[trashexplorer]

Manga Recommendations: Unrequited Series - Drama Edition Part 1

You looking for some cute, sweet, and light unrequited stories? Fuck outta here ‘cause we’re all about drama in this area 😂. Come all ye masochists who want to involve themselves with guilt and sympathy, I’m going to share with you the loot I’ve scoured in the darkest and saddest part of the unrequited sea. y’all should be thankful that there’s no Harada in here, we’ll leave the psychological shit for another day

Now when I say “unrequited feelings”, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are directed to the mc’s future partner. The criteria I have for liking unrequited works also include the span of time the character has on this person - ‘cause as we all know, the longer, the more painful. HAHAHA WHAT KIND OF TRASH AM I? And the circumstance which makes such love unrequited must be so goddamned heavy that being a man in love with another man isn’t the only major issue. I am also including those works where one of the mcs have gone out with their old partners ‘cause breaking up with them means that they don’t feel the same way for each other hence, unrequited love.

Note: Keep in mind that this list is only composed with things that I liked and would want to recommend to others. If something you like isn’t on this list, it doesn’t mean that it’s a bad series I’m just really a hard to please bitch but, I do appreciate other recomms.  Descriptions are taken from Baka Updates and my own brain so credit to credit due. 

Legends:

💿 - with BLCD

✂️ - unrequited love unreturned/their red string had been cut 😭

⚰️ - character death

⚠️- rape

📺 - had an anime or live adaptation

1. 19 Days by Old Xian 💿(fan made)

The cute and funny adventures of a boy and his best friend - NOT. DON’T LET THE DESCRIPTION FOOL YOU GET READY FOR SUDDEN FEELS THAT COME OUT OF NOWHERE TO PUNCH YOU IN THE GUT.

And I just said that I wasn’t gonna put any shounen-ai series up in here 😂. Yo, this literally is a masterpiece, I tell you. It’s the only manhua I read and each chapter only consists of a few pages. I think this is also the only one with a pronounced comedy tag. This thing fits just about every genre so when is this going to be yaoi so I put this here lol. I’M 19 DAYS TRASH, DEAL WITH IT.

2. Ani no Senaka by Sagami Waka

Precious homeboy takes care of his deceased onee-chan’s husband. Once Yuuki realizes his feelings for his brother-in-law, he immediately becomes afraid of ruining the relationship they have now and carries with him the guilt of enjoying the time he’s now spending with the one he loves - not in just a familial way. homeboy Keiichirou is the one who breaks the relationship, just a head’s up lol

3. Ashita mo Tanin by Masao Sangatsu

Homeboy Akio is under the constant care of his best friend/nanny, Ryousuke who he’s coincidentally in love with for god knows how long. Ryousuke had always been fussy with how Akio can’t take care of himself if he didn’t step in, but his nosiness had escalated when Ryousuke’s supposed to be bride ran off a day before his wedding thanks to wedding crasher Akio’s doing. Now homeboy goes along with Ryousuke’s whims because of the guilt he carries for ruining Ryousuke’s chances of having a family.

BOI. I HAVE LOST THIS MANGA SO MANY TIMES AND HAD TO SPEND HOURS IN FINDING IT AGAIN. you’d think I’d learn to save it by now but I haven’t till this day lol Idk, I really, really like this and the pain is real boy. READ IT. 😭

4. Bokura ga Koi wo Ushinau Riyuu by Itz ✂️

“If you’re okay with me, you can use me.” Oushirou has held years of unrequited feelings for his childhood friend Koba. One day, he’s drinking in a bar, when a man named Inamura chats him up. He’s suspicious by Inamura’s loose personality, but suffering from his unrequited love, Oushirou looks to his kind and easy-going hands for help. A bittersweet love triangle between a mysterious, kind man, and his childhood friend.

This is Yukidoke no Koi’s sequel and if you’re planning to read this, please, please, please read Yukidoke no Koi first to make the pain build. I LOVE THE TWO SERIES SO MUCH OH MY GOD. 😭😭😭

5. Doushitemo Furetakunai by Yoneda Kou ✂️💿📺

On the first day of Shima’s new job he met a man with a hangover in the elevator. That was his first meeting with his new boss, Togawa. Though Togawa seemed rude and cross, Shima was drawn to the kindness beneath his rough facade. Both men harbor a painful past but unlike Togawa, who was open with his feelings, Shima seems unable to move on.

I’m distributing pitchforks and they’re for the bastards who hurt my kids.

6. Gekkouzaka no Hanayashiki by Kinoshita Keiko ✂️(for Yuuto)

Yukiya lives with his son Yuuto in the home he inherited from his grandparents, a mansion surrounded by flowering trees. Takanashi lives there too, a holdover from the mansion’s days as a boarding house. Even after graduation, Takanashi stays because it’s convenient to where he works aaand because he’s in love with Yukiya-san lol.

Yo, the plot twist 👌

7. Ginza Neon Paradise by Unohana

In the Showa era, Aoi longs to see his childhood friend, feeling incomplete and wondering if he is still alive. Suddenly, his friend Takahiko appears before him. Aoi’s feelings soon turn to rage, questioning why his friend hadn’t given him any signs that he was alive.

This is literally the first BL manga that made me cry.

8. Hana no Miyako de by Takarai Rihito ✂️💿

The successor of the Tsujimura clinic, Motoharu has always held his childhood friend, Hazumi Akira, close to his heart. He confessed to Akira and then was rejected. Even so, he still entered the same university and same department as Akira. Ever since the confession, the two have been distancing each other, but Akira suggested that they make up and for the first time in a while, they walk home together. But on the way back, Akira suddenly kisses Motoharu, causing Motoharu’s hope to grow. However, the next day, Akira tells him to forget it, causing Motoharu to blame Akira.

JUST FUCK ME UP, TAKARAI RIHITO-SENSEI. Yo, this comes with a tragedy tag so be warned. This tastes like Bacardi 151 when you drink it straight - like death, really.

9. Hybrid Child by Nakamura Shungiku ✂️⚰️💿📺 *what a sad, sad combo

A Hybrid Child is a doll that grows with enough love and care from its owner. This is about two hybrid children and their lives with their masters plus the story of their maker.

Old but gold and sad and I love the anime and manga so bad. FUCK ME UP, NAKAMURA SHUNGIKU-SENSEI.

[trashexplorer]

Manga Recommendations: Unrequited Series - Drama Edition Part 2

Legends:

💿 - with BLCD

✂️ - unrequited love unreturned/their red string had been cut 😭

⚰️ - character death

⚠️ - rape

📺 - had an anime or live adaptation

10. Kashikomarimashita, Destiny by Sachimo ✂️ ⚠️ 💿

DO I EVEN NEED TO PROVIDE A DESCRIPTION FOR THIS? Y’ALL THOUGHT I WASN’T GONNA PUT THIS UP HERE??? AND NO I’M NOT CHANGING THE COVER WITH THE FIRST COVER.

This is the first omegaverse series on this list and there is a good reason for that besides the fact that I love Miyauchi. READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN’T YET, YOU MASOCHISTS.

11. Kosha Ura no Natsu by Sakurabi Hashigo ✂️⚰️

Heartbroken Manabu-kun keeps meeting up with his senpai in the back of the school, who appears to be keeping a secret.

This series is a part of Fubin BL - a pain collection. I mean, yeah, all of them felt like a punch in the gut but this, in particular, takes the pancreas cake.

12. Links by Kizu Natsuki ✂️⚰️💿

A dramatic collection of stories linking four men and their “half-baked” lovers. Follow the merry-go-around of inter-linked men and their relationships as they come full circle during Advent season.

Bruh. I don’t know what my past life did to Gusari’s but, I don’t deserve this kind of pain lol who am I kidding. The first pair was cute and then it all went downhill from there. 1 and 3 = fluff; 2 and 4 = kill me, just kill me. That sudden plot change came for my gut bois. This is shounen-ai in the manga and it became yaoi in the BLCD - I thought yous needed to know that info. Yeah, I legit cried over both the manga and BLCD so this one’s a strike.

13. Lonely to Organdy by Ogeretsu Tanaka ✂️⚰️

When Haruto, a lonely singer who never sings, suddenly becomes able to see ghosts, he meets Akira, a ghost with the skin of organdy. Apprehension turns to friendship, and friendship turns to…?

What is closure even? Bro, I was not prepared for that feels beating. WHO HURT YOU, TANAKA-SENSEI?

14. Nozomu Bekumonai by Masao Sangatsu 💿

Sumiyoshi is an asshole the type to go from girl to girl without really thinking about their feelings. He always confides in his best/childhood friend/food-bringer as per Sumiyoshi’s mom’s request/personal maid, Shinomoto, about his failed relationships. On a goukon which they both attend, Shinomoto cockblocks Sumiyoshi from taking a girl home and drags him back to his apartment. Sumiyoshi is obv pissed and asks Shinomoto to sleep with him in the girl’s stead - bitch rode that opportunity since he’s had feelings for Sumiyoshi for so long and confesses right after. Sumiyoshi realizes that the feeling’s mutual but he doesn’t know how to make Shinomoto believe them.

Hello, Masao Sangatsu? Who hurt you? Go and take that seat beside Sagami Waka and let’s have a talk.

15. Owaranai Fukou Ni Tsuite No Hanashi by Ogawa Chise 💿 ⚠️

Takayuki meets up with high school classmate/former teammate Kiyotake in a drinking sesh and is shookt while Kiyotake immediately calls him trash. Takayuki actually stole Kiyotake’s girlfriend when they were in high school and could offer him no excuse ‘cause ya boy doesn’t even like her making him hold a grudge. After getting too much to drink, Takayuki manages to help Kiyotake get home and in his pants.

Y’all know I’m Ogawa Chise trash and if you don’t, now you do. This is literally one of only a handful of works that I reread if I figured that I was happy lately and needed to hurt to maintain the balance what kind of trashy human being is this bitch. Bear in mind that the Gosan no Heart BLCD includes the first part of this so you’d need to listen to the prequel before this so you could get the maximum experience lol wtf. 

16. Rift by Conro ⚰️ ⚠️

Natsuki and Yuni are bffs and are so close that they almost seem inseparable. This all changes when Natsuki’s father dies in an unfortunate car accident and Natsuki breaks. Natsuki is overcome with grief and in a moment of weakness he rapes Yuni. Natsuki disappears the next day and Yuni finds out that he’s moved to live with his relatives. Now realizing his feelings for Natsuki, Yuni gives up chasing Natsuki for the time being but clings to the hope that Natsuki’ll enroll in his college as he promised.

Yo, I cried here. I have no words. This hurts me till this day. I wanted to say that this is similar to Owaranai Fukou but man, the level of hurt and pain both me and the mcs felt is too far. This - this is the winner of the drama/tragedy tag for school boys. I rest my case.

17. Romantic Joutou by Moriyo ⚠️ 💿

Kei is an Omega who dreams to be married to a rich, handsome and kind Alpha. Being immune to heat suppressants, Kei needs to have sex to let his heat pass which is where Tsugitsugu, a Beta, and his childhood friend comes in. Will Kei find his destined alpha? Or was the man he was looking for right there with him all along?

Yo, I’m still mad that the asshole of an alpha is voiced by Sugiyama Noriaki. Anyway, this series is one of the first of it’s kind. Beta-Omega series is not a new concept but I honestly think that Romantic Joutou polished that genre to a T. 

PS: I don’t think Kei and the alpha asshole had any feelings akin to love so I’m not branding their relationship as unrequited. 

18. Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai by Yoneda Kou ✂️ ⚠️ 💿

This is a story about a lewd, masochistic, and beautiful yakuza Yashiro and his silent, clumsy, impotent subordinate, Doumeki. Two men broken by their pasts who are now uncertain of their futures. Who exactly is the bird who can’t fly? And who’s going to fix them?

Did y’all seriously expect me not to put this up in here when this is MY LIFE? Yo, words cannot express how I love this series so much that I can wait ten years for the next update yeah, maybe, no - I TAKE THAT BACK.

[the-bromance-rec-blog]

If one asks me, “What is the best BL manga you have ever come across?”

Without hesitation, I will say, “Canis.”

——

Canis Series

Genre: Drama, Slice of Life, Shounen Ai / Yaoi

Synopsys:

Kutsuna Satoru, a hat maker, picked up a beautiful young man by the street on a rainy day. The young man, who went by the name Kashiba Ryou, told Satoru that he came to Japan to die. Very soon, an unexplicable bond formed between the hardworking, meticulous Satoru and the mystery-ridden, hot-tempered Ryou.

This is a story of two lost souls who crossed each other’s path. This is a story of two humans who wanted to find themselves.

This, probably, is also a story of fate.

Note: The Canis Series is split into 2 parts. The first part is Dear Mr. Rain + Dear Hatter (volume 1-3), which tells the story of Satoru and Ryou as summarised in the synopsis. The second part is The Speaker, which features a separate set of characters. The 1st part has been completely translated.

Also, it’s worth noting that even though the whole series is categorised as Yaoi, the first part is very much shounen-ai (there are like 2 pages of smut lol). The second part however contains a lot more explicit scenes and also a much darker plot.

Length: Ongoing (5 volumes)

Translation: Ongoing (4 volumes completed) by Bunny Translations & Dante.

Personal review:

+ Quoting a reviewer on BakaUpdates, this is “yaoi done right” in every possible way. Splendid story filled with believable, realistic characters whose struggles actually drive the story forward (in constrast with struggles that are just there to fulfil the Tragic Backstory™ trope…).

+ The art. Just look at that masterful art. It’s not everyday that you see such a unique, sophisticated art style.

+ I never knew hats were that important in life. Thanks to Canis, now I do.

+ In all honesty, when I first read Canis, I was mind-blown. The characters. The art. The emotions. I don’t think I’ll come across a romance tale this good any time soon.

- Anything to criticise on? Hm. Maybe the length. It could be 5 volumes longer and I wouldn’t mind at all. Seriously.（Ｔ∇Ｔ）

[mangafascination]

10 seinen manga worth checking out

1. Kuzu no Honkai

2. Shimanami Tasogare

3. Omoide Emanon

4. Oyasumi Punpun

5. Musume no Tomodachi

6. Umibe no Onnanoko

7. Aku no Hana

8.  Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan

9. Raise wa Tanin ga Ii 

10. Kamisama ga Uso wo Tsuku

[thotoke]

10 Awesome Short Romance Manga (2)

Part 1: https://thotoke.tumblr.com/post/178290289204/10-awesome-short-romance-manga

☺︎ Extreme Dream

☺︎ Te o Tsunaide Sanposhite

☺︎ Kuraso Hako 

☺︎ The Prisoner in the Miniature Garden

☺︎ A One Night Story About a Little Awkward and Dishonest Girl and Boy Nothing shady here despite the illustration, I guess I picked a clickbait-y one ;)

☺︎ Weekends, The Two of us are Sexfriends I guess…Nothing shady here, despite the title ? Same author as above too 

☺︎ Daddy Long Legs

☺︎ Uchi ni Oide yo

☺︎ Boys and Girls

☺︎ Sukimasuki

[saezuru-bird]

this story is immaculate!! ✨ and need to be licensed in English!! 🥺🌻💛

[crosstheoceans]

Releases

Boku no Omega yo Samenaide ch. 5-extra (Completed)

Megumi to Tsugumi ch. 14

Mujintou ni Motte Iku Nara ch. 6-extra (Completed)

Hi everyone, the new chapters has been released (finally). We have completed two projects today. Hopefully can release a new project after this! Stay tune.

Thanks to everyone for the hard works. Enjoy and have a nice day.

-We’re still recruiting staff-

Read online and download links: Discord

[impromptu-sketches]

✴ new ongoing favorites ✴

(currently with 20 chapters or less)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Usagi no Mori

Perfect Propose

Nomi×Shiba

From a Country Like Lion

Ogi-kun’s Summer Holidays / Ogi-kun no Natsuyasumi 

[thotoke]

10 Awesome Romance Manga

☀︎ Sekine-kun no koi Awesome awesome awesome awesome !

☀︎ Sakamichi no Apollon 

☀︎ Koi wa Ameagari no You ni

☀︎ Koiiji 

☀︎ Tsukikage Baby

☀︎ Kannou Sensei

☀︎Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai It’s good to see the 2 main characters actually having fun together…for once

☀︎ Tsuru Tsuru to Zara Zara no Aida Hella cute ! 

☀︎ Bokura wa Minna Shinde Iru Not exactly romance, but kinda romance though

☀︎ Araburu Kisetsu no Otomodemo Yo. Hella cute, hella funny ! 

Part 2: https://thotoke.tumblr.com/post/612154412261081088/10-awesome-romance-manga-2

[la-cruciatus]

Since you're the god of BL, who are your top 3 mangakas and your top 10 BL manga (cause top 3 is just too restrictive); for (i) ongoing and (ii) completed stories?

Thank you for being a generous soul and allowing me to name 10 top mangas each from ongoing and completed! But I still had to trim the list so much and it killed my heart every time I had to pick one favourite over the other. But here it is finally, my top mangas in no particular order:

◦♔◦☙◦Ongoing Manga◦☙◦♔◦

1) Blue Sky Complex

2) Honto Yajuu

3) Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai 

4) Ashita wa Docchi da!

5) Coyote

6) Hidoku Shinaide

7) Therapy Game

8) Megumi to Tsugumi

9) Given

10) Ameiro Paradox

◦♔◦☙◦Complete Manga◦☙◦♔◦

1) Escape Journey 

2) Liquor and Cigarettes 

3) Yatamomo

4) Tasogare Outfocus

5) NightS before Night

6) Boku no Omawarisan

7) Hanagara Tsumi

8) Kashikomarimashita, Destiny

9) Mother’s Spirit

10) Rumspringa no Joukei

·:·.☽✧Honourable mentions✧☾.·:·.

These mangas got a sequel so technically they're still ongoing but since only 1 or 2 chapters of the new volume are out at the moment and I'm waiting to see where the story goes, I just put the first volumes in a different category.

Koi ga Ochitara

Itsuka Koi ni Naru Made

As for my favourite mangakas, again this was a very difficult choice for me! Gosh, there's so many mangakas whose works I absolutely adore: Zaria, Scarlet Beriko, Suzumaru Minta, Yusen Atsuko, Ogawa Chise, Nekota Yonezou, Kanda Neko etc. but since I can only name TOP 3: 

Yamamoto Kotetsuko, Ichikawa Kei and Ogeretsu Tanaka. 

If you'd asked me this question last year, I'd have definitely mentioned Yoneda Kou. But lately, I'm not happy with her writing choices in Saezuru (making Yashiro "forget" Doumeki, having them go their separate ways) and Rainy Days, Yesterday, the only other new manga she's done in years, was not up to scratch imo.

Needless to say, this list is very subjective and based on my tastes & preferences alone. Did I mention any of your favourites? Is there any manga or artist that you’d strongly recommend me to try?

[irregirl]

Manga that make you burst into tears

As long as i live, i really enjoy reading📚 since i’m fujo🌈 i like to read some BL manga which is shonen ai or yaoi💞 for example :

1. Kimi no Yume o Mite iru

“I love you more than the you in my dreams” -Amemori

Mangaka : Aruku

2. Life Senjou no Bokura

“You are specialist of life” -Akira

Mangaka : Tokokura Miya

3. Suzume Favorite

“I wanted big body to protect and arm to hug Jin” -Suzume

Mangaka : Kuju Siam

4. Hidamari ga Kikoeru

“Inability to hear it’s not your fault” -Taichi

Mangaka : Fumino Yuki

As you can see this one already had the live action, you can check my post HERE

5. Blue lust

“The fact that you like boys it’s not disgusting” -Hayato

Mangaka : Hinako

6. Itonaga-kun no Koi no Ito

“I thought that I could become his friend. I didn’t wish for anything more than that, after all… I used to like Sanaa back then” -Itonaga

Mangaka : Okuda Waku

7. Konbini-kun

“this guy here did nothing wrong at all” -Yamai

mangaka : Junko

8. Isso Koe ga Nakattara

“It’s not like I can’t speak because I’m nervous, I’m nervous because I can’t speak” -Ruri

Mangaka : Saruwaka Chimi

9. Midara na Hina

“You know Hiyomori you are beautiful” -Hazama

Mangaka : Sawaco

10. Oko-sama star

“Although the ranger suit isn’t that cool, when Kaido doing the stunts it’s really cool!” -Honda

Mangaka : Aomiya Kara

Enjoy feeling touched by all of this😢😢

[thotoke]

10 Awesome Shounen Ai Manga

☀︎ Koi Monogatari

☀︎ Hidamari ga kikoeru

☀︎ Tashiro-kun, Kimi tte Yatsu wa

☀︎ Hana wa Saku ka

☀︎ Shimanami Tasogare

☀︎ Fuyu no Hanashi

☀︎ Slow Starter

☀︎ Sick 

☀︎ 10 Dance

☀︎ Blue! Blue! Blue!

[princesschinatsu]

Top 10 Josei Manga as of 2016

note: I tried not to repeat any manga authors, so several of these authors have other great josei manga too that I decided to cut in order to keep it to ten.

~titles and info under the cut~

Afficher davantage

[scatterbraindead-anime]

-The Most Interesting Stories Aren’t Always Action-

Here​ ​is​ ​a​ ​list​ ​of​ ​a​ ​few​ ​of​ ​my​ ​favorite​ ​engaging​ ​stories​ ​with​ ​a​ ​little​ ​less​ ​action. Shouwa​ ​Genroku​ ​Rakugo​ ​Shinju​ ​​ ​​-Drama- Shouwa​ ​Genroku​ ​Rakugo​ ​Shinju​ ​keeps​ ​me​ ​so​ ​invested​ ​in​ ​the​ ​story​ ​at​ ​all​ ​time,​ ​with​ ​loveable characters,​ ​just​ ​enough​ ​drama,​ ​great​ ​music,​ ​and​ ​well​ ​directed​ ​scenes,​ ​it​ ​proves​ ​it​ ​doesn’t​ ​take an​ ​action​ ​packed​ ​fight​ ​to​ ​make​ ​your​ ​heart​ ​race. Sakamichi No Apollon -Drama- Maybe my opinion is slightly biased because of my love for jazz, but the way sakamichi no apollon explores romance, music, and the everyday drama and lives of these characters, had me hooked from episode one. Beast Player Erin -Fantasy- Now technically there is a bit of action in this series. BUT I would argue that the majority of the series is a coming of age/political story, with love both familial and romantic, and a touching story about the relationship between a girl and a magical beast, i’d say it’s worth a watch. Mushi-shi -Fantasy- Mushi-shi is a great story for those who enjoy the feeling of exploring in a world of fantasy. As it follows a man wandering the world following rumors of possible mushi, and helping others, you’ll find yourself sucked deep into a well built fantasy world with background music that you only WISH you had IRL. Ristorante Paradiso -Romance- This one is a little different from most others on this list, the story revolves around a woman off to find her mother and the man she left to marry. She finds herself uprooting into a new life working in the strange restaurant her mother and secret stepfather run, making friends, and falling in love, all the while no one knows she’s even her daughter. House Of Five Leaves -historical drama- This show has great characters and unique art and atmosphere that set it apart from other shows instantly. And if you’ve ever wondered “what would a show about samurai be like without all the actiony fights all the time?” this show answers that question. Sora No Woto -Military- Though it’s a military show, it rarely ever has all that much action. The show IMO focuses a lot on themes of hope in times of war, showing how it affects the people involved. It also focuses a lot on characters overcoming their problems and building relationships with one another in a kind of bittersweet way. Hozuki no reitetsu -Comedy- It felt to me like a good idea to throw in a nice comedy at the end of a list with so many bittersweet titles. Hoozuki focuses on “life” and Business in hell, with a dark and sometimes dry adult sense of humor, in a strange slice of life setting i found this show to be an enjoyable and a relaxing watch.

[natsthinkitythinkthinkthonk]

Underrated Anime Movies (Take One)

Okay, this is just my take on “underrated” anime movies. Technically, this can be taken on perspective. It’s just that I haven’t met a whole lot of people who’ve watched these following anime despite my enjoyment of it.

Rules:

No TV series (I will make an “Underrated Anime Series” list at another date)

No movies that are dependently attached to a series (examples: Anohana, Assassination Classroom, etc.)

No Studio Ghibli movies (those already have a very large following)

No Kimi no Na wa / Your Name or Koe no Katachi / A Silent Voice (those are quite mainstream)

Besides that, things will be explained as we go.

Honourable Mentions: 

The movies that I didn’t enjoy as much as others but think that people will still have a certain amount of enjoyment for: 

Garden of Words

The Place Promised in Our Early Days

Five Centimetres Per Second

Asagao to Kase-san

MY SCORE: 7.9/10

Genre: Romance, Shoujo-Ai, School Duration: 58 min

If you like: K-On!, Yuru Yuri, Bloom Into You, Doukyuusei

Asagao to Kase-san is a manga preview kind of movie. It’s technically an OVA because of that, but it stands well on its own too. That doesn’t mean I don’t want another one though because that would be a lie. The art style and the characters along with their interactions and the overall atmosphere and dynamics are all very sweet.

Doukyuusei

MY SCORE: 8/10

Genre: Romance, Shounen-Ai, School Duration: 1 hr 

If you like: Yuri On Ice, Asagao to Kase-san

From one gay romance to another, this movie was a simple romance between two guys who are your nerd and musician. Its art is well-presented, and just like the last entry, it’s very fluffy. This one is far more like a stand-alone movie comparing to Asagao to Kase-san though.

Hal

MY SCORE: 8.3/10

Genre: Romance, Sci-Fi, Drama Duration: 1 hr 

If you like: Chobits, Plastic Memories

This movie does have a death mention and plane crash (kind of clear if you read the synopsis). This one was fast-tracked on my “Watch Later” list by Akaskira! I would say that this was Yoshimasa Hosoya’s best performance, but I don’t recall him ever giving a bad performance. But this one will definitely stick out if you watch it to the end. Same with Yoko Hikasa. She sings an amazing ED, and I have it saved on Spotify. I was a bit perplexed by this movie at first, but I rewatched it a little and found myself really respecting it as a whole. As expected from a really strong cast, a good studio (Production I.G. and Wit Studio), the legendary score composer Michiru Oshima, and an overall stacked production team.

Hotarubi no Mori e

MY SCORE: 9.2/10

Genre: Romance, Drama, Supernatural Duration: 45 min

If you like: Natsume’s Book of Friends, Anohana

As expected from the creator of Natsume’s Book of Friends, she knows how to write an emotional storyline. The casting for this was unexpectedly perfect. I’m not used to hearing Kouki Uchiyama go outside of the usual edgy villain type of character, but this was a nice surprise. Ayane Sakura did an amazing job too. You have the studio Brain’s Base and Makoto Yoshimori (who’s known for Baccano, Durarara, and Natsume’s Book of Friends) on score composition. This movie is a solid 45 minutes of bliss and sorrow all wrapped into one.

The Boy and The Beast

MY SCORE: 8.9/10

Genre: Romance, Drama, Supernatural Duration: 1 hr 58 min

If you like: Sword of the Stranger, Spirited Away, Wolf Children

This movie was an action-packed wonderful masterpiece. I watched this one in dub oddly enough. I was watching it with other people and figured that kicking off anime with subtitles would make for the wrong first impression. But this movie is awesome either way. We have sword fights, growing up, and a brilliantly done between a boy and his mentor. I can’t even say much because it’s one of my first recommendations for people who want to get into anime.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

MY SCORE: 8.1/10

Genre: Romance, Sci-Fi, Drama Duration: 1 hr 38 min

If you like: Your Name, Steins;Gate, Hotarubi no Mori e

While the recommendations I made were really all over the place, I stand by it. It has a similar kind of dynamic to Your Name, it has the time travel elements of Steins;Gate, and it has similar vibes to Hotarubi no Mori e. And this movie’s protagonist is relatable. If I received time travel abilities, you know I would use it to prevent socially cringe-inducing situations. 

Wolf Children

MY SCORE: 8.3/10

Genre: Slice of Life, Drama Duration: 1 hr 57 min

If you like: Hotarubi no Mori e, The Boy and The Beast

While this movie is really boring to some, this movie actually made me like children… for at least the duration of the movie. Children or Doggos? What about children who can turn into doggos? Exactly. This movie is a sweet movie about growing up in a not-so-common environment under different circumstances. It’s about a mom’s quest to give her children the best life she can while seeking normalcy for them. Growing up different can affect your view on the world, and we get to see that interpreted in a surreal yet human way in this movie. Definitely one of the best stories to be made about a furry’s bad life decision.

Perfect Blue

MY SCORE: 7.8/10

Genre: Horror, Psychological, Drama Duration: 1 hr 57 min

If you can’t tell, this movie is very explicit and contains violence, trauma, and the whole works.

If you like: Paranoia Agent, Serial Experiments Lain

Well, one of these things is not like the other.

Satoshi Kon is known for making cult-classic, “weirds or scares the viewer out of their mind” kind of movies. I watched this one thinking, “What can go wrong?” The idol world is not what it seems. While I found myself more confused than scared, I also found myself intrigued by the graphic interpretation for how show business can affect a person’s mental state. Again, there’s a lot of heavy stuff in this movie. I finally found out where that dude getting stabbed in the eye socket with a screwdriver is from.

Sakasama no Patema

MY SCORE: 8.4/10

Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure Duration: 1 hr 39 min

If you like: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, The Secret World of Arrietty

First off, if you’re going to say how this movie makes no sense scientifically, you can step outside. We don’t watch anime for logic like that. Second, this movie has a few really awesome shots, but it’s not Your Name or A Silent Voice kind of level. It’s definitely still solid. This movie doesn’t require a lot of thought, and after covering Perfect Blue, it’s kind of nice to come back to a pleasantly enjoyable film about acceptance and adventure.

Tamako Love Story

MY SCORE: 8.1/10

Genre: Slice of Life, Romance, Comedy Duration: 1 hr 23 min

If you like: Hotarubi no Mori e, The Boy and The Beast

Okay, we’re gonna end on the purist note possible. You do not need to watch Tamako Market to watch this. I didn’t. You might want to skip any parts with some fatass bird in it though. He’s not needed. Kyoto Animation is known for making cute things, and this is no exception. This movie isn’t really unique. It’s just a simple love story about mochi, high school, and cup phones.