Coco Aino – rentaBLog

VTubers and BL Trends

As someone who spends a lot of time in Japanese 女性向け (joseimuke, or female-oriented) spaces and also consumes a lot of BL, one thing I really enjoy is how BL manga very frequently reflects what’s going on in those circles—what themes are popular, what fashions are getting big, social concerns women are dealing with (have you ever wondered why JP Omegaverse is significantly more about social issues than hot breeding kink sex…?), etc. But it’s not just these themes and styles, but overarching trends in popular culture that suddenly start showing up as well. And in this case, the one I want to talk about is:

Shikinagi Akira and Hayase Sou discuss their fav BL tropes

Vtubers.

I’m not super open about it, but I’ｍ a Vtuber fan. I’m not as big into them as I used to be—back during the pandemic it was my (and many other people’s, I believe) main fandom. My cat is named after Saegusa Akina. I cried so hard and for so long on the day Mayuzumi Kai graduated that I wished I could call into work the next day but instead went in looking like I’d been punched in the face. I attended the Nijirock concert back in 2021 as well as Fantasia in 2022. Unfortunately, I’m not super acquainted with the newer gens, and I have much less time to watch them now that we no longer work from home, but Vtubers and streamers still hold a special place in my heart for making living alone during the pandemic significantly more bearable.

And the fun thing for me is that many BL mangaka seem to feel the same. When they aren’t drawing Vtuber fanart on their side accounts, BL manga about streamers (and Vtubers to a lesser degree) has exploded in the last couple years, so I wanted to write about the collision of these two things I love.

Community Tags, Why They Exist, and Why They Matter

While searching on our site, you may have noticed we have two tagging systems:

If these tags appeal to you, they’re for the series *Chew Me Up and Teach Me About Love*!

For those who’ve ever wondered why in the world we need two tagging systems, or what these two tagging systems are used for, I figured I’d do an explainer. I’ve noticed the community tags in particular seem under-utilized, and since they’re sincerely more helpful the more people actually use them, I was hoping I could “take a Selfish” and talk about why I think the community tags are important.

Artist Spotlight: Coco Aino (相野ココ)

Available on Renta!:
Stop Smiling
The Cat Across The Hall
Intimate, But Not A Friend

Social Media:
Twitter → @ainococo

One of my favorite parts about working this job is that, in getting to read BL manga daily, I’m always getting introduced to new mangaka or titles that I might’ve missed otherwise. A shining example of that is Coco Aino. I was introduced to Coco Aino’s work after being assigned the quality check for Intimate, But Not A Friend, and the more time I spent with it the more I came to love the story and characters. I’ve read every manga she’s released since.

Coco Aino’s art style might be a bit sketchy for some, but I love how soft it makes her scenes feel, and how expressive her character’s faces are. I’m a huge sucker for characters who wear their emotions clearly on their face and how that adds to the scene, and Coco Aino is supremely skilled at that. You’re never left guessing what her characters are feeling in the moment. Her backgrounds are also always detailed without being distracting, and it makes the world of her characters feel so full and real.

In terms of plots, Coco Aino is queen of the Sad Boys (TM). Her plots are often very emotional and sentimental, with a good sprinkling of sexy or comedic content to prevent things from feeling too heavy. Many of her characters are often dealing with inner turmoil (their sexuality, fear of rejection, etc.) and that’s what pushes the plot. Her couples tend to fall into the “you complete me” story archetypes, and so the endings are always very fulfilling. There’s plenty of sad or distressing moments, but you can rest assured you won’t be left hanging.

But for how emotionally-driven her plots and characters are, Coco Aino’s dirty scenes are nothing to wag a finger at. The way she draws bodies and intimacy is so lovely, but her ero scenes are just as sexy as they are beautiful. If you’re seeking something steamy in an emotionally fulfilling way, look no further than Coco Aino’s books.

Intimate, But Not A Friend, in particular, drew me in because I loved the mix of deep emotional pain and trauma mixed seamlessly with romantic yearning and needy, possessive ero scenes.

If you can, I also recommend checking out her titles that aren’t on Renta! (not yet, at least… /wink) as they’re also wonderful. Minami-kun has a special place in my heart, because it’s about a silly shame- and anxiety-riddled social recluse who does x-rated ASMR by night and avoids social interaction by day until meeting a bright, outgoing boy who teaches him it’s okay to be who he is. That kind of super sweet, super sexy, super silly plot is the epitome of Coco Aino’s content, and it’s just wonderful.

Other titles:
Kanpeki na Shiba-Senpai no Yawai Toko
Minami-kun ha Sono Koe ni Jirasaretai
Kimi ha Boku no Koto wo Suuhai Shisugiteiru.

Other links:
ChilChil Interview (Japanese)