- Genre: BL: Yaoi, Drama, Romance, Office Romance
- Mangaka: Haru
- Publisher: H & C Comics
- Published: July 1, 2019
- 1 Vol
Tokyo in April―the unofficial English title of the BL 4gatsu no Tokyo wa―is one of the rare gems that everyone agrees is amazing. And that’s despite the heavy topics that could have very much ruined the story if not handled properly.
What Is Tokyo in April About?
Kazuma returns from the USA to work in Japan. Fate has him reuniting with Ren, his childhood friend―and crush. 10 years ago, they separated abruptly. Their first love fell apart after a night that went from bad to worse to terrible. Ren doesn’t want to relive the past but they will have to confront it―as well as their present troubles.
The Best Things About Tokyo in April
The selling point of this manga is the emotions. Yes, Haru’s art is nice with all its soft lines and cute and funny depictions—but the drama! You can’t read this and not feel for these characters. The topics are quite heavy―content warning for sexual assault and blackmail―and Haru does them justice.
The conflicts always hit home by bringing the issue down to earth. The evils depicted in this manga are so mundane, so realistic you can imagine them happening at your own workplace. And the way Haru describes them and illustrates emotions brings it all to life.
In addition, the plot is always moving, always keeping you on your toes. I promise you won’t be able to tell exactly where anything is going until the end.
Is Tokyo in April yet another Problematic BL?
I’m not going to lie to you. Even if this is a solid 8/10 read, some yikes lines go unconfronted and some scenes that honestly don’t need to be there. That said, the story, characters, and art trump all the bad―unlike some anime of the season… Heavenly Delusion.
Definitely give this BL a try if you like (almost) tragedies, dramas, star-crossed love stories, reunions, office romance, or just want to read a BL that doesn’t have you cringing with every new chapter.
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