You know I agree with most of what you’ve said.
I don’t like yaoi she that are too unrealistic or when they say “I’m not gay for anyone’s hut you” itd Become kind of like a genre within the yaoi tag because so many mangas have it within their plots.
I think we all have to keep in mind that manga isn’t supposed to be 100% realistic, it’s doesn’t have to be realistic at all. That’s why it’s a manga and not real life. It’s made for people to get lost in the fantasy because things like that don’t happen in real life.
Yaoi and Bara get mixed up with each other so many people end up thinking they must be the same thing. I personally get annoyed when people complain saying “oh the story was amazing but I hate the art style” on a bara manga. Like you’ve said Bara isn’t targeted towards male readers while yaoi is targeted towards girls. That’s why the way the stories flow or the way the character shape look are so differently.
I love that you commented this btw! When I first read yaoi I was super annoyed by yaoi mangas that had the whole “I’m not gay but...” plot line, it would make me angry because I know “turning people gay just for me” isn’t thing. As I kept reading Bara And yaoi I realised the differences and learned to get along with both genres. Tbh I don’t think the yaoi mangas of the world represent irl gays perfectly Andy neither does Bara....
The simple answer to why is: because it’s a story, made for consumers to like. Not a biography or a real life story, but fiction.
I’m sorry about going on for so long too T=T I just wanted to say my opinion because I loved that someone went into so much detail about this topic! Just hope everyone’s can’t love any type of genre And love the mangas Andy artists they love but also (like you said) do research into tags before insulting or offending genres!
I agree with what you said, I think I went a bit over the top but it just annoyed me cause I saw so many comments about the artstyle and everything.
I just kinda wish people knew what they were reading.
I feel like a lot of people start thinking that yaoi is like male on male relationships in real life and it's very insulting I believe to actual gay people to assume things just from manga.
Personally I know it isn't the same but people are different and perceive things differently.
Anyway nice to see someone that agrees :)
I think that’s why people get Bara mixed up as a art style instead of content. It also doesn’t help that many gay manga are mislabelled sometimes (not that common though). I think that’s why it’s always best to research things like tags or genres properly.
I definitely agree with the fact that yaoi and Bara are different things. But would say that there are some places where the line gets pretty grey just like how the lines that define sexuality are pretty grey considering that the labels we use are often inaccurate e.g. if I called myself bi-romantic people would think I'm straight sexually but I'm very much a "lover of men".
I agree too, since though Japan isn't very accepting with sexuality and identity it would be best to make a clear difference between the two, since yaoi/yuri in general is more targeted towards fujoshis and fudanshis (btw sorry don't know the terms for yuri). So queer people find manga they can relate to more instead of just manga fetishising it. I hope I understood what you meant if not please tell me.
That's somewhat along the lines of what I meant though I think there's an argument for Bara being fetishization (... definitely spelt that wrong) of gay sex and relationships but for a different audience, that being gay men. But the issue I take with distinctions is that there are clearly some yaoi that are written by persons who are either queer or actually have an understanding of the community. Which makes theses pieces unique in that they definitely aren't Bara, which is undeniably pornographic in nature, but aren't written in that skewed yaoi style where straight men can be turned straight. Also pardon my language but fuck bi erasure it's gross. I would purport that "Dark Heaven" is a fantastic example of "yaoi" that isn't yaoi. There's so much more I could say about this but my point is that yaoi and Bara have become blanket genre and that they have many works within their genre that could viewed as being both it neither but don't have any other terms in our lexicon as a community to place them under as of yet.
I didn't mean to say that bi people can't exist (if that's what you meant) but I do agree with what you said. My point was that Japan needs to start simple so as to get people to understand the community. For example start by having more queer characters in media (manga,TV,anime etc.)and not immediately making someone straight in a gay couple (most likely a bl manga) due to fearing the meaning it has or feeling ashamed of it. I can't say I love labels myself but it definitely helps create a more comfortable space where you don't feel alone. And I definitely think it would help improve the whole issue of being scared of being gay or seeing it in a bad way. I hope I understood what you were trying to say correctly if not just tell me
Thank you for someone stand up because that is what irritates me in yaoi unlike bara that is realistic.
No problem, it's good to know I'm not the only one that thinks so
I actually read this whole comment (very long btw, no offense, I respect ur opinion). I did not read the tag, because I don't necessarily go and look at tags as long as the story is good then I'm good. However I will agree that I did not know what Bara was (probably still don't, will search it up at some point).
Can somebody explain to me the ending I was confused Σ(っ°Д °;)っ
Dude, we're same. I'm gone for sho ai too.
I grew up in conservative country. I know yaoi at early age (like so early). I know yaoi even before I know what gay is When the manga like okane ga nai are most popular at that time, there's always a big question mark going on in my head. turn out I can't stomach these manga. yaoi is great, but if its overly potrayed sex scene and seme dominance, nah I can't. Just like many webcomics now.
I'd be nice if we could exchange our sho ai list.
If you're responding to me then I'd love to recommend each other shounen ai mangas!!!
I haven't update my list like... idk, nor I remember wht I already read since i just mark it as it is.
But I can tell you some manga that I like so much. Raising a bat, the very first yaoi webcomic that I've read. I also i love the artist like Kumota Haruko and Haji just recently (i'm sucks at remembering), already read all their manga, Smells Like Green Spirit Is really good, also Beauty and the west chamber really a catch . Not all sho ai but they have great plot and less sexscene.
I just followed the other list sho ai.
https://www.mangago.me/home/mangalist/429483/
https://www.mangago.me/home/mangalist/200/
And I'm also love tragedy and angst.
https://www.mangago.me/home/mangalist/2677/
https://www.mangago.me/home/mangalist/57857/
Thanks for the recommendations, I've read Smells like teen spirit and I'm reading Raising a bat and they're both really good! I'll check the other ones you recommended to me too since they seem great! Thanks for the lists as well!
If you haven't already read it I'd highly recommend you read Yamete Kudasai, Mabushii Desu, Akai Ito No Shikkou Yuuyo, Koisuru Barairo Tenchou, Doukyuusei (NAKAMURA Asumiko) and Sonna Me De Mite Kure are some of my favourites.
If you're into something sad or tragic I'd recommend Boys Love (and yes that's the name of it lol), Hana to miyako de, Yuujin ga Yuusha and Complex by Manda Ringo.
If you're into cute highschool sweetness I'd recommend Ichi ni no San.
I follow this list https://www.mangago.me/home/mangalist/26616/ and this list https://www.mangago.me/home/mangalist/168729/ for fluffy shounen ai stuff.
This list is with more realistic type relationships and are often full of drama and sadness. Some of them end well others don't but I still like this type of thing anyway since it's more like normal relationships.
https://www.mangago.me/home/mangalist/99348/
I hope I've given you some recommendations that you'll like
Enjoy!!!
I already read some. Ty!!! I can say we have same taste . U have no I dea how many tabs opened on my browser (never put on a bookmark). Just recently finished complex kinda give me senjou no bokura vibe. I really love slice of life manga.
Lately i'm into old dudes, check Don't call me daddy if u interest. Really sweet. Haven't seen any old gay cp here.
I'm on this web a lot these days.(￣∇￣")
Thanks lol . And I agree I think we have similar taste.
It's bara people, it's basically realistic gay people. There's no topping and bottoming it's not a cliche yaoi trope made for fujoshis and fudanshis.
Sorry if this is harsh on you but search up the term bara if you don't know what it is and stop complaining about the art. Just get lost, if you don't like it you don't have to read it and also complain about it afterwards, some people like this sort of manga.
I hate people just not checking what things mean in tags for example and then saying how much they didn't like it cause of that actual tag. Like for example if a film says that it may include topics such as depression and you watch it you should be prepared for depressing topics and the like. If on the other hand you just thought of it being quite a undepressing (I don't know if that word actually exists, anyway), quite a light ride and then you complain about it being too serious about it that's just hypocritical.
This is the exact same thing with the exception that you might not know what bara is or you missed the tag but it can't hurt to just look up what it is, can it? Is it really that hard?
Typical Yaoi and Bara are not the same thing, I also think it's quite wrong for the two tags to be placed together since they contradict each other and misunderstandings happen like to lots of people here. Not everything has to be about guys looking good does it?
Sorry for the long rant but I'm a bit frustrated with this. I'm starting to dislike reading Yaoi a lot of the time cause of thing like "uke has to be more feminine", "who's top, who's bottom?", "isn't xxx supposed to top?"and characters saying things like "I'm not gay but I like you", dude that doesn't exist maybe you are a biromantic for example or something else, I mean think about it realistically.
Why does everything have to be about this. I know yaoi/yuri is not really gay mangas/anime but they come very close and I think can be quite insulting sometimes to actual lgbt people to some extent. How would you feel if you were asked if you take the male or female role in sex? I've actually heard someone ask this. It's ridiculous, yaoi isn't reality but it's very similar to the point of being confused with actual gay relations, it's going over board.
I don't hate yaoi though, there are some mangas that I really like but most are Shounen Ai. Meaning not many sex scenes basically and just boys love (literally the translation).
I've gone on for too long, I hope I wont offend any of you I may have been a bit extreme but I really felt I needed to express these things. I've thought them ever since I discovered what yaoi was. Have a good day or night