Japanese BL dramas offer a subtle take on affection in everyday life. Unlike their flashier counterparts, they focus on delicate emotions and nuanced storytelling, bringing a quieter charm to the screen. From lighthearted school rom-coms like “Kieta Hatsukoi (Faded First Love)!” to poignant coming-of-age tales like “Kimi ni wa Todokanai(I Cannot Reach You).” These shows tackle love, identity, and acceptance with a sensitivity and charm that’ll steal your heart. In this post, we’ve put together a list of top 35 Japanese BL dramas you can watch on Dramacool. Let’s dive in!
Real also: Top 50 Korean BL dramas
1.30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii (2020)
At 29, Adachi Kiyoshi is a virgin salaryman. On his 30th birthday, he gains the ability to read minds upon physical contact. While adjusting to this strange power, he discovers that his colleague Kurosawa Yuichi has romantic feelings for him. How will Adachi handle this newfound knowledge?
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Life, Supernatural
Starring: Akaso Eiji, Machida Keita, Asaka Kodai
2.Kieta Hatsukoi (2021)
Aoki develops a crush on his classmate Hashimoto, but is disappointed when he borrows her eraser and sees another boy’s name on it. Things become even more complicated when the other boy, Ida, sees Aoki with the eraser and mistakenly believes Aoki has feelings for him.
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Life, Youth
Starring: Michieda Shunsuke, Meguro Ren, Fukumoto Riko
3.Utsukushii Kare (2021)
Hira, a shy and stuttering seventeen-year-old, becomes enamored with popular and charming classmate Kiyoi. He follows Kiyoi and attends to his every need, content to be in his presence. Kiyoi uses his popularity to manipulate Hira, who admires him like a god.
Genres: Psychological, Romance, Youth, Drama
Starring: Hagiwara Riku, Yagi Yusei, Takano Akira
4.Life: Senjou no Bokura (2020)
Ito and Nishi meet on a sidewalk and find themselves drawn to each other. They begin a relationship that spans from high school to adulthood, facing challenges along the way. The story follows their unwavering love amidst a changing world.
Genres: Romance, Life, Youth, Drama
Starring: Shirasu Jin, Raiku, Kojima Fujiko
5.Fukou-kun wa Kiss Suru Shikanai! (2022)
Fukuhara Kota, a university student with extreme bad luck, is saved by good-looking and lucky classmate Shinomiya Naoya. Hoping to improve his own luck, Fukuhara asks to be friends but his words are misinterpreted as a romantic proposal. To his surprise, Shinomiya agrees to the friendship.
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Life, Youth
Starring: Sota Ryosuke, Sato Yusuke, Nakayama Satsuki
6.Old Fashion Cupcake (2022)
Nozue, a 39-year-old, has a routine of sleeping, waking, and working. This routine brings both comfort and stress. His 29-year-old colleague, Togawa, is concerned about him. Unexpectedly, they both go to a busy pancake shop full of girls.
Starring: Takeda Kouhei, Kimura Tatsunari, Mizuishi Atomu
7.The Novelist (2018)
Kuzumi, a university student, accidentally causes a bicycle accident that injures novelist Kijima Rio’s arm. Unable to afford the medical bills, Kijima asks Kuzumi to transcribe his obscene story.
Genres: Psychological, Romance, Drama
Starring:
8.Takara-kun to Amagi-kun (2022)
Two high school students, Takara and Taichi, who belong to different social groups, fall in love. Despite wanting to be honest about their relationship, they have to keep it a secret.
Starring: Sato Arata, Oriyama Nao, Komiya Rio
9.Ameiro Paradox (2022)
Satoshi Onoe, a reporter for weekly magazine Dash!, is tasked with working alongside photographer Motoharu Kaburagi on celebrity stakeout assignments. Despite their initial resentment towards each other, they start to develop feelings as they strive to capture the ultimate scoop.
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama
Starring: Kimura Keito, Yamanaka Jyutaro, Kashio Atsuki
10.Taikan Yoho (2023)
Segasaki, a well-liked weather forecaster, turns out to be controlling and demanding at home. Yoh, a struggling ero-manga artist, is aware of this as they are roommates and Yoh takes care of the household chores. In return for food, Yoh must obey all of Segasaki’s orders. The consequences of this arrangement?
Starring: Higuchi Kouhei, Mashiko Atsuki, Matsumura Sayuri
11.Minato Shouji Coin Laundry (2022)
29-year-old Minato Akira leaves his office job in Tokyo and takes over his grandfather’s laundromat in his hometown. One day, he meets a handsome high-school student named Katsuki Shintaro and they become friends despite their age difference. Akira later reveals that he is gay.
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Life, Drama
Starring: Kusakawa Takuya, Nishigaki Sho, Fukushi Seiji
12.Utsukushii Kare Season 2 (2023)
Kazunari Hira and Sou Kiyoi face new challenges as they navigate their relationship. Hira battles with self-esteem and job search while Kiyoi supports him and pursues his acting career. Can they overcome these obstacles and build a lasting future together?
Genres: Psychological, Romance, Youth, Drama
Starring: Hagiwara Riku, Yagi Yusei, Takano Akira
13.Senpai, Danjite Koidewa! (2022)
“Yanase, a seasoned 3D CG designer, is training a new colleague, Kaneda Yuki. However, Kaneda’s unfriendly attitude towards Yanase causes frustration and disappointment. As they work together on a new project, they must find a way to overcome their differences.”
Starring: Naito Shuichiro, Seto Toshiki, Matsuda Satoshi
14.Jack o’ Frost (2023)
Illustrator Okusawa Ritsu and salesman Ikegami Fumiya fall in love and live happily together. A misunderstanding leads to a fight and Ritsu loses his memory of Fumiya. They start over, but Ritsu wants to regain his memory by revisiting meaningful places from their relationship. Fumiya is hesitant, but they embark on a journey to retrace their love story.
Starring: Honda Kyoya, Suzuki Kosuke, Mori Shoot
15.Bokura no Shokutaku (2023)
Yutaka, a salaryman, struggles to eat around others despite his cooking skills. He meets two brothers, Minoru and Tane, and agrees to teach them how to cook. As they share meals together, Yutaka’s perspective changes.
Genres: Food, Romance, Life, Family
Starring: Inukai Atsuhiro, Iijima Hiroki, Maeyama Kuuga
16.His – Koisuru Tsumori Nante Nakatta (2019)
Nagisa, a 17-year-old who lives alone in a seaside town, is passionate about surfing and works at a bathhouse. During spring break, he meets Shun, the same age, and they develop a relationship. However, Chika, the owner’s daughter, has feelings for Nagisa.
Starring: Kusakawa Naoya, Kura Yuki, Shida Sara
17.Ossan’s Love (2018)
33-year-old Haruta Soichi, a single man who struggles with popularity with women, works at a real estate office and lives with his parents. When his mother leaves him, he is forced to live independently, but lacks basic skills such as cooking and laundry. He moves in with coworker Maki Ryota, who is a skilled housekeeper. Eventually, both Ryota and gay coworker Kurosawa Musashi confess their feelings for Soichi.
Genres: Business, Comedy, Romance
Starring: Tanaka Kei, Hayashi Kento, Yoshida Kotaro
18.Kimi ni wa Todokanai. (2023)
Childhood best friends Yamato and Kakeru are inseparable, but their relationship is not what they truly desire. Despite their efforts, they cannot bridge the gap between them.
Starring: Maeda Kentaro, Kashiwagi Haru, Tanaka Taketo
19.Eien no Kinou (2022)
Two high school students, Koichi and Mitsuru, are drawn to each other despite their opposite personalities. One day, Koichi is hit by a truck in front of Mitsuru. Despite being alive, Koichi’s classmates begin to forget about his existence.
Genres: Mystery, Romance, Drama, Supernatural
Starring: Komiya Rio, Inoue Sora, Otomo Karen
20.Bokura no Micro na Shuumatsu (2023)
A young man named Masumi Nishina, facing the impending doom of a massive meteorite hitting the Earth in ten days, decides to spend his final days reading in his college library. But this plan is disrupted when he unexpectedly crosses paths with his former lover, Ritsu Kusakabe. As they contemplate their fate, they consider rekindling their romance.
Starring:
21.30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii (2020)
Adachi Kiyoshi, a 29-year-old virgin salaryman, gains the ability to read minds when touching others on his 30th birthday. He is surprised and overwhelmed by this power, until he accidentally discovers that his colleague Kurosawa Yuichi has romantic feelings for him. Adachi must now handle this newfound knowledge.
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Life, Supernatural
Starring: Akaso Eiji, Machida Keita, Asaka Kodai
22.Kieta Hatsukoi (2021)
Aoki likes Hashimoto, his classmate. He borrows her eraser and sees her writing another boy’s name on it. The boy, Ida, sees Aoki with the eraser and thinks Aoki likes him.
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Life, Youth
Starring: Michieda Shunsuke, Meguro Ren, Fukumoto Riko
23.Utsukushii Kare (2021)
Hira, a quiet and reserved seventeen-year-old, is drawn to Kiyoi Sou, a popular and confident classmate. Despite his stutter, Hira becomes Kiyoi’s loyal follower, content with just being in his presence. Kiyoi exploits his popularity and Hira seems content with their dynamic.
Genres: Psychological, Romance, Youth, Drama
Starring: Hagiwara Riku, Yagi Yusei, Takano Akira
24.Life: Senjou no Bokura (2020)
Ito and Nishi meet one day after school while both walking on the sidewalk’s white line. As they spend more time together, Ito realizes he has feelings for Nishi. Despite only being able to meet on the sidewalk, Ito takes a chance and kisses Nishi, leading to a growing relationship that withstands the challenges of adulthood.
Genres: Romance, Life, Youth, Drama
Starring: Shirasu Jin, Raiku, Kojima Fujiko
25.Fukou-kun wa Kiss Suru Shikanai! (2022)
Fukuhara Kota is a university student with incredibly bad luck. He meets Shinomiya Naoya, who has supernatural good luck and many friends. Fukuhara asks Shinomiya to be his friend, thinking it will protect him from bad luck. Misunderstanding ensues, and Shinomiya agrees to begin dating.
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Life, Youth
Starring: Sota Ryosuke, Sato Yusuke, Nakayama Satsuki
26.Old Fashion Cupcake (2022)
The daily routine of 39-year-old Nozue, consisting of sleep, work, and waking up, is closely observed by his 29-year-old subordinate Togawa. Despite finding comfort in the routine, Nozue is also burdened by it. One day, they end up at a lively pancake shop filled with girls, an unexpected occurrence.
Starring: Takeda Kouhei, Kimura Tatsunari, Mizuishi Atomu
27.The Novelist (2018)
A university student, Kuzumi Haruhiko, causes a bicycle accident that results in novelist Kijima Rio breaking his arm. Kijima asks Kuzumi to transcribe his obscene story as compensation for the injury, as Kuzumi has no insurance or money to pay.
Genres: Psychological, Romance, Drama
Starring:
28.Takara-kun to Amagi-kun (2022)
Takara and Taichi, both high school students, discover their love for each other despite being from different social groups. Despite dating in secret, they struggle to be open about their relationship.
Starring: Sato Arata, Oriyama Nao, Komiya Rio
29.Ameiro Paradox (2022)
Satoshi Onoe, a reporter for gossip magazine Dash!, is paired with photographer Motoharu Kaburagi by senior staff. They clash due to their different personalities and work styles, but as they work together to catch celebrity scandals, they start to develop unexpected feelings for each other.
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama
Starring: Kimura Keito, Yamanaka Jyutaro, Kashio Atsuki
30.Taikan Yoho (2023)
Segasaki, a charming weather forecaster, is secretly a tyrant at home. Yoh, an ero-manga artist, lives with him and takes care of household chores in exchange for food. Yoh must obey all of Segasaki’s orders. What will happen with this arrangement?
Starring: Higuchi Kouhei, Mashiko Atsuki, Matsumura Sayuri
31.Minato Shouji Coin Laundry (2022)
29-year-old Minato Akira leaves his office job in Tokyo and takes over his grandfather’s laundromat in his hometown. The laundromat becomes a popular meeting spot and Akira enjoys his peaceful life. One day, Akira befriends a high school student named Katsuki Shintaro, despite their age difference. Akira eventually reveals that he is gay.
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Life, Drama
Starring: Kusakawa Takuya, Nishigaki Sho, Fukushi Seiji
32.Utsukushii Kare Season 2 (2023)
Kazunari Hira and Sou Kiyoi, a former high school couple, are now living together and navigating their individual paths. Hira, in his final year of college, battles with self-esteem issues that affect his relationship and job search. Kiyoi supports him, but can Hira overcome his doubts and build a future with Kiyoi?
Genres: Psychological, Romance, Youth, Drama
Starring: Hagiwara Riku, Yagi Yusei, Takano Akira
33.Senpai, Danjite Koidewa! (2022)
Yanase, a 3D CG designer, is training new employee Kaneda Yuki in Japan. However, Kaneda’s unfriendly attitude causes frustration and disappointment for Yanase. As they face a new project together, they must find a way to work together despite their conflicting personalities.
Starring: Naito Shuichiro, Seto Toshiki, Matsuda Satoshi
34.Jack o’ Frost (2023)
Illustrator Okusawa Ritsu and salesman Ikegami Fumiya fall in love after meeting at a coffee shop. A misunderstanding causes a rift between them. Ritsu loses his memory in an accident and Fumiya hides their past relationship. They go on a journey to rediscover their love, visiting meaningful places from their past.
Starring: Honda Kyoya, Suzuki Kosuke, Mori Shoot
35.Bokura no Shokutaku (2023)
Yutaka, a salaryman with a knack for cooking, struggles to eat around others. His perspective shifts when he meets Minoru and Tane, who ask him to teach them how to make his delicious food. As they share meals together, Yutaka’s attitude changes.
Genres: Food, Romance, Life, Family
Starring: Inukai Atsuhiro, Iijima Hiroki, Maeyama Kuuga
And there you have it! We’ve covered the top 20 Chinese BL dramas. Now, I’m curious – which one is your favorite from the list? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and let’s discuss the standout moments and characters together!
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