yaoi

Yaoi is a term for a publishing genre which originated in Japan and often encompasses manga, doujinshi (self-published comics), anime, or fan art. It focuses on homosexual relationships between male characters and is generally sexually explicit. Some in the West consider yaoi to be synonymous with shōnen-ai or "Boy Love", which focuses on similar themes, however, shōnen-ai is defined as not containing the sexually explicit material usually found in yaoi. In Japan, shonen-ai is no longer a manga/anime term, instead being used to refer to pederasty.

Overview

The word Yaoi is an acronym of Japanese origin, which has come to be used in America and elsewhere to describe the Japanese publishing phenomenon of sexual gay-themed comics, animation, and prose often, but by no means exclusively, created by women for women. The phenomenon has spread beyond Japan, with examples of what is called "American yaoi" coming into being. Exactly what the term means and what it encompasses is a subject of debate. At least one anthropologist has suggested that yaoi is a product of the intersection of two fairly universal cultural taboos: women's freedom of sexual expression and homosexuality.

Etymology

The English letters form an acronym derived from the Japanese phrase 「ヤマなし、オチなし、意味なし」 (yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi), that is often translated into English as, "no climax, no punch line, no meaning." A variant English translation, "No peak, no point, no problem," is often preferred as a translation that "works." However, an alternate etymology derives it from 「止めて！お尻（が）痛い！」 "Yamete, oshiri (ga) itai" which literally means "Stop, my ass hurts," although this is largely disregarded by scholars of Japanese language and culture.

The term appears to be used in Japan originally (perhaps as long ago as the 1970s) for any doujinshi that was a bizarre, playful parody, and came to be applied to sexually explicit homosexual material. The word is specific to the subculture of otaku and would not be understood by an average native Japanese speaker.

Pronunciation of "Yaoi"

In Japanese, the word is pronounced [ya o i], but in the U.S. it is usually incorrectly pronounced "yow" "ee".

The pronunciation of "yow-ee"/"yay-oi" (which sounds like "wow" and "ee") may have stemmed from part of the word "yao" which is pronounced/may seem like it's pronounced as "yow" in Mandarin Chinese. Even so, "yow" is the incorrect pronunciation and, hence, should not be pronounced like the "yao" in Yao Ming, the Chinese basketball player.

The hiragana of the word "yaoi" is: やおい
As such, the pronounciation would be more like "yah-oh-ee" with three syllables instead of the two in "yow-ee," which is again, incorrect.

"ya" will sound more like yah. The "Ahh, that was delicious" sort of "yah" sound.
"o" as in the word "open" or "okay."
"i" will sound more like the "e" as in "eat" or "eel" or "eek."

Hence, it will sound like "yah-oh-ee." For beginners to Japanese, it is easier to just pronounce each syllable. "ya"--"oh"--"ee"
(Even spoken fast, it will by no means sound like "yow/wow.")
Pronounced fluently or with ease, it should then sound like "yah-oi" or "yah-oy."
(Think of "oi" like in oil. "yah-oi")

Please also refer to the Japanese wikipedia article of やおい.

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 male 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, 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 feminine look. 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 has never been 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
• 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.
• 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
• 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.
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Under Grand Hotel - UGH by Mika Sadahiro tells the story of Owari Sen and Swordfish, two inmates in the Underground Hotel Prison, called Under Grand Hotel by the prisonners.
• 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).
• Zetsuai 1989 and Bronze

Authors and Manga-ka

• Miki Araya
• Naono Bohra
• Chi-Ran
• Duo Brand
• Sakurako Gokurakuin
• Kiriko Higashisato
• Yuu Higuri
• Shiuko Kano
• Kazuma Kodaka
• Tarako Kotobuki
• Sanami Matoh
• Haruka Minami or Kazuka Minami
• Modoru Motoni
• Mari Mori
• Masara Minase
• Youka Nitta
• Mika Sadahiro
• Ashika Sakura
• Sachiyo Sawaguchi
• Yuki Shimizu
• Satosumi Takaguchi
• Shuri Shiozu
• Shiho Suigiura
• Sumomo Yumeka
• Row Takakura
• Hinako Takanaga
• Kazusa Takashima
• Keiko Takemiya
• Dr. Ten
• Asami Toujoh
• Kai Tsurugi
• Shiuko Uchida
• Ayano Yamane
• Fumi Yoshinaga
• Naduki Koujima
• Hayley Davis
• Nikita Dawson
• Ayano Yamane
• Naduki Koujima
• Ryo Mutabe
• Homerun Ken

References

• Mark McLelland, "Male homosexuality and modern culture in modern Japan."

See also

• Doujinshi
• Lemon
• "Shipping"
• Shotacon
• Shōnen-ai
• Slash fiction
• Yaoi games
• Yuri

External links

Conventions

• Yaoi-Con
• Yaoi North

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

• Be Beautiful
• BLU Manga
• Digital Manga Publishing's Yaoi-manga.com
• DramaQueen
• Golden Age Manga
• Iris Print, original English-language boy-love fiction
• Umbrella Studios, original English-language yaoi
• Yaoi Press, original English-language yaoi

Web Sites

• Aarinfantasy Yaoi Collection - One of the largest and most active BL forum in English
• AarinSecret - BL Magazine
• Aestheticism - Glossary defining Yaoi and other related terms
• Average Psycho - Yaoi fanfics
• Boys on Boys on Film, containing reviews and information about yaoi anime and manga
• JAST USA has announced the first PC dating-sims (ren'ai games) for yaoi
• Kirafics, yaoi fiction by Kira Takenouchi
• SaPayne.com Original Slash Yaoi Fiction
• Yaoi Daily -- image posting community devoted to the sharing and promotion of YAOI
• Yaoi.sk
• Yaoifix.com, Yaoi Fiction, Art, and Free manga offers
• YAOIness.NET - Yaoi/BL manga reviews & goodies
• YaoiPedia - A Yaoi Wiki
• Yaoi Research - An academic wikiboard resource for boy's love scholars
• YaoiSuki: yaoi/BL manga/anime/game reviews
• y!Gallery, an art community for Yaoi artists

Articles

• "Yaoi and Boys Love" by Sharon Lees, Akiba Angels, June 2006.
• "He Loves Him, She Loves Them: Japanese comics about gay men are increasingly popular among women", by V.E. Jones, Boston.com, Apr. 2005
• "Boy's Love and Yaoi Revisited", by K. Avila, Sequential Tart, Jan. 2005
• "Experimenting with Gender in Manga, Part 1, Gender Role Swapping via Cross-Dressing, Biological Sex & Gender Role Swapping via Magical Transformations" (manga title synopses), by K. Avila, Jade Magazine, Dec. 2004
• "Experimenting with Gender in Manga, Part 2, Elimination of Genitalia-defined Gender Markers via Boy's Love/Yaoi" (manga title synopses), by K. Avila, Jade Magazine, Dec. 2004

Interviews

• "BLU Manga - Yaoi Publishers Interviews Part 4", by Sharon Lees Akiba Angels July 2006
• "Be Beautiful - Yaoi Publishers Interviews Part 3", by Sharon Lees Akiba Angels July 2006
• "DramaQueen - Yaoi Publishers Interviews Part 2", by Sharon lees Akiba Angels July 2006
• "Yaoi Press - Yaoi Publishers Interviews Part 1", by Sharon Lees Akiba Angels July 2006
• "Embracing Yaoi Manga: Youka Nitta", by M. O'Connell, Sequential Tart, Apr. 2006
• "The Boy-Toy World of P.L. Nunn" (U.S. yaoi), by K. Avila, Sequential Tart, Dec. 2005
• "Yaoi Press: Publisher of Original English-language Yaoi", by K. Avila, Jade Magazine, Sep. 2005