Light of My Life | BL Manga Review

I really loved this one!~

Title: Light of My Life

Author/Artist: Takiba & Fuuko Minami

Genre: drama, romance

Ages: 18+ Mature

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Volume: 1/1 oneshot

Release: October 28th, 2025

Order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

A beloved BL author’s English manga debut! Aki and Minagi were inseparable in high school, until an incident pulled their friendship apart at the seams. Years later, both men have given up on their high school dreams, and on each other. But when Minagi shows up one night on Aki’s doorstep, is it just the push the two men need in order to address their past and repair their future?

Back in high school, best friends Aki and Minagi were inseparable. Aki dreamed of becoming a professional football player, while everyone called Minagi a genius and urged him to chase his dream of working in medicine. Years later, Aki has taken over his grandfather’s hair salon, and Minagi has set his interest in medicine aside to work in a host club. Despite the growing tension between them following their high school fallout, Minagi shows up at Aki’s apartment one day asking for a place to stay. Can the two men confront their past in order to repair their future?

A fixture on the Japanese BL scene for the last decade, Takiba finally makes their English-language debut with Light of My Life. Takiba’s artwork brings a refreshing new aesthetic to the BL genre that will catch the eyes of readers looking for bittersweet love stories featuring adult characters, particularly fans of Kou Yoneda (Twittering Birds Never Fly) and Ranmaru Zariya (Coyote; Birds of Shangri-La).

The Basics:

Art: 5/5

Okay, the photo’s kinda janky… I was reading at like 1 a.m. BUT I LOVED the art in this, especially Aki’s character design.

Characters: 5/5

I really enjoyed the characters! This manga is the epitome of grumpy x sunshine, and it’s done so well! Despite being a oneshot I thought Minagi and Aki were well developed and even the side characters were entertaining.

Story/Plot: 4/5

Oh man, the stark contrast between childhood dreams and the reality of adult life.

Light of My Life is a fast-paced, angsty story with a satisfying HEA.

This story relies heavily on miscommunication (or lack thereof) between the characters and was a bit frustrating to read. Thankfully it’s a one-shot, so everything gets cleared up… but MAN, if y’all don’t just talk to each other ISTG.

I did think the reveal of why Aki got injured and couldn’t follow his dream of becoming a pro soccer player was… kinda dull? IDK. All that build-up and it wasn’t even a little dramatic. I guess that made it more realistic…

Writing/Dialouge: 5/5

No issues! Thought this one was done very well. Localization is great!

In conclusion:

Highly recommend, especially if you like a well-written grumpy/brooding top (who’s secretly adorable) paired with a sunshine bottom who has trouble handling his emotions.