Manga and Anime are known for a large variety of genres. In this article, we will look at what is Shoujo anime? How is Shoujo anime different from Seinen anime?

I always recommend readers explore different anime terms and terminologies to understand the Anime fully. Anime is a very vast tv or digital program backed by unnumbered genres and categories.

If one anime series has intense fighting with a roller-coaster adventure like Seinen anime, the other could have deep romance and intimacy. So let’s explore what is Shoujo anime and what Shoujo means in Anime.

What is Shoujo anime? Shoujo meaning in Anime

Shoujo or Sojo anime is the female counterpart of Shonen Anime and is targeted at the young female age group of 11-19 years. Shōjo (少女) is a Japanese term that means ‘Girl’ and is used to designate a social category of girls.

In Shojo Anime, the main protagonists are young girls that attract large female audiences. Over time, Shoujo comes with diverse subgenres, including comedy, action, romance, sensuality, drama, fantasy, etc.

In the early 20th century, broad journals targeted youths, including the initial Shoujo manga. Then, when Shoujo started to establish itself as a unique subgenre of manga, it has gone through a period of dynamic production that started in the 1950s.

In reality, the term “Shojo manga” denotes a demographic audience rather than a particular style or genre. Girls or young girls are often the subjects of particular aesthetic, visual, and dramatic characteristics.

This is the beauty of Japanese animation which has a specified genre for each category of fans. Target audiences are used to categorize the Japanese manga market, with the main subgenres – such as Shoujo for females and Shonen for boys – being separated by gender.

And age-based categories, such as Seinen for men and Josei for women. As a result, Shoujo or Shojo manga is often regarded as a manga that is targeted toward young adults and teenage women.

What is Shoujo anime history?

I hope you understand what is Shoujo anime and the meaning of Shoujo anime or Shojo Anime, now time to look at the history of Shojo Anime.

The first Shoujo manga ever written is Shojo Kai and produced in 1903 and followed by Shojo Sekai in 1906 and Shōjo no Tomo in 1908. Usually, the satirical cartoons in these publications were just a few pages long.

These were created by interns looking to acquire expertise in an attempt to eventually create political satire for newspapers. The period, during and over the 1900s, is known as the Golden period for Shojo manga and Anime.

The majority of Shoujo manga creators were women by the early 1970s, yet editorial roles at Shojo manga journals were still predominately held by men. However, popular national events like liberation movements, make turned into positive results.

In addition to being widely available in Japan today, Shoujo comics have become more common in English as time has gone on. Presently, the most widely read magazine for Shoujo literature is Ribon Magazine, which is produced by Shueisha. Also, read What Was The First Anime Ever Made?

What kind of Anime is Shoujo? Is Shoujo a romance?

Knowing what is Shoujo anime is not sufficient to fully grasp the meaning of Shoujo anime. Since Shojo Anime mainly referred to the female demographic with a female protagonist, viewers are confused about whether Shoujo is a romance genre.

Let me clear you Shoujo is not a romance anime but a female-targeted category that has a female as the lead role. Exactly like a male lead role in Shonen Anime, Shojo has females in all forms of action, comedy, adventure, etc.

The initial production of Shojo Anime, however, focused on the romance genre to target both boys and girls. With the expansion of the Shojo genre, we have seen more subgenres besides romance only.

Unconventional Shoujo manga like Banana Fish is a fantastic example that breaks the stereotype of romance. Lots of action is there in the series, which also touches on several Shoujo tropes and depicts a New York gangster as the series’ main character.

Best Shoujo anime to watch in 2023

If you understand what is Shoujo anime and what kind of Anime is Shoujo then these 5 best Shoujo anime are worth watching.

1. Orange

In Orange, Takamiya Naho is introduced. Ten years in the future, she received a mysterious postcard in the mailbox dedicated to her.

It is hard to dispute the legitimacy of the letter due to the flawless overview of the day, which includes the relocation of a new student.

Naho’s future self urges her former actions to take the correct choice at that moment, explaining how she laments several of her previous behaviors, specifically towards the freshman.

2. Banana Fish

A teenage squad commander looking for redemption is pitted against a mafia boss entitled Dino in the narrative. Among the Shoujo anime on the ranking, this is perhaps the best action-packed.

Ash and Eiji are the central characters of a criminal drama. The manga from the 1980s that greatly impacted Shonen and Seinen is being adapted into this.

3. Sailor Moon

A wealth of material that celebrates women’s liberation has taken cues from the Sailor Moon series. Sailor Moon is a unique anime since it was the only one on television at that time with a female lead battling the forces of darkness.

Usagi’s mission as Sailor Moon is to find/protect the Moon Princess while battling the Dark Kingdom’s terrible Queen Beryl.

4. Yona Of The Dawn

Yona, a princess who lives in the made-up country of Kuoka, is the focus of the story. Yona had a lovely existence until her father is killed and her cousin takes the kingdom, shattering everything.

In order to overcome her naivete and retake the throne, Yona must face some unpleasant truths; she is expecting that an old tale will show her the way.

5. Kageki Shoujo

Sarasa Watanabe had long wanted to join an all-female theatrical company as an Otokoyaku, a performer who performs masculine roles. Sarasa, the main character, is a happy and upbeat young woman who, in the opinion of others around her.

She seems to be too large and loud to be a professional actor in the opera realm. Nevertheless, she is adamant about pursuing her goal of one day being the greatest of the finest in opera.

Closing Words

Hope you got everything about what is Shoujo anime, what does Shoujo anime mean, and what type of Anime is Shojo. A female protagonist plays the lead part in Shojo Anime, which targets the female audience.

Indeed, initially, Shoujo anime was produced to illustrate the romance category including deep love and sensuality. Due to time, Shojo Anime expand the categories, and the main female protagonist starts involved in dark horror, intense action, fighting with goons, etc.

I hope you loved this article in which we talked about what is shoujo anime and the top 5 shoujo anime to watch.