Anime Genres Meaning Shonen, Shojo, Seinen, Josei, OVA, ONA

Anime and Manga fans outside of Japan are lost when they hear these terms: Shonen, Shojo, Seinen, Josei, Mecha, OVA/OAV, and ONA.

Hence, Here we are now to give you the meaning of the different anime genres and what they ensue.

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Shonen is one of the most popular genres of manga and anime series.

the meaning of this type of anime is that these themed anime series are always targeting young male audiences.

It tends to focus more on action, humor, Friendship, and adventure.

The cast is mostly male, and romance is not usually the main concept in shonen.

But there are some romance stories in Shonen manga.

And mostly it takes just a small side in the storyline.

Hence, Shonen manga usually focuses on challenges of the main character’s abilities, skills, and maturity, self-perfection, self-discipline, sacrifices, honorable service to the world, humanity, family, and friends.

10 Popular Shonen anime and manga: One-piece, Gintama, Fairy Tail, Naruto, Attack on Titan, Hajime No Ippo, Death Note, Dragon Ball, Hunter X Hunter, Fullmetal Alchemist.

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To sum up, Shojo is one of the most loved anime genres, the meaning to this term is that it is aimed at a teenage female audience.

Shojo anime or manga is always has a female lead character, a romantic substory, and sometimes mingled with action.

Hence, Unlike the Shonen genre, Romance takes a big place in Shojo themed-anime, also it can contain some elements of fighting and Sexual content.

10 Popular Shojo anime and manga: Clannad, Onegai Teacher, Fruits Basket, Ouran High School, Chobits, Maburaho, Toradora, Special A, Kimi ni Todoke, Kaichou wa Maid-Sama!

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Seinen Anime and Manga are targeting adults and older males.

So, Since the audience is older, the plot is full of more sophisticated, mature, psychological, satirical, violent, sexual, and dramatic content.

In other words, they are looking for a more mature audience.

 The general definition for the seinen series is that they look for an older lead, a realistic art style, a more perfect serious story.

Also, there is a stronger focus on the storyline than on action.

Characters’ interactions are also often more developed than in shonen anime.

10 Great Seinen anime and manga: Mushishi, Psycho-Pass, Black Lagoon, Helsing Ultimate, Rainbow, Berserk, Baccano, Ghost In The Shell, One Out, Darker Than Black.

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Josei Anime and Manga target women in their late teens on into adulthood.

One of the rarest forms of anime, a significant aspect of this genre it is very similar to seinen, as the concept is less idealistic and much more realistic.

the romance stories are more vivid and close to reality.

And involving the everyday lives of females, Josei is aiming for older women, as it’s often written by women too.

10 Josei anime and manga: Nana, Chihayafuru, Dead Girls, Gokusen, Honey and clover, Paradise Kiss, Nodame cantabille, Red Garden, Ristorante Paradiso, Kuragehime.

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known as Robot Anime, the term means anything mechanical from robots to bicycles and Cars.

The robots in Mobile Suit Gundam are mecha, and so are the cars in You’re Under Arrest.

10 Mecha anime and manga: Code Geass, Eureka Seven, Mobile Suit Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Star Driver, Blue Gender, Guilty Crown, Great Mazinger, Gaiking, and Burst Angel.

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OAV / OVA Original Animation Video & Original Video Animation are interchangeable words used in the Anime industry to refer to animation that is released directly to the video market without first going through a theatrical release or television broadcast.

In the beginning, OAV was in Japan.

However, due to confusion with Adult Video and Audio/Video electronics this acronym was gradually forgotten in favor of OVA.

OAVs are generally higher quality than TV series because of a larger budget.

While an Original Animated Video (OAV) is one of the Unknown Anime genres.

It’s a creation for the direct to video market.

The meaning of Original Net Animation refers to Anime made to be available directly through the Internet.

Generally, almost all of ONA’s works are made by fans and independent releases.