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Yuri and Shoujo-ai are anime themes which are related to girl-to-girl
relationship, while yaoi and shounen-ai are related to boy-to-boy
relationships. But what are their distinct difference? When can you call a
specific girl-to-girl anime a yuri or shoujo-ai? When can you call a specific
boy-to-boy anime a yaoi or shounen-ai?

Plus, what is the distinct difference of ecchi and hentai anime? I just know
that they are both _for adults only-theme_ anime. When can you call a specific
anime an ecchi or hentai?


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2013-02-27T01:36:59.360
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question
terminology
What is the difference between yuri and shoujo-ai, yaoi and shounen-ai and ecchi and hentai anime genre?


For Yuri vs. Shoujo-ai, according to Wikipedia:

> Yuri focuses on the sexual or the emotional aspects of the relationship, or
> both, the latter of which sometimes being called shōjo-ai by western fans.

Also,

> In North America, yuri has initially been used to denote only the most
> explicit end of the spectrum, deemed primarily as a variety of hentai.
> Following the pattern of shōnen-ai, a term already in use in North America
> to describe content involving non-sexual relationships between men, western
> fans coined the term shōjo-ai to describe yuri without explicit sex. In
> Japan the term shōjo-ai (少女愛?, lit. girl love) is not used with this
> meaning, and instead tends to denote pedophilia (actual or perceived), with
> a similar meaning to the term lolicon (Lolita complex). The western use of
> yuri has broadened in the 2000s, picking up connotations from the Japanese
> use.

To summarize, the way it is used depends on who you ask. In North America,
shoujo-ai is generally less explicit/sexual, while in Japan it generally
denotes pedophilia.

Yaoi vs. Shounen-ai:

> The terms yaoi and shōnen-ai are sometimes used by Western fans to
> differentiate between the contents of the genre. In this case, yaoi is used
> to describe titles that contain largely sex scenes and other sexually
> explicit themes and shōnen-ai is used to describe titles that focus more on
> romance and do not include explicit sexual content, although they may
> include implicit sexual content.

Also,

> Shōnen-ai originally connoted ephebophilia or pederasty in Japan, but from
> the early 1970s to the late 1980s, was used to describe a new genre of shōjo
> manga, primarily by the Year 24 Group, about beautiful boys in love.
> Characteristics of shōnen-ai include that they were exotic, often taking
> place in Europe, and idealistic.

The yaoi vs shounen-ai distinction is similar to the yuri vs shoujo-ai one.

For ecchi

> The word is not only common in Japan, it is also used worldwide inside the
> fandom of Japanese media to describe sexual themes or undertones. While the
> word ecchi could mean anything from mild to insulting in Japanese language,
> it is used in Western culture to divide between pornography (hentai) and
> playful usage of sexualized imagery (ecchi). Works considered as ecchi do
> not show any sexual intercourse or primary sexual characteristics. Instead,
> it is up to the imagination of the viewer.

For hentai

> [Hentai] is a Japanese word that, in the West, describes sexually explicit
> or pornographic comics and animation—especially those of Japanese origin,
> such as anime, manga, and eroge.
>
> The English use of hentai is more similar to the way the Japanese use the
> slang term エッチ (H or ecchi), which refers to any sexually explicit content
> or behaviour. The Japanese seldom use the term hentai to refer to
> pornography in Japan.
>
> Adult anime, or hentai anime, is anime that relies primarily on sex. Adult
> manga, or hentai manga, is manga designed for purely pornographic purposes.
> Plot is still used to develop character and setting, but most of the time,
> the ultimate goal is to show scenes of sexuality with few exceptions.

For ecchi vs. hentai, the difference seems to be also mostly dependent on who
you ask. In America, hentai and ecchi are generally synonymous, while in
Japan, hentai is sexually explicit while ecchi is generally not.


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Shounen-ai and shoujo-ai in manga are often used when there's hugging and
dates and kisses only which may mean that it is not mature themed as compared
to yaoi and yuri which usually contains sexual themes.

Ecchi usually comes with romance and consensual sex which means that the
manga/anime is likely to be focused on the storyline.

Hentai usually comes with rape and sexual kinks, forced sex which means that
the storyline would be more focused on the sexual acts


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Basically what everyone has been saying.

Yuri is love between women in manga and anime: Shojo-ai is a platonic
relationship between young girls.

Yaoi is boy-boy love, romantic or sexual relationships: Shonen-ai was used to
describe a new genre of shojo manga about innocent relationships.


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2017-01-18T16:03:30.217
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I am going to be extremely technical here. In its original context, shoujo
ai/seinen ai focused on same-sex female/male relationships, either gay or
straight (although the heterosexual emphasis is not as prevalent anymore)
presented in a romantic way (think Shaun and Cory in _Boy Meets World_ ). But
this definition has been modified over time, for American audiences, so that
the focus is more on the LGBT aspects of the genre.

So in the west, shoujo ai and yuri are almost interchangeable. However, yuri
focuses more on the sexual aspects of a strictly LGBT relationship. While
shoujo ai is mainly (thanks to the American influence) focused on a lesbian
romantic relationship, it may occasionally, in rare circumstances, focus on
intimate straight same-sex relationships as well; best friends or sisters,
etc. as long as the relationship is presented in a way that gives you the
'feels'.

_Candy Boy_ is a good example of hetero-romantic shoujo ai (I am ignoring girl
crushes in _Candy Boy_ as that happens across multiple anime genres).
Yuri/yaoi is more or less gay/lesbian ecchi/hentai (porn).


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