Comments on: Three Views of Yaoi: My Paranoid Next Door Neighbor, Words of Devotion, Can’t Win With You http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/ Independent Opinions on Comics of All Kinds Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:19:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Johanna http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-96697 Johanna Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:30:35 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-96697 You can order them from the links provided, or from other bookstores. You can order them from the links provided, or from other bookstores.

]]> By: netty http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-96696 netty Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:15:07 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-96696 where do i find these books...they seem very interestin where do i find these books…they seem very interestin

]]> By: Johanna http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-90563 Johanna Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:52:09 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-90563 Oh, that's going way too far -- I've read a number of enjoyable sexually explicit comics, from both Japan and America, that I quite enjoyed. All-or-nothing rules don't take context into account, which is important. Oh, that’s going way too far — I’ve read a number of enjoyable sexually explicit comics, from both Japan and America, that I quite enjoyed. All-or-nothing rules don’t take context into account, which is important.

]]> By: Alex http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-90545 Alex Sat, 19 Apr 2008 19:55:14 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-90545 The kind of stuff being produced in Japan really is frightening. It dehumanizes people and that really depresses me. Anything sexually explicit should not be viewed by anyone, especially if it involves rape, regardless of age. The kind of stuff being produced in Japan really is frightening. It dehumanizes people and that really depresses me.

Anything sexually explicit should not be viewed by anyone, especially if it involves rape, regardless of age.

]]> By: C.R. Emery http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-85967 C.R. Emery Sat, 09 Feb 2008 20:29:49 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-85967 I left a review of Can't Win With You on Amazon, apparently the first one at that time, and I had very similar feelings about this manga. I like yaoi in general and I do have my favorite subgenres but this particular piece of trash is really aborrhent to me. I never had the nerve to go back and see if there were other reviews since so much made of it being a popular book that I felt like a real oddball protesting it! Relieved that it was not some twisted sense of mine that found it beyond offensive. I left a review of Can’t Win With You on Amazon, apparently the first one at that time, and I had very similar feelings about this manga. I like yaoi in general and I do have my favorite subgenres but this particular piece of trash is really aborrhent to me. I never had the nerve to go back and see if there were other reviews since so much made of it being a popular book that I felt like a real oddball protesting it! Relieved that it was not some twisted sense of mine that found it beyond offensive.

]]> By: Charles RB http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-74638 Charles RB Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:03:12 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-74638 "So I guess that the reason there’s no outcry is that the whole yaoi community is used to reading that kind of stuff daily, and treats them as just escapist fantasies." Except there are elements of American superhero comics, such as dodgy things happening to female supporting cast, that come under the same "used to reading, escapist fantasies" heading. That gets condemned and faces outcrying, and from very well organised blogs belonging to people who read American superhero comics; the fact they're fantasies doesn't seem to protect them and sometimes adds to the condemnation. Seems odd if yaoi escapes the same fate. “So I guess that the reason there’s no outcry is that the whole yaoi community is used to reading that kind of stuff daily, and treats them as just escapist fantasies.”

Except there are elements of American superhero comics, such as dodgy things happening to female supporting cast, that come under the same “used to reading, escapist fantasies” heading. That gets condemned and faces outcrying, and from very well organised blogs belonging to people who read American superhero comics; the fact they’re fantasies doesn’t seem to protect them and sometimes adds to the condemnation.

Seems odd if yaoi escapes the same fate.

]]> By: A random passerby http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-74612 A random passerby Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:22:45 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-74612 Rape is VERY common in yaoi, especially the "seme (man on top) rapes the uke (man on bottom) who at first protests, but comes to enjoy it" scene. There's even a whole subgenre called shotacon, which includes underage males, kind of like the male version of lolicon. So I guess that the reason there's no outcry is that the whole yaoi community is used to reading that kind of stuff daily, and treats them as just escapist fantasies. It's not all rape in yaoi, though. There's also shonen-ai, or non-explicit boy/boy love that's more romantic than sexual. Examples would be FAKE and Gravitation, though even these have strong sexual implications. Rape is VERY common in yaoi, especially the “seme (man on top) rapes the uke (man on bottom) who at first protests, but comes to enjoy it” scene. There’s even a whole subgenre called shotacon, which includes underage males, kind of like the male version of lolicon. So I guess that the reason there’s no outcry is that the whole yaoi community is used to reading that kind of stuff daily, and treats them as just escapist fantasies.

It’s not all rape in yaoi, though. There’s also shonen-ai, or non-explicit boy/boy love that’s more romantic than sexual. Examples would be FAKE and Gravitation, though even these have strong sexual implications.

]]> By: Johanna http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-72236 Johanna Tue, 07 Aug 2007 02:07:08 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-72236 The book is labeled "For Mature Audiences 18+", but so many of the titles have that rating that it's hard to distinguish it from material featuring consenting adults. And flagging "child rape" more explicitly would do nothing but get you shut down. I'm just wondering where the outcry is from the community. The book is labeled “For Mature Audiences 18+”, but so many of the titles have that rating that it’s hard to distinguish it from material featuring consenting adults. And flagging “child rape” more explicitly would do nothing but get you shut down.

I’m just wondering where the outcry is from the community.

]]> By: Charles RB http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-72212 Charles RB Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:05:07 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-72212 It's interesting reading your description of Can't Win With You, then going to the publisher's website and how they describe it. I see lots of mention of how it's cute, boys playing, "OMG it's teh popular!" and generally making it out like it's slightly vapid but generally harmless & featuring Cute Boys. That's how the publisher describes something that has molestation of underage boys and attempted rape? It's this that's disturbing me more than the molestation itself: if that sort of content is going to be in it, shouldn't the publisher hint at it? Shouldn't there be a Mature Readers warning or some other label? It’s interesting reading your description of Can’t Win With You, then going to the publisher’s website and how they describe it. I see lots of mention of how it’s cute, boys playing, “OMG it’s teh popular!” and generally making it out like it’s slightly vapid but generally harmless & featuring Cute Boys.

That’s how the publisher describes something that has molestation of underage boys and attempted rape? It’s this that’s disturbing me more than the molestation itself: if that sort of content is going to be in it, shouldn’t the publisher hint at it? Shouldn’t there be a Mature Readers warning or some other label?

]]> By: MangaBlog » Blog Archive » News roundup plus lots of reviews http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-72193 MangaBlog » Blog Archive » News roundup plus lots of reviews Mon, 06 Aug 2007 11:49:44 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2007/08/04/three-views-of-yaoi-my-paranoid-next-door-neighbor-words-of-devotion-cant-win-with-you/#comment-72193 [...] at Active Anime. At Comics Worth Reading, Johanna looks at three quite different yaoi titles, My Paranoid Next Door Neighbor, Words of Devotion, and Can’t Win With You! Julie takes an early look at a new title from CMX, vol. 1 of The Key to the Kingdom, at the Manga [...]

[...] at Active Anime. At Comics Worth Reading, Johanna looks at three quite different yaoi titles, My Paranoid Next Door Neighbor, Words of Devotion, and Can’t Win With You! Julie takes an early look at a new title from CMX, vol. 1 of The Key to the Kingdom, at the Manga [...]

]]>