Attacker

Synonyms:	Seme (somewhat), Tachi (somewhat)
See also:	Sex Position, Seme, Tachi, BDSM
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Attacker (攻め)「せめ」is a term used by Japanese-speaking media fandom to indicate the role of a character placed on the left in a coupling notation, that is to say, a ship's top. It's rather synonymous with seme, though the two terms have different connotations and use cases. In Japanese, the word is a homophone of sadist in BDSM, though these two terms should not be confused for one another either. The term can also be labelled as Offensive Character (攻めキャラ). The opposite of an attacker is a receiver.

In NL couplings, it's always assumed that the man/boy of the relationship is the attacker, even if he is submissive to his partner. In Japanese-speaking media fandom, exceptions are usually only made if the woman/girl is made into a futanari for fanworks. Exceptions are also made if the pairing is Onee-shota, or in other words, an older woman with a boy. In GL couplings, the attacking and receiving roles are often ambiguous. Most are reversible and are considered combi, meaning non-romantic, and romantic interpretations are often few and far between for fanworks. The terms tachi and neko may be used for attacker and receiver specifically for Yuri/GL couplings.

Uses

For now, please read Circle Paradisearmy & Doujin Yougo no Kisochishiki's article linked below for a first-hand explanation of attackers' portrayals in fanworks. Many tropes seen in western media fandom such as dark fuck prince and power imbalance are referenced in the article conceptually and discussed.

Variants

Attackers have many variants.

• オヤジ攻め lit. oyaji seme
  • means the attacker is old enough to be considered an oyaji, meaning father, and more commonly, father-esque.
• 俺様攻め lit. oresama seme
  • means the attacker is self-centered and arrogant
• かわいい攻め lit. kawaii seme
  • means the attacker looks and acts cutely
• 鬼畜攻め lit. kichiku seme
  • means the attacker is reminiscent of sadists in BDSM
• 筋肉攻め lit. kin'niku seme
  • means the attacker is muscular and macho. Possibly this is for BL that play out similarly to baras
• クール攻め lit. kuuru seme
  • means the attacker is kuudere or sunao kūru
• 女装攻め lit. josou seme
  • means the attacker crossdresses.
• ショタ攻め lit. shota seme
  • means the attacker can be considered shota.
• スパダリ攻め lit. supadari seme
  • means the attacker is conventionally attractive, wealthy, mentally stable, tall, values leisure time and acts mature.
• 総攻め lit. sou seme
  • means the attacker tops no matter who they are coupled with. This is frequently used in harem works. The opposite of this is 総受け lit. sou uke, meaning receivers who bottom no matter who they are paired with. This variant of attacker is the most well known and used.
• 年下攻め lit. toshishita seme
  • means the attacker is younger than their partner. The partner in a relationship like this is 総受け lit. toshiue uke, meaning receiver who is older than their partner.
• ノンケ攻め lit. nonke seme
  • means the attacker in a BL who is otherwise straight. Nonke is Japanese slang for Straight guys.
• 美形攻め lit. bikei seme
  • translates to "beauty attack." Possibly this refers to conventionally attractive Female attackers(???)
• ヘタレ攻め lit. hetare seme
  • means the attacker is cowardly and weak-willed. Usually, the receiver controls the relationship's stability.
• 眼鏡攻め lit. megane seme
  • means the attacker wear glasses. This is often used in conjunction with kichiku seme.
• モブ攻め lit. mob seme
  • when the mob characters attack
• ヤンデレ攻め lit. yandere seme
  • means the attacker is obsessed with their partner and/or is a yandere. 執着攻め lit. shuuchaku seme is synonymous with this
• わんこ攻め lit. wanko seme
  • means the attacker has a dog-like personality. By coincidence, this is similar to the idea of a golden retriever boyfriend
• 尽くし攻め lit. tsukushi seme
  • means the attacker is dedicated to their receiver to the point of it being notable.
• 横攻め lit. yoko seme
  • means the attacker practices infidelity or otherwise may be in a love triangle.
• 無邪気攻め lit. mujaki seme
  • means the attacker is innocent of heart or otherwise non-malicious.
• へっぽこ攻 lit. heppoko seme
  • means the attacker is considered "useless" like a useless lesbian is.

Further Reading

• 攻め on PixivEncyclopedia
• 攻め on Circle Paradisearmy & Doujin Yougo no Kisochishiki
• Types of Seme & Uke on japanesewithanime