Fujoshi (腐女子, lit. “rotten girl”) is a slang term used to specifically describe women who enjoy consuming Boys’ Love (BL) manga, commonly called Yaoi (やおい), or other forms of fictional M/M relationship-based media. It’s an alternative writing of Fujoshi (婦女子) where the character fu (婦) meaning married woman is replaced by the character fu (腐) meaning fermented or rotten, suggesting that a woman who likes fictional gay men stories is not suitable for mariage.
The opposite of Fujoshi is Fudanshi (腐男子, lit. ‘rotten boy(s)’), a slang term to describe a man who likes to consume Boys’ Love (BL) or other forms of fictional M/M relationship-based media primarily targeted to a woman demography.
The gender-neutral term to describe a person who likes to consume Boys’ Love (BL) type of manga or other forms of fictional M/M relationship-based media is “fumin” (腐人間).
Origins
The term traces its origins to certain Japanese manga/artists who fantasized about male characters with strong bonds in film and animation as couples, creating male-male romance works aimed at women, distinct from actual gay relationships.
Labeling themselves as “fujoshi,” which means “rotten girl,” was a form of self-deprecation for “corrupting” what was perceived as mere friendship into romantic love.
Typically, “fujoshi” is a term used among these women to humorously refer to each other. However, when used by those outside of this group to refer to these women, it can carry derogatory or disdainful connotations. In many places, including Japan, calling someone a “fujoshi” directly is generally considered impolite.
History
The concept of male-male fanfiction likely began in the 1960s in the United States with Kirk/Spock fanfiction, which might be the earliest form of gay fanfiction and perhaps the most widely read and written theme historically, known as the progenitor of “slash” fiction.
In the 1970s, Japan saw the emergence of male homosexual themes primarily for female readers, influenced by authors like Hermann Hesse, Ashihara Takashi, Yukio Mishima, and Luchino Visconti. This theme, combined with feminism, was featured in shojo manga. By the 1980s, the “June” magazine, a male-male romance publication, boasted subscriptions of 80,000 to 100,000—twice that of Japan’s largest gay magazine, “Badi.”
The rise of fujoshi culture, especially among women, has arguably advanced women’s liberation and awareness. Fujoshi place themselves on equal footing with men by appropriating male romance for literary creation and open discussion, thus fostering a greater sexual awareness among women and promoting a more liberated sexual attitude. Although not all fujoshi support or accept homosexuality, their participation helps facilitate a basic understanding or tolerance, contributing to changing societal attitudes toward homosexuality and its social status.
Around 2000, Japan began using the term “fujoshi” to describe this subculture. Following the sensation caused by “Densha Otoko,” which brought otaku culture to broader attention, the Japanese media began to notice the fujoshi community. By 2006, Japan published several mangas and books about fujoshi, and television programs also began to feature segments about them; Taiwan similarly produced entertainment focusing on fujoshi.
Culture
Fujoshi culture revolves around two main activities: creation and reading. In this culture, the relationship between authors and readers is quite close, resembling a circle of friends discussing their creations, similar to doujin culture. While some fujoshi enjoy the finished products, many are enthusiastic about the act of creation itself.
For creators, the allure lies in imagining deeper relationships between male characters in other works—whether as rivals, comrades, childhood friends, or even lovers. For these creators, bonds are the foundation of everything “rotten.”
For readers, they are devoted fans who support these creators and look forward to constructed worlds of beautiful male-male romances that exist only in fantasy.
Mostly comprising heterosexual young women, over 80% of the readers in fujoshi culture are women, similar to the creators who also predominantly identify as heterosexual. However, participants also include men, as well as homosexual and bisexual women and men, with a non-negligible presence.
Common Misconceptions
As “fujoshi” becomes more widely recognized, misunderstandings also occur. Common ones include the notion that fujoshi are homebound women, equating fujoshi with “dried-fish women” (attractive outside, slovenly at home), or unmarriageable women (see the stage play “You Can’t Afford a Fujoshi”).
Difference from Otaku Women
“Fujoshi” is often mistakenly used to describe “female otaku” by some media, however these terms represent distinct groups within Japanese fandom:
- Specific Interests: Fujoshi exclusively enjoy “Boys’ Love” (BL) content, focusing on romantic or sexual relationships between male characters. In contrast, otaku women have a broader range of interests that span across various aspects of otaku culture, including anime, manga, video games, and light novels, without a specific genre focus.
- Community Engagement: Fujoshi are active within communities that specifically discuss and create content around BL, including fan fiction and fan art. They often use specialized platforms for yaoi and BL discussions. Otaku women, however, participate in a wider variety of otaku-related activities and communities, which can include cosplay, gaming, and figure collecting, among others.
- Cultural Perception: The term fujoshi sometimes carries a pejorative tone, often humorously self-applied by BL fans to refer to their “rotten” interest in male-male romance. This differs from the broader term “otaku women,” which lacks the genre-specific stigma and covers a more diverse set of hobbies and interests.
Difference from Doujin Women
Doujin women are simply women who enjoy creating fan works. While many fujoshi engage in drawing and writing BL-based fan works, not all doujin women are fujoshi, and not all fujoshi engage in doujin creation.
Views on Homosexuality
Fujoshi’s appreciation of literary homosexual themes does not necessarily align with their attitudes toward real-life male homosexuality. Fujoshi who enjoy BL but are unfriendly towards real gay men are sometimes referred to as “pseudo-fujoshi.” Conversely, women who primarily interact with gay men as close friends in the real world may not necessarily create or read BL works. Moreover, a fujoshi’s own sexual orientation is independent of their interest in male-male romance works.
Fujoshi Characters
- Rumi Asai (Kuragehime) – An introverted fujoshi living with other otaku women, each with her own unique obsessions.
- Yuiko Enomoto (Love Lab) – A high school girl who is secretly a fujoshi, which contrasts with her public image as a model student.
- Kae Serinuma (Kiss Him, Not Me!) – A central character whose love for BL significantly influences the plot as she imagines the boys around her falling in love with each other.
- Kenjiro Hato (Genshiken: Second Season) – A male character who dresses as a woman to better fit into the fujoshi community within the story.
- Momoko (Fudanshi Koukou Seikatsu) – Featured in a series about a male fudanshi, she is his fujoshi friend who shares his interests.
- Tarou Kurume (Mousou Telepathy) – Although not a fujoshi herself, she frequently reads the mind of a classmate who is a fujoshi, getting insights into BL fantasies.
- Risa Asakaze (Hatsukoi Limited) – A high school girl who is often seen reading and enjoying BL manga, adding a humorous element to her character.
- Sapphire Kawashima (Sound! Euphonium) – Though more subtly depicted, she has interests in yaoi, as hinted at in various parts of the series.
- Maya Jingu (Burn-Up Excess) – A police officer who, aside from her duties, shows a deep enthusiasm for yaoi and doujinshi, often bringing her hobbies into her work life.