Your List of Manga Terms
If you have just gotten into manga, or Japanese comics, you will find that you are definitely enjoying the storylines, but you might be a little bit confused by some of the terms out there. What’s a chibi, and what should you know if you pick up a manga that is labeled as yaoi? If you are a little bit confused by some of the terms flying around, take a look below for some help in figuring out what they are talking about!
Bishonen- literally, beautiful boy. In many if not all comics for young girls, the males are drawn to be extremely attractive, and especially beautiful boys are known, by both fans and other characters, as bishonen. Touga Kiryuu from Revolutionary Girl Utena and Yuki Sohma from Fruits Basket might both be considered bishonen.
Chibi- Japanese word meaning small. Chibi usually denotes a style where usually full-sized characters are drawn small, chubby and cute. This can be done to express embarrassment, comedic rage or other strong emotions played for comedic effect.
Dojinshi- fan-made comics that are not part of the ‘real’ storyline Most dojinshi don’t make it over to the United States in an official capacity, but you can find them at anime conventions or scanned online.
Ecchi- pornographic material or perversion. This has the exact same meaning as hentai and is derived from the English pronunciation of the letter “H” in hentai.
Fan service- something put into the manga specifically to entertain or titillate the fans. While some forms of fan service border on the pornographic, like having a character’s skirt flip up or showing a panty shot, others are more innocent.
Josei- manga for older girls and women. Josei manga have more involved storylines and more adult themes. Hot Gimmick and Tramps Like Us are considered Josei manga.
Hentai- pornographic material, or perversion. Some manga might be considered hentai, though it can also be used as an adjective, referring to someone or something that is perverted.
Harem manga- a manga that features one person surrounded by attractive members of the opposite sex. While it is primarily a situation where a male is surrounded by many beautiful females, the situation can be reversed. Love Hina and Tenchi Muyo are examples of a male surrounded by females, while Fushigi Yuugi is a female example.
Idol- a pop singer. In Japan, there is a lot of attention given to male and female idol groups. In the manga Gintama, the character of Otsuu is both played straight as an idol who is admired by the public and works to parody the sometimes excessively nonsensical nature of the life of an idol and the lyrics they sing.
Manga- Japanese comics.
Mangaka- manga creators. In Japan, one person provides both the art and the writing for a title. Mangaka often make themselves known to the audience in sidebars to the comic or in afterwards.
Mecha- related to robots or technology. There are many series that involve the piloting of enormous robots for combat purposes. They are a staple of shonen manga.
Otaku- person who is deeply devoted to anime and manga culture. In Japan, this is definitely a term used as an insult, while in America, many people wear this label as a sign of pride.
Omake- literally, gift. In manga, omake usually refer to extras, usually comedic, that are added to the end of a volume. For instance, at the end of the serious manga series Full Metal Alchemist, there are often a series of short, funny cartoons that show the characters acting quite out of character.
Seinen- manga for older boys or men. Seinen manga will often depict mature storylines and can feature pornographic content. Some examples of seinen manga include Berserk and Elfen Lied.
Shinigami- death god. Deriving from the Western interpretation of Death as an actual person or entity, you will often see many takes on death gods in manga. Shinigami are main characters in both Bleach and Death Note.
Shojo- manga for young girls. Shojo manga typically consists of romantic situations and can contain drama or fantasy elements. Some shojo titles include Revolutionary Girl Utena and Cardcaptor Sakura.
Shojo ai – literally, girls love manga. Shojo ai is a genre featuring two young girls in a romantic relationship. Some shojo ai manga include Gakuen Alice and Cardcaptor Sakura
Shonen- manga for young boys. Shonen manga will tend towards more action packed storylines and high adventure tales. Gintama, Bleach and Naruto are all shonen manga.
Shonen ai- literally, boy love manga. Shonen ai manga features relationship and romance between two males. Some titles that are considered shonen ai would include Loveless and Antique Bakery.
Sweatdrop- a large, cartoonish sweatdrop that can appear beside a character’s face. A sweatdrop usually indicates that a character is feeling embarrassed, either of herself or for another character. It can also symbolize disbelief or discomfort.
Tankobon- a paperback-sized volume collecting chapters of a single manga. In Japan, most manga are published in weekly installments along with several other titles. A tankobon collects all the chapters of a specific title.
Yaoi- manga about two men in a romantic relationship. Yaoi manga will feature more adult themes than shonen ai manga, and it can feature pornographic images and strong violence. Necratoholic and Yellow are two fairly well known yaoi titles.
Yankee- punk or thug. In manga, a yankee is a young character who defies authority and may run around with gangs. Uotani Arisa from Fruits Basket is a former Yankee.
Yuri- manga about two women in a romantic relationship. Yuri manga is a more adult version of shojo ai, and will feature lesbian relationships in a darker and more graphic light. Some examples of yuri manga include Strawberry Panic and Miyuki-chan in Wonderland.
