Badi (magazine)

Badi, stylized as Bʌ́di (バディ), is a monthly Japanese magazine for gay men. Established in November 1994 by Terra Publications, the first edition was released in January 1995. The title comes from the Japanese pronunciation of "buddy."

Gay magazines in Japan, along with much gay culture, are segregated by "type"; most are aimed at an audience with specific interests. Badi frequently has approximately 500-1000 pages, including several pages of glossy colour and some black and white photographs and drawings of young, fit men in their teens and early twenties (these photographs are censored in accordance with Japan's rules; while they feature explicit depictions of sex, genitals — and most pubic hair — are obscured). Despite the pornographic pictures and stories, however, Badi is not mainly a pornographic magazine.

Badi appeals to a young market (and to admirers of younger men). It features fashion, health and relationship articles and community news and event listings as well as the stories — often pornographic and several in comic form — common to all gay men's magazines in Japan. There are also advertisements from gay-related and gay-friendly businesses such as spas, clubs and hotels, bars, cafes and restaurants, host bars (hustler bars), brothels, and retail shops.

Readers can also place personal ads free of charge, and each month there are several pages of these, most from men in search of romantic attachments, friends or sex partners. Such ads have long been a popular way for gay men to meet each other in Japan, though text messaging and the internet are probably more popular now. Badi has developed a user-friendly system of icons to complement personal ads, which allow readers to quickly scan the pages for icons that match their specifications. This service is also available on the website.

The magazine is printed in Japanese only, and currently sells for ¥1500.

External links

• Bʌ́di homepage (Japanese)