Well said. I think as time goes and more people are educated on LGBTQ issues, more people are willing to speak about their sexual preference. As you can probably see on this website, people are very open with their tastes/fetishes/kinks and they're not embarrassed about it. However what's popular doesn't always mean it's the right thing. As in not everything needs to be yaoi.
While I don't consider myself as a fujoshi, (and I'm straight if that's relevant), I actually like the yaoi genre because it opens a whole new spectrum of possible story plots and tropes you can never find in hetero-protagonists manga. Sometimes mangas in this genre portray the reality very well and I really appreciate when they do. I mean it's nice when two people in love got together right?? But apparently, some people think that doesn't enough. People like to see them suffer. The more tortured/frustrated/worn out the protagonists are, the better. After all, love is what matters. And people aren't shy about it. Because this is the internet, and this is a yaoi-focused manga site. Some people just want to go all the way. Human's fantasy/desire can be scary.
So there you go, I guess. I noticed there are many young readers in this website, and I don't want to assume but maybe the influence of the community here is what made them think okay to like all the problematic things you said above. Obviously, rape/abuse is not okay, it's never okay. But again this is not Tumblr, it's a place where people feel it's okay to like these things. And yet these things are reaaaally popular. I also felt the same as you and just skips some popular titles just because they have rape elements in it. I notice people romanticizing rape/abuse too but I'm turning a blind eye. I'm here for entertainment anyway... So I don't get stressed about it too much.
But again if you feel strongly about this, you can post a question (instead of a comment) and let it reach more people. I support your argument!! And I hope people will be more aware of this. Sorry for my eng, not a native! :) p.s. and I like this series, it's perfect as it is! It's my go-to when I want some heartwarming stories :)
Thank you for the feedback and response. Will do so. ^_^
THIS!! This is very well said.
Your comment about Yaoi having rape is very concerning. You steer clear of hentai and all, right? Well, if you didn't, you'd know plenty and I mean plenty hentai involve rape, sometimes rape/cheating that turns into the girl liking the action of being raped and even things of them being raped by old men and creepy monsters. Yaoi is a genre that is saying "hey, there's graphic gay sex in here" so I don't think people use the correct terms—a lot are too young to be reading this nor have good judgment. It is why some teens try to have leniency in court for their crimes since the part of the brain dealing with judgment has yet to finish developing.
And all in all, it's a type of porn/graphic material. Some people use that to an advantage like Scarlet, the mangaka of Jealousy. There is poorly written yaoi and some not. It's not because it's gay nor the readers find it okay, the mangaka(s) draw and write it and determine how it is. I wouldn't say people who bought the Emoji Movie normalize the thought that all men are pigs that want women in their shadows—the assumingly female emoji, Jailbreak says while interrupting the MC "that was what I was gonna say—you men are always taking credit from women." Not verbatim but along those lines. Which he really might have not known she was gonna say because he's no mind reader. But you see what I mean?
You bashing yaoi while mixing up what people want this to be while talking about basically gay porn leaves a bad taste in my mouth. You don't seem to really know what you're talking about. Those saying they want this to become "yaoi" obviously mean they just want the boys to enter a romantic relationship. I have no idea why you went on about rape and yaoi unless you're just talking it down basically asking "why like yaoi when it romanticizes rape?" which hentai does the exact same thing and no one says it's okay. Hell, no ones talks about how hentai portrays women as sluts who turn idiotic for dick or helpless to it. No one even brings it up.
Not only that more anime that has heterosexual relationships, which is majority of the manga world, have senseless and concerning relationships. It seems that it is only in yaoi that anyone wants to complain about it.
No one is saying those semes being so aggressive is okay. They don't have to be completely satisfied with the manga to leave a good comment. I'm bothered by some things in that yaoi, Jealousy, that I mentioned before but I still enjoy the content overall. It brings up interesting themes. People can find plot holes in movies yet still enjoy them.
Now, i personally believe that Ryuu and Hayato could build a romantic relationship—slowly. The girls? They hardly speak to him from what we've seen. All they have to do is breathe around him and it is shipped—which happens in a lot of manga. The girl gets a crush on the guy then all of a sudden he must be with her without consideration of his feelings. Plus, Ryuu is simply nice to them and we have them swooning. As if any guy does a nice thing then you'll swoop over him. Wow, she must be in deep with Maria if that is the case. Or Maria to Yuki. Anyways, the boys help each other out, make time for each other and can rely on each other. That's a great friendship. If they were to become boyfriends or even curiously experiment. I encourage, not only because these standards of anime that don't exclusively say 'BL/GL' depicting homosexual characters, not simply for comedy nor to satisfy guys wanting to see some lesbians or anything, but to show that the same sex can fall in love normally and that these relationships aren't on their own. It happens no matter the person nor show. Best friends can become lovers and I'm not against that. Even if the best friends are of the same sex.
You should read Fools
I really like this manga, the characters and story are quite the breath of fresh air.
But something that sort of bothers me is the fact that a lot of people say this would be a better manga if it were Yaoi/shounen ai, I also see this in other mangas as well, especially when the protagonist is a cross-dresser or androgynous female or where males are just friends (no romance between them)
Some of the comments go from saying the entire story is good, but would be perfect if it were BL (in what way?); to downright saying they hated it, not because of the story or art, but because it was fake BL/GL or wasn't Yaoi/Yuri (I mean the tags, description, etc. tell you what it is about, so you go in knowing you don't favor stories that are not yaoi/shounen ai and then bash it?).
I understand that everyone has their own preference and limitations (I for one can't stomach ecchi, gore, lolicon, shotacon, torture or hentai mangas, so I stand clear of them) but aside from those genres, I try to be open minded in what types of manga I read: shoujo, shounen, yaoi, josei, slice of life, etc (I don't include seinen since it is usually an equivalent or associated to ecchi).
I try to give the story a fair try (knowing before what type of story I will get) and then give my feedback based on the the story, plot, characters and art. But I won't read a story that is labeled Yaoi and then bash it for not focusing on hetero relationships or one labeled Shounen and then bash it for focusing too much on action and not lovey dovey stuff like in Shoujo (not saying all shounen don't have romance or that shoujo does not have action).
But there are some people that just go to extremes (again everyone has a right to their own opinions, preferences and thoughts) but they take it to the point where one is unable to consider their point of view (constructive criticism) or be able to say "I can see where you're coming from..." or "what you're saying holds merit..." etc.
I guess I just find that saying "this would be perfect/better if it were yaoi/yuri..." without taking into consideration everything else is baseless and biased. It would make it better for you, but would not necessarily make the manga better.
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Just noticed the site does not have a lolicon section, but does have a shotacon section, isn't it the same thing but with different sexes? So one is okay and the other isn't? A relationship with an apparent young/child like boy is fine, but not with an apparent young/child like girl?
FYI: Shotacon means sexualized or sexualization towards young boys, while Lolicon means the same for girls. So please do not try to sugarcoat it.
Also noticed that in SOME (not all) Yaoi manga, some situations that occur between the Seme/Uke would be considered abuse/force/rape/coercion if it were represented through a Hetero couple, but are considered normal in Yaoi (even romanticized in some cases). I don't of course mean situations where that is what is actually happening, but situations where one of the protagonist (usually the uke) has not yet come to terms with his feelings for the other or says no (be it with certainty or uncertainty), but their partner (usually the seme) ends up "persuading" them that it is what they want while saying words of love, but also being forceful (grabbing them, pushing them down when the difference in strength be it physical, mental or social is quite clear).
Two glaring examples would be Sekaiichi Hatsukoi and Junjou Romantica (same author I know). I love both mangas, but some situations between the couples leave me frozen and with a bad sort of feeling (especially when I think if this exact same thing were to occur between a man and a woman), yet in the next scene or chapter it is as if nothing, sure the uke asks himself why it keeps happening, but nothing else really. They might already like/love their partner, but perhaps they were not ready to take it to that level; intimacy is not something to be taken likely since you're essentially exposing your most vulnerable self to another person and sharing it with them. You can clearly see they were not ready, but it keeps happening in nearly every chapter.
Again, why is it okay (at least that is how it appears based on comments left in mangas that present this situation) in a same sex relationship (not sure if this practice is also present in Yuri, have not read enough of that genre to actually confirm it), but would be condemned (usually) if it were a hetero relationship?
I once asked a friend who also reads yaoi/yuri and she told me that since same sex relationships are not considered as true/real relationships then the social norm or expectations are not the same. In other words since it is a work of fiction based on a relationship that is still considered as unnatural or abnormal (even today) then it is okay. Another told me that it is all a story and wouldn't actually happen, plus they are hot guys, so it was fine by her.
Do a lot of you share this same sentiment? Do you justify it in some other way? Are you even okay with this type of situation in mangas?
Would appreciate anyone's opinion on this.
Sorry for any errors.