Thesis (M.A. Screen and Media)--University of Waikato, 2008. / Title from PDF cover (viewed September 30, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 144-151)

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Boy-love (or BL) manga (comic book) is a subgenre of Japanese girl’s manga. It features the homoerotic relationships between beautiful young boys and is popular among young straight women. This thesis explores the transnational influence of BL manga on young women and examines how Chinese female readers perceive and interpret this cultural artifact. An online survey has been conducted to answer key questions including: Who consumes BL productions in Chinese-speaking communities, how is BL fandom formed and what are the patterns of such fandom. Outcomes indicate women enjoy the queer fantasy deriving from reading BL manga and such fantasy should not be stigmatized or pathologized.