The Early Days of Yaoi - A brief history of Classic and Old Yaoi

Yaoi, also known as Boy's Love or BL, is a genre of Japanese media that focuses on romantic and sexual relationships between male characters. Yaoi has been around for several decades and has gone through a number of transformations since its inception. In this article, we will explore the history of old and classic yaoi, how it has evolved over time, and some of the most influential works in the genre.

Old and classic yaoi refers to yaoi works that were created in the 1980s and 1990s. These works were created during a time when Japan was experiencing a surge of interest in gay culture and LGBTQ+ rights. Many of the earliest yaoi works were created by women, and the genre was primarily aimed at a female audience.

One of the earliest and most influential yaoi works was "Zetsuai 1989" by Minami Ozaki. This manga series was published between 1989 and 1992 and told the story of a passionate and tumultuous relationship between a soccer player and a rock star. "Zetsuai 1989" was groundbreaking in its portrayal of a same-sex relationship and its depiction of the struggles faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Japan at the time.

Another important early work in the yaoi genre was "Gravitation" by Maki Murakami. This manga series was published between 1996 and 2002 and follows the story of a young musician named Shuichi who falls in love with a cold and aloof novelist named Eiri. "Gravitation" was notable for its portrayal of a same-sex relationship that was both romantic and sexual, and it was praised for its engaging plot and well-developed characters.

As yaoi continued to gain popularity in the 1990s, the genre began to diversify and expand. Works like "Fake" by Sanami Matoh and "Love Mode" by Yuki Shimizu introduced new elements to the genre, such as crime and suspense, and explored a wider range of relationships and sexual orientations.

In the early 2000s, yaoi began to gain more mainstream recognition, and a number of yaoi works were adapted into anime series and feature films. These adaptations helped to bring yaoi to a wider audience and further cemented the genre's place in Japanese popular culture.

Despite its continued popularity, yaoi has faced criticism from some quarters for its portrayal of same-sex relationships. Some critics have argued that yaoi perpetuates harmful stereotypes and fetishizes gay men, while others have praised the genre for its positive representation of LGBTQ+ individuals and its role in raising awareness of LGBTQ+ issues.

In conclusion, old and classic yaoi refers to yaoi works that were created in the 1980s and 1990s. These works were created during a time of great change in Japan, as the country was experiencing a surge of interest in gay culture and LGBTQ+ rights. Some of the most influential works in the genre include "Zetsuai 1989" by Minami Ozaki and "Gravitation" by Maki Murakami, both of which were groundbreaking in their portrayal of same-sex relationships. As yaoi has evolved over time, it has continued to push boundaries and explore new themes and ideas, and it remains an important and influential genre in Japanese popular culture.