The XL-lent BL That Turned My Expectations on Their Head: Tamachi’s “I’m An XL. Could You Find Me A Spouse?”

Read on Renta!:
I’m An XL. Could You Find Me A Spouse? by Tamachi

Japanese:
XL size Desu ga Kekkon Sasetekuremasuka?
XLサイズですが、結婚させてくれますか？

Links:
Twitter (Author)
Twitter (Publisher)

Once in a while, you find a BL that just hits all the right notes to the melody that is your personal taste — almost as if it was tailor-made for you, like the creator knows and sees YOU.

…BL mangaka probably aren’t all psychics, though, so I’ll just call it a stroke of luck that I encountered Tamachi’s “I’m An XL. Could You Find Me A Spouse?” while on the job here at Renta!

If you’ve read some of my other posts on this BLog, you might have already clocked me as a fluff fanatic — to which I can only reply, “Guilty! ” But, if you’ve seen the full catalog of the series I’ve recommended here, you’ll know I’m no stranger to the, erm… thirstier side of BL as well (in which case, I can only say, “Go ahead and handcuff me ” Sorry). These two “flavors” of BL are by no means mutually exclusive, but striking that perfect balance between the two is an art that, when done exceptionally well, calls for celebration in my book. And if a BL can make me laugh too, that’s just icing on the cake!

That brings us to Tamachi’s “I’m an XL. Could You Find Me A Spouse?” When I first saw the title of this series, my first thought was, “Oh. He’s got a big dick. Whelp, better brace myself to check all those tiny sound effect texts during the seggs scenes.” I must admit I have some prejudices; when I see a BL put its most “sexy” component out front and center, I tend to assume that’s its main draw — and that’s not necessarily a bad thing! Sometimes you’re just in the mood to see a cute guy getting reamed on livestream, or a precious boy get degraded (and railed).

So, little did I know this series was going to take hold of me and never let go, with its ridiculous premise developing into something far more tender — and even SEXIER — than I was expecting!

Synopsis

The protagonist of this story is Minato, a professional matchmaker, who is extremely good at his job but has terrible luck with the female clients he’s been assigned (they all fall for him instead). He attempts to circumvent this by adopting a “male clients only” policy, and who walks in as his first matchee but Akihi, a successful and handsome businessman.

However, it only takes a few moments for Akihi to reveal his true colors. His classy facade is but a cover for his true identity — a desperate virgin whose gargantuan member has kept him from finding true love. He declares that Minato is the partner he’s been waiting for, and whips out his ding-dong right there in the meeting room, eager to consummate their destined love. Minato reacts as anyone would, and things unravel from there…

Before I dive into why I personally love this series so damn much, I should probably answer one important question…

Can everyone handle the XL?

Perhaps not.

As it turns out, this series is a bit divisive — at least, it is among the members of this BLog. My wonderful colleague, who I won’t call out here but their name rhymes with Balice, found the seme Akihi to be unbearable, declaring, “He’s an incel!” On the other hand, I defended him while acknowledging his flaws, retorting, “Yes, but he’s a funny incel!” (We’re both well aware that one’s preferences in fiction and reality are different things, and Alice is obsessed with yandere, so it’s really just a matter of different strokes for different folks.) I for one love over-the-top stories and characters, even if they veer into “cringe” territory, so I was hooked on this book instantly. Plus, I would describe Akihi as the human, or at least BL character, embodiment of a class-A shitpost. And I am all about shitposting.

I think how much you’ll enjoy this series depends on how you feel by the end of the first chapter (which, luckily, you can read in full for FREE in the sample here!). If you’re turned off by the pushiness and entitled/“incel”-like behavior of Akihi, you might not care to read how he manages to worm his way into the earnest Minato’s heart from there. But, if you’re amused by the absolute ridiculousness of it all, or even just a little curious as to how this unlikely love story will develop, I highly recommend reading till the end — you won’t regret it!

The Dorky Characters & Their Explosive Chemistry

What really sucked me into the story was the back-and-forth gravitational pull between the main couple, the hapless Minato and the titular XL-sized cock owner, Akihi.

First off, I was destined to fall for Minato from the start — I’ve really got a thing for earnest, hardworking characters (is it because I admire them? Because I see myself in them?? Let’s not delve any further into this), and LBR, they get extra points if they’re cute. Minato ticks all the boxes for me. I knew at first glance he was destined to be a bottom, and I wanted nothing more than for him to get railed by the man of his dreams…

Enter Akihi.

Don’t be fooled by his “cool guy in glasses” demeanor — the man is a walking dumpster fire, full of pent-up sexual frustration and insecurity who sets his sights on Minato as the one for him after a short, seemingly surface-level interaction. After his past experiences, you’d think Minato would run for the hills rather than try to work with the horny disaster of a client he’s been given, but ever the dutiful matchmaker, Minato decides then and there that he will find this well-endowed willy wielder a spouse. Thus begins a battle of wits and strategy between the determined Minato and the indomitable (and clingy) Akihi, who has no intentions of tying the knot with anyone but his beloved brown-haired baby boi.

At first, Akihi is like a sticky, sweaty wad of gum stuck to the bottom of Minato’s shoe — a nuisance he must put up with for the sake of his job, with the added tension of a metaphorical elephant looming in the room with them, threatening the integrity of Minato’s behind. He tries to win Minato over with mind-blowing sex and isn’t above using underhanded tactics to shove himself into his agent’s life far beyond the boundaries of professionalism. This of course gets Minato all flustered, leading to many a “what am I doing with my life?” moment, but it quickly becomes clear he’s not totally opposed to the attention being lavished on him — and he’s starting to care for Akihi as a person, and not just a client.

In addition to their comedic (and sexual — more on that later ) chemistry, the mutual pining between the two builds throughout the story, and the emotional payoff every time they have a breakthrough in their relationship hits like a popsicle on a hot summer day.

With all the whacky and sexy shenanigans going on, I was surprised at how serious and emotional the story gets at times. In particular, the part where we learn about Akihi’s past is rather shocking and gives us a new understanding of his character — a tragic past may not excuse his unhinged behavior at the beginning of his “courting” of Minato, but it certainly gives him Depth.

Alright, let’s talk about that SMUT! & Simp for a Crybaby Uke

You may be wondering, “But, does he actually get to USE his XL-sized dick on that cute, blubbering little twink??” and I don’t want to spoil the surprise, so to speak, but I will say this: Tamachi-sensei doesn’t rely on the peen to make the H-scene(s). They’re fun and creative, even when the giant D isn’t taking center stage!

Tamachi displays incredible skill at expressing the classic charm of a man in a suit, as well as in various states of undress, but I want to stress that the nude bodies here are drawn so beautifully. Both guys are built like Greek statues (how TF does Minato have an 8-pack when he has an office job and we never see him hitting the gym?? BL logic, Hallelujah), and the smooth linework and purposeful shading of the artwork make them look so soft and touchable… That may be a strange way of putting it, but don’t judge until you’ve laid eyes on one of the H-scenes for yourself!!

Akihi has a lot of sex appeal and prowess for an insecure virgin, able to break Minato’s steady resolve with his skill, but make no mistake, Minato is no prude himself — he’s quite vocal about his pleasure, and by the end of the book, he’s the one taking initiative. We love to see it!

I want to give Tamachi-sensei a standing, crying ovation for the kinky antics these two get up to, and the genius ways in which they’re incorporated. It’s through this series that I was first introduced to the concept of a “lube rag,” a very specific kink that is very much a Real Thing, and which I won’t go into detail about here because I really think it ought to be experienced for the first time through this manga

Also, there’s a nice depiction of aftercare following a rather intense sex scene, which was a pleasant surprise that only adds onto the pair’s emotional intimacy!

If you’re a fan of seeing ukes cry out of absolute pleasure until they’re a sobbing, snotty mess, this book is for you. And if you’re not, perhaps seeing Minato fall apart suring the sex scenes will make you discover something new about yourself (totally not speaking from experience here)

Long story short: come for the XL, stay for the hot guys in suits doing nipple stuff

Final Thoughts

TL;DR: To evaluate the many elements that work together to make this story so great IMO, I’ve created an arbitrary Sou Scale that I will use for the first time here, and may or may not ever use again because commitment scares me

Fluff: 7/10 “HP restored”

Smut: 9/10 “Mama mia, that’s a spicy meatball”

Comedy: 7/10 “Many a chuckle, a few LOLs”

Angst: 3/10 “Just a li’l bit, for extra flavor”

Overall, I give it a 10/10 dongs

The minute I finished the book, I was already craving more of these two — and Volume 1 even ends with a few interesting new story elements introduced. Turns out, the God of Hot Guys in Suits (according to Ames, and I couldn’t agree more), Tamachi, isn’t done with our boys yet! There are currently 3 volumes out in Japanese, and lemme tell you, this ridiculous love story only heats up from here. The slowly growing cast of characters add some color to the romcom world as well! Will Akihi succeed in his cuffing quest?? Only time will tell!!

This is one of those series that really makes me so glad BL as a genre exists, because where else could we see this sort of story being told, as crazy and beautiful as it is?

I know I want to help get more XL excellence out into the English-speaking world as fast as possible, and if you reach the end of the book and can’t wait for more — “volume 2 WHEN???”— you can always drop us a line (here, on Twitter, or via our official request form), and we’ll keep you posted on the next release!

If you’ve read this far, I sincerely hope you’ll check this series out, because all the above is just the tip of the iceberg that is its many charms. All right, I’ll see myself out