Manga, which are Japanese comic books and graphic novels, have become increasingly popular in North America since the 1990s. Back then, series like Sailor Moon, Naruto, and One Piece began to make their way into niche fan circles in the U.S. Today, many more manga titles are being translated into English and released in North America.
Simultaneously, the LGBTQ+ Community has grown more visible in the last few decades all over the world. In the last decade, or so, there has been a boom in manga stories centering on LGBTQ+ characters. Today, let’s highlight 10 great titles!
This is a manga memoir about the author’s life as she transitioned, met her husband, and got married. It includes a lot of information about LGBTQ+ identities and legal rights in Japan.
A four-volume surrealist series centering on the queer community and coming of age. This series explores the lives of a queer cast in a semi-rural area as they work to be understood and acknowledged for who they are.
This one is a spin-off of the manga Secret XXX, though it can be read as a standalone. After a drunken night together, Shizuma has no memory of Minato. Out for revenge, Minato decides to make Shizuma fall in love with him just to break his heart.
Doughnuts Under A Crescent Moon
This four-volume series is a soft, asexual office-setting romance between two women who don’t realize how lonely they are until they stumble into friendship.
A five-volume series revolving around a non-binary high schooler who ends up joining a maid cafe to find a place where they can be themself. Over time, Mogumo grows closer to the others at the cafe and even falls in love.
This cute office romance features a plus-sized protagonist whose colleague is head over heels for him, though our grumpy lead isn’t quick to catch on.
The Whole of Humanity Has Gone Yuri Except for Me
This thick single-volume begins as an isekai story (wherein the protagonist ends up in a universe other than their own) but develops a sci-fi plot. Marika is a normal girl and she likes to keep it that way. The only problem is that she has somehow ended up in a universe where only women exist.
This sweet series centers on a pair of high school girls– track star Kase and gardening enthusiast Yamada. The series centers on their high school romance, and the follow-up series Kase-San and Yamada depicts their college lives.
This sweet cooking love story features Yutaka, a shy salaryman who always eats alone despite his excellent cooking. One day, he meets a pair of brothers who are wildly different in age and as the odd trio begins sharing meals, Yutaka finds his place at their dining table.
She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat
This ongoing series centers on a pair of neighbors. Nomoto loves to cook but she hates that people always mention how it will make her a great wife or mother one day. One day, when she makes too much dinner, she invites her neighbor, Kasuga, to help her finish the meal. From there, the two become foodie friends and steadily grow closer.
