Yuri
- This article is about the Japanese loanword. For the singer Yuri Canseco Valenzuela, see Yuri (singer).
Yuri, a jargon term amongst otaku for lesbian content, possibly sexually explicit, in anime and manga, or in fan fiction based on such. Yuri is often described as the female equivalent of yaoi, although some of its conventions and designs differ considerably.
Definition and semantic drift
Much like the term otaku, yuri (although originally a Japanese loanword) has undergone significant semantic drift. In Japanese, the term is typically used to mean any lesbian content, whether sexual or romantic, explicit or implied; the term shōjo-ai is not found in this context. American usage has historically differed: 'yuri' has typically been used to denote only the most explicit end of the spectrum, being effectively a variety of hentai, while 'shōjo-ai' (independently coined, following the most common use of shōnen-ai) described anything without explicit sex. However, American use of 'yuri' has broadened in recent years, picking up connotations from the Japanese use. The precise difference between 'yuri' and 'shōjo-ai' -- or even whether or not there is a precise difference, or any difference at all -- can vary greatly depending on the speaker; nonetheless, shōjo-ai is generally considered "softer" in some sense than yuri.
In fanfiction, yuri is also occasionally used as an approximate synonym of the American term femmeslash, although use of the term still indicates knowledge or relevance of Japanese anime and manga.
Etymology
Unlike yaoi's explict origin as a term, yuri's history is imprecise; the word yuri literally means "lily", and is (like many flower names) a relatively common Japanese name. One frequently heard derivation is that the term originates from the large number of yuri hentai dōjinshi containing characters named "Yuri" or "Yuriko". (Variants of this may name specific characters, often Yuri of the Dirty Pair.) Another suggested derivation is that the lily-flower was originally associated poetically with female-female relationships, and that the poetic use of the term gradually drifted into common use. (The lily is indeed used in such a fashion, although it is not certain whether such use predates the term.)
Yuri as story
Labeling an anime or manga as 'yuri' often refers to the story concept, rather than to a character specifically having a sexual identity. (Young same-sex affection experimentation is considered natural in real-life Japan, but generally regarded as something girls grow out of.) Many stories featuring yuri include "unisexual" characters, that is, characters attracted to a single female while seemingly otherwise heterosexual (cf. Tenjō Utena of Revolutionary Girl Utena, or Yoshida Chizuru of HEN.)
A common prototypical setup is the extension of the shōjo schoolyard story, as in a senpai-kōhai (senior-junior) relationship between a youthful, energetic, but somewhat clumsy girl and the older, more classically beautiful, mature classmate she adores. Other setups depict a two-woman situation as having no set roles, often skewing many of the feminine romantic sterotypes in anime with the lack of a "male" aggressive role.
Although they possess superficial similaries, yuri and yaoi fandom outside of American fandom are not synonymous; strict notions of seme and uke are much weaker, and the terms are not often used in a yuri context.
Yuri situations in anime and manga are sometimes criticized as being simply fanservice, particularly when they occur in male-oriented series. Others argue that, because close female relationships have a habit in Japan of being dismissed as simple 'girlish fancies' (see above), sexual situations are used to present concrete, inarguable proof of attraction.
The most famous yuri couple for several years have been Haruka Ten'ō (who is quite frank about being a lesbian) and Michiru Kaiō, secondary characters from the popular series Sailor Moon, in no small part because of the depiction of the couple as very affectionate and (most importantly) enduring. Lately, Tenjō Utena and Himemiya Anthy (of Revolutionary Girl Utena) have gained similar notoriety, particularly for being main characters in their series.
Non-hentai anime which contain yuri or shōjo-ai
