Earlier this year, I was overjoyed to come across this post on X from the mangaka account アライグマ社 (@AraigumaSha) regarding one of the finest phrases known to humans: old man yaoi. The thread of posts features a moment of discovery by the artist, accompanied by wholesome interactions between them and English-speaking BL fans chiming in to explain how the term is used to refer to works of BL featuring older characters. Several users also added to the conversation—whether to reassure アライグマ社 that the term has a positive, endearing nuance, or to let them know how, in Western fandoms, works featuring anyone older than 30 or so could be categorized as old man yaoi. Personally, I absolutely love seeing moments like this, where fandoms from across the world connect over a shared interest, teaching and learning from each other. It truly demonstrates the ways in which communities grow and evolve through curiosity and genuine interactions ☺️
At the same time, as an old man yaoi lover myself, I could not simply sit still in the office. I had been meaning to work on doing an oyaji (term described below) blog post, so I took it as a sign from the universe that now is the time to work on it…! I know many of you are already well-versed in this sub-genre (if I can call it that), but I will start off with an overview of different ways in which old man yaoi may be referred to in Japan, followed by some recommendations.
Here in Japan, BL manga that feature older characters are commonly referred to as ojisan (おじさん) BL or oyaji (オヤジ) BL, as both of these words are used to refer to men in their middle ages (the latter one being more informal). The beautiful realm of ojisan BL is further broken down into categories by whether the ojisan is the top or the bottom, if only one of the characters is older:
– ojisan uke / oyaji uke
– ojisan seme / oyaji seme
Furthermore, since the Japanese language LOVES to abbreviate words, the term ojisan is sometimes shortened to oji-. So, you may also come across expressions like oji-seme and oji-uke!
While some readers may have a preference on either one of these tropes, I am an all-around fan of old man yaoi. Oyaji-uke manga where the older guy gets completely vulnerable and cute in front of a younger top? Yes, please. Oyaji-seme, where the top shows dominance over a smaller, younger bottom who just wants it really bad? Say no more. What appeals to me in these dynamics is the fact that, although this may sound super cliché, mutual attraction can bloom even if there is an age gap. Plus, in many cases, the age gap is accompanied by a height difference, creating the dynamic duo that increases the kyun factor exponentially 🥵 And, last but not least, oyaji x oyaji romance where both characters are having another go at giving love a try, perhaps to overcome a past trauma surrounding romance? That just melts my icy corporate soul.
So, without further ado, here are a few of my favorite old man yaoi available on Renta!
Heaven and Demon
By: Oyoshikawa Kyoko and Aga Naomi
Oh, where do I even start… I know I’ve already chosen this series in the past for the Renta! BL 2024 Staff Awards, but excluding this from an old man yaoi feature would be a crime. Also, since this is one of my all-time favorite BL period, it means if I didn’t do a more involved review of Heaven and Demon, that would be one of the regrets I would have on my deathbed 🥲 The story centers around a Japanese Language Arts teacher Aoki (written as 青鬼, of which the kanji characters mean “blue + demon/ogre”) and the school nurse and health teacher Tengoku（天獄, meaning “heaven + prison”), who work at the same high school. Aoki, in his middle age (and featured in OLD MAN RUBBER SANDALS ON THE COVER!), is pretty much a tired man who still lives through a past trauma regarding his relationship with parents. At work, he only puts in just enough effort as not to waste any extra energy. Tengoku is a mysterious man who had a rumor surrounding him: that he offers some students “help” in losing their virginity.
One day, he visits the school infirmary to discuss matters with Tengoku about one of his students who frequents there. This essentially is the first real interaction Aoki has with Tengoku, but Tengoku’s piercing gaze sees right through him as he brings up the fact that Aoki only came to check in about the student to avoid any further trouble with the parents. Their conversation about the student in question and the rumor turns into Tengoku asking Aoki one question after another about his outlook on love and intimacy. Entertained by Aoki’s naivety, Tengoku starts “teasing” him, and once Tengoku has his eyes on Aoki, things escalate rather drastically. How, you ask? You’ll have to read it to find out, but I’ll note that there is some bottom-tied-up-at-the-wrist dub-con action involved.
The main highlight of this work is the way in which the characters’ unique personalities intertwine. Aoki, with his dark memories about his childhood regarding his uber-strict mother, feels somewhat haunted by the memories of the harsh reprimanding he received as a kid. He doesn’t really know how he feels towards his mother—whether it’s the sense of inadequacy, fear, rejection, or pity. Despite this complexity, he also cannot deny the fact that, for some odd reason, pain turns him on. Tengoku seems almost like a twisted degenerate at first glance—touching, jerking off, and having sex with a colleague who he isn’t super close with. However, over time, we learn that Tengoku has no trouble getting intimate with others BECAUSE he doesn’t really know how to love someone—for him, romantic feelings and physical intimacy are considered two totally separate concepts. While Tengoku THINKS he has everything figured out, we see that he doesn’t really understand himself and that he is actually desperate for someone to love him. As the two spend more time together, they go through a journey of discovery and acceptance, both of themselves and of each other.
Personally, I enjoyed understanding more and more about the characters’ inner thoughts throughout the story, like why Tengoku sometimes acts so unexpectedly—almost like a kid sometimes—and how Aoki grows more and more in touch with his nurturing side. How the mangaka focuses more on Aoki’s perspective in the first volume and on Tengoku’s in the second volume is also genius because it goes so well with the cover art and establishes this image of Tengoku being an unreadable pervert at first. Their story truly blooms in the third volume, which actually made me cry 😭 And, last but not least, the ero scenes are impeccable, leaning towards the more intense, bondage-coded situations 😍 If you are a fan of old man yaoi, I cannot recommend this series enough!!
This was a recommendation from lovely Sou on our BL team! I’ve read one of Ikuyasu’s works before and I thoroughly enjoyed it, so how could I say no to another manga by the same artist?
The setting and the personalities of the characters in this work are pretty different from the type of manga I usually go for. Sure, I’ve read a good amount of BL featuring buff men before, but Dirty Dandies takes place at a handyman store run by a group of energetic guys who love banter, unlike in the office or school setting I usually gravitate towards. Kaoru, the seme, is the owner of the store, and when he finds out that Michiya, the uke, is in trouble being roped into a huge debt, Kaoru takes him under his wing and has Michiya work for him—“busting his ass” quite literally 😜—until the debt is repaid. As the story unravels, we find out that the two had been very close, hanging out a lot during their childhood and school days, until Michiya decided to move away—partly to overcome his obsession with Kaoru. As time goes on, Michiya deeply regrets having distanced himself from someone he had feelings for and so admired, but now that their circumstances brought them back together, will things finally advance between them?
Despite the characterization being different from what I usually read, I enjoyed the plot and the storytelling. At first, it took me a bit of time to grasp why the situation was the way it was at the start of the story, but after reading, this setup does seem intentional; the mangaka implements flashbacks in most, if not all, the chapters. As I kept reading, I experienced some “Aha!” and “Oh!” moments whenever a character’s feelings or motives were revealed little by little. The plot and the dialogue were light and humorous, which highlighted the camaraderie of the group of guyfriends and aligned with the rougher atmosphere of the setting, but those moments did not overshadow Kaoru and Michiya’s story.
Both of the leads are likeable and when it comes to being in touch with their emotional side, but we can also see that each of them have been expressing (or, at least trying to express) their love for each other in their own clumsy ways. When it comes to physical love, readers who love buff men going at each other will have a treat waiting for them…! Both of the characters are well-built, with the added bonus (?) of the bottom being prone to peeing his pants when he gets drunk 💦. So, unless this last element is a no-go for you, I highly recommend it!
Bittersweet Bliss With A Chocolatier
By: Yan
This work was featured by our lovely Sou recently for our Valentine’s Day feature, which includes some sneak peeks of steamy scenes, so I will keep this review a bit short!
I’ve actually been a fan of this mangaka for a while based on the illustrations they post on their X account. They mainly draw characters with super-defined abs and a huge build, so when I found out that we would be localizing their work in-house at Renta!, I made sure to check it out.
The story follows Kaito, the 20-something bottom who is aspiring to make a name for himself in the confectionery world, and Masayuki, the seme who’s a man in his 40s known for his fancy chocolate shop. Since Sou did such a wonderful job delving DEEP into the details of the storyline and the main flow of the plot, I’ll focus on my reaction from the series. First of all, I got absolutely hooked (well, I guess I already was…) on the art style. There’s something special about how Yan-sensei draws buff characters in their middle ages, looking so meaty that their shirts are about to pop lol. Whether the characters are in their uniforms—or whether they’re wearing any clothes at all—or not, the mangaka’s illustrations contain a mix of bold strength and supple cuteness. The fact that all these seemingly-contrasting characteristics can coexist in characters like Masayuki, the older top, and Kaito, the younger bottom, speaks for itself.
Additionally, the premise of following one’s own heart in terms of one’s career and the growth that comes with it made the story not only a feast for the eyes, but also for the mind. Whether they’re anime like Look Back or movies like La La Land, I am a sucker for stories featuring characters pursuing their goals. Despite the setbacks they face, they stay grounded to their values and take their craft seriously. As I followed the story of Kaito’s determination to become the best chocolatier he can ever be and Masayuki’s dedication to the craft of chocolate making from the very beginning of the process to the very end, I felt inspired to revisit why I entered this field of work in manga localization and what I want to achieve…!
So, there you have it—some of Yomogi’s favorite picks from the old man yaoi available on Renta! What are YOUR favorite works, and which stories do you wish gets an English adaptation? Let us know!
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