What's that mean?

This page is designed to educate those who aren't all up to par. In short, it's a tiny little anime dictionary for those that may be a bit confused about the Japanese used.

Anime - Now really. You don't know what this is? Saaaaaad! Animation from Japan. That's all.

Manga - *sigh* You are sad aren't you? Comics from Japan. Usually sold as tankubons (graphic novels). Manga usually preceeds the anime series (if one is made), but not always.

Bishounen - Oh my. Now we have a problem. Means 'Beautiful boy.' Usually boys in the range of 13 to 17 years old. After that, they become Biseinen, or 'Beautiful Youths'. Most of us just refer to every beautiful boy as Bishounen.

Shonen-ai - 'Boy's Love' Usually a keyed down story, centering on the love between two Bishounen. Kissing, petting, implied sex, but never anything graphic. These are the love stories that make us all sigh in longing when we read them. Very cute.

Yaoi - The best! An acronym for 'yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi', or 'no peak (climax), no point, no meaning'. Usually stories about two guys and the sex they have. Sometimes there's a plot, sometimes there isn't. Famous Yaoi anime are: Kizuna, Zetsuai, and Level C (which is truly a story about two guys and the great sex they have... no plot). Yaoi means that a fan takes a mangaka (person who draws manga)'s characters and put them in Yaoi situtations. Keep in mind, this is fan done, not professional. These are usually done in the format of Doujinshi's.

Doujinshi - Manga done by fans. Sometimes a manga-ka will do a doujinshi. DJ's take characters from known series and pair them up, even if they were not meant to be that way in the original series. Minami Ozaki has drawn many DJ's for Zetsuai and Bronze to go along with the manga series. Kazuma Kodaka has done a DJ of King of Fighters. Other manga-ka's have done DJ's to Gundam Wing, Xenogears, and other series that were not meant to have a yaoi element.

June - Pronounced Ju-nay. Not one word like the month. Orignal boy-on-boy action stories with orignal characters.

Seme - The dominant partner in a Yaoi relationship. Easy to tell because he always has certain characteristics. Seme's are always taller. Their names are always first when the pair is listed (Yoji x Aya means that Yoji is the seme, Aya is the uke). The seme's are usually pretty violent and outgoing too. Possessive like no other.

Uke - The submissive partner in a Yaoi relationship. Is usually shorter than the seme. Name is listed second. And uke's are usually pretty quiet and shy. They're the worrier. Just look at poor Ranmaru.

PWP? - 'Plot? What Plot?' *looks around for one* Where is it? ^_^ These fics, as said, have no plot. The whole point of the fic is to get the two, or however many, main characters into bed with each other for wild, romping sex. No other point. And therefore, no plot. ^_^ The most famous PWP manga, in my opinion? Level C.

Douseiai - I believe the translations of this word is 'homosexual'. I don't know if that's the exact or intended, but I know that's how the word is used.

Interested in yaoi manga? My favorite manga-ka's are Kazuma Kodaka and Sanami Matoh. Check out these well known titles: Kizuna, Kusatta Kyoushi no Houteishiki, Fake, Level C, Kimera, Office Love, Love Mode, Zeus, Ludwig, Zetsuai, Bronze, and Face. Isn't yaoi great? ^_^

Does this help? I don't think there are any other terms you need to know to get through the stories and/or this site. If there's something you're confused on, or that you found was wrong onthis page, please email me!

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