It’s also worth noting that there’s a fine line in YA fiction between “late-bloomer/repressed” and “ace/aro,” and while Bloom initially feels like the latter, it turns into the former. Your patience will be well-rewarded.Ĭontent Warnings: The series contains mild sexual content, depictions of homophobia, and a nonconsensual kiss. Even if you’re hesitant at first, we urge you to stick with it. It takes a few episodes to get going, but Bloom builds into an exquisitely directed slow-burn yuri romance that engages with queerness in a way that’s sometimes devastating, often comforting, and always thoughtful. It would be recommendation-worthy for that alone, but Bloom also directly engages with cultural norms, acknowledging harmful “just a phase” ideology and actively rejecting it by including a healthy adult lesbian couple. Why We Recommend It: Beautifully storyboarded and gracefully narrated, Bloom Into You follows its cast of queer teens as they grapple with their sexualities, identities, and shifting relationships with one another. When she meets upperclassmen Touko Nanami, it seems she’s found someone who feels the same-at least, until Touko confesses that she’s falling in love with Yuu.
What’s It About? High schooler Yuu Koito feels isolated from her peers because she’s never felt “love” the way everyone else seems to.
