What are Bishonen?
The word “bishonen” is Japanese for very beautiful, often effeminate, men. The word itself literally means “Beautiful Boy(s).” Bishonen are commonly associated as being Homosexual in Anime and Manga, and 99% of all Gay males portrayed in Anime and Manga are drawn in a bishonen style. Bishonen are also used heavily in Shojo Manga (“Girls Manga”) as the male love interests and supporting male characters. In Shojo Manga bishonen are often Heterosexual despite their very beautiful feminine appearance and behavior. There are however, a fair amount of Homosexual bishonen in Shojo Manga too.
