What is this genre all about? Shounen Ai means boys love, and thus explores what happens when two boys (or men) fall in love. This is not to be mistaken for Yaoi which is (or, at least, how this term is often used by the western audience) used in adult works. This is not; that means there is no graphical sex.
The female version is Shoujo Ai.
We present you the list of Shounen Ai manga you should read right now.
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Top 18 Shounen Ai manga you should read right now. [2025 List]
- 18. Yeongung Ppopgineun Sinjunghage
- 17. Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu
- 16. Sweetie, Sweetie, Sweetie
- 15. Iutjim Guild-won
- 14. Kimi Dake ga Hontou
- 13. Prunus Girl
- 12. Koisuru (Otome) no Tsukurikata
- 11. 30-sai made Doutei dato Mahoutsukai ni Nareru Rashii
- 10. Living Dead
- 9. Bokura no Hentai
- 8. Maehwakkotgeuneul
- 7. Honey-Coated S-Rank Guide
- 6. Route-reul Geobuhaneun Bangbeop
- 5. Isekai no Sata wa Shachiku Shidai
- 4. Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai vs Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko
- 3. Boy Girlfriend
- 2. love rival is getting prettier everyday
- 1. Hero vs. Villain
18. Yeongung Ppopgineun Sinjunghage
Lee Min-Jun, an ordinary office worker, becomes the first reviewer of a mobile game developed by his friend. He closes his eyes during the boring opening and reopens them in the game world.
Phantom Magician: "You have to take charge of leading and controlling the heroes."
The first hero is summoned at the beginning of the tutorial. Min-Jun is delighted with the handsome hero who looks quite strong, but it turns out he's a low-level character with no memories or proper weapons.
Choose Your Heroes Carefully has finished publishing and it has 78 Chapters. It is also Known as: 召唤美男英雄的代价, 英雄ガチャは慎重に
17. Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu
"So, Hikaru is no more... If that's true then..."
Yoshiki and Hikaru are two boys who live in a certain village. They're the same age and have always been together growing up. But one day, Yoshiki noticed that "something else" has taken Hikaru's place. Even after learning of this, Yoshiki still wants them to be together. And so, his life with the "something" that looks like his friend begins.
At the same time, strange incidents keep occurring in the village...
The Summer Hikaru Died is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 光が死んだ夏, Hikari ga Shinda Natsu, The Summer Hikaru is Dead, The Summer the Light is Dead
16. Sweetie, Sweetie, Sweetie
The contract marriage partner of the supporting villain got possessed by me. The gods are raging to save the world, but their stamina, strength, and agility have no status window as 1. I followed the cliché of the possession and pretended to have lost my memory, but the supporting role of the villain started looking at me with strange eyes. “As you claim to have lost your memory, everything you have done so far is unwritten and unanswered.” I pretended to be close with the supporting role of the villain so that he wouldn’t go down the villain route, but this time as well, he started seeing me with those strange eyes. “I don’t know what’s going on in the baron’s little, round head.” At the end— “We’re holding hands, so I don’t have to save my face in front of you.” Grand Prince, we’re just in a relationship only to get married smoothly and then get divorced smoothly.
Sweetie, Sweetie, Sweetie has finished publishing and it has 100 Chapters. It is also Known as: Sweety, Sweety, Sweety, 스위티, 스위티, 스위티(Sweetie, Sweetie, Sweetie)
15. Iutjim Guild-won
After a stalking incident, Yoon Ji-gu has become understandably wary of strangers. So when an odd man moves in next door, he immediately suspects the worst. Little does he know, Yeowoon is just a regular guy trying to land a job and enjoy his free time—until he finds himself dealing with a hostile neighbor. As their real-life misunderstandings escalate, the two unknowingly team up in their favorite online game, forming an unexpected duo. Get ready to log in to a new adventure full of hilarious mix-ups, a distrustful tsundere, and an unwitting flirt with a heart of gold.
Note: Season 2 is rated R19
Virtual Strangers is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Guild Member Next Door, My Guildmate Next Door, Neighbor BF, 鄰居是公會成員, 隣のギルメン, 求饶不成就求婚, Vecinos Virtuales
14. Kimi Dake ga Hontou
High school boy, Rikimaru, is unable to touch women due to childhood trauma. He has a pair of childhood friends who are siblings. The older sister, Kagami, and then the younger brother, Kyou. Between the two of them they share a similar height and appearance. Under these circumstances a unique twin love romance begins to bloom.
Kimi Dake ga Hontou has finished publishing and it has 13 Chapters. It is also Known as: きみだけがほんとう, Kimi Dake ga Hontou
13. Prunus Girl
Maki-kun goes to look at the results of his high school entrance exam and meets a beautiful girl. Could this be a fated encounter? He's thrilled to find out that the same girl, Aikawa Kizuna, not only ends up going to his school, but is in his class. However, he's not so thrilled to find out that Aikawa is really a guy!
Prunus Girl has finished publishing and it has 43 Chapters. It is also Known as: プラナス・ガール, Prunus Girl
12. Koisuru (Otome) no Tsukurikata
A popular guy that's secretly interested in cosmetics asks to practice makeup on his dull childhood friend and he ends up looking cute?!
Koisuru (Otome) no Tsukurikata is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 恋する（おとめ）の作り方, How to Make a "Girl" Fall in Love, I turned my childhood friend (♂) into a girl, Osananajimi(♂) wo Onnanoko ni Shiteshimatta Hanashi, Transformei meu amigo de infância (♂) em uma garota, Gue Mengubah Teman Masa Kecil (♂) Gue Jadi Cewek, Convertí a my amigo de la infancia (♂) en una chica
11. 30-sai made Doutei dato Mahoutsukai ni Nareru Rashii
Adachi, a thirty-year-old virgin, has developed the power to read people's minds by touching them. After a brush with his very handsome colleague, Adachi realizes the guy has a raging crush on none other than Adachi himself!
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 30歳まで童貞だと魔法使いになれるらしい, 30-sai made Doutei dato Mahoutsukai ni Nareru Rashii
10. Living Dead
This man does not yet know that he will die today...
Source: MU
Sleeping Dead has finished publishing and it has 13 Chapters. It is also Known as: リビングデッド, Living Dead
9. Bokura no Hentai
Three boys in junior-high who cross-dress because of differing reasons meet each other through a cross-dressing community website, and decide to meet up in real life. "Parou" started cross-dressing because he wanted to attract a heterosexual boy he liked. "Marika" is transgendered and identifies as female. Lastly, "Yui" is an antagonistic boy who adopted the persona of his older sister after her death. In contrast to Parou and Marika, Yui is sorely disappointed at the meeting.
has finished publishing and it has 41 Chapters. It is also Known as: ぼくらのへんたい, Our Abnormalities, Our Transformations
8. Maehwakkotgeuneul
The bloom of plum blossoms in early spring.
In the quiet Seowon stand three scholars.
The trio of Confucian scholars hide their feelings under the pretext of friendship as they stick together.
As the feelings of the heart continue to grow over the years, they entangle with each other and the lines between them start to blur.
The three young people in Seowon can no longer be regarded as immature.
I was fascinated by the plum blossoms.
I was fascinated by the simplicity and innocence.
I couldn't help but bask in the cool shadow under the shade of the blossoms, despite being out of breath.
Just like that, we’ll submerge and drift away together.
Plum Blossom Shade has finished publishing and it has 97 Chapters. It is also Known as: The Shade of Plum Blossoms, Shade of Plum Blossom, Under the Plum Blossom Tree
7. Honey-Coated S-Rank Guide
Grade S guide Hyo Seob joins a grade C guild 'Noapi'.
As the guild leader Andante prioritizes and cares for Hyo Seob.
Hyo Seob too opens his heart more and more...
Honey-Coated S-Rank Guide is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Honey Coated S Class Guide, Honey-Coated S-Class Guide
6. Route-reul Geobuhaneun Bangbeop
In the ultimate dating game mayhem, Jerry Route's virtual love life takes center stage! Battling fainting spells due to his feeble stats, Jerry's three brothers crank up the competition for his affection. Enter the swoon-worthy crown prince Karyan and the fourth prince Ilya, who both vie for Jerry's attention. It's a hilarious, heart-fluttering quest as Jerry dodges the overprotective antics of friends and family, navigating the game while encountering an amusing array of characters. Will Jerry find true love amidst the chaos, or will his frailty throw a comical wrench into his romantic escapades?
How To Refuse the Route has finished publishing and it has 66 Chapters. It is also Known as: Die Route-Umgehungsmethode, To Deny the Route, สารพันวิธีหนีเกมรัก
5. Isekai no Sata wa Shachiku Shidai
When the efficiency freak corporate slave continued to work even in the other word—
He won the heart of the Knight Captain!?
Kondou Seiichirou was a salaryman who chased after work. When he was dragged into a saint summoning and transferred to another world, he still didn’t change and continued to work. But as he did so, he seemed to have unexpectedly raised a love flag with the “Ice Prince”...
The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 異世界の沙汰は社畜次第, The Affairs of the Other World Depend on the Corporate Slave, This World's Affairs Are up to the Corporate Slave
4. Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai vs Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko
One day, the protagonist realizes that he lives inside a "world of BL."
As he likes girls, he fights back against any hot guys that might draw near, but this is a "world of BL"... he's still assailed with the sight of people in lovey-dovey situations one after another!
A World Where Everything Definitely Becomes BL vs. The Man Who Definitely Doesn't Want To Be In A BL is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 絶対BLになる世界VS絶対BLになりたくない男, Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai vs Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko
3. Boy Girlfriend
An idiot convinces his male childhood friend to dress up and act like his girlfriend so he’ll show his crush that he’s mature and cool
Boy Girlfriend is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Boy Girlfriend
2. love rival is getting prettier everyday
Traversing into a novel as the 2nd male lead that can die easily, Shen Jin Tai is determined to be reborn, to finish the system, Xiao Ai’s quest, to be prettier, to fight for the top place in the entertainment circle, and to get between male lead Yan Qiu Chi and his partner Bai Qing Quan so that Yan Qiu Chi will focus on his career. Top Yan Qiu Chi originally is extremely disgusted with Shen Jin Tai, but why is his attitude towards Yan Qiu Chi getting more and more ambiguous?
love rival is getting prettier everyday has finished publishing and it has 92 Chapters. It is also Known as: More Evil More Beautiful, Your Rival in Love Gets Prettier Every Day, 情敌每天都在变美[穿书]
1. Hero vs. Villain
They couldn't be more different. Ridley is a knight in shining armor. Prince Vandel, the Demon Prince of Darkness, is the sworn enemy of the kingdom. The two young men are right out of a fairytale, practically made to be archenemies... but what if they ended up falling in love instead?
- MU
Hero vs. Villain is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Hero vs. Villain
