Hello!

I am new on reddit, so hopefully I can do this right. I was wondering if anyone had some manga recommendations (but anime is great either) where typical manga tropes or expectations are subverted.

While I love the classic uke/seme trope reversed or ignored altogether (so if you have any recommendations on this, please, share!), in this case I am more referring to the "pursuing aggressively" seen as something to avoid or damaging to a relationship instead of the first step.

More in detail, I recently read "Returning student"/"Back to school" (the online one, by Oryu) and was positively surprised to see (spoilers)

it was not meant to be about a love triangle, and how one of the characters' jealousy and aggressive actions were seen as realistic characteristics of a gaslighting friend or abuser.

Camelot is a silly place

I find that most shounen ai tend to not follow the typical roles.
I highly suggest you try any of Tagura Tohru, Hayakawa Nojiko and Bikke’s works. They tend to focus on the emotion rather than the sexual aspect of it.
I also suggest Smells like green spirit
Usagi no Mori
Hishakai shindo
See you later, mermaid

I think these do t quite fit what you’re looking for but are stories I really liked.

I also suggest going through user Calstine’s recommendations. It’ll be some work (since she has so many posts ^^”) but it’s worth it especially the pure shounen ai lists and realistic BL.

Omg this manga
https://mangapark.net/manga/zettai-bl-ni-naru-sekai-vs-zettai-bl-ni-naritakunai-otoko-konkichi

Not so much subverting as just making an entire manga out of lampshading yaoi tropes. Funny af

I'd recommend mangas by Matsumoto Miecohouse and also by Azuma Kaya and haji.

Please let me know if you want something specific.