Yaoi – Genre Deep Dive
Entry posted by Pallas_Raven in Analysis
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This is a condensed version of the full article which can be found on my Main Blog Here.
Love In All Its Forms
As a genre Yaoi has an interesting kinship with masculinity which leads it down some distinctive narrative pathways. In many ways it is a mirror of its stable-mate Yuri since it also has the two extremes of commercialisation and thoughtful representation. Much of the genre’s output tends to be aimed at a female audience with the characters and relationships setting out please their sensibilities. There is also a smaller group of titles who are more interested in a looking at the realities of a gay romance and the sort of feelings and conflicts it brings. Despite the vastly different reasons these two groups choose to create a Yaoi visual novel, they do share a common element in the form of their utilisation of relationships to provide a unique perspective on the human nature and how it is applied to everyone equally. Let’s find ourself some handsome men and discover what make Yaoi visual novels special.
The Female Gaze
Much of the output from the Yaoi genre is created with a female audience in mind and seeks to appeal to them through its content. Just as with Yuri, the target demographic is the opposite to the characters’ gender and as such bears little resemblance to how someone of that gender would behave and instead presents an idealised vision of what someone of the fairer sex might think of them. Rather then the purity and almost religious sanctity of Yuri’s presentation of its romance, Yaoi leans towards the ideas of masculinity and the violence and possessiveness associated with it. This is not a negative violence, but rather a playful type like two lion cubs pouncing on each other. It is rare for it to be taken to the extreme of doing meaningful harm to the other person and is a means showcasing their bond in a way which stands out from a standard heterosexual relationship by leaning into the lack of a feminine aspect. Of course this dives into the perception of men being the dangerous gender and it has no interest in the reality of the situation when it can just make this element a source of excitement. It is worth noting the exception of this rule, Traps, which sit in a strange middle ground between Yuri and Yaoi with elements of both purity and masculinity. However, they are such a complicated subject that they deserve their own article and will not be discussed further, but it worth keeping their existence in mind for a more complete picture of the genre.
For examples of this female leaning take on masculinity in Yaoi we can look to Absolute Obedience and Tokyo Onmyoji. The prior displays this through its intimate character interactions while the later takes a much broader angle. Absolute Obedience plays this masculinity and the violent undertone to the relationship in a style where everything is taken to extremes in order keep the player on their toes. It a strong implementation of the lion cubs mentality where a lot of what they do to each other is never presented in a manner where it could be taken negatively and instead adds a layer to the mixture which is their relationship. Tokyo Onmyoji takes a much broader method to implementing its masculinity through interactions beyond simply the main relationship and into the more general bonds between the cast. This is partly due to the more openly serious nature of the narrative and the way it has to weave its character beats in between its plot ones without harming either. As such spreading out the violent tension between the male cast serves both to spice up the dynamic and add impact to important moments in the story. Both games present these elements the player as a selling point to be desired and assumes their audience will find it appealing.
Sympathetic And Expressive
Of course not every Yaoi game is made with the intention of simply appealing to a target demographic for sales purposes and instead there are many titles which use the genre to dive into the emotions and ideas surrounding male homosexual relationships. These paint the romances in a sympathetic light and aim to present them through a lens of the character’s humanity to make it easy to understand regardless of whether you have experienced the same emotions or not. However, the games still have the flavour and feelings unique to a male centric relationship, but rather than focusing on displays of blatant masculinity there is an awareness of the mixed nature of actual male bonds and how they are not so straightforward. Such titles tend to be from amateur or indie groups or individuals who are open to expressing their own feelings on this type of relationship and can accept that their product will not have a mass market appeal. They serve a valuable function in offering an antidote to the exaggerated takes on Yaoi existing in larger visual novels with a more grounded take on the genre, but grounded is not the same as not knowing how to have fun.
To see this in action we can look to What Happened The Night Before. This game follows a single relationship between Mikage and Noah which is key to ensuring there is the space to properly paint the bond between them. Having a focus around how relationships change over time, especially when you are young, gives the narrative a common emotional resonance to help build its distinctive romance in a way that appeals to all players. When it comes time to the culmination of their love, the title presents it in a gentle and loving manner where their masculine nature is never taken to an extreme but is instead an extension of the love they feel for each other. What Happened The Night Before shows us how a Yaoi narrative can be sympathetic while still maintaining its appeal.
Unique Angle On Our Humanity
In our differences we can find the common threads which link our humanity and experiences, but also how those differences can demonstrate the particulars about our nature which would otherwise go unexplored. Yaoi is a genre where this side of human nature can be investigated and put through the lens of this type of relationship. The games utilising this element tend to place the Yaoi in a prominent position, but do not make it the sole focus and instead place it alongside other genres, such mystery, in order to highlight important aspect of one using the other. This allows them to act as mirrors for the characters to explore who they are and in turn express themselves in a raw and honest manner to the player. In particular the heavy leaning into a male centric cast from the Yaoi provides a heavily masculine leaning world view, but in a way where the vulnerabilities of the male psyche are on display and truths relating it to a common human experience can be teased out of the character’s actions.
Conclusion
Despite not being the most prolific genre in visual novels, Yaoi still offer one of the most distinctive narrative styles of any game. It can create an experience tailored to appeal to a female audience through a mixture of masculinity and playful violence. On the opposite end of the scale there are plenty of games which present a more grounded and sympathetic homosexual relationship to express its value to a wide audience. Yaoi can also be a part of a greater whole where it acts as key ingredient in an examination of human nature through the unique masculine perspective it offers. Overall, Yaoi is a flexible genre which expresses a distinct angle on romance which is not open to a more conventional understanding of love.
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