Ask John: Why Are Implied Yaoi Relationships Common in Anime?

Question:
Why is it common now to see “almost yaoi” relationships between characters? For example, X, Saiyuki, Getbackers, Gundam W, etc. all have close relationships and sometime they are so close that it even gets confusing. I know that all these anime probably with the exeption of X are all oriented for a male audience, so why? Personaly, I don’t mind these kind of relationships, but why are they now so popular?

Answer:
Examples of suggestive homosexual relationships in X and Gensomaden Saiyuki may be explained by the fact that these stories are created by female artists, and the majority of yaoi manga in Japan comes from female artists. CLAMP and Minekura Kazuya may be influenced by the work of their peers, or may consciously include suggestions of yaoi in their works because it interests either them or their readers. Although I don’t know for certain, I suspect that titles including Gundam W, Getbackers, and Peacemaker Kurogane encourage speculation about yaoi relationships in order to expand the viewing audience for the shows. Implied yaoi relationships in shonen anime attract female viewers to shows which they may otherwise not watch. Implied controversial relationships also fuel fan speculation which leads to increased fan involvement and interest in the story.

As more and more anime and manga titles are being released, building “hooks” into stories that attract and sustain fan interest is a smart way to ensure the success and longevity of a franchise. In a similar way, fans in both Japan and internationally have noticed a latent homosexual attraction between the young girl stars of Pretty Cure. Even though Pretty Cure is ostensibly a show designed for 12 year old girls, it’s very popular among young adult male viewers also. Even though Nagisa and Honoka aren’t lesbians, the “almost” relationship between the two helps broaden the audience for the show. The same principle applies to anime that contain veiled suggestions of boy-boy love. Such implications add depth to a story, albeit often superficially. And we can’t forget that anime and manga are commercial art that sometimes has to include sensationalism to attract attention and consumer support.