Anime Genres and Types - Complete list with recommendations
The 13 Most Popular Anime Genres & The Titles That Defined Them
It is classified into numerous genres targeting various broad and niche audiences. Anime is a diverse medium with distinctive production methods that have adapted in response to emergent technologies. It combines graphic art, characterization, cinematography, and other forms of imaginative and individualistic techniques.
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The 5 main anime genres are shonen, shojo, seinen, josei, and kodomomuke. How many genres of anime are there? There are dozens of genres and subgenres in anime. Some of the most popular are action, comedy, a slice of life, drama, tragedy, psychological, historical, mecha, military, supernatural, magic, and romance.
ShonenShonen. The shonen genre is by far the most popular brand of anime and the majority of breakout hits and major successes like Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and One Piece all fit into the shonen brand.
The five types are shonen, shojo, seinen, josei, and kodomomuke. Each kind of anime is focused on a specific target population of viewers.
Note that while the term "shōnen" tends to be used to refer to a few standard genres, it isn't technically a genre as it literally refers to the target demographic (and in Japan, generally refers strictly to manga, rather than animenote Light Novels are often marked with a generic "male" or "female" demographic.).
Action fictionDark fantasyApocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fictionDramaShōnen mangaAttack on Titan/Genres
ComedyComing-of-age storySports mangaHaikyu!!/Genres
Horror fictionDark fantasyThrillerTokyo Ghoul/Genres
GamblingPsychological thrillerKakegurui – Compulsive Gambler/Genres
Adventure fictionDark fantasyMartial ArtsDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba/Genres
Attack on Titan is serialized in Kodansha's Bessatsu Shounen Magazine. As the magazine's name suggests, it is a shounen magazine. The official way to identify a series is not just through its themes or characteristics, it is mostly classified by the magazine where it is serialized in.
Haikyu!!ハイキュー!!English publisherViz MediaImprintJump ComicsMagazineWeekly Shōnen JumpDemographicShōnen51 more rows
Demon Slayer is one of the most popular shonen anime in the world. Ever since the anime's first season aired, avid anime watchers have flocked to it like bees to a honeypot. The anime's story is very interesting, which is enough to keep the watchers on the edge of their seats.
One big reason why anime is so much better than western animation is because of the strong, relatable characters. Anime characters have such a wide range of personalities and appearances to make them more realistic and relatable for real people.
Anime Top 10Top 10 Best Rated (bayesian estimate) (Top 50)#titlerating1Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (TV)9.082Steins;Gate (TV)9.043Clannad After Story (TV)9.028 more rows
Fullmetal AlchemistTop 50 Most Viewed#titlerating1Fullmetal Alchemist (TV)8.652Death Note (TV)8.783Cowboy Bebop (TV)8.8948 more rows
Shonen is so popular because people, naturally, want to see the noble hero defeat the despicable villains. Additionally, Shonen has a variety of themes and tropes that define the genre. Though some may say it is too formulaic, the genre has proven how versatile and unique it can be.
English-language dictionaries typically define anime ( US: / ˈænəmeɪ /, UK: / ˈænɪmeɪ /) as "a style of Japanese animation" or as "a style of animation originating in Japan". Other definitions are based on origin, making production in Japan a requisite for a work to be considered "anime".
An anime episode can cost between US$100,000 and US$300,000 to produce. In 2001, animation accounted for 7% of the Japanese film market, above the 4.6% market share for live-action works. The popularity and success of anime is seen through the profitability of the DVD market, contributing nearly 70% of total sales.
However, outside of Japan and in English, anime is colloquial for Japanese animation and refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. Animation produced outside of Japan with similar style to Japanese animation is referred to as anime-influenced animation . The earliest commercial Japanese animations date to 1917.
2.5D musical. Anime and manga portal. v. t. e. Anime ( Japanese: アニメ, IPA: [aɲime] ( listen)) is hand-drawn and computer animation originating from Japan. In Japan and in Japanese, anime (a term derived from the English word animation) describes all animated works, regardless of style or origin.
Anime artists employ many distinct visual styles. Anime differs greatly from other forms of animation by its diverse art styles, methods of animation, its production, and its process. Visually, anime works exhibit a wide variety of art styles, differing between creators, artists, and studios.
Anime. Not to be confused with Amine. Anime ( Japanese: アニメ, IPA: [aɲime] ( listen)) is hand-drawn and computer animation originating from Japan. In Japan and in Japanese, anime (a term derived from the English word animation) describes all animated works, regardless of style or origin.
Three Tales (1960) was the first anime film broadcast on television; the first anime television series was Instant History (1961–64). An early and influential success was Astro Boy (1963–66), a television series directed by Tezuka based on his manga of the same name. Many animators at Tezuka's Mushi Production later established major anime studios (including Madhouse, Sunrise, and Pierrot ).
Examples: Revolutionary Girl Utena or Kannazuki no Miko. Shōnen-ai or Yaoi is Japanese for 'boy-love'. These focus on love and romance between male characters. The term "Shōnen-ai" is being phased out in Japan due to its other meaning of pederasty, and is being replaced by the term "Boys Love" (BL).
Shotacon ("Shōtarō Complex") is the sexualization of under-aged male characters, the name coming from the lead child actor from Tetsujin-nijūhachi-gō. Example: Boku no Pico. Harem is a genre which focuses on a male character surrounded by the romance of multiple female characters.
Magical Girl – A young girl with supernatural powers is able to transform into an alter ego to secretly fight villains. Mecha – The focus is on big combat robots which usually have to be piloted by a character.
Ghost Stories – Creepy tales about ghosts and other beings of (Japanese) folklore. Hentai – A pornographic title. Horror – Deals with the escape from or the battle with (mostly supernatural) threatening beings. The protogonist is constantly in a frightening situation. Indefinite – Can’t be assigned a specific genre.
Slice of Life Drama – A serene and sometimes mundane drama about everyday conflicts. Thriller – A suspenseful story about one or more people that have to face a seemingly desperate situation.
Girls Love – The focus of the story is on love relations between women. (Yuri/Shoujo Ai) Harem – The main character is being wooed by many women/men. Hentai – A pornographic title. Horror – Deals with the escape from or the battle with (mostly supernatural) threatening beings.
Shojo or shoujo is a genre of anime marketed to a female audience, usually between the ages of 12 and 18. The Latinized name of literally means "little girl". The shoujo genre covers many subjects in a variety of styles, from historical dramas to science fiction - often with a strong focus on romantic relationships.
The category appeals to a large age group, although its primary audience is in the age range of 12 to 18 years. The genre shonen can be considered the most popular form of anime.
Seinen is a genre of anime aimed mainly at the adult male audience. In Japanese, the word "seinen" literally means "young", although it is also used to describe the target audience. Despite this definition, one more case of not being a rule, but the content will not, in many cases, fully satisfy the demand of other types of public.
The genre shonen can be considered the most popular form of anime. Although aimed at boys, many girls are also interested in this segment. What makes it even more popular is the fact that your audience is not aged, it can fit the preferences of children and adults. As we can see, this genre is the opposite of shoujo.
This genre is one that in its plot there is the presence of comic elements, or popularly known as funny. Basically it can contain jokes either directly or indirectly, actions and reactions that result in a comic surprise, situations of the same nature, etc. In short, everything that is funny and that can make someone laugh.
Action it is a genre that usually involves a story of protagonists of good versus antagonists of evil, who resolve their differences with the use of force or some other device, in which good always wins over evil. And it becomes a cliché, almost never broken.
Basically, this genre is distinguished from the others because in its plot there is some kind of relationship with music. That is, a music band or someone who works with music as the main theme.
Shónen is the Japanese word for “boy”. It is the most popular anime genre till now. It is the most-watched and the one that is the most written about.
The English translation of Seinen is “youth” or “young man”. In terms of concept, it is not very different from Shónen. The biggest difference is that most of them can be considered mature and are targeting young adults.
The official definition of Shoujo is a bit ambiguous, it can mean “maiden” or “young girl”. So here it is simple, it’s more of a romance anime that is targeting young girls from 10 to 18 years old.
Here, like for Seinen, Josei is similar to Shoujo but aimed at the older population. The target is still on women but older than teens.
Isekai means “another world”. The word is fairly new, they used to use the title “Help! I’m Trapped in Another World!” to introduce Isekai and explain the genre.
The Slice of Life genre, like the word may suggest, interprets a series of events that happened to the MC during a certain period of his/her life. It will show the personal development of each character, how they overcame their issues, and how much each experience made them grow.
Mecha is a derivative of the English word “Mechanical“. In Japan, they define it as “Giant Robot”. In this kind of anime, the MC will be the pilot of some giant armor that he will use to fight evil.
Mecha. For many Americans, mecha anime was the first taste of the genre, thanks to the Robotech invasion of the ’80s. The tradition continues with old-school classics like Mobile Suit Gundam (made initially around the same time as Robotech) while Netflix delivers newer hits in the form of Knights of Sidonia.
Anime comes in two formats: Dubbed and subbed. Subbed plays the original Japanese vocal track for the show or movie you’re watching with English (or whatever language you’re watching in) subtitles. Dubbed, on the other hand, features an English-speaking cast of voice-over actors working from a translated script.
Interestingly enough, the name itself isn’t an abbreviation of the English word animation. Instead, it’s how you say “animated cartoon” (written アニメ) in Japanese. To a Japanese viewer, anime is any cartoon, whether it’s made in Japan or not. Outside of Japan, however, the term anime has come to mean “animation made in Japan,” or more broadly, ...
J apanese animation is more than just heartbreak, fighting, and melodrama— it’s a place to explore the boundaries of the imagination. Paprika is a spellbinding tale of scientists investigating human dreams, pushing beyond the imagery live action effects can pull off to build an artistic tour de force. Looking for a story with less chaos and more nuance? Colorful won the 34th Japanese Academy Prize for Excellence in Animation, by using fantasy to explore humanity’s relationship with death. If you give these oddball films a chance, you won’t regret it.
Outside of Japan, however, the term anime has come to mean “animation made in Japan,” or more broadly, any animated show or movie that uses signature aspects of Japanese-style animation, like vibrant colors, dramatic panning, and characteristic facial expressions. Advertisement. Hide. In the U.S., most anime is classified as a niche form ...
Today, anime is available on most streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
In Japan, however, anime is a culturally accepted and fairly basic form of entertainment for adults. This difference means that anime contains multitudes, with content produced for a wide range of viewers.
Popular seinen anime include Black Lagoon, Code Geass, Plastic Memories, Tiger and Bunny, Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and so on.
The literal translation of the word: A young lady. Target Audience: Young Adult to Mature women. Shoujo manga is the depiction of how you would want the world to be. Fairy tail romances and someone guiding you through your life. Josei anime is the reality of how romance actually is, without all the sprinkles on top.
Reverse Harem. Such anime often originate as a series for some kind of an ‘otome’ game or a ‘dating simulation game where the protagonist has to, in the end, the person playing the game has to choose which one they want to be in a real relationship with.
Shōjo. Following the trend, this word means ‘a young girl’ and is the intended target audience demographic. Shoujo anime most often like all the others is combined with another sub-genre like historical drama or sci-fi for storytelling purposes.
Hentai. Probably the most popular kind of anime or at least something that everyone has heard of at least one in any conversation about anime. Hentai is the kind of anime that shows explicit content while having a minor plot going on in the background.
Popular harem anime include High School of the Dead, High School DxD, Clannad, Zero no Tsukaima, and so on.
Kodomo. The word literally means ‘child’ in Japanese. So, obviously, this is the kind of anime that is aimed at young kids to enjoy. This, however, though considered a genre, is actually more of a target audience demographic than a genre. These anime often don’t have a lot of story and are very episodic in nature.
The Clannad anime was based on a visual novel of the same name . The show follows the main character Tomoya Okazaki, a high school delinquent who has his life flipped upside down when he becomes friends with a girl named Nagisa Furukawa.
Isekai is a genre of anime where the main characters enter a new world unlike their own, typically resembling a MMORPG or fantasy land. Sword Art Online was originally released back in 2013, and it boosted the genre into the spotlight.
6 Horror - Elfen Lied. This dark, horror anime went viral back at its release in 2004 and continues to be one of the creepiest and most famous horror shows in the genre. Elfen Lied is set in a world where a newly mutated species similar but stronger than humans are threatening to wipe out the Earth's population to replace it with their own.
The manga it is based on began in 1997 and is still being written and animated to this day, making it one of the longest-running anime of all time. The manga is also leading as the best-selling manga series in history!
Jourdan Silva is a writer and editor based in Houston, Texas. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. in Corporate Communications Studies back in 2018. Since then, she has been writing for millennial online publications and using her writing talents to create engaging and successful content.
Anime isn't a genre in and of itself — it comprises stories of many kinds with the distinct style of Japanese animation. There are many categories for shows to be classified under from more obscure ones like iyashikei to well-known staples like shonen.
It shouldn't be a surprise that Dragon Ball is the defining anime that shaped shonen anime as we know it today. The original manga and show were created back in the 80s and new series based on the classic are still being animated to this day.
Anime differs greatly from other forms of animation by its diverse art styles, methods of animation, its production, and its process. Visually, anime works exhibit a wide variety of art styles, differing between creators, artists, and studios. While no single art style predominates anime as a whole, they do share some similar attributes in terms of animation technique and character design.
As a type of animation, anime is an art form that comprises many genres found in other mediums; it is sometimes mistakenly classified as a genre itself. In Japanese, the term anime is used to refer to all animated works, regardless of style or origin. English-language dictionaries typically define anime (/ˈænɪmeɪ/) as "a style of Japanese animation" or as "a style of animation originating in Japan". Other definitions are based on origin, making production in Japan a requisite for a wor…
Emakimono and kagee are considered precursors of Japanese animation. Emakimono was common in the eleventh century. Traveling storytellers narrated legends and anecdotes while the emakimono was unrolled from the right to left with chronological order, as a moving panorama. Kagee was popular during the Edo period and originated from the shadows play of China. Magic la…
The animation industry consists of more than 430 production companies with some of the major studios including Toei Animation, Gainax, Madhouse, Gonzo, Sunrise, Bones, TMS Entertainment, Nippon Animation, P.A.Works, Studio Pierrot and Studio Ghibli. Many of the studios are organized into a trade association, The Association of Japanese Animations. There is also a labor union for workers i…
Anime has become commercially profitable in Western countries, as demonstrated by early commercially successful Western adaptations of anime, such as Astro Boy and Speed Racer. Early American adaptions in the 1960s made Japan expand into the continental European market, first with productions aimed at European and Japanese children, such as Heidi, Vicky the Viking and B…
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• Anime and manga in Japan travel guide from Wikivoyage