CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Peronally I started off a tyipical Shonen fan around 1996. Watching Dragonball & Transformers. At the time I was just starting to get into the anime art, and how the story runs. But after about 4 years, Shonen manga and anime has somewhat came repetitive to my taste. Maybe its just me or, there is a time in a anime otakus life where you just grow up and your taste in anime changes.

But I dont want to critizise shonen much. Because I know out there, there are many good shonen mangas/anime that is ment for older, and more mature anime fans too. For example Naruto bends the Shonen rules by staring a female main character. (Sakura as one of the main characters.) Which girls will tend to watch the show. (Shonen definition means: shows for guys.)

But havent you recently watched a new shonen series and just had thoughts that whats going to happen next? sometimes they are too perdictable.

Shoujo on the otherhand is anime/manga ment for girls (and guys). But then came along some hit Shoujo that star men, and other cool characters in them. That attracted guys. For example X/1999, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Fushigi Yugi, & Steam Detectives just to name a few. That involve more of a plot, characters emotions, with a bigger storyline to back all of it up.

But still I have grabbed two copies of Shonen Jump and read them and was pretty satisfied. Over the years some of the Shonen mangas changed. But some still stuck to the basics.

What is your favorite anime style? And why?

Shonen cause its awesome

I think the trend is moving towards marrying both shoujo and shonen elements together, like what you said, Naruto. I, just like many fans enjoy both shonen and shoujo. And companies wanna $$$$ in titles that catch both audiences. *ka chink* I do acknowledge that some titles are kinda predictable but I still think you can tell an unoriginal story if you're good at presenting it.

I like shonen but only if it doesn't get too heavy on gore, endless meaningless fights and unnecessary sexual themes. At the same time, I only like shoujo if they don't go overboard with the high school girl romance, super saturated 'kawaii'ness and soap opera drama. ^^

I'm quite satisfied with some titles that achieve that balance for me. However, I haven't seen anything with good Christian messages yet. ^^;

ummm...whats Battle Angel Alita? I think it's shoujo styled.

[quote="Mave"]I think the trend is moving towards marrying both shoujo and shonen elements together, like what you said, Naruto. I, just like many fans enjoy both shonen and shoujo. And companies wanna $$$$ in titles that catch both audiences. *ka chink* I do acknowledge that some titles are kinda predictable but I still think you can tell an unoriginal story if you're good at presenting it.

I like shonen but only if it doesn't get too heavy on gore, endless meaningless fights and unnecessary sexual themes. At the same time, I only like shoujo if they don't go overboard with the high school girl romance, super saturated 'kawaii'ness and soap opera drama. ^^

I'm quite satisfied with some titles that achieve that balance for me. However, I haven't seen anything with good Christian messages yet. ^^]


I agree with you on the companies.
And yeah, I don't like Shoujos that focus on that stuff neither.

I like Shonen over all (cause thats all I can draw )

Hmm... Let's look at my faves:

Lain (?I don't know... The main characters are female teens, but it's not really MADE for teens)
Onegai Teacher (Probably Shonen)
Kodomo no Omocha (shoujo)
Marmelade Boy (Shoujo)
Sailormoon (shoujo)
Kare Kano (Shoujo)
Psycho Diver (probably too mature to be labeled either, but Shonen)
Nadesico (shonen)
I, my, me Strawberry Eggs (??? Shonen, I'm guessing, even though there is a lot of romantic stuff in it, there's a good deal of fanservice that's definately aimed at males)
Boogiepop Phantom (It's not Shoujo, but it may not be classified as Shonen... Closer to Shonen than Shoujo)
.hack// sign (definately shonen)
Piano (shoujo)

A lot of anime can't be classified one way or the other... Most Miyazaki movies, for instance, can't be called Shoujo or Shonen. I don't think so, anyhow. Some are made for both Genders.

Bobtheduck wrote:Most Miyazaki movies, for instance, can't be called Shoujo or Shonen. I don't think so, anyhow. Some are made for both Genders.

Your right. He made his films for everyone.

As of now, I currently prefer Shonen more. But then, I haven't read very many Shoujo titles.

Definitely Shonen or a mix of both Shoujo is just to...... well it to Shoujoie (hmm I think I just created a new word ) Kenshin, Gundam, Raxephone, Wolf's Rain that type of anime is my favorite when it comes to manga I only read Shonen and that does have allot of twist in it and no where near as much repetition at least from what I read (this doesn’t mean I would never watch/read something Shoujo it just wouldn’t be my first pick)

A little of both. Perhaps more Shonen than Shoujo, but that depends on my mood.

Yes, as others have pointed out, a lot of titles are really a mix. I considered my Top Ten Favorite animes, and most of them were either a mix or shoujo. So I guess I generally prefer shoujo, but I really enjoy watching either if the animation and storyline are good.

shonen cause if you look at the anime i watch it's deffinatly shonen
flame of recca (shonen)
stellvia (shonen)
angelic layer (shonen)
shamen king (shonen)
naruto (shonen)
rourouni kenshin (shonen)
and for manga's definatly shoujo

I read a little of both in manga, but I guess a little more shoujo. As for anime, its mostly shonen or mixed. XD!!

I didnt realise anime was so stereotyped! I have no idea what animes are shonen and what are shoujo so u tell me what type I like best. Heres a list of my 5 fave anime movies/series:

Akira
Animatrix
Metropolis
NGE (no comments plz)
Black Jack

Which do I like best?

Shonen, big time. EDIT: I meant this in answer of Dr. Nic

I personally stay away from Shoujo because on a lot of them, I just don't like the art style. Maybe I might like a few if it had darker coloring (Alot are just too light and cute looking for me...) and not overly (as Whiteblaze said it) Shoujoie. It just like many movies such as Legally Blonde and all that... just ick for me. Those are just too out there for me, I cannot sympathize with airhead characters on getting guys and it is the same with perverts trying to get girls. I have to have some more depth, or I just plain gag.

What are a few Shoujo series that have strong, smart (or at least reasonably intelligent) characters and has little, if none, romance?

EDIT: I should say that I like what I saw of Card Captor Sakura.

Off topic: Is the animatrix even anime?

Yes, it's anime.

It was done by a whole bunch of famous Japanese animators.

Yep, I believe one of the animators who worked on the Animatrix was the creator of Cowboy Bebop (his name escapes me at the moment)

I started off watching anime like Gundam Wing and Trigun, so I was vehemetely opposed to most shoujo stuff for a long time (Sailor Moon left a VERY bad taste in my mouth), but now I think I like a mixture of the two, though I still lean a little more to the shounen side.

Very interesting, all of you. Personally myself, I am a Shonen fan going a bit Shoujo... But the only Shoujo I watch/read are Fushigi Yugi, & Steam Detectives, X/1999, Vision of Escaflowne, Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura. Otherwise I watch/read Naruto, Trigun, .Hack, Final Fantasy: U, and Gundam 08th MS Team series. Even some mixed-up series like Neon Genesis Evangelion, & Tenchi in Tokyo.

So personaly I am a fan of both anime styles.

EDIT: I just got more information and on Shoujo and personaly I am starting to really dislike the art style.. lol, (( no offence )) XP I searched for more information and on MOST shoujo and the art looks soo.. uhhg!! CCS looks soo Shonen!! ><x lol..

Overall, I have little opinions about either style. For the following, often-stated reason: the lines are blurred. For me, the distinction is irrelevant.

I don't mind shonen as long as it has decent character developent/interaction.
I don't mind shojo as long as it isn't entirely character based.

Other than saying that, I generally like the mixes between the two.

[quote="uc pseudonym"]
I don't mind shonen as long as it has decent character developent/interaction.
I don't mind shojo as long as it isn't entirely character based.[quote]

Same here.

NOTE: I also wanted to add, I watch Sakura Taisen as well, thats a Shoujo.

Your sig changes in every one of your posts when you update it, so no one will see your embarassing mistake. ^.~

Right

Myself, actually, I tend to lean a little more towards shoojo rather than shoonen (I guess my sig gives that away, although Ranma tends to attract fans in equal parts despite being published in Shoonen Sunday).

(Alot are just too light and cute looking for me...)

I dunno, I guess I prefer the movies I see to be darker and more violent/controvesial (not sexually controvertial thou!), but I kinda like reading BOTH types, the cute an cuddly girly characters in the novels always make it feel that little bit more like a comic. A little off topic but thats just me I guess...

If you compiled a list of my favorite anime, shoujo would probably rule (well, duh, I'm a girl no da) but my ever-favorite anime of all is Detective Conan, which is shounen...so...yeah...
Both styles are good. Shoujo tends to focus more on beauty, which I like. I like to draw shoujo, because I'm a beauty queen (j/k!) I just love the eyes...