Help me out TT

thunderclap_and_flash May 18, 2024 9:15 pm

Y'all I kinda just started reading bl stuff but I'm getting a lil confused? What's the difference between a bl and shounen ai ??

Responses
    Yuki May 18, 2024 9:19 pm

    bl is often with smut while shonen ai is usually without smut

    Fist_of_Petals May 18, 2024 9:31 pm

    BL (boys love) is the acronym for the translation of shounen ai

    But in general speech BL engulfs Yaoi and shounen ai

    Yaoi being a more pornographic genra lacks the representation for stories with significant plot
    Shounen ai being romance/plot driven is the gay equivalent of shojo so often stops at kissing

    But we all know there are stories that don't fit in those categories so the big label was needed (it used to be yaoi but since that stuff is/was pejorative in japan AND still has a heavy pornographic intonation, it felt wrong to use that label) so BL was an easy no brainer name for all stories about two dudes

    SugarySugar May 18, 2024 9:37 pm

    Boy's Love = yaoi or shounen-ai, basically any story that has to do with gay men.
    Yaoi = BL stories that contain smut/sex scenes.
    Shounen-ai = boys love without any smutty scenes