Celebrate this year's Pride Month with some of our favorite LGBTQ+ reads spanning genres from horror to fantasy.
by Mokumokuren
It has Hikaru’s face. It has Hikaru’s voice. It even has Hikaru’s memories. But whatever came down from the mountains six months ago isn’t Yoshiki’s best friend. Whatever it is, it’s dangerous. Carrying on at school and hanging out as if nothing has changed—as if Hikaru isn’t gone—would be crazy...but when it looks so very like Hikaru...and acts so very like Hikaru...
Cooking is how Nomoto de-stresses, but one day, she finds herself making way more than she can eat by herself. And so, she invites her neighbor Kasuga, who also lives alone. What will come out of this impromptu dinner invitation...?
by Atsuko Yusen
Yuujirou Matsukaze has been close friends with Rui Hanamine since the two of them were children. Back then, Yuujirou was the one who stood up for and took care of his adorable, soft-hearted friend. But as it turns out, Yuujirou's childhood dreams end up growing a little too big to handle — or, rather, too tall!
At over six feet in height, the cheerful and happy-go-lucky Rui towers over his would-be protector... and still has no idea Yuujirou's had a crush on him since they were kids!
PINK HEART JAMby Shikke
For college student Haiga, starting school in the big city is a chance to make new friends and try new things. On the first day of classes, he spots an impossibly gorgeous upperclassman named Kanae strumming a guitar and decides to join the school’s rock band. But later, when a drunken dare gives Haiga the opportunity to visit a male brothel, he finds his crush employed there as a sex worker!
by Ichika Yuno
Elva is a battle shaman whose life is eroded bit by bit every time he drives back monsters that emerge from the black sea. Indignant when he sees this, a young boy named Alto is determined to find a cure and stay by Elva's side.
After 8 long years, Alto has become a fearless young man, though he hides his love deep inside. And despite only expecting to live for a few more years, Elva seems to be healing as he spends time by Alto's side.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO FALL IN LOVEInexperienced Yoshino is about to turn thirty. He’s nearly given up on ever falling in love, let alone having decent sex—until one day he steels himself and goes to a gay bar. There he meets Rou, a charming, silver-haired college student who is everything that Yoshino isn’t: mysterious, assertive, and experienced with both men and women. Yoshino finds himself hopelessly attracted to Rou, as their awkward courtship simmers into something more. But is it love?
BOY MEETS MARIAby PEYO
Taiga dreams of becoming an actor, so the first thing he does upon entering high school is join the drama club. There, he meets the beautiful, enigmatic Maria and immediately falls in love with her. Not long after, Taiga is told that she is actually a boy--but is that all there is to Maria’s story? The late PEYO debuted with this beautifully illustrated, single-volume tale exploring the nature of personal expression and the fluidity of the power of love.
OUR DREAMS AT DUSKNot only is high schooler Tasuku Kaname the new kid in town, he is also terrified that he has been outed as gay. Just as he’s contemplating doing the unthinkable, Tasuku meets a mysterious woman who leads him to a group of people dealing with problems not so different from his own. In this realistic, heartfelt depiction of LGBT+ characters from different backgrounds finding their place in the world, a search for inner peace proves to be the most universal experience of all.
RUN AWAY WITH ME, GIRLby Battan
Maki’s first love was her high school classmate, a girl named Midori. But Midori broke up with Maki at graduation, saying they were now "too old to be fooling around dating girls." Ten years later, Maki still can’t get Midori off her mind, and when the two women reconnect after a chance encounter, Maki realizes that, while her feelings haven’t changed, Midori has long moved on—in fact, she's engaged. Yet the more Maki hears Midori talk about her soon-to-be-husband, the more red flags she notices. And Midori has another secret, one she hasn’t yet shared with Maki. Will it be the last blow to Maki’s hopes that their romance might be rekindled? Or will it be the push that sets them on a new path—one they’ll travel together?
BLUE FLAGby KAITO
Love is already hard enough, but it becomes an unnavigable maze for unassuming high school student Taichi Ichinose and his shy classmate Futaba Kuze when they begin to fall for each other after their same-sex best friends have already fallen for them.
For some reason, Taichi Ichinose just can’t stand Futaba Kuze. But at the start of his third year in high school, he finds himself in the same homeroom as her, along with his childhood friend Toma Mita, a star athlete. But one day, Futaba opens up to Taichi and admits she has a crush on Toma. She then asks for his help in confessing to him! There’s just one problem—Toma seems to already have a secret crush on someone else.