However, Boys' Love or BL has become the dominant term as of late, with plots focusing primarily on romantic aspects, rather than just sexual themes.
In Japan, yaoi is often associated with doujinshi, which are self-published parodies of popular manga and anime that focus on sex. The term parodies kishoutenketsu (the classical style of plot structure) and hints at more explicit content. The term yaoi is an acronym created in the '70s from the words Yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi (no climax, no punch line, no meaning). One of the most recognizable characteristics of this genre is that it is aimed at a heterosexual female audience and the authors are mostly female. Yaoi, also known as Boys' Love (BL), is a genre of fictional media that focuses on romantic and sexual relationships between male characters. What are yaoi anime and manga? How are they viewed in Japan and overseas?
