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kukuandkookie · 21 days

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People keep claiming Chinese BL manhua really only have stories featuring toxic male leads, so I offered to give recommendations with green flags... Someone finally said yes, so here's what I typed up in response!:

I Ship My Rival x Me:

One of my personal favourites!

Based on the hilarious novel, commonly known as I Ship My Adversary x Me and also has an audio drama adaptation on MaoEr FM. Basically a story about two actors who are seen as complete rivals by everyone except the actors themselves, which annoys the main character (Wei Yanzi) enough that when he discovers there are actual fans who ship them instead of pit them against one another, he’s so excited he sort of starts shipping them too (in like, an abstract, theoretical manner lmao). This of course causes shenanigans as he actually gets to know the person who people ship him with/pit him against, Gu Yiliang.

Gu Yiliang is a true sweetheart and the greenest of green flags. He’s a complete puppy and I love him. And this means, naturally, the only misunderstandings in this story are of the hilarious kind (you’ll know what I mean if you read it lol). 😂

This one actually used to be available officially in English on the Bilibili manhua’s international app before it got shut down, but it recently got picked up by Seven Seas, the company behind a lot of official English translations of danmei (Chinese BL)!

Touch Your World:

A literally colour-blind boy (as in, he cannot see colour at all and only sees things in black and white) discovers someone who he can see colour on. This person is a designer who has suffered past betrayal and trauma that has caused him to shut himself up and grow much more on edge, but this chance meeting draws both parties out of their shells.

Pixiu’s Eatery, No Way Out:

Not a green flag top in the traditional sense, but here we meet the mythical Pixiu: an ancient Chinese mythical creature who now runs a restaurant. While he’s a penny-pincher with a temper and he doesn’t get along with his love interest at first (a ghost named Wen Xi who he finds suspicious due to Wen Xi’s ties to a past rival of his named Taotie), Pixiu and Wen Xi eventually grow, quite naturally—and hilariously!—into a found family.

The Wife Is First:

Based on a novel of pretty much the same name (and is written by the same author as the popular manhua and donghua, No Doubt in Us (a heterosexual body-swap romance, which also has a subtle gay side ship)). Here we meet Jing Shao just as he’s about to lose everything: once a royal and a powerful general, he has been betrayed by all those around him…except the husband he has never treated well.

As such, when we first meet him, we actually witness his—and his husband’s—deaths. But then he awakens and finds himself back in time to the night right after he was forced to wed this husband of his, and Jing Shao vows to treat him well from now on because he stuck with him through thick and thin despite everything.

Don’t Say You Love Me:

A high school romance with a supernatural twist: Lin Yutong was confessed to by his best friend, Qin Weiyun, at their graduation party. When he drunkenly freaked out and ran away, Qin Weiyun was hit by a car during the chase…

Devastated by his loss, Lin Yutong quickly wakes up to find himself back at the start of his high school journey, right before he meets Qin Weiyun… And this time, he wants to keep Qin Weiyun safe.

But his overly familiar attitude at first gets the wary Qin Weiyun a tad suspicious, because he’s actually quite an aloof person.

The author and artist of this one is also behind another popular manhua titled Your Dream Is Delicious, which is about a demon named Yi Kui who discovers he enjoys eating the nightmares of Lin You. This eventually leads to them—you guessed it—falling in love.

It’s Not That I Want to Wear Women’s Clothing:

Our main character is hired to crossdress to help this CEO get over his gynophobia (fear of touching women) without him knowing. Naturally, this leads to an awkward romantic journey of both identities of our main character getting close to this CEO…who at first glance seems like the typical cold and aloof CEO type, except he’s actually quite a sweetheart.

Salt Friend:

A slice-of-life high school story about the “school bully” named Tong Yang who’s actually a crybaby and the aloof person named Xiao Zhen who discovers him crying. While the two don’t seem like they’d get along at first glance, this quickly becomes a friends-to-lovers story that navigates family drama alongside the romance.

How’d I Get a Heroine’s Script?:

A transmigration story with a twist. Chao Yi is wheelchair-bound but finds himself eventually as a young lord in what is basically a palace drama (court politics, intrigue, family drama, all that good stuff). His System, Qin Que, tasks him with wooing the difficult 7th prince, Gu Yunheng, who smiles on the surface but is quite cold in actuality.

Despite the two getting off on the wrong foot—mostly because Gu Yunheng is really hard to get close to—they soon end up as unlikely allies…especially since there’s a lot of secrets, such as regarding the death of the body Chao Yi’s occupying, the scheming princes, and even Gu Yunheng himself.

See You My King:

Zhang Li, a student interested in what is basically ancient Egypt, goes on an expedition to the ruined civilization and nearly loses his life. Except at the same time, he discovers an ancient tomb with a statue that actually comes to life and saves him…

And this statue even follows him home. This statue is sweet and loving despite its inability to speak, and Zhang Li grows attached to it (or him)… But then the statue falls apart and Zhang Li is devastated.

In wishing for a miracle to bring them back together, the statue’s stone heart sends Zhang Li back in time…to when this ancient civilization is still present. And that’s how he discovers his stone statue is the “tyrant king” of this region, and as cruel as he seems at first glance, both this king and Zhang Li eventually grow close and unfold the different sides to one another that makes them inseparable in the face of all kinds of threats.

Trapping the Foxy Doctor:

A doctor and a psychiatrist meet…except it doesn’t seem like a perfect love story at first glance. Not because the doctor is traditionally foxy (seductive and/or cunning), but because he’s so silly and on-the-nose that he initially kind of rubs the psychiatrist the wrong way. Except, of course, with the kind of sunny sincerity displayed by our doctor Zhi Banyi, you can’t resist him for long…

And the psychiatrist, Lin Li, is himself quite a polite soul despite his complex upbringing. As such, the two end up together through a series of cases where they have to collaborate and help clients, with a lot of shenanigans sprinkled in between (including the fact Lin Li has a side-job live-streaming as a woman—and “she” just so happens to be Zhi Banyi’s favourite streamer lol).

Pirouette Into My Heart aka Salad Days:

You know the “he was a skater boy and she did ballet” kind of set-up? Well here we have a boxer and a ballet dancer…and hey, “can I make it any more obvious”?

This one is basically a feel-good story of the century. It’s childhood friends to lovers, and it’s soft and cuddly and encouraging, as we follow the main character, Jiang Shen, in achieving his ballet dreams. And on every step of the way, he’s accompanied by the boxer Bai Jinyi, who’s also chasing his own dreams.

The draw of this one is that while there’s obviously conflict to drive the plot along, it’s ultimately a comforting story, so you get all warm and squishy inside reading it. Bai Jinyi and Jiang Shen are very supportive of one another, as is everyone around them.

There’s even extras at the very end that swap the classes of the two main characters, which makes for a similarly compelling AU. 🤭

Beryl and Sapphire:

Not always BL but often is. What do I mean by that? Well it’s a story that can switch to any universe even as the characters stay the same, and some worlds are just one-off gags while some are whole story arcs. The original manhua features stick figures, so if you really want to experience this one, I’d recommend the donghua. The first season also cleverly shows the main characters as actors in the OP, which explains all the world-switching pretty easily haha.

Don’t Pick Up Boyfriends from the Trash Bin:

Unfortunately I’m not sure the manhua for this one is still ongoing, but the original novel (all about transmigration and hopping multiple worlds) 100% features a green flag top.

The Guy Inside Me:

I know the title sounds sexual lol but it’s actually a joke about how it’s a body-swap story. 😆

The original Chinese title is “This Question Is Too Difficult”) and of course, the author also wrote Fake Slackers, which has two very smart students act like terrible ones due to not wanting trouble.

Falling to Where I Belong:

The thing about this one is that the top is 100% a total green flag... It's the main character that's more of a red flag, in the sense he at first only asks the top out to humiliate him due to a misunderstanding.

But it's still a heartfelt story filled with regret and growth, and I did really like the portrayal of Cheng Feichi. Personally I think the manhua humanizes him a bit more than the novel since we didn't really get his POV in the novel that often, but I did hope for even more emotion in the ending... Still, it was a satisfying read, and while I would like to comfort the main character, Zhen Yeming, over his regrets, I really want to just give all the good things to Cheng Feichi, who definitely deserves it after everything he went through.

More Than Brothers:

For the "non-freaks" out there, they're not actual brothers, don’t worry; not adopted brothers either. Just a guy who saw his younger friend as his bro…until this friend disappeared from his life and apparently got into a bad crowd… Except in reality he is being harassed and is struggling to leave his abusive family.

The Protagonist Just Wants to Fall in Love:

Kind of a classic in the transmigration genre, except now we get multiple worlds in multiple arcs. Our protagonists are Systems on their final mission, aiming to become human by the end of it, and their task is to guide their protagonists away from the path of "darkening" (essentially corruption).

And each and every one of these systems do so by getting their protagonist to fall in love with them lol.

Unsurprisingly, my favourite arc so far—in the manhua at least!—is the historical one between the advisor and the emperor, but the third—and currently ongoing as the time of me writing this—world between two university students who started getting close during military training and by playing games is also quite cute.

And okay, man I could really keep going, especially with the manhua that are based on novels, but this post is already really long asjakfl. It was, in fact, so fucking long YouTube wouldn't even let me post it at first until I cut it down AMFKGSJDFGS.

But I still want to at least give a shout out to some of the manhua with pretty healthy, green flag tops/gongs!:

Like Han Yuan, despite the characters not getting along at first and Yu Han being rather aloof to the spoiled Luo Linyuan, is still quite sweet at its core. Lovely Allergen is as well, even with their "brotherly" relationship being the forefront of the conflict between Song Yu and Yue Zishi.

Another kind I wanted to bring up is the ones where their worlds or stories are dark, but the characters aren't necessarily. Like The Film Emperor, He Insisted on Being My Patron has a very green flag gong (he's such a puppy!), but he and the main character are up against the reddest of red flags of a villain LMDFKGSJFD.

It's also not a manhua I think people who want green flag leads would necessarily enjoy, given that beyond being "darker," it also goes into the territory of fan service-y and "problematic" nsfw content, but again, the male lead is really quite sweet to the main character despite the shitty situation they're in.

And I thought of Bu Chonghua from Tunhai aka Swallowing the Seas (another one based on a novel), since the main character there, Wu Yu, comes to see Bu Chonghua as so good and just that he pushes him away because he feels like he can't dirty such a man with his own darkness, both in his past and personality. It's a trope I really enjoy.

I'll briefly mention some ⚠️ spoilers ⚠️but the reason I wanted to highlight it is because: the latest chapter of the manhua has Bu Chonghua overhear Wu Yu saying he likes Bu Chonghua, and this is after Wu Yu disappeared and Bu Chonghua is worried he skipped town for good. He follows Wu Yu, all while wondering if the like Wu Yu holds for him is the same as his liking of Wu Yu, and when Wu Yu is about to be gravely injured in an underground fighting ring, Bu Chonghua steps in to save him... The chapter ends with Wu Yu holding him back pleading with him to stop because it's not worth dirtying his hands with such a man as his opponent, and that's such a delicious flavour of angst because like...Wu Yu thinks it's fine for he himself to fight against such a person, but he doesn't want Bu Chonghua to. ;-;

Oops. I didn't mean for this to become a deeper ramble of Tunhai KMSGFKGHSJ. It's just interesting to me since Tunhai and its prequel, Poyun aka Breaking Through the Clouds, may not have what the people who prefer green flag tops want in terms of content, but its tops are technically not that much of a red flag either.

Which also get us to the kind of stories where plot can also sort of outweigh whether a top/gong is a green flag or not. Like No Arguing With Mr. Mo has two characters who struggle greatly in their relationship, with the question of "are they in love?" being an overarching issue for them, meaning it's not exactly healthy, and prevents them from being fully either green or red flags.

I also didn't bring up a lot of historical/xianxia manhua, which I'm sure some people may disagree with... Like the leads in Tianbao Fuyao Lu are arguably quite good, and while I haven't read Dinghai Fusheng Lu yet, I assume it's in a similar boat as something set in the same world.

And then there's the ones that develop into green flags... Like Mo Ran starts off awful, yes, but he does become much better later on!! But I don't think that's what those people after green flags want to hear lol. Plus I'd argue Erha is best experienced in novel (or audio drama) form over the manhua anyway—the manhua feels more like something made for established fans in my opinion.

Regardless, I hope this shows that with so many listed above, many manhua actually feature male leads who really do care for their love interests in a healthy, respectful way, whether they're 100% green flags or they develop into green flags or they're not even complete green flags. ^^

Edit: Oh I forgot to link my full list of danmei/baihe manhua recs HMSKFJSKS. I currently don’t have any summaries, tags, or content warnings in this list though, but there’s quite the range of stories!:

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beneaththetangles · 2 years

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Reader’s Corner: No Longer Heroine, My Wonderful World, and Wait for Me Yesterday in Spring

As one classic series nears its end (Maison Ikkoku), other manga and light novel series are just beginning, with our reviews including a romance that we thought was quite a lot better than early reviews indicated (No Longer Heroine). We also dig into the latest from an author whose last novel was the subject of our last Light Novel Club meetings and which just received an anime adaptation.

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Maison Ikkoku Collector’s Edition, Manga Vol. 9

It doesn’t seem possible that a series whose humor (and every chapter) is based on romantic misunderstandings could ever resolve in a romantic and fulfilling way. But somehow, as Rumiko Takahashi guides one of her classic series near its conclusion, she’s able to handle her subjects, Godai and Kyoko, gently and meaningfully, even as the trademark miscommunications continue. Yet, the two have matured, particularly in the second half of Maison Ikkoku‘s run, so the same irresponsible failures by Godai and overreactions by Kyoko will not do. Instead, Godai must succeed as a responsible adult, while Kyoko has to resolve her relationship with Mitaka once and for all. That latter bit is at the heart of this volume, creating a number of tender moments as the main love rival in the series takes center stage and puts his heart on the line. And though his storyline in these chapters naturally involves a crude misunderstanding, it’s also gentle and sensitive, reminding readers that Takahashi is as adept at drama and romance as she is at humor. The volumes ends, though, on a series of sudden and impassioned events that draw us right to edge of the manga’s climax. Only one volume remains, and the biggest misunderstanding of all—one that could permanently break apart Kyoko and Godai—may have been saved for the very end. ~ Twwk

Maison Ikkoku Collector’s Edition is published by Viz Media.

READ: Maison Ikkoku Collector’s Edition Reviews (Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7 // Vol. 8)

Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade, Light Novel Vol. 1

Imagine you’re watching a gritty, realistic war movie, complete with standard war story characters—the inexperienced private, the by-the-book NCO, the martinet staff officer, the grandfatherly general, etc. Except suddenly Goku shows up with Ultra Instinct and derails absolutely everything, leaving both sides befuddled by his absurd power and eccentric behavior. That’s kind of what this fantasy-adventure war-story comedy is like, and it’s great! Having been raised in isolation by a mysterious, grim-reaper-like being that calls itself Z, Olivia ventures out into the world after her caretaker disappears. She stumbles into a continent-spanning war, ends up joining the side that is losing, becomes a hero, and starts turning the tide. Olivia’s unconventional upbringing has made her totally OP, but also quite lacking in what others consider common sense. She’s basically the funny man to a whole cast of straight men. I found this story quite entertaining and will definitely pick up the next volume. ~ Jeskai

Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade is published by J-Novel Club.

Wait for Me Yesterday in Spring, One-Shot Light Novel

Frustrated with his dad and with the burdens of Tokyo life, Kanae Funami ditches spring break supplementary classes and hightails it back to Sodeshima, his backwater hometown. Things have changed little back home. The town is still and quiet, almost dying; his grandmother and sister still live in their childhood home; and his childhood friend Akari Hoshina still wanders the seaside paths. But tragedy strikes swiftly, and in its aftermath, Kanae finds himself thrust five days into the future. What emerges is a weighty but hopeful story about the passing of time, loss and healing, and the disarming power of kindness in the face of cruelty. It’s a beautiful vision: a vision of a universe where there’s a good ending for all who seek it (and sometimes even for those too tired to try). Sadly, this vision is obscured by a convoluted time travel setup, which goes unexplained even as the author takes great pains to convince us it’s the most natural thing ever. And the outpouring of melodrama clashes sharply with the book’s subtle, reflective setting. These things aren’t new for Mei Hachimoku, either; I noticed a lot of similar issues in The Tunnel to Summer when we read that for the light novel club. Ultimately, though, it’s that beautiful vision that keeps me coming back to this novel, even if it does make waiting for the next Hachimoku release in English a little harder to bear. ~ sleepminusminus

Wait For Me Yesterday in Spring is published by Seven Seas.

No Longer Heroine, Manga Vol. 1

I told myself that I had zero plans to pick up No Longer Heroine because of overwhelming negative reviews for the series I had seen prior to its release. After a spontaneous trip to the bookstore though, I walked away with volume one in hand and a deep curiosity about whether I would like it. While I always love my wholesome shojo heroines, the heroine of this story, Hatori, is far from typical. Never mind the fact that she proclaims herself the heroine of her own love story and her childhood best friend, Rita, the hero. After all, she knows him better, and has loved him longer, than anyone else. Every other girl that tries to win his playboy heart doesn’t really have a chance. She’s got destiny on her side, so there is no rush to confess and let him know her feelings, right? This story was hilarious! I came in nervous and expecting not to like it, but ended up enjoying it far more than I anticipated. Hatori’s actions are funny more often than not because of her facial expressions—but that doesn’t change the fact that she’s an internal snob, is rude, and can be mean. While that might sound like a turnoff to read this, I love how as the story progresses: she knows she these things about herself and wants to change. Rita is also quite the interesting hero and felt a little bad for him at times, but I definitely want to see how their “love story” will unfold! No Longer Heroine was surprisingly refreshing and such a fun read! ~ Laura A. Grace

No Longer Heroine is published by Yen Press.

My Wonderful World, Manga Vol. 1

I became aware of dyslexia the way many Americans did—through an episode of The Cosby Show in which teenager Theo Huxtable learns that his struggles in the classroom arise from this learning disorder. It was a cultural milestone for the country. But judging by the very existence of My Wonderful World, including the author’s note at the end of volume one where the mangaka admits never even hearing about dyslexia until about a decade ago, Japan may have never had a similar moment. So this series functions as an introduction to dyslexia through the eyes of Shinobu Asakura, a young man who cannot read or write well and has difficulty holding down even part-time work. When he uses his cell phone to help him cope at his new job and is consequently let go, he serendipitously meets a cafe manager who explains to Shinobu that—like himself—he seems to have dyslexia. Shinobu’s new friendship with the manager opens doors—and create struggles—that are explored through the rest of the volume. Though he now identifies himself as dyslexic, he still struggles with how to interact with the world—with (as the manager explains to him) what exactly it is he wants to say. I think that’s what I appreciated most of this manga volume: it isn’t just the primer for understanding the disorder, though it will help many readers in this way; it also portrays Shinobu in an authentic life, with his foibles and struggles. This is a strong start for an important work. ~ Twwk

My Wonderful World is published by Kodansha.

Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs, Light Novel Vol. 5

The Alzer Republic arc of Trapped in Dating Sim, especially the storyline in volume five, is a misstep for what has otherwise been a wildly entertaining series. After reaching a peak in volume three, which resolves the arc portrayed in the recent anime adaptation, volume four swept Leon, Marie, and the “Idiot Brigade” to a kingdom run by arrogant nobles who obtain power from holy trees. Volume five continues this study-abroad arc, but travels down an unsavory path in which the possessive Loic makes political dealings and military maneuvers in an attempt to secure Noelle as his bride. Loic is vicious and abusive in this novel, which could make for an interesting tale but ends up feeling flat, uncomfortable, and—maybe worst—unimaginative for a story that’s been fun for its creativity and wink-wink attitude toward isekai and otome light novels. Most of the rest of this volume feels similarly dull. Some of that is because the Alzer Republic is just less interesting than Holfort: its hallmarks are a misplaced pride in their military based on the power of the Sacred Trees (which don’t get the same sort of rich mythology as the Juraian trees of Tenchi Muyo) and the noble houses (filled with flat characters) that rule the nation. Even less forgivable is how Noelle is reduced to a crying victim, left to be rescued while her own powers and will are stripped from her. Just as Asuna depends on Kirito or Rukia on Ichigo, Noelle awaits rescue by Leon, who has little to do in this series until called upon. His usual biting banter with Luxion is largely replaced by Loci’s abuse of Noelle, leaving Trapped in a Dating Sim to feel for the first time like a more typical isekai, and a rather boring one at that. Even so, there are some bright points, including Marie’s developing relationship with Leon; the characterization of Lelia, whose relationship with Noelle feels like the antithesis of Hertrauda and Hertrude from volume three; and the Idiot Brigade, who in the absence of Leon and Luxion must serve as the only source of humor for most of the volume (our crown prince handles this job exceptionally well). And thankfully, as the volume ends, there are signs of better storytelling ahead. I’m hopeful that even though a return to Holfort is still a ways away, this series will move back on track and return to what it does best: having fun at the expense of isekai and otome tropes with a lead and companions that are at their best when interacting with one another in all their goofiness and glory. ~ Twwk

Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs is published by Yen Press.

READ: Trapped in a Dating Sim Reviews (Vols.1-2 // Vol. 3)

Shortcake Cake, Manga Vol. 8

I think prior to this volume, if someone were to say Shortcake Cake is a “fluffy shojo” I would quickly and heartedly agree. However, with volume 8, I would be hesitant to agree because there seems to be a gradual transitioning in this volume. Now don’t get me wrong! We definitely have lots of fluffiness in this volume because it begins with our couple officially heading to Ten’s home to see where she grew up and (much to Riku’s surprise) meet her family on Christmas Eve. Not only that, but they have an excellent and super romantic moment at New Year’s (which I’m pretty sure turned my heart to mush)! Yet within these moments, we see there is a deep sadness to Riku due to his past that hasn’t been quite “unveiled” like this in previous volumes. Yes, we know things have happened that have involved his brother Rei, but this volume looks like it’s going to be the catalyst in bringing Riku’s past to light. Based on these events and newfound knowledge about Riku’s family, I have a strong feeling it is going to be very heartbreaking in learning more about Riku’s past. Not quite sure my heart is ready, but I did love how we are getting to know a side character (Shingen) that we’ve briefly seen/met so far! I feel cautiously optimistic for the next volume even if my heart did feel heavy at the end of this one. ~ Laura A. Grace

READ: Shortcake Cake Reviews (Vol.1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol 7)

Shortcake Cake is published by VIZ Media.

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“Reader’s Corner” is our way of embracing the wonderful world of manga, light novels, and visual novels, creative works intimately related to anime but with a magic all their own. Each week, our writers provide their thoughts on the works they’re reading—both those recently released as we keep you informed of newly published works, and those older titles that you might find as magical (or in some cases, reprehensible) as we do.

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