Gay Anime?

[gambit924]

Hi, I was just over at young adult asking about gay sex in young adult fiction when I thought about something like an anime show. Something mild like it is clear that two guys love each other but there's no graphic sex. I guess it is sort of allowed in YA fiction, but I like writing screenplays better. I want to write something else short and sweet while I research the samurai musical. Anyway, what do you think? Is there a market for such animation? Would anybody make something like this? Please, give me all the knowledge you have! Thank you.

[bickazer]

Are you aware of yaoi/BL anime/manga?

Granted, those are idealized romances made for heterosexual women. I believe anime/manga aimed at gay men is called bara, but don't quote me on this.

There is a market; it's niche, but it exists and is pretty prolific. In Japan at least.

[sunandshadow]

There is both explicit and non-explicit gay anime, but there's no market for English scripts for it.

[lolchemist]

I would have said 'Write the script and pitch it to LOGO,' but I heard that they're not doing gay programming anymore except for Ru-Paul's Drag Race.

I'm not too savvy with TV networks but if there's another all-gay or gay-friendly network out there, they might be interested in a cartoon like this. I mean The Simpsons gets animated in Korea, right? The animators are just as capable of making your characters look like anime characters as anything else, I mean look at Avatar the Last Airbender.

My advice would be to stop calling it 'anime' and start researching which networks would be open to airing an 'animated gay sitcom.'

ETA: Since I'm assuming the characters are teens, the Canadian network that airs Degrassi might be interested, or even MTV.

[bickazer]

If you really have your heart set on anime style, why not try making a visual novel? Those are really popular in Japan and a lot of western fans enjoy them as well. And I don't think they're as hard to make as more interactive games, and they're definitely as hard to make as actual animation. The thing is, you'd have to find willing collaborators - programmers, artists, the like - but you could write the scripts. It would probably be quite a bit of writing, since most feature different paths and ends, but it could be rewarding, and stands a higher chance of getting made than an animated show.

You can probably forget about doing it for money. But I know there's interest in creating English-language visual novels; if I'm not mistaken, several already exist but they're all (as far as I know) aimed at straight males and feature straight romances. But I think the yaoi/BL fanbase would welcome an English-language visual novel, especially since it's already hard enough to find translations of Japanese BL games.

(Or at least I would XD)

[veinglory]

Non-explicit = shonen ai

[gambit924]

What I was really looking for was the Japanese stylization, but to make something that is completely American, I guess you can't really call it Anime. Truth is, I love Japan, Japanese animation, and it seems that they're totally okay with boys kissing boys, which I find endlessly fascinating (Japanese liberalism). Anyway I'll check it out. Right now I'm laying out the plot, when I actually get down to writing, I'll check some of your suggestions out.

[gambit924]

And the audience would totally include hetero women. I wouldn't just write sex. I would want the romance to be there as well.

[ShannonR.]

Originally Posted by lolchemist

I would have said 'Write the script and pitch it to LOGO,' but I heard that they're not doing gay programming anymore except for Ru-Paul's Drag Race.

I'm not too savvy with TV networks but if there's another all-gay or gay-friendly network out there, they might be interested in a cartoon like this. I mean The Simpsons gets animated in Korea, right? The animators are just as capable of making your characters look like anime characters as anything else, I mean look at Avatar the Last Airbender.

My advice would be to stop calling it 'anime' and start researching which networks would be open to airing an 'animated gay sitcom.'

ETA: Since I'm assuming the characters are teens, the Canadian network that airs Degrassi might be interested, or even MTV.

...also, check out The Cartoon Network. They have a late-night feature called 'Adult Swim' where they show more adult-oriented animations. If you're familiar with Robot Chicken or Aqua Teen Hunger Force, that's the sorts of things they show.

[veinglory]

Remember that women like sex too. Explicit yaoi is mainly a female market in the US. And some of it is produced here and in Europe.

[gambit924]

Lol I don't know how to get in to Cartoon Network. Do they accept submissions (that is un-agented and unsolicited manuscripts)? I will check them out, but something tells me they're gonna be harder to get into than...I can't think of an example. I'll check it out though.

[c.m.n.]

Originally Posted by gambit924

Lol I don't know how to get in to Cartoon Network. Do they accept submissions (that is un-agented and unsolicited manuscripts)? I will check them out, but something tells me they're gonna be harder to get into than...I can't think of an example. I'll check it out though.

I don't think you'd be able to get into Cartoon Network without an outside agency, or another company to help. They get all their anime from either Funimation or Viz Media.

I agree with a previous poster, look into visual novels first. Most animated programs (talking Japanese anime) come from their manga first.

However, there are gay friendly networks that may be interested. If all else fails, consider DIY. Youtube webisodes or something. If you truly want to try a non-explicit gay animation, you may have to take the money equation out of it for a while.

[contrariwise]

Considering how prolific slash fiction is on the internet, I would say there is an enormous market for this. The audience seems to be mostly heterosexual women rather than homosexual men.

Trying to get into Cartoon Network is probably a bit much, but there shouldn't be anything to stop you from making a web series.

[BenPanced]

Originally Posted by c.m.n.

I don't think you'd be able to get into Cartoon Network without an outside agency, or another company to help. They get all their anime from either Funimation or Viz Media.

I agree with a previous poster, look into visual novels first. Most animated programs (talking Japanese anime) come from their manga first.

However, there are gay friendly networks that may be interested. If all else fails, consider DIY. Youtube webisodes or something. If you truly want to try a non-explicit gay animation, you may have to take the money equation out of it for a while.

Logo, the primary GLBT network, is no longer focused on providing niche programming. They're claiming to be a "lifestyle and entertainment" network now. Even when they were showing mostly GLBT programming, they showed translated yaoi OVA only twice (I think one was about samurai, but I could be wrong, and the other was a cop story called Fake, based on one volume of the collected manga based on the same name).

But, yeah, trying to DIY and getting a webseries on YouTube is probably easier than getting a spot on Cartoon Network.

[ShannonR.]

That's true, The Cartoon Network would be hard to get without representation. You could start it as a web series or something and possibly look for an agent once you see how well it is received. But it does sound like something they would run.

[kuwisdelu]

Originally Posted by ShannonR.

That's true, The Cartoon Network would be hard to get without representation. You could start it as a web series or something and possibly look for an agent once you see how well it is received. But it does sound like something they would run.

I doubt there's any chance of The Cartoon Network even considering it. It's too niche. I don't think they've aired anime that isn't shounen or seinen, and even those blocks just aren't popular enough to do much more than break even.

As others have said, you're best off doing a manga or visual novel or something like that.

[triceretops]

I'm almost certain that Tokyo Pop does gay material for Japanese women. Eh? I was solicited to write some of these stories but failed the voice/style test.

tri

[bickazer]

Originally Posted by triceretops

I'm almost certain that Tokyo Pop does gay material for Japanese women. Eh? I was solicited to write some of these stories but failed the voice/style test.

tri

Hasn't Tokyopop gone under by now, though?

[c.m.n.]

Originally Posted by bickazer

Hasn't Tokyopop gone under by now, though?

Yeah, they've closed their U.S. manga operations. But there are other U.S. and European distributors that focus on shonen-ai. Can't think of their names right now.

[gambit924]

Well are there any publishers who are publishing Yaoi/BL out there anymore? I mean in the US? Some in Japan, but I can't write in Japanese...Yet...

[BenPanced]

Originally Posted by kuwisdelu

I doubt there's any chance of The Cartoon Network even considering it. It's too niche. I don't think they've aired anime that isn't shounen or seinen, and even those blocks just aren't popular enough to do much more than break even.

As others have said, you're best off doing a manga or visual novel or something like that.

I haven't watched CN's anime block or read the forums in a couple years, but they take great pride in slamming the fans who watch the programming. It seems like they have about six programs they run during that time slot, anyway, perpetually renewing the licenses so they don't have to think about getting anything else.

Originally Posted by gambit924

Well are there any publishers who are publishing Yaoi/BL out there anymore? I mean in the US? Some in Japan, but I can't write in Japanese...Yet...

The only ones I know of are publishing translations from the Japanese market. Almost nobody is doing any original work.

[bickazer]

Originally Posted by gambit924

Well are there any publishers who are publishing Yaoi/BL out there anymore? I mean in the US? Some in Japan, but I can't write in Japanese...Yet...

Your best bet is to do a webcomic. Seriously, there are tons of BL webcomics out there, many which take cues from the Japanese style. There's no shame in self-publishing a webcomic, really, and you can even make money if you're smart about it and build up a sizable readership.

[gambit924]

Right, thank you everybody. I was kind of thinking comic myself. It's a logical idea I guess to go comic and then if Hollywood comes a knockin', then to make the decision to make it a film/show. I can probably find a publisher. I'm known for being a ruthless searcher and an eternally patient person. Just have to see I guess.

[gambit924]

I want to bring this back out of the shadows because I have another stupid question (then again, Mr. Garrison says there are no stupid questions, only stupid people). Anyway, I decided to go live action with my idea (that is very formulaic and I know it) and there is a love scene between two men. I was wondering, how far can I go with a gay love scene on network or cable TV? I'm not going anywhere like HBO, but I do want it to be sexy. What is your opinion?

[contrariwise]

Are you pitching to television networks? I don't know anything about the industry, but I would assume you need to look at which networks you're pitching to and see how far the shows on those networks go.