Shōjo, shojo or shoujo is a Japanese word for "girl". The word is derived from a Chinese expression written with the same characters. The Chinese characters literally mean little and woman respectively. In Japanese, these kanji refer specifically to a young woman approximately 7–18 years old.
Manga are comics or graphic novels created in Japan or by creators in the Japanese language, conforming to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century. They have a long and complex pre-history in earlier Japanese art.
Full Answer
The 15 Best Shoujo Anime Of The Decade, According To IMDb
shoujo is targeted to young girls and shonen is targeted to young boys but the difference is that shonen anime girls are busty,yandere or a Tsundere but in shoujo the girls aren't busty and prettier than shonen anime girls and some of them are Tsunderes like in shounen.shoujo anime boys are hotter than shounen anime boys.
Westerners, I think, prefer it if the relationship buildup is fast. The concept of young love (as in shoujo anime) isn’t really a big thing in America because the younger generations like to mimic the older ones even when it comes to romantic relations. And so that’s probably why shoujo anime is underrated in America.
Shoujo is the opposite of shonen, translated in English as young girl. Shoujo focuses more on the interpersonal relationship and romance in the story rather than the fighting and action. The series tend to be more dramatic, but also still include the adventure, comedy and action that are prevalent in shonen.
Shoujo and shonen are both Japanese terms commonly used as categories for entertainment media. Shoujo refers to young girls, often “magical girls” like Sailor Moon, and shonen respectively means young boys from about 12-18 years old. Many of the most popular anime in the world fall into either of these two categories.
It's sometimes assumed that shoujo refers to romance anime, due to its most popular series featuring romance as a key element. However, shoujo simply refers to the target demographic and can encapsulate all genres, not just romance.
In the world of anime that can feel like a boy's club, shoujo is targeted towards females.
So, here's why I was disappointed to learn that Haikyuu was a shounen series... shounen series are almost always about action. And the focus of the series almost always tends to not be so much about character, but rather making the entire focus of the show on this action and competition.
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.
Death Note is a shounen series because it was made to target middle school aged boys. That's the size of it. There are plenty of shounen series that don't fit your description at all.
Fruits Basket is one example of a popular shojo anime. It originally debuted in the early 2000s as an anime, but it received a full remake in 2019.
2 REINVENTED THE GENRE: Kakegurui Is All About Gambling Gambling manga/anime series are often aimed at older consumers who are old enough to gamble too, but Kakegurui is shonen, not seinen.
Shōjo manga (少女漫画, lit. "girls' comics", also romanized as shojo or shoujo) is an editorial category of Japanese comics targeting an audience of adolescent girls and young adult women.
MysteryPsychological thrillerThrillerDeath Note/Genres
Sailor Moon is what's called a shoujo anime, which means that it's Japanese animation expressly designed for young girls: candy-colored, giggly, and studded with excitingly mounted action set pieces.
Many believe that shoujo is only about high school romance, and that only girls like it. However, that is not true, and moreover, it is not only girls who can enjoy watching shoujo anime; everyone can. Nowadays there have been attempts at dissociating shoujo from its original meaning "girl", in order to attract male readership.
Set in a high school in which competition means everything, this heroine is not your typical main character: she is dominant, clueless, and very competitive. So what happens when there is no time for love, but love still becomes more important than your perfect grades and score?
Gouda Takeo is huge, intimidating and hairy - the opposite of the perfect shoujo guy. This anime is unique because it takes a boy's feelings and insecurities into consideration for a change, and it is still romantic. It also becomes the epitome of a saying "don’t judge a book by its cover".
Akatsuki no Yona is a popular historical shoujo anime which focuses on action and politics but also does not lack in the romance department. Princess Yona gets banished from her kingdom and the only comfort is that she is protected by her bodyguard Hak. They are on the run, and Yona must finally learn to mature and grow up.
Kinomoto Sakura is only 10 years old, but it is her responsibility to protect the world from the mystical Clow Cards (which she accidentally released, by the way). This classic anime is packed with adventure and fantasy, including a cute and kind heroine who can manage both her normal school life and secret magical life.
Nana might actually be considered more josei ( aimed at women in their late teens or adulthood) than shoujo because it is more serious and contains mature scenes that you do not see often in shoujo anime. All in all, Nana is a true gem that addresses various issues such as drug abuse, the negative side of fame, and heartbreak.
Natsume Yuujinchou is a unique shoujo anime because not only does it have a male protagonist, but it also has no romance at all. The anime has a calm pacing, with mysteries revolving around supernatural entities and their life stories. If you're looking for something relaxing and magical, then this is it.
What does shoujo mean? According to Japanese Tactics, Amino Apps and Fanlore, shoujo is a Japanese word that means little girl or maiden. In Japanese, this word is spelled 少女. This refers to a young girl ranging in age from elementary to high school. Shoujo is also a specific genre of anime and manga. Shoujo anime has a target demographic of girls ...
In Shoujo, the female characters have large, sparkly eyes and are smaller in build, and the men are tall and slender with handsome faces.
These series of anime and manga often focus on romantic relationships as well as interpersonal conflict. One is more likely to see romance presented in a shoujo series than other types of anime and manga. Another type of anime called shounen ai developed out of shoujo in the 1970s.
In these shoujo anime, the lead heroine battles bad guys, solves mysteries, and often has magical powers. Often, the lead girl also has to balance regular life with being a superhero.
Overall, shoujo anime series have a female audience ranging in age from seven to eighteen, roughly. However, these anime series are watched by many adult women anime fans as well.
However, shoujo and shounen anime are both very popular while having many differences. The protagonists in shonen are usually young men. Shounen is targeted toward young boys in a similar age range as shoujo, so it makes sense that they would have a male protagonist, like in Pokémon, Dragon Ball or Naruto.
Shojo anime has more of a focus on romance, but this does not necessarily mean that it is fully absent in shonen. In both the shoujo and shonen categories of anime and manga, there are large dramatic events. In shonen, this usually culminates in fights or action sequences, while in shoujo, the drama will be more melodramatic ...
One thing all shojo series have in common is their stunning art styles. Even those who dislike the genre can agree that shojo anime are some of the most aesthetically pleasing series out there.
One of shojo's greatest strengths is its leading ladies. Shojo heroines are sweet, kind, and lovable. Though they may appear meek and helpless at first glance, the more audiences get to know them, the more they see that true strength lies within. Shojo protagonists are starry-eyed dreamers with big goals for their lives.
Romance is a central theme in almost all shojo anime. Whether it's the main plot point or not, shojo girls are always finding themselves swept off their feet by charming and handsome love interests.
While the leading ladies of shojo are beloved by fans, they aren't the only ones who get the spotlight. Shojo series have some of the most charming and lovable leading males of anime. They differ greatly from the typical male protagonists that fans see, with basic looks and personality yet somehow surrounded by flocks of beautiful girls.
Romance is a big part of anime in general, let alone just shojo. From shonen to isekai to seinen, everyone loves a good romance in their anime. However, there's just something special about shojo romance that really gets fans into it. The genre knows how to create a great dynamic between couples.
If there's one thing that shojo is known for, it's drama. Whether it's a heated love triangle or a character's dark past, fans can always expect to find intense drama in shojo anime.
While there are some physically strong shojo protagonists, it can easily be said that they all have an abundance of inner strength. Shojo takes special care in showcasing intense emotion, and it usually takes center stage in place of action.
These shows are essentially those that are aimed at the young teen female demographic and can cover a variety of narrative styles from historical drama to science fiction. There is also often, but not always, a focus on romantic relationships and the character's internal emotions. Here are some of the best of shojo anime, according to MyAnimeList.
6 Revolutionary Girl Utena Contains A Shojo-Ai Romance (8.20) Revolutionary Girl Utena is yet another perennial classic in the anime world , one which some fans say was an early precursor, in theme, concept, and surrealist imagery, to Puella Magi Madoka Magica.
Where Komatsu is helpless, naïve, and clingy, Osaki is fiercely independent, and a punk rock queen to boot. Their fates converge as the two meet on a train to Tokyo where both are hoping to start a new life.
The world of anime often feels like it's directed primarily at the male portion of the fandom . Despite this bias towards the masculine demographic, there are still a lot of female fans out there who appreciate a good anime when it's not buried under layers of gratuitous fan service. For these female viewers, many may have gotten their first kick ...
The shojo genre of anime and manga is a long-lasting staple in the medium and dozens of new shojo manga are released every year. Moreover, there's always the possibility that a shojo series could become even more popular over time.