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 noun

This tale combines the romance/slice-of-life feeling of shojo manga with the action/adventure of shonen manga …

—Thomas Jonte

Fruits Basket is one of the most celebrated remakes of the past few years, and one of the best-received modern shoujo anime.

—Rafael Motamayor

The 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

Examples 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

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Japanese shōjo manga, literally, "girl manga"

First Known Use

1994, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shojo

• mojo