The Hot Yaoi Base is a digital art template that originated in the early-to-mid 2000s on platforms like DeviantArt and Photobucket. Initially intended as a reference for aspiring artists to draw male-male romantic pairings, it eventually evolved into a meta-meme within fandom circles. Users began ironically placing unlikely characters—ranging from video game icons to political figures—into these overly dramatic, sparkly, and often anatomically exaggerated poses. Today, the meme serves as a nostalgic nod to early internet fandom culture, frequently used to mock specific shipping tropes or to create 'cursed' imagery that blends high-drama romantic poses with low-effort humor.