BluPetal Brings Animate International's BL Manga to Turkey
Local manga publisher BluPetal has signed a new licensing agreement with Japanese giant Animate International. Under this agreement, selected Boys Love (BL) series owned by Animate International will be published in Turkey under the BluPetal label. In the first wave, three notable titles will meet readers: Mask Danshi, Kabukicho Bad Trip, and Tashiro-kun, Why're You Like This?.
BluPetal is known as a Turkish publisher focusing specifically on BL and LGBTQ+ themed manga. Having previously localized various Japanese and Korean series, the team is now significantly expanding its portfolio with this new agreement. Animate International is the international arm of Animate, one of Japan's largest media retailers, and holds the rights to many popular BL series worldwide. This partnership opens an important door for BL readers in Turkey.
Let's take a closer look at the first three series. Mask Danshi (The Boy Who Doesn't Wear a Mask) — as the title suggests, it tells the tense love story between a high school student who refuses to wear a mask and a rule-bound teacher. Kabukicho Bad Trip is a series set in Kabukicho, Tokyo's most vibrant nightlife district, blending crime and romance. The third series, Tashiro-kun, Why're You Like This?, is a school romance with a full 'tsundere' dynamic that makes readers laugh and feel emotional. Each of these titles has a large fan base in Japan, both digitally and in print.
Interest in the Boys Love genre in Turkey has been increasing rapidly in recent years. A community growing through online reading platforms and social media has caught the attention of local publishers. BluPetal's move takes officially licensed BL manga publishing in Turkey one step further. The publisher plans to complete the translation and editing processes of these series in the coming months and release the first books to shelves. Additionally, hints are given that other series will be announced under the agreement.
An exciting period begins for fans. BluPetal's agreement with Animate International is promising not only for these three series but also for possible future licensing. It could especially open the door to classic and new BL titles that have never been published in Turkey before. The publisher states that it places great importance on translation quality and original print layout. The release dates and pre-order details of the first series will be announced in the coming days via BluPetal's official channels.
