Yuri (genre)

Yuri, also known as Girls' Love (GL), is a Japanese genre that focuses on romantic or intimate relationships between female characters. It encompasses a wide range of narratives, from lighthearted friendship and innocent admiration to explicit sexual relationships and deep emotional bonds.

While often categorized as a subgenre of manga and anime, yuri also appears in other media such as light novels, visual novels, video games, and fan fiction. The term "yuri" literally translates to "lily" in Japanese, a flower often associated with feminine beauty and purity.

The genre's target audience is diverse, including both men and women, heterosexual and LGBTQ+ individuals. Different works within the yuri genre cater to varying tastes, offering different levels of explicitness and focusing on different aspects of the relationships depicted.

Key themes commonly explored in yuri works include: societal pressures and expectations on women, the challenges of navigating same-sex relationships in a heteronormative world, the exploration of female identity and sexuality, and the power of female friendships and solidarity.

It's important to distinguish yuri from other genres that may feature female characters in close relationships. Yuri specifically centers the romantic or sexual connection between women as a primary focus. Works featuring strong female friendships or all-female casts are not necessarily yuri unless there is an explicit romantic or sexual component.