In the article The Sexual and Textual Politics of Japanese Lesbian Comics: Reading Romantic and Erotic Yuri Narratives, K. Nagaike analyzes Japanese manga from the position of female-female romantic relationships which called yuri (lily) manga.
The author indicates that manga plays a significant role in the process of understanding of Japanese culture and society. According to the author, manga raises various specific issues within the popular culture and gender problematic. Manga called yuri is mostly produced by women and for women and is based on the lesbianism.
Such stories can include the topic about women who are sexually attracted to each other or who have the spiritual connection. Thus, the author provides an analysis of Comic Yuritime, one of manga magazines popular among fans, as an example that gives the possibility to explore the theoretical aspects and discursive originality of lesbianism in Japanese culture.
The tern yuri had been created by the chief editor of the first magazine for gay men Itō Bungaku who decided that since the magazine is called bara – rose, that homosexual women can be called yuri – lily. Lately, fans started to use terms BL (Boys’ Love) and GL (Girls’ Love). One of the origins of yuri lies in work of Japanese writer Yoshiya Nobuko who created lesbian stories concerning shōjo (girls).
Examining the readers of yuri, Nagaike says that they consist not only of self-identified lesbians, but also heterosexual women. This phenomenon is a demonstration of attempts to create a female-oriented continuum. Conclusions of the analysis indicate that yuri manga is not limited to lesbian culture, moreover, it is a significant element of Japanese popular culture.
As for me, it is wrong to claim that yuri as a type of manga is an inseparable part of Japanese culture. This country has a long and interesting history with its unique elements which fascinate the Western civilization. However, on the other hand, I agree that this phenomenon can be considered as an example to elaborate women continuum within the historically patriarchal structure of Japanese society.
Yuri and shōjo manga cover a number of topics, demonstrating the emotional and physical aspects of female-female relationships. Japanese sociocultural context as a background of this phenomenon helped develop the unique atmosphere that was adopted by the Western communities.
Although traditional Japanese culture supports women-housewives; this background produces an alternative role of adult girls who can choose what the like. The target readers of yuri manga are women from 10 to 30. So, this issue is not related with teenagers only. It is difficult to say what issue helped yuri manga and manga in general became so popular around the world.
As a symbol of new role and new position of women, yuri manga contains the specific social value. Perhaps, this cultural phenomenon seems topical within the current social movements and discussions about personal freedom and self-positioning. Moreover, today, manga is considered as an element of Japanese cultural export.
Obviously, anime and manga take a leading position within the popular culture and they are famous around the world. However, I think that it would be wrong to claim that yuri manga plays significant role in Japanese culture.
I believe that an attitude and the image of girl and woman in this country are still traditional. This cultural phenomenon is even more appropriate in the liberal Western countries.