<p>The answer isn't really more technical than that. It's just the target demographic. The difference between a shonen manga and a seinen manga, for example, is often just a matter of which magazine it's published in.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-02T23:22:34.323Z
2013-02-02T23:22:34.323Z
user1408
<p>There isn't much to add to your concise classification, really.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Shōjo</p>

<p>The word itself (<strong>少女</strong>) is used to refer to a young woman, approximately 8-17 years old. Right as you might think, Shōjo manga and anime have them as target audience. Shōjo isn't limited to any particular style or styles, it's only defined by the target demographic. </p></li>
<li><p>Shōnen</p>

<p>This kanji (<strong>少年</strong>) is used to refer to boys from elementary school to grade school age. Shōnen manga and anime are obviously designed for them as target audience. </p></li>
<li><p>Seinen</p>

<p>Seinen manga and anime are designed for male audience too, but this subset of manga and anime is made for people of older age, usually from 18 to 30, but the real audience can be even older than this with some manga. Such manga and amine usually emphasise the story and the character's personalities instead of action. </p></li>
<li><p>Josei </p>

<p>Josei manga and anime are for women aged between ~15 and ~45. They tend to be about everyday experiences of women living in Japan.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>There are also sub-types of anime/manga, which tend to be more specific, for example, mahō shōjo is a sub-type of shōjo that focuses on young girl heroes with supernatural abilities (magic girls, right...). </p>

<hr>

<p>Source: various wiki articles. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-03T11:11:06.053Z
One fun thing is that the target is one thing, but who actually reads the manga is another thing...
nhahtdh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-21T19:37:32.880Z
Are there any other genres? (e.g. targeting audiences older than 40+?)
Amelio Vazquez-Reina
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-03T08:09:26.643Z
2013-02-03T21:00:48.713Z
2013-02-03T21:00:48.713Z
SingerOfTheFall
<p>The terms "shoujo", "shounen", "seinen", and "josei" are used to classify anime/manga. I know that the general meanings are as follows:</p>

<ul>
<li>Shoujou: for girls</li>
<li>Shounen: for boys</li>
<li>Seinen: for men</li>
<li>Josei: for women</li>
</ul>

<p>What are the more technical definitions of those terms?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-02T19:45:47.213Z
By "technical definitions," are you asking for the target demographic classifications like age ranges or how they came to be named such?
кяαzєя
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-02T19:47:10.907Z
Target demographic classifications.
kuwaly
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-04T13:21:25.770Z
I always thought that it referred to the age/gender of the main protagonist! Good to know!
Madara's Ghost
<terminology>
What are the differences between types of anime?
# What are the differences between types of anime?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-02-02
The terms "shoujo", "shounen", "seinen", and "josei" are used to classify anime/manga. I know that the general meanings are as follows:

* Shoujou: for girls
* Shounen: for boys
* Seinen: for men
* Josei: for women

What are the more technical definitions of those terms?
**Tags:** terminology
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: By "technical definitions," are you asking for the target demographic classifications like age ranges or how they came to be named such?  
> **username_0**: Target demographic classifications.  
> **username_2**: I always thought that it referred to the age/gender of the main protagonist! Good to know!  
---
## 2 answers
### Answer by username_4 on 2013-02-03. Score: 20 | Accepted answer
There isn't much to add to your concise classification, really.

* Shōjo

  The word itself (**少女**) is used to refer to a young woman, approximately 8-17 years old. Right as you might think, Shōjo manga and anime have them as target audience. Shōjo isn't limited to any particular style or styles, it's only defined by the target demographic.
* Shōnen

  This kanji (**少年**) is used to refer to boys from elementary school to grade school age. Shōnen manga and anime are obviously designed for them as target audience.
* Seinen

  Seinen manga and anime are designed for male audience too, but this subset of manga and anime is made for people of older age, usually from 18 to 30, but the real audience can be even older than this with some manga. Such manga and amine usually emphasise the story and the character's personalities instead of action.
* Josei

  Josei manga and anime are for women aged between ~15 and ~45. They tend to be about everyday experiences of women living in Japan.

There are also sub-types of anime/manga, which tend to be more specific, for example, mahō shōjo is a sub-type of shōjo that focuses on young girl heroes with supernatural abilities (magic girls, right...).

---

Source: various wiki articles.
> **Comments:**
> **username_5** (2013-02-03): One fun thing is that the target is one thing, but who actually reads the manga is another thing...  
> **username_6** (2013-07-21): Are there any other genres? (e.g. targeting audiences older than 40+?)  
---
### Answer by username_3 on 2013-02-02. Score: 3
The answer isn't really more technical than that. It's just the target demographic. The difference between a shonen manga and a seinen manga, for example, is often just a matter of which magazine it's published in.
---
