Animé the Japanese way
Animé: Japanese animation (also called Japanimation).
Manga: Japanese comics commonly referred to as Manga is usually initially released as part of a larger magazine, popular Manga is compiled into its own volume for later release. Most animé comes from a specific Manga, though it may be changed to adapt to television, much like a book that becomes a movie.
Doujinshi/Dōjinshi: Are Japanese fan made comics made by artists or writers who prefer to publish their own materials. Doujinshi are analogous to fanfiction or parodies and alternative storylines involving the worlds of popular manga or anime series. However, many doujinshi can also have completely original characters and storylines.
Otáku: Otáku is a Japanese term that denotes "obsession" with something to an extreme, possibly unhealthy, degree; it has come to stand for a hard-core fan, and especially in America, a die-hard animé fan.
Shoujo: Shoujo means girl in Japanese, and so shoujo Animé/Manga is written by women for young girls. Shoujo often highlights love stories within other specific genres: fantasy, adventure, drama, etc.. Some shoujo, like Yuu Watase's, Fushigi Yuugi (Mysterious Play) has become popular with both female and male audiences.
Bishoujo: by definition Bishoujo means Pretty Girl in Japanese.
Yuri/Shoujo-ai: Female/Female relationships in popular animé/manga titles.
Shounen: Shoujo's counterpart; shounen means boy. Shounen animé/Manga often has more violence and shounen plots tend to be focused more on war, politics, and science fiction along with some fantasy and adventure. Evangelion is an example of a shounen show, which has appealed widely to males and females.
Bishòunen: Bishòunen means, by definition, Beautiful Boy in Japanese.
Yaoi/Shonen-ai: Male/Male relationships in popular animé/manga titles.
Mecha: Mecha animé is your basic "Transformers," giant robots fighting each other type of show. Mecha is usually shounen, though there are a few examples of shoujo-mecha shows (Rayearth, Escaflowne, Sailor Victory, Sakura Wars). One popular example of shounen mecha is Gundam Wing, but that even has shoujo interest.
Hentai: Means pervert in Japanese. Hentai animé is basically adult porn, along with many sexual parodies of popular animé shows. Hentai is also called Ecchi.
The (o) is a polite prefix.
-chan : Used between friends or with someone younger than you. Also used between boyfriends and girlfriends.
-kun : Generally used for males, but can be used for females too or someone who is close to you as a friend.
-san : Polite and formal. Used for someone at the same position as you or higher. You would also use this with strangers if you didn't know them well. It basically means: Ms, Miss, Mr., or Mrs.
-dono : Indicates respect and is very polite.
-danna : A title used to address the master of a house.
-sama : Very high respect. Used when speaking about gods or someone like an emperor or king.
-sensei : Used to speak to a teacher or upper class man.
-senpai : Used to speak to an upper class man, roughly equivalent to the western concept of mentor.
-kōhai : Used to speak to an under class man, younger or less experienced students.
onee-chan/san/sama : what you would call your sister.
onii-chan/san/sama : what you would call your brother.
aneue : an old, respectful way of referring to ones older sister.
aniki : an old, respectful way of referring to ones older brother.
otouto : little brother.
inu no niichan : Souta's refrence to Inuyasha as "dog brother" or "dog-eared brother"
(o) baachan : (familiar) "grandmother" or "old woman"
babaa : rude way of referring to an older women i.e. "old hag"
occhan : (familiar) "pops", "gramps"
(o) jiichan : (familiar) "grandfather"
jijii : (rude) "old man"
All series mentioned herein are © Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Sunrise, & Yomiuri TV. No copyright infringement is intended. Layout © 2003-2008 Angela. Textures by ofthesky.net. Best viewed in Mozilla Firefox. Site since: July 5th 2003
