bara
Bara is a term with multiple meanings. In Japanese, 薔薇 (bara) means "rose" and appears in literature and botany. In English-language fandom, bara denotes a genre of gay male erotica that centers on realistically masculine men and male-male relationships. It is distinct from yaoi, which typically targets a female readership and often depicts younger, androgynous characters.
The name is associated with Barazoku, a long-running Japanese gay men's magazine established in 1971. The exact
Characteristics include muscular builds, body hair, and a preference for masculine, sometimes rugged, male characters. Narratives
Notable figures include Gengoroh Tagame, a prominent artist whose work helped popularize bara internationally. The genre