/bl/ - General BL

I love fantasy, especially sword and sorcery, and feel like it could be the perfect setting for exploring unique and interesting BL dynamics. Aside from a few ships, the lack of actual BL media with fantasy (not urban fantasy, btw) is disappointing. Sure, theres some elves getting ugly bastard'd by orcs doujin out there, but I mean dramatic shit like LOTR. LYKT. was the closest I've had that itch scratched, and that very fun VN The Frozen Kingdom (BL inspired by Conan is godtier thinking).

Dying earth, romantic fantasy, grimdark, mythological fantasy, ect. I think the possibilities are endless, we need shit like a Bloodborne inspired BL. I guess there's Danmei but I don't care for it.

>>4426
> I guess there's Danmei but I don't care for it.
Honestly I associate Danmei more with historical fiction even though it is very fantasy, I guess it just doesn't scratch the same high fantasy itch that something like LOTR does.

>I love fantasy, especially sword and sorcery, and feel like it could be the perfect setting for exploring unique and interesting BL dynamics

Agree since in addition to standard BL archetypes you can also play with different fantasy races and their socio-political differences. Speaking specifically of LOTR I always though an underrated component of Gimli/Legolas was the dwarf/elf aspect of the relationship.

>>4426
>BL inspired by Conan is godtier thinking

I'm honestly surprised that there isn't more, it seems like a logical setting for BL considering everything about it.

>>4428
I love how much latent homieroticism is in traditionally "manly" genres. Cowboy westerns are the same way. It's the gayest thing ever.

>>4432
This shit is the best. I am a huge fan of westerns and samurai series and this is one of the reasons. The best is that the type of gayness and characters designs they have are usually cool as well and the men somehow never mind the gay implications there so you get your gay shit and can ship in peace.

It also works as deterrent for the worst types of fans since they don't like manlycoded characters or settings for some reason. I have witnessed any annoyances within the Golden Kamuy fandom despite how big it is. At best I have seen male fans calling Ogata shit and while I love him it's understandable why people would hate him.

I wish that western AUs would be common. It's always the lame shit that gets the AUs for some reason.

>>4426
Like the drawing, is it yours? Reverse search brought nothing

>>4434
NTA but you should install the "Search on Google Lens" add-on, the default lens turned to shit after the last update 1-2 months ago.
https://x.com/purrcelot/status/1514299719752822790

>>4425
My number one favourite setting is a historical japanese one with supernatural elements. Something like the edo period but where yokai are real, though the taisho period is fine too. I also like traditional fantasy and lately I've been thinking I'd like to read something with lovecraftian cult elements set in a boarding school. I'm pretty flexible with character ages as long as the characters are attractive.

First I will tell you the worst fucking one I'm tired of seeing everywhere: high school.

Anyway I *looooove* prison settings but they're rarely done well. But when they are, it's amazing. The perfect breeding ground for angst, great for emotional torture (and physical too if you like), and the men usually act masculine. As a bonus I feel like because it's a more mature setting, the authors also trend older which is generally a plus for quality. I wish there were more historical prison AUs.

>>4439
Haha, highschool is lame but when you look at JP culture it makes perfect sense why all anime is set there.

Agree on wanting more prison works I've only read a few series in general with the setting so we definitely need more, BL or otherwise. One idea that might be interesting is "wrongly accused x serial killer" where a guy needs to survive and is taken under the wing of another.

I want more NON-ISEKAI fantasy. I want more CREATIVE fantasy settings that aren't generic European / British middle ages generic slop. I just want more explicit BL in a fantasy or sci-fi setting too. How about a fantasy setting inspired by Russia and Russian fairy tales?

How do I puts this…if it clicks? Though I would love to see more yaoi based in neolithic settings with a fantasy elements. I don't know why, I just like the vibe and find two men in a primal embrace to be so hot. A shame I can only count a few that get this right.

>>4439
>>4439
Is college age ok or are you just sick of school settings in general? I wouldn't mind seeing more things set at specialized universities like Med School.

>>4466
Personally school settings in general because their tropes are overdone imo, but a bit older like you said, college or something like postgrad, and in a specific trade/course including med school, could be refreshing if the setting is worked into the plot. Actually I feel I'd enjoy a college story if at least one of the guys was an older student, and had a bit of a different mentality because of it, because it'd be fresh to see. That said, those are just my preferences and at the end of the day, any setting you want to read/write yourself will be the best one

>>4468
Yeah "overdone" is a good word for it, not bad but there is just so much of it both commercial and fandom that the market is too oversaturated. Still isn't going to stop me from reading Hogwarts AUs though lol.

>>4468
>college
It'd be neat to see ones set in American universities where there are fraternities. Like two guys from rival fraternities foster a friendship and fall in love. Although you'd have to ignore a lot of the grosser crimes committed by fraternity members. It's too bad frat bros aren't more like sorority sisters.
>>4864
If only this wasn't a commercial.

>>4425
>Time Period
Any with samurai or vikings is good, any during wars of the past or eras with knights and monks or the Wild West because first of all I love that shit. Second, the story will be male centered to begin with and involves men that are interesting and inspiring, not blushing high schoolers. Third, it thematizes the essential things like honor, life and death situations and philosophical-ideological issues which is the good shit I want to read about or watch.

Other than that: sci-fi.
Fantasy could be cool if it had a cool concept like Warhammer 40k but you basically never get shit like that so I am not a fan of fantasy cartoons or books and neither generic magic.
>Location
Depends on the period mentioned above. Obviously either Japan, Italy, Denmark, Germany aka the Holy Roman Empire, the wild west era-US or space. Space is the best location for sci-fi IMO.
>Sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary
Historical > Sci-fi >>> rest.
>Character Ages
Anything older than 20 works for me, preferably with a cast of varied ages that contains a bunch of dudes in their 40s. I never liked teens so I will most likely ignore or drop series with them.

I love historical settings. I love danmei xianxia type settings and Lord of the Rings faux European fantasy settings. I don't really like modern, college, or highschool settings. I'll read it of the art is good and the story is sweet. As for best ages… as long as the characters are not visibly old men it's okay. I can't stand wrinkles in yaoi.

I love historical settings. I'm kind of obsessive about Ancient Greece and Rome (and like, not in the way men used to LARP as people who are "obsessed with the Roman Empire." I mean this in the sense that I'm very annoying about the history, culture, art, architecture, mythology, etc. to the point where it's kind of off-putting and I have to stop myself from being embarrassing). Honestly, because I know so much about those settings, it can be kind of hard to 'turn my brain off.' It's difficult to get immersed in it because I end up thinking too much about the history. For that reason, I enjoy time periods where I know enough to understand what's going on, but not enough to get sidetracked and start reading actual textbooks kek. Settings like the Victorian Era and Taisho Era hit that sweet spot. I also really enjoy horror or apocalyptic settings, although those are pretty rare, which is sad. I'd love to see more church-type settings, especially in a Medieval period, but that's probably too niche. Ultimately, I'm willing to give anything a try, although I'm not a fan of mundane settings. Someone's life needs to be at risk to maintain my interest.

A rescue mission for a 'kawaii loli'? Hmm, I'll pass. Unless they make it a boy.

>>5216
It's an ad for shampoo?? Damn…

>>5218
She's faceless as the ad is about the dudes.

There's a semi-popular niche setting for both straight and a few bl based on the chinese warlord era called "民国军阀美学" It's pretty cool. You could think of it as the Chinese equivalent of the mafia/WWII setting, because this period affected all of China and so much happened, it's really quite versatile and you can do anything you want with it

>>5333
Whatever you do with it, it won't ever go beyond a fanfic or a niche webcomic, because there are too many political minefields there for the work not to be cancelled by manufactured outrage of 'concerned citizens'. Of course you can always create an alternative timeline and just use the aesthetics.

I don’t know how much other nonnies here know about frat life, but I think a bl with either two rival fraternity brothers falling in love or like a new member falling for the chapter president sounds fun. It could be lighthearted, but I think it’d be more interesting if hazing was a big topic for them, especially with the chapter president and new member romance having the chapter president haze the new member. A little dark, but would be hot. Could also be interesting with a new member and chapter advisor romance. I know there’s a market of fujos that want college romance and I think fraternity romance would be a neat concept.

>>5505
I'm not American so I have no idea how fraternities and sororities work. I've seen some documentaries long ago but they focused way more on underage drinking, drugs, bullying new students at the start of new school years and conspiracy theories so I had no clue until recently that being part of a fraternity or sorority was a long term thing that helped getting a job thanks to older graduates. I think if someone recommended me a BL manga about frat bros I would almost read it like a documentary kek this could be interesting.

>>5505
>>5506
I'm an American who went a large university with lots of Greek life. Every frat is different, but big fraternities drink and party hard and do drink dugs constantly, even on weekdays. Frat bros will also try to get their members laid, share past course material, and even help their fellow members outright cheat courses as well. Some frat members will even get their fraternity symbol tattooed or BRANDED (yes with hot metal rod) on their body. It's not uncommon here in the Southern US. Hazing is really frowned upon though and frat boys are required to watch anti-hazing PSA stuff too.

I would be down for a BL between frat brothers or having a "straight" frat bro be uke.

>>5507
>a "straight" frat bro be uke
Closest title I can think of is An Unsettling Scent. The bottom is a bi frat boy (and an alpha since it's an ABO setting), but there's not much focus on the frat stuff outside of some frat bro characters, partying, drugs, some hazing and football stuff. It's one of the few East Asian BLs where the depiction of America isn't that cringe though so I'd recommend it if you want some BLs with frat settings.

>>5506
Yeah most documentaries and stuff the average person would know about fraternities and sororities are the scandals because they are some of the most secretive organizations out there and the only things that get coverage are scandals. So you’ll rarely hear about the other stuff like helping newer members get through classes usually by giving them older class work to study which is considered cheating by many, but not by me, their philanthropic fundraisers, or competitions for Greek week. Mind you, I think the scandals can be good inspiration for a bl when it comes to fraternities but only what they do to the other guys.
>>5507
I go to a very small southern university and all our frats, including sororities, drink and party. Not every member in them does it, but they all have official parties and mixers where all members are invited and select guests too, where they drink and smoke weed (secretly because it’s still illegal where I am). Also, even with anti-hazing stuff, hazing still happens. It’s actually very easy to haze someone because the definition is broad so even excitedly telling someone you want to be their mentor they’re called bigs, pledge dads, pledge moms is considered hazing because it’s putting psychological pressure on the pledge calling them pledges is also considered hazing because of the degrading historical use. I think it’d be hot if the bl relationship was abusive like that though. Kinda like military dramas with boot camp.
>>5508
I’m gonna have to check it out. I hope as time passes and original bl gains more popularity in the west, frat bl will start coming out and western experience bl in general.

>>5509
omg wouldn't be hot if a frat bro lost a bet and got raped while hazing? or maybe a autist a frat boy bullied gets revenge by raping him while drunk? or maybe the frat boy gets really horny for gay sex while wasted? or maybe frat bro's big punishes him by making him lick / suck his dick? the possibilities are endless. maybe i should write southern degenerate frat boy yaoi?

>>5510
See? It has so much untapped potential. Initiation rituals are a goldmine for abusive bl.

Casinos feel like under-used locations. There's lots of franchises with poker skins, but I can't think of many that actually take place in a casino or center around gambling outside of stuff like Kaiji.