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Cover of Selfish Love by Naduki Koujima.

Yaoi (やおい) is a publishing genre which originated in Japan and often encompasses manga, dōjinshi, anime, and fan art. It is homosexual love between male characters and is mostly or usually sexually explicit. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Selfish Love , lit. ... This article is about the comics published in East Asian countries. ... Dōjinshi ) are self-published Japanese works, usually manga or novels. ... “Animé” redirects here. ... Fan art or fanart is artwork that is based on a character, costume, item, or story that was created by someone other than the artist. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ...

Yaoi is not to be confused with shōnen-ai, which contains similar themes, as shōnen-ai material is not sexually explicit.^{[citation needed]} Yaoi has spread beyond Japan; yaoi material is available in the United States, as well as other Western and Eastern nations worldwide. “Boys Love” redirects here. ...

Terminology

Pronunciation

Strictly speaking, all three vowels should be pronounced in separate morae, yielding a three-mora word, /jaoi/. However, yaoi is frequently heard as only two syllables, where under acceptable pronunciation produces the phoneme /oi/ with the 「お」 and 「い」 syllabic characters. Mora (plural moras or morae) is a unit of sound used in phonology that determines syllable weight (which in turn determines stress or timing) in some languages. ... A syllable (Ancient Greek: ) is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. ...

In the United States, it is commonly pronounced as /jaʊi/ or /jeɪɔɪ/, "YOW-we".

Etymology

The English letters form an acronym of the Japanese phrase 「ヤマなし、オチなし、意味なし」 (yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi), often translated into English as, "no climax, no punch line, no meaning," or as the catchphrase, "No peak, no point, no problem." However the term is not always used that way. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Backronym and Apronym (Discuss) Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations, such as NATO, laser, and ABC, written as the initial letter or letters of words, and pronounced on the basis of this abbreviated written form. ... The climax (or turning point) of a narrative work is its point of highest tension or drama in which the solution is given. ... A punch line is the final part of a joke, usually the word, sentence or exchange of sentences which is intended to be funny and to provoke laughter from listeners. ... A catch phrase is a phrase or expression that is popularized, usually through repeated use, by a real person or fictional character. ...

The term appears to have been originally used in Japan, perhaps as early as the 1970s, to describe any doujinshi that was a bizarre, playful parody; however, it has come to refer solely to sexually explicit male-male homosexual material. Yaoi is not a common term in Japanese; it is specific to the otaku subculture. Dōjinshi (; also romanized as doujinshi) are self-published Japanese works, including but not limited to comic books (manga), novels, fan guides, art collections, and games. ... In contemporary usage, a parody (or lampoon) is a work that imitates another work in order to ridicule, ironically comment on, or poke some affectionate fun at the work itself, the subject of the work, the author or fictional voice of the parody, or another subject. ... Sexually explicit material (video, photography, creative writing) presents sexual content without deliberately obscuring or censoring it. ... Otaku ) is a derisive Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests in manga, anime or hentai. ... In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a set of people with a set of behaviors and beliefs, culture, which could be distinct or hidden, that differentiate them from the larger culture to which they belong. ...

Usage

Yaoi, outside of Japan, is an umbrella term for all male/male erotic comics made for women from Japan; as well as male/male erotic comics made in the west. The actual name of the genre in Japan is called 'BL' or 'Boy's Love'. BL is an extension of shoujo and Lady's categories, but is considered a separate category. Like 'Yaoi' is used in the United States, 'BL' is used in Japan to include: commercial and amateur works, works with no sex, works with sex, doujinshi about adolescents with little or no sex, works in all types of media - manga, anime, novels, games, and drama CDs with male/male content, and characters of all ages in male/male content. Terms such as yaoi, shounen-ai, tanbi, June, and original June, are all referred to in Japan, as 'BL'. However, it does not include gay publications^[1]. Shōjo (少女 lit. ...

Though yaoi is sometimes used to refer to any male homosexual content in film and print media, particularly in works created by females, that is generally considered a misuse of the term. Professional Japanese artists, such as Kodaka Kazuma, are careful to distinguish their works as "yaoi," rather than "gay," when describing them to English-speaking audiences. Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... This article is about motion pictures. ... Print media includes newspapers, magazines, and the like. ... GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ...

While "shonen-ai" refers to real life homosexual situations, "yaoi" often leans to fictional sutuations. The use of both the terms tends to be debated so most people refer to "yaoi" as any fictional homosexual story. Some people however say that it isn't the correct thing to call the boy on boy action. While they also say that shonen-ai is an incorrect term because it refers to real life actions. So recently people call any action related to the topic one of those two things. Some people say that each is wrong for many reasons, so simply put neither can be wrongly used when used for boyxboy.

Seme and uke

This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please improve the article by adding references. See the talk page for details. (September 2007)

The two participants in a yaoi relationship are often referred to as seme ("attacker") and uke ("receiver"). Although these terms originated in martial arts, they have apparently been used in a sexual context for centuries and do not carry any degrading connotations. Seme derives from the Japanese verb semeru (“to attack”) and uke from the Japanese verb ukeru (“to receive”). Though gay males are often referred to in English as "tops" or "bottoms," seme and uke are more nearly analogous to "pitcher" and "catcher." Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... In the context of human sexual behavior, especially anal sex among gay men, a top is an insertive partner, or a person who prefers the insertive role. ... In the context of human sexual behavior, especially anal sex among gay men, a bottom is a receptive partner (i. ...

The seme is often depicted as the stereotypical male of anime and manga culture: restrained, physically powerful, and/or protective. The seme usually has a stronger chin, shorter hair, smaller eyes, and a more masculine demeanor than the uke. The seme usually pursues the uke. seme is also considered a more honorable title, and often the two boys will debate over the topic, but not always. For other uses, see Stereotype (disambiguation). ... “Manliness” redirects here. ...

The uke is usually more androgynous or effeminate in appearance and demeanor and is often smaller and sometimes unrealistically girlish in behavior. The uke always or more oftenly seems vulnerable and below the seme. Thus the title is less repectful, and as said before "it makes them less of a man." However, the uke will not always hate his position. If referring to a flower, see disambiguation under bisexual Androgyny is the state of indeterminate gender, or characteristics of gender. ... Effeminacy is character trait of a male showing femininity, unmanliness, womanliness, weakness, softness and/or a delicacy, which contradicts traditional masculine, male gender roles. ...

Though these stereotypes are common, not all works adhere to them. For example, some of the anthologies published by Be X Boy feature stories on themes such as "younger seme" or "reversibles." The "height rule," the implication that greater height confers greater power, is also sometimes broken.

While most earlier yaoi depicted both seme and uke partners as slightly effeminate, there has been an uprise of "muscle yaoi," in which adult men are portrayed as more masculine and strongly muscled. Yaoi of the former kind is now referred to as "bishie" within fan communities, after the word bishonen, a term for effeminate and/or androgynous "pretty boys" in anime and manga. Bishōnen (美少年, literally, beautiful boy) is a specific Japanese aesthetic concept of the ideally beautiful young man. ...

Some writers, both Japanese and Western, and especially in fannish BL/shonen ai/yaoi, are questioning whether the roles of seme and uke are truly an essential part of yaoi as a genre, and are either moving away from or totally abandoning traditional seme/uke roles and tropes. This is most common in yaoi fanfiction for anime or manga series that feature characters that do not fit seme or uke roles (Writing traditional seme or uke roles for these characters is often seen as "out of character" and "weepy uke" are often a source of annoyance.)

Yaoi vs. BL

Contrary to the belief of many English-speaking fans, "yaoi" is not the primary name of this genre in Japan.^{[citation needed]} Originally much of the material was called "june," a name derived from a publication of the same name that published male/male tanbi romances, stories written for and about the worship of beauty using particularly flowery language. Eventually "june" died out in favor of "BL" or "boys love," which remains the most common name.^{[citation needed]}

Though originally a Japanese portmanteau, fans in Japan have only recently started using "yaoi" as a name of the boys love genre, usually in the form of 801. "801" is derived from cell phone text messaging, where the "8" key hosts the kana や (ya), 0 is "o," and 1 is "i." For example, an Internet manga called Tonari no 801-chan, about a guy who wants to date a girl who turns out to be a BL fan, has become quite popular of late.^{[citation needed]}

These Japanese definitions are somewhat different than what is common in English-speaking fans online, where "yaoi" usually refers to hardcore BL and the term "shounen-ai" for non-hardcore BL. However, Japan does not utilize this distinction. In Japan, "shounen-ai" refers to an obsolete shoujo subgenre that told stories of prepubescent boys in relationships ranging from the platonic to the romantic.^[2]

Doujinshi

Typical yaoi doujinshi features male-male pairings from non-romantic, published manga and anime. Much of the material derives from male-oriented shōnen and seinen works which contained male-male relationships and are perceived by fans to imply homosexual attraction. However, yaoi fans may ship any male-male pairing from published manga and anime. Crack pairings and crossovers often feature impossible or improbable romantic couples. Dōjinshi (; also romanized as doujinshi) are self-published Japanese works, including but not limited to comic books (manga), novels, fan guides, art collections, and games. ... This article is about the comics published in East Asian countries. ... “Animé” redirects here. ... Bleach , a well-known example of Shōnen manga This article is about the shōnen style of anime and manga. ... Seinen not to be confused with adult )) is a subset of manga that is generally targeted at an 18–30 year old male audience, but the audience can be much older with some comics aimed at businessmen well into their 40s. ... Shipping, derived from the word relationship, is a general term for fans emotional and/or intellectual involvement with the ongoing development of romance in a work of fiction. ... It has been suggested that Gaming crossovers be merged into this article or section. ...

Though collectors often focus on doujinshi based on particular manga, any male character may become the subject of a yaoi doujinshi, even characters from non-manga titles such as Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean. Video games have also been a target, including titles like Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy. This article is about the Harry Potter series of novels. ... Pirates of the Caribbean is a multi-billion dollar Walt Disney franchise encompassing a theme park ride, a series of films and spinoff novels as well as numerous video games and other publications. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the Final Fantasy franchise. ...

Most doujinshi is created by amateurs who often work in "circles"; for example, the group CLAMP began as an amateur doujinshi circle. However, some professional artists, such as Kodaka Kazuma and Maki Murakami, create doujinshi as well. The word amateur has at least two connotations. ... Clamp (or CLAMP) is an all-female Japanese mangaka group. ... Maki Murakami ) is a Japanese mangaka. ...

Yaoi fanon is common; some authors even create separate sub-universes in their stories and doujinshi. In some cases, these sub-universes, called "AUs" or "Alternate Universes," gain their own fan bases in which they may be more popular than the original series. Fanon is a fact or ongoing situation related to a television program, book, movie, or video game that has been used so much by fan writers or among the fandom that it has been more or less established as having happened in the fictional world, but it has not actually...

American yaoi

As Japanese yaoi gained popularity in the U.S., a few American artists began creating gay-themed comics referred to as "American yaoi." What started as a small subculture in North America, has, in the last three years, become a burgeoning market, as new publishers began producing male/male erotic comics and manga from creators outside Japan.^[3] Because creators from all parts of the globe are published in these original English language works, the term 'American yaoi' is not used; the term 'Global BL', is considered more acceptable.

'Global BL', like its Japanese counterpart, have titles ranging the implicit Off*beat by Jennifer Lee Quick, published by TokyoPop; to the explicit Incubus by Yayoi Neko, now published by Kitty Media. Off*beat is an original English-language manga authored by Jennifer Lee Quick. ... For the music movie, see Tokyo Pop. ... Kitty Media Titles Kitty Media is the H anime division of Media Blasters. ...

Major publishers of 'Global BL' are Yaoi Press, who currently have over twenty titles on the market,^[4] and Iris Print, publisher of Only Words by Tina Anderson and Caroline Monaco, as well the new 'Global BL' lifestyle magazine called BL-Twist.^[5] In 2006, Dramaqueen, licensor of Japanese yaoi manga, debuted their 'Global BL' quarterly anthology RUSH,^[6] and at this years Anime Expo, Seven Seas Entertainment announced its first 'English Yaoi' title, Invisible, written by Tristan Crane and illustrated by Rhea Silva.^[7] Yaoi Press is an independent yaoi manga publisher based in Nevada. ... Only Words is the first single from the 1996 album Deborah by American singer Deborah Gibson. ... Tina Anderson (Tina Kolesnik, born January 7, 1971) is an American writer of comics/manga. ... Seven Seas Entertainment is a publishing company located out of Los Angeles, California. ...

Publishing

The Japanese publisher Biblos was once the most commercially successful publisher of yaoi in Japan, but their bankruptcy due to failure of their non-yaoi ventures caused them to fold, and provided an opportunity for competitors to take up a larger share of the professional yaoi and BL manga market.

Japanese yaoi and BL works are sold to English-speaking countries by companies that translate and print them in English; companies such as Digital Manga Publishing with their imprints 801 Media and June, as well as Dramaqueen, Kitty Media, and Tokyo Pop under their imprint BLU. Digital Manga Publishing is a company that publishes Japanese manga, novels and instructional and illustration books in North America. ... Kitty Media Titles Kitty Media is the H anime division of Media Blasters. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup, as it does not appear to have been written by a native English speaker. ... BLU is a manga publishing company based in Los Angeles, California. ...

List of popular yaoi titles from Japan

• Ai no Kusabi was originally a novel by Rieko Yoshihara. Although the anime has never been officially translated into English, fan-subs are available within the yaoi anime community. The property has been licensed by Digital Manga Publishing, and publication of the first volume in English is anticipated for November 2007.
• Desire
• -Fake-
• Finder Series, by Ayano Yamane, is a yaoi series based on the relationship between an aspiring young photographer and a perverted underworld society boss. Though the manga contains scenes of questionable consent, the partnership turns out to be more affectionate and genuine than the early scenes imply.
• Fujimi Orchestra is about a high school music teacher and concertmaster in a community orchestra. The group's Conductor admits his feelings for the violinist which leads to a very horrible misunderstanding.
• Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love), by Youka Nitta, is a manga and anime which tells the story of two AV actors who fall in love while working together.
• Kizuna: Bonds of Love, by Kodaka Kazuma, is a manga about homosexuality within the Yakuza. Published in the early 1990s, it is one of the earliest professional yaoi works. Parts of the first few volumes have been adapted as anime.
• La Esperanca is a manga about two high schoolers that learn about their pasts while learning the true meaning of friendship and love in an all-boys school.
• Lesson XX, by Oonagi Ei, is a manga about two boys' journeys coming out of the closet and exploring their feelings for each other.
• Level C
• Lies & Kisses, by Masara Minase, is a manga about the relationship between two long-lost step brothers.
• Love Mode is a manga about the romantic and sexual adventures of men associated with "Blue Boy," an all-male prostitute club.
• My Sexual Harassment "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." (Charles Solomon) This work, infamous for a corncob-porn scene, is both a novel and an anime which is available in English. Character designs are by Kazuma Kodaka.
• Okane ga nai, a series of novels written by Hitoyo Shinozaki, and drawn as a yaoi manga by Tohru Kousaka, is about a college student rescued from a sex auction by a loan shark with ulterior motives.
• Papa to Kiss in the Dark is a two-episode anime about a high school freshman who is involved in a sexual relationship with his uncle.
• Sakende Yaruze or Shout Out Loud by Satosumi Takaguchi stars in-depth characters that are much more developed. The first four volumes are out in stores currently. It's hailed as one of the more detailed series and has a very large fan-base.
• Selfish Love, by Naduki Koujima, is a two-volume manga which depicts the story of two students at a prestigious university: one a wealthy, overconfident freshman, the other a scholarship sophomore from a poor family.
• Sensitive Pornograph is a yaoi manga anthology which contains explicit romance stories. An anime version is available.
• Under Grand Hotel - UGH, by Mika Sadahiro, tells the story of Owari Sen and Swordfish, two inmates in the Underground Hotel Prison, which is called “Under Grand Hotel” by the prisoners.
• Wild Rock, by Kazusa Takashima, is a yaoi manga which tells the story of Yuuen, a child of the Forest Clan chief, who is given the task of seducing Emba, the son of the Lakeside Clan chief.
• Yellow, by Makoto Tateno, is a yaoi manga which tells the story of the love and adventures of two drug and weapon snatchers.
• Zetsuai 1989 and Bronze is the story of a musician and his fascination with a male soccer player. The anime and manga are considered yaoi classics.

Ai no Kusabi (間の楔) is an anime OVA based on the original novel by Rieko Yoshihara. ... Digital Manga Publishing is a company that publishes Japanese manga, novels and instructional and illustration books in North America. ... Desire is a yaoi manga written by Maki Kazumi and illustrated by Yukine Honami. ... -FAKE- is a seven-volume BL manga by Sanami Matoh. ... Target in the Finder, cover Target in the Finder is yaoi manga by Ayano Yamane and published by Central Park Media in August 30, 2005. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Also known as Embracing Love, Haru wo Daiteita is a yaoi manga by Youta Nitta. ... Also known as Embracing Love, Haru wo Daiteita is a yaoi manga by Youka Nitta. ... Serialized in Wings Original run November 2000 – No. ... Lies & Kisses is a one-shot yaoi manga by Masara Minase. ... The first volume of Love Mode as released by BLU Love Mode is a yaoi manga series by Yuki Shimizu. ... Boku no Sexual Harassment is a professional work, novel and anime, anime available in English, with character designs by Kazuma Kodaka. ... This article is about the maize plant. ... Kizuna: Bonds of Love is a yaoi manga, authored by Kazuma Kodaka. ... Okane ga nai (also known as No Money) is a manga created by Hitoyo Shinozaki and drawn by Tohru Kousaka. ... Papa to Kiss in the Dark ) is a light novel series by Nambara Ken with shotacon themes. ... Sakende Yaruze ) (Shout Out Loud!) is a yaoi manga created by Satosumi Takaguchi. ... Selfish Love , lit. ... Sensitive Pornograph ) is a yaoi anime. ... Wild Rock is an explicit yaoi created by Kazusa Takashima, and published by Blu Manga. As of yet, this seems to be a one-off book, and there are no more books in the series. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Yellow is a yaoi manga by Makoto Tateno and published by Digital Manga Publishing. ... Makoto Tateno (立野真琴) is a very popular Mangaka. ... Zetsuai is a yaoi manga. ...

Japanese Yaoi Imprints

Aqua Comics – CL DX – B's Anima Seires – Bamboo Comics – Be X Boy Comics – Boys L – Chara Comics – Chocolat Comics – Dear + Comics – Diamond Comics – Drap Comics – Enrous Comics – Gush Comics – Gust Comics – Hanaoto Comics – Hanawaru Comics – June Comics – Kousai Comics – Marble Comics – Misshi Comics – OAK Comix – Paper Moon Comics – Pias Series – Racish Comics – Sanwa Comics – SBK C (Shobukan Comics) – Scholar LC Rutile Series – Shubeiru Comics – Shy Comics – SUPER BBC – Zero Comics - Shota Comics - Yaoi Hentai Comics Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. ...

Japanese Yaoi Magazines

B's Log – Be X Boy – Dear +

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Doujinshi
• "Shipping"
• Shōnen-ai
• Slash fiction
• Yaoi games
• Yuri
• Shotacon
• Japanese Wikipedia: 少年愛 (Shōnen-ai)
• Japanese Wikipedia: ボーイズラブ (Boys Love)

Dōjinshi (; also romanized as doujinshi) are self-published Japanese works, including but not limited to comic books (manga), novels, fan guides, art collections, and games. ... Shipping, derived from the word relationship, is a general term for fans emotional and/or intellectual involvement with the ongoing development of romance in a work of fiction. ... “Boys Love” redirects here. ... Slash fiction is a genre of fan fiction. ... Utena Tenjou and Anthy Himemiya from Revolutionary Girl Utena, a popular yuri couple. ... Shotacon ), sometimes shortened to shota ), is a Japanese term for a sexual complex where an adult is attracted to an underage boy, or in which two underage boys are attracted to one another. ...

External links

The external links in this article may not comply with Wikipedia's content policies. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links.

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

Articles and interviews

• Avila, K. "Boy's Love and Yaoi Revisited". Sequential Tart. January 2005.
• Avila, K. "The Boy-Toy World of P.L. Nunn". Sequential Tart. December 2005. – an interview about U.S. yaoi
• Avila, K. "Experimenting with Gender in Manga, Part 1, Gender Role Swapping via Cross-Dressing, Biological Sex & Gender Role Swapping via Magical Transformations". Jade Magazine. December 2004. – synopses of manga titles
• Avila, K. "Experimenting with Gender in Manga, Part 2, Elimination of Genitalia-defined Gender Markers via Boy's Love/Yaoi". Jade Magazine. December 2004. – synopses of manga titles
• Avila, K. "Yaoi Press: Publisher of Original English-language Yaoi". Jade Magazine. September 2005.
• Jones, V.E. "He Loves Him, She Loves Them: Japanese comics about gay men are increasingly popular among women". Boston.com. April 2005.
• Lees, Sharon. "Yaoi and Boys Love". Akiba Angels. June 2006.
• Lees, Sharon. "Yaoi Press: Yaoi Publishers Interviews Part 1". Akiba Angels. July 2006.
• Lees, Sharon. "DramaQueen: Yaoi Publishers Interviews Part 2". Akiba Angels. July 2006.
• Lees, Sharon. "Be Beautiful: Yaoi Publishers Interviews Part 3". Akiba Angels. July 2006.
• Lees, Sharon. "BLU Manga: Yaoi Publishers Interviews Part 4". Akiba Angels. July 2006.
• O’Connell, M. "Embracing Yaoi Manga: Youka Nitta". Sequential Tart. April 2006.
• Strickland, Elizabeth. "Drawn Together." The Village Voice. November 2, 2006.

Websites

• Aestheticism – glossary of yaoi-related terms
• Beautiful Androgyny - reviews and information about Yaoi focused on the written works in the United States as well as ISBN listings for Japanese manga, Information on Drama CDs, Boy's love games, and Doujinshi listed by couples and series
• Boys on Boys on Film – reviews and information about yaoi anime and manga
• YaoiSuki – Yaoi Reviews