Categories anime
- Action
Fast, thrilling, action-packed shows featuring fighting, blood, death and chase scenes. The fighting aspect of this genre can range from swordfights, fistfights, shootouts to tank battles, outer-space robot wars and more.
Following someone’s journey or travels. This genre is usually associated with action, as part of the journey is fighting to save another, fighting to save him/herself, fighting to find a certain object, fighting to complete a mission etc.
- Fantasy
A genre that uses imaginary, mythological or supernatural forms. There doesn’t necessarily have to be monsters or ghosts in a show for it to be classified as fantasy. Humans with supernatural powers, or people that live in an imaginary world can be elements of fantasy. Even if the main characters are not humans, they will usually still look like humans.
- Mecha
Usually deals with large robots used more like extensions of the pilot rather than weapons like tanks. It is usually associated with science fiction, but can also be related to fantasy, where the large robots are not actually robots and mythical beings, summoned by certain gifted people, for example.
- Science-fiction
Deals with advanced technology set in the future. Sci-fi is usually about technology turning against mankind, or some sort of alien technology that is threatening to end the world.
- Drame
In-depth character development and relationships. It is usually very emotional and some aspects are similar to love/romance, though drama is more sad and the relationships don’t always work out.
- Romance
All about love relationships and the ups and downs the couple (or couple-to-be) have. Shows of this genre usually have a happy ending.
- Comedie
The show must be funny. The comedic scenes are usually visual exaggeration: heavy use of exaggeration in facial features, body proportions and emotions. Can be associated with almost any other genre, though not drama.
- School Life
Revolves around one’s educational life, the relationships that develop, the school-oriented events that occur etc, and can be associated with almost any other genre.
Focuses on sport; the main character playing a particular sport and rising in status.
Set in the past and is usually associated with action or martial arts. Historical setting would seem to be the opposite of fantasy (history being fact and fantasy being imagination), but not all historical animes are entirely accurate, and can also have mythical beats roaming around as well.
- Musical
Similar to sport, focuses on music and the people playing it.
- Cuisine
Like sport and music, revolves around cooking.
- Harem
Three or more girls vying for the attention of a single, indecisive male. Anime of this genre often end with the guy not choosing any of the girls. This can also be the reverse.
- Arts martiaux
This genre focuses on, well… martial arts! It is usually about hand-to-hand combat, lots of kicking, special moves and swordfighting.
- Mystère
Detective stories, which focus on the unravelling of secrets and the uncovering of truth.
- Horreur
Features scary, deformed characters and monsters (usually of a supernatural origin), as well as lots of blood, murder and gory scenes. Horror anime are made as realistic as possible, which means no cute girls with large eyes and abnormal hair styles (usually).
- Ecchi
More of a visual style than plot, as it includes a lot of sexual humour and fan service (for males), such as bare breasts, panty shots and girls in erotic positions. Note: there is no actual porn.
- Shounen-Ai
Directly translated as ‘boy love’, deals with relationships between males. Shounen-ai is of a romance type, not gay porn (which means it’s different from Yaoi).
- Yaoi
Pornographic anime featuring men with men, otherwise known as gay porn, which focuses on the sex and has no real plot.
- Shoujo-Ai
Literally means ‘girl love’, deals with relationships between females, the opposite of Shounen-Ai but more common.
- Yuri
Although many sources will say that Shoujo-ai and Yuri are the same thing, they are not. Yuri is pornographic anime featuring women with women, and like Yaoi, has little necessity for story and focuses more on the visual details.
- Mature
Aimed at the adult audience, includes a lot of nudity and sex scenes.
- Shoujo
Anime aimed at young girls, which have more focus on plot and character development with idealised love stories. The age range for the targeted audience is quite broad, from very young to young teens.
- Mahou Shoujo
Japanese for ‘magical girl,’ it’s subgenre of Shoujo, but popular enough for special mention. Literally means ‘magical girl’, where the heroines get magical powers to fight against evil. Flashy costumes, wands and spells are a common element in Mahou Shoujo (and a bit more action).
- Shounen
Japanese for ‘boy’, it’s aimed at young boys, usually ‘fighting’ anime like action and mecha/transformer type shows. The age range for the targeted audience is quite broad, from very young children to young teens.
- Mahou Shounen
Japanese for ‘magical boy,’ it’s the opposite to Mahou Shoujo and less common, where the main male characters get magical powers.
- Seinen
Japanese for ‘man’, it is aimed at teenage boys and young men. It is generally more complicated and sophisticated than Shounen anime, with more psychological and sexual elements, and puts more focus on plot rather than action (if the show is also under the Action genre, which it usually is). In its character development and relationship side, it is similar to Shoujo, but is usually darker (more like the Drama genre).
- Josei
Japanese for ‘woman’, it is probably the rarest form of anime, aimed at young women. A lot of Josei shows also fall under the category if Yaoi (gay porn), but Josei anime can also be about families and mothers.
- Kodomo
Japanese for ‘child’, it is Anime aimed at young children (younger than the audience you’d expect to get from Shounen and Shoujo anime).
- Sentai
Japanese for ‘fighting team,’ it deals with superheroes and superhero teams, closely associated with the Shounen and Kodomo genres.
- Bishoujo
Japanese for ‘beautiful girl’, it is a very broad genre and can be used to describe any anime featuring pretty female characters and heroines.
- Bishounen
Japanese for ‘beautiful boy’, it is the opposite of Bishoujo, where the main male characters are drawn to be ‘pretty’ and ‘elegant’, which is a style that some Shoujo animes use.
- Hentai
Pornographic anime or erotica. Hentai itself is translated to ‘perverted’. Anything classified as Hentai would also be Mature.