There was also plenty of BL to choose from this year, but when I saw the cover for this one I knew I had to talk about it.
AFTER SCHOOL ETUDE (Hokago no Etude), by Hirune Cyan. First published in 2020 and first published in North America in 2024.
PLOT:
Minobe has the build of a great ballet dancer, but his technique has always been somewhat lacking. That's why he hopes attending a private arts high school will help him improve. Soon after starting, he encounters Shun, a sophomore with incredible technique and a surly attitude who only recently left the ballet program for modern dance. The two end up paired together for practice, and Minobe finds himself drawn just as much to Shun's beautiful body as he is to his beautiful dancing. As Shun helps Minobe inject some emotion into his dancing, Minobe helps Shun break down his emotional walls.
