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Like other demographics, shōjo manga and anime titles are designed with a specific target audience in mind. In this case, mainly her teenage girls and young women in Japan. As such, it frequently focuses on genres and tropes typically associated with its biggest markets, especially drama and romance, from well-known and beloved classics such as: Rose of Versailles When sailor moon to more contemporary works, including deliver to you, Ouran high school host club When Yona of the Dawn.
Although many shōjo manga and anime please the public, they also have drawbacks. There are also works that seem to be lacking. Additionally, some girls’ titles portray emotional and sexual abuse between partners as romantic, or downplay the power imbalance that occurs between partners with large age and experience gaps. In that sense, the popular shoujo franchises below all have something in common beyond their core demographics.
Boys Over Flowers (1996-97)
Tsukushi Makino comes from a humble middle-class background, but attends the prestigious Eitoku Gakuen, where all the students are wealthy and of high social standing. In particular, four youths from Japan’s wealthiest families, known as the Flower Four or F4 – Tsukasa Domyoji, Rui Hanazawa, Akira Mimasaka and Sojiro Saikado – dominate the school. When Tsukiishi inadvertently went on the bad side, they relentlessly harassed and bullied her in an attempt to force her to drop out. However, she is determined to fight back in the same way, and eventually strong romantic feelings form between her and Domyoji.
also known as Dango over flowers, Boys Over Flowers The manga was serialized in a girls’ magazine. Margaret Serialized from 1992 to 2008, it has sold over 60 million copies and is listed as one of the best-selling manga series of all time. Unfortunately, both it and its anime adaptation are riddled with problematic storytelling and romance tropes, including Tsukimi’s love interest slapping, drugging, insulting, and humiliating her in public. I’m trying to be a “nice guy” but I don’t know how.Needless to say, their relationship is far from healthy Boys Over Flowers Presented as a romantic comedy.
Gravitation (2000-01)
Shuichi Shindo, an aspiring singer, aims for Japan’s next hit with his band, Bad Luck. However, things go awry as the studio deadline looms and Shuichi struggles to finish the lyrics. One night, when the half-written lyrics are blown away by the wind, they are picked up by a handsome man who calls them garbage. Angered and intrigued by this stranger, Shuichi soon discovers that he is Yuki Eri, a famous romance novelist.
Considered something of a “gateway” Boys Love/Yaoi series for those venturing into the subgenre, gravity Manga, first published in Shojo Magazine you and me From 1996 to 2002, North America was particularly strong. However, neither that nor the 2000-2001 anime adaptation is doing well today. He rarely expresses himself in a positive way to Shuichi, and for his part, Shuichi openly talks about himself for fear of offending Yuki. During that time, their sexual relationship descended into a stereotypical offense/underage power dynamic, with each of the pair setting up distinct dominant/submissive roles in the bedroom. , fetishizing queer romances for the whim of the audience.
Fruits Basket (2001, 2019-21)
Orphaned high school student Toru Honda finds himself living in a tent in the woods while his grandfather’s house is being renovated. When her tent was buried under a landslide and her situation was discovered by Yuki Soma, the “prince” of her school, and his cousin Shigure, they instead sent her to stay with them. However, Tohru soon reveals the secret. Yuki and the other Somas transform into one of the zodiac animals when hugged by someone of the opposite sex. They are determined to free them from the control that the mysterious Akito seems to have over them.
It is no exaggeration to say Fruit basket is one of the most popular manga and anime franchises of all time, both in Japan and the United States. flowers and dreamshas sold millions of copies worldwide, and both of its two animated adaptations have achieved mainstream popularity. Nonetheless, the character and relationship dynamics leave much to be desired. Conversely, Yuki is narcissistic, Kyo is overzealous to the point of violence, and even the older Shigure is overtly manipulative. It doesn’t look like much, but relatively few questions will make everyone look happy.
Vampire Knight (2008)
Seemingly polar opposites, the feisty Yuuki Cross and the surly Kiryu Zero are best friends and members of the Disciplinary Committee of the Cross Academy. Their role: To ensure order between day and night classes as the two groups of students alternate each day. What the Day Class doesn’t realize is that the Night Class is made up entirely of vampires led by Kaname Clan, who saved Yuuki from a vampire attack ten years ago. Not Zero’s, who passionately hates vampires and does not believe that the two races can coexist peacefully. It threatens to destroy all peace that exists.
Speaking of girl vampire romance, Vampire Knight It is often the most important in people’s minds.Started serialization in lara From 2004 to 2013, the 2008 anime adaptation is poorly paced and melodramatic to the point of unintentional comedy. twilight-The level of creepiness that the story tries to make it look dark and sexy. Yuuki is overcome with emotion whenever an unimaginably beautifully drawn vampire is involved, and is always portrayed as essentially useless at work. The love triangle between the naive zeros is hollow at best and downright disturbing at worst, thanks to its explicit themes of incest, sexual assault, and child grooming.
Wolf Girl and Black Prince (2014)
Peer pressure has led high school student Erika Shinohara to lie about her romantic exploits, claiming she has a boyfriend. Realizing that she had no choice but to explain herself to Kyoya in order to maintain the charade, Erika realized that he was the kind and respectful person he presented to the world. You realize that you are far from who you represent. He agrees to pretend to be her boyfriend, but only if she becomes his pet “wolf girl” in exchange. It makes you question everything they thought they knew.
Original serialized in Separate volume Margaret Animated from 2011 to 2016, animated in 2014, Wolf Girl and the black Prince (Okami girl and black prince) proves that not all problematic romance tropes disappear with time. Their fake relationship eventually develops into a real one, but his behavior does not improve throughout the story. Their relationship is just as toxic. Kyouya’s behavior and very personality are not only seen as romantic, but are praised as appropriately masculine, protective, and yes, “affectionate”.
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