Yaoi
The word Yaoi was originally used to refer to fan manga (such as doujinshi) that focused on a homosexual relationship between two male characters, especially two bishounen - the manga equivalent of slash. The term is an acronym derived from yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi, meaning "no climax, no resolution, no meaning." Most Yaoi readers are female, as are most of the writers.Nowadays, the term is often used in a general way to refer to male-male sexual or romantic content anywhere in the galaxy of anime, manga and fan fiction based on these; usually of a more hard-core nature than shounen-ai.
Some of the characters who are most common subjects of yaoi include: The boys of Gravitation; Kaworu and Shinji from Neon Genesis Evangelion; the characters of Gundam Wing, especially Heero and Duo; the boys of Weiß Kreuz and Gensomaden Saiyuki, Kyo and Lori fromThe King of Fighters ; Vincent, Sephiroth and Cloud from Final Fantasy; and Subaru, Seishiro, Kamui, and Fuuma from X/1999.
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 series include the web comic Boy Meets Boy by K. Sandra Fuhr, hosted on Keenspace.
The term "BL (Boy Love)" is more often used in Japan than the term Yaoi.
See also