Queer manga to read for Pride (but also all the time)

It’s easy to get lost in the sheer depth of manga — especially when suggestions are prioritized, and they often angle themselves to whatever the most popular series currently is or manga that’s been adapted into anime. This is especially true with manga focused on LGBTQ+ stories. As anime continues to start prioritizing more queer adaptations from Given and Sasaki and Miyano to this year’s Whisper Me A Love Song, Cherry Magic! and the upcoming Twilight Out of Focus, the manga they’re born from gets more focus. From college-set stories to first loves, from horror to slice-of-life, here are 13 of the best queer manga you can read right now.

Blue Flag

Written and illustrated by Kaito, Blue Flag exudes tenderness across its eight volumes. This coming-of-age story bursts with compassion for its main characters, all of whom are locked in a love-quadrangle. Kaito delivers impactful, emotional moments with ease as we watch Taichi Ichinoise, Futaba Kuze, Toma Mita, and Masumi Itachi confront their tumultuous feelings. With an expressive art style that delivers on heartache and humor, the story remains grounded. It roots itself a keen understanding of the validity of coming to terms with our sexuality, romantic inclinations, and selves at our own pace. [Ally]

Blue Period 

If you haven’t heard of Blue Period by now, you must be living under a rock. Revolving around Yatora Yaguchi who struggles with feeling frustrated and empty, Blue Period explores themes such as loneliness, imposter syndrome, identity, self-worth, the difference between hard work and talent, and the concept of art. Ryuji Ayukawa, who goes by Yuka, becomes friends with Yatora through their shared interests in art. It’s here where Yuka’s backstory reaveals itself. Their home life is strained at best because of their gender identity and they struggle with their own identity despite seeming confident at school. The lack of understanding and hostility from their parents causes Yuka to seek solace in art. 

The friendship that blooms between Yuka and Yatora builds itself on kindness and respect. Granted, they don’t particularly get along at first but Yatora sees Yuka as Yuka, not the “crossdressing dude” the rest of the school sees them as. Even when the two of go separate ways after graduation, they keep in touch and care deeply for one another. It’s a refreshing take on transgender characters in general, but specifically Japan. [Kayla Chu]

Blue Sky Complex 

An honor student and delinquent fall in love, what could possibly go wrong? Blue Sky Complex takes the well-known trope and reminds us why it’s a favorite. Like a lot of boys love mangas, Blue Sky Complex follows their journey through life together from high school to college. Chika and Natsuki are forced to come together in the high school library where an unlikely friendship blooms. It explores their experiences as two gay men that eventually come out to each other’s family and friends, their growth as individuals, and other issues such as discrimination. 

A fun quirk with Chika and Natsuki is that they very rarely say the words “I love you” to one another. Instead, they show love with their actions and open communication with each other. It’s fun seeing the subtle ways in which these two awkward adults express themselves despite being together so long. And if you need another reason to read it, there are currently eight volumes released in English with a ninth one on the way! [Kayla]

I Hear the Sunspot  

Mangaka Yuki Fumino crafts a beautifully meditative in I Hear the Sunspot. Gracefully handling its lead character’s hearing disability, the manga follows Kohei, often misunderstood by others, and his new, outspoken friend, Taichi. When Taichi learns that Kohei is deaf, he enrolls in a part-time job to take notes for him during class in exchange for food. Set in college, the manga allows for a more mature dynamic to grow between the two as they hover between the spot of friends and something more, their relationship significant regardless of whether it’s platonic or romantic.

The relationship between Taichi and Kohei is thoughtful and heartwarming as we grow to know them both on their own and together. The series delicately handles Kohei’s disability especially regarding how he’s treated due to it. The art style captures the ups and downs of these characters as they face a world that ostracizes them — both for being queer and having a disability. The elements prove a crucial part of the story, an indicator of the forces the two are up against and their resilience despite it. [Ally]

I Want to Be A Wall

A gay man harboring feelings for his best friend and an asexual woman with a passion for Boys Love stories marry out of convenience. But what starts as a move that simply helps the two evade societal pressure and judgment unravels into something platonic but tender, as their companionship and developing bond delivers joy to their shared home. Taking romance off the table allows the characters, Yuriko and Gakurouta, the chance to grow alongside one another without that added pressure. 

Written and illustrated by Honami Shirono, the story is realistic and believably adult. The asexuality experience still isn’t explored enough in the media (though it’s improving). I Want to Be a Wall is a compassionate look at one person’s lived experience and the community that helps her find the words to give meaning to her emotions. [Ally]

My Love Mix-Up

Witten by Wataru Hinekure and illustrated by Aruko, My Love Mix-Up sets itself up on an adorable premise. The series follows Aoki who has a crush on Hashimoto, a girl he sits next to in class. However, after borrowing her eraser he see’s the name of her presumed crush, Ida, on it. However, it grows messier once Ida sees Aoki holding the eraser and believes that Aoki has a crush on him. The series has already recieved a Japanese live-action adaptation with a Thai one currently airing. With it’s sweet, wholesome storyline and lovable characters, the romance is instantly addictive as we watch Aoki and Ida come to terms with themselves, their crushes, and what their next steps are. [Ally]

Our Dreams at Dusk

In this delicately spun coming-of-age story, teenager Tasuku Kaname faces personal tragedy when a classmates outs him. Ready to end his life, he changes his mind when he spots Someone, a mysterious figure who beckons him into their home, a “drop in center.” It’s here where he confronts his sexuality while meeting other people who identify as being LGBTQ+. A realistic look at what young queer people face in Japan, the series by Yuhki Kamatani beautifully depicts what it means to come into your own when dealing with societal pressures both on the micro and grand scale.

There’s heartache but also optimism as Tasuku finds refuge with this new group of individuals. Life-affirming and a reminder of the significance of queer spaces, the four volume series is gorgeous. [Ally]

Paradise Kiss

Ai Yazawa is most known for Nana, but Paradise Kiss is a close second. Most commonly known by its abbreviation ParaKiss, the focus of the manga is on fashion design students. Running from 1993 until 2003, ParaKiss was the first manga I read with two openly LGBTQ+ characters. The first is Isabella Yamamoto, a transgender woman who is the mother figure of their group. The second is Jōji Koizumi, also known as George, who is a bisexual man. The two of them are close friends who surround themselves with other like-minded people. Throughout the series, they battle with things such as discrimination, sexuality, and microaggressions as well as explore these topics within their friend group and society at large. 

ParaKiss is a product of its time and while it might not be perfect by today’s standards, it’s still an amazing piece of work with representation that helped me as a confused middle schooler who didn’t even know you could be anything other than straight. [Kayla]

Sasaki and Miyano 

Originally a Pixiv webcomic created by Shō Harusono, Sasaki and Miyano is one of the most well-known boys love mangas out there. It explores the dynamic between Sasaki Shuumei and Miyano Yoshikazu as they grow together, bridging the gap between them through Sasaki’s desire to know Miyano better. Their journey from friends to lovers—as well as high schoolers to adults—is adorable and, at times, a little cringe in the best way possible. At the core of it all, it’s clear that they care about one another even before dating. 

The series also spawned a sequel titled Hirano and Kagiura, which revolves around two friends from the original series. Additionally, the Sasaki and Miyano anime series is available on Crunchyroll so you can watch and kick your feet like a school girl. It’s that cute. [Kayla]

She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat

The quickest way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach. She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat is about two Nomoto Yuki and Kasuga Totoko neighbors with matching passions for food. Their shared passion allows the two of them to form a relationship that both cherish deeply. The character growth throughout the story is nothing short of excellent, with their feelings becoming mutual enough to the point of wanting to move in together. Additionally, the representation of both lesbianism and asexuality is something I haven’t seen talked about in manga before. [Kayla]

Skip and Loafer

Like every aspect that makes Skip and Loafer such a joyous experience, the exploration of queer identity is beautifully, refreshingly understated. The series, created by Misaki Takamatsu, swaths the story in warm, compassionate undertones as we watch these characters adapt to high school life, new friendships, and potential romance. However, perhaps one of its most robust features is the character Nao, the aunt of Mitsumi, our protagonist.

Because the writing understands that coming-of-age stories don’t restrict themselves to our adolescent teen years. Nao is a trans woman who works as a stylist in Tokyo, and she opens her home up to Mitsumi to let the latter attend high school in the city. Their interactions are loving and wholesome, with Mitsumi’s affection for her aunt never deterred by bigotry. But the story’s strength comes from Nao’s struggle with seeing Mitsumi thrive. Nao had to hide in her youth, only now open and accepting of herself despite the deluge of hardships she faced. It’s a realistic depiction of a woman with complicated emotions whose love never wavers as she grapples with her mixed but supportive emotions toward Mitsumi’s typical high school experience. [Ally]

The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All

Reminiscent of shoujo romances of my teen years, The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All reinvents classic tropes. Aya Oosawa is a gyaru with a taste for Western rock music which leads her to a local CD shop. Here she meets the clerk and develops a crush on them because of their shared taste in music. Unbeknownst to Aya, the clerk is actually her classmate, a girl named Mitsuki Koga. The first half of the manga thrives on this miscommunication, leading to plenty of angst that any good teen romance has. 

The friendship that blossoms between the two girls reminds me a bit of Nana, with music being at the center of it. The two girls bridge the gaps and misinterpretations they had of each other throughout the series, becoming closer as friends while also figuring out their feelings. [Kayla]

The Summer Hikaru Died

Pulsating with an uneasy sensation of dread, there’s no doubt that, with its recently announced anime adaptation, The Summer Hikaru Died could be the next big thing. Written and illustrated by Mokumokuren and comprising four completed volumes thus far, this coming-of-age story pulls on threads of suspense and body horror. Yoshiki’s best friend, Hikaru, returns one day after being lost in the woods. Everyone but Yoshiki accepts it. Yoshiki knows Hikaru well enough to realize that the boy in front of him isn’t the same.

A mysterious eldritch consumes Hikaru before dying, the eldritch taking on his appearance and memories. How the story weaves through Yoshiki’s monumental emotional turmoil is beautifully haunting and heartbreaking. However, there’s something hopeful about how two young boys in a rural town would come to find one another again, even surpassing death in order to survive the town’s restrictive nature. With its grim, unsettling art style and a story that pokes and pinches at the underbelly of our deepest fears, The Summer Hikaru Died is a mournful tale about all we’ll do to keep the company of those who allow for light to bleed through the darkness. [Ally]

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This is truly just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to queer stories in manga. There’s the heartfelt Given that explores the nature of music and grief and, in contrast, the maturity baked into the nonsensical Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!. The coming-of-age story Boys Run the Riot deals with identity. There’s the autobiographical My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness. The (loudest) discussion surrounding manga and, in particular, which ones get anime adaptations might still center on heteronormative storylines, but there’s a vast, engaging library of queer stories in manga worthy of exploration.

Featured images courtesy of Yen Press/Kadokawa Shoten and Viz Media/Shueisha