So since April specifically, there's a lot, I'll kinda divide them in ones more on the fluffy, happy side and some that should come with a warning. I'm the warning lol. Maybe you can choose what you feel like depending on your mood. Or maybe I'm the only one who does that. But anyway. I'll start with the angst.
- At 25:00 in Akasaka, Japan - Pretty much perfect, but prepare to suffer a bit as these boys really like to keep everything inside. Hayama is one of my favourite characters of all time, and I do like how the show played with the bl inside the bl.
- Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo, Korea - PAIN. So much pain. All the trauma. But it's so good. Both of these guys have my whole heart. Great writing, compelling characters and incredible directing work.
- Marahuyo Project, Philipines - You will laugh and you will cry almost in equal measure. Diverse queer rep, with an incredible group of characters. And it's on youtube.
- Time of Fever, Korea - This is the story of Donghee and Hotae, before Unintentional Love Story. I can't not rec this one, because it was one of my big obsessions this year. Best to go into not thinking it's a prequel and just it's own thing, although I think it's great regardless.
These were the heaviest ones, so now for some things more cheerful.
- Knock Knock Boys, Thailand - 4 boys share a house, so you can see where this is going. Good rep, good female characters, some sex-ed, wonderful communication, for the most part, and two charming couples.
- See Your Love, Taiwan -This one just finished and it was so lovely. Mostly the mains. But it's definitely a mixed bag. It's Taiwan so there's some weird mafia shit going on, there's some family drama, some lesbians crumbs (like almost non existent really), amazing parents on one side, great kissing and messy sides. But honestly the mains make the whole thing worth it, cause they are incredible and by the end my heart was bursting.
- Sugar Dog Life, Japan - Fun, cute, wholesome, food as love and the most adorable boy. My pfp is one of the mains, so I obviously love him to no end. If you really wanna watch it and for some reason have an issue finding it, you can reach out to me, as this one was not made available internationally.
- Only Boo!, Thailand - Probably the fluffiest one on the list. There were some writing issues near the end but honestly I just rewatched it recently and I felt so much joy. The leads are so damn endearing that it just makes me happy.
- Every You, Every Me, Thailand - This is like 5 bls in one. Different stories, same actors. A lot of variety. You get the cute, the sad, the funny and the horny. All of it and all the tropes. It's not perfect but it's very entertaining. And the leads are amazing together.
- The Trainee, Thailand - I don't know if you are an OffGun fan, but I am a big one so I have to rec this one always. It's an ensemble show, so the bl part of this is smaller than other shows on this list. But the group is great and the friendships really endearing. I also like the office part of this one. It feels realistic and it has some really interesting messages throughout.
- Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko!, Japan - My favourite GL of the year, even if it's not perfect and kinda loses some of its strengths by the end, I still think it deserves a spot here, if for no other reason, so I can have a gl on the list lol. It's really funny, and yeah some moments kinda lost me, but I still think it's worth checking out if you feel like watching a jgl.
Oppan, Don’t Care for an Old Man’s Underwear! - All the joy, all the kindness. Just a group of the most amazing humans, not because they do everything right, but because they try so hard to be better. A father wanting to change for his son triggers so much change around him and it's a beautiful journey that had me in tears and filled with joy. We got to watch this one thanks to the amazing work of @isaksbestpillow that provided the fansubs.
I think this is enough for now but if you want different recs, or have anything specific in mind that you feel like watching, feel free to stop by again. These are some of my personal faves, but there are a lot more, as you know. Hope this gives you some idea of where to start.
