The Best Shonen-ai Anime, Ranked
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The Best Shonen-ai Anime, Ranked

Raelyn Giansanti
Updated April 1, 2025 240.3K views 15 items
Ranked By
16.8K votes
5.7K voters
Voting Rules

Vote on your favorite shonen-ai anime series.

What is the best shounen-ai anime? Also called “boys love” anime, this popular subgenre focuses on romantic relationships between two male characters. The shows that are listed may have different sub-genres, but they're all about Shounen-ai in one way or another. Uragiri wa Boku no Namae o Shitteiru and Tokyo Babylon 2 are a great starting point if you’re looking for recommendations for more BL anime.

The top shounen-ai anime series include No. 6, a show praised for its unique plot and stunning animation. Other good BL anime series include Love Stage!!, Given, and Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi: The World's Greatest First Love.

What is the greatest Shounen-ai anime of all time? Scroll down and find out what the best boy-love anime is for yourself!

Latest additions: Given
Over 5.7K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Shonen-ai Anime, Ranked
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  • No. 6
    1

    No. 6

    2,204 votes
    On a stormy night, Shion gives shelter to a mysterious boy who gives his name as Nezumi.
  • Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi: The World's Greatest First Love
    2

    Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi: The World's Greatest First Love

    1,384 votes
    Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi: The World's Greatest First Love (Studio Deen, 2011), also known as Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi, is a Japanese boys' love anime series based on the manga by Shungiku Nakamura. Rookie literary editor Onodera Ritsu finds himself working in the Shojo Manga division of his publishing company where his former flame from high school works.
  • Junjou Romantica
    3

    Junjou Romantica

    1,323 votes
  • Love Stage!!
    4

    Love Stage!!

    1,484 votes
    A youth born into a family of celebrities shuns the spotlight, masquerading as a girl.
  • Super Lovers
    5

    Super Lovers

    1,156 votes
    While spending summer with his mother, Haru meets Ren, a boy newly adopted by his mother.
  • The Betrayal Knows My Name
    6

    The Betrayal Knows My Name

    612 votes
    An empathic orphan seeks answers about his past while struggling to control his dangerous powers.
  • Given
    7

    Given

    74 votes
    Mafuyu Satou is taught to play guitar by Ritsuka Uenoyama, who wants to make him his lead singer.
  • This Boy Caught a Merman
    8

    This Boy Caught a Merman

    510 votes
    This Boy Caught a Merman (CoMix Wave Films, 2012) is a Japanese fantasy comedy yaoi anime OVA. After being saved from drowning by a handsome merman, Shima Kawauchi is convinced by the creature to bring him back home until he fully recovers.
  • Gravitation
    9

    Gravitation

    566 votes
  • Gakuen Heaven
    10

    Gakuen Heaven

    381 votes
    Gakuen Heaven: Boy's Love Hyper is the 2006 Japanese anime television program directed by Takahashi Natsuko.
  • Ai no Kusabi
    11

    Ai no Kusabi

    295 votes
    Ai no Kusabi is a 2 part original video animation released at 1992 and 1994, and based on original novel written by Rieko Yoshihara.
  • Mirage of Blaze
    12

    Mirage of Blaze

    169 votes
    A high school student fights evil spirits.
  • Tokyo Babylon 2
    13

    Tokyo Babylon 2

    158 votes
  • Sotsugyou M: Oretachi no Carnival
    14

    Sotsugyou M: Oretachi no Carnival

    121 votes
  • Litchi DE Hikari Club
    15

    Litchi DE Hikari Club

    156 votes