Bishonens and Flower Boys

There's a drought of reverse harem anime this summer save for Kamisama OVA but bishonen-filled animes on the other have been plentiful. And just basing on the posters, there's Bakamatsu Rock, Dramatical Murder, Shounen Hollywood, Love Stage, Kuroshitsuji and of course Free! I was looking for a term for this phenomenon and I saw Hashihime dubbing it as bishonen genre. So that was what I was looking for!

I've promised I'll be prioritizing animes so weeks ago I've finally watched the touted otome mobile game turned anime, Sengoku Paradise Kiwami. For the longest time, I thought it was a reverse harem anime but turns out the "heroine" is actually a feminine-looking boy. Yup, bishonen anime! There's a lone woman but she's more in a supporting role and they're not into her.

Meanwhile in dramas, there's been also a lot flower boy concept ever since Boy Before Flowers. TVN is heavily capitalizing on it as well. They had an Oh Boy Series trilogy and other dramas that have a bevy of pretty men.

Bishonen animes and flower boy dramas have been out there for a long time but I have come to this theory that reverse harem may have also helped in making producers realize that there is a large market for girls hankering for pretty boys.

But sadly I haven't really watched bishonen and flower boys with my hands already full with reverse harem. But tell me what are your favorite shows? I'm not expert on this topic but I feel like this deserves a special mention since bishonen, flower boys and reverse harem are like cousins on the mother side while on the father side we've got the harem.

Comments

KikiGabriellaSeptember 4, 2014 at 10:10 PM
My favorite is of course Free! >///< I guess it's my favorite anime ever. I haven't really heard anyone using the term bishounen genre but I think it fits well. xD

From the summer season's bishounen animes I've also liked Shounen Hollywood and Love Stage. ^^
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