What is the meaning of “bromance” in BL terminology you should know? We also explain the difference between “BL” (Boys’ Love) and Chinese bromance works!BL (Boys’ Love) works that focus on love between men have continued to increase in popularity in recent years, and have been spread across a wide range of media, including manga, novels, dramas, anime, and movies. The need is increasing not only in Japan but also around the world.

With the spread of e-books, it has become easier for everyone to access BL works, and with the accelerating spread of media, BL works are gaining new fans. There are a wide variety of genres, including the attributes of [attack] and [receive], and stories, such as pure love stories and slow love stories, and you may come across a variety of terms when enjoying the work.

In this article, we will explain the meaning of “bromance,” one of the most intriguing terms, and introduce the difference between it and “BL,” as well as Chinese bromance works.

“Bromance” is a coined word that combines the words “brother” and “romance”. It refers to an intimate relationship between men who are bonded by a special bond.

In some works, we can see a unique relationship where the two men recognize each other, and in other works, we can see a strong bond that connects them deep in their souls. Works that depict the emotional connection between men have existed for a long time, and bromance works have been produced in various media such as manga, anime, and live-action dramas.

By the way, the intimate and special relationship between women is called “romance,” a compound word made up of romance and sister. It does not involve romantic feelings, so it has a different meaning from “yuri.”

Unlike “BL,” which depicts love between men, “bromance” is a term used to describe relationships between men who are very close but have no romantic or sexual feelings for each other.

Therefore, even if it is unrequited love, if there is even a slight romantic feeling, the relationship cannot be called a bromance. Favor and romantic feelings are not necessarily the same thing, and light BL and bromance are completely different things, and this is where they tend to get confused. Light BL with little or no sexual depiction is also “BL”, not bromance.

From here on, we will explain about Chinese BL and bromance. Chinese bromance works are landing in Japan one after another, and popular works such as live-action dramas such as “The Untamed,” “Mountains and Rivers,” and “Guardian,” as well as anime such as “The Master of Diabolism” and “The Heavenly Man.” can now be enjoyed in Japanese.

For example, the anime and live-action drama “The Founder of Diabolism” are about bromance, but the original work is a BL novel (by Mo Xiang Tong Shui). In order to deal with the strict BL regulations in China, BL is sometimes portrayed as a bromance when it is made into an anime or live-action version.

As can be seen from the fact that the title of the live-action drama of Madoo Zoshi'' is Chenrei”, it is sometimes made into media with a different title than the original Chinese novel.

In the original work of “Magic Ancestor”, the main characters Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are officially coupled (CP notation: Lan Wangji x Wei Wuxian), but the anime and live-action In the drama, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are depicted as having a deep bond as “acquaintances”.

“To know” means to have a friend who understands you, and to have a soulmate-like relationship. Many people seem to be fascinated by this special relationship, where souls are attracted to each other.

For those who don’t like BL, they may be attracted to this bromance precisely because it cuts out all romantic and sexual imagery and instead depicts it as friendship. Ironically, it could be said that the strict censorship system has resulted in the work being supported by a wide range of people.

Fans of the original work will also be able to supplement the romantic elements through metaphors and reading between the lines, and even those who haven’t read the original work will be able to sense the depth of the relationship between the two characters.

“Magic Ancestor” depicts the turbulent fate of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, who are connected by a strong bond.

In the live-action drama “The Untamed,” Xiao Zhan, who plays Wei Wuxian, and Wang Yibo, who plays Lan Wangji, express the worldview of the original work with overwhelming beauty. Through their gazes, gestures, and skillful direction, the relationship between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji in the original work is closely portrayed as a bromance.

In addition to the beautiful visuals, the music is also wonderful, and you should be able to understand the thoughts of the main characters from the lyrics.

Another highlight of the anime is the detailed portrayal of the deepening bond between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji and their mutual feelings, expressing the depth of their relationship as a bromance to the fullest extent.

In this way, the deep, story-focused original work is beautifully and carefully adapted into anime and drama, creating new appeal and capturing the hearts of many people.