15 Day BL Challenge (The Sequel) - Day 17
What's your most returned-to / comfort BL show?
Great Men Academy
I don’t think I’ve ever rewatched a show more times in my life than this one.
It’s objectively not the best series I’ve ever watched, or even really my “favorite” but there is something so special and comforting about GMAs presentation that I just keep coming back to.
I think it’s partially the unique fantasy setting / world building and it’s genderqueer themes that have me so hooked.
I’ve already written extensively about GMAs transgender representation (it’s complicated to say the least) but I think that the series in particular does a phenomenal job of displaying queer joy, even in the face of trauma.
Love is allowed to smile, and to be happy, even while dealing with the complications of her body and identity. That’s so cool!! In so many trans or gender swap stories, the characters are inherently portrayed as tragic, but GMA doesn’t fall into that. Love’s experiences are explored completely, focusing on both the good and the bad.
And! Love’s not the whole transgender-adjacent character!! There’s P’Sean too!!! I won’t get into his whole deal here but trust when I say he’s the most trans guy ever.. don’t let Vier’s narrative fool you…
As a trans person with a complicated relationship to my own gender and expression, I feel so seen by GMAs vast array of characters—who are all challenged to express their gender in ways that feel unique to them, even if it’s outside of the generally expected binary.
I really need to make the GMA video essay I’ve been threatening to write for years…
Lastly—and this is the last time I’m saying this—it’s not really a BL, but!! I don’t care!!
Love is seriously the character of all time—my dearly beloved
Honorable Mention
