by
Frank Sanchez
Frank
is co-webmaster of AnimeInfo.org and its main designer.
He also works for an annual Anime Convention in the
Midwest, Anime Central.
An anime/manga fan for the past 10-12 years with varying
tastes (including Ranma 1/2, Evangelion, Kenshin, and
Nadesico, among others), Frank insists that he is absolutely
normal, eliciting laughter from pretty much anyone who
meets him.
Hopefully
you've gotten something out of our little course on
shoujo anime and manga. Of course, the best way to really
get into shoujo is to have some "research materials"
on hand in order to study up on it and get to know it
a little better. Below are some recommendations of some
series that you can check out in order to get that "shoujo"
flavor into your anime or manga diet.
Name
of Series: Sailor
Moon Primary Genre: Action Creator: Naoko Takeuchi Domestic Release: Pioneer Story: Usagi
Tsukino is an underachiever - clumsy, a little
air-headed, shallow, and bad at school. However,
that all begins to change when she is granted
the power to turn into Sailor Moon, a hero for
justice and righteousness. Evil comes in many
forms, and it is up to Sailor Moon and the friends
she has and will meet in order to stop them from
overtaking the world - just in time for the next
day at school.
Name
of Series: Magic
Knight Rayearth Primary Genre: Action Creator: CLAMP Domestic Release: Media Blasters Story: Schoolgirls Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu
are all on a field trip one day whena mysterious
force sucks them into another world, where a captive
princess has appealed to them for help. Now, armed
with magical weapons, powers, and their desire
to save the world of Cephiro, the girls must fight
through many trials and tribulations to achieve
their goals and return home to Tokyo.
Name
of Series:
Peach Girl Primary Genre: Drama Creator: Miwa Ueda Domestic Release: Tokyopop (manga) Story: High school student Momo Adachi
hasn't had it that easy beacuse of her looks -
her skin tans easily, and that, combined with
her blonde hair, has gotten many people assuming
she's a ditz or a beach bunny when she clearly
isn't. Things aren't made easier by backstabbing
friend Sae Sasaki who spreads bad rumors about
her at every turn. Despite these hardships, however,
the fiery Momo hopes to win the person she's had
a crush on since grammar school. But what she
doesn't know at first is that the local school
heartthrob has his sights set on her.
Name
of Series: Fushigi
Yugi Primary Genre: Romance Creator: Yuu Watase Domestic Release: Pioneer (anime) Viz Video
(manga) Story: Miaka Yuki has always been a normal
girl living a normal life as an aspiring high school
student. One day, however, all that changes as her
and her best friend Yui find a magical book in the
library that takes them to ancient mythological
China. In order to save the land of Konan and go
home, Miaka must now become the legendary Priestess
of Suzaku and gather the warriors of the Suzaku
Seven together, but when she falls for the money-loving
but gentle martial artist Tamahome of the Suzaku
Seven, she may have second thoughts.
Hopefully
these recommendations will be enough to get you started
on the road to understanding shoujo anime and manga
a lot better. Shoujo is definitely one of my favorite
types of stories despite being a male, and many others
of both sexes feel the same way I do. The shoujo style
of storytelling has always been one of the most treasured
in anime and manga, and it's going to be around for
a long time to come.
by
