Extra Spicy 18+ BL Manga Recs for 801 (Yaoi) Day (Mature)

Great Manga With No Climax, No Point, and No Meaning

On August 1st, Fujoshi and Fundanshi all over the world gather to celebrate Yaoi Day by reading, recommending, and sometimes even creating yaoi! This is because, in Japanese, the number 801 can be read as “Ya-O-I.” which stands for “yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi,” or “no climax, no point, no meaning”. Yaoi is a term used primarily for manga that has explicit sexual relationships between men, although is mostly no longer used in Japan in favor of the more modern “Boy Love” or “BL.” First used by critics to denounce these stories, fans have reclaimed it as their own and celebrate it out loud and proud! So to celebrate the true meaning of Yaoi-mas, I’ve curated a list of 18+ mlm manga!

I’ll be breaking this list down into theme and genre, recommending the hottest titles around, as well as some hidden treasures. These manga might not all be pure porn, but they will absolutely have sex and sexual desire as a key story component. So if you’re not comfortable with dicks, cum, taints, and bums, then this is not the recommendation list for you.

True LGBTQI­A+ equality isn’t making everything Heartstopper. It’s having just as much weird and messed up dark romances as the straights do. Sexual Desire is an important part of many (but not all!) identities, so celebrating it in media is just as important. Be it sweet, staring into each other’s eyes, love of your life, vanilla sex… or the kind of dark, messed up kink-filled sex you wouldn’t even tell your therapist about. Both kinds are awesome, both kinds are fun and safe to read about, and there is absolutely a manga for that. Yes. Even THAT.

Now then, let’s look at some shameless smut and commemorate that time when you only had enough lube for one day, but it actually lasted for eight! Remember, the Safety Word is “Onions,” and you can duck out any time you want.

Alphas, Omegas, and Betas, Oh My!

Omegaverse is one of those hardcore BL tropes. Whilst the exact lore changes from writer to writer, the basics stay the same: Humans still have the same sexual dimorphism as today, but are split into three further secondary sexes, Alphas, Betas, and Omegas. Omegas have reproductive cycles and go into heat, where they need to have penetrative sex or else they will end up hospitalised to some degree. Heats are similar to menstrual cycles, and can be managed with pills, but these can have bad side effects, so not everyone wants to take them. Alphas are sensitive to the scent of Omegas and can tell when they’re going into heat. An Omega in Heat causes an Alpha to go into rut, which makes it nearly impossible to resist the urge to have sex there and then. If an Alpha bites the neck of an Omega, they will be bonded for life, and the Omega will not be able to induce rut in any other Alpha, and their heats will be less intense. Betas are usually just there to make up numbers one way or another.

There’s some debate as to the origin of this universe. Some point to the manga Love Pistols as the first piece of Omegaverse Fiction. However, the main tropes and names that we recognise today are credited to a Supernatural fanfic about the two lead actors having werewolf sex. When it became mainstream in Japan, I do not know. But it is! And now, you can buy a copy of utter Omegaverse filth alongside the Oxford English Dictionary. What a time to be alive.

How My Daddies Became Mates

Vibes: Alpha X Omega, How I Met Your Father, Doting Dads, Delinquent X Delinquent, Rivals to Lovers, Kiss With A Fist, Bad Boys Who Rescue Cats

Shima is lucky enough to have two daddies who absolutely adore her! But some of the other kids at elementary school think it’s really weird that she has two daddies and no mummy. It’s true that male omegas are rare, but that doesn’t make it weird! But the other kids do have a point. Why does she have two daddies? How did they meet? And why did they decide to get married and have a baby? Her daddies happily tell her, but decide that maybe they should leave out some of the exact details. Like how Aoi and Akane were once top gang members for their rival high schools. Or how they first met underneath a bridge after Aoi beat the shit out of Akane’s lower classman. Or that their first kiss was in the middle of an adrenaline-fuelled fist fight that triggered Aoi’s heat and as an Alpha, Akane felt temporarily powerless to resist that sweet sweet smell…

Okay. First, there is something we need to address. Yes, the main characters in this are called Aoi Shirosaki and Akane Kuroga. Their names are Blue White and Red Black. It appears that Mikkamita couldn’t decide whether to code their gays blue/red or black/white and decided to do both. Which is honestly sort of iconic of them. Across the two volumes that make up this series, Aoi and Akane grow together as a couple. By starting with the end result – their happy marriage filled with teasing, bickering, smooches, and trying not to cry at their daughter’s first open day at school – we’re able to enjoy the drama of their relationship development even more. The two kids who leave each other black and blue, unable to tell whose blood it is on their shirts, will one day sit around the dinner table eating homemade minestrone soup. You can’t help but want to know the full story there! Mikkamita is great at playing with tension and mood. The same talent used to make the fighting frightening and intense is used to make the sex hot and emotional.

Credits:

• Story and Art: Mikkamita
• Translation: Jacqueline Fung
• Adaption: Casper Kazor
• Lettering: Toppy
• Proofreader: Joshua Hardy
• Editor: McKenzie Carnahan
• English Publisher: Seven Seas

How to Deal When Your Intimidating Neighbor is Actually an Omega

Vibes: Unconventional Soulmates, True Love Wins, Alpha X Omega, Bossy Bottom X Service Top

College student Kouta is getting sick and tired of his fellow Alphas. All they seem to want to talk about is shagging Omegas. It’s not just disrespectful to the Omegas, it’s boring to have to listen to. They all claim he’s the oddball for being ignorant to the power of pheromones, but Kouta thinks he just has better self control. That is until his super intimidating neighbor, Miyagana, brings home an Omega whose scent is so powerful he thinks he might finally understand what all the fuss is about. He tries to sneak out without them noticing so he can clear his head, until he realises that the Omega setting him off is actually Miyanaga! With Miyanaga literally throwing himself against him, does Kouta have the self control to respect Miyanaga’s self worth and keep it in his pants? Or will he give in to desire?

Kouta reads as really Demisexual in this. His sudden sexual awakening and realisation that it’s not all some weird script society made up for people to follow, but rather a very real feeling that you find difficult to control, just… targeted at a very specific individual whom you love. Obviously, in this story Kouta barely knows Miyanaga before he starts to get hard, but given that this is a world where soulmates exist, I think we can forgive the speedrun here. The story has some of my favourite omegaverse tropes, such as the Omega stealing items of their Alpha’s clothing in order to survive their heat, and a relationship where the Omega is the more dominant and the Alpha more submissive.

Credits:

• Story and Art: Nikuya Inui
• Translator: Adrienne Beck
• Letterer: Sara Linsley
• Editor: Rekiya Isaacs
• English Publisher: Kodansha

Megumi and Tsugumi

Vibes: Alpha X Omega, Romcom with a Twist, Rivals to Lovers, Delinquent X Delinquent, Locked Room Sex, World’s Best Dad Vs World’s Worst Dad

Omega Tsugumi has an inbuilt hatred for all Alphas. They’re ruled by their basic instincts, hurt those around them, and think that they’re automatically the strongest in any situation. Which is bollocks, because Tsugumi is obviously the strongest! He’s so tough, he doesn’t even need to take suppressants – his iron will is enough to see him through… or so he thinks. When he meets up with a rival All Alpha school to beat the crap out of them, he finds himself going into the most intense heat of his life. Megumi is surprised to find out that the delinquent who has been messing with his friends is an Omega. And the sweetest smelling one around… after an intimate close encounter, Megumi agrees to help out Tsugumi whenever he’s in heat. Not because he loves him, obviously, that’d be – No. He’s just doing this to stop him from causing anyone else any problems! Honest.

This is my current favourite Omegaverse manga on the market. It’s the perfect mix of sexy, adorable, and funny. Mitsuru’s little chibis in particular are amazingly cute and funny. Tsugumi is such a total himbo, whose belief in his own abilities are outmatched by his incapability to do much other than hit things hard. It makes him a great foil and lover to Megumi who is always on edge, trying to be both the toughest man around and also stick it to his Omega-hating father. Tsumugi is so honest about everything, he doesn’t know what to do! Love it. I also adore Tsugumi’s Dads! Mitsuru decided to flip stereotypes on their head here by making his Omega Parent (Kuroji) the tough-looking, shaved head, no-nonsense yet level-headed one, and his Alpha Parent (Harutsugu) the more effeminate, doting, and ditzy one who is ready to throw hands at a moments notice if anyone messes with his family. Their love story is told in bonus comics, and when I found out that Harutsugu is an architect and Kuroji is a civil engineer, I just about melted into a puddle of fujo feels. Harutsugu designs the houses Kuroji makes!!!!

Credits:

• Story and Art: Mitsuru Si
• Translation: Adrienne Beck
• Touch-Up and Lettering: Deborah Fisher
• Cover and Graphic Design: Alice Lewis
• Editor: Jennifer LeBlanc
• English Publisher: SuBLime

Isekai? More Like, It’s-a-Guy-on-Guy!

Isekai manga, where a character is transported to another world, is incredibly popular. And as you can imagine, getting transported to a world where you can freely love whoever you want with a soulmate ready and waiting for you is quite the queer fantasy. Here are some of those fantasies for you to enjoy! Even if they might be a little unconventional …

The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter

Vibes: Something is Rotten in the State Of Isekai Land, Scholar x Knight, Workaholic Will Literally Die If He Doesn’t Stop to Get Some Dick, If You Do Not Start Taking Care of Your Own Health Then I Will Have to Do it For You

When coming home from work one day, Kondou spies a teenage girl being kidnapped and pulled into a weird magical portal. In an attempt to save her, he falls into the portal too, and arrives in the Kingdom of Romany. Then, Shiraishi Yua is announced as the holy maiden who will save the land from the dangerous miasma that threatens to flood it! As for Kondou? Well… They didn’t exactly intend for him to come along for the ride. Seiichirou Kondou decides to put himself to use in this world by taking over the kingdom’s treasury department and finally balancing all those books. The paperwork reveals more than just a few accounting errors, and Kondou begins to pick apart the corruption that lays at the heart of the kingdom. However, since he wasn’t meant to ever arrive in this land, he has absolutely no resistance to magic and even a simple healing spell can mean death for him! Luckily, the captain of the knights, Sir Aresh Indolark, knows exactly how to kiss it better. His constant hovering might get on Kondou’s nerves, but he can’t exactly complain about the one-on-one treatment he gets in his private chambers every night…

I am a big fan of the “fuck or die” trope, so this was a must read for me when I first heard about it… Even if I am allergic to math. Whilst the scenes are all pretty tame compared to some of the other series here, the trope itself deserves some tribute. I also love this as a take on isekai. Not only because it’s gay, but because it examines the trope in full, and the holy maiden isn’t just forgotten about as some of the “bought an extra person along” series do. Kondou is the only one in the kingdom who treats her like the vulnerable 16-year-old she is. He helps her to understand the errors in her idealism, and how you can’t solve a problem just by using money as a band-aid. The romance between Aresh and Kondou is also great! Aresh is so absolutely smitten with Kondou, who seems absolutely oblivious to his feelings. They have even more intimate conversations and moments of emotional vulnerability than physical ones.

Credits:

• Art: Kazuki Irodori
• Story: Yatsuki Wakatsu
• Character Design: Kikka Ohashi
• Translation: Emma Schumacker
• Lettering: DK
• English Publisher: Yen Press

The Ruthless Commander and his Reincarnated Warhorse

Vibes: Horse Girls’ Dreams Come True. Gentle Giants. Reverse Loki X Svaðilfari, No Actual Horses Get Boned in the Telling of This Story

One day, an ordinary Japanese man dies. He awakes with a thump in a parallel world… as a newborn foal. He quickly adapts to everything, though, and begins to enjoy his carefree life as a horse! One day, he comes across the handsome and stoic Commander Felix. When the commander is attacked by a bear, our hero horse rushes in to save him! …And is soon taken in as the commander’s beloved warhorse and is given the name Aleksei. Felix takes such gentle care of him, and their bond feels so strong, that Aleksei can’t help but wonder what it would be like if he was human again….

Re-reading this for the purposes of this article has revealed something to me. This (for me at least) is a form of disability wish fulfilment. I, too, would love for a strong, powerful man to gently care for me. To dress my wounds, help me wash my body, and care for me as though I were the most precious thing on earth. I am not sure what to make of this, especially when paired with my former horse girl (gender neutral) ways. The story on its own seems to be built more around its premise of “man becomes horse and then becomes human again because he fell in love with man.” It belongs to the same family of oddball reincarnation manga, where people are reborn as vending machines and swords. It’s just horny for human touch.

It does need saying, though, that the above picture of the cover doesn’t do justice to how violently orange it is in real life. It looks like it turned out to support the Netherlands at sportsball.

Credits:

• Art: Nomoto Narita
• Story: Sakashima
• Translation: Jacqueline Fung
• Proofreading: Varrick Zed
• Lettering: Andrea Donohue
• Production: Andrea Donohue, Eduardo Mánuel Chávez
• English Publisher: Kuma

The Titan’s Bride

Vibes: Literal Big Dick Energy, Soulmates, True Love Saves the Day, The DJ Keeps Swapping Between “A Whole New World” and “Lets Get it On.”

With his university entrance exams looming, 18-year-old orphan Kouichi can’t help but wonder where his place in the world is now. His beloved basketball team all say they’re going to miss him and give him a signed basketball as a farewell. But will they miss him, or his height? He knows he has friends like Jin who’ll be by his side forever, and there’s always the chance of romance with Kyoko. The idea of asking her out is certainly appealing to his teenage libido. He decides to clear his head by having a wank, and just as he’s about to climax, he gets transported into a strange room and surrounded by literal giants?! And a super hot guy triple his size named Caius is telling him that they’re destined partners who need to get married for the sake of the kingdom? What is this?! Some kind of manga?!

This god damn size kink isekai yaoi made me cry. Like a fucking baby. When ITKZ wants to hit you with emotions by all hell, they can. I initially picked up the series because I saw one of my favourite translators, Katrina Leonoudakis, was working on it. (Her previous work includes the anime for O Maidens in Your Savage Season and Interspecies Reviewers.) I knew I was going to be in for a good time by the cover alone. But whilst yes, the “Hamster Eating a Banana” blow jobs are incredible (thank the Yaoi Gods that Seven Seas got the clean files so we didn’t have to have any weird off putting censorship), I was not expecting to grow so close to Kouichi and Caius along with all the other characters around them! Whilst in some Iseaki, the protagonists find their soulmate and never think of their home world again, this has a whole arc about what that choice means to everyone involved. It isn’t easy for Kouichi to pick Caius over his friends and little remaining family, but he does, and it breaks your heart and mends it at the same time. Don’t be fooled, this isn’t just about guys getting pounded in the arse by monster cocks. This manga is about how love can transcend space and time, how what is once had can never truly be forgotten… AND getting pounded in the arse by monster cocks.

Chekov’s mpreg haunts this narrative. There’s no sight of it yet, but the myth of the two men whose love was so strong the gods chose to bless them with a pregnancy appears way too often to be of coincidence. Personally, I am hoping that it’s Caius who ends up pregnant, but that’s just me and my personal tastes.

Credits:

• Story and Art: ITKZ
• Translation: Katrina Leonoudakis
• Adaption: Liam Finn
• Lettering: Ray Steeves
• Cover Design: Mariel DeRouen
• Proofreader: Krista Grandy
• Editor: Lark Smith

Things That Bump Uglies in the Night

Vampires, werewolves, and demons are all inherently queer in one way or another. Trust me. It’s always been that way. So naturally, there’s gonna be plenty of supernatural sexiness on the BL shelves!

Coyote

Vibes: Werewolves Vs Mafia, Grim Noir Romance, Piano Lounges, Romeo and Juliet with More Causalities

Lili and Marlene are in love. The sort of deep, all-consuming, passionate, soul-aching love only music could ever hope to describe. The problem is, Lili and Marlene are not who they say they are. Lili is really a werewolf named Coyote who is tasked with keeping the rest of his pack safe and hidden away from those who want to extinguish their kind. Marlene is legally known as Josh Galland, the grandson of the local head mafioso, whose personal mission is to eradicate all werewolves. When Coyote unexpectedly goes into heat, it’s difficult for him to hide his werewolf side from Marlene anymore. Marlene not only accepts Coyote, though, he treasures him more than ever. The love they make that week is a symphony not like any sung before. But that bubble soon bursts as the mafia starts to hunt and kill more and more werewolves. With so much death and bloodshed circling around them, can these two star crossed lovers find a way to survive intact?

You may notice while reading this list that I absolutely love Zariya’s work. Coyote encompasses everything about why. Zariya has a perfect understanding of genre and how to best utilise the different techniques within to tell the story she wants to tell. It would be easy to just make a simple star-crossed lovers story about a human and a werewolf. It’d probably be absolutely great, too! But in Coyote, Zariya combines these myths into a dark noir setting. It both allows for her to explore what it would be like for werewolves to exist in the modern day and whether or not they’d choose to hide, and also provides a gripping crime thriller that makes you worry that every page turn will lead to disaster.

The love story between Coyote and Marlene is what drives the entire narrative. Each story beat comes back around to impact them in some way. Zariya has perfectly captured the longing and yearning felt between these two, who would love nothing more than to run away into the sunset together – except they know doing so would break them. It’s sad, it’s messy, it’s dark, but the love between these two is a glittering beacon of hope that keeps you reading. The artwork is also absolutely incredible. The color inserts are gorgeous, as is Zariya’s pencil work throughout. Both the sex scenes and action scenes are dynamic, with a great understanding of how to use panels for pacing. The way she captures the elegance, beauty, and terrifying power of a wolf is also incredible.

Credits:

• Story and Art: Ranmaru Zariya
• Additional Translation: Christine Dashiell
• Touch-Up and Lettering: Mara Coman
• Cover and Graphic Design: Yukiko Whitley
• Editor: Jennifer LeBlanc
• English Publisher: SuBLime

Dream☆Delivery

Vibes: Shameless Smut, Sexual Awakening Via Demon, Ever Get Dicked Down so Good it Changes Your Species?

This 20-Year-Old Virgin just can’t seem to get any luck with the ladies. After yet another group date ends in sorrow, he resorts to booking an escort from a leaflet shoved into his letterbox. Dream Delivery appears to have a cosplay theme where their workers arrive dressed as demons. The booking form requires you to fill out a survey, and then an AI system picks the perfect partner for you. What this boy expects is a beautiful human girl in a cheap costume. What he gets is a beautiful demon boy with very real horns and a tail. This demon is one of hell’s best incubi, one who specialises in topping and topping alone. But as the night goes on, it looks like that might be changing…

Dream☆ Delivery is 40 pages of pure smut. The brattish top being forced into being a bottom might not be to all tastes, but that’s the name of the game here. The artwork is really solid, and the characters surprisingly well developed for such a short story! I’d happily read a follow-up to see what happens next in their relationship! There’s also quite a snide sense of humour that trickles throughout that really appeals to me and helps set the overall tone. I’d definitely be curious to see this creator do some longer form work.

Credits:

• Story and Art: Ichinomiya87
• Circle: Gekiyaku Rabbits
• Translation: Nyoomu
• Lettering: Rene York
• Compiler and Formatter: Zhuchka
• Project Manager: Kararina Kunstelj
• Quality Assurance: On Takahashi, Zhuckha, Nyan
• English Publisher: Irodori Sakura

Fangs

Vibes: Hot Gay Vampires With Trauma, Age Gap, Addicted To Your Love, Sex isn’t Solving Our Problems but Maybe if We Try Harder it Will?, Darwin the Pet Tortoise, My Beloved

Waking up in a nightclub covered in blood to see all your friends are dead is traumatic enough. Throw in becoming a vampire, and it’s even worse. Following this tragic attack, En is picked up by an organisation called FANGS, whose job it is to look after new vampires and help them transition into their undead lives. Step One is finding a guardian, and for En, that’s the sexy and cheeky Ichii who runs the local branch of the organisation. The second is finding a partner to pair up with for eternity. This isn’t for romance – it’s the easiest way for a vampire to fight off starvation and make sure attacks like what happened with En never occur. Drinking from each other helps strengthen their bonds. Right now, though, Ichii is the only one En wants to drink from. But is he ready for such a huge commitment so early on? There’s so much he doesn’t know about Ichii, and so much he’s refusing to say. With such an enormous gap in their life experience, can a pairing between them ever work?

Vampires have been queer icons ever since Bram Stoker put ink to paper. Luckily, most modern day writers aren’t as deeply closeted as he was, and can actually admit to enjoying a little blood sucking now and then. Fangs is beautifully drawn, and very gripping. The sex scenes are well drawn with a great understanding of anatomy that some artists lack. It has its own take on Vampire Mythology, and I love the ideas it has for how vampires would survive in the modern day. I’m very fond of all the different types of relationships seen throughout the manga. Whilst most of them are romantic, it makes the point that you cannot simply rely on one singular person to give you everything you need. You need to open yourself up to the rest of the community around you if you want to live a fulfilling life.

Credits:

• Story and Art: Billy Balibally
• Translation: Christine Dashiell
• Retouching and Lettering: Vibrant Publishing Studio
• Editor: Lena Atanassova
• English Publisher: TokyoPop

Cum to the Dark Side

Are you tired of things being pure and wholesome? Don’t you just want to see some fucked up shit? There is so much fun to be had reading stories that frighten you and reveal some of the darker parts of yourself. Dark Romance is a fabulous genre as old as storytelling itself. Here’s a few that I think are worthy of the greats.

Void

Vibes: Angst With a Happy Ending, Queer Sci-Fi, Are We Our Memories Or is the Present All That Matters?

Maki has been underneath a permafrost ever since the death of his boyfriend Ren seven years ago. He used to work for the Humanoid Rehabilitation Bureau, an organisation that specialized in the prevention of immoral artificial intelligence. Humanoids are hyper-realistic robots whose likeness and memories are taken from existing humans, who are usually then killed. One day, his former colleague Rowen brings him a new rescue, a Pet-Type humanoid named Arata who had been developed for sexually pleasuring men. He has an imprint function, so his owner can have the illusion of continuous consent. Arata’s memories and appearance all come from Ren, and Maki isn’t sure what he is meant to do with that. He’s angry at Ren, he’s lost, he’s broken, and he’s not the kind, friendly man Arata thinks he is.

This incredible one-shot is a dark, complex, emotional look into the nature of humanity. Zariya’s examination of the relationships between our memories and ourselves, and how we impose those upon the people we meet, regardless of who they are, is perfect sci-fi. The sex is detailed, each motion drawn in exquisite detail all to convey how the characters’ relationship is growing and changing. It’s the kind of introspective, dark, twisted science fiction that shoujo and josei do best.

Credits:

• Story and Art: Ranmaru Zariya
• Translation: Christine Dashiell
• Touch Up and Lettering: Carl Vanstiphout
• Cover and Graphic Design: Alice Lewis
• Editor: Jennifer LeBlanc

Total Eclipse of the Eternal Heart

Content Warning: Rape, Child Sexual Assault, Dubious Consent, Murder, Suicide, Lovers Suicide, Murder/Suicide, Non-Explicit Sexual Content

Vibes: Dark Romance, Victim X Abuser, Reincarnated to Love and Then to Kill

Terumichi is in love with fellow classmate Yamada. Whenever he thinks he’s all alone and nobody cares, Yamada is suddenly there right by his side. He is understandably devastated when one of their fellow classmates brutally stabs Yamada to death! And just as horrified when Yamada sits back up again. Could this have anything to do with the dreams he’s been having? And what’s with the creeping sensation that this has something to do with Kuroiwa Onitaiji, the Taisho Era mystery writer who raped and killed eight teenage boys? From the acclaimed creator of Go For It Nakamura!, this horror BL is one for the ages.

Double suicide and murder/suicide (“Shinjū” and “Muri-Shinjū”) are common tropes in Japanese storytelling, particularly in kabuki and bunraku theatre. Acclaimed writer (and isekai protagonist) Dazai Osamu was particularly interested in this trope, attempting, and eventually succeeding, in ending his and his partner’s life in such a way. It makes sense, then, that this be explored in BL, as well. This haunting narrative speaks to Syundei’s skill as a creator. Whilst not being graphic, it’s still a deeply uncomfortable read. Yet the pacing and plot keeps you turning the page. You simply cannot look away as all these endless human horrors unfold before you.

Credits:

• Story and Art: Syundei
• Translation: Amber Tamosaitis
• Adaption: Lora Gray
• Lettering and Layout: Kaitlyn Wiley
• Cover Design: KC Fabellon
• Proofreading: Cae Hawksmoor, Shanti Whitesides
• Editor: Jenn Grunigen

MADK

Vibes: Demon Vore Yaoi, Dark Humour, RIP Goth Queen Mary Shelly You Would Have Been So Horny For This

Japanese high schooler Makoto is at his wit’s end. Tired of being called weird or creepy because of his hobbies. Tired of never getting to act out his sexual fantasies. In a final attempt to get some happiness in life, he uses blood magic to summon an Archduke from hell – the enigmatic and handsome J. J expects Makoto to want what every other teenager wants:, dead bullies, vanilla sex, good grades -; that kind of thing. He doesn’t expect that Makoto will immediately sign on the dotted line to sell his soul in exchange for eating J out. Literally. J spends the next six months as Makoto’s literal snack. Once he’s licked up the last morsel, though, Makoto’s doomed to a new life in Hell as J’s underling. And that’s just where it begins…

No Toxic Yaoi list would be complete without MADK. But… okay. Full disclosure? I have not actually read MADK. That is not for lack of trying, though! At least once a year I go onto the SuBLime website and give the free preview a read, wondering if this time I’ll be ready. But no. It appears I have found my limit with yaoi, and it’s sensually slurping up intestines like a big bowl of udon. The artwork is absolutely gorgeous, and the comedy beats in the promos alone are great, too! I love Ryo Suzuri’s other work like Our Torsos Align: Human x Monster Love. But I simply cannot handle vore. However, my friends who CAN handle some kinky cannibalism tell me that this is the best toxic demon yaoi to ever exist. They even read it for the plot!

Credits:

• Story and Art: Ryo Suzuri
• Translation: Adrienne Beck
• Touch Up and Lettering: Deborah Fisher
• Cover and Graphic Design: Yukiko Whitley
• Editor: Jennifer LeBlanc
• English Publisher: SuBLime

A Comedy of Error-tica

Okay, that’s enough grimdark for today. Time to lighten the mood with some actual comedy! Sex comedies are a vital part of the Manga Ecosystem. In this day and age, we could also all do with some silliness. These titles are sure to give you the giggles, and maybe some other happy feelings, too.

Dick Fight Island

Vibes: Sex Comedy, Hunks and Himbos, Ultimate Battle Royal, Dick Olympics, Intercultural Relationships, Tropical Island Romance, Pocket Dragons!!!

The tropical archipelago of Pulau Yang Indah is known as the last remaining paradise on earth. Having been cut off from the rest of the world until the end of the 20th century, much of its culture is still completely unknown to outsiders. That includes the Great Wyrm Tournament, a knockout tournament that takes place every four years to decide which of the Eight Island Clan Leaders will rule the archipelago. Each island has a champion to do battle for them, but exactly what kind of tournament is this? What do they fight with? Well, what else but their dicks! Yup, that’s right. In this tournament, he who comes first loses. This year, Harto is representing the Jewel Clan. He’s been carefully studying abroad in England where his training partner Matthew taught him of a magical technique that has never been used in the tournament before… prostate stimulation. Can Harto win and claim glory for the Jewel Clan? Or will the traditional methods claim the day?

There is so much incredible world building involved in this story. Ike has put so much thought into the different cultures of the islands and how they all work together. This includes the different specialty goods and services provided by each clan (for example, the Jewel Clan mine precious gems, and the Earth Clan make pottery), how social roles and customs differ on each island (for example the Fang Clan is almost entirely women, and the Moon Clan view moving in together as the same as marriage), and the overall global economic power of the archipelago. I totally and completely believe that this contest has no sexual component whatsoever. It is completely logical to believe the best way to avoid a leadership war amongst the tribes is to have a big fighting tournament to see who can make the others ejaculate first. A good king should always know how to please his subjects before himself, after all. In addition, the central romances in this are all so fantastically written. You cannot help but root for your favorites to get together in the end! Also, there are tiny pocket-sized dragons. What more could you possibly ever want in life?!

Credits:

• Story and Art: Reibun Ike
• Translation: Adrienne Beck
• Touch Up and Lettering: Deborah Fisher
• Cover and Graphic Design: Alice Lewis
• Editor: Jennifer LeBlanc

Dungeons & Dick

Vibes: Choose Your Own Sexy Adventure, Make the Man Suffer For Your Entertainment, Lots of Ideas for Your next Dungeons & Dragons campaign!

In this sexy, choose your own adventure dungeon crawl, you play as a burly warrior captured by the enemy and sent into an unknown dungeon to find out what lies within. The collar around your neck means you cannot escape. However, if you can make it to the end of the dungeon without having completely lost yourself to the sexual pleasures around you, you may be able to earn your freedom!

Whilst I think it would work better in a physical book because those are easier to flip back and forth with, it’s still great that Irodori brought such a work of genius to English language audiences. The story is very well planned out, with a plethora of different story beats to enjoy. You can either play it straight and follow the instructions each time, or experiment and do whatever you want. Everything is incredibly graphic, with lots of big things entering small things that make you question how physics works in this world. But, the entire dungeon is such a creative and immersive experience, it doesn’t even matter. This is a dungeon crawl even Professional Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan would be proud of.

Credits:

• Story and Art: Nikuo
• Translation: Lance
• Lettering: Happy Negi
• Compiling and Formatting: Zhuchka
• Quality Assurance: On Takahashi, Zhuchka, Science Friction

Tickling a Prideful Spy to Continuous Climax

Vibes: Silly and Sexy, Spy X Evil Scientist, Whatever is Going On in the Music Video For Miike Snow’s Genghis Khan

The spy agency’s top operative is captured by the enemy whilst investigating the mysterious goings on at their lab. The lead scientist claims that there’s nothing untoward happening; they’re simply collecting data to aid developing new technology to help people. Somehow, this vital data collection involves strapping people to walls and using robot hands to tickle them until they climax again and again. What can these evil scientists possibly want all this data for? Regardless, they’re certainly getting a lot of it.

This is so over the top, it’s hilarious. The dialogue is perfectly cheesy and on point. There’s absolutely zero heart-fluttering romance here, just a guy getting his anus tickled by toothbrushes. But that’s honestly all this needs to do. We’re not here to get hot off of torture porn, we’re here to laugh. And laugh we shall!

Credits:

• Story and Art: Hoshitani Kyo
• Translation: Garlogan
• Lettering: Rene York
• Compiling and Formatting: Zhuchka
• Project Management: Kararina Kunstelj
• Quality Assurance: On Takahashi, Zhuchka, Nyan

Sex Work: It’s Hard, and Somebody’s Gotta Do It!

Sex work is definitely work. In this house, we love and support all sex workers! Unless they want support with their taxes, then I recommend they see an accountant instead. Whilst there’s definitely a lot of series out there where sex workers need to be saved from their supposedly terrible and awful lives, these series have a more positive outlook on the business!

Birds of Shangri-La

Vibes: Dark, Intense, Sexy, Messy, “You Two Shouldn’t be Together But Thank God You Are Because You Would be so Much Worse Apart”

Apollo is newly separated from his wife after walking in on her having an affair and brutally beating the man half to death. Looking to lay low for a bit and make some money, he takes up a job as a Teaser at the luxury all-male tropical island brothel: Shangri-la. His job is to prepare the Birds for their evening activities by bringing them right to the edge. Since he’s straight and a complete newbie, he’s given to Phi to show him the ropes. There are three rules he has to follow: No orgasms, no penetration, and no falling in love. Phi wasn’t expecting to ever find the kind of connection he has with Apollo. He’s the only person in the world who can make his nightmares go away. It’s terrifying as Apollo’s influence makes Phi begin to unpick his traumatic past in a way he’s never wanted, but sorely needs to. Slowly, one by one, the pair begin to break all the rules laid before them. What will happen to them when the safety of Shangri-la starts to slip away?

Birds of Shangri-La presents sex work as any other kind of work. It’s physically demanding, not for everyone, and the customers are always the worst part. There’s a utopian element to this brothel, but equally one that should be standard to all places of work. The Birds are made to feel safe and looked after, they can choose and refuse their customers, and they can quit any time they like. In fact, if they for a second feel like they’re only working at Shangri-la out of obligation, they’re asked to leave. Zariya makes it very clear that this is a place of happiness and safety, but it’s not a place for everyone. You cannot enjoy the good things in life if you’re running away from the bad.

The relationship between Phi and Apollo is gloriously messy and complicated. Both characters are hugely flawed, and whilst their back stories offer explanations, they don’t give excuses. This is a character study that looks at what a relationship means when sex is just part of the mundane every day. It’s about two people who only ever take their problems out on others, finding someone who can take everything they throw at them, and give it back in return.

Credits:

• Story and Art: Ranmaru Zariya
• Translation: Adrienne Beck
• Touch-Up and Lettering: Deborah Fisher
• Cover and Graphic Design: Alice Lewis
• Editor: Jennifer LeBlanc
• English Publisher: SuBLime

Fuck Buddy for the Bottom Guy

Vibes: Fun and Silly, Lusting Mixed with Yearning, Porn with Feelings

Naoya is the superstar bottom at the gay brothel he works at. In fact, he’s the highest rated out of all his fellow sex workers! That is, until Yuta starts working for them. Naoya has got to get a taste of what that top has to offer. After a client requests to watch them together, Naoya gets just that! But now, he doesn’t want to give it up. But Yuta seems absolutely adamant that they not become fuck buddies. Can Naoya persuade him otherwise?

This bubble gum-flavored piece of smut is pure fun. Naoya is just a silly little horny guy, and Yuta is your quintessential stoic black-haired hottie. The story goes in some fun ways as the two become closer together and their work rivalry gives way to some more emotional elements. But at its heart, it remains just a fun story about two professionals who find love together.

Credits:

• Story and Art: Potato Yamamori
• Translation: Mada / Amimaru K.K
• Lettering: Darkness / Amimaru K.K
• Production Assistants: M.J., Hare Hirata / Amimaru K.K
• Proofreader: Hayame

Nut Inside My Favorite Idol

Vibes: Shameless Smut, Aggressive, What if Your Ridiculously Expensive VIP Concert Ticket Also Included an Invite to an Orgy?

Protagonist-san is obsessed with the new underground idol group Seraphim’s Enemy – but in particular, the wild bad boy and lead singer of the group: Yaiba. He’s been saving up his pitiful salary and living off of ramen so he can win the monthly auction for a VIP ticket to meet them backstage. He might not be able to make rent next month, but it will all be worth it to see what Yaiba is like in real life! What he’s expecting is a handshake and maybe some fancy snacks. What he gets is a lot more than that… although eating gorgeous things and having your body shake still plays a very important part of the experience.

According to the author’s notes, ZawarC’s purpose in drawing this was to have fun “drawing hot guys getting railed into oblivion.” They have achieved this goal spectacularly. This is just 50 pages of really well-drawn rough sex between a fan and his oshi. It’s the sort of sex fantasy that many a music fan has secretly had over the years, with some comedy thrown in for the mix. It absolutely hits the spot.

Credits:

• Story and Art: ZawarC
• Translation: Maud Duke
• Lettering: Rene Yorke
• Compiler and Formatter: Zhuchka
• Project Manager: Kararina Kunstelj
• Quality Assurance: On Takahashi, Zhuckha, Ten Key
• English Publisher: Irodori Sakura

Reading It for the Plot

Whilst traditional yaoi isn’t meant to have any plot whatsoever, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes you find yourself picking a manga up for the sexy cover and sticking around to find out what’s going to happen next with the two (or more) characters you’ve grown to love and not just lust.

10 Dance

Vibes: Waltz X Rumba, Constant Sexual Tension, Horny Sports Manga, Nikita and Carlos Dancing to Mad About the Boy on British Dancing with the Stars

Shinya Sugiki is the king of standard ballroom, and with his partner Fusako Yagami he should be unstoppable. Except the entire scene is completely corrupt, and the judges’ weird politics just won’t let him come in first. Meanwhile, Latin champions Shinya Suzuki and his partner Aki Tajima have never taken place in a world tournament, and it’s starting to hold them back. They need to push things to the next level and find their passion again. So when Suzuki suggests they both enter the 10 Dance, Suzuki finds himself powerless to say no to the challenge. They agree to teach each other their style of ballroom so they can enter the famous 10 Dance Tournament where participants must master both standard and ballroom in order to come out on top. It soon appears that the Shinyas have more in common than just their names as the sparks fly between them. But just exactly how many people will get hurt once the fire starts, and will there be anything to come back to once it’s all burned down?

Calling this a slow burn romance seems strange. The pair immediately have a smouldering sexual tension that cannot be ignored. Seeing them dance together is almost more erotic than them having sex. Inouesatoh’s art is so incredible; their sense of movement in particular. The couple leap off the page and make your heart race faster than ever before. This might be the horniest, most erotically-charged manga on this entire list, as well as the least sexually explicit. The two have such massive egos and are such control freaks. It means that even though they’re perfect for each other and deeply in love, they can’t find a way to make it work. It makes you want to gnaw on the skirting board waiting for the next volume to get released so you can see if they’re going to put all that masculine bravado aside and let themselves be happy. Plus, I also wanna see what happens at the end with The Big Competition. Well, this is a sports manga, after all!

Credits:

• Story and Art: Inouesatoh
• Translation: Karhys
• Lettering: Brndn Blaskeslee
• Editing: Lauren Scanlan
• Cover Design: Phil Balsman
• English Publisher: Kodansha

Palace of the Omega

Vibes: Alpha X Omega, Allies to Friends to Lovers, Political Intrigue, Tiger Buddies, Stories to Tell Every Night for 1000 Nights so Your Husband Doesn’t Kill You

Born 13th in line to the throne, and worst of all, an Omega, Ilia always knew this fate was coming. What else can you do with an Omega other than marry them off to the highest bidder? As soon as he’s old enough, they send him away from their small snowy mountain realm to the desert kingdom of Hanu. In his home kingdom, Omegas are treated as the lowest of the low, a genetic failure only useful for breeding. But in Hanu, they are said to be the messengers of the gods. Being treated with respect isn’t the only shock, though – turns out his new spouse is just ten years old?! Not even old enough to consummate their marriage. Still, King Khalid is determined to forge a connection with his new spouse, and slowly, Ilia’s cold heart and cynicism starts to melt away. He can see happiness on the horizon. That is, until Khalid is murdered by his brother… and war begins.

The inspiration for this is very much a mix of the Ancient Egyptian and Ottoman empires. Whilst these types of settings can often come across as stereotypical, here it just feels like a natural part of the world. The architecture is well researched and beautifully drawn, and the religion is based off of Ancient Egyptian mythology, rather than Islam. The costumes are also excellent, each piece helping to define the character and their role in society. The cover pages in particular are gorgeous.

So much of the plot here is driven not by romance but by relationships and political standing. But at two volumes, it doesn’t really go into a lot of detail about anything. However, those two volumes pack a lot of punch. The grief, pain, and anguish felt by all those who loved Khalid are real. You can understand why a civil war would take place at his loss. The Evil Older Brother trope might seem a little tired, but bumping off your siblings was a popular hobby of the Ptolemaic dynasty, so it makes historical sense.

Whilst most Omegaverse stories focus on heat and ruts, this one focuses on the social and cultural position Omegas play. I wish this could have been expanded on further in the story, but there simply isn’t enough time between developing the relationships and having enough sword fighting, butt kicking, tiger cuddling action. I do appreciate that one of the main characters in the series is a woman. A rare thing to find in any BL! But Suya is a little one note as the chief handmaid. Her character is pretty much defined by her duty and loyalty, as many a royal secretary has been before her. However, it’s still great to have her as our connection into this world, and as another friend for Ilia to warm up to.

Credits:

• Story and Art: Fumi Tsuyuhisa
• Translation: Adrienne Beck
• English Adaption: Jennifer LeBlanc
• Touch-Up and Lettering: Effie Colton
• Cover and Graphic Design: Shawn Carrico
• Editor: Jennifer LeBlanc
• English Publisher: SuBLime

Therapy Game

Vibes: Cat Boy X Dog Boy, Sex as a Means of Avoiding Your Feelings, Emotional Intimacy is Hard But Worth it, Bisexual Affirming, Cute Puppies and Kitties and Other Adorable Animal Friends!!!

This Secret XXX spin off follows the brothers of our previous pairing, Itsuki Mito’s younger brother, Minato, and Shohei Ikushima’s older brother, Shizuma – Although they’re both unaware of this connection when they first get together! After finding out his long-term girlfriend has been cheating on him, Shizuma goes bar hopping to drown his sorrows. After wandering into a drag club, he finds himself latching on to Shizuma and pouring out all his feelings onto him. Being not actually a terrible person, Minato takes him to a hotel so he can sleep it off. Shizuma is so charming and kind, though, that he finds himself opening up about his own issues and how hurt he’s feeling by his brother abandoning him to go off with some guy he just met.

So when Shizuma absolutely rocks his entire world and then wakes up with absolutely no memory of what happened, Minato takes it as a personal offence. He becomes determined to get his revenge by seducing him right back, then totally smashing his heart to pieces! Along the way, he discovers that he has accidentally fallen in love, but love is a losing game that only leaves you lonely. Can Shizuma prove otherwise and show that this isn’t a one-off for him, and that he’s not going to let anyone abandon him ever again?

Meguru Hinohara is one of the best comic creators out there at the moment. Her artwork is forever on point, and she pours so much into every single page. Therapy Game is probably her most popular work, although I will not deny my love for The Dragon’s Betrothed, if only because of my childhood crush on Haku from Spirited Away. What makes Therapy Game stand out, though, is a plot that keeps you coming back. Whilst Secret XXX was a great one shot, the relationship doesn’t have anywhere to go. Meanwhile, Minato and Shizuma have so much delicious drama to work through, both in terms of Minato’s emotional scars and Shizuma’s journey of sexual discovery. I love how Shizuma doesn’t give much thought about his sexuality at first; he’s not going down the whole “Wait but he’s a guy and I’m straight?!” routine. He just adjusts his position on the Kinsey scale and then sees where that will take him with Minato.

However, he realizes early on that whilst his love for Minato is real, the world doesn’t always see it that way. He now has to navigate all his relationships, be it his friends, his family, or his co-workers, in a whole new way. He never had to face oppression before, and now it’s slamming doors in his face. Seeing all that happen is heartbreaking, but realistic. The sex scenes are all fantastic – they’ll melt your screen if you’re not careful! But what makes them so great is the heart and emotion behind each one. They’re not there to just turn on the reader, they’re there to enhance the plot, too.

Credits:

• Story and Art: Meguru Hinohara
• Translation: Adrienne Beck
• Touch-Up Art and Lettering: Eve Grandt
• Cover and Graphic Design: Shawn Carrico
• Editor: Jennifer LeBlanc
• English Publisher: SuBLime

A Happy Ending

Was that good for you, babe? I hope it was! I certainly had a good time putting this all together.

There’s so much more to erotica out there than what some might think. The whole spectrum of human emotion is contained within these pages, along with a thousand different kinds of sexual relationships, from the erotically-charged yet chaste 10 Dance to the non-sexual dick-on-dick action of Dick Fight Island. The artists who create them are absolute superstars! I hope that if you’re a newbie to the world of erotic manga, you’ve found the confidence to go out and read some of these titles! And if you’re an Old Pro, I hope that maybe I’ve found you some new stories, and maybe a new perspective on some old ones?

Until next time friends, and remember: You Kink is Not My Kink, and That’s Okay!

~ AJ

XOXO