7 Best Boys Love Sports Manga, Ranked

Highlights

• Boys Love sports manga offer a unique blend of romance and athleticism, catering to a wide audience of readers.
• Titles like Take Over Zone and Baseball Heaven showcase dynamic relationships in the world of sports.
• Gift and Rin! present mature takes on the BL sports genre, delving into deeper themes beyond just romance.

Boys Love manga have gained considerable traction over the years, overtaking several popular themes. While most BL manga are confined to slice-of-life romcoms, sports narratives are another emerging theme for BL storylines. Newer BL titles such as Yuri On Ice may have popularized this theme, yet Boys Love sports manga date back to the early 2000s.

With a same-sex romantic escapade set against the backdrop of a sports arena, these Boys Love manga present dynamic premises that balance both intimacy and athleticism. Be it a budding romance among baseball teammates or a passionate spark between track runners, there’s something for everyone in this ever-expanding theme.

7 Take Over Zone

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.59/5

Despite being limited to ten chapters, Take Over Zone presents a fleshed-out Boys Love relationship, though not without its fair share of love debacles. While the story primarily follows former track-runner Hashimoto and his rekindling interest in track, every single character receives ample spotlight, giving way to a few secondary couples.

While Take Over Zone might not be Masara Minase’s finest work, it’s still a stellar piece of art for a ten-chapter BL sports manga. Coach Wada and team captain Takashima’s budding affair is also an intriguing subplot, with the possibility of the two receiving a spin-off manga.

6 Baseball Heaven

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.69/5

Baseball Heaven is a BL manga set on a baseball field, centering around a fierce romance between two teammates. The Tokyo Elephant’s shortstop, Ogota, and pitcher, Uno, can’t seem to get along, with the latter being cold and distant. What initially seems to be a case of homophobia flips into a burgeoning romance.

However, their romance can’t proceed unless Uno pitches a perfect game, a twist that ties in the baseball premise with the BL theme quite naturally. Even with limited chapters, the manga doesn’t rush the story, keeping readers engaged till the very end.

5 Gift

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.71/5

On the surface, Gift is a BL manga about a trainer’s efforts to help a young delinquent get off the streets by teaching him boxing. However, the manga soon sheds its initial facade for a much darker premise, one laden with blackmail, abuse, and trauma.

Despite these grim themes, Gift promises an intriguing romance between Yutaka and Kei, two characters who begin to grow fond of each other as time passes. Unlike its lightweight counterparts, Gift presents a mature take on the usual BL sports narrative, presenting a somewhat refreshing premise.

4 Rin!

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.78/5

Instead of the usual high-stakes team-based sports, Rin! revolves around the calm, albeit high-skilled, sport of archery. The manga is about a second-year student named Katsura, an anxious archer who can’t keep his nerves under control. Instead of seeking professional help, he turns to his brother’s best friend Sou, whose hugs get rid of all of Katsura’s fears.

While the premise might seem a bit odd, it certainly holds merit with its lessons on growing apart and learning to rely on one’s own strength. Rin! shares its mangaka with the popular BL manga Only the Ring Finger Knows, with Satoru Kannagi’s artistic flair shining through in this Boys Love sports manga.

3 18.44

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.80/5

Baseball is a sport known for high-stakes and tense moments, yet that won’t stop love from finding its way onto the playing field. 18.44 is all about an innocent affair between a pitcher and a catcher, as they navigate through these newfound sentiments for each other.

Yudai and Shotaro’s romance is a defining aspect of the manga, yet 18.44 largely focuses on its baseball elements, even sidetracking the romance at times. For those with an interest in sports, this BL manga delivers a balanced narrative filled with baseball and Boys Love bliss.

2 Perfect XXX

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.84/5

With baseball being a popular sport in Japan, it comes as no surprise that most BL sports manga use it as their backdrop. Perfect XXX revolves around the steamy romance between Ayato and Kenshiro, a love that is locked behind one condition: Kenshiro must pitch a perfect game.

While the premise of Perfect XXX might seem quite akin to Baseball Heaven, it differentiates itself through the dynamic between its primary characters. Moreover, the manga explains its baseball elements quite intricately, making it the better choice for those new to sports manga.

1 Replay

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.02/5

Replay centers around two childhood friends and their lingering attachment to baseball as they bid the sport farewell. As Ritsu and Yuta come to terms with moving forward with their lives, they discover newfound sentiments for each other, giving way to a wholesome love account.

While baseball isn’t a focal point in the manga, it serves as a catalyst for bringing Ritsu and Yuta together. With themes of acceptance and moving forward, Replay features a relatively mature premise with nuanced subtexts.