I’m pleased to share my article that looks into how BL’s getting nastier by the minute!
I find it so surreal to write this so casually given the tone of what I’ve been writing for the past few years. I have disappeared from this site as I prioritised my academic work and now I’m happy to share a result of that work!
This article was born from reading all the naughty BL that’s been released in the last decade. Harada. Ogeretsu Tanaka. Yamane Ayano. You know, the nasty titles that are not classified as shonen’ai in foreign sites and are often categorised as yaoi for their “sexually explicit” content. In Japan, it has been referred to as Hard BL, but in recent years these titles have been described as eroBL. I examine the nuances of this term and the characteristics that make these eroBL titles as pornographic among BL readers. Much like the BL pundits I mentioned in this article, this research was born from my own curiosity over what makes a “sexually explicit” BL work and how that even happened.
There’s a lot of history that I glossed over for the purposes of the article. I’ll probably write about that on this blog if time permits.
BL is taking an interesting turn and it’s not happening on the shelves of Ikebukuro but on television broadcasts and streams in Thailand. Thai BL has become a hot topic in recent years and as someone invested in boys love culture, the world of boys love in Thailand has definitely piqued my curiosity. My enabler for this is none other than Dr. Thomas Baudinette who has watched every Thai BL ever released and was more than happy to give me the lowdown on Thai BL.
The show also mentioned a chapter written by Dredge Kang who touches a bit on this culture in his chapter for BL Opening Doors (Japanese only). For those of you who are able to read Japanese, I strongly recommend this book so that you may see the transformation of the genre in the region.
What is clear from this podcast is that BL is changing its shape and it’s no longer centred in Japan alone. Thailand is writing its own chapter and so is China with danmei. The Philippines is thinking of creating their own BL too.
Certainly, BL as we know it is changing. Isn’t it a fun time to be a BL fan?
Fujojocast #13: A Thai BL Primer with Thomas Baudinette
2017 came like a hurricane and I have not left. Just when I thought I’d have a little break to write something for this blog, I’m swept away by strong currents of school work, papers, and other things. I’ve been working hard to find time to settle and for some magical reason, after sleepless nights pouring through papers, I found myself some free time to write. Because you know what, I HAVE BEEN DYING TO WRITE ABOUT THE CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED AND AWARD-WINNING BL LISTS OF KONO BL GA YABAI AND CHIL-CHIL!
I am finally back from check republic ((as my students call final markings)) with the second part of my conversation with Thomas Baudinette on gay manga.
In the last episode, we talked about Tom’s research, how he stumbled upon gay manga, and how this genre is consumed by readers in Japan. As for this episode, Tom and I will continue and conclude our discussions on gay manga as it moves in transnational spaces.
Even when my life since last year has been moving forward like a jet plane, I always make an effort to do something special for Yaoi no Hi! That’s August 1, and that is today!
For this Yaoi no Hi, I decided to upload a podcast featuring my awesome friend and colleague, Thomas Baudinette (or Tom, as I call him in the show) about gay manga in Japan and its place in gay and women’s culture. We brushed on various related topics to gay manga such as gei komi and, of course, boys love.
Since I last posted, I’ve done so many things like pass my thesis, prepare a conference, and uproot my life from Australia. It’s a bit crazy but all is well and good!
Throughout the month, I’ll be giving some talks about my research.
Welcome to the Ballroom’s gonna be an anime, and I can’t help but feel excited. At a time when lesser known sports, such as figure skating and rugby, are getting some love, I’m happy that dancesport is joining the party. (more…)
Not once did I ever imagine that I would be so engrossed over a rescue team. When I was young, Baywatch glamorised rescues on the telly. Having lived along a typhoon belt, I knew better heroes than those lifeguards in orange. Every typhoon season, I bear witness to neighbours, friends, and families braving the torrential rain to save people. People didn’t need all the fancy boats and jet skis to save people. Courage was more than enough. As such, I often saw fictionalised rescues with great contempt. However, stories like Tokkyuu!! are an exception.
Tokushu Kyuunan Tai aka Tokkyuu?
Written by Komori Yoichi and drawn by Kubo Mitsuro, Tokkyuu!!‘s about the Japanese Coast Guard’s Special Rescue Unit based at Haneda Airport. This unit, known for their nickname Tokkyuu, is tasked to pursue dangerous rescue missions along the Japanese coast. If you see a news bit where men are rescuing ship crews via helicopters, then that rescue team are members of Tokkyuu. They are one of the best rescue teams in Japan. And the manga’s protagonist, Kanbayashi Hyogo, dreams of becoming a part of Tokkyuu.
Japan’s Coast Guards — Men who love and protect the Japanese Sea
Tokkyuu!! begins much like every shonen story. Kanbayashi is a young and idealistic coast guard whose goal was to be a part of Tokkyuu. This dream was motivated by the loss of his father who disappeared at sea when he was younger. While Kanbayashi has the physique and the passion to be a member of Tokkyuu, he learns through various challenges that it took more than guts to save lives. Throughout the series, Kanbayashi learns that it takes patience, knowledge, and discipline to develop these rescue instincts. These instincts allow him to safely rescue people without compromising his life.
Seamless Integration
Kubo Mitsurou’s Real Life Tokkyuu Notes. In these notes, she visits the Haneda Tokkyuu Base.
This insightful knowledge on the values and hardships of becoming a member of Tokkyuu stems from Komori Yoichi’s knowledge and ties with the Japanese Coast Guard. In 1999, Komori had written Umizaru, a successful manga series about a local Japanese Coast Guard team. His personal interest with these heroes continued with Wa ga Na wa Umishi (2004-2008) and, of course, Tokkyuu!! (2004-2008). To make Tokkyuu!! as authentic as they could, Komori brought Kubo to observe many Tokkyuu activities. They even went to Indonesia to see a joint training between Tokkyuu and Indonesia’s Coast Guard. Kubo soaked all the things she saw like a sponge. Members of Tokkyuu were just as generous in sharing their experiences and stories to Kubo and Komori. The result was a wonderful story that immersed readers in the risky yet astounding lives of Tokkyuu rescuers.
Kanbayashi and members of Tokky?’s “Hiyoko-tai” (Duckling Squad) swim in a simulation of a rough day at sea, where the water’s speed increases by the minute as the wind strongly blows against them.
One of the things I find amazing about Tokkyuu!! is Komori and Kubo’s tact in seamlessly integrating information about Tokky?’s activities without burdening the narrative. Unlike other manga that inundates us with lengthy lectures that set the context of the story, Komori and Kubo ease these facts into the story. As Kanbayashi and his colleagues saved people or participated in rescue exercises, I learned valuable technical details about being an elite coast guard in Japan. From swimming against currents to knowing how to control your rappel from a helicopter, Tokkyuu!! manages to share informative tidbits about the challenging yet exciting world of Japan’s elite rescue team. Not once did I ever felt bored in reading these details because just a panel later, the series reminds its readers why these things are valuable. All these skills, tools, and techniques were developed to save people.
A Rescuer’s Pride
Kanbayashi during his rescue mission in Indonesia.
What I found most compelling about Tokkyuu!! was how Komori and Kubo challenged notions of heroism. Unlike most shounen heroes who would rush towards danger, members of Tokkyuu were perpetually reminded that their heroism would place them at greater risk. While courage is seen as a valuable trait, its potential recklessness endangers the lives of the victims and the rescuers. When conducted with little or no foresight, heroic deeds could lead to death.
As early as the first chapter of the series, Tokkyuu!! sets the overarching tone for the series: safe and efficient rescue over urgency, courage, heroism and passion. This becomes a central struggle for Kanbayashi whose actions are deeply motivated by his heart than his head. True enough, this often led him to dangerous situations.
Kanbayashi’s been adrift for two days with a girl he tried to save.
One scene that struck home was when he rescued a young girl that drifted across the sea. This reminded me of the time when I almost drifted far from the shore and I found it difficult to get back because of the currents. Fortunately, I managed to find my way back. Unfortunately for Kanbayashi, it took three days and an ingenious idea of burning their raft before Tokkyuu managed to find him and the girl he tried to rescue. Rather than rewarding Kanbayashi’s brave deeds, Komori and Kubo teach him lessons that made him reconsider his actions. While this eventually led to Kanbayashi’s growth, his bravery led him to make very difficult choices.
These poignant moments in the series made me an emotional wreck. I felt the Kanbayashi’s burden as it became increasingly difficult to choose between his life or the person he is trying to rescue. Since Komori and Kubo beautifully captured his desire and passion to save people’s lives, it was unbearable to witness Kanbayashi’s failures as a rescuer. They had no intention to glamorise his life as a member of Tokkyuu. Instead, Komori and Kubo showed the harsh realities of disasters, the pride of Tokkyuu, and the joy of saving lives.
Respect
Mitsurou Kubo and Komori Yoichi received recognition from the Japanese Coast Guard. Komori Yoichi, in particular, received a special award for his efforts in promoting the activities of Japan Coast Guard in many of his works.
More than admiration, Komori and Kubo wanted Kanbayashi and Tokkyuu to earn the respect of their readers. In showing their hardships, the series highlights their hard-earned pride as Tokkyuu. Kubo exceptionally illustrates this through scenes where Kanbayashi swims through raging currents or as he runs away, while holding a child, from an oncoming tsunami. As a result, these vulnerable moments show Kanbayashi’s pride as he gives his all to save these people. It’s hard not to respect that. As I hope and pray that all goes well in the end, I cannot help but respect Tokkyuu for all the things they tried to do. I think this respect stems from Komori and Kubo;s encounters with Tokkyuu rescuers who are not fragments of fiction but are heroes in real life.
All in all, Tokkyuu!! is an exceptional story about heroism. Komori and Kubo’s partnership created everyday heroes who pushed themselves to the limit to save people. As I reread this series in its entirety, it has found its way as one of my favourite manga of all time. The resilience of Kanbayashi and his TokkyÅ« colleagues inspires me to be resilient. This manga is amazing and I wish everyone read it. I wish it had an anime. I wish it had the same support as Yuri on Ice!! because it has a great story to tell. But perhaps my love for this series is a reflection of my own desire to see the same enthusiasm and skill from our local rescuers in the Philippines. I can’t help but imagine what it’d be like if our rescuers had the same discipline, rigour, and pride as Tokkyuu. Maybe, we could save more lives.
Series Information
Tokkyuu?!! (Tokkyuu) by Komori Yoichi and Kubo Mitsurou
Serialised in ShÅnen Magazine, 20 Volumes,
Read via EbookJapan, Bookwalker JP, and Amazon JP
2016 was quite surreal as seemingly impossible things just got real. From the deaths of our cultural heroes to the figure skating anime we never realised we actually needed, 2016 was exceptionally cray. 2016’s BL titles were no exception.
The 2017 list of BL’s “dangerous” titles, as selected by Japanese BL readers and critics for Kono BL ga Yabai, represents an audience’s thirst for something different, exciting, if not, a bit “dangerous.” This is more apparent in 2017 than in previous years as readers and critics chose stories that were definitely “yabai”.
