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Boys' love

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sick bastards...

Usage

Some people have a very narrow definition of what consititutes yaoi, others insist on much broader definitions. Themes range from ordinary sexual/social situations, with a mild adult content to extreme fetish-oriented works, including anthropomorphism, cosplay, nonconsensual sex ("non-con"), and even monsters, incest, orgies, shotacon and assorted other highly taboo depictions of homosexuality.

Doujinshi

Some purists insist that yaoi as a term be only applied properly to doujinshi, Japanese for "same people zine," meaning the "same people" create and publish it. Typical yaoi doujinshi features male-male "pairings" whose names are always joined with an "x" never with the "/" of slash. Most, but not all doujinshi, are done by amateurs who often work in "circles." CLAMP started as a doujinshi circle. However, professional yaoi artists including Kodaka Kazuma and Maki Murakami make their own doujinshi as well. Just about any work of literature can be turned into a doujinshi. Collectors often focus on the doujinshi for a particular comic. There are doujinshis of "Yu-Gi-Oh," "Naruto," "Trigun," and even material that has nothing to do with comics, such as "Harry Potter" and "Pirates of the Caribbean." Yaoi Doujinshi and fanon often features impossible or improbable pairings between mortal enemies or rivals. (Squall and Seifer, Goku and Vegeta, Cloud and Sephiroth,Naruto and Sasuke, etc.) however, a broad range of stories themes and pairings have been explored within the genre. Some common subjects of doujinshi include the boys of Trigun, Hellsing, Cardcaptor Sakura, Dragon Ball, Final Fantasy, Sailor Moon, Full Metal Alchemist, Gundam Wing, InuYasha, Naruto, King of Fighters, Tekken, Scryed, Prince of Tennis, Weiss Kreuz, Yu-Gi-Oh!, YuYu Hakusho, Rurouni Kenshin, Fruits Basket, Saiyuki, Wolf's Rain, DNAngel, and One Piece. Generally speaking, if a series features attractive male characters, it will gain a yaoi following. A large amount of yaoi doujinshi material actually comes from male-oriented shounen and seinen demographics or manga or anime that has questionable or implied attractions and frienships (for example Pet Shop of Horrors). This sometimes causes conflict and much disagreement between many fans, especially when inserted as fanon.

BL vs. yaoi for professionally published material

Commercially published manga, anime, and novels that fit the yaoi genre are often referred to as "yaoi" in America but as "Boys' Love" or "BL"(the English words, shortened to the acronym "BL") in Japan. This is how the Japanese publishing community distinguishes the current professionally published works from both the doujinshi and the older "shonen ai" genre, which is no longer created or marketed in Japan.

Some people who know yaoi insist that the term be restricted to material originally published by Japanese publishers who specialize in yaoi. Until recently the Japanese publisher Biblos, and their Be X Boy magazine, was considered the major source of professionally published Japanese yaoi. However, the company's recent bankruptcy (due to the failure of their non-yaoi ventures) means that Biblos' competitors will be taking up a larger share of the professional yaoi and BL manga market. In recent years, several popular Japanese yaoi or BL works have been commercially translated and imported to English-speaking countries by companies such as TokyoPop, Be Beautiful, DramaQueen, and Digital Manga Publishing (DMP).

In Japan at present all homosexual-themed manga (written mostly by and aimed at females) is generally referred to as BL or Boys' Love. This is the way Japanese publishers list the genre for Japanese markets, and the way the anime are described by the voice actors who play the roles. However, professional Japanese artists themselves often use the term "yaoi" at least when writing or speaking in English or to English-speaking audiences. Kodaka Kazuma, for example, who has been described as being to yaoi what the Sex Pistols are to punk, calls her work yaoi, and is careful to distinguish her work as being yaoi, not gay. Whether a narrow or broad definition is applied, yaoi is usually of a more sexually explicit nature than the now-obsolete shōnen-ai. Little is known about Shounen-ai's predecesor Tanbi. In this context, the three terms are often compared to American slash.

American Yaoi

Over the years, gay-themed comic strips inspired by and referred to as yaoi have been adapted as a sub-culture in North America, with writings and art displayed on websites devoted to it. Notable American yaoi comics include the webcomic Boy Meets Boy by K. Sandra Fuhr, and its successor Friendly Hostility hosted on Keenspot. Professional yaoi or yaoi-related manga created by American artists for the American market includes the implicit "Off-Beat" by Jen Lee Quick, published by TokyoPop, and the explicit "Incubus" by Yayoi Neko, published by Bang. There are also some instances where any literary material with male-male homosexual content, including movies and novels, especially that created by female artists or writers, is referred to as yaoi. However, this definition is so overly broad as to be considered, in general, a misuse of the term.

Seme and Uke

Two of the most remarkable terms familiar to yaoi fans are "seme" and "uke." They are borrowed from martial arts, but they have apparently been used in a sexual context for centuries and apparently do not carry any degrading connotations.

"Seme" comes from the Japanese verb "semeru" (to attack) and "uke" from the Japanese verb "ukeru" (to receive). Sometimes the words are translated into English as "top" and "bottom" but that is not accurate. The American slang terms "pitcher" and "catcher" are similar but "seme" and "uke" are not slang.

The "seme," (seh-meh) the "attacker," tends to be depicted as the standard male of anime and manga culture: restrained, physically powerful, protective. The "uke" (oo-keh), the "receiver," may be more androgynous or feminized in appearance and demeanor. Certain authors and works exploit and re-invent these stereotypes; anthologies published by Be x Boy, for example, feature sets of stories centered around themes such as "younger seme" or "reversibles". The infamous "height rule"-- referencing height as a measure of power-- also relates to this element of yaoi culture.

Typically the men of yaoi art, whether seme or uke, are drawn with a soft metrosexual look. (This is one way the genre differs from shounen ai or yaoi manga, where the men tend to be much harder and more muscular-looking.) However, there is also an uprise of "muscle yaoi" where adult men are featured with strong muscles and usually less feminine behaviors.

Examples of Professionally published Yaoi in anime and manga

  • Ai no Kusabi Originally a novel by Rieko Yoshihara. The anime was never officially translated into English, although fan-subs are available and circulated amongst the yaoi anime community
  • Bible Eros
  • Boku no Sexual Harassment Professional work, novel and anime, anime available in English, with character designs by Kazuma Kodaka. The critic Charles Solomon described it, "depicts the rise of a young executive who prostitutes himself to his corporate superiors. The feeble plot is just there to string together the animated sex scenes." Infamous for a corncob-porn scene.
  • Challengers!
  • Crimson Spell
  • Desire Professional manga by Maki Kazumi and Yukine Honami; a story about two high school students who "experiment" due to curiosity and end up falling in love.
  • Earthian Professional manga by Yun Kouga, one of the earliest professional yaoi manga, published in the eighties, about gay angels from another planet that watch over the Earthian while concealing what they are, in more ways than one. Turned into an anime and available on VHS and DVD in the US.
  • Eerie Queerie!
  • Enzai An explicit BL game about a young boy from the streets who, after attempting to steal candy, was tried and falsely accused of murder. An OVA of the same name was later released.
  • Fortello Inn
  • FAKE One of the most essential professional yaoi works, Sanami Matoh's 7-vol. manga of New York policemen who are partners in more ways than one. It's almost like a doujinshi treatment of "Starsky and Hutch." Anime was made of part of vol. 2. Originally published by Biblos.
  • Finder Series Ayano Yamane's beautiful and infamous yaoi series based around the relationship between an aspiring young photographer and a yakuza boss. Their partnership turns out to be more affectionate and genuine than the early scenes imply. It has become infamous and sought after amongst fans. Contains scenes of questionable consent.
  • Gakuen Heaven
  • Haru wo Daiteita professional manga by Youka Nitta tells the story of two AV actors who fall in love while working together.
  • Ikoku Irokoi Romantan
  • Kashou no Tsuki
  • Kaze to Ki no Uta
  • Kizuna Pioneering professional manga by Kodaka Kazuma, about homosexuality in the yakuza, one of the earliest yaoi works to be professionally published, in the early nineties. Parts of first volumes were turned into anime.
  • Koori no Mamono no Monogatari
  • Level-C
  • Lies & Kisses Professional manga by Masara Minase, beautifully drawn with a more complicated story than most yaoi works, about two long-lost step brothers.
  • Little Butterfly
  • Love Mode Professional manga of the romantic and sexual adventures of men associated with "Blue Boy" (also call B&B) an all-male dating club.
  • Mirage of Blaze
  • Okane ga Nai
  • Our Everlasting
  • Passion Professional manga of forbidden love between a male student who aggressively seduces (or rapes) his pretty male teacher.
  • Papa to Kiss in the Dark A two-episode anime. Munakata Mira is a high-school freshman in a sexual relationship with his stepfather.
  • Relation is Still a Lv.1
  • Same Cell Organism Professional manga by Sumomo Yumeka; a collection of four stories that "paints a light and heartwarming picture of how one feels when invovled in a relationship...discover how two seemingly different people can actually be very alike." (-back cover)
  • Selfish Love 2 volume manga series by Naduki Koujima, depicting the story of two students within a prestigious university, one a wealthy, overconfident freshman, the other a scholarship sophomore from a poor family.
  • Sensitive Pornograph An explicit yaoi manga anthology containing endearing romance stories. Anime available.
  • Shout Out Loud! Professional manga, created by Satosumi Takaguchi. A slice-of-life story about a father and son, centered in the world of anime and yaoi voice acting.
  • Silver Chaos
  • Silver Chaos 2: Artificial Mermaid
  • The Tyrant Falls in Love Sequel to "Challengers!"
  • Trissanju
  • Wild Rock A beautifully captivating yaoi manga by Kazusa Takashima that tells the story of Yuuen (child of the Forest Clan chief) who is given the task of seducing Emba (son of the Lakeside Clan chief).
  • Yellow Professional manga, created by Makoto Tateno, it is a slow developing yaoi between the two characters Taki and Goh. Similar to FAKE and Legal Drug.
  • Zetsuai 1989 and Bronze

Authors and Manga-ka

References

See also

Conventions

Mangas

Aqua Comics, Asuka Comics, CL DX, B's Anima Seires, Bamboo Comics, Be X Boy Comics, Boys L, Chara Comics, Chocolat Comics, D + Comics, Diamond Comics, Drap Comics, Enrous Comics, Gush Comics, Gust Comics, Hanaoto Comics, Hanawaru Comics, June Comics, Kousai Comics, Margaret Comics, Misshi Comics, OAK Comix, Paper Moon Comics, Pias Series, Princess Comics, Racish Comics, Sanwa Comics, SBK C (Shobukan Comics), Scholar LC Rutile Series, Shubeiru Comics, Shy Comics, SUPER BBC, Wings Comics, Zero Comics.

Publishers

Web Sites

Articles

Interviews

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