shojo
noun
sho·jo
ˈshō-(ˌ)jō 
variants
or less commonly shoujo
plural shojo
: manga or anime intended primarily for girls
Manga was her life. The 14-year-old loved reading a variety of genres, including shojo, which was aimed at adolescent girls …—
Gabrielle Bellot
—usually used before another nounGabrielle BellotThis tale combines the romance/slice-of-life feeling of shojo manga with the action/adventure of shonen manga …—Thomas Jonte
Thomas JonteFruits Basket is one of the most celebrated remakes of the past few years, and one of the best-received modern shoujo anime.—Rafael Motamayor
Rafael MotamayorThe word shoujo literally means "girl," and in Japan, shoujo manga is simply manga for teen and tween girls. The category spans a variety of genres, including high school romance, fantasy, and action tales.—Brigid Alverson
compare shonen
Brigid AlversonExamples of shojo in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The series, adapted from a shojo manga – a category of Japanese comics primarily targeting teenage girls and typically focusing on romance and emotional relationships – has amassed 1.2 million copies in circulation and 53 million page views on girls’ manga app Manga Mee as of December 2024.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Jan. 2025
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Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shojo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shojo. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
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