sarasusa

Happened upon this when Googling "Philadelphia mangaka"...

Though the authors (two art educators) overdo the academic-speak, I think they offer a fascinating perspective on the history and context of shounen-ai and yaoi doujinshi:

"Boys' Love," Yaoi, and Art Education: Issues of Power and Pedagogy.

Teaser: "Time and time again we heard this distinction: male pornography is about reality; yaoi is about fantasy. Some semiotic digging seems in order."

::hefting my semiotic shovel::

(Such digging apparently can unearth a "cultural rhizome." So cute!)

"Any interpretation of yaoi must begin with the premise that yaoi and boys' love graphic narratives are about females and, yes, about gender, identity, about the relationship of females to males, and perhaps about female/female relationships."

Provocative!

"What are the consequences of being double-minded, playing with double-edged-ness, possessing double-pleasures, double-troubles?"

Guess I'll find out eventually...in the meantime, I'll have fun playing.