yaoi:
Yaoi, also known as Boys' Love, is a Japanese popular term for gay and also female-oriented fictional media that focus on homoerotic or homoromantic male androphilic sexual relationships, usually created by female authors. An article in The Guide magazine describes it as having begun as homegrown fan fiction between male anime characters. As these depict males, there is an androphilic male audience as well; however, manga aimed at a gay male audience is considered a separate genre. The main characters in yaoi usually conform to the formula of the seme who pursues the uke. The material that would be classified into this genre primarily involves gay relationships between the handsome or cute characters, usually erotic. Although the genre is called Boys' Love, the males featured are pubescent or older. Works featuring prepubescent boys are labeled shotacon, and seen as a distinct genre. Yaoi has spread beyond Japan: both translated and original yaoi is now available in many countries and languages. Yaoi began in the dōjinshi markets of Japan in the late 1970s/early 1980s as an outgrowth of shōnen-ai, also known as "Juné" or "tanbi", but whereas shōnen-ai were original works, yaoi were parodies of popular shōnen anime and manga. Yaoi came to be used as a generic term for female-oriented manga, anime, dating sims, novels and fan fiction works featuring idealized homosexual male relationships.
