Bishonens, what exactly classifies one?

Postby **Neosevangel** » Sat May 08, 2004 9:37 am

QUESTION! In anime what makes a bishoujo/bishonen different from the other characters? I want to here your all's explanations and opinions about it. Here's the question in a simpler form in your opinion what makes a bishonen/bishoujo. And don't just say they're cute. Cause all anime characters are cute to an extent. (except the old geezers and old ladies like Kamesennin from DB)

Postby **true_noir_chloe** » Sat May 08, 2004 9:46 am

I've always thought a bishonen, or what is affectionately called a "bishie" is because they're pretty boys. They're beautiful to look at from the hair, the eyes and how they dress. Most bishies do not necessarily have to have great fighting skilz, they just have to look good for the camera. *hehe* Hence, why the heck is Kenshin considered a bishie?! He's short, bad hair and has a scar on his face - and he knocked Shannon out of the bishie contest!:mutter: *sour grapes*.

And, onto the bishoujos.....

*clears throat* A bishoujo is a girl first off. She has to be charming, beautiful or cute, or both. She, just as the bishie, must look good for the camera and have good hair, eyes, and other anatomical parts are not necessary for a bishoujo, take Tohru Honda for instance, she's just a sweet and cute bishoujo.

Postby **AngelSakura** » Sat May 08, 2004 11:12 am

Bishounen (美少年. literally, "beautiful boy") refers to a specific Japanese aesthetic concept of the ideally beautiful young man. The prefix bi- specifically refers to feminine beauty (bijin, lit. "beautiful person", refers to a beautiful woman.) The bishounen is typically quite slender and not very muscular, with a tapered chin and effeminate or androgynous appearance. It is perpetuated today in anime and manga. Some western anime and manga fans use the term bishounen (or more playfully 'bishy') to refer to any handsome male character, although this is technically incorrect. Bishounen who are old enough to be considered men are properly 'biseinen.'

Oh yes and if you didn't know what androgynous means, (I didn't have a clue so I looked it up) it basically means not being able to tell if it is a guy or a girl.

I don't remember who posted this, but she said she got it from an online encyclopedia.

Postby **MyrrhLynn** » Sat May 08, 2004 12:28 pm

true_noir_chloe wrote: Hence, why the heck is Kenshin considered a bishie?! He's short, bad hair and has a scar on his face - and he knocked Shannon out of the bishie contest!:mutter: *sour grapes*.

Ah! You just made me laugh OUT LOUD in the computer lab! People were looking at me! :waah!:

Although I agree with you, Shannon should have beaten Kenshin.

AngelSakura wrote:I don't remember who posted this, but she said she got it from an online encyclopedia.

Yay! That was me! If you want to get all technical the American version of a "Bishounen" is different from the Japanese version. Here in America we say any anime/video game guy that is good looking (and usually a good fighter) is a Bishounen.

The quickest example I can come up with of a "classic Bishounen" (even though he is an adult) is Kazuki from GetBackers. He is so Bishie that he gets mistaken for a girl more then once! :lol:

Postby **Mangafanatic** » Sat May 08, 2004 4:31 pm

Yeah, or Yuki-- people are always thinkin' he's a girl.

Postby **SwordSkill** » Sun May 09, 2004 4:18 am

Just additional info...it's typical among Oriental-Asian culture to equate a certain femininity in a man's facial features to be a mark of handsomeness. Like the time my best friend's mother said that my brother looked like a girl. It was meant to be quite a compliment, but I had to restrain myself from giggling out loud. XD

(Incidentally, if you're a girl and your grandmother says you look pretty, it means you've gained a few pounds. XD)

Postby **Iapetus** » Tue May 11, 2004 8:46 am

MyrrhLynn wrote:The quickest example I can come up with of a "classic Bishounen" (even though he is an adult) is Kazuki from GetBackers. He is so Bishie that he gets mistaken for a girl more then once!

You know, every time I see Getbackers, it is so hard for me to think that he is a guy. Whenever he isn't talking, it is so hard since he looks so much like a girl... O.o

I still love him, though. <33

Another good example is Marron from the Sorcerer Hunters.

Oh, and I also believe there is two types of bishies - classic bishounen and the rest of the hot guys in the series. I have come to the conclusion that every series must have "a bishie," (the classic bishounen) even if there are a ton of other bishies in the story. (Hotohori for Fushigi Yugi, Marron for Sorcerer Hunters, Kazuki from Getbackers, Kougaiji from Saiyuki...)

-Iapetus

Postby **shooraijin** » Tue May 11, 2004 8:53 am

> (Incidentally, if you're a girl and your grandmother says you look pretty, it means you've gained a few pounds. XD)

:lol:

Postby **Heart of Sword** » Tue May 11, 2004 9:15 am

Hence, why the heck is Kenshin considered a bishie?! He's short, bad hair and has a scar on his face - and he knocked Shannon out of the bishie contest! *sour grapes*.

[intensely angry muttering] Aggauiruiruiuirhaiusdhiuashlak! AUHAIRUHSDOJAN! Afjhakushdjkashks! [/intensely angry muttering]

Yoooooooooooooooooooooooooooouuu...*glare*

Kenshin...is...better...than...Shannon. MUCH better. *rant* *rant* *rant*

And anyway bishies have to be nice for me to like them. :drool:

Postby **Elric_kun** » Tue May 11, 2004 10:30 am

Heart of Sword wrote:Shannon...is...better...than...Kenshin. MUCH better. *rant* *rant* *rant*

i think this is what you ment

lol

Postby **Mave** » Tue May 11, 2004 12:28 pm

I think everyone has pretty much defined bishie for what it is. My opinions come closest to Iapetus's.

Iapetus wrote: Oh, and I also believe there is two types of bishies - classic bishounen and the rest of the hot guys in the series. I have come to the conclusion that every series must have "a bishie," (the classic bishounen) even if there are a ton of other bishies in the story. (Hotohori for Fushigi Yugi, Marron for Sorcerer Hunters, Kazuki from Getbackers, Kougaiji from Saiyuki...)

I have a preference for "the rest of the hot guys" though. LOL

*hehe* Hence, why the heck is Kenshin considered a bishie?! He's short, bad hair and has a scar on his face - and he knocked Shannon out of the bishie contest!:mutter: *sour grapes*.

LOL..how did I miss this one? Unfortunately, Chloe, Kenshin's small size, long hair, and scar happen to be exactly the characteristics that boost his bishonen ratings. I think we missed a few more bishie boosters on Kenshin's favor.

1) Dark past i.e. his Battousai fame
2) Pretty eyes ^_^

Postby **Heart of Sword** » Wed May 12, 2004 2:35 pm

Shannon...is...better...than...Kenshin. MUCH better. *rant* *rant* *rant*

i think this is what you ment lol

I did not! Kenshin's better! *restarts rant and runs aruond in circles, attacking invisible "Shannons" with cardboard sakabatou*

LOL..how did I miss this one? Unfortunately, Chloe, Kenshin's small size, long hair, and scar happen to be exactly the characteristics that boost his bishonen ratings. I think we missed a few more bishie boosters on Kenshin's favor.

1) Dark past i.e. his Battousai fame
2) Pretty eyes ^_^

Completely true. -.-x *slowly calms down* :shady:

Postby **true_noir_chloe** » Wed May 12, 2004 3:58 pm

MyrrhLynn wrote:Ah! You just made me laugh OUT LOUD in the computer lab! People were looking at me! Although I agree with you, Shannon should have beaten Kenshin.

I am vindicated by the "bishie queen!" *Raises fist in triumph, but gets tackled and knocked over by a frantic girl with a sakabatou*

Postby **MyrrhLynn** » Wed May 12, 2004 6:46 pm

true_noir_chloe wrote:I am vindicated by the "bishie queen!" *Raises fist in triumph, but gets tackled and knocked over by a frantic girl with a sakabatou*

Yay for Shannon! Here's some bishie boosters for him!

1.) You want cool eyes? When he joins with his dragoon his eyes get freaky cool!
2.) He can put up with Pacifica (his sister)
3.) Tall, dark, AND Handsome!

4.) Sarcasm at it's greatest
5.) His hair rocks. End of story.
6.) His sub voice.... ohhhh it's so deep and cool.

Shannon! Shannon!

But who's the "bishie queen?" :eyebrow:

(oh and I am only half serious here people, I like Kenshin too so please don't fill this thread up with flames!)

Postby **Mave** » Wed May 12, 2004 7:33 pm

true_noir_chloe wrote:I am vindicated by the "bishie queen!" *Raises fist in triumph, but gets tackled and knocked over by a frantic girl with a sakabatou*

LOL but goes over to pick off the frantic girl with sakabatou from a knocked-over Chloe..."Now now, there's no use fighting about this."

I think the only bishie queen around is you, MyrrhLynn unless I'm very much mistaken.

Ain't a bad title...although I reserve
"Jazzy Cool Graphic Queen" title for you.

I have to say Shannon has cool hair and clothing, even though I don't know him. ^_^

Postby **MyrrhLynn** » Thu May 13, 2004 12:03 pm

[quote="Mave"]LOL but goes over to pick off the frantic girl with sakabatou from a knocked-over Chloe..."Now now, there's no use fighting about this."

I think the only bishie queen around is you, MyrrhLynn unless I'm very much mistaken. ]
I am? A Bishie Queen and a Jazzy Graphics Queen? :wow!:

Oh ok, that's news to me. :lol:

Yes Shannon has cool hair and clothes. Even if his hair is technically a mullet. Luckily he never unties it, that I think would be quite ugly.

Postby **Raiden no Kishi** » Fri May 14, 2004 4:13 pm

1.) You want cool eyes? When he joins with his dragoon his eyes get freaky cool!
2.) He can put up with Pacifica (his sister)
3.) Tall, dark, AND Handsome!
4.) Sarcasm at it's greatest
5.) His hair rocks. End of story.
6.) His sub voice.... ohhhh it's so deep and cool.

1. Kenshin needs no "dragoon" to have cool eyes.
2. He can put up with Sanosuke and Yahiko.
3. So he isn't particularly tall or dark. He has handsome down. And his personality more than makes up for not being tall or dark.
4. Kenshin has a cooler way of talking, that he does.
5. Kenshin's hair rocks. Seriously. He could be in a rock band with that hair.
6. Ever hear Kenshin when he's in Battousai mode? Wicked cool.

Rai ^_^

Postby **Hikage_Ninja** » Fri May 14, 2004 11:44 pm

I'd have to go with Kenshin...(who I happened to name my computer after... Yeah...I have a habit of naming inanimate objects that are precious to me.)

I would say that Kenshin is a "pretty boy" (bishounen)... As someone pointed out...yeah his beautiful eyes...and that scar...? Rawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwr, yummy stuff. And the long hair...yeah...maybe he's not your typical pretty boy...like Sohma Yuki-saaaamaaaaaaa...::heart melts:: But...I would still consider him bishie. O.O

Postby **Kisa** » Sat May 15, 2004 5:42 pm

Prime examples of bishies for me would be any of the guys on Fruits basket! I mean, they look good on screen and are very pretty characters!
Bishojo would be like Tohru, they would be any cute pretty girl.
^_^ Can you tell I like FB?? lol

Postby **Mangafanatic** » Sat May 15, 2004 8:15 pm

*glances at signature* Get out! I never would have guessed.

Postby **Hikage_Ninja** » Sat May 15, 2004 8:31 pm

LOL! Fruits Basket...makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Hehe...and you thought the anime was cute? The manga is even MORE ADORABLE!! Yes...it is possible. I'm madly...MADLY in love with Sohma Yuki. Yuki is like the epitome of bishounen...Rawwwr. And yes...Honda Tohru...perfect example of bishoujo...she's so precious.

Postby **Heart of Sword** » Sun May 16, 2004 1:18 pm

I am vindicated by the "bishie queen!" *Raises fist in triumph, but gets tackled and knocked over by a frantic girl with a sakabatou*

*whacks some more various Shannon fans with sakabatou*

Postby **Kisa** » Mon May 17, 2004 7:45 am

Not Yuki! KYOOOOOOOO!

Best Bishie there is! ^_^

Postby **Hikage_Ninja** » Mon May 17, 2004 3:01 pm

LOL! I love Kyou...but I'm more of a sucker for those quiet, gentlemanly types. Hehe. But I do admit...Kyou is QUITE a good looking young man.

I just happen to favour Yuki-saaaaaaama. Rawr.

Postby **Kisa** » Thu May 20, 2004 1:28 pm

Hehe, oh well, at least your bishie is in FB! Thats the best ANIME there is! ^_^
But still . . . Kyoooooooo . . . *spaces out thinking of him*
^_^'

Postby **Spirit_Wolf8356** » Thu May 20, 2004 2:04 pm

Hatori is a FB bishie! So is Haru! FB has a bishie for all fangirls it seems. ^_^

Postby **Kisa** » Thu May 20, 2004 2:12 pm

Ohyes, Hatori and Haru are great bishies! Don't forget Shigure too! ^_^
*drools thinking of all FB bishies*

Postby **Mave** » Thu May 20, 2004 6:19 pm

LOL yeah FB is such a bishonen bomb......it's so hard to make choices: Alright, I would go for Kyou and Haru

Postby **Madeline** » Thu May 20, 2004 6:25 pm

Ooh. That's mean, altering someone's post and putting it as a quote!!!
Very decieving...

Postby **Aka-chan** » Thu May 20, 2004 6:47 pm

Ayame! XD

I don't have a set definition for a bishounen, though it generally seems to be the pretty boys (often the more feminine--without actively trying, thank you very much--the better), but there are exceptions. I've found that often the personality in itself will make a character look increasingly better to me. For instance, Kyo in looks only isn't exactly what I envision when I think "bishounen." His personality, angsty-ness, and tough front, however, won me over from the start, and suddenly, he was the handsomest guy on Furuba to me. ^___^ (Well, I like Ayame too, and all the other lovely guys, but never mind.)

And I just don't pick out girls as "bishoujo", so I don't have a definition for that.

Bishonens, what exactly classifies one?

Bishonens, what exactly classifies one?

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