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shounen-ai
What does shounen-ai mean?
A category of male homosexual romance in women's media that focuses on emotional relationships rather than explicit sex, milder than yaoi.
"It's shounen-ai, so lots of longing looks and no spicy scenes."
Origin
Japanese 少年愛 (shōnen-ai), 'boy love'.
Frequently asked questions
What is shounen-ai?
It's a category of male-male romance in women's media that focuses on emotional connection rather than explicit sex.
How is shounen-ai different from yaoi?
Shounen-ai is milder and non-explicit, while yaoi includes explicit sexual content.
What does shounen-ai literally mean?
The Japanese 少年愛 (shōnen-ai) literally means 'boy love'.
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