Shounen-ai anime is the genre, also known as Boys’ Love or BL in Japan, that focuses on the romantic relationship between men written by women for women. Be it a sexual relationship or not, the category broadly depicts homosexual relationships in any scenario, with boys’ love being the focus. But the category is differentiated in the west. While Shounen ai anime essentially focuses on the emotional aspects of the relationship, the sexual aspects are covered in the yaoi anime.
The genre portrays boys’ love with cute characters and a light-hearted story that has good vibes and you can enjoy thoroughly. Be it popular anime or good anime, and we have categorized the anime according to everyone’s taste of the genre.
The list we have given below comprises the best 25 shounen-ai anime that one can enjoy if they are genre lovers and can be a complete delight for the otaku girls! So if you are interested in getting into the world of shounen-ai anime, join us till the end.
25. Gakuen Handsome
- Director: Toneso Kizashi
- Writer: N/A
- Cast: Natsuki Hanae, Satomi Akesaka, Kazunori Nomiya, Satoshi Tsuruoka
- IMDb Rating: N/A
- Where to watch: VRV. Crunchyroll
It is the story of Yoshiki Maeda, who is all set to begin his new year in an all-private boys’ school named Baramon High School. On the first day itself, Yoshiki connects with his childhood friend Takuya Saotome almost after seven years.
He also meets several other individuals, a soccer captain, an outlaw teacher, and others on the campus. Thus, the school presents opportunities for love, friendship, and conflicts and is thus a must-watch.
24. Marginal Prince: Gekkeiju no Ouji-tachi
- Director: Takayuki Inagaki
- Writer: Ritsuko Hayasaka
- Cast: Ryôtarô Okiayu, Hisayoshi Suganuma, Masakazu Morita
- IMDb Rating: 4.9
- Where to watch: N/A
The anime showcases Yuuta heading to attend the St Alfonso Academy by leaving behind his beloved sister. The organization is set on a small island in the Atlantic Ocean and is entirely not in touch with the outside world.
On reaching there, Yuuta begins to live with five Marginal Princes- movie star Alfred Visconti, student representative Joshua Grant, Haruya Kobayashi, otaku Sylvain Clark, and Henri-Hughes de Saint Germaine.
With his journey in the new place, Yuuta will experience a lot of adventures and learn the life of students accompanied by his handsome pals!
23. Gakuen Heaven
- Director: Yukina Hiiro
- Writer: Natsuko Takahashi
- Cast: Jun Fukuyama, Takahiro Sakurai, Tomohiro Tsuboi, Shin’ichirô Miki
- IMDb Rating: 5.5
- Where to watch: Hoopla, Peacock, Peacock Premium, Pluto TV, AsianCrush, Retrocrush, IMDB TV, Amazon Channels
Gakuen Heaven is the story of a high school boy named Keita Ito who finds himself suddenly enrolled in Bell Liberty Academy one day. The school is an all-high-class boys boarding school and has all the handsome boys there, making it nearly impossible to notice them and fall in love with them!
22. Sukisho!
- Director: Haruka Ninomiya
- Writer: Mamiko Ikeda
- Cast: Hikaru Midorikawa, Takehito Koyasu, Sôichirô Hoshi
- IMDb Rating: 6
- Where to watch: Tubi TV
Also known as wa Suki Dakara Shou, the anime is the story of Hashiba, who happens to lose all his memories after meeting with an accident. But when Fujimori enters his school and as his new roommate, the latter introduces himself as Ran. The both happen to suffer from a split personality disorder that they developed when they were youth.
Both of their alter personalities, Yoru and Ran, happen to love each other deeply. But when they learn that their spilled personalities share a romance, they get creeped out initially but later begin to fall for each other and learn more facts about their youth.
21. Merman In My Tub
- Director: Sayo Aoi
- Writer: Yumiko Ayana
- Cast: Nobunaga Shimazaki, Yuichiro Umehara, Yoshihisa Kawahara
- IMDb Rating: 6.2
- Where to watch: VRV, Crunchyroll
A high school boy named Tatsumi happens to live all by himself. But one day, a beautiful merman named Wakasa gets into his bathtub in his house. Both are entirely different- Wakasa being cute and self-obsessed while Tatsumi being a fantastic but busy person. It is interesting to see both of them bond.
20. Koisuru Boukun
- Director: Keiji Kawakubo
- Writer: Hinako Takanaga
- Cast: Hikaru Midorikawa, Kôsuke Toriumi
- IMDb Rating: 6.3
- Where to watch: N/A
It is the story about Tetsuhiro Morinaga, who falls in love with Souichi Tatsumi, an upperclassman, and confesses his love for him. But it turns out that Tatsumi is a homophobe who is aggressive and self-centered. So much so that he even believes that he must remove all gay men from the planet.
But after an unexpected accident, the two come physically closer, even against the beliefs of Tasumi. Thus, it alters the life of both men entirely, and it is interesting to watch what destiny has in store for both men.
19. Fake
- Director: Iku Suzuki
- Writer: Akinori Endo
- Cast: Yôsuke Akimoto, Masashi Ebara, Gary Gillett
- IMDb Rating: 6.4
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
The tale is about two co-workers and partners named Ryo and Dee. And when the two set for the vacation in the UK, Dee decides to make his love for Ryo visible, but all his plans fail when a chain of mysterious murders and some unwanted guests come in the way.
18. Loveless
- Director: Yū Kō
- Writer: Yūji Kawahara
- Cast: Katsuyuki Konishi, Junko Minagawa, Anthony Lawson
- IMDb Rating: 6.6
- Where to watch: N/A
Loveless is the story where everyone is born with cat ears and a tail, which goes away only when one indulges in sexual intercourse. Aoyagi Ritsuka, a high school boy who suffers from amnesia for unknown reasons, is suddenly left with his crazy mother after his brother’s death.
But when he moves into the new school, he meets with Agatsuma Soubi, who claims to have known his dead brother. Aoyagi learns that Soubi and his brother Seimei were fighting where Seimei was the Sacrifice and Soubi a Fighter.
But now, since Seimei is dead, Soubi gets inherited by Ritsuka and begins to find out the mystery behind the death of his brother while also getting closer to each other.
17. Super Lovers
- Director: Shinji Ishihira
- Writer: Yoshiko Nakamura
- Cast: Tomoaki Maeno, Junko Minagawa, Ayumu Murase
- IMDb Rating: 6.7
- Where to watch: VRV
When Haru spends time with his mother, he meets Ren, his mother recently adopted. Thus, Haru is to teach him by the summer ends as it is not easy to get along with Ren as it seems to be.
But when they get to know each other and spend some time together, they come closer, and it is worth watching as to whether they will be able to become a family finally!
16. Tight Rope
- Director: N/A
- Writer: N/A
- Cast: Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Shinnosuke Tachibana, Kosuke Takaguchi
- IMDb Rating: 6.9
- Where to watch: N/A
The story is about the romantic relationship between the heir of the Yakuza family, who is reluctant, and his childhood friend, which initially started to blossom when they were in school and slowly began to progress with time.
15. Saezuru Tori Wa Habatakanai: The Clouds Gather
- Director: Kaori Makita
- Writer: Hiroshi Seko
- Cast: Tarusuke Shingaki, Hiroki Yasumoto, Wataru Hatano
- IMDb Rating: 7
- Where to watch: HiDive
Yashiro, the leader and president of Shinseikai Enterprise, lives a double life like a masochist and a deviant. But when Doumeki Chikara becomes his bodyguard, Yashiro cannot control himself getting attracted to him despite deciding that he would not lay hands on his men.
When Yashiro tries to make attempts and help Doumeki, he, due to strange reasons, lets them down. But soon, an affair sparks between the two, and it is definitely worth watching!
14. Hitorijime My Hero
- Director: Yukina Hiiro
- Writer: Yūsei Naruse
- Cast: Toshiki Masuda, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Tomoaki Maeno, Shinnosuke Tachibana
- IMDb Rating: 7.1
- Where to watch: HiDive, Amazon Prime Video
Also known as My Very Own Hero, the anime is about Masahiro Setagawa, who believes that no heroes exist as he has been getting into trouble lately. But when he gets bullied by some neighborhood bullies, he gets saved by a street fighter named Kousuke Ooshiba, also known as the Bear Killer.
He also happens to be the elder brother of Masahiro’s best friend Kensuke Ooshiba and his homeroom teacher. The fighter promises to protect Masahiro, but the feelings between the two seem to get even more profound.
On the other hand, Kensuke reunites with an old pal named Asaya Hasekura. But the popular boy confesses his love for Kensuke, which makes him confused and unsure. Thus, this yaoi anime series should be on your watch list if you are a shounen-ai anime fan.
13. Hybrid Child
- Director: Michio Fukuda
- Writer: Aki Itami
- Cast: Jun Fukuyama, Kōsuke Toriumi , Kōki Miyata, Junichi Suwabe
- IMDb Rating: 7.1
- Where to watch: N/A
The story sees The Hybrid Child, neither fully human nor fully machine, grow when poured with enough love and care by the owner. The different models of the Hybrid Child tend to develop a deep bond with their owner.
Thus, the anime sees several short tales of love, drama, sacrifice. Kotaro learns how to act responsibly when the lifespan of his Hybrid child runs out. Seya, a swordsman, is taught to love again by his Hybrid Child named Yuzu. The last story is about the creator of Hybrid Child, Kuroda, who gets inspired to create them after losing love.
12. Shonen Maid
- Director: Yusuke Yamamoto
- Writer: Yoshiko Nakamura
- Cast: Todd Haberkorn, Seth Magill, Apphia Yu
- IMDb Rating: 7.2
- Where to watch: Funimation Now
With the death of his only family member, who happens to be his mother, Chihiro Komiya is left with no one and no home. But things change completely when he happens to meet a wealthy stranger who turns out to be his long-lost uncle named Madoka Takatori.
But when his uncle takes him to his big mansion, Chihiro is taken aback when he encounters the filthy place. Since he is very particular about neatness, he takes charge of getting the place cleaned.
The show has some shounen-ai elements and is a light-hearted comedy that you can enjoy.
11. Love Stage!!
- Director: Kenichi Kasai
- Writer: Eiki-Eiki, Mikiyo Tsuda
- Cast: David Wald, Greg Ayres, Tia Lynn Ballard
- IMDb Rating: 7.2
- Where to watch: VRV, HiDive, Crunchyroll
The story follows the life of Sena Izumi, who finds himself to be an oddball in the family of super talented and famous individuals. With his father being a singer, his mother a movie star, and his elder brother a lead vocalist in a famous band named The Crushers, Izumi works hard to become a manga artist.
But when he unexpectedly appears in a TV commercial one day, he happens to reunite with a famous actor Ichijou Ryouma. The latter worked with Izumi a decade ago and thus began their story.
10. Gravitation
- Director: Bob Shirohata
- Writer: Akemi Omode, Mamiko Ikeda, Michiko Yokote
- Cast: Megan Hollingshead, Takehito Koyasu, Tomokazu Seki
- IMDb Rating: 7.2
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, RetroCrush, Funimation Now, VRV, AsianCrush
Shuichi has the most significant dream to follow his pop idol Ryuichi Sakuma and the band called Nittle Grasper. And together with his best pal Hiro, Shuichi, he forms a band, Bad Luck and gets a deal signed for a recording label.
But the deadline for the song is approaching near, Shuichi is still stuck with his incomplete lyrics of the songs. So all he needs is a little inspiration that he is low on lately. And to help him, Hiro suggests he get a girlfriend, contrary to what is about to happen in Shuichi’s life.
One night when Shuichi was walking through the park, his lyrics landed on a mysterious stranger who is stunning and takes Shuichi’s breath away. The stranger turns out to be the famous novelist Eiri Yuki. The novelist completely crushes the young singer by stating zero talent.
In anger for the embarrassment by Yuki, Shuichi completes the lyrics of the songs so that he can confront Yuki. But all that he is doing is it in anger or love?
9. Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi: World’s Greatest First Love
- Director: Chiaki Kon
- Writer: Rika Nakase
- Cast: Takashi Kondō, Yukari Tamura, Katsuyuki Konishi, Shinnosuke Tachibana
- IMDb Rating: 7.5
- Where to watch: Funimation Now, Amazon Prime Video
Onodera Ritsu is a young man who works as the editor for the Marukawa Publishing Company. When he joined the company, he is shocked to learn that the only job available was in the Shojo Manga section.
He then meets Masamune Takano, the editor and chief of the manga division, and the two begin to spend time together. Soon Takano realizes that the new editor is, in fact, his high school love and informs about it, Takano.
And this time, Takano is all ready to make Onodera fall for him at any cost. But Onodera refuses to accept the past and leaves for the home only to find himself thinking about the old high school days with his love. But All determined, Takano would not leave any chance to regain his long-lost love.
8. Mirage of Blaze
- Director: Susumu Kudo
- Writer: Hiroko Tokita, Kazuyuki Fudeyasu, Yuki Enatsu, Ryosuke Nakamura
- Cast: Richard Cansino, Lex Lang, Jamieson Price
- IMDb Rating: 7.5
- Where to watch: N/A
Takaya Ougi is a high school student who lives an everyday life and wants to protect his best friend. But when an older man Nobutsuna Naoe gets to him, he gets informed that he is an incarnation of Lord Kagetora. And Naoe help awakens Takaya’s abilities so that he can fight the Fuedal Underworld.
But since most of the possessors tend to remember their past life, Takaya does not. Name is thankful for this as he shared a dark past with his Lord Kagetora. But as Takaya begins to improvise his skills, he recalls what Naoe did earlier for his love of him. On the other hand, Hojo and Fuma clans get ready to fight against the Fuedal Underworld as they begin to get closer to the living world.
7. Kyo Kara Maoh!
- Director: Junji Nishimura
- Writer: Akemi Omode
- Cast: Sam Riegel, Patrick Seitz, Tara Platt
- IMDb Rating: 7.6
- Where to watch: RetroCrush, AsianCrush, VRV, Crunchyroll
Yuuri Shibuya, a 15-year-old, gets transported to a new alternate world when flushed down the toilet. The people of the new world named the New Demon Kingdom then inform him that he is to be the new king of the demons.
Thus, in order to rule the new empire, he is offered help from his four subjects Günter von Kleist, Conrad Weller, Gwendal von Voltaire and Wolfram von Bielefeld. The new ruler should make sure that no more war takes place between the humans and the demons.
6. Spirit Pact
- Director: Li Hauling
- Writer: Reiko Torii
- Cast: Yūichi Iguchi, Rumi Ookubo, Shunsuke Takeuchi, Rumi Ookubo
- IMDb Rating: 7.6
- Where to watch: VRV, Crunchyroll
You Keika tries his best to come out of poverty. But when he meets a white-haired man in a junkyard, he finds himself dead in a sudden accident and that he is now a spirit. The unknown man he met turns out to be the 13th Youmeshi of the Tanmoki, a superior exorcist family in China and is named Tanmoku Ki.
When he notices You wandering as a spirit, he offers him a pact that states You would be protected by Tanmoku Ki from humans and in return You would have to be his spirit shadow for his safety. Then begins the journey of both of them to safeguard the people around them from harmful spirits.
But as time passes, they begin to get closer, and the relationship of a master and servant begins to turn into something more that neither of them expected.
5. Junjou Romantica
- Director: Chiaki Kon
- Writer: Shungiku Nakamura
- Cast: Daisuke Kageura, Nobutoshi Canna, Hikaru Hanada
- IMDb Rating: 7.6
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation Now, VRV, Hulu
Junjou Romantica is an anime that narrates three love stories simultaneously. First, Misaki Takahashi is a high school student set to give his university entrance exams. He aims to get admission into the Mitsuhashi University, the university his brother Takahiro turned down so that he could take care of Misaki when their parents died.
One day when Misaki finds his brother being fondled by a famous author and brother’s best friend named Akihiko Usami, he gets confused. But slowly, Misaki and his brother’s friend begin to get acquainted, and the latter ends up becoming Misaki’s private tutor.
On the other hand, University professor Hiroki Kamijou, a literature professor and Akihiko’s friend, is sad about his failed romance. But when one of the students named Nowaki Kusama comes to Kamijou for help regarding the upcoming exam, everything changes for him. The two begin to get closer and more secrets about the student come out.
Elsewhere, Shinobu Takatsuki is interested in dating You Miyagi, the co-worker of Hiroki and the ex-husband of her sister. Three years ago, he saved Shinbou from a robbery. Although You does not have the same emotions for Shinbou, he soon realizes that the wealthy teenager would do anything to make romance happen between the two.
4. Dou Kyu Sei: Classmates
- Director: Shôko Nakamura
- Writer: Asumiko Nakamura
- Cast: Hideo Ishikawa, Hiroshi Kamiya, Kenji Nojima, Yurino
- IMDb Rating: 7.8
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
It is the tale of Hikaru Kusakabe, a carefree boy who loves living in the present. But when he, along with his class, is forced to take part in the chorus festival in summer, he by chance discovers one of his intelligent classmates named Rihito Sajou trying to practice singing all by himself.
And to help Sajou to make the class sing right, Kusakabe delightedly extends his hands to help him prepare for the event. Despite being poles apart, they begin to bond well and get closer with time. But since they do not know what the future has in store for them, their relationship and closeness are at stake.
3. Cardcaptor Sakura
- Director: Morio Asaka
- Writer: Nanase Ohkawa
- Cast: Sakura Tange, Carly McKillip, Sam Vincent
- IMDb Rating: 8
- Where to watch: Netflix, VRV, Tubi TV
Cardcaptor Sakura is the story about Sakura who accidentally stumbles on the book of Clow Cards in her father’s library and the magical cards set loose. Thus, Sakura must catch all of the cards before they cause chaos in the world.
And to help her, her best buddies Tomoyo, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards, are there. But problems arise when her rival is also chasing the Cards and are after the attention of her brother’s friend named Yukito.
2. Yuri!!! On Ice
- Director: Sayo Yamamoto, Jun Shishido
- Writer: Sayo Yamamoto, Mitsurō Kubo
- Cast: Toshiyuki Toyonaga, Jun’ichi Suwabe, Josh Grelle
- IMDb Rating: 8.3
- Where to watch: VRV, Crunchyroll
The story revolves around Yuuri Katsuki, who sees his career as a rising skater closing infront of his eyes. Thus, after losing at the Grand Prix Finale, he returns to his home to look into the prospective future options.
But his life suddenly takes an unexpected turn when one of his videos goes viral on the internet. So much so that Victor Nikiforov appears on his doorstep and offers him to be his mentor. Being his biggest fan, Yuuri readily accepts the offer and begins his journey back in the game.
But everything is not as simple as it seems. With rising competition, Yuuri must work hard to defeat the Russian star Yuri Plisetsky, and the name of his mentor is retained.
1. Given
- Director: Hikaru Yamaguchi
- Writer: Natsuki Kizu
- Cast: Takuya EguchiYuma UchidaShogo Yano
- IMDb Rating: 8.4
- Where to watch: VRV, Crunchyroll
The story sees Mafuyu Satou and Ritsuka Uenoyama start on the wrong foot initially as the latter taunts Satou about the condition of his guitar. But when Satou requests Uenoyama to fix his guitar and teach him how to play one.
Eventually, Uenoyama agrees to help him and invites him to join the former’s bandmates. And after listening to Satou sing, all get mesmerized by his beautiful voice and decide to make him the lead singer of the band.
Initially reluctant to the new opportunity, Satou eventually agrees to it after meeting an old pal. Thus, he begins his journey to learn how to play guitar and come to terms with the fact that made him the instrument owner.
So now that you have a list of all the popular shounen-ai anime series, do not waste any time watching the handsome hunks and enjoy some boys-on-boys action and romance that is sure to set fire and some sizzling sensations!
