this one. It’s a yakuza BL with pretty decent pacing and some nice humor, but with art that leaves much to be desired. I have a feeling this one is going to be a slow burn, and I’m interested to see how it integrates the BL aspect of the story. I wouldn’t say this is amazing, but it’s an intriguing start.
Therapy Game: Restart – Volume 4
I’m doing everything I can to hold back from starting this continuation, having read Secret XXX and Therapy Game, both of which are some of the most fun BL I’ve read in a while. It’s still ongoing, despite this being the fourth volume, which would make this the longest series within the universe this lives to date. The further we get in, the more my self-control wanes. Don’t be surprised if, by the time the next volume is released, I say that I’m loving this new series thus far, as I have a feeling I’m not going to be able to hold out for much longer.
The Yearning Fox Lies in Wait – One-Shot
Now, the art on the cover of this one really speaks to me. It’s another one-shot, which means I can read it as soon as I like (hallelujah)! It’s a historical one, which typically works well for me, so I’m excited to read this. Add to it that this appears to have a fantastical beastman element to it, and I’m pumped. Expect a review of this one soon.
After We Gazed at the Starry Sky – Volume 2
I’m all about disabled representation in my BL, and I’ve been really drawn to this series since the first volume was announced. As per usual, it has pained me to hold back from starting this, but thankfully, this is only a three-volume series, so I don’t have much longer to wait before I start. I will say that the art doesn’t speak to me all that much, but I’m interested in the story. It sounds like a fluffest, and I’m so here for it.
Confessions of a Shy Baker – Volume 4
I find it interesting that this one doesn’t have the Tokyopop LoveLove imprint logo on the spine. I haven’t noticed that on any of the others I’ve gotten since the imprint was announced, but now I’m tempted to check and see. I assume it might be because this series started before they started using the logo, and the imprint was established, and they just wanted to keep all of them the same for aesthetics (which I personally appreciate), but I might be wrong about that. Either way, yes, this is BL. I haven’t started this series yet, and admittedly, this art style is not really speaking to me. Still, it looks very sweet, so I want to give it a shot. I just have to wait until it’s done.
Heat x Beat: A Shut-In Omega Becomes an Idol! – 2nd Entry One-Shot
I’ve read the previous entry in this series, which, from my understanding, are each standalone. Admittedly, I didn’t care for the first one, and I’ve heard that this one isn’t much better. I’m terrified this is just a reskinning or retreading of the first, but I’m willing to give it a shot. I’m a sucker for omegaverse, so I’ll always give it a shot, but I’m not all that compelled to read this one.
The Man Who Shattered My World – One-Shot
I’ve already reviewed this one. Long story short, it wasn’t for me. It has a very antiquated style and a tired storyline, and it just isn’t my cup of tea. But I am always happy to try out new BLs, and I’m all about supporting licensed titles. While this wasn’t for me, I’m sure others would love it. Check out my full review for screenshots and more information on this one.
She Likes Gays, but Not Me – Volume 1
This one really isn’t BL, at least not in the traditional sense. Instead, it deals with issues regarding fujoshi and their relation to the gay community, which I am interested in reading about. Of course, this is fiction, but I’m still interested to see how my love of BL and self-professed fujoshi-ness might be perceived from a gay man’s point of view. I’ve actively avoided spoilers for this one, and I don’t think I can hold out on reading it. I’ll probably do a “1st Volume 1st Impression” on this one, so I hope you’ll look forward to it.
Turns Out My Online Friend is My Real-Life Boss! – Volume 1
I read this digitally a long while ago and really enjoyed it. So, when I heard we would get a physical version, I was beyond excited. It’s very cute. I wouldn’t say it’s revolutionary or anything like that, but it’s a good time all the same. I was surprised this was going to be multiple volumes, as it seemed so much shorter when I read it, and it’s actually a thick guy. I’m interested to see if there is content added in that wasn’t available digitally. I guess we’ll see!
Only the Stars Know – One-Shot
This is by the same creator of The Two Lions, which I enjoyed. We got a bunch of one-shots this time around, and this is another one I’m looking forward to reading and reviewing in quick order. I love The Two Lions, and I really need to review it sometime. Maybe I’ll dedicate a weekend to this creator and review both of these works. Sounds like a great time. I guess we’ll see.
Genius Puppeteer Loves the Holy Knight Fiercely – One-Shot
This is the last one from the manga section. I, for some reason, thought this was a light novel. I can’t figure out where I got that from, so I was surprised when I got it in the mail. I am simultaneously pleased and disappointed. I want more BL light novels, which we are getting, but the art on the cover looks so nice, so I’m happy to actually get a whole book’s worth of it. It’s also straight-up yaoi, which much of this list isn’t. My haul is pretty shounen-ai heavy, which is pretty rare for me, so I’m happy to have some smut this month. Plus, it’s another one-shot, so I don’t have to wait to read, which does my impatient heart some good.
Manhwa
Tied to You – Volume 1
This was a big surprise, not because I wasn’t expecting it. I actually had this pre-ordered, but I received this package a week before the release and directly from Yen Press (Ize Press’s parent publishing house). To say I was shocked was an understatement. It didn’t come with a note or anything, so I’m not sure why I received it, but regardless, I’m absolutely honored. Thank you so much, Yen Press (and Ize Press). With that out of the way, I have done a “1st Volume 1st Impression” on this one. I was pleasantly surprised by the pacing and the various elements laying the foundation for the future iterations of this story.
OEL and Other Comics
Pain Killer by HamletMachine – One-Shot
Get ready because this is the first in what I would call a “HamletMachine Haul.” If you don’t know, I will be in the artist alley at Citrus Con this year (a virtual BL-focused con I went to last year as an artist; it was great – sign up, it’s free, and you can check out my books there). Anyway, I saw that HamletMachine was going to be a guest. I had never heard of them, but if they are going to be a guest at Citrus Con, I knew I wanted to know who they were. So, I started checking out their socials, found their website, saw these stunning titles, and I couldn’t get them in my cart fast enough. This is about half an art book and half a comic, but it’s a very interesting dystopian title. I like it.
Starfighter by HamletMachine – Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
This one has the hardest start of the three. Sci-fi BL feels pretty rare for some reason, especially sci-fi that actually takes place in space, so I was pretty pumped to read this one. It was good, don’t get me wrong, but it takes a while art-wise to develop into the clean and consistent style we eventually get at the end. The story also feels a bit lacking, but you can check out my full review for more information on this. Regardless, I am happy to have these in my collection.
Lucifer’s Garden by HamletMachine – One-Shot
This is the last of the dubbed “HamletMachine Haul,” but it is certainly not the least. This is actually my favorite of the trio, and it was the first one I read. It has the cleanest art, a decent story, and some really fun smut. If you want more information, I’d recommend checking out my review. Regardless if you do or not, though, if I had to pick one of the three to get a physical copy of, I highly, highly recommend this one.
Something Important by Ereyz – One-Shot
Now, this is a small little guy. I was actually shocked when I picked up the package because it truly felt like there was nothing in it, but nope, here he is. This is my first thing from Aloha Comics, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what more we can expect (Like this title, I’ve already pre-ordered everything from Yiggybean, so I’m uber excited). Now, admittedly, I’m not sure I have this categorized correctly. It’s called a manga and is even read like a manga, but I believe the creator, Ereyz, might be Russian? Don’t quote me on that; I’m basing that entirely on a post I found on their Patreon where the Russian Federation was mentioned. Apparently, based on the info I could find on Tapas, there was an early version in Japanese, but then it was switched to English. If anything, the mystery of it only makes me more interested. In my research, I also came across this artist’s print work, and they create some stunning prints that I am pretty tempted to get for myself. Definitely worth checking out, and I’m looking forward to trying this release.
Covenant by LySandra Vuong – Volume 1
This one is beautiful. I talk about beautiful art a lot, but this is truly stunning. From what I can tell, this is going to be a slow burn, with the romance taking a backseat to the overall plot, which I am super interested in. I want to do a “1st Volume 1st Impression” on this one, as I think it might be too beautiful to wait on.
Always Raining Here by Hazel and Bell – Volume 1 and Volume 2
I’ve made it a point to follow a bunch of webtoon creators on Twitter because I want to try and diversify the types of BL creators I support and review. Thankfully, the community is super supportive, and if you follow one, you’ll inevitably end up finding out about plenty more. One such creator (or creator group, in this case) I found was Hazel and Bell. Admittedly, this was not the series I saw that ensnared me, but it just looked so cute. How could I not get it? It came with a bunch of cute packaging, a postcard that I will be framing soon, and a sticker sheet, so along with the books, there are a lot of cute goodies that add to the value. Plus, it’s signed, so it feels extra special. Fun fact (or sad fact?), I actually have an intense fear of stickers. Maybe one day I’ll go into the reason why, but yeah, as cute as these are, I’ll never use them as stickers. Maybe I’ll frame them, too? We’ll see.
Electric Bones by Hazel and Bell – Act 1
Now, this one was the one that really pulled me in. This is their newest ongoing series, and it looks so alluring. Blue is my favorite color. Plus, space is an underutilized setting in all the BL I read, and, based on the description, there’s some sexiness to be had, so I am pumped to read this one. If I haven’t already, I will probably be making a first impression on this one because I am so excited to give it a read. Having read a bunch of physical manga, which are nice and compact, having this taller and wider book is a really nice change of pace. I’m looking forward to it.
Novels
Stars of Chaos – Volume 3
We’re back with more danmei this month. I’m a broken record at this point because they are stunning. I love the cover art. I want to hang them on my wall, and they are just begging to be read. But once again, I’m doing my best to hold back. I wish I had started my “1st Volume, 1st Impression” series back when these first started releasing because at least then I’d have some more commentary on these ongoing series, but here we are. Maybe I’ll still go back and do them for a few of these series. What do you guys think? Let me know, and comment below.
Merch
Love for Sale Acrylic Stand – Namwoo and Si-eon
This is my only piece of merch for this month, and, honestly, other than my Love is an Illusion! stand from last month, this might be my favorite stand ever. Love for Sale is by far one of my favorite manhwa of all time. Really, it’s probably in my top three, and I desperately wanted something from this series to memorialize my love in physical form since there are no licensed physical prints in English as of writing this. But merch for this series is pretty scarce. Thankfully, I found KOONBOOKS, and they had this stand, which also came with a photo card of Si-eon and had a nice photo behind the stand that I framed because I have a problem and want to create a BL wall full of exclusively BL artwork. This was such an amazing find, and I am beyond happy to have this as part of my BL collection.
Conclusion
This is everything I got in May. It was really fun sharing what I got with you guys. If you’d like to see more for the rest of the year, let me know and comment below.
Otherwise, I’ll catch you next time. Bye!