One of our favorite topics to talk (write?) about on this BLog is the discovery of series and artists that we first come into contact with through our job — whether it’s in the process of quality checking, advertisement creation, hearing our coworkers rave about something they’re working on, or sometimes just clicking around on our site and servers.
One such artist that’s made a big impact on me since I discovered their manga is none other than Jake Akahoshi.
Akahoshi-sensei’s been in the BL game for over a decade, and in that time they’ve earned quite the reputation for their outlandish plots, beautiful depictions of the male body, and moving romance writing.
For the uninitiated, I’ve picked out a handful of their manga currently available in English on Renta! that I believe encompass the spirit of Jake Akahoshi’s unique approach to BL manga, which I personally find utterly delightful.
I’ll also be assigning them ratings 1 thru 5 on each level of the “Jake Scale” — a system I made specifically for this article, since I really believe Jake Akahoshi is on a level of their own when it comes to these three aspects:
Spiciness: 
How much sexy action can we expect?
Unhingedness: How “out there” is the setting/plot?
“Aww”-worthiness: 
Likeliness to hit you right in the feels?
Hopefully this will help you find a title (or titles) most likely to match your personal tastes, so you too can start your journey into Jake Akahoshi’s whacky BL world. Now, without further ado, let’s get right into it!
This was one of the titles I hadn’t yet read prior to writing this article, and since it’s the earliest-published of Jake Akahoshi’s works currently available on Renta!, I decided it would be a good place to start. The description itself is so beautiful I simply must copy it here in all its glory:
Japan Men’s Sports College, commonly known as J-Balls, includes an organization that aims to cultivate healthy sperm to fight declining birth rates. Each year, it selects the top student and awards him the prestigious title of Best Balls. The recipient becomes the most desired donor at sperm banks and is given a solid gold ball worth millions, meaning this award is a gateway for young men looking to make a quick buck. Kiminari hopes to be this year’s Best Balls, so when Akira, who failed the J-Balls entrance exam, asks him out, Kiminari agrees on the condition that Akira help strengthen Kiminari’s reproductive ability. Both young men are insatiable and find they can’t keep their hands off each other. But, they’ve enjoyed themselves so much that Kiminari’s sperm count has gone down! Is love dangerous for a Best Balls candidate?
Needless to say, I was immediately intrigued — and with that, I grabbed my metaphorical jumbo bucket of buttery popcorn and dove right in
And, well, it’s every bit as funny and horny as you would expect. The main focus of the story is the unlikely relationship between Akira, a pretty playboy-turned-SIMP and Kiminari, a singleminded “dick-virgin” who declares with all the determination of a shonen protagonist that he will be Best Balls. What starts as a mutually beneficial agreement — a means for Kiminari to “fortify his balls” in preparation for the Best Balls competition, and a chance at monetary gain for Akira — slowly transforms into a genuine connection as the two get intimate emotionally as well as physically. The main conflict illustrates what happens when personal feelings and societal pressures are at adds with one another, making it deeper than you might expect for a story about students at a college whose main goal is producing Excellent Balls full of “high-quality sperm” for the sake of the population.
But the sheer power of the balls in question is nothing to sneeze at — the sexiness of this manga alone makes it worth perusing, in my book. I think it’s safe to say that Akahoshi-sensei is a master of the Twunk character (a trope briefly discussed in this Ode to Twinks), drawing buff yet soft-looking bodies that are absolutely gorgeous embracing one another. I’m just sayin’, the eroticism of an athletic character’s ass is not to be underestimated 
This story also showcases Jake Akahoshi’s skill for making a tight-knit cast, with even side characters getting memorable personalities. Kiminari’s upright classmate Masamichi and Akira’s… morally questionable “guardian” Minami make for a cute side couple, and act as great foils to the main pair.
As a bonus, the entire book is extremely meme-orable, with plenty of fun references to balls that are even better when taken out of context — perfect for reading in front of your closest friends, or perhaps your dad, for a satisfying “wtf” response 
“Jake Scale” Rating
Spiciness:
Unhingedness:
“Aww”-worthiness:
I Just Wanna Hide My Pink Little Things! (Pinku no Pocchi wo Kakushitaidake)
This next manga is more of a slow burn, but with plenty of fetishy content. If you’re a fan of men in lingerie, or mutual pining with excellent payoff, it’s a must-read.
The story brings together two men who both like to wear bras — not for titillation purposes, but rather to simply hide their nipples, for their own personal reasons — but go about it quite differently. Akihiro is a clothing designer and founder of a line of bras targeted specifically at men, who jumps at the chance to share his passion for men’s bras with anyone who’ll listen. Sae, on the other hand, is a shy college student who’s secretive about his choice in undergarments, but has his style preferences nonetheless. While they get off on the wrong foot (or perhaps, “the wrong tit” would be more appropriate here ), they find their way back to each other, and what blooms is a sweet love story — with Akihiro gaining inspiration from his new bosom buddy, and Sae slowly coming to embrace the empowerment of a well-fitting, stylish bra.
And, of course, there’s plenty of steaminess involving “desensitizing” Sae’s nipples, and some sexy lingerie as well. The passion and love in all of these scenes is so palpable it feels just as important to the eroticism as the wonderfully rendered bodies. I ended up adoring both halves of the pairing: a shy young man who ends up being a Bottom Who Knows Exactly What He Wants, and a gentle top whose maturity lets him take the lead without being overbearing. They’re so good together 
If you like your BL with a side of social commentary, this story delivers on that front, too. It puts forth the question of why the idea of men in bras is so “strange” to most people and reminds us that We Really Do Live In A Society. I for one want to live in Jake Akahoshi’s ideal future, where people can wear whatever they like without judgment, regardless of gender or body type. As one of Akihiro’s sassy and loveable models puts it, “It feels pretty amazing to have people see the version of you you like the most.”
Ultimately, this is a story about two men struggling with Nipple Shame and helping each other conquer their insecurities, while slowly falling in love and making a difference in their world.
This one’s probably the story on this list that most seems like it was handcrafted for me, with how many of my buttons it happens to push. Man booba with nipple play? Check. Two dorks falling head over heels in love as they bond over a shared passion? Check. A positive message and overall overwhelming wholesomeness??? Checkity check check. I know my tastes are by no means “unusual,” per se, but that just makes this one an easy recommendation for most any fan of the 両片思い “ryoukataomoi” (mutual one-sided love) trope, or fluffy BL in general 
“Jake Scale” Rating
Spiciness:
Unhingedness:
“Aww”-worthiness:
Addicting Serenade (Yamitsuki Sefure Nade)
Funnily enough, this is by far the most “normal,” or should I say, down-to-earth story of Jake Akahoshi’s we have on offer… and yet it’s the first work of theirs I personally encountered, and by the time I reached the end of which I KNEW the creator of this fascinating manga had me heart and soul.
The manga centers around Mitsu, a humble sandwich shop owner with a reputation for changing girlfriends like underwear. He’s thrown off his game, however, when Oumi, a cute and mysterious young man waltzes into his shop asking for a job, and Mitsu finds himself strangely drawn to him. While in the midst of struggling to understand these new feelings, he receives a homoerotic shampooing job from a quiet but attentive hair stylist named Keizou, and the two begin a friendship with benefits of sorts.
Thus begins Mitsu’s internal journey with accepting his sexuality, and understanding his hangups when it comes to relationships and being vulnerable with others — through his relationships with the two men he encounters.
The first time I read this story, I was mesmerized not only by the intense sex scenes, but the understated nature throughout — the subtle gestures and expressions that make it clear what the characters are thinking, even when they say nothing. All this against the backdrop of a scenic rural town, emphasizing the joy found in the simplicities of life, makes for a soothing reading experience.
I also found myself quite attached to the three main characters — particularly the playboy-turned-bottom Mitsu (who has a very nice ass, BTW) and the seemingly stoic but softhearted and sensitive Keizou. By the end of the book, I had a hankering for sandwiches and a NEED to see more of the main cast I’d grown to love. So, imagine my surprise when, looking over Takochan‘s shoulder one day, I saw him working on another Jake Akahoshi project with even more “Addicting Serenade” included as bonus chapters! For more info, peep the next entry…
There are also bonus stories at the end of the book, which are a bit more in line with Akahoshi-sensei’s signature unpredictable (but just as sexy!) tendencies. They make a great “sampler” of sensei’s different storytelling styles, so be sure to check them out!
“Jake Scale” Rating
Spiciness: Sadly there is no threesome scene, but there is a love triangle of sorts — so expect different, er, “combos” happening.
Unhingedness: N/A (But, the short stories included at the back end of the volume? classic Jake Akahoshi shenanigans. Highly recommend.)
“Aww”-worthiness:
Fun With Origami (Midashi no Chiyogami)
This one’s quite the doozy — it’s got a relatively “believable” premise of a (one-sided) school club rivalry, but taken to the max and beyond — and what we end up with is dudes getting powdered up on school desks, folding origami with their dicks, and a whole lotta potential metaphors my pea brain can’t hope to explain here adequately. It must be experienced.
But, to give you a quick rundown, Mitsuyu, a member of his school’s arts & crafts club, is sent on a secret infiltration mission to the “focus club” — a loosely defined student organization where the main “focus” is making origami — after his own club faces a humiliating defeat in a paper airplane contest. But, rather than stealing the focus club’s secrets to making the perfect paper plane, Mitsuyu instead finds himself entranced by the club’s charming, charismatic, and very floofy-haired leader, Sendai.
The sexual tension between the two escalates until one day, what starts as a private origami lesson quickly devolves into a sexy full-body “powdering” session, then into making origami together with their dicks (I repeat, with their dicks), and then… well, you can probably guess what happens next 
What follows is a blossoming friendship-slash-romance-slash-rivalry that encapsulates the emotional chaos of being a teenager, and ends up being quite touching. Also, lots of powder, and dick origami (in multiple ways! 
), all wrapped up in Jake Akahoshi’s lovely art.
Like the other tankobon (full volumes) on this list, this story is a bit shorter than the average self-contained BL volume. But, diehard Jake Akahoshi fans will be pleased (or, in my case, frothing at the mouth) to learn that the back end of this volume is made up of sequel chapters to Addicting Serenade. What happened to the characters after the first installment? How did their relationships develop? Does the home improvement store make for a romantic date spot?? (Answer: Yes )
“Jake Scale” Rating
Spiciness:
Unhingedness: Extra points for the, erm, creative fetishization of… baby powder, of all things.
“Aww”-worthiness:
I could honestly go on all day about why I love this mangaka so much, but to sum it up…
Jake Akahoshi’s distinctive art style that’s a bit cartoony but very expressive, creative storytelling, and passionate and steamy sex scenes (that are, on the whole, consensual; often enthusiastically so!) have cemented their status as a personal “comfort artist” for me, whose works I can always come back to whenever I’m in the mood for a good ole romp in the sack featuring sorta buff yet super adorable dudes, or when I just need to destress with some whacky BL shenanigans. Akahoshi-sensei’s manga can make me laugh, cry, or maybe both, when I need it.
I also think Akahoshi-sensei brings a lot to the table in terms of the “fantastical” possibilities of BL as a genre — not just in the sense of otherworldly or magical elements, but through the most ridiculous setups and scenarios you can think of, played completely straight — where “common sense” is turned on its head, opening your mind to things you might never have considered, and the end result is fascinating.
I hope I’ve got you interested, or even slightly nudged you closer to checking out Akahoshi-sensei’s works, if you have yet to experience all the craziness and excitement (
) they offer. I promise — they don’t disappoint!!
If you’re already a fan — or find yourself completely devoted to following Jake Akahoshi’s creations after checking out any (or all!) of the manga above — and are hoping for an English release of even more from their massive catalog of works, be sure to let us know! (I’m aware of one of their newer series currently in the process of translation for publication on Renta! — I can’t spill all the deets now, but let’s just say it’s sure to warm you up! ) We’re always eager to hear what creators you want to see more of on our site, and I for one would be thrilled to introduce even more of these equal parts unhinged and heartwarming series to BL fans worldwide.
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