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.
Try our anime quiz: Anime Characters Guessing Quiz/Game
Top 19 Shounen Ai manga you should read right now. [2026 List]
- 19. Kimi Dake ga Hontou
- 18. Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai vs Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko
- 17. Pal-Jae
- 16. Iutjim Guild-won
- 15. Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu
- 14. Isekai no Sata wa Shachiku Shidai
- 13. Boyfriends.
- 12. Cherry Blossoms After Winter
- 11. Bao Fu Ba! E Long Xiansheng
- 10. Eren Xiang Yao Qiangjiu Yixia
- 9. Xiao Mogu
- 8. Majo no Kekkon
- 7. One Step From The End
- 6. Keullaudeu
- 5. Semantic Error
- 4. Prince Bari
- 3. Koisuru (Otome) no Tsukurikata
- 2. Otoko no Ko Tsuma
- 1. Curious Recipe
19. 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
18. 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
17. Pal-Jae
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.
Paljae, Child of Winter is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Paljae, Paljae: el hijo del invierno
16. 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
15. 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
14. 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
13. Boyfriends.
A comic about getting yourself a boyfriend... or multiple boyfriends! Four college students begin a polyamorous relationship and navigate the adventure that is their dating life!
Boyfriends. is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Boyfriends.
12. Cherry Blossoms After Winter
From living under the same roof to then being classmates?!
Ever since his parents passed away, Haebom has been living in Taesung’s house. And now, being a 12th grader, he enters the same class as Taesung, which makes the whole situation way more awkward. Living together 24/7, Taesung and Haebom's relationship is bound to change.
Note: Chapter count includes 19 epilogue and 10 bonus chapters
Cherry Blossoms After Winter has finished publishing and it has 156 Chapters. It is also Known as: 冬すぎて桜, 冬天之后的樱花, 冬日後的櫻花, Gyeoul Ji-na Beo-kkoch
11. Bao Fu Ba! E Long Xiansheng
How does a gold-eating dragon survive in the modern human world? Transform into a human, of course, to earn money! He needed to expand and widen his business empire for him to earn to earn the coveted dragon throne, thus he had no choice but to hire a secretary, and was even willing to sign a contract for the secretary to become the dragon’s knight. From then onward, they will protect each other and fight together. Turns out the secretary is a dragon slayer?!
Let's Get Rich! Mr. Evil Dragon has finished publishing and it has 90 Chapters. It is also Known as: Let's Get Rich Quick! Mr. Evil Dragon
10. Eren Xiang Yao Qiangjiu Yixia
A true villain needs to be ruthless, evil, and self-destructive! After torturing the protagonist to hell and back, they will exit the scene fabulously with a bang as their work is done. Wang Yi was determined to act that kind of villain. Unfortunately… His male lead could read minds. (:з)∠*)“You mongrel!” Mr. Yi chuckled as he looked down on the novel’s male lead.Suddenly, a thought bubble filled with cute emojis (⁄ ⁄ ⁄ω⁄ ⁄ ⁄) with the words “You’re so cute…” appeared in front of Qin.Qin: ?
I Want to Be a Big Baddie is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: I Have To Be A Great Villain, 我要当个大坏蛋, Wo Yao Dang Ge Da Huai Dan, The Wicked Want to Rescue, I Am Going to Be a Bastard, I Want to Be a Scoundrel, I'm Going to Be a Great Villain, I'm Going to Be a Villain, The Wicked Want to Rescue, The Wicked Wants to Rescue
9. Xiao Mogu
“Until the day humanity falls.”
In the year 2020, Earth’s magnetic poles disappeared and humankind was nearly wiped out by cosmic radiation. Within the span of a hundred years, living creatures began to mutate and devour each other while the remaining humans, numbering in the tens of thousands, struggled bitterly in their man-made bases.
In the Abyss, home to the mutated xenogenics, there lived a sentient little mushroom. Because it had been nourished by the blood and flesh of the deceased human An Ze, not only did it take on a similar-looking human form, but a similar name as well: An Zhe.
An Zhe is determined to go to the human base to search for his spore, which had been harvested by humans. Once there, however, he faces the omnipresent risk of discovery and certain death as he tries to keep his non-human nature hidden from the Judges, whose responsibility is to inspect for and eliminate xenogenics like himself. And of all the Judges, Colonel Lu Feng is the most perceptive and merciless—as soon as he determines that someone is a xenogenic, he will execute that person on the spot.
But An Zhe’s mutation goes undetected by Lu Feng’s eyes, and so a tale of humans and xenogenics unfolds…
Note: Silver Award winner at the 12th Chinese Nebula Awards for Chinese Science Fiction
Xiao Mogu is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Little Mushroom, Small Mushroom, Wrong But Still Right, Xiao Mo Gu, Xiǎo Mó Gū
8. Majo no Kekkon
A cool-headed witch and a pure air-headed witch get "married". Thus begins their complicated, lovey-dovey newlywed life!
Source: MU
The Witch's Marriage has finished publishing and it has 45 Chapters. It is also Known as: 魔女ノ結婚, Majo no Kekkon
7. One Step From The End
Bae Song U is in a one-sided love with his longtime friend, Kim Sang Jin. Living his life hiding his feelings, one day Bae Song U finds a suspicious book in his house, and written inside is Kim Sang Jin's life story. Bae Song U is just a passing extra...?! As he tries to ignore the book, Bae Song U soon realises that everything is going as written...
One Step From The End has finished publishing and it has 76 Chapters. It is also Known as: Lover's Vain , 在结束前开始 , 从尽头的一步
6. Keullaudeu
Skylar has a secret hobby - taking photos of his crush, Chan-il. But when Cirrus stumbles upon Skylar's cloud storage with its impressive collection of Chan-il's photos, things escalate pretty quickly. At first confident his secret is safe with Cirrus, Skylar continuously finds himself in compromising situations, making him question Cirrus' true motives.
Source: Lezhin
Lost in the Cloud has finished publishing and it has 131 Chapters. It is also Known as: Keullaudeu
5. Semantic Error
You're an error in my perfect world.
Sang-U Chu is a stickler for rules. So when his classmates free-ride on a group project, he doesn't credit them. But this prevents one senior, Jae-Yeong Jang, from graduating. And like oil and water, Sang-U and Jae-Yeong don't mix. Can Sang-U debug Jae-Yeong — a semantic error in his perfect life?
Note: Chapter count includes a Christmas Special.
Semantic Error has finished publishing and it has 94 Chapters. It is also Known as: Semantic Error
4. Prince Bari
Yohan is a celebrated shaman with a lazy spirit in the form of a boy Donga. One day, a client who is a CEO of a successful IT venture firm visits Yohan's shop, but a very powerful spirit named Chunho is tagged along.
Prince Bari has finished publishing and it has 102 Chapters. It is also Known as: Prince Bari
3. 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
2. Otoko no Ko Tsuma
The manga follows the daily lives of Kou, a slightly quirky man, and his wife, Yukio (often called Yuki), who is a cross dressing man. Read as this married couple handles the trouble that comes with cross dressing in modern Japanese society.
My Wife is a Man has finished publishing and it has 44 Chapters. It is also Known as: おとこのこ妻, Otoko no Ko Zuma, Otokonoko Zuma
1. Curious Recipe
As a young boy, Junghyuk felt drawn to the tough Taesu who often swooped in to save him from bullies. Now after years have passed, it’s his turn to make Taesu fall head over heels. Will plates of sweets be enough to win over his heart?
Curious Recipe has finished publishing and it has 35 Chapters. It is also Known as: Curious Recipe
