Gay Manga Dispute At Osaka Libraries

[Mulboyne]

According to ZakZak (Japanese), a member of the public submitted a question to the Sakai City website in July demanding to know why there were so many "Boy's Love" manga in the libraries. Such titles have loyal followings of female readers but the questioner maintained that the content was often obscene and unsuitable for public institutions. City councillor Naruaki Mizunoue then took up the issue with the Board of Education. He argued that, while legal, the comics were pornographic and so public money should not be spent on them. The editor-in-chief of a manga specializing in Boy's Love stories countered that the genre had been in existence for over 30 years and certainly included taxpayers among its fanbase. The dispute continues. N.B."Boy's Love" (ボーイズラブ or BL) appears to have largely replaced "yaoi"as the label for this genre. The English wiki entry for yaoi claims fans joke that the word is an acronym for YAmete, Oshiri ga Itai (やめて お尻が 痛い, "Stop, my arse hurts!")

[Mulboyne]

Just as Tokyo was considering regulating manga which depict minors in sex acts, Osaka is considering regulating the "boy's love" manga which were the subject of those complaints referred to in the original post in 2008. The main aim seems to be to prevent such material being sold to minors.

Details here (Japanese PDF)

[Mulboyne]

A Boy's Love bar, claiming to be Japan's first, has opened in Akihabara.

[Coligny]

Originally Posted by Mulboyne

A Boy's Love bar, claiming to be Japan's first, has opened in Akihabara.

I think Toyohashi Sin City already hazed one gaybar...:

[Mike Oxlong]

That's your "samurai blue" right there!

[Greji]

Originally Posted by Mulboyne

A Boy's Love bar, claiming to be Japan's first, has opened in Akihabara.

Did Jack tell you about that place?