Bishi

Bishi is a term used in Japanese and fan communities to describe male characters who display exceptional beauty and a slightly androgynous or delicate aesthetic. Short for bishōnen (美少年), meaning "beautiful boy," bishi is often applied to characters with refined features, large eyes, soft jawlines, slender builds, and fashionable clothing. The shorthand forms "bishi" or "bishie" are common in English-language discourse as well.

In media, the bishi archetype appears across manga, anime, visual novels, and BL (Boys’ Love) works, though it is not limited to one genre. These characters are typically depicted with heightened emotional expressiveness and a focus on elegance or vulnerability, rather than traditional masculine ruggedness. The appeal lies in aesthetic appeal and romantic or aspirational traits rather than physical strength.

The term sits alongside related concepts such as ikemen (handsome men with strong or conventional masculinity) and bishōjo (beautiful girls). While bishi emphasizes beauty and androgyny, it is primarily a descriptive trope used by fans and creators to categorize character design and storytelling style. Discussions of bishi can touch on artistic choices, fan reception, and the role such characters play in romance-driven narratives or fantasy settings.

In online communities, bishi is commonly used to tag artwork, fan fiction, and character lists, helping fans locate content that emphasizes the bishōnen aesthetic.