Literally meaning “few years,” “shonen” (少年) typically refers to young boys under the age of fifteen. Thus, shonen anime and manga are aimed at that demographic. A lot of these anime and manga have a young male hero and are focused on action, adventure, and fighting.

What qualifies as a Shonen?

First, shonen anime is a category of anime made specifically for younger boys. Usually there is some type of main character, normally male, who has muscles, good martial arts abilities, and some type of ability to enhance their strength.

What makes a series shounen?

Shonen anime and manga are usually targeted towards young boys between the ages of 12 and 18, while shojo is in the same age range but for girls. This being said, neither genre is exclusive to boys or girls as all genders greatly enjoy both.