Have you heard of the hugely popular anime "I'm Being Threatened by the No. 1 Man I Want to Dakimakura?" It's a commercial BL work that first aired in 2018 and became a huge hit. With a stage adaptation scheduled for 2019, it's expected to become even more popular. And it turns out, "Dakaichi" has elements that men can get into too! Ever since the term "fujoshi" became popular, BL has tended to be thought of as something that women read. But that's a shame. If you can enjoy BL from a uniquely male perspective, you can broaden your horizons to a wider variety of works. In this article, we'll use "Dakaichi" to introduce the appeal of BL that even men can get into.
Men can read BL too!
Source: I'm Being Threatened by the No. 1 Man I Want to Dakaretai. ©Sakura Hidari / Libre / DO1 PROJECT
Just like the term "fujoshi," there is also the term "fudanshi." It naturally refers to men who enjoy BL. In fact, there are quite a few such people. Even if you're not a big enough BL fan to call yourself a "fudanshi," it's not uncommon to find yourself "surprisingly interesting when you read it." While fudanshi aren't yet mainstream, this is a great opportunity for men to make their BL debut.
Genki Iwai of the comedy duo "Haraichi" is also a fudanshi!
Genki Iwai of the comedy duo "Haraichi," known for his BL expertise, chose "Dakaichi" as his top anime of the fall 2018 season. Originally a fan of the same author's "Younger Boyfriend's Love Affairs," Iwai began checking out the original "Dakaichi" manga a year or two before the anime began airing! He also seems to enjoy other BL works, and apparently owns many BL comics at home. From here, we'll take a look at the appeal of BL that even men can get into, with Iwai's advice in mind.
The appeal of BL that even men can get into: Part 1: Enjoy the simulation!
Source: I'm Being Threatened by the No. 1 Man I Want to Hold. ©Sakura Hidari / Libre / DO1 PROJECT
Since you're reading BL as a man (?), why not have some fun imagining things like, "What if I were in this position?" or "What would I do if I found myself in this situation?" For example, in "Dakaichi," if someone like Junta came on to her, would she be able to refuse? Even Takato, who has been ranked number one in "men that men want to sleep with" for many years, is cool and older than Junta, and is unable to refuse. In fact, she is captivated by his charm, his angelic power!
Of course, you can also see it from Junta's perspective. Takato is very cute, so it would be nice to focus on that. Of course, you can also carefully observe their relationship from a third-party perspective. It seems that many women are in this position.
The fun of BL that men can get hooked on too #2: Enjoying the straight uke!
Source: I'm Being Threatened by the No. 1 Man I Want to Dake. ©Sakura Hidari / Libre / DO1 PROJECT
This may be a bit of an advanced technique, but it's also fun to enjoy the eroticism of the depiction from a male perspective. In the TV anime, the sex scenes aren't depicted in great detail, but Iwai says that in the original comic, Takato's facial expressions during the sex scenes are excellent. Apparently, his face is completely feminine! According to Iwai, "Rather than being totally entertained, I like the fact that he still has a bit of straightness about him." It's true that Takato isn't refusing at all, but he does say things like "Stop it!" The contrast between his upper body and lower body is obvious to men. Also, when you look at Takato alone, he seems like a somewhat sadistic character, but when he's with Junta, he instantly becomes a masochist. That contrast is also appealing.
The fun of BL that even men will love #3: Discovering the opposite sex within yourself!
Source: I'm Being Threatened by the No. 1 Man I Want to Dakaretai. ©Sakura Hiragi / Libre / DO1 PROJECT
This is also an advanced technique, but Iwai describes "Dakaichi" as "a work that awakens the opposite sex within oneself."
First of all, most female viewers think Takato is cute. However, Takato is a cool character, so it's strange that women would find such a character cute. On the other hand, Junta is tall and well-built, and is what one might call a "cool" character. However, he is devoted to his senior, Takato, and has an innocent, childlike side to him. These aspects of him seem to be what men find "cute." The feeling of finding something cute is like a mother's instinct, isn't it? Perhaps it can be said that Junta, who awakens this, has the charm to bring out the "femininity within men."
The Fun of BL That Men Can Also Get Addicted To #4: Enjoy Pure Love!
Source: I'm Being Threatened by the No. 1 Man I Want to Dake. ©Sakura Hidari / Libre / DO1 PROJECT
The two characters in "Dakaichi" start out as a physical relationship. However, as the story progresses, their relationship gradually develops into pure love. While this might seem like the opposite, that's the charm of "Dakaichi." Of course, it doesn't end with just a physical relationship; they gradually begin to desire each other emotionally. The emotional changes are irresistible! It's also fun to watch the relationship unfold.
The Fun of BL That Men Can Also Get Addicted To ⑤ Enjoying a Female Perspective!
Source: I'm Being Threatened by the No. 1 Man I Want to Dakimakura. ©Sakura Hidari / Libre / DO1 PROJECT
BL is generally read by fujoshi (fangirls), and it's often described as "for women." In other words, most of them are written with the assumption that they will be read by women. While you're at it, why not enjoy the female perspective in the same way you would read a shoujo manga? For example, the men who appear in BL and shoujo manga are usually cool, aren't they? This is probably what makes them different from works aimed at men, as they reflect women's ideals. Just as you would read works aimed at men, I also recommend reading works aimed at women every once in a while.
A Summary of the Fun of BL That Men Can Also Get Into
Source: I'm Being Threatened by the No. 1 Man I Want to Dakaretai. ©Sakura Hidari / Libre / DO1 PROJECT
That concludes the summary of the fun of BL that men can also get into, as seen through "Dakaichi." BL doesn't have to be assumed to be "only for women," as men can actually enjoy it from a variety of perspectives. If you're a man who's interested, why not take this opportunity to check it out?
