anime question [are there gay anime characters?]

[Kajino Rei]

Like Inverse had said before me:
'Tis a fangirls dream.
A lot of people rooted for this couple.
Me included, they're just so cute.

[Baku Ryu-Ha]

I know that there is a gay Anime character in InuYasha. The characters name is Jakotsu. Yes, he is gay. He also has the crush of a life time on InuYasha. Jakotsu is part of the Shichinintai [Seven-Man Group] and hes very close to the groups leader, Bankotsu, no wonder. But, Jakotsu has his eye on InuYasha. ^_~ I hope I helped a bit.

[angieness]

Perhaps yaoi and yuri aren't the way to go? I mean I'm bi and I have a lot of gay friends and they don't act nearly as horny as all these guys in anime. When it comes to girls liking each other in anime sometimes it gets confusing. I mean Kaorin in Azumanga Daioh isn't gay, she just either admires her or has a crush. The same sort of things happen in Utena, Onii-sama E, Maria-sama ga Miteru, etc etc. In most cases I like to believe it's because the girls are gay/bi because I think lesbians are adorable, but a lot of fans argue that it's just admiration or something. A lot of people like to argue about Utena but even if there's not anything going on between Utena and Anthy, you know there's no doubting Juri and Shiori.

As for the guy side of the pool, I'm one of the few girls who doesn't like yaoi so I don't know what to suggest. I mean I honestly don't know where you would find realistic yaoi or shonen-ai, I mean wouldn't you be offended if you were a gay guy and all the gay guys in anime were horny guys that only think about sex?

[RockAngel]

Wasn't Ryoko a lesbian in Tenchi? It's been a while since I've watched the Anime.

[TommyRude]

Considering how bad she wanted Tenchi, no.

[Kajino Rei]

Well angieness unless they make another genre for bi people/couples, shoujo-ai & shonen-ai is the only way to go. That's anime of course, in real life...you got me.
Don't really care about that.

[Arigatomina]

I mean I honestly don't know where you would find realistic yaoi or shonen-ai...

In the 'friends-only' anime, as you noted for the girls. Most 'real' gay couples, male anyway, act no different from very close guy friends shown in anime - outside of the bedroom. They have the arguments, those love/hate rivals in action anime, they have their quiet moments, those "no need for words because we understand each other" scenes in most dramatic anime, and they have their fun 'inside joke' moments, also found in most 'close friends' anime. Pick an anime - Rurouni Kenshin has Kenshin and Sano as the picture perfect 'gay' couple - by 'real' definitions, as in, they don't flaunt things outside the bedroom. Yaoi and shonen ai anime tend to be extremist about relationships, heck, yaoi *is* about sex more than anything else. For simple 'realistic gay' relationships, you're better off watching one of the 'technically straight and just very close male friends' anime - there are dozens of those out there. If you go for something like Rurouni Kenshin or Yu Yu Hakusho, there isn't even the problem of female competition - Kenshin treats Kaoru as a 'sister' type outside the final OVA and the much-degrated 'Christian Saga.' I've known quite a few gay women and guys who found that 'friendship only' anime to be reeking of what you'd see in a 'real' gay relationship. Again, outside of the bedroom.

It's just like you noted with the girls - those 'close friends' relationships are more realistic. The only problem is, they're not *technically* anything but friends so if you want to see anything remotely 'explicite', you'll need to look elsewhere. The best you'll get are quiet moments, significant glances, light touches, not-quite-flirtatious teasing, and rescue scenes. The kisses and physical aspects are only found in the shonen ai and yaoi anime. Or fanfiction/doujinshi. ;p

I mean wouldn't you be offended if you were a gay guy and all the gay guys in anime were horny guys that only think about sex?

Um...have you watched any shonen ai anime? Earthian actually has a sex scene, yet not once in the anime do either of the guys act 'horny', let alone even *think* about sex - you just catch a glimpse because it explains a current problem in their relationship. Touya and Yukito from CardCaptor Sakura never so much as kiss - how would that offend any gay person? Yaoi, maybe, but not shonen ai. You can't have it both ways. If straight guys aren't offended by Carrot's behavior in Sorcerer Hunters, and straight girls aren't offended by Ryoko's behavior in Tenchi, then I'm sure gay people can handle a little 'extreme character' action - or they can filter the anime like everyone else does.

[angieness]

Arigatomyna you definantley have a point, most shoujo ai I've seen has been fairly realistic especially Maria-sama ga Miteru. I haven't had too much exposure to shonen ai beyond what my yaoi and shonen ai obsessed roommates crammed down my throat. I really enjoyed Fake because the two guys had a really strong bond even if one of them was a bit extreme when trying to convince the other to be with him.

My roommates pretty much forced me to look at yaoi and shonen ai all the time because it was pretty much 4 people in 2 small rooms in the dorm, and most of the stuff they watched was pretty crazy. Gravitation was one of their big ones and I just couldn't get into it. But yeah I haven't had much exposure to shonen ai that doesn't involve the characters being horny at all times.

[Arigatomina]

My roommates pretty much forced me to look at yaoi and shonen ai all the time because it was pretty much 4 people in 2 small rooms in the dorm, and most of the stuff they watched was pretty crazy. Gravitation was one of their big ones and I just couldn't get into it. But yeah I haven't had much exposure to shonen ai that doesn't involve the characters being horny at all times.

Heh, if you were my roommate, you'd have been forced to 'see' yaoi in technically 'non-yaoi' anime instead. I tend to enjoy 'fan-made' pairings more than the explicit anime pairings. I just like the interaction between the characters when it doesn't revolve around sex - you can find that in a few anime, Yami no Matsuei (not the psychotic Muraki, I mean the Tsuzuki/Hisoka pairing), or Earthian - though that one's a bit sappy/angsty/drama - the 'uke' is overexaggerated and pretty darn effeminate. I like Kagetsuya, myself. ;p

Glad you didn't take offense, though. I really don't know of any gay people who've been insulted by even the worst yaoi anime - it's just like people ignoring those sex-starved 'straight' characters who spend the entire anime trying to get laid. Ever seen GoldenBoy? Sorcerer Hunters is more enjoyable - it has other things mixed into the fanservice. Neither of those offended my straight male friends, they're just extreme examples for people who want to see some extreme lust. ^_^; And it's all about the comedy - Gravitation is similar, though it's more like Sorcerer Hunters with the angst and sap and exaggerated 'female-uke' character.

I'm one of those rabid shonen ai fangirls, but I have to admit - my favorite characters aren't 'officially' gay in the anime - I just enjoy the realistic male bonding - the relationship aspect. If I get in the mood for explicit things, I'll whip out YnM or get my hands on Ai no Kusabi or something hardcore yaoi - just like guys out there go and get themselves La Blue Girl. It just depends on what you're looking for. Me, I watch a wide selection, and sadly, there aren't many *real* yaoi anime that I've enjoyed. They tend to be angsty, and the shonen ai anime tend to be cutsy with angst - the 'non-yaoi' anime have a better mix on the relationship aspect.

[*inverse*]

*sighs* Sooner or later, I'll have to finish YnM. I've somewhat forgotten about it - and I miss Tsuzuki....