That Japanese BL Scene Page
When reading a sex scene in BL, most fans are aware of the flow chart designed to ensure the proper execution. Since Japanese mangaka write for women in their own country, these scenes can seem rather unrealistic to some Western fans, no matter what gender they are. Sometimes, these encounters appear to be, downright silly.
Way back in 2000, there was a small piece in the Aestheticism Fanzine called ‘Yaoi Field Guide to Seme and Uke‘ which highlighted the basic bullet points of any given sex scene in Japanese BL. Admittedly, the author compiled her list by reading too many djs and BBGs and I’d list the points she made here, but she’s set the article in a ’safari parody’ sort of voice that’s distracting to me, and not my style, but her basic information is valid:
1. Sex normally begins with the Seme, depending on what sort of Seme he is [seductive, evil, comical], saying something forceful, commanding, or reassuring, patient, or sultry and dirty: I’m going to make you want it, Open your legs, Get your ass up, Relax, Good Boy…and of course the all time favorite…You Belong To Me.
Parody Speak: Stop it, No…But You’re Mine and You Want This…Oh, Ok.
2. Seme sucks Uke’s little ‘area’. Most BL in Japan is censored, yet sometimes mangaka can get away with drawing the dangly-bits. Uke tends to have smaller, less threatening dangly-bits. This oral time spent on Seme’s part makes the Uke’s anus lubricate. Yes, BL physics is very much like the cartoon physics in any given Warner Brothers cartoon; reality doesn’t apply if the creator says it doesn’t. Only recently, I’d say within the last 3 years, have I seen ‘lube’ become a steady prop in BL stories from Japan.
3. Uke, of course, has his own lines, depending on what sort of Seme is topping him, and so while the oral and self-lubrication are moving along, he says things like: I’m Embarrassed, No Stop It Please, No No No, [and if he's a ho] Shove It In, and because not even a ‘ho in Japan is impolite…‘Please Shove It In.’ These words of encouragement are always coupled with a fresh flow of leak on demand tears, ashen cheeks, and drooling mouth.
4. Seme gets the Uke off, a preview of things to come. [LOL! Made a Pun-y]. Tears fly, lubrication flows, and of course…there’s drool. 0_o.
5. Once Uke is too tired to really resist, Seme decides to lay the pipe. Now anal is the ‘be all’ of most Japanese BL. Penetrative sex is a primary characteristic; like it or not. Many popular mangaka in Japan with ties to the west, are hip to the fact that oral sex is just as meaningful if not just as satisfying as anal, for many men; but this is a genre where the majority of women writing know squat about gay men, and could really care less. In Japan, it’s not their market, go figure. Seme let’s Uke know what’s coming with: ‘Relax, Don’t Move, or I’m Putting It In.’ Uke responds then with: ‘Ah No, Stop Please, No, Let me Go, Please Let me Go, or…[Please] Put It In.’
6. Now depending on your mangaka, and who is publishing her, the private parts usually become phantoms; shadowy outlines of what’s really there. Sometimes, when mangaka are slick enough to draw them, it’s quite amusing and we have, in the fandom, what is called the pinky-scale. You take your pinky and you put it up against the drawn cock of the seme and you measure just how long it’s drawn from root to tip. You keep your pinky on the page, slide it over to where you think the actual rectum is of your uke, and voila…impossible cartoon physics! Following the rules of logic, it’s safe to say that any given seme from Yuzuha Ougi is quite skilled at literally f*cking abdominal cavities. Now that’s what I call ‘real love!’
Parody Text: Dude, you think if she puts enough ink on it, you can fuck me with it?
7. Constant changing of positions is compulsory. In the span of what is usually a good ten minute round of anal plugging, the Uke must change positions at least four times. If the Seme really knows his game, about six times; uke on stomach, then on knees, on shoulders with ankles past head, standing, or sitting on the lap, etc…so many ways and so few pages.
Parody Text: *grunt* … AIEEE SHITAKE!!!!
8. Uke has multiple orgasms during session, wanton Kanji fills the page between copious amount of Uke goo, and Seme sweat. Seme bites his lip, closes eyes, but always remains completely still during the session. You see, the Uke is the only one moving, even when he’s being thrust into.
9. Its over when the fluids stop and the Seme is either [a.] staring down blankly at the awesomeness of his elaborate finger-painting, or [b.] laying as is if dead on top of his dried up Uke. Honestly, 90% of all fluids evaporate within about 60 seconds of climax. Hey, no one wants to clean up, this is fantasy—remember?
10. Uke then, nine times out of ten, always confesses something along the lines of, ‘I Love You [It] or, I Wanted You to Rape Me The Whole Time.’
So you see, there is a set pattern of male on male copulation, in Japanese BL. Many fans of Japanese BL love it. They live for it. There’s no boundaries or social rules that come into play because it’s just fun erotic smut they don’t have to think about, just enjoy.
OEL/BL on the other hand…isn’t held up to the same standard. In terms of writing, OEL creators trying to write something like this, for OEL/BL fans, would likely get laughed at or have their comic thrown back at them with a polite, ‘Are you Serious!?‘
Tomorrow I’m going to talk about the differences between some OEL creators and their styles. Some cater strictly to fans of Japanese BL, using the above dynamics thick in fantasy and eros when writing their hardcore scenes, while others remain true to the more western ethos of realistic sensuality, that OEL/BL fans enjoy most.-Crat
Image References: A Lot Of… [Machiya Hatoko]; Maiden Rose [Inariya Fusanosuke]; P.B.B. [Shiuko Kano]; Kokoro no Kagi wo Mitsukete [CJ Michalski].
