There may be particular factors when it comes to adult manga and Japanese culture, but in "Western" romantic fiction/erotica rape fantasies are super common as well. This might help at offering some explanations: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/all-about-sex/201508/why-do-women-have-rape-fantasies.
Yes, but rape fantasies are one thing, because when acting out on these fantasies a person gives consent to their sex partner to act it out with them. It's more of a BDSM thing. It's pretend, and it's not actual rape because consent is given. Guidelines were set and everyone knew what was happening. I've read yaoi's before with rape play and it seems like they're being raped but then after it you find out that it was all consensual because they had talked about it beforehand (because it's not consensual if they say it's okay after they were raped).
In this they were literally raped in their sleep, no consent given. But I can not deal with actual rape. And I just know they're going to play it off like he is okay with being raped because he's in love with his friend too, and just play off the fact that his friend did something horrible to him in his sleep. Because apparently being raped by someone is okay if they love you, that's when it's romantic. God, I'm going to regret reading this, but I'm curious.
Yaoi is *the* genre for guilty curiosities lolol.
I didn't mean acting out the rape fantasies tho, as in role play, but the popularity of straight up rape fantasies where the line between consent and coercion is blurred or fairly non-existent. I'm a big romance reader so I can confidently say that until around the late 90s or so, so many American hetero romances by female writers featured sex scenes that by today's standards would be rape. Not BDSM scenarios or anything, I mean, straight up with the female saying, "no", and the guy doing it anyway, for revenge or because he thought she had cheated or some bull crap.
I reaaally hated those plots lol but I mind them lass in yaoi because it seems to be such a fantastical over the top genre in general that tends to revel in breaking all kinds of taboo.
I do agree that it can be seen as problematic, tho: the yaoi genre in general has a lot of popular themes that raise red flags. (The way homosexuality seems to be almost always tied to child abuse is the one that makes me *super* uncomfortable.) In fact, it's pretty unsettling that for a genre dominated by gay/bi characters, I find how it treats sexual orientation and gender identity...to be kind of awful a lot of the time. lol Idk if I'm missing something in the translation. Ouran High School Host Club does it better lololol.
Ah, I see. I think the reason why it may be a lot of romance novels written by women is because of how we as a society have perpetuated this idea that women owed men sex, or that in some situations the woman didn't really mean "no" and that the man forcing himself on her because he loved her was romantic. I get it, I used to think that way too back when I read that shit. I used to think that back when I first started reading yaoi. But now that I'm older and I've realized how disgusting, and abusive, and rapey it is, I no longer find it romantic. I just find it really sickening.
Like, I get that it's just fiction and maybe I'm just taking it too seriously, but I just want to find more yaoi that includes childhood friends that is cute and completely consensual and I'm just feeling disappointed again. ╥﹏╥
Nah, we all have things in fiction that we can't buy into, so I think it's perfectly fair to not want to have to deal with it so much. It really is prevalent, even in the more romantic yaoi mangas. (Even in the ones set in high school!)
It seems as if you're a long time reader, where as I just started my manga obsession last month. But if you haven't read it yet, maybe you might like this one called Vanilla Resort? http://www.mangago.zone/read-manga/vanilla_resort/ The couple were friends from in high school and they are both the most adorable and *completely* sensual from start to finish ^_^.
Yes, well, this IS a "play", it's yaoi manga! It's part of our fantasy.
No, we don't want to be raped and no, we don't want ANY guy being raped either. But this is fantasy, so let us enjoy it (๑•ㅂ•)و✧
I mean, if you want to enjoy it, then do so. But it's hard for me to enjoy yaoi that depicts rape and nonconsent. I'm only able to get through them solely motivated by curiosity rather than enjoyment.
*consensual, is what I meant.
Lol, I figured that was what you meant. And I actually love that manga, I've read a few times and I love it so much more each time.
Sekaiichi Hatsukoi and Viewfinder both contain rape but for some reason nobody complains about it there?
Whoops, sorry! didn't mean to reply to you
I actually am really bothered by the rape in Sekaiichi.
It'll always have a special place in my heart because it's the first yaoi I've ever read, but it really bothers me. I reread it earlier this year and it was hard to get through for that exact reason.
I don't think Kisa Shouta's storyline had any sort of rape in it though. I remember that one being my favorite. I can't think of an instance in which that one was nonconsensual. And I've never heard of Viewfinder actually.
Why do all yaoi's have to include rape, what is wrong with people? But I still want to find out what happens. But, God, this is fucked.