 Gay men's manga is unlikely to contain scenes of "uncontrollable weeping or long introspective pauses", and is less likely than "yaoi" to "build up a strong sense of character" before sex scenes occur.The men in "bara" comics are more likely to be stereotypically masculine in behaviour and are illustrated as "hairy, very muscular, or [having] a few excess pounds" akin to beefcakes or bears in gay culture.While "bara" usually features gay romanticism and adult content, sometimes of a violent or exploitative nature, it often explores real-world or autobiographical themes and acknowledges the taboo nature of homosexuality in Japan.