Boys' love anime is getting more of it. On November 10, the official site for Aoharu Once More, a "light anime" adaptation of Toworu Miyata's BL manga, confirmed a January 2027 premiere on TV Tokyo, with Tasuku Kaito and Kazuki Ura in the leads. It's the third title from BALLOON, a new BL anime label that wants to make ten or more shows a year by 2028. With more on the way, here's where the genre stands now: 12 BL and BL-adjacent anime ranked by SenpaiRanks consensus score, with studio, length and where to watch. It's a companion to our yuri ranking.
Quick answer
According to SenpaiRanks, the best BL anime is Mo Dao Zu Shi (7.97), the Chinese donghua of Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation. Next come Banana Fish and Given, tied at 7.88. Banana Fish streams on Netflix in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada and France. The best one-sitting watch is the 2016 film Doukyuusei (Classmates) at 7.83. Sasaki and Miyano (7.74) is the easiest pick if you want something sweet, and Yuri!!! on Ice (7.72) on Crunchyroll is the genre's biggest crossover hit.
The ranked list
1. Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Founder of Diabolism) — 7.97
B.C May Pictures · 2018 · 15 episodes (season 1). This one is Chinese animation, not Japanese, but no BL ranking would be honest without it. It adapts Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's danmei novel Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Wei Wuxian, a disgraced cultivator, comes back to life 13 years after his death and keeps running into Lan Wangji. Chinese censorship keeps the romance as subtext, but it's hard to miss. The final arc, Wanjie Pian, scores 8.08 on our board. Check the show page for current streaming options.
2. Banana Fish — 7.88
MAPPA · 2018 · 24 episodes. Ash Lynx, a gang leader in 1980s New York, and Eiji Okumura, a Japanese photographer's assistant, end up in the middle of a drug conspiracy. It's a crime thriller first, and the bond between Ash and Eiji is why people still talk about it. It streams on Netflix in select regions with English and French dubs (where to watch Banana Fish).
3. Given — 7.88
Lerche · 2019 · 11 episodes. A quiet guitarist joins a band and slowly comes back from a loss. Natsuki Kizu's manga is the best music drama in the genre, and the payoff song in episode 9 is the scene everyone remembers. The story continues in Given the Movie (7.78) and two 2024 films. Check the show page for current streaming options.
4. Doukyuusei (Classmates) — 7.83
A-1 Pictures · 2016 · film, about an hour. A choir festival brings two high school boys together. Asumiko Nakamura's art is animated in loose watercolor, and nothing on this list looks like it. If you only have an hour, watch this. Check the show page for current streaming options.
5. Sasaki and Miyano — 7.74
Studio Deen · 2022 · 12 episodes. Miyano is a BL fan who can't see that his senpai likes him. The show is gentle, funny and a little self-aware. The graduation film scores 7.83 on our board. Streams on Crunchyroll.
6. Yuri!!! on Ice — 7.72
MAPPA · 2016 · 12 episodes. Sayo Yamamoto's figure-skating series about Yuuri Katsuki and his coach Victor became a mainstream hit, and it still has some of the best skating choreography in anime. The planned film, Ice Adolescence, was cancelled in 2024. Streams on Crunchyroll.
7. Sekaiichi Hatsukoi — 7.59
Studio Deen · 2011 · 12 episodes. An editor finds out his new boss at a manga publisher is his high school first love. It's from Shungiku Nakamura, who also wrote Junjou Romantica, and the second season scores higher at 7.76. Check the show page for current streaming options.
8. Umibe no Étranger (The Stranger by the Shore) — 7.50
Studio Hibari · 2020 · film. A novelist in Okinawa meets a high schooler who sits by the sea every day, and the story picks up again years later. It's a small, adult film that takes its time. Check the show page for current streaming options.
9. Junjou Romantica — 7.47
Studio Deen · 2008 · 12 episodes. This is the classic: three couples in Shungiku Nakamura's first big hit, with all the 2000s BL habits that come with it. Season 2 scores 7.69. Check the show page for current streaming options.
10. Love Stage!! — 7.21
J.C.Staff · 2014 · 10 episodes. The otaku son of a celebrity family gets roped into a wedding commercial, and his co-star falls for him. It's the broadest comedy here. Check the show page for current streaming options.
11. Hitorijime My Hero — 7.16
Encourage Films · 2017 · 12 episodes. A delinquent and the teacher who saved him from a street fight. Memeco Arii's manga is a spin-off of her earlier Hitorijime Boyfriend. Check the show page for current streaming options.
12. The Summer Hikaru Died — 7.08
CygamesPictures · 2025 · 12 episodes. A rural horror story: Yoshiki knows the boy who came back from the mountain isn't his best friend Hikaru, and he can't let him go anyway. It's BL-adjacent, and the scariest show on this list. Streams on Netflix, and Season 2 is coming (manga ending and Season 2).
What's coming: Aoharu Once More
The BALLOON label makes "light anime," shorter productions on a faster, cheaper schedule. Aoharu Once More follows Hayato Kobayashi, who keeps dreaming about his school days and the classmate he couldn't forget. Rikako Machida directs at IMAGICA Infos / Imageworks Studio, and Tokyopop has licensed the manga in English. No streaming partner has been named yet. OceanVeil carried the label's first two titles. The teaser:
It's on our winter 2027 guide list of January premieres. Once it airs, its score comes from your votes.
How we ranked them
Scores are SenpaiRanks consensus scores for each franchise's main entry. Sequels and films are mentioned in the entry but not ranked separately. Hikaru, Banana Fish and Yuri!!! on Ice are BL-adjacent rather than romance-first, and we've included them because BL fans count them. For more, see the shōjo, josei and romance rankings, or the full SenpaiRanks board.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the best BL anime?
A: On SenpaiRanks, Mo Dao Zu Shi (7.97) ranks first, with Banana Fish and Given tied at 7.88. Among Japanese TV series, Given and Banana Fish lead.
Q: What is a good BL anime for beginners?
A: Sasaki and Miyano (7.74) on Crunchyroll. It's 12 short, funny episodes, and the main character is a BL fan himself.
Q: Where can I watch Banana Fish?
A: On Netflix in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada and France, with English and French dubs.
Q: Is Yuri!!! on Ice a BL anime?
A: It's usually counted as BL-adjacent. The relationship between Yuuri and Victor is central, but the show is a sports series first. It scores 7.72 and streams on Crunchyroll.
Q: What new BL anime is coming in 2027?
A: Aoharu Once More premieres in January 2027 on TV Tokyo, and The Summer Hikaru Died has a second season on the way.