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What Is Seinen Anime? Difference Between Shounen & Seinen Explained


seinen meaning
Credit: Pierrot

Seinen titles may not be as well known as the shounen giants, but some of the best gems in anime can be found among them. But what is the meaning of seinen, and what makes it so different from shounen?

Shounen and seinen might be terms you have heard of, even if you are new to manga and anime.

Along with shoujo and josei, they are often used in large anime and manga databases such as MyAnimeList to describe various titles – and there are often conflicting opinions about the correct way to characterize certain works.

In this article, we explain the full meaning of seinen and how it differs from shounen.

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What Are Seinen Anime?

Seinen Meaning
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Credit: MAPPA

The word "seinen" means "youth" in Japanese, but seinen anime and manga are those targeting young adult male audiences, with the female-targeted equivalent being josei.

Seinen manga can be works of fantasy, horror, science fiction, isekai, or any other subgenre you can think of.

The term usually describes the marketing practice and certain characteristics typically associated with a young male demographic (or in some cases older teens or men aged 18-45).

This does not mean that young adult men are the only ones to enjoy such media. As you will find out below, many of your favorites are actually seinen!

Some Examples of Beloved Seinen Anime

Seinen Examples
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Credit: Studio 4°C

Some well-known seinen manga and anime include Berserk, Hellsing, and Tokyo Ghoul.

Of course, since seinen works often come with specific expectations and sets of characteristics, some classifications are bound to surprise you.

For instance, Rozen Maiden, a relatively cute, if a bit dark anime about lavishly-drawn ball-jointed dolls fighting for the favor of their creator, was surprisingly serialized in a seinen magazine.

Believe it or not, The Apothecary Diaries, a woman-led show, is also marketed as seinen.

While dark, more cynical shounen titles aren't unheard of, very dark works, or those with excessive gore and horror elements will most likely be seinen.

Seinen Anime Examples
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Credit: OLM, TOHO Animation

Such is the case of Elfen Lied, though, paradoxically, Death Note was serialized on Shonen Jump.

Meanwhile, Banana Fish, an anime about two young men trying to survive abuse, gang violence, and the distribution of a deadly drug, was marketed as shoujo due to the tender relationship between the two male leads.

Interestingly, the members of the dark trio of shounen anime, are, as their name suggests, marketed as shounen despite their very dark subject matter.

Chainsaw Man, Hell's Paradise, and Jujutsu Kaisen have all ventured where few shounen anime and manga have, depicting gore, nudity, and death, with Chainsaw Man in particular being quite controversial.

So, what decides a series' label?

What Is the Difference Between Shounen and Seinen Anime?

What Is the Difference Between Shounen and Seinen
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Credit: MAPPA

In general, shounen titles tend to be appropriate for younger readers and viewers, especially those within the 13-17 age range. They may have teenage protagonists and be light-hearted in nature.

Even Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man have young protagonists, with a youthful worldview, though, of course, you wouldn't give the manga to younger teenagers.

The characteristics of shounen and seinen aren't set in stone.

The terms are often an over-specification of demographics that doesn't even describe the actual audience accurately, since viewers enjoy the same titles, regardless of gender.

However, there are certain characteristics usually associated with either shounen or seinen, making it easy to classify them mentally, even if their creators categorize them differently.

Shounen vs Seinen: Story Structure and Length

Shounen vs Seinen: Story Structure and Length
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Credit: Toei Animation

For instance, many shounen works tend to have a "monster of the week" structure and many fillers even when there's an overarching plot.

Think about the never-ending One Piece, for instance — a filler guide is needed for newcomers.

Seinen, on the other hand, tends to be shorter, often with 12 or a maximum of 24 episodes in a single season.

In the case of such seinen works, almost every episode means something and furthers the plot in unique ways to reach a conclusion that will sometimes be violent or sad, rather than overly idealistic.

Tokyo Ghoul, for instance, has very short seasons, while the slightly longer Monster is very dark and probably unsuitable for at least the youngest of the target audience of shounen.

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How Do Seinen and Shounen Art Styles Differ?

How Do Seinen and Shounen Art Styles Differ?
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Credit: Artland

The art style of seinen anime will usually be a bit more gritty and realistic, without the exaggerated facial expressions and funny moments often found in shounen.

Just like shoujo and josei, shounen and seinen can be useful tools in marketing. They can also often help viewers find more anime and manga to love based on what their previous favorites are classified as.

Even so, our understanding of anime and its genres keeps expanding, meaning some classifications are bound to fail anime and manga fans.

For this reason, it's important to approach (age-appropriate) works with an open mind and not let labels form our opinion about media we haven't yet consumed.

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