Battle ShonenThe classic action formula: a determined hero, escalating fights, tournaments, and power-ups.e.g. Dragon Ball, BleachCGDCT"Cute Girls Doing Cute Things." Low-stakes slice-of-life about a friend group just hanging out.e.g. K-On!, Yuru CampCyberpunkHigh-tech, low-life futures: neon cities, megacorps, and hackers.e.g. Ghost in the Shell, AkiraDark FantasyFantasy with a grim, violent, or horror edge.e.g. Berserk, Attack on TitanEcchi"EH-chee"Playful, suggestive comedy and fan-service. Risqué but not explicit.e.g. Kaguya-sama (lighter moments)Gourmet / FoodCooking and eating as the main event, often with dramatic "food-gasm" reactions.e.g. Food Wars, TorikoHarem / Reverse HaremOne lead surrounded by several romantic interests. A reverse harem flips it: one girl, many suitors.e.g. The Quintessential Quintuplets, Ouran Host ClubHentai"HEN-tie"Explicit adult (pornographic) anime or manga. Distinct from the softer, non-explicit "ecchi."Historical / JidaigekiSet in a real historical period, often feudal Japan.e.g. Rurouni Kenshin, Vinland SagaHorrorMade to unsettle or scare, from psychological dread to gore.e.g. Another, Junji Ito CollectionIsekai"ee-seh-kye"Literally "another world." A character dies or is transported and wakes up in a fantasy or game-like world. The biggest modern trend.e.g. Re:Zero, Mushoku Tensei, Reincarnated as a SlimeIyashikei"ee-yah-shee-kay"A "healing" style of slice-of-life made to calm and soothe you.e.g. Laid-Back Camp, AriaJosei RomanceAdult, realistic romance aimed at women. Messier and more mature than shojo.e.g. NanaMagical Girl"Mahou Shoujo"Ordinary girls gain powers and transform to fight evil. Can be cute or surprisingly dark.e.g. Sailor Moon, Madoka MagicaMecha"MEH-kah"Giant piloted robots and war machines, usually about the people inside them.e.g. Gundam, EvangelionMysteryCrimes, puzzles, and reveals that reward paying attention.e.g. Death Note, ERASEDPost-ApocalypticStories set after the collapse of the world.e.g. Dr. Stone, Attack on TitanPsychologicalMind-games, tension, and morally grey stakes over flashy fights. Converts people who "don't watch anime."e.g. Death Note, MonsterRomcomRomantic comedy: the will-they-won't-they, played for laughs and butterflies.e.g. Kaguya-sama, Toradora!Seinen (as a genre feel)Beyond the demographic, "seinen" often signals mature themes, realism, and heavier violence.e.g. Vinland SagaShoujo-ai / GL / YuriRomance between female characters. "Yuri" is the common umbrella term today.e.g. Bloom Into YouShounen-ai / BL"Boys' love." Romance between male characters, from soft to explicit (the explicit end is called yaoi).e.g. GivenSlice of LifeEveryday life, low stakes, warm and character-driven. Nothing explodes; that's the point.e.g. K-On!, BarakamonSportsObsession, growth, and teams you'd die for. You don't have to like the sport.e.g. Haikyuu!!, Blue LockSupernaturalSpirits, demons, curses, and powers layered onto the real world.e.g. Jujutsu Kaisen, Mob Psycho 100