Your recs have been amazing for someone new to BL!! Do you have any recommendations where the more 'stoic', 'bigger', 'taller', 'masculine', ect... guy is the one to bottom? 🙈
Hey Anon! Thanks ❤️! As far as stoic, bigger, taller, masculine bottoms? This type of dynamic is a bit hard to find because BLs as a whole like to stick to a certain aesthetic when it comes to top x bottom dynamics. Like some of these stans hate if a designated bottom looks "too masculine" but they also complain about them being "too feminine" too. It's really weird. And they hate when a top appears to be "too cute."
And some of these BL ships want to market themselves as being verse but a lot of fans ain't having it (Por and TeeTee from Domundi can tell ya) so some of these recs check some of the boxes but not all of them.
I have to mention PoohPavel first. They are the ship who fits exactly what you're looking for. Pavel has faced a lot of backlash and disrespect because his characters have been the bottoms in the two series he has with his partner Pooh. Pavel is older, bigger, and very masculine so people automatically want him as the top vs. Pooh who is this cute, tall, slim bubbly boy. They are pushing against the BL norm and are proud about it. They're so cute together and they really adore each other.
Goddess Bless You From Death (Thailand). This series is about a senior inspector named Singha who is freshly back to work and thrown into a serial killer case with a supernatural element and he meets a young artist named Thup who can see ghosts and is seemingly at the center of these killings. Thup only seems to feel safe when he's with Sing. Singha is a very manly no-nonsense cop and Thup is just the cutest bean who needs protection.
Pit Babe 1 & 2 (Thailand). This series starts off as an omegaverse series. Babe is a top racecar driver and is also an alpha who only likes being topped by other alphas. His problem is that he hates the way they smell until he meets another alpha named Charlie who has kind of been stalking him. He's immediately drawn to the cute bespectacled boy and they begin their whirlwind romance while Babe's adoptive father Tony tries his best to kidnap him and force him to breed with an enigma so they can have extra talented super children to sell on the black market. Babe is all the manly tropes big, muscular, and strong and he also likes to be railed every which way by his cute nerdy boyfriend.
Now I will say that s2 essentially abandons the Omegaverse dynamics. And also the character dynamics change a bit too. IMO they make Babe seem like the weaker of the two in s2 compared to how he is in s1 which I didn't like.
Also I'd love to mention another pairing KimKenta who meet in s1 but don't take off til s2. Kenta is a henchman for Tony who is also happens to be his adoptive father as well (Tony adopts a bunch of people). He's big, muscular, and strong and the silent type. Kenta is a Korean racer hired by Tony to race on his team. He is smart, quick-witted, and sharp as a tack. He's a tiny guy but boy does he pack a punch. Kenta is so used to being a shield and a weapon that he doesn't know how to handle a person trying to protect him.
Sammy's Children's Day (China). This series is about a young finance student named Chu San who gets into the mix with a dangerous triad gang leader named Liu Yi. They are from two different worlds but can't seem to stop seeking each other out. Their dynamic is kind of like CharlieBabe's from Pit Babe. Chu San is this adorable, glasses-wearing, porcelain skin kid. Liu Yi is this rugged, tan, violent guy who is skilled with knives. Chu San has the strong desire to take care of Liu Yi and maybe be more than just a little brother to him.
Every You, Every Me (Thailand). This series reads more like an anthology series. That follow two people who fall in love in every universe. Different characters, different settings, different professions, and different circumstances. I'm including it because the main actors kind of switch off as top and bottom throughout the series. So you get to enjoy both of them take on that role.
SunTiny (Thailand). This is actually a spin off of Y-Destiny. And it follows Sun and Nuea as they hit a snag in their relationship. Sun is a very big and muscular guy and Nuea is this cute little effeminate boy who enjoys fashion. I'm including them because in the series they essentially swap bodies so Nuea does top Sun but the ship is still SunNuea...if that makes sense? Visually the big one bottoms.
A Dog and A Plane (Thailand). Prude flight attendant Kanit hires a vulgar EMT named Toto to help him catch his boyfriend cheating. And of course a romance begins to bloom between them. This is a fun grown up series so far because it's still ongoing. I'm including them because Kanit is bigger and more muscular than Toto but he is the bottom in the relationship.
And lastly I have to suggest an older retired ship named MaxTul. And the reason I'm including them is because they're both the big, strong, and muscular manly-man type. So a variation of what you're looking for but not quite exactly it.
Together With Me. A uni series with a group of THE messiest 20-somethings on the planet. One night, besties Korn and Knock get drunk and have some FIRE sex but Knock has a girlfriend and he says he's not gay. So it's pretty interesting to watch their friendship fall apart because Knock refuses to leave his girlfriend and Korn refuses to ignore his feelings for Knock. That's just their story, everyone in the friend group is just as messy tho...believe me.
Manner of Death. Oh this series is actually PEAK. It's about a doctor named Bun who returns to his small home town and runs right into a murder case where his best friend is the victim and who he thinks is her boyfriend is the prime suspect. His name is Tan. Now Tan is just a teacher/bar owner but he does have his secrets too. Bun is going to have to work with Tan if he wants to find out who killed his best friend.
Like I said, these recs aren't exactly what you asked for but fall within the spectrum of what you asked for. It's hard to find what you're looking for because it's not a common ship dynamic.
