Yaoi
The word Yaoi was originally used to refer to fan manga (such as doujinshi) that focused on homosexual relationships between male characters, especially two bishōnen - the manga equivalent of slash.
The term is an acronym derived from the Japanese phrase 山無し落無し意味無し ( yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi ), meaning "no climax, no resolution, no meaning." Its target audience, readership and creators are almost exclusively young to middle-age women.
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 shōnen-ai.
The term "BL (Boys' Love)" is more often used in Japan than the term Yaoi. There exists a large mainstream market for Boys' Love comics in Japan, as well as a flourishing doujinshi market (see shōnen-ai).
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 comics include the web comic Boy Meets Boy by K. Sandra Fuhr, hosted on Keenspot.
Some common subjects of the American yaoi subculture 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 Iori from The King of Fighters; Sephiroth and Cloud from Final Fantasy; Subaru, Seishiro, Kamui, and Fuuma from X/1999; Naruto, Sasuke, Neji from Naruto; and Yzak, DearkaAthrun, and Kira from Gundam SEED. Generally speaking, if a series features bishonen, it will be featured in yaoi.
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