This article details the various formats and lists of each that have been released. Each of the formats can be navigated from this page, in addition to the material and list categories. Yaoi with the overlapping Bara, and Shounen-ai series can be depicted in various formats with stories covering multiple genres. A story can be shown in printed works, namely in Japanese manga, Korean manhwa, and Chinese manhua. Universal webtoons released online can show yaoi stories from any country. There are additional means of illustrating a story such as with anime (including donghua), as well as games. Yaoi stories can be read in novels, and listened to in audio dramas.
A series can be depicted in multiple formats. A story can be first released as a manga before having events shown in the form of an anime. A novel, to a manga, and then drama CD is one course of developments. Manhwa stories can be shown in novels, games can have manhua adaptions to name a few of many possibilities for a series. The only instances where there would be no overlap is the country of origin areas. A Japanese manga story would not be remade as a colored Korean manhwa, it would just be translated and released as it is. A Japanese manga can have Japanese novels and anime, a Korean manhwa can have Korean novels and anime. A work made in Japan can use Korean manhwa traits such as the colored scenes which would be classed as a webtoon, something made from any country using features included in such works in general.
Releases can occur with any length of time between them. A game can have a drama CD adaption released a month later, with a novel story made available years later, of which releases be shown on the respective year page. For the list of anime for example, episodes for a series could have begun to be aired in January 2020 which the series image and name there would indicate. Terms like manga, anime, even the yaoi word itself are all Japanese terms in origin. They have expanded to be generated from other countries for more means of yaoi stories to be shared.
Anime[]
List of Yaoi Anime[]
Series that have had anime released would have the [[Category:Anime]] featured on the article. The anime text mentioned would link to the list containing all yaoi anime, namely:
- Main Article: List of Anime
An anime scene from Yuri!!! on Ice
Animated episodes and OVAs (Original Video Animation) to movies can include both hand-drawn and computer generated animation that originated from Japan. Anime artists employ many distinct visual styles to depict characters and the world they inhabit. Across anime, characters are drawn to scale reflecting the proportions of the human body in reality, aside from eyes which are commonly made larger to more easily depict human emotions. Hair is often vibrantly colored and styled uniquely in anime.
Character designing, cell production, storyboarding and voice acting are involved in the production of the majority of anime. Computer animation has increasingly been used to improve the efficiency of the production process. The anime scenes themselves are generally produced before the voice acting. Music is used throughout an episode, such as a suitable theme given what is taking place at the time. Openings and the credit sequences would also feature music, of which Japanese pop or rock songs are also possible to be featured.
Original video animation (abbreviated as OVA) can be both animated films or split into multiple episodes to animate entire stories. Increasingly full seasons of yaoi anime containing a greater number of episodes are being released. Donghua refers to Chinese animation where similarly a story can take place in stand-alone movies or across multiple episodes. After being broadcast, anime can be released again at later dates particularly in the form of DVDs. Blu-ray and DVDs contain anime episodes, which can also be made available on streaming sites.
Audio Dramas[]
List of Drama CDs[]
Series that have had one or more drama CDs released would have the [[Category:Drama CD]] included on the page. Where the drama CD would be mentioned, the text is good to link to:
- Main Article: List of Drama CDs
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The square cover of an audio drama, Tight-rope
To use drama CD and audio drama interchangeably, they are a work that is listened to. Audio dramas can be enjoyed by themselves or by simultaneously reading the visuals of a story as the voice acting and sounds take place. Anime, manga and video games among other formats can be adapted into radio dramas and released physically as drama CDs.
The physical disc that an audio drama is included in would be within a case as with most other cd releases. This case can feature cover art of the series which like manga volume covers would be in color. The back cover often details the voice cast and production details involved with the audio drama.
Drama CDs can be complete adaptions of a story to provide voices for the characters. Additionally they can continue a story from where an anime left off for example. Further, drama CDs can feature side stories. Released by themselves or with print volumes for instance, drama CDs can include bonus materials from a series.
Books[]
List of Yaoi Novels[]
When a novel is available for a series the [[Category:Novel]] would be featured on the wiki article. Whether specified to be a light novel, web novel, or novel by itself, the relevant wording is suitable to link with:
Main Article: List of Novels
Light novels that focus on characters from Sekaiichi Hatsukoi
The written text of a novel can depict the events of a yaoi story. As with any novel, there could be cover images of the characters yet only that one visual in a work that predominantly consists of writing. The manner of reading depends on the country of origin, where a book's text is styled to be read depending on the audience.
A light novel (abbreviated as LN), or ranobe (ラノベ) more often features anime or manga style illustrations. Accordingly they can be adapted, or continue the art style established in earlier formats. While yaoi series could be expected to have many light novels with images given that is the form much of yaoi takes in manga and manhwa like works, indeed there are in fact many light novels, but also many solely written novels as well.
True to any book, novels epitomize the idea that stories can be enjoyed by anyone, which happens to be the case for formats like manga in general, in contrast to other non-yaoi works that are tailored towards certain age groups and other audience demographics. For other types of novels, there are graphic novels which are books made up of comic content. Web novels are released and read online.
Games[]
List of Yaoi Games[]
If a series has any type of game available the [[Category:Games]] would indicate of one various kinds. Regardless of the console, or type of game, the link is handy to include:
Main Article: List of Games
The art and text story of a visual novel, Marisol Bay
Yaoi games come in a diverse variety of types in the game format itself. Able to be played across many different consoles, yaoi games have been made for PC, specialized gaming consoles, and phones, to name a few. Not limited by the console either, a game from one yaoi series can be played across multiple devices. The types of games are a different kind of diverse as well, puzzle games, simulator games, and visual novels are examples of the variation.
Many yaoi games are visual novels, which are digital interactive games with text-based stories, hence the novel phraseology. Visual novels can be played on computer systems and video game consoles. Most visual novels would feature multiple storylines where player choices can shape the plot and determine the ending through decisions made.
Games can be adapted into other formats, and vice versa. Especially in terms of the characters and world backgrounds, and of course that there can be movement, games are visually similar to anime. Visually using colored anime style art and consisting predominantly of narration, visual novels can also use voice actors for the characters in the game to speak. Where anime is quite rare compared to other formats, games can allow for a completely different take on a world than what print materials would allow for.
Manga[]
List of Yaoi Manga[]
Stories that are depicted in manga have the [[Category:Manga]] featured on the article. In stating how a series has manga the word may be linked to:
- Main Article: List of Manga
Example layout from Escape Journey with pages read right to left
Manga (漫画, manga) refers to the printed and digital comics published, typically in black and white, in Japan that use the Japanese language. The stories can be translated and published abroad as well. Compared to written novels, manga is largely image based in its depiction of events, with text overlain across the art usually in speech bubbles. Manga is read right to left, similarly panels across a page are read right to left and beginning with the top down.
A distinguishing feature of manga is that the stories are generally printed in black and white. Influenced by practicalities including time constraints, maintaining focus on the art style itself rather than colors, and a reduction in printing costs are some reasons for this. Increasingly manga has been released digitally, such web manga retains the signature black and white format.
In Japan, individual manga chapters from different series would be released all together in one large magazine. Chapters from individual series would then be released in their own volumes, usually large books called tankōbon. These may contain additional content such as character profiles and views from the author.
Manhua[]
List of Yaoi Manhua[]
Should a series include manhua then the [[Category:Manhua]] would be on the article. The manhua word included on the article links to:
- Main Article: List of Manhua
The colored scenes from Spiritpact, a manhua
Chinese comics called manhua (漫画, Mànhuà), or danmei where it features romantic relationships between male characters, often features colored illustrations that includes content from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Manhua drawings can occasionally be more realistic than the manga and manhwa counterparts, with more variation in artwork as well. Additionally like manhwa, content is usually fully in color.
Presentation and format can be different depending on the region where the manhua is created. With traditional and simplified Chinese written language characters, where a manhua is formed can also cause it to be read differently. This applies to the manner of reading, manhua from mainland China is read left-to-right like Korean manhwa yet manhua from Taiwan and Hong Kong is read right-to-left the same as Japanese manga.
Digital web manhua are shared via social media sites and web manhua portals. While currently not financially lucrative, web manhua is becoming increasingly popular since it is easier to upload and publish materials. Web manga can also be physically published as well.
Manhwa[]
List of Yaoi Manhwa[]
When a story is shown in a manhwa then the [[Category:Manhwa]] on the article would reflect that. The manhwa word mentioned on the page would link to:
Main Article: List of Yaoi Manhwa
Manhwa (漫畵 manhwa) are print materials from North Korea and South Korea. Whilst they share the print cartoon style, like manhua they are usually in full color throughout. Manhwa is read horizontally and left to right in the same manner as English books. Where manhwa releases proliferated at a time when it was increasingly common for works to be published digitally they are made accordingly for the devices accessing online materials.
With stories depicted in long vertical strips, manhwa is read from the top down. Unlike a physical book in which pages are turned as the story is viewed left to right, the top downwards approach is ideal as manhwa are viewed on smartphones which have scroll down features. As manga were made in black and white for an easier physical page creation process, manhwa are also a created product of their time using the most appropriate means.
The layout of manhwa is very similar to webtoons which also originate from South Korea. Where they overlap, a manhwa would be classed as such when mainly Korean terms are used, such as character names being in Korean. When being digitally released manhwa chapters are featured in "seasons" the word used instead of a volume. Where there can be ten chapters in a manga volume for example, there can be ten chapters in a manhwa season. While they are heavily digital releases, manhwa can also be physically published in book format.
Webtoons[]
List of Yaoi Webtoons[]
If a series is classed as a webtoon then the [[Category:Webtoon]] is included on the page of a series. In detailing the work as a webtoon that words is able to be linked with:
Main Article: List of Webtoons
The webtoon format originated from South Korea. A type of digital comic, like manhwa which share the country of origin. Rather than being read left or right, webtoons are printed and read on one long vertical strip since that is easier to be read on phones which are being used more to access materials. With smartphones and tablets, apps one them also allow webtoons to be viewed.
The webtoon format has been expanded to other countries, and so there can be Chinese webtoons, and Chinese web manhua. Japanese webtoons are available although generally in Japan the traditional manga industry means manga is predominantly released physically, where Japanese web manga is still in black and white. Indonesia and Thailand also release webtoons yet companies such as Lezhin and Comico will release and translate webtoons from various geographical areas. An original English-language manga (OEL manga) can be a comic book or graphic novel formed in the style of manga, which when released online would be classed as a webtoon. Where the Yaoi Wiki is concerned, the webtoon classification is used to cover such international works as categories like manhwa exist for efficiency in categorization.
It is more likely that webtoons will be in color and less likely to be physically printed. Increasingly some are able to feature music and animations to play in chapters. The payment model is another distinguishing feature, some initial chapters may be free and the rest available once paid for. In purchasing online digital currency, such coins can be used to unlock further chapters as a revenue model. Others may allow a certain amount of chapters to be read daily without payment where finances are generated from advertisements.
Anthologies[]
An anthology can feature chapters from different series by various authors. There can be a common theme among the series included, such as them being sports related, or characters initially falling in love. Some such as Fleur Comics Anthology: Nikutaiha BL can feature one-shot series, which can allow for further stories to be developed by themselves as was the case with Jelly Pool.