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Shōjo

Shōjo: Encyclopedia - Shōjo

Shōjo or shoujo (少女 lit. young woman) is, in western usage, a style of anime and manga intended for girls (that may have some crossover appeal to boys as well). Typically, "pure shōjo" manga revolves around love stories and strong female protagonists; however, some shōjo anime and manga are more plot or action-oriented to attract a wider audience. For instance, a lot of older salarymen were drawn to a manga called Banana Fish for its hard-edged yakuza action (which is more often found in seinen manga). What kept female audiences interested in this work was a gentle relationship between two g ...

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Shōjo - List of shōjo anime and manga

Shōjo, Shōjo - List of shōjo anime and manga

Shōjo: Encyclopedia - Shōjo

Shōjo

Shōjo or shoujo (少女 lit. young woman) is, in western usage, a style of anime and manga intended for girls (that may have some crossover appeal to boys as well).

Typically, "pure shōjo" manga revolves around love stories and strong female protagonists; however, some shōjo anime and manga are more plot or action-oriented to attract a wider audience. For instance, a lot of older salarymen were drawn to a manga called Banana Fish for its hard-edged yakuza action (which is more often found in seinen manga). What kept female audiences interested in this work was a gentle relationship between two gay bishōnen lovers amongst all the violence.

Shōjo anime and manga often contain elements of shōnen-ai or even yaoi (sexual relationship between male characters), not to mention shōjo-ai and, recently, yuri (sexual relationship between female characters). The aesthetic of the bishōnen is very prominent. Another very popular genre is magical girl, of which the famous series Sailor Moon is a prime example.

Shōjo should be distinguished from bishōjo (pretty young girls); the latter term refers, somewhat confusingly, to content rather than target market. Shōjo is manga/anime for girls; bishōjo is manga/anime that has pretty girls, usually targeted towards a male audience.

Many shōjo titles are often described as dark and moody, which is sometimes counterintuitive from a Western viewpoint.

See also shōnen, anime and manga intended for boys; josei, anime and manga intended for adult women; and seinen, anime and manga intended for adult men.

Shōjo - List of shōjo anime and manga

Ai Shite Knight
Aishiteruze Baby
Alice 19th
Angel Sanctuary
Aquadom
Ashite no Nadja (Tomorrow's Nadja)
Boys Over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango)
Brother Dear Brother (Oniisama E)
Candy Candy
Cardcaptor Sakura
Ceres, Celestial Legend (Ayashi no Ceres)
CLAMP School Detectives
Clover
D.N.Angel
Descendants of Darkness (Yami no Matsuei)
Doubt!!
Fancy Lala
Fruits Basket
Full Moon (Full Moon wo Sagashite)
Fushigi Yūgi
Gakuen Alice
Glass Mask
Gravitation
Hana-Kimi (Hanazakari no Kimi-tachi e)
Happy Hustle High
Itazura na Kiss (Mischievous Kiss)
Kare First Love
Kare Kano a.k.a. His and Her Circumstances a.k.a. Tales at North Hills High (Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou)
Kodocha: Sana's Stage (Kodomo no Omocha)
Love Witch
Magic Knight Rayearth
Magical Angel Creamy Mami
Magical Pokémon Journey
Majokko megu chan
Maria-sama ga Miteru
Marmalade Boy
Mars
Please Save My Earth
Prétear
Pretty Sammy
Princess Tutu
Red River
Ribbon no Kishi
Revolutionary Girl Utena
RG Veda
Sailor Moon
Suki (Suki Dakara Suki)
The Rose of Versailles
The Vision of Escaflowne
The Wallflower (Perfect Girl Evolution, Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge)
Time Stranger Kyoko
Tokyo Babylon
Tokyo Mew Mew
Ue Wo Muite Aruko
W Juliet
Weiß Kreuz
Wish
X/1999
Yuuwaku Healing