The two begin by holding hands, more like shaking hands, then change hands and intertwine their fingers and sit very close to each other. When Izumi says they should let go because his hand is sweaty it gets a little ecchi. Ui lifts his hand and begins to lick the back of his hand. You may think that’s a little tame for an ecchi show, even though you do get to see the saliva. Ui then turns it up by beginning to slowly suck his finger until pulling it from his mouth with a very suggestive string of saliva from the tip of his finger to her lips. Ui and Izumi quickly end up intertwined on the couch, her breasts in his face. We get a great panty shot from this angle as she begins to grind against his leg until she begins to pant and moan until collapsing on top of him.

Izumi and Ui’s relationship is a secret. The idea of two teenagers of the opposite sex living together definitely means “lewd” things are going on behind closed doors. As fans of ecchi anime, we obviously hope lewd and naughty things are going on. You also know that if, say, the head of the Disciplinary Committee were to drop by the little love nest a whole bunch of trouble would follow. When this happens what does Izumi do? Hide Ui in the bathroom of course. We’ll just fast forward to the good stuff here. Ui finds herself sitting on Izumi’s lap as he sits on the toilet (pants in place) as Misumi waits in the living room. The fun starts when Ui feels a little poke, and decides to squirm and tease Izumi. We’ll just say this grinding gets out of hand fast leading to Izumi having to stifle Ui’s scream of pleasure with his hand.

Like most guys, he has a weakness for girl wearing a yukata. The summer festival is a great place for young romance with the games, fireworks and food all playing into the atmosphere. Izumi is dragged along with Ui, Misumi and their friends and he quickly finds out that when the strict disciplinary committee head Misumi pulls him aside to a dark corner away from the festival lights that she can be a handful, literally. She tells him that “This is so there will be no sexual misconduct at my school,” and we can’t have him doing anything at the festival where he’ll embarrass the school. With that in mind, Misumi tells him to “use my breasts to vent your urges,” before they go into public where he could act out and embarrass the school. She grabs his hand and guides him in venting those urges. The scene has a lot of good parts, Izumi trying to keep his cool, Misumi being irrational, and the thought that they were doing something forbidden make this a great scene.

Ui just isn’t feeling as “loved” as she did in the first season and doesn’t think Izumi is paying attention to her needs. She tries several times to encourage his affections, for example saying and wearing provocative things and putting pressure on Izumi’s crotch with her foot to create a desired amorous effect. In the second scene Ui simply gives in to her arousal brought on by the sent and feel of Izumi’s pillow and blanket. She kind of loses herself in the moment proving that one isn’t necessarily the loneliest number -- at least until Izumi walks in on her.

It seems that is what Ui has on her mind on her 16th birthday. You (western audiences) just need remember the 16 is the legal age for a girl to get married in japan, with parental approval. When Ui finds a package with a racy negligee in it, she assumes it’s a birthday present for her from Izumi. We can see where this is leading from the beginning of the episode and we can’t wait to see her soft, round curves silhouetted by the thin fabric. Izumi gets a really close look as he wakes up from a nap with Ui wrapped around him. We get almost two minutes and 30 seconds of Ui kissing and grinding against Izumi until she exclaims “my head is going to explode!” We are also sure that Izumi was thinking something similar and for that suggestive tease makes this the number one ecchi scene in My Wife Is Student Council President.

When Kohina, a ‘living doll’ with absolutely no human emotions like loneliness, decides to play Kokkuri-san alone, she’s not convinced she actually will become haunted by the fox spirit as legend tells. Yet when the summoning turns out to be successful, Kohina ends up with a supernatural live-in housekeeper! Unable to stand the thought of the young girl living on her own and eating only cup noodles every day, Kokkuri-san takes care of the household responsibilities and becomes Kohina’s first friend. Unfortunately, he's not the only spirit to end up drawn to Kohina. The obsessed Inugami and good-for-nothing Shigaraki also take up residence, and Kohina’s lonely days are replaced with stressful encounters with pervy spirits. However, it is thanks to these supernatural beings that she learns to become more human. Kokkuri was an easy pick because it combines my love for ikemen (pretty boys), the supernatural, and Ono Daisuke’s voice. It’s hysterical to the point where I was in shock with the things they were getting away with but it still managed to be so sensitive about certain things. None of the demons behave anything like you'd imagine powerful monsters to be like, and their concerns are incredibly human. I'll admit, though, this show had me tearing up unexpectedly at certain touching moments. Kohina’s cool and aloof nature is so endearing, and seeing her open up in the weirdest of circumstances makes for a very fun and heartfelt anime.

Izumi was born into a family of celebrities, an absolute curse for the otaku who wants to draw manga professionally in solitude. The only time he’d ever appeared on TV, he’d been made to dress up as a girl! That was 10 years ago, and now the company he did the commercial for wants to shoot a ’10 years later’ version with the original cast!! Bribed by his older brother, he reluctantly agrees. Things become even more stressful when his previous co-star, the now super famous Ryouma, wants to meet the cute girl from 10 years ago! When Ryouma finds out Izumi’s secret, he’s disgusted that the excitement he’s been feeling is for another man. He’s determined to push Izumi from his thoughts, but when Ryouma goes to confront his, he ends up trying to touch Izumi instead! When this frightens Izumi, Ryouma realizes he's been selfish and cruel and apologizes in the hopes the two can become friends. As they grow closer, they find that friendship is not all they long for! Beyond the obvious shounen-ai, Love Stage is great because it’s a really funny story with characters that know what they want to do. Much for the same reason I loved Gravitation, I love Izumi’s ambition in his chosen field. His desire to become a mangaka, even when he so obviously lacks talent, is both hilarious and inspiring. Of course, I'm a big fan of relationship dynamics, so the relationship between Izumi and Ryouma was very refreshing. We tend to have a lot of simple dynamics in gay anime where one character doesn't want it, and the other does, and one guy forces himself on the other and whoops, guess he likes it. Now don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of that as well. However, Love Stage is special to me with the nature of their relationship being more respectful and supportive than I'm used to. Plus the artwork is great and features particularly stunning eyes.

Madoka and Sayaka are two middle school girls whose lives are changed forever when they are offered the chance to form a contract to become magical girls. With the promise of having their greatest desire fulfilled, it seems like a great opportunity. However, they are confronted by a magical girl, cold and dismissive, who tells them not to accept the contract. She warns that fighting Witches, the causes of human suffering, will take a much greater toll on them than they realize. Madoka and Sayaka meet another magical girl who tells them that by accepting the contract, she got a second chance at life. Forced to decide between giving their lives forever to battle, or standing idly by while their friends face danger, the two must decide their own paths in a world far more perilous than they ever realized. There is so much to love about this show. It’s not the first time mahou shoujo (magical girl) anime has been dark, but it's a very deep and intriguing story. The focus on how being a magical girl really affects their lives in the ‘real world' is particularly interesting and at times, quite painful. The artwork changes drastically with the presence of Witches and it really serves to show the disconnect from the world the girls know and the secret lives they lead. If you haven’t seen the show, and the name Urobuchi Gen means anything to you, I warn you he wrote the script. If the relationships between girls intrigue you, I highly suggest you give it a watch!

Sai Akuto may be young, but he knows exactly what he wants to do with his life. His strong sense of justice has led him to pursue becoming a high priest so that he might have the power to help those too weak to help themselves. He’s the kind of guy to help little old ladies cross the street, so it’s quite the surprise when he enrolls at Constant Magic Academy and it’s revealed his fate is to become the next Demon Lord! This draws all kinds of people to him, friend and foe, despite his absolute repulsion to the idea. While he seems to be moving steadily towards his cruel fate, he will find more and more people he wishes to protect. He’ll also find that not all the ladies are as opposed to the idea of him becoming a demon lord as he is! One of the reasons I love Daimao so much is because it is hilarious with an overarching mystery attached to it. I also greatly love the relationship dynamics, where we have the protagonist of a harem that doesn’t just automatically gain everyone’s affections in an instant. Instead, Akuto’s good qualities (his sense of justice, responsibility, and kindness) are what attract girls to him. His goal isn’t to get a girlfriend or score a harem, women are just drawn to him while he works hard to become someone who can protect the weak and defenseless. A real harem protag that men can aspire to be like! And wow, what a collection of diverse cute girls. It’s hard not to get attached to all of them! With everyone striving to achieve their precious dreams, it’s as inspiring as it is stimulating!

The young aristocrat Ciel Phantomhive, on the surface, works diligently to uphold the integrity of his family’s name after losing them in a mysterious fire. With the help of his exceptional butler named Sebastian, he fulfills his duties as Earl of the Phantomhive estate as well as executive chairman of Funtom Corporation. His less known role is that of The Queen’s Watchdog. The young master and servant work to solve any mystery which brings distress to her Highness, often putting Ciel and Sebastian in the middle of violence and terror. Being one hell of a butler, Sebastian carries out any and all orders from Ciel who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. His goals, however, are not limited to preserving the honor of the Phantomhive name. Ciel seeks to not only raise his family's status to its former glory, but to make his enemies suffer greatly for their past crimes against him. His search for revenge brings him in close contact with demons, shinigami (death gods), and angels. While a normal thirteen-year-old boy would be shaken by this, Ciel sees only opportunity. Bound by a contract, Ciel and Sebastian will let neither heaven nor hell get in their way. One of the things I loved about this series was how funny it managed to be while still conveying such dark and depressing themes. What’s even more incredible is its ability to utilize this humor as a way to make light of a character’s faults, only later to bring them painfully into focus. Not your standard tale of good and evil, Kuroshitsuji makes you question just what is good and how does one navigate life when their only choices are the lesser of two evils. Of course, I was a huge fan of Sebastian as he's a demon, he's a butler, AND he's voiced by my favorite seiyuu (voice actor), Ono Daisuke.

Kousei Arima was an incredibly gifted pianist, nicknamed “human metronome” for his perfect technique. However, after his mom died, he found himself unable to hear the piano and thus he retired from the stage. This changes when his neighbor and childhood friend, Tsubaki, introduces him to Kaori Miyazono, a cheerful violinist who tends to ignore technique to play from her heart. While at first glance Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso and Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo are polar opposites, both series take a serious approach to how talent can affect young people, and the people around them. Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso focuses on the music world, while Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo is centered around the arts and manga in particular. And in the end both have the same message about following your passion despite what other people may think or say about it. One extra thing for cat lovers, both series use cats as stand-ins for their main characters. In Sakurasou, it’s obvious that Kanda won’t leave the stray cats he picks up along the way alone and that is how we know he’ll always take care of Mashiro, while in Shigatsu, a nameless black cat is often seen around Kaori.

Yuuta, Takumi and Shinobu are three students at an art college in Japan, who live in a very run down apartment that seems perfect for poor students with very different personalities. Things start changing when Shuji, one of their professors, introduces them to his cousin’s daughter, Hagumi, an incredibly talented artist who happens to look like a very young girl. Yuuta and Takumi fall in love with her at first sight, which starts causing awkward situations, as she doesn’t seem to reciprocate either. One of the most heart-wrenching slice of life anime of the past decade, Hachimitsu to Clover is a series that deals mostly with maturity, and the hard choices one has to make in order to follow their true passions. In Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo we see the moment where one has to decide which are their passions and what direction one wants to follow in their lives, while here in Hachimitsu to Clover, we see the consequences of following the chosen path. There are also a lot of comedic situations caused by the completely different personalities within the house. Not only that, both deal with the difficulties that caretakers face when they have to juggle their personal lives with taking care of a loved one; one who may not be completely ready to face the rest of the world. The general atmosphere of both series will also raise the question of who is the most capable of taking care of someone in need, and how that decision may impact others.

The Classics Club at Hotarou Oreki’s high school is in danger of being cancelled due to lack of interest, thus, Houtarou’s sister forces him to join despite the fact that he dislikes any activity that means wasting energy. After all, his motto his “If I don’t have to do it, I won’t do it. If I have to do it, I’ll do it quickly”, so finding mysteries around the school is not his idea of a good time. However, once he meets the President of the Club, the very energetic Eru Chitanda, he finds himself unable to refuse her constant requests to find new mysteries around the school. Hyouka is a very strange slice of life anime. However, it shares one thing in common with Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo, and that is how to explore one’s talents and how one’s philosophy of life, no matter how logical it sounds, can end up hurting you and those around you. There’s also an underlying theme of the arts, and how some gifted people may seem lazy to those who have to practice their craft, which is also important in Sakurasou. More importantly, both series have in common the same idea of a young man who is basically living life by following a checklist of requirements: Sorata in Sakurasou wants to be “normal” as opposed to the others in his apartment building; Hotarou wants to do what it is necessary to survive and nothing more. Then he finds his whole world changed by the introduction of an uncommon young girl whose outlook in life is the opposite of how they behave, and thus forces them to reconsider their goals.

One of the most popular slice of life anime of its original season, Nodame Cantabile follows Shinichi Chiaki, an incredibly talented violinist and pianist, whose real dream is to become a conductor. Unfortunately for this dream, he is too much of a perfectionist, which puts him at odds with all the teachers at the Momogaoka College of Music; and he can’t leave Japan to continue his studies as he is terrified of flying. The other protagonist is his neighbor, Megumi Noda or Nodame to her friends, who is also an amazing pianist but who, unlike Chiaki, tends to disregard technique to follow her feelings, and is also a complete slob. When Chiaki gets in a fight with his piano teacher, he is forced to change tutors and ends up studying with the same teacher as Nodame The first point in common between Nodame Cantabile and Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo is the way in which talent tends to isolate people. Chiaki is considered the best student at his school, but has next to no friends, which is an interesting parallel to Mashiro who is incredibly lonely at first because she only focuses on her manga. At the same time, this series also has a similar dynamic between Nodame and Chiaki because even if Nodame can somewhat take care of herself and live alone, her personal habits are terrible and more often than not, Chiaki is the one cooking and cleaning her house to avoid some sort of biohazard forming in her apartment. There is also a strong theme of friendship, as thanks to Nodame and her personality, Chiaki ends up opening more to people, which of course, leads to many interesting personalities joining the cast. If you loved the way in which everyone at Sakurasou supported each other, Orchestra S at Momogaoka College will be your cup of tea.

When Makoto Niwa has to move with his aunt to the city, he was more than happy as he thought that the city would be a better place to have a great high school life. He wasn’t counting on his aunt, Meme Touwa, being obsessed with appearing young, nor on his really strange cousin Erio, who lives wrapped in a futon and claims that she is an alien observing human life. Just as Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo, Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko has a diverse cast of characters with quirks that make them break the idea of “normal” that Makoto has. Makoto is the straight man to this comedic act at first, but just as in Sakurasou, Denpa Onna takes a very serious turn. Erio, like Mashiro, is unable to live on her own. Mashiro because of her inability to see anything besides her current obsession; Erio because of her belief that she’s an alien due to a past trauma. And then enters Makoto, who takes the role of Erio’s caretaker because no one else in her life seems to want to do that. Meme is overwhelmed as a mother, she had Erio very young and no one in her family even acknowledged her existence. Because of this, she prefers to tackle the problem by completely ignoring Erio, and this makes Makoto the only one who challenges Erio’s perception of herself.

When the restaurant Wagnaria finds itself short of staff, the manager, Kyouko, gives an ultimatum to Popura Taneshima, the shortest waitress around. Either she finds more people to apply for a job, or she will have to face consequences. After a long search, Popura bumps into Souta Takanashi, a guy with a weakness for cute things. Souta at first confuses her with a twelve year old, even though she's seventeen, but once the misunderstanding clears, he accepts the job because he finds her cute. If you loved Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo because of the relationships between all the cast, despite their various quirks and strange habits, you are going to love Working!! for the same reasons. Every member of the staff has a very distinct personality that causes some sort of conflict from day one. Mostly because Souta tries hard to prove that he is not as weird as his co-workers, despite his obsession with cute and small things. There is also a small subtext about wanting to be someone’s caretaker. And just like in Sakurasou, the importance of knowing the difference between what you think you want, and what you really want is the main subject. The only real difference is that Working!! remains a comedy, and doesn’t become as serious as Sakurasou.

Izumi Sena is a boy who was born in a family full of stars. His brother sings in a popular rock band, and his parents are famous in the showbiz because of their skill as actors. Yet, Izumi just wants to keep on living his geek life, full of manga and anime, and his dream is to become a manga artist. When he is forced to enter the showbiz and pretend to be a girl, that's the moment when the fated meeting with Ryoma Ichijou happens. Ryoma, not knowing that Izumi is actually a boy, falls in love with him! And problems arise! Love Stage!! is a rare gem in the boys love universe. It has the right amount of comedic gags that give the viewers a pleasant feeling from the start. That's what it shares with Koisuru Boukun, for starters. Aside from this, we can find in both these shows a seme who is very willing to win their boy over. As for the Morinaga and Ryoma counterpart, both Tatsumi and Izumi can't accept the fact that they may fall in love with someone of their same gender. It's a great challenge for Morinaga and Ryoma, as they will have to struggle and have the patience to deal with two short-tempered guys. Love will triumph in the end, but in the meanwhile enjoy the ride!

Yukiya Ayase is a kindhearted university student whose life turn for the worse when his only relative – his cousin – decides to sell him in exchange for a huge amount of money that he needs to pay his debts. While he thinks everything is lost, Ayase is rescued by Somuku Kanou, a loan shark who decides to buy him. Apparently, Kanou knows Ayase, and it seems like in the past, Ayase did something to save Kanou. Yet, Ayase can't remember who Kanou is. Since Kanou craves Ayase's presence, he demands that Ayase will pay his debt by selling his body to him. Of course poor Ayase is unwilling to do so, but if it's for his cousin's sake and for his life's sake... There's nothing else to do. This show has a more dramatic tone than Koisuru Boukun, yet it shares with it some similarities. For starters, both the seme – Morinaga and Kanou – think the world of their beloved ones and both of them will go to an out of the reach extent for them: Morinaga will accept to be badmouthed by Tatsumi and his homophobic side on daily basis, while Kanou will spend 1.2 billion yen just to save Ayase. Their counterparts share some other traits as well, for example both of them won't accept their seme. Tatsumi is like a devil, constantly and deliberately will shout how much he hates Morinaga and being loved by Morinaga; Ayase is less fussy, but still he won't accept Kanou's conditions right away. So here, too, we find two seme who have to struggle and win their beloved ones over!

Misaki Takahashi is a high school student who just wants to pass the entrance university exams. A famous author – Akihiko Usami – and his brother's best friend offers Misaki his help. Some circumstances bring the two of them to live together, and that's when Misaki discovers that Usami is an author, yes, but he writes very naughty things. Somewhere else, in Tokyo, Nowaki Kusama and Hiroki Kamijou struggle on daily basis, one to become a doctor and the other one to overcome a failed love. At the same time, Shinobu Takatsuki, a rich high school student, discovers that his sister's ex-husband is his fated person. These three love stories intertwine in this amazing boys love anime that was born as a manga first, from Shungiku Nakamura's wise pen. Junjou Romantica and Koisuru Boukun have a lot in common. For starters, in both these shows we can find a comedic trait that eases the tension that the plot sometimes have. Morinaga and Usami are two very pushy seme; Morinaga knows how Tatsumi is homophobic, yet he finds the courage to impose, and so does Usami. With determination, both of them will find a way to reach their beloved ones' hearts. Even Tatsumi and Misaki have a lot in common, as they can't seem to accept very well their being gay. Morinaga and Tatsumi share similarities with Nowaki and Hiroki as well, as both Morinaga and Nowaki are younger than their counterparts, and yet they manage to be way more honest. It's not a stretch to say that you will enjoy Junjou Romantica for sure, if you enjoyed Koisuru Boukun!

Ryunosuke Oohara, being the heir of the fourth boss of a yakuza clan, will have to succeed his father someday. Even though he is a troublemaker, and seems to lose it as soon as someone tries to talk to him, he is a kindhearted boy with just one dream: to quit yakuza and marry Naoki Satoya, his childhood friend. Yet, Naoki can't accept the fact that Ryunosuke is willing to throw away his duties for something as futile as love. That's how this sweet struggle meant to make Naoki speak the truth from the bottom of his heart begins! For those who are into manga as well, you all know that this story was born as a manga from Natsume Isaku. Natsume Isaku and Hinako Takanaga are famous in the boys love genre for the sweetness and the lighthearted moments they are able to depict. Well, in their anime version, both Koisuru Boukun and Tight-rope keep their warm feeling and good vibes. We find in both of them two protagonists that are on the polar opposites: Tatsumi and Ryunosuke are hot-tempered and very quick to lose their patience; Morinaga and Naoki are quiet and usually act as mediator for their counterparts. Once again, we find here the “cat and mouse” game theme, as both Tatsumi and Naoki keep running away, not accepting to be loved. Tatsumi can't accept to be gay, because he hates gay people, while Naoki wants Ryunosuke to fulfill his duties. Both these shows are soothing and can warm your hearts up! You'll love Tight-rope just how you loved Koisuru Boukun.

This sweet story revolves around Yuuzo Kokusai. Kokusai is a timid, cowardly and yet attractive student council president. Kokusai is naive, and unable to speak for himself when, for example, some old man gropes him in the train... Seeing the situation, Yasuhiro Chiga, who was newly appointed as the Vice President, decides to act as a bodyguard and to protect the oblivious Kokusai. Yet, a strong feeling begins to bloom within his heart, and he just can't believe how it is possible to be so attracted to someone of his same genre, above all when Kokusai is so simple and naive. Both Koisuru Boukun and Seitokaichou ni Chuukoku are very similar. First of it all, visually speaking, the art style is similar and both protagonists look alike. In both these shows we can find the senpai – kouhai relationship, where both the kouhai take the role of the seme. Tatsumi and Kokusai are loved by their juniors, and even though they are very different in their character, both of them go with the flow when it comes to some boy-on-boy action (even if they are a bit fussy). In both these show we can find some comedic part, and a good amount of heart-warming scenes. The characters in both shows will find a way to face themselves, and eventually resolve their own feelings. If you found Koisuru Boukun just too good that you crave for more, Seitokaichou ni Cuukoku can be your next step!

Masamune Takano, editor-in-chief of the Emerald department at Marukawa meets Ritsu Onodera, who was his first love during high school days. Takano is subtle and doesn't reveal that he has recognizes Onodera right away. Kisa Shouta is an editor working under Takano, and he thinks he can't fall in love if the other party isn't beautiful. Problems arise when he meets Kou Yukina, who is pretty on the outside, but even prettier on the inside. Yoshiyuki Hatori is the editor in charge of Chiaki Yoshino, who is his childhood friend and towards whom he has secret romantic feelings. Once again, from Shungiku Nakamura's wise pen, here we have an unforgettable show revolving around three couples and their own troubles! Koisuru Boukun and Sekaiichi Hatsukoi are both boys love shows that gives a lot of nice vibes and a lot of comedic moments. Tatsumi is very short-tempered and he seems unable to deal with Morinaga, who claims to love him. This happens in Sekaiichi Hatsukoi as well. Onodera is short-tempered and doesn't want to accept Takano's feelings. Moreover, both Tatsumi and Onodera can't bring themselves to accept the fact that they may be gay (even though Onodera had a taste of it in his high school days, but totally deleted his “bad” experience). As for Morinaga, he shares a lot of similarities with Kou Yukina. He is bright, kind and thinks the world of Tatsumi, exactly like Yukina is totally head over heels for Kisa. What's more, both Morinaga and Yukina are younger than their counterparts, and take the role of the seme. They both have to struggle to convey their feelings and to be, eventually, accepted. If you liked the way Tatsumi and Morinaga interacted, and the path their relationship took, imagine Sekaiichi Hatsukoi as a ten time longer Koisuru Boukun. It's not a stretch to say this; you are bound to like Sekaiichi Hatsukoi.

And in fifth place we find UtaKane! Yeah, maybe some of you are now thinking “but there’s no evidence of UtaKane in Tōkyō Ghoul!”, since they barely talked to each other during the course of the anime, but pairing characters is something that goes beyond canon material, sometimes, and a real fangirl can surely understand that “if it’s cool, then it’s shippable”. Indeed, UtaKane is, most of all, based on the fact that people think the two characters fit well together, especially when Kaneki is in his full ghoul form (Shiro!Kaneki), with that alternative outfit that can be easily associated with Uta’s style. After all, Uta has been a fundamental part in Kaneki’s change, having been the one who created his ghoul design, the one who gave an actual shape to Kaneki’s ghoul form. In episode 3 of the first season, for example, Uta is the one who asks Kaneki all sorts of personal questions to project that half mask that will be Kaneki’s first and last. Uta says he needs to know everything about Kaneki to make the best suited mask for him, so how could you not imagine a deeper – maybe one-night long? – hot relationship between the two of them, in which Uta tries to understand more about a still ignorant and scared Kaneki? Without Uta, Kaneki’s uniqueness couldn’t exist, so this could be one of the reasons why they are so loved as a pairing.

There are many people who like to imagine Ken Kaneki in a relationship with Tōka Kirishima. Then there are people who like to imagine him in a relationship with… her lovely, little brother! And those people are more numerous than you can even imagine! After all, Ayato had been an important part in Kaneki’s “training” as a ghoul with an objective to achieve, having been his playmate during the whole Aogiri Arc, in the anime. But what actually triggered fans’ fantasies about KaneAya would probably be the fact that it’s kind of intriguing to imagine Kaneki could have found his real love in someone who resembles – in appearance and coolness – his first love Tōka. In an anime like Tōkyō Ghoul it’s hard to find evidence about romance, since it focuses more on battles, violence and inner struggles, but episodes such as the first of the second season, in which Kaneki fights against Ayato first, and then decides to join his team, can definitely help. From that moment on, Kaneki and Ayato are shown more rarely, but we see them fight shoulder to shoulder anytime they appear on the scene. The reason why they seem to have become kind of cold-hearted buddies? Well, how about them comforting each other in bed, the only moment they can enjoy a little bit of human warmth, while causing panic in the city later?

Let’s forget about Kaneki for a moment, because there’s one of the hottest and loved BL/Yaoi couples from Tōkyō Ghoul in third position: YomoUta! Why is this pairing so famous? The reason is rather obvious, and it has to do with their troubled past! Indeed, as Itori informs us in episode 4, and as we come to know after the credits of episode 9 of the first season, Uta and Yomo used to be enemies in their youth, but they are on good terms now and often seen together. What made them become friends is still a mystery, and that’s what made the fandom fantasizes about the fact it must have born a feeling between them that had changed the way they perceive each other’s existence forever! After all, it’s not even that hard to imagine. Yomo is calm and collected, extremely warm-hearted and with a strong ethic sense, though he doesn’t let his feelings out so often, while, on the contrary, Uta is an easygoing and extravagant guy, who doesn’t deny his ghoul nature and live free from prejudice and conventions. Aren’t they just meant for each other? They’re also appetizing to look at! Try to imagine muscular and ordinary Yomo embracing skinny and eccentric Uta, chained while sitting on his lap. Simply perfection, don’t you think?

In our Tōkyō Ghoul BL/Yaoi countdown, love in the time of adolescence couldn’t be missing, and HideKane is the best example when it comes to childhood friendship that develops in a special feeling later! Whoever watched the anime knows that Hide has a real veneration for Kaneki; Hide follows Kaneki everywhere he goes, helps him getting through the hardships of his growth, and desperately tries to be part of Kaneki’s life when Hide starts to understand Kaneki has changed forever. Hide accepts every side of Kaneki, secretly backs him up from behind the scenes until his tragic end, when Hide gives his life to protect Kaneki, to know he’ll be fine (episode 12 of the second season). A deep, dramatic and pure form of love, that fans like to imagine both requited and one-sided. But what is sure is that Hide is one of the most important people to Kaneki, who suffers anytime Hide would like to tell Kaneki about his new self, but is afraid to be rejected or hated. As in episode 2 of the first season, for example, when Kaneki is panicked about the fact he has to keep his new being secret, but fight with all his strength to save Hide’s life from Nishio’s sudden attack. Surely, a heartbreaking love story that stuck in Tōkyō Ghoul fandom’s soul.

Position #1 is all for TsukiKane, the ultimate manifestation of both love and fetish ever existed! All the people fond for Tsukiyama know that when he met Kaneki it was love at first sight, but not for his cute and insecure appearance as it is for his delicious half ghoul smell. After trying to offer Kaneki as a dish to his ghoul fellows one first time, Tsukiyama becomes obsessed with Kaneki and promises he won’t let his special prey be eaten by anyone else. Tsukiyama has to be the one to eat Kaneki, but he actually never attempt to do it, and in the end the only thing he seems to care about is Kaneki’s safety. Indeed, Tsukiyama develops a certain feeling for him, so strong that he even cries and begs Kaneki not to leave him alone when he decides to fight the last and more dangerous battle against CCG (episode 9 of the second season). If it’s hard to find evidence of BL/Yaoi love in Tōkyō Ghoul, TsukiKane’s fans are more than lucky, since in the anime there’s a lot of canon material. They’re pretty easy to find! In episode 10, for example, Tsukiyama offers to rescue Kaneki from Aogiri, stating he won’t let bad people touch him, while in episode 7, he remembers the first time they met and goes crazy with Kaneki’s scent on a handkerchief he kept like a treasure! There are many ways in which the Tōkyō Ghoul fandom likes to ship them, but the most famous one sees definitely a scared, poor and naive Kuro!Kaneki teased by a troublesome and creepy Tsukiyama, who has him under his thumb. Well, really TsukiKane comes in all flavors! Not surprising it’s the most shipped of Tōkyō Ghoul couples!