Feather Boy Hunter is so deliberately and intensely subtexty that I kind of have to blink my eyes a few times per page, just to clear the slashy sparkles from my eyes. And I love the fact that as of now, the only tag for this series is: "Fairy". LULZ.

Ame Nochi Hare (BIKKE). Just... whoa. In fact, depending on how you see it, some of the relationships actually are gay.

Idk if this is allowed or considered OT, since it's a question rather than a rec, but...

Could someone tell me if Shin Pet Shop of Horrors is as slashy/subtexty as its prequel?

I understand that Leon's no longer there, and I've read the 1st volume with the new dude, who I actually think is a pretty cool character too. But does he have the flaming subtext thing going on with D, or not? I MUST KNOW! There are some nice foreshadowings in the first volume, but that might just be my wishful thinking... I don't think I have the courage to read the following volumes if I might get let down on the subtext front. Lol.

Well, I am not a BL fan, so I think you'd appreciate my ideas on the subtext-iness of Shin Pet Shop of Horrors, since I can look at it without any bias.

Well, in my honest opinion, NO, it doesn't really have anything 'going on' between D and Wu Fei (that is his name, right?). The first volume had foreshadowing? That's news to me... 😮
Sure, if you go for the 'enmity = romance' thing, then maybe you'll see subtext all over the place. But, really, Wu Fei doesn't appear as often as Leon did in the prequel. And when he does, his and D's behaviour towards each other is way more formal than when Leon was around.

Well, if you want my honest opinion, I didn't think the original PSoH series was very subtext-y either...Only a little.

To answer your other question;
Up to Volume 6, Leon has not appeared, and most people think he never will. But there was a side story in book 2 where he showed up in one page- but that was story from before D came to Japan.

But, seriously, if you're going to read Pet Shop of Horrors (prequel or sequel) just for the slash, it's a terrible waste, 'cause that story goes a lot deeper than just mindless fan-service. There are lessons to be learned about human nature, and the author plays around very nicely with old myths and proverbs. Why don't you pick up Shin Pet Shop of Horrors with a new outlook? You might enjoy it, despite the lack of overt BL subtext. There's more to fiction than endless sappy love stories, you know. 🤣

But, seriously, if you're going to read Pet Shop of Horrors (prequel or sequel) just for the slash, it's a terrible waste...

Oh, I'll definitely read it even without the subtext! (After all, as you know, I read in many genres.) But because of the setup of the original, which was so slashy, I'd have to KNOW that there was no subtext in the sequel, so that I could just relax and read it without my slash goggles on. Lol. Of course I'll still read it, but now I won't always be on the lookout for subtext that will never arrive... That would be disappointing!

Thanks so much for your help - it certainly seems that only Leon was D's subtextifier, or something. Oh my god, Leon, I miss you! Come baaaaaaaaack! 😀

I thought that in the sequel, there was someone who looked A LOT LIKE Leon, except with sunglasses on, as D's assistant/caretaker in the shop... But that was just wishful thinking on my part and he was probably a stranger, huh? Sigh... Leon-deprivation makes me hallucinate, lol.

Thanks so much, calstine! You always put so much effort into your replies.

Oh, and to save us from going OT, is it just me or is there subtext in Le Chevalier d'Éon? Or maybe I'm just biased because I know that the real, historical d'Eon was even considered the Patron Saint of Transvestites... Hee. 😀 I feel somewhat disappointed at the supernatural angle that precipitates the gender-switching, because it makes it seem less voluntary than it was in the real d'Eon's case... But, oh well. Even if it's a cop-out, at least the genderplay is still there!

Quote from tartufo

Thanks so much for your help - it certainly seems that only Leon was D's subtextifier, or something. Oh my god, Leon, I miss you! Come baaaaaaaaack! 😀

I thought that in the sequel, there was someone who looked A LOT LIKE Leon, except with sunglasses on, as D's assistant/caretaker in the shop... But that was just wishful thinking on my part and he was probably a stranger, huh? Sigh... Leon-deprivation makes me hallucinate, lol.

Thanks so much, calstine! You always put so much effort into your replies.

You're welcome. I love PSoH, so my post got a little out of hand.

Hey, you know what? About that guy with sunglasses- I remember someone on the Mangafox forums saying they noticed something like that; though it was long, long ago... I recall nothing of the sort- but still, it might be reassuring to know you aren't the only one who hallucinates Leon! 🤣

And, 'subtextifier'? According to my spell-checker, that isn't a real word...Nice new invention! LOL

I don't really like Leon as a character, but it is fun when he and D are arguing with each other!
You know, I wonder about that scene at the end of the first series, where Chris went to see D's 'son'...what the heck did he mean when he said "Twenty years ago, my brother went to return something to your father...Do you know what happened to him?"
That sounds so- weird.

And, about Le Chevalier d'Eon ; I always thought it looked interesting, but I won't read it because of the ecchi tag. I can't stand ecchi...
But- isn't that guy d'Eon channeling his sister's spirit or something? So, it isn't really gender-switching, right?

This post is so off-topic, I just know it's gonna be deleted! 😃

Quote from tartufo

HOMG HOLLYIVYYYYYYY, so much NEW GAY LOL. I am thrilled beyond words. Can you PLEASE PLEASE tell me (in spoiler-quotes if necessary) the exact nature of the subtext in Natsume Yuujinchou, Holyland, Saijou no Meii, Izayakaku and Teriyaki Western? Like, is it between the leads? 😀 😀 😀 Is it based on friendship or enmity or servitude? OMG AND AND... Which is the subtextiest of all? 😀 😀 😀 Just so I can decide which to read first! (Obviously I must read them all. I mean I started on NY but somehow forgot to continue - the rest are completely new to me.)

Sorry for being greedy even after your awesome recs but I am SO thrilled, seriously, I had thought that I had read every even remotely gay-like manga in existence, but I am happily proven wrong. rolls onto back like a doggie showing affection

Thank you so much!

Ack, sorry, didn't see this post. Um, not sure if you've already read and noted the subtext but here goes:
Natsume Yuujinchou - Okay, like people have said, Natsume and the movie-star have it ON. They go to a hot spring together and damn if that doesn't make good doujinshi material. But, a less popular pairing is between the main characters.
...yes, I do mean Natsume and his cat. Makes me feel kind of creepy but the cat (shapeshifting youkai, whatever) has this whole, you can't eat him because he's mine and only I get to cause him pain. For further explanation, check out this: [url]http://omisyth.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/natsume-yuujinchou-10-the-yaoi-fangirls-are-going-to-go-crazy/[/url]
(For the record, I have no idea how to do the links where you make a word like "here" send you to the site. Help?)
Anyway, this manga is just really heartwarming so READ IT.

Holyland - Mmkay, this is actually between the male lead and this other big brother (?) type. Anyway, the main character is very timid and blushes easily. Sort of like that other slashy baseball manga, ookiku something. Also, he's very pretty. And the big brother dude has to SAVE HIM FROM HIS INNER DARKNESS. By beating him up. But still.

Saijou no Meiji - Saijou dresses as a girl first of all, which is to say, MAJOR gay possibility. And second, while Saijou is doing a particularly difficult and bold surgery move, Ayame (nother major character) actually makes a pervert face and says in speech bubble, "So sexy." Not even kidding. And at first I thought he meant the nurse. Then I read, "He really is sexy" a chapter later. This is by the same author as Yakitate Japan, so it's obviously very good.

Izayakaku - Exiled prince (okay, he's not a prince but he's as important as one) with a hot bodyguard his age.Sketchy . Exiled prince with a hot bodyguard his age and cute younger brothers calling him to fight again. VERY sketchy. Exiled prince with a hot bodyguard his age and cute younger brothers calling him to fight again AND a really cool long-haired dude testing to see if he's rebellious. Now, that's in shady nightclub territory. And plus, everyone's all really gorgeous.

Teriyaki Western - This male lead has a team mate who writes him in romance novels with the HOT GUYS that try to get his bounty. Enough said.

BTW, found many new subtexty mangas. For example, Yamada Tarou Monogatari. The synopsis actually mentions it, so it's fine. This is by the same author of My Barbaric Girlfriend, so as a plus, it is effing HILARIOUS. Audition is about a boyband and has an ambiguously gay character(s) who is pretty enough to be mistaken for a girl. Cuticle Tantei Inaba is only one chapter so far but it has Hiroshi (main), who is obsessed with hair, hounding a detective for his special type of hair. Okay, now because I'm a little tired:

Junjou Karen na Oretachi da!
Haigakura
Yami no Kodou
Yakumo Tatsu
Vartrag Tale
Toricon!!! Triple Complex
Teen Spirit
Akatsuki no Fumi
Cross (OOGA Asagi)
Eikou no Te
Get! (AZUMA Mayumi)
Harlem Beat wa Yoake made
Specter
Sword Dancer

wipes sweat off forehead
Whew, hope that helped.

Quote from hollyivy

(For the record, I have no idea how to do the links where you make a word like "here" send you to the site. Help?)

Did you notice the BBCode button which is like url= ? Well, you use that.

See; [url= (insert web address)] type whatever text you want (like 'this link' , 'here' etc.)[/url]

I'll do it for your link and show you ; [url= http://omisyth.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/natsume-yuujinchou-1] Natsume Yuujinchou [/url]

The above doesn't work because there's a space between the word 'Yuujinchou' and the BBCode. When the space is taken out, it'll be like this ; Natsume Yuujinchou

And, to not go off-topic;

Even I have to agree that Audition has a lot of subtext. I wonder why I even read it...it's actually pretty stupid. 🤣
Unfortunately for you guys, Saijou no Meii is romance - it has been confirmed. And Harlem Beat wa Yoake made has more straight subtext than BL.

And, not to argue or anything, but who would consider Natsume Yuujinchou , Yakumo Tatsu and Junjou Karen na Oretachi da! as subtext-y? They aren't even remotely so...Not to mention Yakumo and Natsume are written by prominent romance authors! If you want BL subtext, there are better series to find it in.

I have to agree with Yami no Kodou though...but then again, the only non-yaoi of a BL author, what do you expect?
I wonder whether this has already been mentioned, but Otodama is by another yaoi author attempting to write something straight, so it probably counts.

And- in the same vein, maybe Yami ni Naku Oni - between the main character and the primary antagonist...at least it looks that way going by the last chapter that was scanned. But SiH has dropped this manga.

Also - Do Whatever You Want - NOT between the two guys on the cover (yep- you heard me; those two are definitely just the best of friends) - but Jinwon (the blond guy)'s former best friend keeps trying to hit on him...or it seems that way at least.

Quote from calstine

Quote from hollyivy

(For the record, I have no idea how to do the links where you make a word like "here" send you to the site. Help?)

Did you notice the BBCode button which is like url= ? Well, you use that.

See; [url= (insert web address)] type whatever text you want (like 'this link' , 'here' etc.)[/url]

I'll do it for your link and show you ; [url= http://omisyth.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/natsume-yuujinchou-1] Natsume Yuujinchou [/url]

The above doesn't work because there's a space between the word 'Yuujinchou' and the BBCode. When the space is taken out, it'll be like this ; Natsume Yuujinchou

And, to not go off-topic;

Even I have to agree that Audition has a lot of subtext. I wonder why I even read it...it's actually pretty stupid. 🤣
Unfortunately for you guys, Saijou no Meii is romance - it has been confirmed. And Harlem Beat wa Yoake made has more straight subtext than BL.

And, not to argue or anything, but who would consider Natsume Yuujinchou , Yakumo Tatsu and Junjou Karen na Oretachi da! as subtext-y? They aren't even remotely so...Not to mention Yakumo and Natsume are written by prominent romance authors! If you want BL subtext, there are better series to find it in.

I have to agree with Yami no Kodou though...but then again, the only non-yaoi of a BL author, what do you expect?
I wonder whether this has already been mentioned, but Otodama is by another yaoi author attempting to write something straight, so it probably counts.

And- in the same vein, maybe Yami ni Naku Oni - between the main character and the primary antagonist...at least it looks that way going by the last chapter that was scanned. But SiH has dropped this manga.

Also - Do Whatever You Want - NOT between the two guys on the cover (yep- you heard me; those two are definitely just the best of friends) - but Jinwon (the blond guy)'s former best friend keeps trying to hit on him...or it seems that way at least.

Thank you about the whole url thing.

And, eh, I guess I have my shipping goggles on. I tend to see everything with a ... yaoi tint. And there is DEFINITELY subtext in Yakumo Tatsu. One of the main characters has a sister who considers him a rival for the attention of the other main character. Plus, others have asked him what their relationship is. And when he answered, "Friends, I guess?", the guy thought that they seemed like more.
Any manga that has bishounen + bishounen that saves other bishounen's butt several times is subtexty to me. Haha, the other manga...um, distracted by the short-shorts, pretty boy, and sports camaraderie?

I'll just leave it up to other readers to decide how they see things. 🙂

HOLLYIVY, YOU WIN THE INTERNETS.

I am currently downloading EVERY SINGLE ONE of your recommendations, so forgive me if this post is short! I'm gonna read all that subtexty goodness and then come back and SHOWER YOU WITH KISSES! <3

Edit: @calstine, I actually feel that only fujoshis can REALLY determine the degree of subtext in a series! In the sense that my slash goggles are pretty darn powerful - microscopic, even - and I can detect subtext that ordinary human beings just can't. 🤣 So I feel that I can trust hollyivy's recs, since she also has the same level of slashomniscience! I'm willing to read any series that has the kind of subtext she was talking about, since even if that doesn't LOOK like subtext to most people, it does to me. And probably to any other crazed fujoshi. <3

@ tartufo -

Oh, well- I suppose that's one way of looking at it...But if you ask me, a series has subtext if non fujoshi start seeing it; in that case, I guess it really is undeniable. Take the aforementioned Audition and Yami no Kodou, for example. Even I can see that the authors are aiming for a lot of subtext between some of the characters- just so they can keep the BL fanbase in while not losing their other fans. Rather contrived, if you ask me...but hey, mangaka have to eat too, right?
But, well; that's just my view of things - I wasn't trying to contradict you or argue with you... 🙂

If sports camaraderie = subtext for you, though, you should probably try I'll - I've heard a lot of fujoshi squealing and fan-girling about it lately. But I'm afraid one of the two guys has a girlfriend, so it might not work. Considering some of the other manga that have been indicated here, though, it probably will 🤣

Quote from calstine

@ tartufo -

Oh, well- I suppose that's one way of looking at it...But if you ask me, a series has subtext if non fujoshi start seeing it; in that case, I guess it really is undeniable. Take the aforementioned Audition and Yami no Kodou, for example. Even I can see that the authors are aiming for a lot of subtext between some of the characters- just so they can keep the BL fanbase in while not losing their other fans. Rather contrived, if you ask me...but hey, mangaka have to eat too, right?
But, well; that's just my view of things - I wasn't trying to contradict you or argue with you... 🙂

If sports camaraderie = subtext for you, though, you should probably try I'll - I've heard a lot of fujoshi squealing and fan-girling about it lately. But I'm afraid one of the two guys has a girlfriend, so it might not work. Considering some of the other manga that have been indicated here, though, it probably will 🤣

@calistine
YES, oh my god, I just read I'll recently. They have this whole rivalry-friendship-I'llbewaitingforyouatthetop,partner thing that I just asdfghjkl; about whenever I see it. And, um, correct. I'm starting to hate the Other Woman, which I know is immature and 2-D but whatever. Always disappointing to look through a subtexty (to me) mangaka's works and only find het and not slash.

This is my favorite thread of ALL TIME, btw.

and I can detect subtext that ordinary human beings just can't

@tartufo

Haha, you make fujoshi sound like we have special powers. wiggles eyebrows The ability to pair two hot young guys together (in our imagination) and detect the slightest trace of gay, maybe?

WE DO TOTALLY HAVE SPECIAL POWERS, HOLLYIVY, MY LOVE. <3

I'm here to add two more fantastic series!

Durarara!! has absolute oodles of subtext between many male characters, most especially Shizuo/Izaya (Foe-Yay) and Kida/Mikado (er, Friend-Yay?).

AND MY FAVORITE OF 2010... House of Five Leaves! I'm actually watching the anime instead of reading the manga, and OH MY GOD, this is SO DAMN GAY. Want me to prove to you why it's gay, aside from the fact that the actual mangaka also draws yaoi?

WELL. The two main protagonists, Masa and Yaichi, practically spend most of the story courting each other in a very stoic, eloquent, understated, Edo-era way. It is a courtship, and you can't convince me otherwise, because both men spend their entire time trying to understand each other, and get closer to each other. Masa's such a w00bie, all innocent and clumsy and squeezable (you can't NOT want to pinch his cheeks, he's so cute!). On the other hand, Yaichi is all beautiful and and graceful and far too secretive, not to mention morally challenged and more psychologically impenetrable than a fortress. They're TOTAL opposites, but you know what they say about opposites, don't you? Yeah. They attract. And both Masa and Yaichi seem mesmerized by each other, right from the start.

[img]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51tO4FYlf8L.jpg[/img]
... That's Masa on the right, being all doe-eyed and w00bie-ish, and Yaichi on the left, being all smirky and Machiavellian.

Masa risks his very honor as a samurai just to spend time in Yaichi's company to try to understand him, even though Yaichi's a criminal, and the sort of stuff he's involved in gives Masa the heebie-jeebies. Masa is so obsessed with Yaichi that he spends almost all his time thinking about what Yaichi is doing and why he's doing it - which, you've gotta admit, is not very straight. I mean, straight guys don't often ponder incessantly about some other guy's "inner workings," you know? Not to mention that Masa's kind of seriously freaked out by women, and... The only time I've ever seen him look at anyone with anything resembling longing is when he's looking at Yaichi. And he looks at Yaichi, like, a lot. Admittedly, this might be because Yaichi is all seductive and sly and droopy-eyed around Masa, and is therefore pretty damn distracting, but... Gayness? YESPLZ!

[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CU3zbHcLYII/S8m6Auy8-vI/AAAAAAAAFTg/3qHw5qk3ETA/s1600/Yaichi.jpg[/img]
... That's Yaichi. whimper

And Yaichi is OBVIOUSLY gay. Aside from the fact that he's incredibly pretty and fair and aquamarine-eyed and silver-haired and wears a pink kimono (PINK KIMONO!), he is gay simply because he is gay for Masa. At the very start of the anime, in the very first episode, he says to Masa: "I like you, and I must have you." And he repeats that, like, almost every other episode. He tries desperately to get Masa to join him in his not-entirely-moral shenanigans, like kidnapping the heirs of rich houses and making money out of the ransoms. He treads that fine line between psychopath and troubled anti-hero perfectly, in that the reader (and Masa) can't ever be sure that he won't pull something truly diabolical - or truly heroic. This is, of course, why he fascinates Masa - but that's why Masa fascinates him, too. Masa's sweetness, innocence and helpless klutzitude, combined with his truly exceptional fighting skills and unexpected ferocity when protecting someone, make him kind of really interesting to Yaichi. He's, like, Yaichi's mirror opposite. And yet, Yaichi finds himself continually enchanted, frustrated and mystified by Masa's persistent decency. At this point (I'm halfway through the series), I'm not sure whether Yaichi's so obsessed with Masa because he thinks Masa can save him ("You're simple enough to believe in anyone, aren't you?" - by implication, even Yaichi) or because he wants to drag Masa down with him into the darkness ("You will join us.") - well, either way, he wants Masa. And he wants 'im bad.

... And I rest my case! This is the most subtexty manga/anime of 2010. <3

Last bit of cute eye-candy: Yaichi treating Masa to lunch, and Masa letting his hair down (soooo pretty!).

Can't believe I'm actually suggesting something here instead of pointing out the un-subtext-iness of other people's recs 😮
But anyway, Kaiyorihito Kaiyorishiki appears to have subtext...sort of. But be warned; the male lead is way more likely to end up with his own sister (nope- I'm not kidding) than with his right-hand man 🤣

Do you take anime recs as well? (If not feel free to delete this post)
Some animes with tons of Subtext;
El Cazador de la Bruja (http://myanimelist.net/anime/2030/El_Cazador_de_la_Bruja)
Canaan; THIS. This is the heaven of shoujo ai Subtext. It has everything from the cute fluffy kind to heavy ust hair pulling rivalry. <3 (http://myanimelist.net/anime/5356/Canaan)
Kiddy Grade (http://myanimelist.net/anime/274/Kiddy_Grade)
Mouryou no Hako; This is beautifull <3 (http://myanimelist.net/anime/4879/Mouryou_no_Hako)
Blue Drop (http://myanimelist.net/anime/2964/Blue_Drop_~Tenshi-tachi_no_Gikyoku~)
Noir (http://myanimelist.net/anime/272/Noir)
Ga-Rei Zero (http://myanimelist.net/anime/4725/Ga-Rei_-Zero-)

Manga;
Gakuen Alice (Main chara and best friend)
Hikaru no go