But what are the origins of BL in Japan, and how has the genre changed over time? The Revolution of Takemiya Keiko and Hagio Motoįujimoto believes that BL in the general sense first emerged as shōnen-ai (adolescent boys’ love) in girls’ manga in the 1970s, offering depictions of strong bonds and erotic encounters between adolescent boys. Each evolved along a unique path, depicting the complexities of social circumstances in which LGBT people find themselves. According to Fujimoto Yukari, a researcher of girls’ manga and gender issues, there is growing interest in BL culture in Thailand, China, Taiwan, Korea, and other Asian countries. Thai BL television dramas, available through video streaming services and satellite channels, have also gained a fan base in Japan.īoys’ love originated in Japan, spreading globally as one genre of manga and anime.
2gether, a love story of two male university students, won many fans, with an official YouTube channel with English subtitles-even topping Twitter’s global trends list. Boys’ love television dramas from Thailand have recently garnered a worldwide cult following.
