This guide will provide you with all of the necessary information on the word seinen, including its definition and translation, origin, examples, and more!
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Kevin
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August 26, 2021
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Common Questions
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What does the word seinen mean?
According to Honey’s Anime, seinen (青年) is a genre of anime and manga that is targeted toward male young adult and college males, and has more mature content than something like shounen anime which is targeted toward young boys. In manga, seinen frequently use kanji while shounen manga use furigana to help young readers who are not as advanced in their kanji study. Seinen manga and anime are targeted toward male audiences for young men, but not younger audiences like shounen anime and manga. While this is the target audience, viewers can be of any age and gender, from teens to adults, just like shōnen or shōjo/shoujo/shojo. These can be comedies, science fiction, high-school stories, and more. Young adult men often like the subject matter of these comics as they transition from a young male or younger boys to an older teen. The female equivalent to seinen manga is josei anime and josei manga. Young women and adult women may like seinen shows, but josei slice of life shows are marketed toward them.
Seinen anime are also usually aired in later time-slots, and often seinen is mistaken for having a dark, edgy tone containing brutal violence. However, these are more common in a shounen series. Seinen series have a complex plot and storyline, mature themes and content, and an older main character, as well as having a more cynical and pragmatic protagonist who is an older main character. The conflict is also a lot more in gray areas rather than good versus evil with a defined villain. Seinen also focuses on character interaction and dynamics versus fighting and battles. These anime and manga also have a more realistic art style, and even in sci-fi and fantasy seinen, the world functions closely to the way it does on earth.
What are shounen and seinen anime?
There are many different shounen and seinen anime. Take a look at these lists from Ranker and Ranker and see how many you have watched! Just because certain anime and manga are targeted toward different audiences, this does not mean that a person from a different demographic may not enjoy seinen or shounen. What is your favorite form of anime? Do you have a specific genre of manga you like best?
Seinen Anime
- Berserk
- Monster
- Parasyte: the Maxin
- Cowboy Bebop
- Steins;Gate
- Vinland Saga
- Code Geass
- Psycho-Pass
- One Punch Man
- Hellsing Ultimate
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Ultra Jump
- Black Lagoon
- Death Parade
- Darker Than Black
- Tokyo Ghoul
- Ghost in the Shell
- Trigun
- Elfen Lied
- Ergo Proxy
- Deadman Wonderland
- 91 Days
- Durarara!!
- Another
- Baccano!
- Vagabond
- Samurai Champloo
- Gantz
- No Game No Life
- Future Diary
- Kill la Kill
- Jormungand
Shounen Anime/Shonen Anime and Shonen Manga
- Hunter x Hunter
- Naruto: Shippuden
- Attack on Titan
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- One Piece
- Naruto
- My Hero Academia
- Black Clover
- Death Notes
- Bleach
- Dragon Ball Z
- Dr. Stone
- Assassination Classroom
- The Seven Deadly Sins
- Haikyu!!
- Jujutsu Kaisen
- Fairy Tail
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Noragami
- Yu Yu Hakusho
- Fullmetal Alchemist
- Hunter x Hunter
- Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma
- Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
- Fire Force
- Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
- Soul Eater
- Bungo Stray Dogs
- Gintama
- Dragon Ball Supper
What are Japanese loan words?
There are many different words that come from the Japanese language. Thousands of words come from Japanese or Asian origins, we have many cognates of Japanese words in English, but we also use many loan words that you may not even know are Japanese. Take a look at the below list from Fluent U and see if you recognize any of these words! Try making flashcards or a quiz to test your knowledge.
- Typhoon – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 台風 (たいふう)
- Tsunami – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 津波 (つなみ)
- Karaoke – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: カラオケ (からおけ)
- Sake – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 酒 (さけ)
- Manga – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 漫画 (まんが)
- Anime – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: アニメ
- Otaku – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: お宅 (おたく)
- Emoji – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 絵文字 (えもじ)
- Origami – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 折り紙 (おりがみ)
- Shiatsu – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 指圧 (しあつ)
- Sushi – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 寿司 (すし)
- Tofu – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 豆腐 (とうふ)
- Ramen – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: らーめん, ラーメン
- Wasabi – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 山葵 (わさび)
- Teriyaki – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 照り焼き (てりやき)
- Karate – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 空手 (からて)
- Judo – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 柔道 (じゅうどう)
- Sumo – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 相撲 (すもう)
- Senpai – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 先輩 (せんぱい)
- Dojo – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 道場 (どうじょう)
- Sensei – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 先生 (せんせい)
- Samurai – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 侍 (さむらい)
- Ninja – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 忍者 (にんじゃ)
- Kimono – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 着物 (きもの)
- Yukata – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 浴衣 (ゆかた)
- Zen – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 禅 (ぜん)
- Shamisen – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 三味線 (しゃみせん)
- Haiku – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 俳句 (はいく)
- Futon – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 布団 (ふとん)
- Koi – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 鯉 (こい)
- Yakuza – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: ヤクザ (やくざ)
- Tatami – Japanese Translation in Kanji and Hiragana/Katakana: 畳 (たたみ)
Overall, the word seinen means a type of anime that is targeted to young men in their late teens and early 20s. These are often more mature than shounen. Do you like watching anime or reading manga?
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