Genres and themes of Manga and Anime

A common misconception is that anime and manga is a genre itself.  This is very untrue!  Just like any TV show, movie or book, Anime and Manga have their own genres and themes as well.  In this article I will be covering the more common genres and themes and give an example series that fit the bill.  And since I can never miss an excuse to feature some art, I will post a few fan art's from the series

Action

Well, this is a common theme found in entertainment industry and anime is no different.  The action genre focuses mainly on battles and fights.  A prime example of an Action anime is Bleach

Adventure

This genre focuses on a person or a group going on a journey or an adventure.  They could be trying to get a magical device (like Indiana Jones style) or they are going on a quest to take down an evil empire (like Lord of the Rings).  In any case, this is another common theme found in the industry as well as in anime.  A great example of an adventure themed anime is Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Mahou Shoujo

Magical Girl.  Yes, this is a genre/theme of anime.  In a magical girl anime the main character is a girl that has super abilities to fight and, more often than not, they are to save the world.  They often have very colorful and intricate costumes and they will go through a long transformation sequence into this costume.  A classic example of Mahou Shoujo is <a href=www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyc…">Cardcaptor Sakura

Horror

Rawr!  I am the scary side of anime... ok, forget I said that.  Horror is just what you think it would be, a scary show or movie, just anime instead of people.  A good example of a horror anime is Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni.  Don't let the cute art fool you
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Psychological/Thriller

It could probably be argued that this could be part of Horror, but it really is its own category.  A psychological anime focuses on making you think.  Generally used in conjunction with the horror genre, but it is not necessary.  Elfen Lied is a great example of an anime that falls into this genre.
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Shoujo

Not to be confused with Mahou Shoujo.  Shoujo is heavily geared towards plot and character development.  Generally, there is no antagonist, but this genre makes up for that with heavy drama.  It focuses mainly on the relationships between characters and their lives.  A classic example of Shoujo is Fruits Basket
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Mecha

Giant Robots!  When I was new to anime, I thought that every anime needed giant robots.  Man was I wrong, turns out, its a genre/theme of anime.  In these types of anime or manga's, one of, if not the most, focused on point are the mechs.  The plot revolves around them, and there is a usually a lot of fighting with them.  A classic example of a Mech anime is Neon Genesis Evangelion
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Slice of Life

Ok, so I got that genre from ANN but honestly, I don't know what else to call this genre.  Its a genre that revolves literally around the lives of the characters.  Thats it.  Think Seinfeld.  What would you call Seinfeld?  Well, obviously comedy, but what else?  Thats what slice of life animes are.  A prime example of this genre is Lucky Star

Comedy

The funny side of anime!  Just like everything else in the industry, anime has a comedy genre as well.  Just like any other genre, it can leak into any of the other ones as well, and usually does.  This genre focuses on make the watcher laugh, and usually laugh hard.  A great example of the comedy genre is Hayate No Gotoku
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Science Fiction

A science fiction anime is an anime that focuses on, well, science and technology.  That can be machines, space ships, hovercrafts or whatever.  If its science, you can find it in science fiction.  A good example of a Science Fiction anime is Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

Harem

This genre is when there is 1 guy and MANY women who want this guy.  Usually, they will do anything for this guy and the guy is so utterly oblivious to their wants that it hurts.  A prime example of this genre is Shuffle
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Romance

The romance genre is just what you think it is, an anime that contains a lot of romance.  Usually, this is the romantic relationship of 2 characters and they never seem to get that the other one is in love with them (until the last episodes for some reason).  A good example of a romance anime is Kanon
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There you go, there are some of the more common genre's and themes found in animes.  And just like movies and TV shows featuring real people and books that have words instead of pictures, the themes and genres can, and often do, mix.  For instance, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is an adventure anime, as well as a comedy and mecha with a touch of romance.  

Anyways, I hope you found this article to be informative!