#bl visuals

[absolutebl]

Hi! I’ve been going through your backlog to like posts with recs and other posts to keep in mind when I’m rewatching so I, very sorry for the notif spam.

While I was doing that, I stumbled across your post on metonymy. Fascinating- I didn’t know that had a word. Do you have any specific favorite metonymy (scenes) in BLs? Or a link to a post where you’ve already done this? Thank you.

Hi!!! Welcome, I don't mind the notifs, I'm exactly old enough never to enable them on my phone, so they won't bother me. I’m flattered. 

The metonymy post in question is here.

Ooooo, well I haven't done a post but lemme think if I can find a few!

Favorite Uses of Metonymy In BL

“Metonymy is a subtype of [literary] metaphor, in which something (like rain) is used to stand for (or model/represent) something else (like sorrow).”

I'm not sure it is in general a favorite, but it is VERY BL and I'm always amused to see it so...

1. Shower = sadness 

Crying in the shower is just such a BL take on what, in most dramas would be crying in the rain, or crying when it's raining outside. Since BL is, ya know, horny I’m amused that in order to get at this one, they feel like they have to strip the boys and stick them in a shower anytime something tragic happens. Also, like following the boys into the men’s room, this is something that’s only really done for gay romances. 

Here’s my absolute favorite execution: 

Third in Theory of Love. 

2. Kissing in the forest = understanding & unity 

Specifically I love it in DNA Says Love You. This is the big romantic “finding each other again” acknowledgment of feelings kiss. It’s a very cool thing to have occur in the woods like this, and actually comparatively rare. (The forest is often used to indicate relationship confusion and rediscovery, but not usually in such a special way as this.) The chaos and the risk represented by wilderness, contrasted against the unity and cohesion and safety of being together as one at last, is particularly poignant with this couple. 

Plus the beam of light on their faces, it’s all very symbolic of not just cohesion but enlightenment. (Although I did spend a some time concerned about Amber getting sun burned, he’s so pale.) Plus it’s Taiwan, so it’s a great kiss. 

3. Sitting in an empty room = Loneliness

BL loves a wall slide into loneliness, especially being closed off alone in a room. So the key components are: an empty room, or space, to represent the abandonment the character is feeling; usually some kind of high contrast lighting, to emphasize the shadows and darkness; and the actor’s body language indicating dejection, usually sitting on the floor leaning back on soemthing (bed, wall, door). There are a ton of these (especially in episode 11s) but I always think about Korn in Until We Meet Again. It’s absolutely classic. 

This one uses peekaboo framing - which is this idea of something interrupting the view, making the watcher feel like they are intruding on a private moment (AKA a dirty shot). But Director New had this shot hugely cut into by blocky wall darkness, so this execution feels particularly ominous. He uses this framing style for KornInn A LOT and as DeanPharm get closer and closer to their own past, they also start to get this kind of framing and darker treatment. (New isn’t often clever as a director, but he was VERY clever with the two main threads in UWMA.) 

I should note I like this loneliness metonymy one so much I have it as my icon, that’s from 2 Moons 2. 

4. The rooftop = enlightenment

More than just enlightenment in BL a rooftop setting is almost always used for communication and understanding. It’s where two characters go to finally ACTUALLY talk to each other. It’s a safe place to be alone together, but also the height and location is being used to represent understanding. So literally being higher up = enlightenment (closer to god) but also higher up allows one to look down on the world and see everything as smaller and less significant and simultaneously more of a whole. So the rooftop is used to telegraph to the viewers that the couple is gaining perspective on their relationship. The most iconic version of this trope, for me, was Fighter and Tutor’s countdown in Why R U? 

This is a VERY old trope in BL, and comes from the way back machine in Japanese 90′s yaoi, we see it in Takumi-kun, one of the first BLs and it’s particularly common in Japanese stuff still to this day. 

5. The bridge = bridging differences 

The bridge is often used to indicate that the couple is mending their relationship, literally bridging the divide between them. Perhaps a bit in your face, but there’s a lot of hand holding and kissing on bridges in BL. It’s about crossing a divide safely, both in reality, and as a couple. Of course my favorite version of this is the confession kiss in We Best Love. 

Although the most iconic in Thai BL is probubly the same story beat but in SOTUS. 

6. Saturated lighting = nirvana (epiphany?)

I’m not quite sure how to put this one, but there is a way to use saturated lighting and a fuzzy lens not just for the usual (dream state) but to indicate a kind of emotional climax, the act of having one’s greatest wish and hope realized. Korea uses this one a lot (especially in kiss scenes, Color Rush in IN YOUR FACE about this), but my favorite execution is Utsukushii Kare’s from Japan. 

In this case the brightness of the lighting is being used to indicate getting what you want at last. A kind of orgasmic achievement... if you would, blinding in its satisfaction. 

7. We are on this road together = the future as a couple

There are lots of good versions of this. The road and walking down it, usually hand in hand, is used to represent being on a journey together. I can be used near the end of narrative to indicate happy ever after (like in Puppy Honey 2) or it can be used in the middle, to indicate more to come. Literally and figuratively: the couple is on a shared path. While I do ADORE Puppy Honey’s versions, that’s not my top pick.

My favorite execution of this is actually Long Time No See because it’s drawing a contrast to expectations of this trope. I love a twist on an old trope. The director put these two assassins walking down train tracks together happily, which has the same unity symbolism, but also tremendous inherent threat (the train is coming). This occurs about half way through a narrative that is about to get very violent indeed. So I LOVED this part. 

Also their unity is interrupted not by the train but by ordinary people and their own fear of exposure (as a gay couple). Fear from characters who we know could kill without remorse with their bare hands. It’s so powerful to watch society’s expectations interrupt and dominate a couple who should, by rights, exist entirely outside of that society with no care for its expectations... yet they still do care. 

So the doom that comes at them as they walk together is not a train, but other people. ARGH. It’s just chilling. 

8. Staggered couple = power imbalance 

While I am all over the place on how I feel about seme/uke I do love a power imbalance, AKA when one character pines/loves more than the other. When one character is rich and the other poor. Or when there is a significant age gap. 

Again Until We Meet Again’s KornIn are one of my favorite versions of this. In is very much the one who has more feeling, more interest, and more yearning. Korn is very much entirely in the position of power, rich, aloof, dangerous. The fact that New put Earth sitting on the ground at Kao’s feet in this scene is SO telling, and such a symbol of their whole relationship, especially early on. When Korn kills himself later on and In doesn’t know what to do but follow him, it’s this image from EARLY on in their relationship that I always think of. Also, note it’s another peekaboo shot? So clever. 

It really harkens back to origin manga style, again, so yeah.... I love it. 

Here’s another execution where it’s the start of a relationship, but presented in a more open, optimistic positive light. Seven Days uses a bold direct framing style and approach because that’s Yuzuru’s personality, and it’s his perspective, but Seryo is often emphasized as taller, or framed at an upward angle because he is an unattainable object of interest and curiosity (desire even). 

I always find it particularly impactful and intriguing when one character is standing (or sitting in a chair) and the other is on the ground at his feet. Probubly because I’m hella kinky. 

Is this strictly metonymy? Probubly not because setting isn’t playing as much of a role. But I love it anyway. 

(source) 

#japanese bl #seven days #seven days the series #Until We Meet Again #kornin #bl tropes #bl visuals #Long Time No See #korean bl #thai bl #Puppy Honey #gmmtv #Utsukushii Kare #My Beautiful Man #Color Rush #SOTUS #We Best Love #Takumi-kun #Why R U? #2 Moons 2 #DNA Says Love You #taiwanese bl #Theory of Love #Metonymy

[arimiadev]

✨show off your visual novel in 4 screenshots!✨

I want to see your VNs!! share 1 of your VNs with 4 screenshots to show it off and give a lil blurb~

this is Asphodelium, a gay lite horror slice-of-life VN about doppelgangers and stopping cults.

feel free to make this a reblog chain or make your own post!

#visual novel #visual novels #my games #gay games #bl game #visual novel game #asphodelium

[vivrosita]

❀ ⬚ ⠀ 　私は貴方を覚えていたい。 ✉️

#﹒ ﹒ ﹒ #𝄞 ❀.ྀི⡃⢐ 憂い桜 — あたらよ ♬ᬊ᭢˚̣̣̣͙͏ ⣾ #﹒ ﹒ ﹒ ﹒ ﹒ #messy moodboard #kentaro maeda #random moodboard #visual archive #archive #symbols #carrd layouts #alternative moodboard #aesthetic #layouts #bios #locs #cute moodboard #vintage moodboard #mb #aes #moodboard #white moodboard #japanese bl

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

Revamp - The Undead Story GMMTV 2024 PART 2 - Trailer

#revamp #revamp the series #revamp the undead story #upcoming bl #bl trailer #gmmtv 2024 #gmmtv 2024 part 2 #userpharawee #rosygifs #i really wanna to try and gif this one #it was a challenge #but there were so many shots I really liked #the visuals are really interesting in this #let's hope it stays this way in the show

[jazzitos]

૮Ꮚ ´͈ ⁄⁄`͈꒱ა You're Violet Crazy ( Hey )

iT's What i'M Meant To Be ⠞⡷⠃

There Was No Silence Baby Between

You and Me, Oh 🐦 ♫ ﾟ⠀ᜓ 𝆬

#🐏 ･ﾟﾟ･｡ And iT's Drives Me Crazy 𔒥 ﾟ⠀ᜓ #iS This Meant To Be? i'Ve Been So Tired #Lately Will You Set Me Free? Yeah ོ𑁬 #ninguem assite the shoulder to cry on na favela 😿 #bl moodboard #bl series #alt moodboard #alternative moodboard #clean moodboard #mb alt #kpop moodboard #green moodboard #blue moodboard #cute moodboard #vintage moodboard #visual archive #archive moodboard #simple moodboard #carrd moodboard #flower moodboard

[twig-tea]

screencap stolen from linked post by @burnsuncomet ; I was going to reply to your post but then I just kept writing and I didn't want to fully derail so I made this separate post instead!

I've skimmed the tag now and I'm going to need more people to be as obsessed with this mostly-unsmoked-cigarette-in-the-cake shot as I am. Mork quit smoking because the smell bothered Day, and we've since seen how much emphasis Day puts on scent so we know it really did matter to him. And when Mork was in an emotionally vulnerable moment after playing matchmaker for the man he's in love with to get together with someone else, he asks for a cigarette in a moment of weakness. But this shot shows us that he mostly resisted, and went for a walk instead, and it was the thought of Day's happiness (the birthday party and his relationship with August, as represented by this birthday cake slice) that helped him suppress his craving even as it drove him to emotional distress in the first place. Even while Day was worrying about him regressing, Mork was thinking about Day and doing what he thought was best for Day's happiness. Day didn't actually need to find Mork to help him stop smoking.

Plus just like, it's a cigarette put out in a cake slice. Rendering both unconsumable. Nobody will want to eat that cake now, and that cigarette cannot be relit. I can't stop thinking about it. It's fantastic. It's such a tiny and non-disruptive tantrum while simultaneously being an act of care. The ash tray is right there, but Mork said no, I'm ruining both of these things at once, because I can't have anything I want and I don't want anyone else to have them either and I'm mad that they will but I won't stand in their way so I'm taking it out on this symbol instead [because it's the merging of two symbols: what August did for Day (throwing the surprise party; performative) and what Mork did for day (quitting smoking; truly meeting Day's needs/wants)].

And as a visual bonus, it kind of looks like a candle, except it's a cigarette AND the wrong way round! Like the world's saddest and most disturbed birthday celebration.

And of course because Day is blind, he wouldn't be able to see it, and so he wouldn't know that Mork had signalled that he didn't actually smoke much of the cigarette.

OB.SESSED.

#last twilight #last twilight the series #bl meta #typed so i can stop thinking it #fr though this image of the cake with the cigarette is going to stay with me for ages #I think there's even more to this visual metaphor I haven't unpicked yet #it's poetry #it's the ceci n'est pas un pipe of visual shots #i said what i said

[zelena-salata]

Recently got into sweet pool so here's a youji doodle

#can't let gang know i fw this #sweet pool #youji sakiyama #nitro+chiral #nitroplus #visual novel #vn #bl vn #fanart #salatart #sketch #digital art #art

[draculestigame]

You agreed to the wrong business trip. In Drăculești, play as the supernaturally unlucky Roger M. Renfield, and try to escape your devilish clients at Castle Dracula. Sacrifice—others, or your own humanity—to survive, or risk it all for love in this romantic horror visual novel.

Wishlist now

#draculesti #dracula #visual novel #renfield #bl game #trailer #Youtube

[blmpff]

NEW KBL to watch out for in April: Gray Current starring Lee Jae Bin (Choco from Choco Milk Shake) and Yang Woo Young.

There's not much info yet, second chance romance and forced proximity. There also is something about them almost becoming family, but the translation doesn't make much sense to me (daddy issues that's for sure).

Yang Woo Young // Lee Jae Bin

official IG

source 1 and 2

#it's giving sad and depressing but the visuals are immaculate #gray current #grey current #gray currents the series #actors pics from their ig #lee jae bin #yang woo young #upcoming bl #korean bl #vs twitter #blmpff

[celestialcrownsvn]

Celestial Crowns: a fantasy otome/BL visual novel

Take the throne and save your kingdom 👑 

🥰 Romance: 3 wildly different love interests

✨ Choice rich: Nearly 100 choices in each playthrough

🎭 Customization: Endless role-play possibilities with 9 different personality stats

👍🏾 Support us on Kickstarter!

You can follow the project to be notified when it goes live in May. 🤗 Please share the link around to anyone you think would be interested. 💖

#visual novel #CelestialCrownsVN #indiedev #otome game #bl game #kickstarter #english otome #english visual novel #interactive fiction #character customization

[gunsatthaphan]

👁️.👁️

#hidden agenda #hidden agenda ep7 #joongdunk #jokezo #joke x zo #joong archen #gmmtv #thai bl #bl drama #looking disrespectfully #its a good thing that hes not in only friends because I would simply pass away #his visuals are unreal.

[dolbigo]

Dramatical Murder Aoba art in the NitroChiral calendar

#nitro+chiral #dmmd #dramatical murder #visual novel #yaoi bl

[lurkingshan]

Just spending my morning studying pictures to confirm that Qian has an eyebrow scar but Chris Chiu does not because I'm feeling so normal about this show

#also went back to check ep 1 and we didn't see a specific injury that caused this scar #qian already had it when we met him #i guess because they wanted a visual representation of the scars he was already carrying cool cool cool #unknown the series #taiwanese bl #shan shouts into the void

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

Deep Night Episode 8

#deep night #deep night the series #thai bl #bl drama #rosygifs #rosygifsthaibl #i had no intention of giffing this show #not bcause of the show but because there are other shows I wanna gif #but I like the acrobatics and wanted to see what I could do with the visuals #i'm not super thrilled with the result #if I had a bit more time I think I could've nailed it #but I did make them so might as well post them #hope someone enjoys them

[bird-inacage]

City Boy Log | Jaejun x Jihan: Boyfriend Behaviour

#korean BL #city boy log #city boy_log on youtube #lee jaejun #lee jihan #2Js #the soft cuddling under the duvet #UGHHH #these two got me down bad #serving visuals and boyfriends

[absolutebl]

No anonymous ask, I like living on the edge.

Which BL did impress you the most with its visuals?

And what actor would you watch reading a book about physics without falling asleep?

You mean Kpop visuals? Pretty pretty boys? You are living on the edge. I'm so damn shallow tho. It should come as no surprise I have given this much thought! Ready?

Full BLs only, no micros, side romances (sorry Mark & Ouwen) or shorts allowed. Side couples, triangles, and faen fatals also included in judgement. No other aspect of the BL under consideration but appearance.

BL - Who is the Prettiest?

Semantic Error (I mean what do you expect? They literally used the visual of both groups!)

Bed Friend

Untamed

KinnPorsche

Advance Bravely

We Best Love

TharnType & TT2

To My Star

2gether

Kiseki Dear to Me

Love Tractor

Cutie Pie

Long Time No See

Our Dating Sim

Moonlight Chicken

Kissable Lips & Roommates of 304

Light on Me

Manner of Death

Cherry Magic

A Tale of Thousand Stars, Cupid (yes separated from Moonlight, that got a G4 advantage)

Word of Honor

Be Loved In House I Do

Dark Blue Kiss

Unintentional Love Story

Same Difference

Takara-kun and Amagi-kun

Lovely Writer

Tasty Florida

The 8th Sense

Vian

Kieta Hatsukoi

HIStory 2: Crossing the Line

Tokyo in April is

Peach of Time

Mr Cinderella

Ghost Host, Ghost House

Bump Up Buisness

Wish You

Hidden Agenda

Choco Milk Shake

Color Rush 1 & 2

I Feel You Linger in the Air

I tried to put these in order, but some are super close. I tried not to be influenced by spectacular outliers, hot bods, or high heat. Visuals only.

This is entirely a matter of taste. I am aware that I am missing some people's darlings. This is about me. I'm a crazy slut who has slept with lots of people, and I don't like it when someone looks like an ex of mine. So some were knocked off this list through no fault of their own.

Also I took the whole cast into account, or tried to. Excepting actors obviously cast to be the "funny looking" character.

No shows unfinished as of Nov 2023 are on this list. I won't be updating this one either.

(source)

#here we go #what's hot and what's not #I guess #best visuals in BL #BL's best visuals #semantic error #Bed Friend #the untamed #KinnPorsche #advance bravely #We Best Love #TharnType #To My Star #2gether #Kiseki Dear to Me