Hello manga friends! On this page, I will provide a list of definitions of words often seen when talking about manga. Most will be specific to shoujo manga, but I will add any words that need a definition as they come up!
If you have a specific word you’re looking for, you can hit “control” + “F” on your keyboard, and type in the word.
Josei
literally means “woman” in Japanese. When talking about manga, a “josei manga” is a manga with university to working age women as its demographic. These manga tend to hold more mature themes when compared with shoujo manga.
Shoujo or Shojo
literally means “young woman” in Japanese. When talking about manga, a “shoujo manga” is a manga with young women as its demographic. Many shoujo manga are romance, but shoujo does not equal romance. Shoujo is purely the demographic.
Shojosei
this is a combination of the words “shojo” and “josei” in Japanese. This term is an umbrella term used when talking about both shoujo and josei manga. Typically, people use this term when talking about all manga targeted towards women. This term is more commonly used on the English side of the mangasphere.
Yakuza
this is a term referring to the Japanese mafia. Characters in the Yakuza will often be violent, have questionable morals, and tattoos. Yakuza families will often have connections to various businesses, such as host and hostess clubs.
Yandere
a yandere is a character with multiple personalities. On the surface, they present as a sweet, kind character. Underneath though, they tend to have obsessive tendencies. They tend to hide these tendencies best from the object of their obsession.
Yankee
this is a term referring to young troublemakers. In Japan, yankee are typically high school students with piercings, dyed hair, and no respect for authority. Yankee manga often involve fighting between gangs.
Maddies Manga 