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Understanding anime can be hard, especially if you missed Toonami’s golden era
Images: Shueisha / The Pokemon Company / Kodansha | Graphic by Isaac RouseSign in to your Polygon account
If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance it’s because you came across a confusing new term like Shonen or Isekai in an article about anime and then clicked on a link hoping to learn more. Or maybe you searched for more information about an anime and found this page. Either way, you’re in luck. As anime continues to dominate pop culture, we’ve put together a glossary of key terms you’ll need to know if you want to keep up.
Understanding anime can be hard, especially for audiences who missed Toonami’s golden era. There’s a lot of jargon to understand, many genres that don’t align perfectly with those that define Western media, and several key divisions based on target demographics. Even the most basic anime conversation can be hard to get without the proper tools, and this glossary is merely a stepping stone toward a journey to better understand what you are reading or watching. The medium is on the rise, so too are these basic demographic phrases and genres.
With that in mind, here are six genres you need to know to better understand the language of anime. And if you don’t see the genre you’re looking for here, let us know in the comments, and we’ll add it to our anime glossary soon.
Shonen
Image: Toei Animation/CrunchyrollShonen is a term often used alongside anime, as many of the medium's most famous series fall into this genre. Think One Piece, Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, Bleach, My Hero Academia, Yu Yu Hakusho, Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, and so on. What they all have in common is that they feature a lot of men fighting. Shonen in Japanese means “young boy” and serves a demographic between the ages of 12 and 18, but shonen anime knows no bounds when it comes to targeted audiences. Shonen has mass appeal because it touches on universal themes like courage, determination, rivalry, and overcoming insurmountable odds in the name of friendship and love.
Shonen anime usually have arcs that consist of the protagonist going on a quest and fighting, or entering a tournament…and fighting. You can spot a shonen anime a mile away: there’s usually a young protagonist full of energy or charm who grows stronger over time. He navigates challenges, makes some friends along the way, and confronts enemies and societal issues alike. Shonen can be lighthearted and surface-level, like Dragon Ball, or complex and deeply mature, like Attack on Titan. It’s also worth mentioning that half of these manga debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump, the influential anthology magazine and the original publication source of most of the most popular shonen anime around.
Shojo
Toei AnimationShojo is the “young girl” equivalent of Shonen, and is typically aimed at girls ages 10 to 18. This refers to the Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, Ouran High School Host Club, and Fruits Basket’s of the world. Just like shonen, shojo knows no bounds when it comes to its target demographic and has worldwide appeal because it tackles themes of emotions, relationships, overcoming challenges, and personal growth. As such, many shojo are also magical girl anime, slice-of-life comedies, or dramatic romances set during middle or high school. There’s also usually a hint of romance or drama in almost every shojo series.
Shojo designs tend to be more expressive than shonen’s, with emotion conveyed through detailed eyes and emphasized body language. Its protagonists are often independent (or striving to be) young women who grow through everyday interactions and relationships.
Seinen
Guts in Berserk, using his black swordImage: Liden FilmsSeinen translates to “young man,” and is the gigachad older brother of shonen, with stories usually targeted at men in their late teens to late 30s. These are the dark, mature anime like Berserk, Vinland Saga, Ghost in the Shell, and Tokyo Ghoul that feature a lot of graphic violence and may include a nipple or two. The stories are usually complex, darker, and can range from action-heavy to quiet and introspective. Characters tend to be more layered, conflicts aren’t always black-and-white like shonen, and the worlds feel a bit closer to real life — even when they’re full of demons, cyborgs, or psychic battles.
Character designs in this genre are usually more grounded, with detailed facial features. The direction of anime and manga is also a bit more cinematic. Seinen don’t hold back; they explore adult topics like morality, trauma, politics, psychology, relationships, grief, ambition, power, and more realistic interpretations of the coming-of-age story.
Josei
Image: Chica Umino / J.C. StaffIf seinen is big brother shonen, then josei is big sister shojo, targeted towards teen and adult women. It takes all the subjects that josei anime addresses, but through a more realistic, complicated lens. The stories still tackle romance, friendship, and dating, but instead of a school setting, protagonists are usually old enough to be navigating the workforce. Relationships are not romanticized and are much more complicated. Situations aren’t solved through simple conversations, and stories don’t end in a tight little bow.
Unlike shojo, which is often stylized and fantastical, josei usually goes for a more grounded tone, though there are definitely magical, surreal, or artsy josei titles too. It’s honest, emotional, and often hits in a way only adult storytelling can. Examples include Nana, Paradise Kiss, Honey and Clover, and Chihayafuru.
Kodomomuke
Image: OLM, Inc./The Pokémon CompanyKodomomuke refers to anime, manga, or media aimed at young audiences aged 3 to 10. The stories usually revolve around kindness, friendship, courage, and teamwork. Think Nick Jr. programming or Saturday morning-styled cartoons that are enjoyable for kids, but also fun for adults. Unlike shonen, which deal in similar themes, Kodomomuke anime never get overtly scary or violent, and mostly revolve around positivity. The plots are usually simplistic, with nonlinear narratives and little to no character development. Above all, the main aim of a Kodomomuke is to convey lessons in morality and staying on the right path.
It’s also worth noting that, unlike the rest of the entries in this glossary, this is one of the only genres that isn’t geared towards a specific gender. However, Kodomomuke includes the subgenres Joji-muke and shōnen-muke, aimed at young girls and young boys, respectively.
Isekai
Isekai, which means “another world,” refers to a sub-genre in which a regular person from a realistic world is thrown into a totally different one, usually a fantasy world or one governed by video game rules. These are fish-out-of-water stories that usually force their protagonist to fall into a portal or straight-up die to end up in a new reality. In this new reality, the protagonist typically goes from being an average, everyday citizen into someone with superpowers, Or their superpowers are especially super in their new reality, like The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World. Speaking of which, isekai have notoriously long, sentence-length name titles. There’s also KonoSuba - God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!, Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, and many more.
The appeal of the isekai genre is watching an everyday person — like a stressed-out office worker, a gamer, or just some unlucky person — get a fresh start. Suddenly, they’re useful or all-powerful, and want to do good while making some friends along the way. The premise can be played for laughs, or they can be epic or emotionally dark. Some more popular examples of isekai include Sword Art Online, Overlord, Lord of Mysteries, and No Game No Life. Before it became a popular and ubiquitous genre, many classic works paved the way for isekai, such as InuYasha and Magic Knight Rayearth.
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