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What is Yaoi?By Chris Hori
Recently as I’ve browsed the manga section at the local Borders, I've started to notice an ever increasing amount of manga with the label "yaoi". Much like the terms "shonen" or "shoujo", yaoi has a purpose in letting potential readers know something about its contents... but what exactly does it mean? I got a chance to sit down and talk with Yamila Abraham, Publisher from Yaoi Press LLC to get a little insight on the subject. What is yaoi? In english, the word yaoi forms an acronym for the Japanese phrase YAma nashi, Ochi nashi, Imi nashi, often translated into English as, "no climax, no punch line, no meaning," Originally in Japan the word Yaoi was used to describe fan works that were strange, comedic or a parody. However today in Japan, it is currently used to refer specifically to male/male sexually explicit material. The term Yaoi itself is not a common word, and is predominantly used by those in the anime otaku culture. In the west, the term is used slightly differently. "Yaoi is stories of male/male romance crafted by women for the adult and older teen female reader." In the west, Yaoi is placed in the same category as Shonen-ai or Boy's Love (BL). While both do contain stories that follow similar themes, by definition they are not the same. Yaoi by definition contains sexually explicit material, while shonen-ai does not. Despite this, the general audience often simply refers to all these as yaoi. The major characteristic that defines the genera is that the stories are all dominated by male characters. The stories themselves however can span a wide range, from comedy to action, and all the way to drama and romance. Within these stories the basic plotlines are similar to what you might find in other manga titles, of appropriate rating, except that male characters are placed in all the roles. The stories are written, by women, to appeal to the predominantly female readership and often cater specifically to their fantasies. As such, comedy and romance are the two most popular themes. In addition yaoi art books, collections of art that are themed around male/male interaction, is also a popular item with themes ranging from mild romantic implication to more graphic visual images. Something important to take note of before opening a yaoi book is the rating on the cover. Yaoi Press labels their work as "Teen", "Mature", and "Adult". All three levels do contain sexual situations and implications, with Teen rated being the mildest, and Adult rated containing X-Rated material. However, the majority of the yaoi titles sold are rated Mature or Adult, as Teen rated titles are very rare due to the lack of interest in the overall market. The second defining characteristic of Yaoi is the distinct art style that is used. Fans of the genera are especially particular about the artwork, often taking this into consideration over the plot or characters in the book. Yaoi often makes use of bishonen (pretty boy) characters over the more rugged look with key characteristics such as long lean limbs, soft feminine features, flowing line work and beautiful settings. The artwork is also very clean, with very few to no sketch marks left on the final image. The images are clear and often contain extra attention to fine details on items like clothing or jewelry. For those who are interested, there are many publishers in America and Japan who license manga and art books in America. Major companies such as TOKYOPOP and Digital Media Publishing license Japan titles in America. In addition, companies such as Yaoi Press focus on artists and authors from America and Europe for the work that they publish. Additionally, there are two conventions in America that focus specifically on Yaoi titles and artwork. The long running Yaoi Con in San Francisco, which features guests artists from Japan and is held yearly, and in 2008 the new convention Yaoi Jamboree in Glendale, Arizona. So the next time you pick up a Yaoi book, be aware that the long haired beautiful characters on the cover are all male, and that is pretty much the extent of what you will find inside. Also take note of the rating on the book as well, Teen might be safe to flip through if you are curious, but be prepared for anything (literally) with an Adult rated book.
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