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The Heart of Thomas is one of the earliest Boys Love manga (its creator, Moto Hagio, is a contemporary and friend of Keiko Takemiya, together with whom she is known as a pioneer of the genre). The story starts with a letter from the eponymous Thomas to the young man he loves, confessing his feelings and the desire to have a place in his beloved's heart. Juli, to whom the letter was addressed, appears to be indifferent to it all. However, his world was shaken further by New Transfer Student Eric, a boy with looks identical to Thomas. The two clash with each other almost immediately and many hidden problems are revealed.
Originally a Japan-only manga, The Heart of Thomas has an English-language release in the works scheduled for an August 2012 release. The manga will be translated by Matt Thorn, a veteran translator who has written several articles on boys-love manga.
- Beneath the Mask: Juli appears to be a model student and son. However, he has problems connecting to other people.
- Bittersweet Ending: None of the main characters after Thomas die, but Juli leaves Erich and Oskar behind to become a priest, causing all three much melancholy.
- Brilliant but Lazy: Oscar.
- Bury Your Gays: Thomas, as par for the course in early BL manga.
- Clingy Jealous Boy: Ante
- Defiled Forever: The reason Juli rejected Thomas. He fell in love with a delinquent, who along with his friends took turns horribly abusing and possibly raping Juli, culminating in a cigarette burn scar on his chest. As a result, Juli felt he wasn't pure enough for Thomas anymore.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Juli. Oscar has his share of this too.
- Fish Out of Water: Eric at first since he has never been to a boarding school.
- Identical Stranger: Eric to Thomas.
- The Messiah: Thomas.
- New Transfer Student: Eric. With the catch of having looks similar to Thomas, the newly dead boy.
- One-Gender School: With all its connotations
- Spurned Into Suicide: Thomas
- Posthumous Character: Thomas, who committed suicide at the beginning of the story.