Wiktionary
n. An Asian aesthetic of young men whose beauty (and sex appeal) transcends the boundary of gender or sexual orientation, found in manga, etc.
Wikipedia
is a Japanese term literally meaning "beautiful youth (boy)" and describes an aesthetic that can be found in disparate areas in East Asia: a young man whose beauty (and sexual appeal) transcends the boundary of gender or sexual orientation. It has always shown the strongest manifestation in Japanese pop culture, gaining in popularity due to the androgynous glam rock bands of the 1970s, but it has roots in ancient Japanese literature, the homosocial and homoerotic ideals of the medieval Chinese imperial court and intellectuals, and Indian aesthetic concepts carried over from Hinduism, imported with Buddhism to China. Today, bishōnen are very popular among girls and women in Japan. Reasons for this social phenomenon may include the unique male and female social relationships found within the genre. Some have theorized that bishōnen provide a non-traditional outlet for gender relations. Moreover, it breaks down stereotypes surrounding feminine male characters. These are often depicted with very strong martial arts abilities, sports talent, high intelligence, dandy fashion, or comedic flair, traits that are usually assigned to the hero/protagonist.
Bishonen... (; literally: Passion Between Beautiful Youths), is a 1998 Hong Kong romantic drama film about an ill-fated gay romance. Written and directed by Yonfan, the film stars Stephen Fung, Daniel Wu and Shu Qi.
In 2011, the film was screened at the 16th Busan International Film Festival as part of a retrospective of Yonfan's work, which featured seven of his restored and re-mastered films from the 1980s through the 2000s.
- redirect Bishōnen
A bishōnen is an ideally beautiful young man often seen in anime and manga
Bishōnen may also refer to:
- Bishonen (film), a film about homosexual love
- Bishonen (song), a song by Momus (artist)
- Bishonen Yonfan, director
Usage examples of "bishonen".
There was, in fact, a history of Japanese heroes, known as bishonen, young Adonises, who were invariably taken under the wing of an older protector.
As like a bishonen as he was in many ways, Naohiro Ushiba needed no older protector.
While she found Sally's matter-of-fact account of her life difficult to follow, with its references to places and things she didn't know, it was easy to imagine her winning the sudden, flick-of-the-wrist victories expected of bishonen .
While she found Sally's matter-of-fact account of her life difficult to follow, with its references to places and things she didn't know, it was easy to imagine her winning the sudden, flick-of-the-wrist victories expected of bishonen.