Japanese culture has over a million volumes of manga, which have gained popularity among various categories of the population. They are released for adults, adolescents, children. At the moment, they are gaining the attention of Japanese and fans of the genre around the world, standing on the same level with literature. But if everyone knows the genres of adventure, comedy or romance, then not everyone knows what yaoi is and who the yaoi is.
Yaoi: what is this genre?
In recent years, yaoi has become increasingly popular among young people interested in anime and manga. But what is it? Yaoi is defined as a commercial or fan-only work focusing on romantic love between two men, and often contains erotic scenes.
Moreover, the relationship does not have to be realistic, affecting the acute problems of the LGBT movement: discrimination due to orientation, misunderstanding of parents, etc. Yaoi can combine a humorous genre, adventure, science, drama or science fiction - like the famous Starfighter web comic .
Mangaki divide yaoi by age groups, drawing in two styles:
- Senen-ah: the interaction of the characters is shown to the reader only in love and romantic scenes, allowed until the age of consent. Usually these are sweet or tragic stories filled with emotions and love experiences.
- Pure yaoi: erotic and sexual scenes are drawn in detail. Sometimes the storyline is aimed exclusively at the story associated with fetishes.
But who is a pitcher? This is what Yaoi Mang fans are called. First of all, they are created for a female audience, but loyal fans are found among men.
What does “shipper” mean and why is it popular?
The definition of the word “yaoyshchik” went beyond the hobby that spread among representatives and fans of Japanese culture, since it also affects films, series, music, and actors. If you've ever thought about how two characters would have lived their lives under imaginary circumstances, even if they never crossed on the screen or manga pages, then you understand how fans feel about thematic art, writing fan fiction or creating fan -video.
All this is called “shippering” - to root for the characters of the work to be together in a romantic way, to analyze their actions, views, dialogues.
Stereotypes about Yaoi Boys
Yaoi manga is popular among girls in Japan, since for men there is an opposite theme - yuri manga, which tells about the romantic relationship between two girls. It’s not often that you meet a guy who’s a yaoychik who is fond of this type of genre, but they exist. It should be noted that reading manga or analyzing the actions of characters who might be in a romantic homosexual relationship does not indicate the orientation of the fan. And if in Japan, Yaoi girls are treated calmly, then guys are suspicious.
With a similar problem faced the main character of the anime "Yaoyashchik guy from high school." The hero was fond of this genre and was sincerely glad that he had discovered the world of yaoi. He even found understanding among classmates with whom he could discuss the plot and share his impressions. But only after a while did the character realize that everyone at school considered him an open gay, and his love for his girlfriend went unnoticed.
The anime about the schoolboy guy from school clearly conveys the problems that people who are interested in the genre in question meet:
- perplexity of others;
- the problem with buying manga in Japan, because they are in the special department "For Girls";
- a small circle of male healers;
- search for supporters.
Based on the above, it is possible to give an answer to the question of who the pest is. This is an ordinary male fan who prefers to read manga of a certain genre.
Popularity among Russian audiences
At present, entire communities are being created in Russia dedicated to the most daring and inexplicable couples. Some heroes are taken from completely different universes and combined in fan history through specific events. If the Russian-speaking community used to wonder about who the Possesser is, and the latter were forced to look for understanding supporters, now the genre has a lot of fans.
A modern person can find suitable content by hashtags on Tumblr or on “Fickbook”, where users share copyright stories about various characters. Themed gatherings are held, such as, for example, Comic Con, which has been held since 1970: loyal fans dress up as their favorite characters and offer to take pictures with them or to realize their own ideas in reality.
Why did yaoi become popular in culture? The answer is simple: because it is fun. In any case, if a person is seriously interested in something harmless, bringing joy to himself and others, it is difficult to stop and dissuade him, even if he meets with a misunderstanding and erroneous opinion of others. Creativity and self-expression are unlimited everywhere.