Pride Month Feature: Must Watch Boy Love / Shōnen ai / Yaoi Animes!
Boy love (gay), Shōnen ai or Yaoi animes is one of the most sought-after genres of anime today. These animes focuses on romantic relationships between male characters. While many assumed that the Shōnen ai or Yaoi anime usually appeals to those that fall within that category, do you know that this genre is also appealing to many women?

Some of the reasons why women enjoy the Yaoi genre of animes besides the fact that it is considered a forbidden love in many cultures include the fact that these animes allow women to escape from the traditional gender roles as the Yaoi anime from being the societal pre-determined female role model of a perfect, beautiful, sexy female. There are so many good-looking male characters in Yaoi animes that simply appeal to women. These Yaoi anime also allows women to see a more emotionally vulnerable version of men and because many women do not enjoy or even accept the rough sex scenes between a heterosexual male and female in an anime.

Today, as we move toward a more accepting world, we have access to these homosexual contents more easily especially here on Playtech-Asia :P. These are some of the must watch boy love animes that Playtech-Asia do not want you to miss out on.



Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

Based off of a popular Chinese novel of the same name, Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation is set in ancient China following the Chinese fantasy of cultivation or otherwise known as Wuxia. It tells the tale of Wei Wuxian who roamed the world in his wanton ways and hated by millions because of the chaos he created. He is then back-stabbed and ultimately killed by powerful clans.

Wei Wuxian reincarnated 13 years later as Mo Xuanyu and came across Lan Wangji. Although the man he loves died thirteen years prior to the start of the story, Lan Wangji recognizes Wei Wuxian soon after his resurrection in the body of Mo Xuanyu. Eventually, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian acknowledge their feelings for each other and become cultivation partners.




Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi: The World's Greatest First Love

After having to deal with jealousy from his co-workers for working under his father's name, prideful literary editor Ritsu Onodera is determined to establish himself in the industry. To accomplish this, he quits his job at his father's publishing company and finds himself working as the rookie manga editor for the Emerald editing department. There, Ritsu is introduced to the infamous editor-in-chief Masamune Takano, a persistent man who strives for results.

As it turns out, Takano is actually Ritsu's high school love, and it is the aftermath of that heartbreak has caused Ritsu's reluctance to fall in love again. Now with the two reunited after several years of separation, the reestablishment of their relationship is marked by Takano's vow to make Ritsu say that he loves him again.




Banana Fish

Ash Lynx, was a runaway picked off the streets of New York City and raised as the adopted heir and groomed to be the lover of Mafia leader ‘Papa’ Dino Golzine. Now at the age of seventeen, Ash forsakes the kingdom of the devil that raised him. His world changes when he encountered a dying man who pushes a vial into Ash’s hands while uttering the words “Banana Fish”, the same words Ash remembers his brother mentioned in the past. As he investigates further into “Banana Fish”, it opens a door to freedom for Ash.

Later, Ash is introduced to Shunichi Ibe and his assistant, Eiji Okumura, both Japanese photographers reporting on American street gangs.  What begins as a random encounter quickly escalates into a life-and-death struggle, knotting Ash and Eiji together in ways that cannot be untangled.




Heaven's Official Blessing

Heaven's Official Blessing is a donghua based on the Chinese web novel of the same name. Eight hundred years ago, Xie Lian was the Crown Prince of the Xian Le kingdom; one who was beloved by his citizens and the darling of the world. Unsurprisingly, he ascended to the Heavens at a very young age. Now, eight hundred years later, Xie Lian ascends to the Heavens for the third time as the laughingstock of all three realms. On his first task as a god, he meets a mysterious ghost king, Hua Cheng who rules the ghosts and terrifies the Heavens... yet unbeknownst to Xie Lian, this ghost king has been paying attention to him for a very, very long time.

Heedless of warnings to stay away from Hua Cheng, Xie Lian continues to cross paths with the nonchalant and intelligent ghost king as he becomes increasingly enveloped in the affairs of the three realms of heaven, earth, and ghost. Their interactions gradually lead to the building of a close, mutually protective relationship. As he unravels his feelings for Hua Cheng, and as Hua Cheng establishes himself as a steady fixture in his life, Xie Lian is yet to realize just how long their pasts have been entwined.




Given

Mafuyu Sato clutches on his Gibson guitar as he begin another day of his high school life. At school, he encountered fellow student Ritsuka Uenoyama who berates him for letting his guitar’s strings rust and break. Acknowledging Uenoyama’s knowledge of the instrument, Sato pleads for Uenoyama to fix it for him and teach him how to play. Uenoyama eventually agrees and invites him to sit in on a jam session with his two bandmates: bassist Haruki Nakayama and drummer Akihiko Kaji.

Upon noticing the strikingly beautiful voice of Sato, Uenoyama is filled with the determination to make Sato the lead singer of his band. The initially reluctant Sato eventually accepted the offer after an emotional meeting with an old friend. Along with his new bandmates, Sato must not only learn to play the guitar but also come to terms with the mysterious circumstances that led him to be its one true owner.

Other Boy Love / Yaoi Anime worth watching