Aspects

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When and where the story takes place.

Future - any story set in the future.

Current/Modern - any story set in current times, the very near future, or the very near past. Some titles will span a timeline, in that case, chose all that apply.

Past/Historical - any story set in the past. If the title is set in the Japanese past, and you can identify it as such, please use Past - Japanese.

Past - Japanese - any story set in historical Japan. If you know the specific historical setting, please one of the choices below:

The story's emotional atmosphere. Expect to find a lot of crossover. Choose the manga's dominant mood or select the catch-all category drama.

Aliens - non-Earth life forms.

Angels - winged creatures who are really angels or just look like them.

Biographical - a character who is a person in real life. The story is fiction or closely follows the non-fiction biography of that person.

Coming of age stories - emotional growth, passage into adulthood and adult responsibilities.

Coming Out - public declaration or admission of being gay.

Cyberpunk, virtual reality - computer crime, cyberspace themed distopian societies, or virtual reality.

Demons/Immortals/Monsters - fantastic creatures and immortal beings, sometimes with negative connotations, e.g. vampires, werewolves, demons.

Dystopias - societies where people lead dehumanizing lives, often experiencing persecution, discrimination or destruction.

Everyday Life - daily life of a gay person.

Experiments - characters running, subject to, or affected by scientific projects and studies.

Gay issues - any type of gay issues.

Historical - stories that use historical facts, characters, and events. If the story is biographical or auto-biographical in nature, also use Biographical.

Identities (secret, memory loss, etc.) - secret or different personalities, sometimes assumed deliberately with an ulterior motive, or unintentionally through accident or illness.

Magic/Sorcery - enchanted and imaginary lands, people who wield magical powers.

Mythology/Legends/Fairy Tales - adaptations of existing mythology and folklore.

Occult/Psychic Power - onmyoudou or occult magic, ESP powers.

Reincarnation/Transmigration/Joint Destiny - memories of previous incarnations and lives, past, present or future foretold partnerships.

Rich/Poor - differences in social status and class, characters struggling with their poverty or livelihood, non-blood related financial patronage and assistance.

Robots/Androids - created automata, mechanical beings, or hybrid man-machine characters.

Royalty/Aristocracy - characters belong to the nobility or aristocracy, for example, heirs to kingdoms.

Self Discovery - learning, understanding and accepting one's gayness.

SF/Futuristic - general science fiction or futuristic themes, including space travel.

Spirits/Ghosts/Supernatural - ghostly or supernatural visions, manifestations of the dead, benign spirits.

Time travel - crossing between the dimensions of past, present, or future.

Plot Summary - please provide a short (several sentence) summary of the plot, try to avoid spoilers.

One Couple - the story only concerns one couple.

Multiple Couples - the story concerns more than one primary couple or includes one or more major secondary couples.

Seme X Uke - "generic" Seme X Uke relationship, otherwise, choose from the more specific choices. If there is no seme X uke relationship, skip this section.

Type of Relationship - specifies the type of relationship between the characters in the story. If the story is a PWP, please use Physical/Lust.

Reversibles - a character is reversible if he can be either seme or uke, typically in different relationships.

Character's Background or Profession - identify the backgrounds or professions of the characters in the story. Choose all that apply. If no sub-aspect under Non-Human applies to a non-human character, please use Non-Human. Furry includes all animals, including insects, but not bacteria or viruses.

Bondage - tying someone up (usually the uke), using anything from their own clothing to handcuffs to rope, as the mangaka's imagination supplies.

Forceful/Forced Seduction - a very common sexual theme, where the uke (or occassionally the seme!) spends the entire seduction crying and resisting and pleading "no, no, don't, stop," while at the same time moaning in ecstacy, coming all over the seme, etc. This aspect is often combined with the Bondage aspect. The difference between this and rape is that in the end, the uke enjoys the experience, and often this leads to an ongoing relationship in which the seduction may involve force every time.

Gang bang - group sex involving many semes and a single uke. This aspect is sometimes combined with the Forced Seduction or Rape aspects, sometimes not.

Incest - is between relatives, i.e. father x son, brother x brother, cousins, etc.

Rape - involve unwanted, forced intercourse, frequently involving violence. This differs from a forced seduction in the (usually obvious) intent of both partners, and inclusion of realistic physical and emotional aftermath.

Romance - is sex between lovers, often relationship-based centering around the romance much in the way a shoujo book (or, in Amercia, a romance novel) centers around the lead couple's relationship. Generally no force, bondage, or extra people involved, unless it's a love triangle.

Sadism/Masochism - is one partner sexually torturing the other is Sadism/Masochism, usually the seme tormenting the uke. It may feature toys like nipple clamps, whips, chains, spanking, and sometimes knives. It usually combines with the Bondage aspect. Although this aspect does combine with Sexual Abuse at times, it is usually not abusive, despite appearances.

Seduction - is one partner (usually the seme, but not always: see the aspect Inviting/Seductive Uke) going all out to charm and seduce the other, with soft kisses and much less yelling than you'd find in your average boys' love manga.

Sex toys - include dildos, butt plugs, household implements, etc., used to penetrate the uke. For such pain-causing toys as nipple clamps and whips, also use the Sadism/Masochism aspect.

Sexual abuse - ongoing sexual abuse of the uke. Often in the form of a childhood trauma or repeated rape by the seme. This aspect sometimes combines with the Bondage and Sadism/Masochism aspects.

Shota/Shota-complex - features children under 12. This can be child x child or adult x child.

Tentacles - bizarre demons or plants inserting tentacles, vines, or giant 10-foot long prehensile eyeball-tipped penises into every available orifice.

UST - unresovled sexual tension which mounts and mounts and you just know the two are attracted but nothing ever happens, usually not even a kiss. Often accompanied by nosebleeds at awkward moments.