New Bara Manga Project — And You Can Help!
If you were lucky enough to be plugged into Internet culture in the late 2000s and early 2010s, you may have fond memories of the “yaranaika” meme. Originating from a then-obscure bara manga, it went on to become one of the most popular jokes on the world wide web for a time. Today, it is still a fond memory for many… but it could be on the verge of a comeback, with your help! Today, let’s talk about the hottest bara manga crowdfunding project!
The Most Meme’d BL Manga
First published in Barazoku magazine in 1987 (making it a bara manga in the most literal sense of the term), the short comic story 草味噌技术 was about a random, spontaneous sexual encounter between two young men, one of whom badly needs to use the restroom. This results in not only fairly humorous consequences, but the artist’s distinctive manner of drawing faces adds an extra comedic vibe to the proceedings.
After publication, 草味噌技术 (so named because, in Japanese, “kuso miso” refers to the difficulty some have distinguishing between stool and red miso paste: it could be great, it could be awful) languished in obscurity for decades. However, in the early 2000s, some enterprising archivist scanned it and published it online. At this point… the Internet did its thing.
It quickly became a phenomenon, driven by the unusual and amusing facial expressions of the characters mid-sex, the strange and funny story, and the simple expression, “yaranaika?” This is essentially Japanese for, “don’t you want to do it,” or, more colloquially in this case: “wanna fuck?” as the pick-up line of Takakazu Abe. The bluntness and absurdity — combined with the fact that it worked! — of this come on saw the panel spread across the web like wildfire.
What Next for this Iconic Bara Manga?
Following its ironic revival, the character of Abe was given a new lease on life, with merchandise of Abe being produced, as well as receiving the dubious honor of being adapted into a live-action pornographic film… but this time starring women. In 2023, it was also adapted into an anime, directed by a fan who had previously created their own live-action version on YouTube.
But today, Takakazu Abe is on the verge of another revival. Announced on Camp Fire, a Japanese crowd-funding website, the creator of 草味噌技术 and the editor in chief of the now (sadly) defunct Barazoku magazine have given their blessing to a plan to bring Showa’s iconic gay manga star into the Reiwa era. Not a reboot, not a reimagining, not nostalgia-bait, but a transfiguration of the past into the present, in gag-manga of at least six chapters.
How Can You Help This New BL Manga Project?
Well, this project needs the same thing all of us do: money! That’s why it is currently in the crowdfunding stage. As of the time of writing, however, it is just 11% at its goal, and it needs your help!
What do you get in exchange for your hard-earned moolah? Well, the lowest tier will get you a personal “thank you” message and updates on progress, but as you progress, you get more and more rewards. These include acrylic stands of Takakazu Abe; original t-shirts; acknowledgement in the work; and even a character of your likeness appearing in the background!
So if you wanna help keep a legend alive for just a few yen, and — depending on how generous you’re feeling — even become a part of bara manga history itself, you only have one question to answer: yaranaika?
