Hong Kong manga cafe a safe haven for fans of Japanese ‘boys’ love’ romantic fiction
- Boys’ love is a genre of manga, launched in Japan by women artists in the 1970s, that focuses on love affairs between males
- Four fans of the genre opened a bookstore/cafe to provide a place where fans can gather, connect with others, and read the comics without prejudice
Determined to bring “boys’ love” romantic fiction into the mainstream, four fans in Hong Kong recently opened a small bookstore cafe where like-minded folk can freely explore their love of the genre without prejudice.
Boys’ love, or BL, is a niche genre of fiction themed on amorous relationships between male protagonists. Initially created in the 1970s by female Japanese manga artists seeking to challenge gender stereotypes and sexual norms, it has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, gaining a large following in Japan and elsewhere.
In October 2020, Diane Chow, 26, got together with three friends to open the store as a dedicated space where fans can gather and connect with others who share their enthusiasm for BL.
“In the past, people would give you strange looks if you picked up a BL manga in the corner of a bookstore,” says Chow. “I wanted to create a space where fans can be free.”
Located in the busy district of Mong Kok, the Fu Court, whose name is a reference to fujoshi, or female fans of the genre, is lined wall-to-wall with BL-related paraphernalia.