What Are The 5 Anime Genres? (Classification)

Anime and Manga can sometimes be confusing to new audiences, especially considering all of the distinctive Japanese terms that are thrown around. In Japan, Anime technically means any animated film, and Manga is any printed cartoon, but people in the rest of the world take them to mean animated films or comics from Japan.

Seasoned veteran Anime fans could spot the difference between Shonen and Shoujo without even thinking about it, which makes it difficult for newcomers to keep up. Some consider Anime a genre in and of itself; however, it’s a medium and a subgroup of animation with many distinctive genres.

Anime and Manga share the same genres because approximately 40% of every Anime is assimilated from a source, i.e a Manga series.

With all of the different classifications and names of Anime and Manga around the world, here’re all 5 basic types of Anime as well as how to recognize them:

GenreSetting
ShōnenShōnen Manga is primarily marketed toward male teen readership. The themes in shonen Manga include sub-genre like martial arts, mecha, science, fiction, sports, horror, or mythological creatures.
SeinenSeinen Manga is aimed to attract young adult men. Seinen Manga mainly focuses on action, politics, science fiction, fantasy, relationships, sports, or comedy. 
ShoujoShoujo is the inverse of Shonen, which means “young girl” in English. Shoujo’s stories are more concerned with interpersonal relationships and romance than fighting and action.
JoseiJosei Manga is also known as ladies’ comics. The most popular themes of Josei Mangas are typically drama, romance, or pornography. 
IsekaiIsekai is a fantasy-based genre where the main character is teleported to, reborn, or trapped in a fantasy or parallel unfamiliar universe. Some Isekais even have beings from other worlds visiting Earth. Isekai uses world-building to develop an unfamiliar and adventurous setting.
Popular Manga Genres

What is anime?

Anime is Japanese animation that combines both hand-drawn and computer-generated.

Anime is a multifaceted medium with exceptional production methods that have evolved in reaction to new technologies. It usually mixes ups graphic art, characterization, cinematography, and other creative and independent techniques. In comparison to Western animation, anime production often concentrates on the detail of settings and the usage of “camera effects” such as panning, zooming, and angle shots.

Character dimensions and attributes can be highly different, with large and expressive eyes being a common distinguishing feature.

The Anime’s Evolution

The first known instance of anime, Namakura Gatana, was produced in 1917 and lasted only four minutes. It experienced highs and lows as it faced several national and global problems.

Anime has been used by a wide spectrum of artists to push boundaries and express stories. The genres that fall under this umbrella are as diverse as the art form itself. Many people in the West have preconceived notions about what anime should look like.

Artistry and styles appear to be without limitations, and artists appear to be free to express themselves artistically. Whatever the genre, one thing remains consistent throughout these productions: the approach is time-consuming.

Shonen

Naruto, a very popular Shounen
Naruto, a very popular Shounen

Shonen is Japanese for a few years and pertains to a youthful male audience. Shonen Anime usually tries to cater to all of the preferences of young males, typically teenagers and adolescents.

The majority of the series centers on a young male lead. Because they contain a little bit of everything, shonen Anime comprises some of the most widely known and popular franchises. There’re action, adventure, fighting, drama, comedy, and coming-of-age genres included in Shonen.

Japan’s occupation after WWII had a substantial influence on its culture in the 1950s and then beyond, which included the entertainment industry.

During this period, Shonen Manga concentrated on topics thought to appeal to the average boy: sci-tech subjects such as robots and space travel, as well as heroic action-adventure.

Some very popular and widely regarded Shonen Anime are:

Seinen

Berserk, a dark Seinen Anime
Berserk, a dark Seinen Anime

Seinen translates to a young man in English and is geared toward young adult or male adult viewers usually who are in the age bracket of 18-30. Seinen Anime typically follows the same narratives and themes as shonen but is more sophisticated and refined.

They cater to a more mature audience since they’re more violent, intimate, sardonic, or psychologically intense. It is popular with everyone from high school students to businessmen.

Weekly Manga Times, initially accepted for publication in 1956, was one of the earliest Manga magazines published in Japan. It was specifically aimed at middle-aged men, with erotic fiction, Manga, and yakuza stories.

So contrary to popular belief, Seinen is older and more prevalent than Shonen Manga.

Some very popular and widely regarded Seinen Anime are:

Shoujo

Shoujo is the inverse of shonen, which means young girl in English. Shoujo’s stories are more concerned with interpersonal relationships and romance than fighting and action.

The series is more dramatic but still includes adventure, comedy, and action. Almost always, the story’s main character is female. Shojo Manga, strictly speaking, doesn’t refer to a particular style or genre, but rather to a target demographic.

While Shoujo Manga has certain aesthetic, visual, and narrative conventions, such norms have transformed and evolved, and they’re not strictly exclusive to Shoujo Manga.

Nonetheless, several notions and thematic, both visual (non-rigid panel layouts, incredibly detailed eyes) and storytelling, have gone hand in hand with Shoujo Manga.

Some very popular and widely regarded Shoujo Anime are:

Josei

As Shoujo is the inverse of Shonen, Josei is the inverse of Seinen. Josei shows are aimed at adult female viewers and emphasize romance above all else.

They’re usually more pragmatic than Shoujo and showcase adult women. There’re more erotic, intense, and dark subjects in this genre than in others. They’re based on everyday life, but there’re also climactic heavy scenes.

While Manga directed at a female audience has a long history, as evidenced by the advancement of Shojo Manga, for the majority of its history, Shojo Manga was solely geared toward children and young girls.

The concept of Gekiga, which also sought to use Manga to tell grave and grounded narratives aimed at adult audiences, began to alter its status quo in the late 1950s.

By the late 1960s, Gekiga had become a mainstream artistic movement, and the inaugural Gekiga Manga directed at a female audience was published in 1968 by the women’s magazine Josei Seven.

Some very popular and widely regarded Josei Anime are:

Isekai

Re:Zero, a textbook example of Isekai

Isekai (Japanese for other realm or otherworld) is a gateway fantasy and science fiction genre.

It encompasses novels, light novels, films, comics, Anime, and video games about characters who are transported to and must survive in another world, such as a fantasy realm, virtual world, distant planet, or parallel universe.

Isekai is among the most popular Anime genres, and Isekai stories have many similar motifs, such as a powerful protagonist who can combat most characters in the other world.

Typically, this plot mechanism allows the spectator to learn about the new world at the same rate as the hero throughout their quest or lifespan. The genre can overlap with LitRPG if the main protagonists are transferred to a game-like setting.

Isekai originated in Japanese traditional tales such as Urashima Tar?. However, Haruka Takachiho’s literature: Warrior from Another World, and Yoshiyuki Tomino’s television series: Aura Battler Dunbine, was one of the first modern Isekai works.

Some very popular and widely regarded Isekai Anime are:

  • Sword Art Online
  • KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!
  • Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
  • No Game No Life
  • Fate/Zero 
Isekai is one of the most popular Anime subgenres, and its stories frequently share themes.

Conclusion

  • Anime and Manga can sometimes be confusing to new audiences, especially considering all of the distinctive Japanese terms that are thrown around.
  • Anime and Manga share the same genres because approximately 40% of every Anime is assimilated from a source, i.e a Manga series.
  • Shonen is Japanese for a few years and pertains to a youthful male audience. Shonen Anime usually tries to cater to all of the preferences of young males, typically teenagers and adolescents.
  • Seinen translates to a young man in English and is geared toward young adults or male adult viewers. Seinen Anime typically follows the same narratives and themes as shonen but is more sophisticated and refined.
  • Shoujo is the inverse of Shonen, which means young girl in English. Shoujo’s stories are more concerned with interpersonal relationships and romance than fighting and action.
  • As Shoujo is the inverse of Shonen, Josei is the inverse of Seinen. Josei shows are aimed at adult female viewers and emphasize romance above all else.
  • Isekai (Japanese for other realm or otherworld) is a gateway fantasy and science fiction genre.

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