Shōnen

is a Japanese word used in English to refer to manga intended for boys. Examples include Dragon Ball, Rurouni Kenshin, Pokémon, Bleach, One Piece, Inuyasha, Shaman King, Naruto and Yu-Gi-Oh. Shōnen anime and manga is typically characterized by high-action, often humorous plots featuring male protagonists. The camaraderie between boys or men on sports teams, fighting squads and the like is often emphasized. Attractive female characters with exaggerated features are also common (see fan service), but are not a requirement; Dragon Ball Z, for example, has only a few such characters. The art style of shōnen is generally less flowery than that of shōjo, although this varies greatly from artist to artist, and some artists draw both shōnen and shōjo. Beyond shōnen manga, manga for men (university age and up) is called seinen manga. Despite a number of significant differences, many Western fans do not make a distinction between shōnen manga and seinen manga. This may be due to the fact...