貝合わせ[kai awase]

January 30, 2010 at 1:50 pm (BL, cosplay(コスプレ), doujin(同人), general, otaku word, slang)

 This post contains some pornographic contexts. Viewers’ understanding is required.

 I think I have introduced a couple of BL(yaoi)terms so far, but this time I shall take you to a different world. That is Lesbian[レズビアン], we say 百合[yuri]. If you have watched the most famous yuri anime, Maria-sama ga miteru, you would know what yuri is. Yuri actually means lily meanwhile bara[薔薇, rose] implies gay. Recently, some fans call it GL[girls’ love]. Lesbian people in real life are calling themselves to be ビアン[bian].

 Having said that, when yuri comes to the otaku circle, it means work by female artists, for female fans. So when we say 百合もの[yurimono], it would mean, yes, Marimite[マリア様がみてる], Shoujo kakumei Utena[少女革命ウテナ], or Rose of Versaille[ベルサイユのばら]. What is the difference between yuri and lesbian, then? For one thing, it is said that yuri girls seem to have a strong affection, which is different from friendship(but there’s no sexual relationship). Let’s see Utena and Anthy in Revolutionary girl Utena. They are good friends, respect each other. Utena always thinks of Anthy and protects her while Anthy good takes care of Utena. They have a connection although we are never shown their love scenes. This is something most yuri fans adore… 

 Then why yuri? In fact, it was named after bara[薔薇]. There is a famous gay magazine, 薔薇族[barazoku], and the editor came up with a name for lesbian. Since bara is rose, he bestowed it with a flower’s name, yuri[百合]. Then why bara? In Greek myth, it is said that homosexual people would make love under the rose bush, that’s why. と云われてるらしいです。Anyway, in 1980’s there were some porn video related to yuri like yurizoku[百合族] or something like that. Because of this, yuri porn video can be sure classified at a rental video shop. べべべつに俺は見てないからね！

There are two types of yuri; one is for male fans, and the other is for female. As for the former, it is like a porn video in which two girls are making love with adults’ toys or futanari girls show. Strawberry Panic or Negima!? are that kind of thing. Meanwhile, as for the latter there doesn’t seem to have sexual connotations. Even if there is, it is not that much. 

Let’s see some terms though there’s not so many.

a. お姉様[onee-sama]: This is a must-know word if you would like to talk about Marimite. When a story takes place at school, junior calls her senior お姉様 with love affection. This exists only in yuri because boys say 先輩[sempai]. お姉様 means an elder sister at right.

b. スール[sœur]: This means a sister in French, and it is also from Marimite, meaning a special relationship between a junior[後輩] and a senior[先輩]. You can appreviate it as S[エス].

c. タチ[tachi]: It’s top, which is equall to 攻め[seme] from BL terms.

d. ネコ[neko]: It’s bottom, which is equall to 受け[uke] from BL terms.

e. タクレズ[takurezu]: An otaku lesbian. Sounds far-fecthed? No no, actually there are otaku lesbian people, and some of them could be fujoshi[BL fangirl] or cosplayers. They do not seem to follow yuri, but BL since they might have a disorder of sexual identity. In fact I know one lesbian girl who is a cosplayer. According to her, she wanted to be a boy, and wanted to love a girl. That is why she always crossdresses, and never cosplays any female characters. 

f. 貝合わせ[kai awase]: At right, it is a card game like concentration. In Heian Period, the noble ladies used to enjoy concentration with shells[貝殻], not cards. Those shells used as concentration are most likely clams[はまぐり], and on the other side of the shell, a beautiful picture and a line are painted. But…when this comes to yuri, えっと…その…it is a sex by lesbian. Because…あの…well…clams actually metaphor vagina. So a pair of shell metaphor two vaginas getting combined.  

 I have never been interested in yuri, but currently I am watching Utena. It’s interesting to see how nice the friendship between Utena and Anthy is. Having said that, my favorite is Touga-sempai! lol コスプレするんだったら冬芽先輩がいいなぁ。中の人子安さんだし（笑）