#absolute bl rec lists

[absolutebl]

Hii do you have any recommendations for bl that’s similar to Bad Buddy, My School President, and Semantic Error? Idk I’m looking for something fluffy, but with some angst for flavor (also potentially school setting but it doesn’t have to be). Anyways thank you so much!! 💟💟

10 Fluffy Yet Angsty BLs + School Setting (By Request Rec List)

Examples: Bad Buddy, My School President, Semantic Error

Interesting selection. I added the "school setting" to keep me tailored down. Let's see what we got.

You'll never guess how we are gonna start...

Did ya guess?

Seven Days

Japan 2015 - grey

Never doubt my ability to recommend this show. One of the best live action yaois ever made, with perfectly structured angst, fantastic characters and acting, and no problematic tropes (rare in Japanese BL). The leads have excellent chemistry although it’s low heat there’s still some really cute mutual kisses.

I Cannot Reach You

AKA Kimi ni wa Todokanai

Japan 2023 - Netflix

This classic friends-to-lovers BL is everything Japan does best. Angsty. Emo. Aching. Driven by real thirst. Yamato is deeply in love with his childhood bestie, Kakeru, and has been for ages, unable to hide his ungainly damaging high school need. He wants Kakeru in every way possible and it oozes off of the screen. Kakeru is silly and a little simple, but not frenetic or overly camp about it. He is earnest, and genuinely wants to keep Yamato in his life which means giving a romance (and gayness) a fair chance. We watch him realize his affection and what form it can take in a truly authentic way. This show was impossibly kind to both of its lead characters and I felt almost honored that I got to watch something so lovely and rare play out on my screen. Full review.

Light On Me

Korea 2021 Viki

Korea does an elegant pastiche of traditional live action yaoi but all tropes are cleverly deployed to bolster one of the most riveting love triangles ever put on screen… and I don’t like love triangles. LoM strategically tailors classic BL tropes to 2 different semes resulting in pristine pacing, plot, and character development, explicitly serving narrative (not just to tick boxes). LoM is a master class in this trope drops. (If you write fanfic or romance you should study this show.) Full review.

Cherry Blossoms After Winter

Korea 2022 Viki

Korea took on early Japanese sweet yaoi but gave it their signature softness and precise production with a STUNNING color palette (beautiful pastels, sun-saturated over-exposure), manga framg style, some traditional BL character archetypes, that tiny edge of bullying roughness and out-of-control seme, plus FINALLY a palatable take on the stepbrothers trope and it was, in a word, classic. Sophisticated and understated CBAW is not slow, it’s just subtle. It's dream-like and atmospheric, as if the whole thing took place under cold water on a warm spring day. Is there plot or peril? Not really. Do we care? Also, not really. Look, I can’t help it, I’m old school and so is this show. I grew up reading sweet yaoi, and this was THAT YAOI just on my screen. There’s no objectivity with me and this show. It’s a beautiful pastiche and I loved it for how it made me feel and what it remded me of. It’s not flawless, but it is a wonderful experience. Full review.

Takara-kun and Amagi-kun

Japan 2022 Gaga and Viki

I gnawed on my knuckles and squealed a lot with this show. Reserved cool kid who must learn to communicate to keep the tiny disaster nugget he’s madly in love with. It is beyond charmg: soft and gentle, packed with cuteness and high school angst, thirst, & yearning. Was there plot? Not really. Was it emotionally tense and paced well enough for me not to notice? Absolutely. Did I enjoy the hell out of it? Oh yes. Full review.

Blueming

Korea 2022 - iQIYI

It’s a tiny bit dark and a tiny bit bittersweet, almost too honest to a university experience and first love for BL, but if you want your md ever-so-slightly messed with and your intimacy hellishly sweet, this BL will do it for you in a coldly distant manner, while bitch slapping you with self worth issues. I wasn’t into it at first, but the leads are solid and by ep 5 it got really good, becomg a narrative about self discovery meets understanding and accepting others people’s flaws without hurting them. Ultimately we witnessed two characters maturing because of each other and their mutual affection, without that affection becomg the conflict point. Instead, tension was built around other aspects of identity, popularity, and self-worth. While production values were a touch lower than usual for Korea, Bluemg included decent kisses and other forms of intimacy and a satisfying ending plus there’s judicious and very elegant use of tropes, this is a great BL. Full review.

About Youth

Taiwan 2022 - Gaga

A truly lovely little coming of age high school BL with a classic YA low drama but high angst and an earnest depth. I didn’t even mind the singing, and that’s saying a lot. A weak seme/uke dynamic but tons of BL tropes (both rare in a high school setting but common for Taiwan) makes this one feel both sweet and colored by real world authenticity and grit. Full review.

My Love Mix Up

AKA Kieta Hatsukoi

Japan 2021 - Viki

Completely adorable absolute chaos bi disaster muffin falls accidentally and utterly in love with his classmate, hijinx and friendship result. What’s great about this BL is that it deals with things like homophobia, asexuality, and one sided affection in an extremely gentle and palatable way. Perhaps sometimes too subtle, but I believe this is a great show for younger audiences, particularly if you want to spark conversations about identity, sexuality, authority, truthfulness, and consent. Oh and it’s funny.

The Eclipse

Thai 2022 - YouTube

GMMTV does gay Blacklist with a good boy/bad boy pairing. This is a good show but the cast is excellent and the leads are absolutely flawless, which elevates it beyond just good. We got a nuanced and multifaceted burgeoning relationship: philosophical (and socio-political) conflict contrasted to moments of empathy; flirtation contrasted to moments of genuine affection, plus plenty of angst. This narrative is less about love than it is about courage and tenderness. However, near the end the pacing was off and the plot frustrating. Still, this is an enjoyable watch, with a finale that features verbal consent and a fun blooper reel.

Destiny Seeker

Thai 2023 - WeTV

Frankly this probubly ranks along side most of hte runners up, but it's chronically under watched so I wanted to give it a special shout out.

A darn near perfect pulp featuring 3 likable grumpy/sunshine pairings with uncomplicated iterations of enemies to lovers. At least one half of each does a decent amount of pining and there’s good chemistry, classic tropes, and communication rep. It’s fun and full of linguistic jokes. Sublimely cheesy but a good rainy day offering with tons of rewatch potential. Full review.

Honorable mention

These satisfy your criteria but I jsut personally like the above 10 better. And you did ask me, still OPTIONS!

2gether & Still 2gether

A Breeze of Love

Between Us

Dark Blue Kiss (+ Kiss Me Again - PeteKao Cut)

Hidden Agenda

Love By Chance

Love Class

Love Class 2

SOTUS

Star in My Mind

TharnType

Theory of Love

Why R U? Thailand

Why R U? Korea

(source)

[anna-scribbles]

hey anna! the wait for kwami’s choice part 2 truly is abysmal and it’s so hard to navigate through the tag with all the leaks about, do you have any fic recs to tide us over until gloob puts us out of our misery?

not only do I have fic recs, I also have way too much to do rn and therefore will spend an inordinate amount of time crafting a detailed rec list for you 😘 (we can also just consider this my 2022 ao3 wrapped lol)

goes without saying perhaps, but ANYTHING by @peachcitt is gold and also uniquely devastating, some of my particular favorites being:

metamorphosis - 97k, enemies, sleepovers, you get it. i'm normal

those benevolent stars - 23k, ladrien thief/prince/soulmates au. what more do I even need to say

chat noir's white french man hit list for feminist purposes - 7k, hilarious and devastating, this fic is a child to me

double dare - 32k, ladrien, absolutely everything. cemented my friendship w/ peach bc I had to scream at her everyday abt it

I thought the plane was going down - 11k, attuned to my tastes specifically, adrinette having a History while on airplanes

@carpisuns also puts out banger after banger like it's her dayjob, specializing in understanding the ridiculous nature of the lovesquare to such a degree and also being the funniest person alive. some of my faves from her are:

tell me something I don't know - 120k, the marichat fic EVER, mar's dissertation on lovesquare and guess what she's right

pink - 14k wip, adrien loves marinette, SOFT

two idiots and a hamster (collab with @botherkupo) - 24k, adrinette roommates, makes me cry laugh

@picayunearts is a goddess on earth. she bends word and image flawlessly to her will. recently she has enraptured me with

final girl - 41k, marichat, au where marinette succeeds in giving up her miraculous to alya in origins. INCREDIBLE marinette character study

@rosekasa invented ladynoir and i'm not afraid to say it. check out everything on her ao3 but just note the following

when things were good - 15k wip, breakup fic/post hawkmoth takedown, has been ruining me in a SPECIAL way

new marinette 12k, post-guardianship memory loss marinette, a classic

like poles of a magnet - 12k, enemies au, hurts my feelings

ya'aburnee - 13k, ladynoir, HURTS ME VERY MUCH. I'VE NOT RECOVERED

@buggachat's fics always feel like i'm attending a course on adrien and marinette's true characterizations explained to me by someone with a PhD in lovesquare and I walk away enlightened. she has an incredible gift for storytelling and just Getting It. anyway read

maintaining a professional distance - 43k, ladynoir hotel room shenanigans, god-tier characterization

when you're near 10k, ladynoir dating but adrinette have never met, a classic

@sha-nwa should honestly quit her career and write lovesquare fanfiction for me full time. proof:

the way I loved you - 68k, marichat break up fic, will be cemented into my mind forever

photograph - 1k, sweet adrinette, abby loves making me cry

things WOULD be amiss if I did not mention @officialratprince (carolinaa on ao3) bc their fics derailed my homework schedule on several occasions last semester, though I'll be honest that their fics are not for the faint of heart or those who wish adrien agreste to have a good time. my faves are

I will take it / it can't go wrong series - 3 fics at 16k, 25k, and 39k, adrien's journey through experiencing child abuse and his friends being there for him, culminating in gabriel's court trial

home sick - 14k wip, adrien gets pneumonia and Everything Is Really Bad

other various fics I love for various reasons:

how hawkmoth got his groove back series by @agrestenoir - 2 fics at 3k and 1k, one of my favorite crack fics i read last year. had me crying laughing

1 step forward, 3 steps back by agnes writes - 10k, breaks my heart every time I read it. also makes me legitimately angry at adrien while still keeping him in character which is a feat in and of itself

the last day on earth by reiaji - 10k, chat blanc keeps happening as marinette gets older, I am incapable of not recommending this fic

okay now go forth and don't do your work<3

[twig-tea]

TWIG! Friend! I couldn't help but notice your tags in my excitement post about getting to La Pluie -- I see that you and I are YYY mutuals. :) Let's call YYY... say... zany or offbeat -- off the beaten path of the usual romance-dominated field of Thai BLs. What are some other "zanier" BLs (not just Thailand, but everywhere in Asia) that you love and would recommend for an off-the-wall experience? And, why?

@waitmyturtles I'm so sorry you sent this a million years ago and then I kept letting it languish. And it's extra rude because I love this question! It's so hard to add something like YYY to a rec list without a billion caveats, so this is a great chance to shout out some of the series & shorts that don't get as much attention. A few of these I know you've seen but I have to include them for completeness.

First, for the sake of other people reading this, as Turtles has written about, Cheewin brings his own kind of zaniness to almost everything he works on; my faves of his other than YYY are Make It Right and Secret Crush on You (the exception is Bed Friend, which is not in any way zany but I still liked it).

Also going to mention that since Turtles asked for off the beaten path zany, I won't be mentioning any of the popular comedies (in case you're wondering why I Became the Lead in A BL Drama or Man Who Defies the World of BL aren't on this list).

Alright now that's out of the way, let's get into the other recs!

Zany lesser-known BLs other than YYY

Ossan's Love Franchise (Japanese, 2016-2024, GagaOOLala)

It is... less true now that this series is lesser-known than it was when I started writing this draft (in uh... August 2023) but I shall persist! The franchise details alone for this series are complete crack:

A 2016 45-minute short [skippable imo];

The 2018 original series which builds the short into a zany 7-episode comedy series about a man in his late 20s who suddenly finds himself the love interest of his older boss (in his ~50s) and his coworker/roommate (in his mid-20s);

The sequel film Ossan's Love: Love or Dead (2019)which turns into an action film halfway through for no clear reason but also remains a romantic comedy in which the mains from the original season decide if they want to stay together

The AU season Ossan's Love: In the Sky (2019) which has the same characters of the lead and his boss from S1 and the short, but this time they work in an airport and all of the surrounding cast is different and leads to a very confusing love rhombus. Incredible 10/10 no notes [people hate this because they like the mains from S1 & the film but I loved the mess]

The sequel season to S1 and the film, Ossan's Love Returns (2024) which you can absolutely watch in isolation and is about the main couple re-establishing their relationship and their found family friend group after being long distance for a few years.

It's truly excellent comedy, and gets better every outing; there are some barriers that might prevent some enjoying the earlier seasons but the most recent one is really delightful. You can hear me talk more about this series with @bengiyo and @shortpplfedup on The Conversation podcast!

Diary of Tootsies (Thai, 2017, grey/Netflix (for the movie))

I love Diary of Tootsies and the follow-ups so much. SO much. One of the best laughs of my life was the opening to the movie, and I cannot be in a long car ride without thinking about the purse incident in s1. This show doesn't get a lot of BL fandom attention because the romance arcs are not typical for BL (but that's one of the things I love about them). And the friendship in this series is truly what sells it. Season 1 is self-contained, a lot of people dislike the romance plot of S2; I really like the arc across s2 to the movie (as established above, I tend to be less invested in a particular ship across a franchise or multiple franchises). The movie plot is all about reconciling who you thought you wanted and who you are with (amongst all kinds of shenanigans).

HeHe and He (Hong Kong, 2018-ongoing, YouTube)

This mockumentary sitcom-style series does tackle some serious topics and is also absolutely hilarious nonsense across its 3 seasons. The very simple premise is that a gay guy ("hehe" is slang for gay) and a straight guy who are old friends become roommates when the gay friend breaks up with his longterm boyfriend and needs a place to stay, and hijinks ensue. They do direct-to-camera confessionals spliced in with scenes from their lives. I love this show so much, and it would actually be high up in my indie BL rankings if it were completed. I lose it at least once an episode. It's very queer (if you want a show that tackles everything from hookups to turning everything into a joke to being so, so mean to each other while also loving each other dearly to even chemsex, look no further), and I am in love with all of the wacky characters that have formed a love-hate found family that is deeply relatable. The creators posted a video a few months ago saying they're struggling to end it in a way that they're happy with so I'm not sure we'll ever get an ending for the show. But if you like comedy and queer content it's worth a watch even incomplete! I've been very patiently following this project since 2018 and it's legitimately one of my favourite shows.

Rainbow Prince the Series (Filippino, 2022, YouTube)

This is a musical; it is a lot of campy nonsense. There is royalty, political intrigue, a dog, kidnappings, and so. much. singing. The songs are surprisingly catchy and it's all extremely good fun. Also a lot of the dialogue is very clearly improvised.

Hey! First Love (Vietnamese, 2019, YouTube)

This series of shorts are mostly just silly fluff. The very tenuous plot is that these shorts are slice-of-life moments from a young established couple, but it's all really just excuses for Vietnamese comedy and BL romance tropes. If you haven't watched anything from Vietnam, this is a very low-stakes commitment (I think it's under 30 minutes of content all told; there are 4 "episodes" which are spliced together shorts, each of which has a tiny plot but there is not much of an overarching narrative, and then a Q&A with the actors at the end) and gives you a sense of the Vietnamese sense of humour. Both of these actors have gone on to continue to be in other Vietnamese BLs, so if you have watched Vietnamese BL you may recognize them! The production quality on this is charmingly low.

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (India, 2019, Amazon Prime)

This film was such a joy to experience in a live theatre. Billed "the first Gay Bollywood RomCom", this movie was a riot of chaos, dance numbers, shenanigans, hilarity, and cuteness. I loved the way this film incorporated the very real legal change to decriminalize homosexuality in its story. Arguably not "BL" as it very much fits in the bollywood tradition not the BL tradition, but OP did ask for all of Asia!

Like Love (China, 2014-15, grey)

And no I don't mean censored--this is from before China started censoring its BLs. This show has kisses as shown in the gif, and even (poorly cropped) sex scenes. It also is super bizarre. I was so confused by this show, the characterization, the fourth wall breaks, and how disjointed it was so I went to read the source material and...it turns out it's one of the most perfect adaptations I've ever seen, the book is in fact exactly like this. The characters are caricatures, there is no bridging between scenes, and the plot is the most absurd take on 'loserfail no-thoughts-head-empty character who doesn't admit he's gay but still ends up in a dedicated and loving relationship with a rich handsome domineering man ' I've ever seen. It's a bewildering experience. Note the sound quality on this one is suuuper miserable. I like s2 way more than s1 (s1 is getting together and includes a lot of the bullying-teasing and I'm-not-gay-I-just-need-him-to-pay-attention-to-me stuff, s2 is the honeymoon phase + getting the homophobic parents on board) but S1 is definitely the zanier of the two. That being said, if you wanted, I think you can dive right in to s2 (there's a direct-to-camera explanation of what happened in s1 at the start of it). Note that they set up a cliffhanger at the end of 2 in anticipation of s3 which was going to be made in 2016 but was cancelled because of the political changes in China in 2016 (this is one of the reasons I went to read the source material; they do get a happy ending in the books).

This is an extremely silly but also touching franchise with a lot of tropes I don't love, but also a lot of things I do (and just neat to see some stuff so early in BL: Underwater kiss? Helicopter ride? Femme fatale becomes friend of the faen? Supportive grandparent? It's all here). There are some fantastic speeches in s2 about supporting your gay children; I liked how in this the kids didn't give up on their parents but try to reconcile their filial piety with their dedication to each other. If you do watch S1, highly recommended you watch the series version rather than the film. For "S2"/the follow-up film, make sure you look for the uncensored film version.

The Lover Room 709 Cut (Korean/Japanese, 2016, grey)

This starts extremely silly, plays with BL tropes, and gets a little bit serious at the end but is mostly just full of puns and innuendos. Includes one of the most hilarious takes on kabedon, and egregious use of the soundtrack from Brokeback Mountain. Also: fart jokes. Folks worried it was going to stay teasing the audience but it does commit and we do get an actual resolution that is satisfying. I admit I've never seen the whole series (which includes stories of 3 other couples in the apartment building) but the BL cut is readily available if you search. Make sure you look for the deleted scene with the lotion application--this scene walked so IFYLITA could run (I'm kidding, but it's very funny seeing this scene now and thinking about that one).

The Boy Next Door (Korean, 2018, YouTube)

This is another older series playing with censorship (similar to The Lover) in which the two characters end up in BL romance tropes but are not actually in love...or are they? The shenanigans are very fun. This one is left more ambiguous than The Lover, which is one of the reasons it's further down the list.

Go! Go! G-Boys (Taiwan, 2006, grey)

I debated between this and another quirky comedy from Taiwan in the early 2000s, Formula 17, but while that's unequivocally a better movie, this one is lesser known and more zany, so it technically better fits the bill for this ask (but if you haven't, go watch Formula 17!). The plot is a bit cringe--straight boy signs up to gay beauty contest to pay off his girlfriend's debts (accompanied by his gay childhood friend who is in love with him) and finds his truth. Meanwhile a homophobic police officer has also infiltrated the contest for investigative purposes. Amongst all that admittedly not great setup, however, are several bizarre sequences including the incredible Lord of the Rings recreation scene (complete with Gatchaman of course), a killer soundtrack, a random delivery of poultry, someone slapping a cake, and, most absurdly unbelievable at all: police taking harassing death threats to the gay contest seriously. It does a great job of setting up what should be a dramatic scene and then immediately undercutting the tension with something absurd. It's not narratively good, but it is a fun ride! And yes, there is a happy ending. Stick around for a fourth wall break (literally) after the credits.

Something Crunchy Crunchy (Korean, 2018, GagaOOLala)

Extremely bizarre little musical short in which snacks are anthropomorphized as hot guys and they sing songs about being eaten and wanting to be eaten. Played entirely sincerely, but the concept is screamingly funny. Fascinating. Also, kind of poly?

Dom (Korean, 2016, GagaOOLala)

Another hilarious and weird Korean short, this time in which we see the protagonist's sex life from the perspective of the condom boxes that are anthropomorphized and given personalities based on their brands.

And since we can't leave out the ladies,

A few zany GLs:

Lily Fever (Korean, 2015, YouTube)

I wrote about this one a little in my GL rec list; it is absolutely bonkers nonsense. There is not really a plot, it's a fever dream of a show. Chaos! Not so much a romance as an excuse to see cute girls flirt and make out.

Legend of Yunqian (China, 2020, grey)

I debated including this one because only the middle is really the zany part, it's sandwiched with more serious xianxia drama. But in the middle of this miniseries is an extremely cute interlude in which xianxia characters time travel to present day for ~reasons. It's censored but there is very little uncertainty about feelings, and manages to be absolutely charming. Worth the short runtime for this kitten quickcut (subbed "Whomst?!" in the show for ultimate comedy). Warning for character death (but it's ok because time travel to reincarnated character!) Subtitled by the indispensable @douqi7s [see their pinned post for links].

BetCin (Filippino, 2022, WeTV)

A lesbian couple with a YouTube following decide to break up but then find out there's a contest for couples, and they decide to pretend to still be together to try and win the contest rather than tell their fans they've broken up. This series does some really interesting things by starting with a breakup and then looking at how two people who are no longer dating manage BGP while also managing their feelings. There's a lot going on in this show, and the hijinks definitely ensue!

Perfect One Night Stand (Korean, 2020, GagaOOLala)

This is a cute Strongberry GL short in which a friend agrees to help her other friend find a girl to have sex with before the day is over; they go through several quirky candidates looking for the titular perfect one night stand.

[lurkingshan]

10 Things I Love About Khun Chai

I did it, y’all. I watched my first lakorn, and let me tell you, I had a fucking fantastic time doing it. Now that’s not a blanket endorsement of the genre, because I understand Khun Chai aka To Sir, With Love is pretty unique, particularly in that it’s a period queer love story with a happy ending. But as a different kind of Thai drama than any I’d previously seen, it was truly a great watch.

It has some flaws, sure. It’s a soap opera, so melodrama, repetitive story beats, overdramatic acting, and slow pacing are par for the course. If you go in understanding that, you’ll be fine. And the episodes are long af but don’t be shy about increasing the playback speed - I watched a lot of it at 1.5x and it was perfectly smooth. Now that I’ve finished it, I think the time investment was totally worth it (@bengiyo my final rec - worth going back to finish! It worked better for me when I broke it up in chunks of 2-3 episodes at a time).

Without further ado, the top ten reasons I loved it:

1. TIAN MY BELOVED

Look at him. Just look at his beautiful traumatized face!! I hold that it’s impossible to watch this entire show and not come out absolutely loving this man. He is so believably flawed but at his core he is good. He is generous. He is loyal. He is brave. And he looks very good in a three piece suit.

Honestly I could do a whole top ten list just about Tian but let’s move on and give some love to the rest of the show.

2. Did I mention this is a PERIOD ROMANCE??!! Something we get so precious little of in bl. I asked @absolutebl a while back if they knew of any other Thai period bls, and this was the entire list. So good thing it’s excellent!

The show is set in the 1930s and 40s in Japanese-occupied Thailand, and it centers on a powerful Thai-Chinese family (currently leading a cooperative partnership of five families) and the power struggle over who will be the heir (Succession, but make it Asian and queer). The show digs into really interesting family structure, politics, and class struggle stuff.

3. The brotherly bond is unmatched and undefeated. The plot centers on two brothers, Tian and Yang, who love each other so much, like I cannot emphasize enough how willing these brothers are to protect and die for each other. If someone was shooting at them they would both try to dive in front of the bullet. Their bond is so touching and provides an emotional through line when the plot gets wacky.

4. The classic soap opera plots are truly brilliant, all your favorite tropes are here. This show has everything - family secrets, nefarious schemes, murderous maids, mystical poisons, faen fatales, even sex pollen! As I believe @ginnymoonbeam put it at one point - everything is happening so much all the time. It’s truly a delightful romp, especially after the halfway point when the plot machinations really kick into high gear.

5. The queer love story is the main romance and emotional heart of the show. There are actually two romances in this show - each of the brothers gets a love interest. And both of them are lovely. But rather than the typical move where a het drama features a queer side pairing, here the entire story is driven by Tian’s sexual identity, the burden placed on him to keep it a secret, and how increasingly impossible that becomes once he meets Jiu. Over the course of this show, we get to watch Tian fall in love and finally live his truth and see how that changes him. It’s truly beautiful, and the romance between Tian and Jiu is so sweet (and a bit racier than I expected - the show does not shy away from the sexual aspect of this relationship). The romance between Yang and Pin is also very sweet - they are adorable tbh - but entirely secondary.

6. Every frame of this show is absolutely gorgeous. The scenery is lush, the costumes are beautiful, the tailoring is impeccable, the hair and makeup never misses. It’s truly a feast for the eyes.

7. There are so many good female characters in this show, y’all! Tian and Yang have not one but 4 or 5 different mother figures. They are all flawed, complex, and a little nuts. They get up to so much trouble and drive a lot of the plot with their scheming, hijinks, and prolific wielding of murderous sparkle dust (don’t ask, you have to see it to understand). Pin, Tian’s would be fiancé turned sister-in-law, is a total sweetheart, but she’s also smart and fierce with a steel core and not afraid to tell her man when he’s being stupid. There’s even a lady boss at the head of one of the five families.

8. Relatedly, there is so much complex family drama in this show, and so many interesting dysfunctional parental relationships. @waitmyturtles you will have a field day when you finally get to watch this. Both brothers have fraught relationships with their various parent figures, for very different reasons. The various relationships and resentments that form between the wives and the sons in a polygamous family unit (did I mention that yet? there are three wives in the mix here and the brothers have different biological moms) are absolutely fascinating.

9. The resolution to the succession plot and ultimate defeat of the Big Bad was so satisfying. I won’t get into spoiler territory, but let me just say that the characters went through a lot together and to see the way they ultimately had to come together and let go of their baggage to survive was very cool. It felt earned.

10. IT ENDS WITH A BIG OLD HEAP OF GAY DOMESTIC BLISS!!! I will get into spoiler territory here because you deserve to know that if you put in the time to watch this show you will be rewarded with a very happy couple forming a family unit and living peacefully on their own terms. I was so pleased with this ending, I can’t even tell you. The final scenes made me cry real tears, I was so touched. And they even put a literal rainbow in the sky at the end. A literal rainbow! Come on!

Watch it, friends! It’s worth your time.

[sitp-recs]

2023 in review - recs & highlights

Happy New Year and thank you @sorrybutblog for the tag 🥂I wasn’t very active in 2023 tbh, after May I couldn’t find time or inspiration to read new things or write single recs so I focused on list requests instead. But I’m very proud of all the little things I’ve accomplished! They’ve brought me so much joy and I’m pleased with how they came about. I’m sharing below my personal highlights and would to see everyone else’s. Consider this an open tag and feel free to @ me!

✨this year I jumped right back into my anime & manga phase (I’ve loved it for as long as I’ve loved Drarry) and it’s been a thrill to discover and revisit some top notch BL stories. I did two reclists (part 1 and part 2) for fun without really expecting any interest but the feedback was so lovely I’m now planning a part 3!

✨ got so many special gifts! I was absolutely mindblown by @epitomereally’s lovely and creative LA, Who Am I To Love You? for my Wireless prompt; I got hot and bothered over this delicious nsfw art by @maesterchill; and fell deeper in love with Harry/Ron thanks to @writcraft’s stunning Can’t Start a Fire Without a Spark. I’m so lucky to have these wonderful and talented friends! thank you ❤️

✨ loved doing these sexy rec lists for V Day: heartbreak & rarepair romance

✨ as I said I haven’t read much this year, so imagine my shocked pikachu face when I saw that I did 8 fest rec lists this year! two are still incomplete (Career Fair and Erised) but I’ll get there

✨ it was such a blast to join @hprecfest and share 31 daily recs throughout December. not only I got my mojo back to rec some of my fave hidden gems, I also found many new incredible fics thanks to everyone who participated. I was especially happy to see a big amount of love for rare pairs!

✨ I also did two cute holiday-themed lists: Christmassy reads and NYE reads!

✨ finally, following tradition I just posted my end of the year lists: Drarry + Rare pair. a bit shorter than usual but done with just as much love!

[fandomknight]

Happy Aro Week!

Here’s a couple of my favorite stories with an aromantic main character.

Starting off with my #1 fav. I Want to be a Wall showcases a platonic marriage of convenience between a gay man who’s in unrequited love with his childhood best friend and an aroace woman who is comfortable in her identity and just wants to enjoy her BL books. This is a slice of life as the two navigate their marriage through an extremely platonic lens.

This series is fun, lighthearted, and extremely relatable at times. I absolutely cannot wait for the final volume to be released in english.

And #2 on my list is the Jughead 2015 comics. Volume 2 feels so explicitly aromantic that it’s actually what helped me realize I identified that way too. I feel like people have already talked a lot about the Jughead comics, but if you haven’t read them yet I recommend!

The stories here are quirky, funny, and lighthearted. Jughead just wants to hang out with his friends and eat burgers and I think that’s great! He was confirmed to be written as aro by the author.

Wish I had more recs especially since both of these are aroace stories, but i encourage others to put their favorite aro stories here too! Happy aro week everyone!

[dramalets]

2024 Watch List pt2

Mr Unlucky has no choice but to kiss - Very, very cute and silly without being slapstick. This gets a bit lost in its own soup and after about episode 4 it drags some. Also just a bizarre and somewhat anticlimactic ending. The leads are lovely though and they do work well together. 3/5 (22/2/24)

What did you eat yesterday S1 - Just perfect. Watching Shiro & Kenji grow together over the episodes is a treat. This is as warm and tender as it is brilliantly observed and funny. A true must watch. 5/5 (24/2/24)

The Sign - This just got lost in itself. It had moments of absolute perfection but there were, for me, too many threads it didn’t tie up. Personally I liked this show the most in its procedural show parts and less in its fantasy elements, where I feel it had the most work to do. This isn’t one I’ll rewatch but I did enjoy the journey. 3/5 (25/2/24)

If it’s with you - Lovely is the best word for this. Just a little warm hug of a thing. A sweet story of first love. 4/5 (26/2/24)

I became the main role of a BL drama - Very soft and silly. Not much happens but the leads are lovely and fun to watch. Would kind of love a spin off about the managers if I’m honest. Zero complaints. Just a cute, easy, quick watch. 3/5 (27/2/24)

Kabe Koji - Very enjoyable. Absolutely loved the manga come to life concept of this one. It was super fun to look at. Personally, I think this could have done with maybe 1 or 2 more episodes. Neither character felt as explored as I would have liked. A nice watch nonetheless :) 3/5 (27/2/24)

The Man who defies the world of BL s1 & 2 - This is so unbelievably funny and well observed. Atsuhiro is a master at comedic faces and they never feel slapstick or overdone. Loved every silly second. 4/5 (28/2/24)

Candy Colour Paradox - This isn’t the best acted thing and the chemistry is only so-so it also really starts to drag in places. (Inserting Izuka Kenta into a multiple episode arc was a choice because he’s incredible and it only serves to highlight the so-so of the leads.) Having said all these things it still has a charm and I still enjoyed watching it. Just perhaps not one I’ll be itching to rewatch or suggest to friends. 3/5 (28/2/24)

Perfect Propose - A sweet six episode watch that’s really all about being human. Kai has to realise that being part of peoples lives is both terrifying but necessary and Hiro must learn to value the role he plays in the world. Just a gorgeous little watch. 4/5 (1/3/24)

Kei x Yaku - Is this a BL? Not really? It’s more like gay romance is heavily inferred but here is a messed up, lovely little found family so enjoy that. This is so much fun and I can’t rec it highly enough. Very much just tune in and have fun. 4/5 (1/3/24)

Cherry Magic - Zero notes. Absolute perfection. TayNew supremacy. 5/5 (2/3/24)

My Personal Weatherman - Just bored me honestly. It’s not bad but it’s not as good as some make it out to be. I think if I’d watched this before the novelist I might have liked it more? Not something I’ll reach for again. 3/5 (3/3/24)

My Beautiful Man s1&2 - This is very Japanese and, on paper, should not have worked for me at all. In practice tho? I loved this. I understand the reasons this is controversial but I also think if you go into this without any of the disk horse you’ll just see it for what it is; a love story between two broken boys with piss poor communication skills and self esteem issues. 4/5 (5/3/24)

My Beautiful Man Eternal - This movie is the third part of the beautiful man series. I genuinely think you could skip s2 and go straight in for this. It delivers what I would have wanted, but was impossible to give in four episodes, from s2. We see Hira and Kiyoi’s growth as individuals and also together and we finish with them as equals, with Kiyoi speaking to his king Hira. Beautifully shot, excellently acted. Will watch again. 5/5 (6/3/24)

[guesst]

MANHWA REC LIST PART 2

WAR OF THE PRINCESSES

i finished catching up to this like 2 minutes ago [EDIT: WROTE THAT THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAYM NOW ITS 2 DAYS AGO] and i genuinely really liked this. for a manhua its amazing!! the plot is unique and keeps you guessing, the characters are entertaining and NOT cookie cutter cutouts of isekai tropes, theres been some interesting reveals and a lot of people in the comments were hating on ml but personally i found him super fun; hes very morally grey n has definite flaws but thats what makes him a good character to read about !! not to mention the main character herself is great. i hate that my bar for good manhwa/hwa characters has gone down to 'has more than 2 personality traits' but she is leaping over it for sure

PLEASE REPENT, YOUR GRACE!

i dont read yaoi i dont read bl. i have never ever read it . however the vibes were so strong that i had to go back and check the tags because.. if you read it... you will see. its so strong. it radiates. (all that aside i really like the relationship btn the mains i think its really fun. they may not be gay (????🤨🤨🤨🤔🤔) but its still highly enjoyable i love it)

THE BABY SAINT WANTS TO DESTROY THE WORLD!

ive read 2 chapters but i just think the 'evil character reincarmates into the pinnacle of goodness' trope is the funniest thing in the world. i have no clue if its going to be a generic collect the characters take over the world type of thing but i just think its funny and its the newest one ive read.

IT SEEMS I'VE TRANSMIGRATED SOMEWHERE

i have been waiting for aomethinf like this for SO LONG hahah the main character is so diddly darn confused the entire time cus in her past life shes read too much rofan etc and now cant figure out what novel shes trandmigrated into. regular manhwa reader fr,, anyway theres a strong case for second hand embarrassment in this one, especially in the first few chapters or so, but i genuinely really like this just cus its so self aware, it keeps poking fun at all the tropes and its a nice lighthearted read. also theres a decent amount of plot despite it all and OH I ALMOST FORGOT the male lead is an absolute 10 personalitywise i genuinely love him. hes here for drama and thats it its amazing. so yea id say tropey but Well Written super fun 👍👍👍

HIDING THE ARCHDUKE'S HUMILIATING HISTORY

i think this is the first manhwa ive read where the ml pisses himself in fear the first time he meets fl (theyre both children)(hes scared of something else not fl but still). anyway its nothing particularly unique but its pretty fun! its one of those novel isekai where mc reincarnates into a little kid and the structure makes it a sandwich which has been keeping me very invested. this isnt a very good advertisment but its a good way to pass the time i think. heres a nice reaction pic

SUSU, HAN

oh my god??? just binged this whole thign in one go. first of all ots complete, second of all i guess you can say tjis is a character study in manhwa form. there isnt a particular overarching antagomist, its the characters learning to grow and face their own personal issues. but its also a slice of life, and lighthearted family drama, and comedy. its not a rofan this time lol. also the sibling relationships in susu, han are so good !! and theres so many lovely platonic relationships too. i really really enjoyed it.

THE TALE OF GOLDILUCK, THE BLACK KITTEN

WHOLESOME !!! WHOLESOME WHOLESOME WHOLESOME absolutely adorable, centres around a black cat that gets adopted by a young noble in ancient? old? korea. so so cite, read to soothe your heart

olay ive hit the image limit again. would yall like more

[blouisparadise]

Upon request, today we have a rec list of fics where Louis or Harry suffer from some kind of addiction. These fics feature drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and/or other triggering topics, so please read all warnings before choosing to read. If you enjoy our rec lists, please be sure to like and reblog this post to help spread the word.

1) The Sucking Method | Explicit | 2,668 words | Full Series

Note: While the first fic in this series only has blowjobs, the other three have BL smut.

Louis tries to quit smoking, but none of his methods work. Harry comes up with a new idea that involves lots of sucking.

2) Lonely Lullaby | Explicit | 12,443 words

"Louis is obsessed with amphetamines and Harry is the only one who can get him. However, the thought of seeing him die of addiction seems terrifying."

3) What Are You Waiting For (Someone Could Love You More) | Explicit | 20,316 words

Louis is a famous singer with a lot of buried demons. His demons are dug out.

4) Captain Jack | Explicit | 31,725 words

Louis has been searching for something and Harry is there to give it to him. Drugs, sex, disappointment, and the tangled web they’ve woven that keeps them trapped in the same cycle.

5) Smoke Between Your Teeth | Explicit | 37,015 words

Louis tries to stop his addiction to cigarettes and discovers he's been addicted to Harry for much, much longer.

6) Falling Into Place | Explicit | 40,737 words

Louis and Harry spend nine years apart but inevitably find their way back to each other.

7) I Really Fucking Hate You | Mature | 83,328 words

Harry really fucking hates Louis. Louis really fucking hates Harry, kinda. Two boys from two separate Mafia’s are forced to meet somewhere in the middle. Louis is burdened with a child and Harry is burdened with Louis.

8) Nothing Worsens, Nothing Grows | Explicit | 102,528 words | Sequel

Another roadtrip AU featuring Harry as the misunderstood hipster, Louis as the bitter psych major, Liam as the one with the secret boyfriend, and Niall as the one who just wants everyone to be happy.

9) Burn To Ash | Explicit | 116,004 words

Harry is sitting there, so fucking casual, and Louis realizes in a split second he was not ready. When Harry walked out in Detroit and never looked back, he was a boy verging on a man, still only twenty years old, but there's a man in his place now. Hard and resolute, yes, but still, for the first time in a long time, Louis can kind of see the old Harry in him. The soft, directness of his gaze, the hesitant smile he gives to Lou, the way he wrings his ridiculously large hands in his lap. He's a little bit the eager sixteen year old puppy dog again, his innocence and sweetness resurrected miraculously, and Louis freezes in place. He was prepared to face the asshole Harry. He was prepared to meet a whole new Harry. Louis is not prepared to meet one of the old incarnations of Harry, and it absolutely tears him up.

10) And I Wait For Paradise | Teen & Up | 209,547 words

Somehow, as the delirious jeers ricochet around in his skull, Harry’s mobile slides in his clammy palm. Desperate the intensity does not faze his vision as he keys, ‘do you still believe in forever?’ On fire, twitchy and a mess, the Alpha blacks out. It’s only hours into emotional asphyxiation Harry reads the response, ‘I still believe in you.’ Just like that Harry breaks away from the infinite shards of addiction. Dry heaves, “I’m not ruined, I’m not ruined,” into the darkness until he’s not the only one who believes it. 

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[jemmo]

heyy do you have some recommendations of more serious/realistic romance thai BLs (or non thai also) like the ones you mentioned in your recent post? they are all my favourites and i'm also a bit disappointed in things that were announced :(. i pretty much only know gmmtv stuff but also not so much.

hello my lovely!!! yes i can absolutely give you some recs. these are what i can think of off the top of my head for each country:

Thai (as well as the ones I mentioned in the post)

never let me go

triage

manner of death

he’s coming to me

i told sunset about you

South Korea

the eighth sense

to my star (season 1+2)

blueming

Japan

my beautiful man

old fashion cupcake

love is better the second time around

China + Taiwan (aka the goat at classic drama)

history 3: trapped

we best love (season 1+2)

stay with me

unknown

these are pretty much the spectrum of what I’d call classic, romantic dramas, from ones that centre on themes of crime (manner of death, never let me go, history 3) to ones with very simple plots but very well written and performed (basically what ive listed from South Korea and Japan) to high drama done well (china/taiwan). i hope you find something you enjoy and get your drama fix

[absolutebl]

I'm a bit lost on what to watch right now, but I have this huge gaping hole in my chest that needs to be filled with some good BLs. I absolutely adore Old Fashioned Cupcake, To My Star, We Best Love (the drunk confession scene had me reeling). I'm not a huge fan of Thai BLs, because of the way it's shot and the humour, but I did really enjoy Not Me, 1000 stars and Bad Buddy. Do you have any recs?

Prestige BL to watch RIGHT now

You said you absolutely adore:

Old Fashioned Cupcake

To My Star

We Best Love

And are not a huge fan of Thai BLs but enjoyed:

Not Me

1000 Stars

Bad Buddy

This leads me to conclude you like "prestige BL".

My Recs for Prestige BL:

Our Dating Sim, Korea Viki - might be a bit soft for you, but truly great

Our Dining Table, Japan Gaga - soft and a little slow but quality

Blueming, Korea Viki

The Eighth Sense, Korea Viki - this one, THIS ONE, this one you will LOVE, go watch it RIGHT NOW, thank me later

The New Employee, Korea Viki

Unintentional Love Story, Korea iQIYI

Roommates of Poongduck 304, Korea Viki

Tokyo in April Is..., Japan Gaga

About Youth, Taiwan Gaga - you don't list any high school stuff but this is BL so I had to include one

DNA Says Love You, Taiwan Gaga - really, trust me, make it through the first 3 eps, it's worth it

My Tooth Your Love, Taiwan Viki - the premise seems odd but it's very endearing and quite complex

A First Love Story, Korea YT - this is a Strongberry short but if you haven't seen it it's very much your style

Older stuff that May Be Your Style

Addicted: Heroin, China Viki (If you haven't seen this, it's and early BL that kinda paved the way to the style you like, so worth watching for that reason alone)

Life: Love on the Line, Japan Viki (go for the director's cut)

Restart After Come Back Home, Japan Gaga? Viki? (not sure who has this one but I think you'd enjoy it)

Long Time No See, Korea Gaga? (Strongburry's first longer offering and it's wonderful, well worth tracking down)

Where Your Eyes Linger, Korea Viki

Like In The Movies, Pinoy YT

Airing right now, Sept 2023

Might be right for you and would allow you to join in the chatter here on Tumblr

Kisseki: Dear to Me, Gaga (Taiwan, mafia, so far very good but just started)

Dangerous Romance, YT (Thai but two of GMMTV's best actors)

I Feel You Linger in the Air (historical, it's really great, Thai, hard to find in USA)

Only Friends, YT (not quite BL, very queer messy gays, Thailand's answer to Queer as Folk)

If you are willing to try some Thai BLs I suggest:

Moonlight Chicken (review here)

He's Coming to Me

The Eclipse

And if those work you could try more from this list:

Hope this gives a few things you haven't watched yet!

(source)

[bulkyphrase]

Cap-IM Rec Week - Absolute Faves Monday

I'm not on dreamwidth and am not a part of the cap-iroman community, but they do a lot of cool events and I'm always looking for an excuse to compile and post a rec list.

Here are some of my all-time favorite Stony fics and podfics.

Falling Backwards (Till it Turns Me Inside Out) by Aeraneth (@aeranethwrites) (MCU | Teen And Up Audiences | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 5,706 words)

Summary: It’s Nomad against the Avengers, a Hydra patch on his shoulder, a gun pointed at Iron Man’s head, and a doomsday machine running down the clock behind him. He’s the only one standing in the way of them saving the world. Steve doesn’t know how he got here.

girls can't play guitar by isozyme (@isozyme) (Ults | Explicit | No Archive Warnings Apply | 4,209 words)

Summary: On nights when Tonia fucked Eve, Eve left her bed sated and woke up with a guilty desire to walk into Tonia’s room, strip off her kevlar uniform, and surrender herself to whatever Tonia wanted to do next. Captain Eve Rogers has a complicated relationship with sex and masculinity. Tonia Stark has a really big strap.

More below the cut!

This Thing of Darkness by MassiveSpaceWren, Mizzy (@mizzy2187) (616 | Teen And Up Audiences | Graphic Depictions Of Violence | 18,525 words)

Summary: X-Factor #231 AU. It's been five years since it happened, but Deathlok has spent every day since M-Day wishing he was less human, so going undercover as a human in order to find more humans to slaughter…? It's tough, but Deathlok agrees to do it. The target is Pandora, a base that Deathlok thought was just a rumor, the biggest undercover human resistance camp in the world. The mission turns out to be tougher than Deathlok expects, though, because the leader of the ragtag resistance camp is Tony Stark. Tony, who always has more than one ace up his sleeve. Tony, who Deathlok used to know. Tony, who refuses to call him anything but by his disgusting human name: Steve.

The Least Difficult of Men by isozyme (@isozyme) (Ults | Explicit | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 46,153 words)

Summary: It isn’t until Tony watches Steve lean into the punch that he thinks oh, this is going to be a problem. Steve’s taking hits on purpose in the field, so Tony suggests a safer option. It's simple: Tony smacks Steve around, Steve gets the pain fix he’s looking for, everyone leaves happy. Things do not stay simple. The one with repressed masochist Steve and sadist Tony and everyone getting off on pain a whole bunch.

A Real Boy by Sineala (@sineala) (616 | Explicit | No Archive Warnings Apply | 11,468 words)

Summary: When Steve shows up for the Avengers' team meeting, he quickly discovers that the version of Tony in attendance this week is the artificial intelligence. But Tony is still Tony, the man Steve has loved for years, and him being a hologram doesn't stop the two of them from falling for each other. They just have a few kinks to work out. Also available as a podfic read by M_Samro (@msamro)

Living on Your Breath by Sineala (@sineala) (616 | Explicit | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 110,343 words)

Summary: The Avengers have faced Onslaught and come home. The team has assembled again. And Steve is finally together with Tony. They're in love. Everything is perfect. But this happiness is all too brief, as Tony is kidnapped by forces unknown. Steve rushes off to rescue Tony, only to find that Tony has been brainwashed and turned against him. Now Steve, captured and tortured by the man he loves, must sacrifice everything he has to stop Tony from becoming a monster. Their relationship will never be the same again... if they both get out of here alive.

Super Villain Dating Tips - Or How Steve Won Over Tony Through The Art of Kidnapping by forgetmenotjimmy (MCU | General Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 46,265 words)

Summary: Steve isn't evil, he's just trying to do the right thing whilst hiding from an insane General who's out for his blood - literally - but when he is forced to kidnap Tony to help him escape the cops, his plans to take down the Secret Division that experimented on him, well, they get put on the back burner. How does a villain date a hero? More kidnapping of course!

Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree by Annie D (scaramouche) (@no-gorms) (MCU | Explicit | No Archive Warnings Apply | 21,098 words)

Summary: Steve doesn’t mind that Tony doesn’t return his feelings. He just would've preferred if it didn’t come with the side effect of his coughing up flowers and possibly dying.

Relativistic Heat Conduction by BlossomsintheMist (@blossomsinthemist) (616 | Explicit | Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death | 69,298 words)

Summary: Age of Ultron-based, but not entirely canon compliant. Written for the 2013 Cap-Iron Man Reverse Big Bang. Ultron has attacked, obliterating most of the world's superheroes and resistance in a matter of hours. The remaining heroes band together and share what strength they have to get through it, to survive, and defeat Ultron once and for all. Steve Rogers grieves in the wake of the disaster and the heroes' defeat, and no one knows if he will be able to provide the leadership they need--but Tony Stark isn't about to let him slip away that easily. Also available as a podfic read by Pywren (@phyrrhicvictory)

A Hundred Times, Once by FestiveFerret, SirSapling (@festiveferrets, @sirsapling) (Ults | Explicit | No Archive Warnings Apply | 24,761 words)

Summary: The shrill tone of his SHIELD beeper pulls Steve out of sleep and into battle. He fights robots, he fights Tony's shameless advances, he fights the exhaustion that threatens to take over him, drown him. And then the next morning, he wakes and does it again. Exactly the same. And again. And again. And again.

Mercy in You by Sineala (@sineala) (616 | Mature | No Archive Warnings Apply | 9,598 words)

Summary: When Tony comes back from a very bad D/s date, in pain and abandoned by his dom, Steve offers to help Tony out and give him all the aftercare he so desperately needs. Also available as a podfic read by Pywren (@phyrrhicvictory)

Straight on till Morning by Sineala (@sineala) (616 | Explicit | No Archive Warnings Apply | 109,848 words)

Summary: Tony Stark resigned his commission in Starfleet five years ago, after a disastrous away mission, and he swore he'd never go back. He just wants to be left alone to build warp engines in peace. But the universe has more in store for him than that, as he discovers when Admiral Fury comes to him with an offer he could never have expected and cannot possibly refuse: first officer and chief engineer aboard the all-new USS Avenger, a starship of Tony's own design. What's more, the Avenger's captain is Steve Rogers, hero of the Earth-Romulan War. Believed dead for over a century, Steve is miraculously alive... and very, very attractive. But nothing is ever easy for Tony. As he wrestles with his secret desire for his new captain and his not-so-dormant fears, another mission starts to go wrong, and Tony becomes aware that Steve has secrets of his own -- and the truth could change everything. Also available as a podfic read by M_Samro (@msamro)

The Prize by sabrecmc (@sabrecmc) (MCU | Explicit | Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con | 318,625 words)

Summary: Steve ends up as a concubine in the royal harem.

I (created from fantasies) exist solely for you by Mizzy (@mizzy2k) (MCU | Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 62,917 words)

Summary: Six years ago, without the Avengers Initiative there to save the day, scientist Dr. Eric Selvig sacrificed himself to save the world, the almighty demi-god Thor was lost to a terrible storm, and vigilante Iron Man – spotted with a nuclear weapon trying to take advantage of the situation – was forever labelled an enemy of SHIELD. This is a comic book office AU, where Steve is defrosted a year too late, Thor has forgotten who he is, and no one knows Tony is Iron Man. Also includes: office pranks, inappropriate post-it notes, and superheroes who like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. Also available as a podfic read by badfinch (@read-by-badfinch)

[imminentinertia]

SHIPPER TAG GAME

@lurkingshan tagged me, thank you darling! So now I'm forced to admit that whispers I'm honestly not much of a shipper

I get into shows and films, but rarely so much that I get invested in couples (canon or otherwise). Even rarer, so much that I start taking ship war sides. Notable exception: Harmony (Harry/Hermione) because that ship came with the stupidest shit I've ever seen in any fandom.

1. What ship were you completely obsessed with when you were a teenager, but now you don't care anymore?

What do you mean, don't care anymore. I absolutely do care about every ship I've ever shipped.

No wait - as a very young teenager I was so into Alice Hoffman's books it's not even funny. Especially Property Of. I wasn't terribly into the nameless main character, but I adored The Dolphin and thought McKay would be much better off with him. Then I grew up and realised that Property Of is pretty badly written and has a frightfully naïve plot (no wonder, she was practically a baby when she wrote it), although it really hit the spot for a 13 year old with a rabid case of bad boy syndrome, and completely stopped caring about any of the characters.

2. Which ship would you consider your first one?

The first I went insane about was Harry/Draco, so probably that.

3. Your first fanfic belonged to which couple?

Harry/Draco. I wasn't going to write fic at all! Wasn't interested in writing them myself! But I got so fed up with all the horrible purple prose in a lot of fics, wrote a pisstake, and it escalated.

4. Do you remember the first couple you saw a fanart over?

No. That was so many years ago. SO MANY.

5. Did you ever get into ship discourse?

No. When I get into discourse it's about other things than ships. When I try to start discourse it's definitely about other things.

6. Did you used to have any no-otp or have it currently?

Some pairings squick me, but I tend to forget the horrors as quickly as I discover them.

7. Who were the couple in the last fanfic you read?

Jaeyoung/Sangwoo (Semantic Error).

8. Currently, do you have any OTPs?

VEGAS/PETE. I also adore a number of other BL couples, but that's the OTP. Show versions, not book originals.

9. Is there any couple that, to this day, you are extremely mad about not getting together?

Spooks WASTED A BRIILLIANT OPPORTUNITY for a ship that could have been either canon or not-canon by KILLING A GUY ten minutes after he meets THE POTENTIAL LOVE OF HIS CANON OR NOT-CANON LIFE. They barely had time to share some chips. YES I AM EXTREMELY MAD, 16 YEARS LATER.

10. Is there any ship you used to dislike but now you think they are kind of interesting?

To me, any ship that's well written and where both characters are well formed and not limp 2D shit can be kind of interesting. I can't remember any of my squick pairings starting to intrigue me. Does it count that I used to dislike any KinnPorsche pairing featuring Ken, but I'm starting to quite like them?

11. Do you have any ship that, in the past, was considered normal but now you would be cancelled over?

Oh, I'm sure I do. I like age gaps. People are often very weird about them.

12. What was your favorite crack ship?

Giant Squid/anyone. Such a great setup for crack tentacle porn.

13. Who is the couple you read more fanfics of?

I've read a fuckton of Harry/Draco, but because of betaing and rec blog running it might be Even/Isak? Give it enough time and it will be Vegas/Pete.

14. What most of your ships usually have in common?

At least one, preferably both, of the parties is a criminal. Okay, that also has to do with what sorts of films and shows get made and appeal to me, but I love a good criminal so much and I just can't get interested in some goody two-shoes. I can honestly only think of Even/Isak when I try to list my ships that don't feature a delicious criminal. Preferably unhinged murderers, but I'll take minor misdemeanours too.

15. What do you absolutely hate in a ship?

Big fat traditional seme/uke or het dynamics where the seme/man blatantly doesn't give a canon shit about the uke/woman. I could write a thesis on this, I suppose.

As usual I don't dare to actually tag people, but if you've made it this far, you are so tagged.

[three--rings]

Manner of Death (2020) Review/Rec

So I’ve just finished watching this Thai BL, and it’s absolutely excellent.  So in the custom of....me.  I’m gonna tell you about it.

I’ve talked before about the things that I generally don’t enjoy in BL dramas, and how I am not really a huge fan of most shows.  So that’s context.

Manner of Death is the best attempt I’ve seen of any BL show at being a “real” drama, with quality plot and writing, that just happens to also involve a m/m romance as well. 

But rather than just say it’s good, pretty much the whole reason I’m writing this post is that the trigger warning list for this show is EXTENSIVE and I feel I have to talk about that.

Manner of Death is a mystery-thriller about a series of mysterious deaths in a small Thai town. 

Trigger warnings for: Murder, autopsies, sexual abuse, drug abuse, forced drug abuse, abortion, illegal abortions, abortions gone wrong, rape, coerced sex, coerced drug abuse, suicide, sex trafficking, human trafficking, police corruption, and probably more. 

All of those are involved in the main case, not the romance.  But parts of the show are ROUGH in the way things play out and how some characters are treated and what is onscreen.  So while much of the show is fine and pleasant, exercise care.

Main Characters:

Bun (above right) - Dr. Bunnakit, a medical examiner who has recently returned to his hometown in a rural area after becoming jaded by like in Bankok.

Tan (above left) - a tutor and mysterious person who Bun suspects of murder. Also someone he saw once in a bar and immediately kissed while incredibly drunk.

Also all of those people.  ;)

Plot:

I don’t want to spoil things because it’s worth going through the story blind.  But, generally: People start turning up dead, and as the medical examiner Bun isn’t satisfied with the police conclusions, so he pursues the truth on his own.

This gets him in danger, and the mysterious Tan appoints himself his protector.  Because reasons they end up living together and acting Extremely Married while investigating the mystery that keeps getting more complicated.

Verdict:

A+ honestly. 

It’s still clearly made on a limited budget but the production has clearly tried to do the best they can on their resources.  The severe color grading gives it a moody but dated air and covers some of the budget issues. 

But this really feels like it fits in with some of the other shows I’ve recced, like Beyond Evil and The Devil Judge.  It’s not quite at that level, but it’s trying REAL hard and I admire it.  PLUS it’s got explicit queer romance that is REALLY satisfying.  Like the ending is...SO HAPPY.  I fucking MELTED.  Out-Loud Squeeing from me. 

The gender politics aren’t flawless, in that we get a good amount of female victims and the focus is mostly on the men.  The victims do get their own stories but they aren’t really...empowering.  I don’t know.  It’s not a deal breaker or worse than typical US crime shows, but it’s not perfect and I feel I need to acknowledge it. 

Anyway, given all of that, please go watch it if you’re interested.  It’s not the easiest show to find online, unless you are a WeTv subscriber.  So you may have to do some searching, but it’s worth it.

I mean look at Bun and Tan’s first meeting:

[eclipse-song]

this is all japanese stuff since that's what i've been watching lmao

things to watch on viki:

rokuhodo colorful days. 4 guys in a restaurant vs the main guy's twin. one of the most bl bromances i've ever seen

encyclopedia of hopeless love was pretty fun imo

hey sensei don't you know i know was kinda pooped on by others but i liked it for what it was

three star bar in nishio okikubo is very slice of life

peanut butter sandwich is fun. questionable use of government but fun

dangerless detectives is super funny

kakafukaka has some HEATED OPINIONS about it. team "well life is messy sometimes and not all of it is the great romance but whatever" (so i liked it)

i liked the 3bs you shouldn't date lmao open ending

PRINCESS JELLYFISH IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT IT'S SO GOOD

things that are kinda meh but i wouldn't necessarily stop you either:

ai-chan's secret. this would have been better if it was made in 2009 with like satoh takeru as the main guy and aiba hiroki as the evil twin, sorry beppu yuuki. it's fine but i also found it kind of boring

cool boys only high. also would have been better if it was made in like peak hot boys high school era of like 2007-2011, but it has jirou donbros and touma saber (and spiders jeramie)

absolute boyfriend. hi mizushima hiro you're fun but it goes on a little long

ojisan is cheering for me (in my brain) is cute but also i watched it like mostly mute because my second hand embarrassment was getting so bad

marry me is cute and also went on a little long but if you like "falling in love after getting married" it's fine

things to NOT watch on viki:

the japanese version of you are my destiny. i couldn't get past like 2m of the second episode it was so gross imo

melancholy of the betrayed was just not satisfying emotionally

super rich. love yourself. do not watch this.

bewitched by my sexy boyfriend is one of the very few shows i didn't even get through the first episode of i think i noped out at like the 8m mark

VERY GOOD THANK YOU FOR THE REC LIST I'LL LOOK THROUGH THESE. Absolute boyfriend and princess jellyfish I've read the manga/seen the anime for so I already know what I'm in for there. But anything else is new to me!!!

[mapoeggplant]

Hello again, can I ask your top 7 fav BL manga/manhwa? Feel free if you want to write the reasons of why you love them or not. Please and thank you....

oooh that's a fun question!! I don't track a list of favorites for bl but I do have a lot that I love and would love to share it!!

so here is 7 recs in no particular order:

NOTE: some of these are NSFW or have 18+ themes so beware

boku no papa to papa no hanashi, by roji: ok this is actually one of my favorites OFISAJOFJ I would say top 1 fav bl. I just think it's gorgeous. I love the themes they discuss, the hardship of being a gay parent and how to raise someone. love it sm

the eve festival, by pharmacy: this one is a webtoon that I love it and find it sooooo fun!! I absolute love pharmacy's art style and the way they draw expressions, so that makes the reading experience even better. they are silly, love them.

cherry magic, by yuu toyota: a classic that will never get old. it's funny, gentle, caring and just such a fun reading. it's impossible not to feel happy while reading it!

fake fact lips, by machi suehiro: I kinda love banter to love plot but I feel like not everyone can pull it off right, but suehiro-sensei made it right. they are so stupid and in love...and the art is just AMAZING.

keisenjou no cantata, by dentou hayane: hayane-sensei is one of my favorite bl authors. I think the way they write stories are very tender and very beautiful. this one in specific is the sweetest to me. I can't recommend it enough, I just love it a lot.

kieta hatsukoi, by wataru hinekure and aruko: i think this one already became a classic, right? it's funny from beginning to end and so delightful to read. perfect for a time you want to read something light!

3 ban sen no campanella, by atsuki kyouyama: this one hits hard to me because I feel like the protagonist is extremely demissexual, so that hits home perfectly as a demi person. it's a beautiful story about self discovery and acceptance. beautiful.

bonus:

sankaku mado no sotogawa wa yoru, by tomoko yamashita: this one isn't focused on romance, focus more on discussing good and bad, questioning life and much more. if you're interested in romance I wouldn't recommend but if you want a mystery, go for it.

cure blood, by arata togaya: I'm not a vampire girl, but I became one when reading this. GOD IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL, but not a very happy ending story. something to cry a little.

link and ring, by yuruco tsuyuki: honestly this is just a story about two people who love each other deeply. and I love that for them.

hope you found some new titles here and that you have fun reading it!!! thank you for asking 💛