For June, Webtoons curated a collection of LGBTQIA+ webtoons in honor of Pride Month. To celebrate the LGTBQIA+ community, CBR has some recommendations for titles in this collection. From Always Human to The Four of Them, each of these webtoons takes readers on a magical journey of self-discovery and acceptance through romance and friendship.
Always Human by walkingnorth
In Always Human, Sunati lives in a genetic engineer-driven world: humans consume “mods” which are said to enhance one’s well-being and lifestyle. Sunati constantly uses mods to change her appearance. One day, Sunati encounters a girl named, Austen, who has an immune condition that prevents her from using mods. Austen is self-conscious about her inability to use mods, but regardless, Sunati finds her interesting and so they slowly begin their lovely relationship.
Sunati and Austen care too much about other people’s opinions, in regards to physical appearances. As a couple, though, the two learn to be comfortable in their skin, allowing them to accept their imperfections.
Life Outside the Circle By H-P Lehkonen
Life Outside the Circle is about two men developing a strong friendship that eventually transforms into love while living in the Finnish countryside. Sami, an artist and social media enthusiast, just moved from the city to the countryside. He befriends his neighbors: Juha, a single dad, and his daughter, Maiju.
This series is reminiscent in some ways of the manga My Brother’s Husband, where a mysterious man enters the lives of a man and his daughter and reshapes what it means to be a family in a heartwarming way.
Acception By Colourbee
Acception showcases the ups and downs of high school life, from dealing with bullies to trying to find a spot to sit at during lunchtime. Although this webtoon series is mainly centered on Arcus McCarthy, who's recently moved to the Netherlands, the series delves into a wide supporting casts, revealing the typical individuals we encounter in high school from the social media trendsetter to the goth girl.
Arcus isn’t into labels, despite his classmates trying to figure out if he's a boy or a girl. Arcus is just Arcus and he doesn’t care about other people's opinions on him. Acception is a webtoon about self-discovery and trying to survive the dreaded environment known as high school.
April Flowers By ccustard
April enrolls in the prestigious school for exorcists, Elden Academy. On her first day at her new dorm, April meets her roommate, Iris, a hybrid (half-human and half-demon). At first, April feels uncomfortable living with Iris, but soon they start to learn about each other, and eventually, form a powerful friendship.
April Flowers emphasizes the importance of strong female bonds. Iris faces discrimination amongst her classmates, but her friendship with April strengthens her. The creator is taking an indefinite hiatus but this webtoon is one that you should check out because of its dark storyline focusing on characters' mental trauma and overcoming their inner demons.
Small World By Wonsun Jin
From sweet midnight texts to working out together, Julien and Robin define what being in love is all about: two people displaying their affection and care for one another in any circumstance. Small World is told in four-panel frames showcasing adorable and romantic gestures in episodic tidbits that can make a reader want to fall in love and be in a relationship.
My Dictator Boyfriend By Teo / Guy
In My Dictator Boyfriend, Immanuel is the new leader of the nation Tauligia. The citizens don't trust Immanuel's leadership as he is young and inexperienced; as a result, a few rebels are planning his assassination. For Immanuel’s safety and security, Immanuel’s father, Gyorg hires a capable bodyguard, Jean Jacques De Jeneve.
Immanuel is quite naive and childish, both in leading a nation and in love. He constantly stares at Jean, his bodyguard, in a stalker-y way and fantasizes going on dates with him. However, this series shows Immanuel developing into an assertive leader where he slowly attempts to change the viewpoints of the citizens in Tauligia so that LGBTQIA+ people are treated without discrimination.
The Four of Them By Mai Hirschfeld_
Jonathan “Johnny” Grillo has a sibling rivalry against his sister, Micaela. Micaela beats her brother not only in academics but in romance. One day, Micaela reveals that she likes girls to her family and introduces her girlfriend to them, who happens to be Johnny’s crush, Mariel Bemberg. Now, Johnny makes it his current life mission to get over Mariel by getting a girlfriend with the help of his friends, Gaby and Martina.
The Four of Them focuses on adolescent romance and growing up. However, the most compelling story in this series so far is the romantic storyline between Mariel and Micaela who are facing one of the most difficult situations every LGTBQIA+ person experiences: coming out to your friends and family.