Drawn Together

Nguyen says she's proud that her company has pushed the boundaries since its first publication: "We were really bold in our choice for our debut. There wasn't any explicit sex on the market — you didn't see any penises." DramaQueen's first book, Brother, tells the story of two stepbrothers who quickly overcome the taboo inherent in their love and commence a book-long sex spree. The boys are hot, the sex is graphic, and the story is enough to keep readers interested. Fans ate it up, posting rapturous reviews on Web site forums about the "delectable man flesh."

Other publishers, however, are easing away from the hard-core yaoi market. Yaoi Press of Las Vegas, which has published some of the raunchiest material in the genre, plans to bring out more young-adult titles, with "cute" stories suitable for 13-year-olds. The editors say they'll benefit from being able to advertise their titles in more mainstream magazines.

Another company, Digital Manga, Inc. (based in Gardena, Calif.), has created different subsidiary companies to keep the audiences separate. "The June line is very romantic, very sweet," says Rachel Livingston, a company spokesperson. "It's stuff you would find easily in any bookstore. Yaoi is kind of a controversial thing — so we sat down with a bunch of bookstores and asked them what the limit was." At Yaoi-Con 6, she announced the launch of a distinct company, 801 Media, that would cater to more adult tastes.

"It's to make things easier — if it says '801 Media,' you'll know what you're getting," Livingston explains. "Now if someone comes to us and says, ÔI bought this book for my 12-year-old daughter, and now I'm very upset,' we can say, 'We did everything in our power to warn you!'"

Since flying under the radar has become less of an option with every book sale, each publishing company is feeling its way forward, looking for the combination of warnings and due diligence that will ward off lawsuits while satisfying fans clamoring for harder, edgier stuff. Meanwhile, the Yaoi-Con staff is scrupulous in its efforts to keep underage fans out of the event. In years past, there have been rumors of young girls trying to "ninja" their way in, so the convention's security guards stake out back doors and staircases.

Anneke, who has traveled to every convention with suitcases full of costumes, feels a bit resentful of the younger fans, whose high-pitched giggles echo through the hotel lobby. "We know we're the core yaoi fans, as opposed to the fluff walking around," she says. But as she remembers how yaoi changed her own life, she feels she has no choice but to welcome the "fluff" into the fan base. "It's becoming a rallying cry at anime conventions — all the girls scream, 'Yaoi! Yaoi!'" she says. "It's like burning your bra. It's declaring your sexuality."