What the hell is Gakuen Handsome?

Yay, I’m doing a first reaction post for a BL series that is airing this Fall season, what you didn’t know there was a BL series this season? I suppose you can be forgiven for that, but if you have chosen to not watch this series based solely on the art style, you are missing out on something fun!!!

Gakuen Handsome is a series that is completely self-aware of what it is, a parody series that plays with common tropes within the yaoi and boys love genre, but it does not just play with these tropes it takes them to the extreme level of sheer hilarity. (I could not stop laughing watching the first ep, even the opening is a brilliant parody of the BL genre and anime aimed at women)

Based on a BL dating game of the same name with an almost cult-like following the anime itself is the end result of a crowdfunding campaign and met its goal within five days but kept going with more stretch goals, the end result being the anime you can now watch on Crunchyroll.

Each episode is just over three minutes long including the opening and end credits but manages to through as many yaoi tropes and jokes at you while keeping a coherent and fun narrative. I am definitely looking forward to seeing where this series will go and put this down as a must watch this season as well as Yuri on Ice!!! for any BL and Yaoi fan.