Just a question

[Mr.Zobe]

Everyone complain about yaoi, yet most of those people have it in their favs. Guys and girls so it's a bit odd.


My little question is, why the hell do people like yaoi so much...its not that great...infact I havnt read one I liked! D:

Whats the appeal for so much of it people?

[paradonia]

I, for the most part, can't stand it. I don't mind a gay relationship in a comic. It's just when the comic is centered around it. Especially since every yaoi comic seems to feature the same two characters. I've heard something along these lines and I agree: It's all of the preteen boys and girls who are really into it. It's the same type of person who experiments with being an alternative sexuality just as rebellion against their parents.

[AyaneSensei]

Honestly, I don't really know either, it's probably the "KAwaII DESU DeSUU", factor. D;
I was once a fan, back in my middle school days *twitch*, though I can't remember the real reason behind it....
Yaoi never seems to make any sense. There's always some guy who might as well be a woman, in a frilly dress who falls for some mysterious macho guy who's hair's always blowing in the wind, blah blah. Hmm, you know, I don't know one gay guy that likes yaoi, generally I hear "It's not realistic and doesn't portray gay guys very well". Which it doesn't, seeing as it's made by girls. :/ Anyway, who cares, if you want to read yaoi, go ahead, if you don't don't, I'll stick to shoujo-ai, kbaithax. :]

[overlordrae]

Why are harlequin romances so popular? Mostly for the same reasons.

Honestly, it's just a preference, and as with most preferences we have different reasons for them.

Me, I like yaoi. I tend to write about gay males, and sometimes those stories have romances or smut in them. As far as reading one I've liked, those are actually quite rare for me too, both professional and webcomic-wise.

[paradonia]

Hmm, you know, I don't know one gay guy that likes yaoi, generally I hear "It's not realistic and doesn't portray gay guys very well". ]

That's a great reason that I don't like. Now if it was some sort of rocky, screwed up relationship with two "normal guys" (a lot of gays aren't dominate or submissive, just like you straight people) I'd totally dig it.

[AyaneSensei]

Hmm, you know, I don't know one gay guy that likes yaoi, generally I hear "It's not realistic and doesn't portray gay guys very well". ]

That's a great reason that I don't like. Now if it was some sort of rocky, screwed up relationship with two "normal guys" (a lot of gays aren't dominate or submissive, just like you straight people) I'd totally dig it.

*nodnod* However, yaoi seems to just be made up of silly fangirl fantasies. -facepalm-
Yaoi just seems like an excuss to be a pervert, while trying to not seem like one. xD "Oh, I luv yaOi, but hEtaIII fur pervz,yay gai smutt"

[Mr.Zobe]

Exactly, I mean..it's basically porno for preteen girls on Smackjeeves.

Personally, I'm gay...and I don't really like it at all. :/

Storylines are rarely good, all the comments seem to be is "oooooh <3 he's hawt" ...and...well...there really is nothing in depth about it.

So come on. Good reason to like yaoi other than that it gives preteen girls tingly feelings.


If it's just that, it could be classes as Smack-porno

[Pyroman]

I guess it was inevitable, but just because it's a new forum do we really need to discuss this again? It's become very old.

[ninjies]

I guess it was inevitable, but just because it's a new forum do we really need to discuss this again? It's become very old.

QFT.

everytime we have this conversation we always come to the conclusion that "yaoi is a popular genre that isn't for everyone, fangirls, gay guys don't like it, unrealistic, etc."

[AyaneSensei]

It's the first in this new forum, I don't see the big deal as long as this is the only one here; it's not like anyones going to go back to the old forum to have this discussion. I'm sure newer members will want to rant, at least once about the yaoi craze. :B

[Pyroman]

But it's so cyclical.
We all KNOW why people like yaoi. It's been said about a thousand times. Girls want to play out their fantasies of either:
a. What they want their perfect boyfriend to be.
b. What they want to see/experience sexually.

This is pretty much the umbrella definition of the Yaoi comics we see on SJ. (I'm going to bold this because I see attacks coming) It's not every comic, because I have seen a few that were really sweet, but in general, the ones that people start these conversations about are a result of those two things.
I know this is a new forum and 'oh we haven't had a shot yet,' but do you really need to? Generally it's a one post rehash answer, and then everyone else just bashes the genre.

I'm not saying go back to the old forum (especially considering you can't,) I'm saying why even have this discussion when we don't need it?

Everybody:
People just like seeing guys hold relationships in comic form. Often they have very stereotypical archetypes and basically represent male and female in both appearance and personality, but people like that. Maybe it's all a metaphor for the people who draw these things to represent what they want in life, and the sort of guys they want to meet, or relationships they want to have --the reason will naturally always be different.
Essentially, be tolerant of other people's likes and dislikes. Yaoi is obviously very popular, and although there are overreaching reasons for a lot of people, there are also a lot of people that would have completely separate reasons to like it. You can't really just pin it down guys.

Argh I sound like I'm scolding someone! Sorry about that.

[Mr.Zobe]

ok... :1 This IS the first time I've taken interest in the forums, just so you know. No need to be so sarcy and such..

[Pyroman]

I'm not trying to be...sarcy? I'll assume that sarcastic...or scary.
Anyway, Yeah I'm not trying to attack you or anything, but honestly, did you really have no idea why people like Yaoi?
My issue with these threads are that they do not become discussion. They get finished in one post, and then either everyone agrees with that post and adds examples or rewords it, or they start bashing Yaoi.

[MuriraRK]

Hahaha, maybe this topic should be stickied or something so that any new forum people will see the thread and go, "Ah, that's exactly what I wanted to know!"

And then there will be the people that make a new topic anyway...

[shi-chan]

i don't understand the need to complain about people liking something. ???

yaoi is unrealistic but i think most people know that, and you know, lots of straight relationships in comics are unrealistic too, so. x/ i personally don't get off on BL or have any fantasies about it i just think it's cute (depending). that's... all.