Animated BL series and films are hardly a new phenomenon. Yet in recent years the format has begun gaining renewed momentum, with several titles even crossing over into live-action territory. One example is the Japanese animated series Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami (やたらやらしい深見くん)、 which will air in April on Tokyo MX.

As with any emerging corner of the industry, the results can vary in quality. Still, some of the most compelling entries have come out of South Korea. Among them is MIGNON (민용), a 2023 ONA (Original Net Animation) written, illustrated, and directed by Bboong Bbang Kkyu (뿡빵뀨). 

A story about two damaged souls who find something honest and human in one another in a world that offers very little in anything honest or human.

Mignon, a quiet young man who survives by living two lives. By day he works as a mechanic. By night he fights brutal matches in an illegal underground MMA arena. Orphaned at a young age and raised in an environment defined by exploitation, the only consistent kindness in his life comes from Oh Young-One, the arena’s on-site doctor. 

Calm, mysterious, and clearly carrying secrets of his own, Young-One treats the fighters after their matches, patching together broken bodies in a place where no one asks too many questions.

Mignon’s devotion to Young-One is disarmingly pure, even after he discovers the truth about the doctor’s supernatural identity. Faced with a love that refuses to retreat, Young-One finds his carefully guarded emotional walls beginning to crack.

But the brutal world surrounding them has no patience for tenderness. As violence closes in and long-buried secrets surface, the fragile bond between fighter and doctor is tested in ways neither of them could have imagined.

Produced by ABJ Company, the series debuted on 11 August 2023 and was released as twelve short episodes, each running between five and ten minutes. It initially streamed on the Korean BL-focused platform Heavenly, while international viewers were able to watch the series on Vimeo.

However, the show was removed from Vimeo just twelve days after its release. According to ABJ, the removal stemmed from “issues with the creator’s former agency.”

MIGNON eventually returned to Vimeo in the summer of 2025. A month later, an expanded hour-long cut titled MIGNON Master Version premiered exclusively on Heavenly. This feature-length edition includes adjusted visuals and several newly added scenes, offering viewers a more complete version of the story.

ABJ is now offering fans the opportunity to support a new physical release of the film through a limited pre-order crowdfunding campaign.

Running through 10 March (KST), the campaign features two collectible editions built around the same core set of materials. Both versions include a USB drive containing the 1 hour 4 minute feature film along with an 11 minute 28 second animated prequel. The box set also includes two printed volumes of the webtoon (in Korean) and five collectible photo cards, all packaged in a collector’s box.

Set A, the more comprehensive edition, expands on this package with several additional items. These include three illustration art boards, a postcard book featuring sixteen 100 × 150 mm postcards, one acrylic stand, two acrylic keyrings, and a sticker pack designed around the series’ artwork and characters.

Residents within Korea can pre-order the set on Tumblebug. International fans can order through nemo it store.

Shipping in June, the series will be available in bookstores and online for international purchases later this year. 

For more information on the series, the author, and production company please checkout the official ABJ Company profile on X.

There will be more information on MIGNON, including a review of the release soon so… 

Stay Tuned!