Yaoi Paddle Kickstarter Aims to Revitalize Anime Fandom History
posted on by Kim Morrissy
A fan Kickstarter launched on Friday promising to bring back "Yaoi Paddles," a spanking accessory once famous among western anime conventions in the mid-2000s. Artist Henry AL aims to bring them back as a novelty item for anyone who wants to own a bit of anime fandom history.
According to the campaign description, the Kickstarter will provide funds for production and distribution across Europe and North America. The paddles come in "Yaoi," "Yuri," "Seme," and "Uke" designs. Custom paddles and gold paddles are offered as higher-tier rewards. Free keychains will be offered to the first 100 backers.
Doujinshi vendor Hen Da Ne once sold Yaoi Paddles as an affectionate riff on the boys-lovemanga genre (also known in English-speaking circles as "yaoi" at the time). The items were eventually banned from conventions due to their misuse as weapons or for harassment. Henry AL urged backers not to whack people without consent, writing, "We had a nice thing, and it took a lot of work to bring it back, so let's make sure to keep it wholesome."
For readers who weren't around during the height of Yaoi Paddle fascination, their existence is immortalized in an Anime News Nina comic strip and in documentary form by the YouTuber Red Bard.
Source: Kickstarter
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