Classic BL

For the record, I prefer using the term Boys Love (aka BL) rather than “Yaoi”. I feel that 801 (ya-oh-ii) is limiting according to Wiki-san:

‘Yaoi is an acronym created in the dōjinshi market of the late 1970s by Yasuko Sakata and Akiko Hatsu^[5] and popularised in the 1980s^[6] standing for Yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi (ヤマなし、オチなし、意味なし, Yama nashi, ochi nashi, imi nashi) “No climax, no point, no meaning”.’

Most products of the BL genre have strayed from that flimsy description and many have really good stories. The inspiration for this blog post came with the news of a few Classic BL titles being animated.

Classic BL is a term of my own creation, which I use to describe BL titles that I feel have the power to survive the ravages of time. In a nutshell, it refers to BL material that will never grow old and continue to exist as favorites among both old and new fans of the genre. Some characteristics that define Classic BL is a strong original story plot, that concentrates on character and story development, and has the ability to stick in the minds of the audience. To do so, Classic BL titles are often long running series that involve complicated and highly emotive characters. And of course, these titles have to consist of fanservice elements to keep BL fans ensnared. Here are some titles that, in my limited opinion, fit in this category.