As an avid reader of manga, even I find myself having trouble navigating all the terminology. After so many internet searches over and over, you can’t help but just want a quick and easy guide. This guide is the perfect navigation tool for new and current readers.
Genres
Doujinshi – Fan-made comics
Geika – Manga aimed at adults with complex illustrations and narratives
Harem – A genre where three or more people are all romantically interested in the main character
Isekai – Speculative fiction where characters are transported to alternate worlds
How Raeliana Ended Up in the Duke’s Mainson is a popular Isekai Manga that follows a young woman being transmigrated into a novel where she is forced to fight against the plot for survival.
Josei – Anime directed at adult women 18+
Kodomo – Manga specifically made for children
Mecha – A manga whose worldbuilding heavily involves robots and/or mechanical evolution
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a mecha manga based around a post-apocalyptic future that depends on machinery to combat humanity’s threats.
Seinen – Manga created for young men 18+
Shojo – Anime geared toward adolescent girls
Shounen – Manga directed towards adolescent boys
Yaoi – A romantic genre that follows relationships between men
Yuri – Romance manga that depicts relationships between women
Character Archetypes
Bakadere – A character that is very clumsy and lacks common sense
Bishonen – A beautiful male character that possesses some feminine traits
Dandere – A person who starts out quiet but begins to talk more as they gain confidence
Himedere – A character who wishes to be treated like royalty by their love interest
Kamidere – A character who possesses a god complex
Kuudere – A stoic person who may be hiding their true feelings
Fairy Tail‘s Juvia is the maydere of the manga as she begins the series as a villain before her battle with Gray turns her over to the good side. Juvia was originally portrayed as a gloomy character and now presents as a love-struck fan girl.
Mayadere – A villainous character who softens after they take a liking to someone
Otaku – Someone who is obsessed with computers or pop culture
Sadodere – A person who only wants their love interest to suffer at their hands
Shundere – Someone who is sad all the time
Tsundere – A character who hides their true feelings behind a harsh personality
Taiga from Toradora is a known tsundere because she is constantly hiding her feelings for her crush with violent actions and an attitude to match.
Yandere – A character who expresses their love through obsessive and sometimes violent means
Character Attributes
Ahoge – A single long strand of hair that sticks out from the top of a character’s head
Edward from Fullmetal Alchemist has always been known for his iconic look, and that includes his long blonde piece of hair that stands for constant attention.
Chibi – A style of caricature where characters are drawn with exaggerated features
Kemono – A character design that features animal characteristics
Miscellaneous
Cultural Festival – The celebration of traditions maintained by a group of people or place
Moe – A slang word meant to express affection for something
Otome – A story-based romantic video game targeted toward women
Hakuoki is an otome video game where the female lead can choose a Shinsengumi member and pursue a romantic journey with them. The video game is also an anime that depicts only one route.
Waifu – A female 2-dimensional character that someone considers to be their “wife”
I’ve given you the tools, so now it’s time to use them! Don’t be afraid to keep this guide close when reading or watching.
If you enjoyed learning about bookish terminology, click here for Bookish Acronyms and Phrases and here for NSFW Romance terms to learn more.