Guide to understanding anime & manga genres
Anime
Anime is used in many countrys as an abbreviated term for animation, on this forum it is used to describe animations which are from East Asia originating from about 1917 to date. The main countys this includes is Japan, China and Korea. It is made up of both hand-drawn and computer-animated animations.
Manga
Manga is a very broad term used to describe comics/graphic novels which are from East Asia. The main countrys this includes is Japan, China and Korea. Those three countrys each has their own term for comics/graphic novels which their respective artists produce, with the art style and types of storys told been the major difference.
The general names given to comics/graphic novels, basied on the county of orgin is;
Manga - Comes from Japan.
Manhwa - Comes from Korea.
Manhua - Comes from China.
Genres
The same genres, are applied to both manga and anime, and it is a class or category of similar methodologies and themes in the artistic works. Genres often overlap and blend in with one anouther in both anime and manga.
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The following list, is a few of the most common genres in anime and manga.
Action
The artisitc work, tends to depict scenes of fighting, violence, chaos, and fast paced motion.
Adult
Contains content that is more suited to adults only. Titles in this category may include prolonged graphic scenes of intense violence and/or sexual contant and/or nudity. Adult manga/anime should not be viewed by minors or the faint of heart.
Adventure
The character/s goes on a trip or along that line. Uselly a quest of some sorts.
Comedy
Has a humorous and/or satirical tone.
Doujinshi
Fan based art inspired by official anime or manga
Drama
Focuses on situation or series of events having vivid, emotional, conflicting, or striking interest or results.
Ecchi
Has vague sexual content (skimpy clothing, partial/full nudity), but does not show sexual intercourse. It is often considered the line between hentai and non-hentai. It also tends to refer to fanservice put in to attract a certain group of fans
Fantasy
Takes place in a world that is outside of scientific explanation, it can include anything from magic, dream world, and fairy tales.
Gender Bender
Has character/s that become or act the opposite gender by cross-dressing, surgery, magical means, etc....
Harem
A series that involes one male character with several female characters that are usually attracted to said male character. A Reverse Harem is when the genders are reversed, where it involves one female character with several male characters that are usually attracted to said female character.
Hentai
Adult sexual content in an illustrated form where the focus of the manga is placed on sexually graphic acts.
You get many sub genres of henti which include:
- Anal - Sexual intercourse in the anus (butt)
- Bara - Male x Male intercourse, but the men are of a large size
- Bukkake - mass group ejaculation on one on or more persons
- Hadaka - (naked) apron
- Chikan - (molesters on trains)
- Double penetration - Being penetrated by two penises
- Enemas - and anal cleansing
- Furry - part animal part human Hentai
- Futanari - women with both male and female sexual orgains
- Guro - Gore
- Incest - Sex with a family member
- Lactation - seeping of milk from a womans breasts
- Loli or lolicon - Lolita complex or sex with a female child
- manzuri - a Japanese term for female masturbation, literally meaning "ten thousand rubs."
- Meganekko - Glasses fetish
- Neko - catgirl
- Oppai - Breasts/Big Breasts
- Orgy - group sex
- Paizuri - intercourse with the breasts (intermammary intercourse)
- Rape - sexual intercourse with an involuntary partner
- Scat - poop
- Shota or shotacon - sex with a male child
- Tentacles - sex with the use of tentacles
- Transformation - Human Transforming into a Furry
- Transgender - turning from one gender into another
- Vore - Eating someone while having intercourse with them
- Yaoi - Male x Male Relations
- Yuri - Female x Female Relations
Historical
Having to do with old or ancient times.
Horror
Has scenes that inspires shock, fear, dread, terror, devastation, etc...
Kodomo
Children's manga aimed at 6-11 year olds. They tend to be moral and teach certain traits and behaviors.
Josei
Literally means "Woman", as it targets women aged 18-30. It tends to include romance storys with a more realistic and less idealized theme. The storytelling is more explicit and mature.
Lolicon
Representing a sexual attraction to young or under-age girls.
Martial Arts
Anything related to the several arts of combat or self-defense, such as aikido, karate, judo, or tae kwon do, kendo, fencing, and so on and so forth.
Mature
Contains material that is not suitable for people under the age of 17. Manga in this genre may contain seens of intense violence, gore, sexual content, and/or strong language.
Mecha
Involves large robotic machines.
Mystery
Unexplained events/situations that are usually solved by the character/s.
Psychological
Usually deals with the philosophy of a state of mind, in most cases abnormal states of mind.
Romance
Any love related story.
School Life
Having a major setting of the story deal with some type of school.
Sci-Fi
Short for science fiction, these works involve twists on technology and other science related phenomena which are contrary or stretches of the modern day scientific world.
Seinen
Seinen means "young Man", as it is manga and anime that specifically targets young adult males around the ages of 18 to 25 are seinen titles.Typically deals with issues of adulthood.
Shotacon
Representing a sexual attraction to young or under-age boys.
Shoujo
Typically involves romance and character development. Primarily written for females (10-18).
Shoujo Ai
Romantic relationship between females not having "adult" themes.
Shounen
Typically involves fighting and/or violence. Primarily written for males between the ages of 10 to 18.
Shounen Ai
Romantic relationship between males not having "adult" themes.
Slice of Life
Present day-to-day happenings that take place in a world that mirrors our own.
Smut
Deals with series that are considered profane or offensive, particularly with regards to sexual content, not necessarily explicit.
Sports
Anything sport related.
Supernatural
Involves unexplained powers/events that defy the laws of modern science/physics.
Suspense
Contains frequent plot twists or shocks meant to keep the reader guessing as to where the plot will go next.
Tragedy
Contains events resulting in great loss and misfortune.
Yaoi
Intimate relationships between men.
Yuri
Intimate relationships between women.
~ adapated from baka-updates and mangatraders
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