Shojo anime research

1. Tohru Honda
from Fruits
Basket:
A case study
of the Shojo
anime genre
• In the context of the feminist
movement, Shojo anime is an
interesting point of study
because its function as a vehicle
for either pro-feminist ideals or
anti-feminist ideals is contested
among the research that has
been done so far
• As anime continues to grow in
popularity, especially in the
West, its effect on viewers’
social, personal, and sexual
desires along with their
perception of gender norms is
deserving of study

2. My Hypothesis
 The Shojo genre of anime perpetuates a backwards
feminist ideal by creating wishful identification
between its primarily female audience and a female
heroine who embodies qualities such as domesticity,
being nurturing, being friendly, and being
concerned with interpersonal
relationships/emotions(all qualities which fit the
stereotypical homemaker woman) both physically
and in their interactions. This wishful identification is
built through persuasive film qualities such as
beautiful characters and environments, envy worthy
heroine situations, popularity/likability of the
heroine, and the escapism effect.
Delicate body and face!
Domestic and nurturing nature!

3. Investigative Questions
 Does a heterosexual romantic relationship paired with the Shojo heroine archetype perpetuate
outdated stereotypes for women? As opposed to a Shojo with no romance
 Is Shojo anime perceived differently in the west vs. the east? Is feminism defined differently from
west to east?
 How has the history behind the creation of the Shojo genre shaped Shojo anime today?-sexist
roots?
 How does Shojo anime justify/combat this stereotypical female character to a point where other
scholars believe Shojo to be pro-feminist? i.e where is the point of contention?
TIP: following four slides will
begin answering these
questions in order, please click
back and fourth!

4. Heterosexual romantic relationships in Shojo
Manga
SOURCES TO COUNTER
 “Grotesque Cuteness of Shōjo Representations of Goth-Loli in
Japanese Contemporary TV Anime”
 “Girls Return Home: Portrayal of Femininity in Popular Japanese
Girls' Manga and Anime Texts during the 1990s in Hana Yori
Dango and Fruits Basket.”
 Japanese Visual Culture: Explorations in the World of Manga
and Anime
SUPPORTER SOURCE
• Anime Pleasures as a Playground of Sexuality, Power, and
Resistance.”
All of these sources argue that Shojo
anime is non-sexualized as it is about
girls or because it focuses on topics
completely unrelated to sexual
relationships-sometimes even having
queer romantic relationships and that,
for this reason, Shoujo manga is pro-
feminist because it shows an
environment where girls can be string
girls without men
This source does an artistic/filmatic analysis of
Revolutionary Girl Utena-an anime accepted as
part of the Shojo genre-and uses this analysis as
defense for her argument that anime IS a
playground of sexuality(and some of this
sexuality is tied to resistance) which brings up the
murky origins of sexual consent and gendered
power differences in the west. I plan to take learn
from this source’s analysis and apply it to Fruits
Basket, in order to counter sources that say
Shojo anime is pro-feminist
Analysis
type:
ART/FILM

5. Shojo anime in West vs. East, Feminism in
West vs. East
SUPPORTING KNOWLEDGE SOURCES
“Consuming Anime”- Source that looks at how a Japanese product(anime) affects western consumers’
perceptions of race, ethnicity, and gender(I focus on gender).
-This source acknowledges that western perceptions of a Japanese product differ from another culture’s possible perceptions, and
digs in to what these perceptions are in the West. Part of my argument is that the backwards feminist effect is applicable more so
in the West, and that contention surrounding whether the Shojo genre is pro or anti feminist is due to cultural misalignments.
“Grotesque Cuteness of Shōjo Representations of Goth-Loli in Japanese Contemporary TV Anime”
“[…]the stereotypical equation of girlish (Shojo) femininity with derogatory sexualization, values denounced as weak, passive and
unfavorable in many Euro-American societies”(210)

6. Historical roots of the Shojo genre-Historical analysis!
 SOURCE: Japanese Visual Culture: Explorations in the World of
Manga and Anime
-This source digs deep into the chronological events that led to the
development of the Shojo genre. Both political and social climate in
Japan, and the development of the Shojo art form/style which is
rooted in producing a delicate looking woman.
-Shojo(manga meant for girls) began as a way to justify separation
in the education system in Japan, and encourage a domestic
disposition in girls.
-This genre is rooted in sexist policy!
Early Shojo genre art by: Koji Fukiya

7. Why is Shojo anime considered pro-
feminism?
 All of my sources with the exception “Anime Pleasures as a Playground of Sexuality, Power, and Resistance.”
seem to bring up the concept that Shojo anime is a genre free from sexuality and gender power
differences/norms- ‘dystopia without men’ yet time and again I see contradictions to this and this is the base
of my argument. Unless the Shojo genre leaves behind certain character and plot qualities it is not fair to say
it does not perpetuate an antiquitized stereotype for women.

8. Conclusion
 New Frontiers: I address the gendered implications of the Shojo genre of anime, but these
gendered implications backdrop numerous anime that reference Japan or have Asian influence. I
wonder how these gendered implications may piggyback on and effect perceptions of Asian
women if viewers identify an Anime as ‘Asian’ rather than a general global story.
 My contribution: I give an alternative viewpoint on the Shojo genre. A lot of research reiterates
the positive qualities of Shojo in the context of Japan, while I will look at alternative effects of
Shojo on the Western audience.