For the shoujo girl inspired fashion popularized recently on social media, see the shoujo girl subtype under the Dollette page.
Shoujo (少女漫画) is a category of Japanese manga targeted at young girls and women. Although the art style of shoujo can vary from artist, there are generally distinct characteristics in lots of shoujo manga, such as large and detailed eyes, as well as slender figures on characters. It is often Kawaii inspired.
History[]
The shoujo demographic started in the early 1900s in general teenage magazines, eventually shoujo-only magazines would arise. At the time the demographic was mostly written by men, and the stories tended to be more humorous or melodramatic, scholar Rachel Thorn says that these early shoujo manga often featured "passive, pre-adolescent heroines in melodramatic situations, often involving separation from a mother." In the 70s, a lot of female mangaka started writing stories in the shoujo demographic, since a lot of them were born around 1949 (Showa Year 24), they are categorized together as the ''Year 24 Group'', these women would introduce darker and more mature topics to shoujo manga, which are often set in Europe, these stories were dramatic and often tragic. Individuals often grouped in the Year 24 Group are: Yasuko Aoike, Moto Hagio, Riyoko Ikeda, Toshie Kihara, Minori Kimura, Yumiko Ōshima, Nanae Sasaya, Keiko Takemiya, Mineko Yamada, and Ryōko Yamagishi.
Visuals[]
Shoujo mangas have many features in their art style that differentiate from other styles and genres, one of the most well known features being the eyes of the characters. Eyes in shoujo manga typically have large pupils, shading and highlights within the eye and on the eyelid, and small lines surrounding the iris to make the eye look more "delicate"[1]. Although the eyes are typically big, they are often times drawn smaller on male or older characters.