wednesday_10_00 | most popular seme and uke characters

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kbly

most popular seme and uke characters

I know there are other things I should be doing first, but this was a nice, mindless task for my poor jetlagged brain. I am getting better; I made it through yesterday without napping and I think critical functions are starting to return. Anyway:

Per this discussion about Sajou's merits as a character and popular characters in general, the top seme and uke characters, from KBLY 2008-2011. I looked up name spellings to the best of my ability, but feel free to correct if you notice any mistakes.

2008
seme:
1. Yashiro Genma (Ze, Shimizu Yuki)
2. Usami Akihiko (Junjou Romantica, Nakamura Shungiku)
3. Madarame Yonekuni (Sex Pistols, Kotobuki Tarako )
4. Katou Youji (Haru wo Daiteita, Nitta Yuuka)
5. Usui (Akanai Tobira, Suzuki Tsuta)

uke:
1. Akira (Kuimonodokoro Akira, Yamashita Tomoko)
2. Himi (Ze, Shimizu Yuki)
3. Iwaki Kyousuke (Haru wo Daiteita, Nitta Yuuka)
4. Tsuburaya Norio (Sex Pistols, Kotobuki Tarako)
5. Shinoda Natsu (Kawaii Hito, Konno Keiko)

2009
seme:
1. Imai Hisashi (Mienai Hoshi, Kyouyama Atsuki)
2. Usami Akihiko (Junjou Romantica, Nakamura Shungiku)
3. Saeki Katsuya (Kichiku Megane, Katsuya x Midou hen, Spray/Misasagi Furi)
4. Kurokawa Akihiro (Doushiyoumonaikeredo, Natsume Isaku)
5. Kusakabe Hikaru (Doukyuusei, Nakamura Asumiko)

uke:
1. Yoshida Yoshio (Aitsu no Daihonmei, Tanaka Suzuki)
2. Takahashi Misaki (Junjou Romantica, Nakamura Shungiku)
3. Sajou ~~Licht~~ Rihito (Doukyuusei, Nakamura Asumiko)
4. Onodera Ritsu (Sekaiichi Hatsukoi ~Onodera Ritsu no Baai~ Nakamura Shungiku)
5. Oyama Yumeji (Otona Keikenchi, Nekota Yonezou)

2010
seme:
1. Konoe (Ze, Shimizu Yuki)
2. Morinaga Tetsuhiro (Koisuru Boukun, Takanaga Hinako)
3. Tanaka Ichirou (Sekai no Chuushin de Ai nanka Sakebenee yo, Kataru Shisuko)
4. Nonami (Usagi Otoko, Tora Otoko; Honma Akira)
5. Takatsudo Shin (Takaga Koi Daro, Aida Saki/Yamada Yugi)

uke:
1. Tatsumi Souichi (Koisuru Boukun, Takanaga Hinako)
2. Yoshida Yoshio (Aitsu no Daihonmei, Tanaka Suzuki)
3. Ichikawa Mitsuo (Doublemints, Nakamura Asumiko)
4. Miyamoto (Kozure Ookami, Inoue Satou)
5. Imagase Wataru (Sojou no Koi wa Nido Haneru, Mizushiro Setona)

2011
seme:
1. Mitou Shoui (Ze, Shimizu Yuki)
2. Morinaga Tetsuhiro (Koisuru Boukun, Takanaga Hinako)
3. Kusakabe Hikaru (Sotsugyousei, Nakamura Asumiko)
4. Nonami (Usagi Otoko, Tora Otoko; Honma Akira)
5. Imai Yoritomo (Inu wa Yume wo Mite Koisuru, Natsumizu Ritsu)

uke:
1. Sajou Rihito (Sotsugyousei, Nakamura Asumiko)
2. Tatsumi Souichi (Koisuru Boukun, Takanaga Hinako)
3. Kitagawa Keiichi (Usomitai na Hanashi desu ga, Koshino)
4. Asari (Ze, Shimizu Yuki)
5. Uzuki (Usagi Otoko, Tora Otoko; Honma Akira)

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You spoil me! I was all "Kuimonodokoro Akira? What's that?" And then I remembered: Quest Manga '07/08! I find it kind of interesting that neither Togawa nor Shima made it into the top 5 in 2009. Just more evidence that this poll is going to reward awesome character types more frequently than awesome characters.

3. Saeki Katsuya (Kichiku Megane, Katsuya x Midou hen, Spray/Misasagi Furi)

Really, fujoshi? REALLY? Are you sure you don't want a 2009 do-over?

I don't know, I would have voted for No Touching as a manga, but I'm not sure I would have voted for either Togawa or Shima as characters. (But I would vote for Onoda and Deguchi, which maybe explains why I love their story so much more than No Touching.)

Really, fujoshi? REALLY?

That was pretty much my reaction to that. But I don't know, maybe he's really awesome if you like the kichiku megane type...? :/

I like all megane types, and...no. I don't see it. He's a meek type with an inferiority complex who receives a magic pair of glasses that make him kichiku (and supposedly uber-competent and compelling) and proceeds to sexually dominate the elite salaryman who previously disdained him. He has one good line in the entire story (the story itself is a plotless disaster). And his complex psychological trauma is that he wants to be equals ("stand side by side") with the elite guy, but he kind of makes that impossible by sucking away the salaryman's pride and self-confidence (um, * entendre probably intended) so they can't be equals because he's simply reversed their personalities.

Not that this necessarily speaks against his character. I just don't think he does all this with any charisma or style. I suspect there's some kind of spillover fannishness for the actual game character going on in the poll.

Thank you for the clarification, and...yeah, that doesn't sound like a great character to me. Oh well, I'm confused by a lot of characters on that poll, so...*shrug*

I'm confused by a lot of characters on that poll

Are you too braindeadenated to expand on that right now? I would be interested in your opinions, but I know you have more important things to focus on.

Focus? All I can focus on right now is that I need a nap.

"A lot" might be an exaggeration. Ones that confuse me: the Aitsu no Daihonmei guy, he seems very...ordinary to me? Also, Himi. (Maybe I need to read that story again, but I don't remember Himi being anything special? But that is sort of a weird case for me, since I like Genma and Himi's story better than I like Genma and Himi.) Others I just don't agree with. Like, why do the Tyrant characters need to keep showing up?

I also think it's interesting that both times they show up, Sajou ranks higher than Kusakabe when I like Kusakabe better. (Not that I dislike Sajou or anything, mind.)

Sajou ranks higher than Kusakabe when I like Kusakabe better

I can't quantify my fondness for these two separately because I like Sajou for moe reasons while Kusakabe freakin' wooed me. He came out of nowhere and blew my mind. But moe is a powerful thing. So, um, yeah...my theory is that Kusakabe can't climb higher on the seme polls because he's not domineering or doting, while Sajou is all uke. A perfect uke. (Did I mention he's a serious, awkward, glasses-wearing beauty? I'll admit, I didn't notice the beauty part until it was pointed out to me.)

I thought the point of the Aitsu guy was that he was visually awkward? I'm not sure why that should shoot him to #1, but he's different from the beauties and cuties and the voters just want to huggle him? Sort of like Nakamura Asumiko's moe for bad dressers? (Wow. She would love me.)

Re: Himi - based on the date of the poll, I assume this is second!Himi, and I can understand why his tragic story and blank-slate devotion to his seme would appeal to voters. (Unfortunately, since picture-reading volume 9, I've had problems with Genma and Himi's story. *sniffle* Separate issue: why didn't Waki taunt Genma before resurrecting Himi? Inconsistency! Answer: nobody taunts Genma?)

Kusakabe can't climb higher on the seme polls because he's not domineering or doting, while Sajou is all uke

Oh, totally agreed. And yet, that's part of why I like Kusakabe so much. Conundrum!

I'm not sure why that should shoot him to #1

I guess that is my confusion with a lot of these characters, that is, I like them, but I wouldn't call them my favorites.

why didn't Waki taunt Genma before resurrecting Himi?

Because he knew he would get to taunt Genma after resurrecting Himi?

Also: since we were talking about how many megane characters made the uke poll, just Uzuki, really? And no others in the top spot. (Not counting Tatsumi from Tyrant because he's a megane, but not the same type of character.)

Oh look...new manga to hunt down!

*sigh* After leaving Japan, I've gotten so behind on my manga collecting! -_-

I've gotten so behind on my manga collecting!

Aww, sad! You should come with us on our next shopping splurge. ^_~

I am hoping to, both S & A mentioned it the times I've last seen them. (Winter Comiket 2012, yes?) I do so miss ~~all my manga and other goodies!~~ Japan ^_-

I think the plan is actually for Winter 2013, though things could change before then, I guess. (I would LIKE to go in 2012, I just don't think I can afford it.)

But either way, it would be awesome if you could come! Party in Ikebukuro!! :D

I'm so daunted just by the thought of saving for Winter 2013. I'm aiming for a budget of $5K, saved over the next 27 months (9/2011 - 11/2013) = $185 per month, when there's so much I want to buy RIGHT NOW. (Seriously, we've been home 5 days: I've already placed two translated manga orders, and am lining up a third.)

I can't wait to find out how much my tax refund will be, since that will reduce the amount I have to put aside monthly. Yay, budgets.

Hmm, thank you for the wake-up math, especially since I think I spent more like $6K on this trip. Hopefully the exchange rate will be better by 2013. :/

Wow, I go to work for five minutes and LJ explodes on me!

It will be fun to go over this list at more leisure (and get caught up on some of the related reading). But my overwhelming first impression is that people were voting for the seme/uke in their favorite series, rather than selecting seme/uke independently of most-loved titles. I can't think why else e.g. Aitsu no Daihonmei is showing up in the list (and I even like that series). I realize this makes very little sense when there is already a plethora of categories for favorite story/series, but I guess it's human nature. Kind of like how the most hyped-up movies of the year for academy awards end up getting nominated for every conceivable category, whether they really excelled in that category or not.

I really need to order the remaining in-print KBLY volumes before they go away. The only one I have is 2008.

my overwhelming first impression is that people were voting for the seme/uke in their favorite series

At least partly, yes. But I think it's telling when a particular seme or uke ends up on the list without his partner.

The only one I have is 2008.

Well, that looks to be the only one not available on Amazon...

people were voting for the seme/uke in their favorite series, rather than selecting seme/uke independently of most-loved titles

Actually, I would argue the inverse: BL is character-driven, so readers tend to favor series with appealing characters, but when asked to choose the best titles of the year, they try to look past "who's my favorite seme/uke?" and evaluate the quality of the storytelling.

Which is to say, if we did our own raking of best semes, ukes, and titles based on our complete collections (rather than a single year), Masa would totally make the list of 5 best semes but Kizuna would either not make the list of best titles or would rank extremely low if the best titles extended to 20.

(And, yes, I was totally going to propose a Unibrain KBLY vote, until I realized that talking about favorite titles and characters is what we do all the time. D'oh!)

*cough* ranking. But given the state of my collection (all over my floor, my luggage, and any tabular surface), it could also use a good raking.

I was totally going to propose a Unibrain KBLY vote

Aww, I like this idea! I mean, I know that Masa is your favorite character, but I don't, for instance, know who you would name as your top five seme and uke characters? I think it would be fun to make up lists!

...says the girl who never did best kisses. Phbbbt. I'm up for it, I'm just not going to do it right away, since we all just got a huge influx of new books. I think I might put Kayashima from 茅島氏の優雅な生活 on my uke list, and he's new to me.

Also, I'm trying to decide if I'm willing/able to move my bed to the middle of my bedroom so I can put two more bookcases along the wall the head of the bed currently occupies. NEED MORE SHELVES. (How is this related to Unibrain KBLY? I can't select books if I can't see them.)

I had so much going on that week! I started to look, and I even had a couple picked out, but... ;_;

I'm just not going to do it right away, since we all just got a huge influx of new books.

Agreed. (And also why I am not continuing to go through my manga to look for kisses.) Let's revisit this in a few weeks or so, though, because I really like the idea.

Back to the characters and titles on these lists (all semes at #5. Coincidence, or destiny?):

from 2008's seme list: 5. Usui (Akanai Tobira, Suzuki Tsuta)
Has anyone else read this story? (At only two chapters, I would consider this to be a winner from a short story. I guess I feel a story needs to be 80% of a volume before it stops being short/novella-esque.) I think Usui's an intriguing choice because he's almost not a seme at all. I don't mean that in the sense of him being uke-like or not having sex: he tops and he enjoys quite a few sex scenes. It's just that he kind of stands outside the BL dynamic because he insists he's straight and refuses to acknowledge that he's in that kind of a relationship with the uke. (Really, I'm also inclined to think that the uke Masuoka is more deserving of best uke for his pheromone emissions and the sheer joy he takes from this undefined relationship. It's the uke's response that makes this pairing funny rather than tragic.)

from 2010's seme list: 5. Takatsu Doshin (Takaga Koi Daro, Aida Saki/Yamada Yugi)
I think this is "Takatsudo Shin." I'm not the boss of BL fandom, and maybe I'm mixing up my response to the character with my response to the predictable plot twist in this story, but he's really kind of dull. Especially compared with the yakuza brother-in-law, who gets his own story in Aiso Tsukashi...which, sadly, isn't as interesting as his role in Takaga Koi Daro.

From 2011's seme list: 5. Imai Yoritomo (Inu wa Yume wo Mite Koisuru, Natsumizu Ritsu)
I want someone to read this series and tell me the story. I'm beating myself up for not picking it up used when we were in Tokyo.

Has anyone else read this story?

Yes! In fact, I believe I picked it up during our 07/08 trip because of KBLY 08. I remember reading it at s_vamp's apartment. But I had forgotten that Usui was only from a short story (I was thinking it was like, half the volume?).

It's the uke's response that makes this pairing funny rather than tragic.

I dunno, the uke's response makes me like the uke, but feel sorry for him because he's kind of in love with a jerk. But, as I recall, Usui does seem a little less awful in the extra at the end, and I agree that it's a funny story, which makes me not hate it.

I think this is "Takatsudo Shin."

Thank you, and lol @ me--I thought "Doshin" seemed like a weird name. orz

I want someone to read this series and tell me the story.

Imai is an SM porno book author who likes to dress his boyfriend (slash childhood friend, "Akkun") in costumes for writing inspiration, often accompanied by hilarious fantasies. Imai is pretty adorable, honestly; I'm not surprised he made the list.

But I had forgotten that Usui was only from a short story (I was thinking it was like, half the volume?).

It's the first two chapters (plus a short extra) in a book with 5 chapters, so not quite half the volume.

feel sorry for him because he's kind of in love with a jerk

He's totally in love with a jerk! But he's so happy with the sex, I can't feel bad for him. It's like he has no need for any emotional validation in the relationship at all...yet I see these guys together 20 years from now, Usui still denying he's in a homosexual relationship and Masuoka still radiating pheromones. (Frankly, Usui is such a jerk I could see him getting married and insisting to his bride that Masuoka has to live with them..."but I'm totally not gay.")

Imai is an SM porno book author who likes to dress his boyfriend (slash childhood friend, "Akkun") in costumes for writing inspiration, often accompanied by hilarious fantasies.

And he does this for 4 volumes? Or does each volume in the Inu Koi series focus on a different pairing? Why didn't I buy this when I was getting everything else by Natsumizu Ritsu?

After a volume or two, Imai's brother shows up and gets together with Akkun's friend, so there are chapters about them, too. Also, every volume has short little chapters about a guy taking care of his boss who has mysteriously shrunk to doll size. (This has nothing to do with the main story, it's just in every volume.)

re: why you didn't buy it - you complained several times about how it had 5000 or so volumes. Also, s_vamp's complaints in her recent reviews about how annoying the brother is may have convinced me to keep my mouth shut about how I think the series is hilarious and adorable, but now I'm sorry I didn't try to convince you to buy it.

you complained several times about how it had 5000 or so volumes.

Are you suggesting I'm prone to exaggeration? *sigh* I guess it's time to start the Winter 2013: Mangasplosion list. Only 28 months to go...

I guess it was more "we're exaggeration twins," since I exaggerated your exaggeration. exaggeration doesn't look like a word anymore

Hey, remember how you were going to go back to ordering manga regularly? You could add one or two of these next time you need something to pad out an order.

Yeah, you know, I swore after my last trip that I would work harder to order manga monthly so I wouldn't have such a long list for my next trip to Japan.

I don't think it worked.

Yeah, it definitely doesn't help me at all...

(Though I admit, I had a lot of stuff on my list that was leftover from my monthly order lists, so if I had more money to use on my regular orders, I think that would help.)

(Yay for being back online!)

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most popular seme and uke characters

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you're just taunting me with the chicks, aren't you?

Re: you're just taunting me with the chicks, aren't you?

Re: you're just taunting me with the chicks, aren't you?