Although it is mainly focused on teenage stories, it is a genre that has been gaining more and more space in the mainstream audience
Like other media, animes have a series of subgenres suitable for all ages and genders. One of them is shoujo, which, although aimed at a younger female audience, is quite successful in other niches.
The term shoujo, in Japanese, means “little girl.” There are indications that this genre began to appear in the 1950s, with publications of manga aimed at the teenage audience.
With the rise of animes, the genre gained more and more strength and reached new audiences. However, with the arrival of the internet and streaming services, it becomes difficult to choose just one to start following.
Because of this, we have separated here the best shoujo animes so that you can dive into this genre with everything.
Table of Contents
Sailor Moon (1992-1997)
Available: Netflix
Episodes: 5 seasons | 200 episodes
Did you really think we wouldn’t talk about this classic of animes? In Sailor Moon, we follow Usagi Tsukino, a romantic girl who accidentally discovers she is the reincarnation of a warrior who fights for love and justice.
This anime is a classic of the genre and was quite successful in the 90s, especially here in Brazil. It is ideal for those who want to start delving into the world of animes, or even for those who watched it and want to revisit.
Itazura na Kiss (2008)
Available: Crunchyroll
Episodes: 1 season | 25 episodes
The high school girl Kotoko opens her heart to a senior named Naoki, but this ends in a tremendous rejection. From there, the comedy unfolds until the point where the young girl’s house is destroyed by an earthquake.
While the house is being rebuilt, Kotoko and her father will stay for a while at a childhood friend’s house. Upon arriving there, they encounter this man, and also his intelligent son, who intends to go to medical school. He is none other than Naoki himself.
Ouran High School Host Club (2006)
Available: Netflix
Episodes: 1 season | 26 episodes
In this comedy, we follow Haruhi, a poor girl who receives a scholarship to a prestigious school. Thanks to her different appearance, she ends up being mistaken for a boy by the members of the Host Club, in a supposedly empty music room.
But her problems really begin when she accidentally breaks a vase and cannot afford to pay for it. As a result, the club members make her work for them until graduation.
Uta no Prince-Sama (2011-2016)
Available: Crunchyroll
Episodes: 4 seasons | 53 episodes
In this anime, we follow the young composer Nanami Haruka and her routine at a school that trains young pop idols. She is then placed with a group of 6 boys, but to complicate her situation, the institution has a very strict rule: students cannot date.
The anime plays a lot with the romanticized concept of dating young pop icons from Korean and Japanese groups, which ends up adding a new layer to the work.
My Little Monster | Tonari No Kaibutsu-Kun (2012)
Available: Crunchyroll
Episodes: 1 season | 13 episodes
When the apathetic Mizutani Shizuku is sent to deliver some booklets to Yoshida Haru, who has not been going to school due to a fight on the first day, the two end up getting very close to each other.
As the episodes go by and we get to know the two, a beautiful story of friendship (and why not love?) blossoms between them, addressing themes such as difficulty in relating to others and even to oneself.
Sakura Card Captors (1998-2000)
Available: Anime sites
Episodes: 3 seasons | 70 episodes
Another classic of shoujo animes, we follow the story of Sakura, a 10-year-old girl who, after opening a mysterious book, spreads 52 magical cards throughout her city. With that, she needs to transform into a young warrior hunter and capture the cards again before they cause more destruction.
The anime has gained several continuations and other derivative works over the years. However, the original is still worth watching not only for those who like the genre but also for those who enjoy more classic animations.
Fruits Basket (2001)
Available: Crunchyroll
Episodes: 1 season | 26 episodes
After her mother dies, Tooru goes to live with her grandfather, but since his house needs renovations, she ends up living alone in a tent. Nearby, a classmate and his cousin live.
As time goes by, she discovers a curse of the boy’s family: when they hug someone of the opposite sex, they turn into an animal of the Chinese zodiac.
Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You (2009-2010)
Available: Netflix
Episodes: 2 seasons | 38 episodes
Here we follow 15-year-old Sawako Kuronuma, who has a nickname given by her classmates of Sadako (the character we know here in Brazil as Samara, from the horror movies ‘The Ring’).
Although she is sweet and kind, everyone is afraid of her. Until the popular boy Kazehaya starts talking to her, and then everything changes. For the better.
My Love Story!! (2015)
Available: Crunchyroll
Episodes: 1 season | 24 episodes
This is a shoujo quite different from the usual. Instead of focusing on a girl’s emotions, it is a boy who is the main focus of the story. In it, we meet the tall and muscular Takeo and his gentle and handsome friend Makoto.
Due to his enormous size, Takeo ends up intimidating all the girls, who prefer to be with his friend. So he ends up falling in love with Rinko, but, in his inferiority complex, he thinks she is in love with Makoto and does everything to bring the two together.
Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun (2020)
Available: Anime sites
Episodes: 1 season | 12 episodes
Based on a school urban legend, it centers on the story of a girl who haunts the school bathrooms but can also grant any wish that the person asks for.
With that, we see Nene, who conjures the spirit, but to her surprise, it turns out to be a boy. With that, she becomes the ghost’s assistant and ends up getting to know new aspects of the entity’s personality, getting closer to him.
Leave a Reply