For reference. Lol.

I know that there are other "shy guy" threads, but none of them focus on really shy guys, just on guys who blush easily or aren't too forward or who're quiet and sweet.

But what I'm looking for are SERIOUSLY shy guys, like, almost clinical-disorder-shy. Can't talk much, don't talk to strangers at all (or very rarely), only mumble-shmumble when they speak, barely make eye-contact, tend to be wallflowers that hide away, avoid social occasions of any kind, get anxious/agitated when forced to interact, slouch or hide their eyes with long fringes, etc. I mean really shy guys. "Painfully" shy - yeah, painful's the word I'm looking for!

Oh, and I want them to be nice guys - not psychopathic serial murderers like the shy loner Ichi the Killer. 😲

See how this manga guy reacts to social situations? Yeah. Now that's shy! (And he's a real darling, too, as you'll find out if you read the manga. Not creepy-shy but nice-shy. <3)

It's all right if the guy slowly learns to be less shy (he doesn't have to remain painfully shy), but he does at least have to start out that way.

Any genre is ok, except hentai.

Examples (BL only - I'm sorry, these are the only ones I can think of right now!): Kouun no Rihatsushi, Awkward Silence, Sore wa Isshun no Hikari, dewanaku.

Another BL: Café Latte Rhapsody
And you could check out the titles in this category.

I've only seen one raw chapter, but when you consider the series synopsis and all, sounds like Planetary* fits your description to a tee. Midori is very sweet- but you should take a look at him in the first chapter- wow, he's so pathetic ^^.
However, I do get the feeling that he changes for the better later on. Hints of that are starting to show already in the first chapter. But you said you didn't mind that, so...

Quote from tartufo

See how this manga guy reacts to social situations? Yeah. Now that's shy! (And he's a real darling, too, as you'll find out if you read the manga. Not creepy-shy but nice-shy. <3)

Hmm- that manga is yaoi right? According to you, this 'painfully shy guy' who can't even handle normal social situations, is not embarrassed to make out with another guy? 😲
Not exactly my definition of shy...but hey, what do I know? I've never read yaoi... 😛

Edit-
Don't get mad at me for saying that, though. I was just surprised that there's such a thing as shy guys in yaoi. Socially inept, sure, but shy? Weird. 🤣

I would say "-_-" but that would be a one-word post.

I don't remember that guy from Awkward Silence being especially shy..
He just had a problem with showing his emotions, like his mother (I loved that part when she was roting for him, their faces were so emotionless rofl).

Maybe Flat (AOGIRI Natsu)? Aki is quite shy.
Te wo Tsunaide, Sora wo I remember the uke having quite a few interaction problems.

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Quote from akari_mizunashi

I would say "-_-" but that would be a one-word post.

One word posts aren't allowed? 😀
You know, after you said that, I went and checked out the 'shy guy' category...And what do you know, almost all of them are yaoi (or at least shounen-ai)!
I have much to learn...but I think I like not being in the know. 🤣

And- whoops; I knew I'd make people angry if I said what I said in my first post. Ah well- I hope tartufo doesn't take offense...It was just curiosity anyway.

And...to stay on topic- I haven't read it, but I hear Rubbers 7 has a very shy boy in it. The problem is, he isn't the main character.

Also, HOW could I forget Flat (AOGIRI Natsu)? Really- it's so adorable.
But, Aki is just a little boy (5 or 6 years old), so you may not be interested. Still, if you haven't read it yet, go do so- whether it fits this criterion or not, it's a very cute manga. (Though that depends on whether you like little kids or not ^^)

Duck Prince features the boy as very shy, but the problem is that he under goes a beauty transformation and isn't AS shy as before.

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Sankyuu, everyone! Yeah, I wondered why there is such a prevalence of really shy guys in BL? Something to think about... Hmm. Maybe because in shoujo romances, uber-shy guys aren't perceived as being "cool," but in BL, they can get away with it because there are two guys, and one can be shy while the other can be outgoing? Lol... I dunno, it's definitely a bigger trend in BL though.

@calstine, thanks, I can't wait to get started on Planetary - I'd never even heard of it before! Yay, new stuff.

And lol, I do disagree with you about the fact that gay guys can't be shy; I don't see shyness as anything that has to do with sexuality, more like a personality trait (like being uber-genki or being irritable). There ARE painfully shy guys who are gay; the fact that they want to be with other guys doesn't mean they have to be "bold," because falling in love/lust is something they cannot control, it's beyond shyness or boldness. Just the same way an uber-shy straight girl can still fall in love with a guy, because love is something even shy people can't escape, even if they want to. Lol. (I should know. I used to be the painfully shy type, once... And I still fell in love. And dated. And broke up. D: I kept avoiding social situations like parties even while dating, though, and was occasionally uncomfortable even with my partner in public spaces, which probably contributed to my first relationship's collapse. MAJOR motivator for me to climb outta my shell, I can tell you that! Took another relationship for me to fully manage it, though.)

Still, rest assured that I am not offended; I merely disagree. 😀 In a "been there, done that, so I know" kind of way. 🤣

Lol @ akari_mizunashi's "-_-" face. Hee!

@NightSwan - oh yeah, you're right! I actually agree with you in retrospect, because I had initially thought that the expressionless guy in Awkward Silence was expressionless because he was too shy about showing his emotions - but once I think about it, you're right, it's more like an inability (even a disability?) that he was born with, rather than social shyness that someone can actually recover from. He's darn cute though, huh? 🙂

To get back on topic with the recs, I'm not sure, but was the kid in Keppeki Shounen Kanzen Soubi really shy as well as OCD? Or was he just OCD? I'd appreciate a reminder - I just recall this scene in which he didn't make any friends because he was talking through a paper bag all the time (germ-phobia), but that might not be shyness, exactly. He also threw up on the girl he liked, which humiliated him, but may not have to do with shyness. Uh... confuzzled Any more recent readers able to offer me a clarification?

If you like sports manga, Mihashi from Ookiku Furikabutte is really, really shy. The team’s catcher (it’s a baseball manga) has a hard time figuring out how to communicate with Mihashi without causing him to panic and start crying. Or curl into a ball. Let’s just say that making eye contact is considered character development.

OHMIGOSH MIHASHIIIIIIIII. <3 I can't believe I forgot to mention him - thanks so much, lucidatype!

Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi (Ookami-san and her seven companions)
This is both a manga and an anime and the male lead is very shy. He'll curl up in a ball almost crying if he notices people looking at him.(later in the series he develops it to be if someone is noticeably staring at him) This is a very good both manga and anime but the manga and anime are also very different. (I recommend both)

Hibi Chouchou 🙂

@tartufo Keppeki Shounen Kanzen Soubi the guy just has OCD.The only person he's shy around is the person he likes.If not he's always trying to keep he's friends from touching him,which causes lots of noise.Not shy at all. 😀 Just answering for if you're still not sure.

I?m not sure if you can consider the mc in Nowhere Boy shy..
Anyway, I recommend it..

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Has anyone mentioned hana to rakurai? The guy is shy but probably not as shy as you'd prefer.