Tokyo, Japan – Sachi Narashima’s popular boys’ love manga series, Cosmetic Playlover, and its spinoff, Bitterness Playlover, are both set to publish their final chapters in Libre Publishing’s Magazine Be-Boy on November 7. The announcement, made by Libre Publishing on October 17, marks the end of two significant series for fans of the genre.
The final chapters will appear in the December issue of Magazine Be-Boy. Cosmetic Playlover first launched in the magazine in 2017, while Bitterness Playlover began its irregular serialization in July 2018.
The Story of “Cosmetic Playlover”
Cosmetic Playlover centers on Natsume Mamiya, a beauty consultant, who is unwillingly paired with his junior, Touma Sahashi. Touma, who initially shows little respect for Natsume or his work, soon surpasses him as the top seller. The dynamic takes a sharp turn when Touma discovers Natsume’s sexuality and uses it to coerce him into a “friends with benefits” arrangement. The manga delves into the intricate relationship that develops behind the scenes of a bustling cosmetics counter.
Animate International has licensed the Cosmetic Playlover manga, making it available digitally in English across various platforms. Manga Planet also offers the series digitally through its futekiya (BL) category. The manga has garnered a dedicated following, with its initial volumes exploring a “hot-and-cold relationship between coworkers” that has sold over a million copies.
Delving into “Bitterness Playlover”
While the main series focuses on Natsume and Touma, Bitterness Playlover explores the narrative of two different characters, Keigo Kakizaki and Yukito Saionji. This spinoff has been serialized irregularly in the same magazine since July 2018, often appearing as extra side stories in the main Cosmetic Playlover volumes.
Other Spinoffs and Adaptations
Beyond Bitterness Playlover, Narashima also created a second spinoff titled Twilight Playlover. This series, which focused on the characters Atsushi Nanjo and Iori Kosaka, was serialized in Magazine Be-Boy from October 2020 to July 2021.
The popularity of Cosmetic Playlover has extended beyond manga, inspiring a live-action television series. The first season premiered on Fuji TV in August 2024, and a second season is already slated to debut in January 2026 on Fuji TV and FOD. The live-action adaptation has been praised for its relationship development and for depicting characters who communicate their feelings clearly, even through difficult conversations. Some fans noted that while the live-action condensed four volumes of content into fewer episodes, it successfully retained the essence of the characters’ growth and their unconditional love for each other.
As the manga series concludes, fans can look forward to the upcoming second season of the live-action drama, continuing the story in a new format.
