Manga is the Japanese word for comics, which are read by people of all ages and backgrounds in Japan. There are many different types of manga, but most stories can be classified under one of the following different types of categories:

Kodomo

Kodomo is also the word for “child” in Japan. Thus, kodomo manga, or children’s comics, are created for children who are just beginning to learn to read. Eventually, the youngsters will move on to shojo or shonen manga.

Shojo

Shojo manga is created for young female readers, usually in their pre-teen or teenage years, who enjoy stories about romance, emotions, and social interactions. The protagonist is most often a young teenage girl, and the art style is often very flowery. Shojo commonly includes stories about magical girls and fantasy lands, historical romances, and high school dramas.

Shonen

Shonen manga is targeted towards young male readers, usually in their pre-teen or teenage years, and is often characterized by high-action, humorous plots featuring male protagonists. Stories about sports teams, robots, and male camaraderie are often classified under shonen manga. To cater to the male audience, the art style is less flowery than that of shojo manga, and attractive female characters, with large breasts and thin waists, are also commonly featured.

Seinen

Seinen manga is similar to shonen manga, but it is targeted towards Japanese men instead of boys. It appeals to a slightly older crowd, usually men into their 30’s, and, therefore, often deals with subject matter of a more mature nature. Graphic violence, for example, is not uncommon, nor are stories revolving around businessmen.

Josei

Josei manga, also known as Redisu manga, is the woman’s equivalent to seinen manga. It caters to an older female crowd than shojo manga, targeting women who are in their late teenage or adult years. It tends to be more realistic than shojo manga, depicting the everyday experiences of women living in Japan.

Shonen-ai / Yaoi

Shonen-ai and yaoi comics deal with male/male, or gay, romantic relationships. They are most popular, not among gay men, but among young female readers. Shonen-ai, which translates to “boy’s love,” often describes stories that deal more with emotions and relationships than sex. Yaoi is often used to describe stories where the sex is more prominent or the focus of the comic.

Shojo-ai / Yuri

Just as there are stories that deal with male/male relationships, there are also those that deal with female/female, or lesbian, relationships, called shojo-ai or yuri.

Hentai

Hentai manga refers to comics of an adult pornographic nature, where the primary focus is on explicit or graphic sex.