An+Explanation+of+Manga+Demographics


 * Manga** is a very diverse field in the world of graphic novels, encompassing all genres possible for the media. The sheer volume of works can be daunting for new readers unsure of what they are looking for. How does one narrow down the choices? Where does one start in order to find an up-beat horror story or a flowery romance? The first step is easy, look for the demographic.

While true the essence of these demographics is to sell to specific age groups, much of the manga reading community treat these practically as genres themselves. The following is a basic explanation of each of the most common demographic styles.

**Shōnen**
Manga typically geared towards boys between 10 to 18, shōnen is the most popular type of manga in the world. Shōnen manga are typically stories with a great deal of action and humor, often with a male protagonist, though female leads are not uncommon. Many consist of coming of age themes or overcoming hardships. Due to their accessible plots, shonen is read by all ages and gender. The magazine //Shōnen Jump// is the most successful manga magazine ever made, and is printed in several countries outside of Japan. Akira Toriyama, creator of the Dragon Ball series, is commonly referred to as the artist that has defined modern day shōnen to what is is today. Popular shōnen examples are //Dragon Ball, Naruto, Bleach, Eyesheild 21, One Piece//, and //Shaman King//.

**Shōjo**
Manga typically geared towards girls between 10 and 18. Shōjo is the sister to shōnen. Where as shōnen manga tends to be boisterous and action packed, shōjo is a little slower, tending to focus more on relationships, such as the interactions between friends or romance. Unlike shōnen, shōjo artist tend to have a distinct style of fine pen lines and complex screen tones, though exceptions do exist. Character designed in this style are usually defined as //bishōnen// and //bishōjo,// or pretty guy/girl respectively. Famous examples of shōjo are //Sailor Moon, Magic Knight Rayearth, X/1999, Mars//, and //Basara,//



**Seinen**
Manga geared towards older, more mature audiences, seinen is directed towards men. These manga feature characters and story lines that have more realistic properties, the story of a businessman or the complications of war. The large eyes often associated with manga are less common in this genre. Due to the focus on plot and character development, many seinen are often mistakenly identified as shōjo. Some of the more popular seinen include //Chobits, Beserk, Akira, Ghost in the Shell,// and //Battle Angel Alita.//



**Josei**
Manga geared towards older, more mature audiences, josei is directed towards women. As with seinen, josei tend to be more realistic than shojo, such as depicting less idealized romance and the day to day life of women. Due to the more mature style of josei, many manga of this demographic tend to contain more sexually explicit material, though it usually doesn't focus on it. Some popular josei manga would be //Honey and Clover, Loveless, Paradise Kiss, Nana//, and //Gokusen.//

Links
Manga Here A good site to find manga to read. Almost all of the content is translated be fans. [|Anime News Network] A readily updated source of anime and manga information