New day, new post! I've seen more than one anime article recently that doesn't know the difference between shonen anime and shojo anime. Since they clearly don't do their research, I'm here to explain for anyone who doesn't know. Shonen (also spelled as shounen and shōnen) is a category of anime targeted towards boys and young men, and the name literally means "young boy". It centers around friendship, fighting, and facing challenges. It's often a coming-of-age story for an outcast, as well. On the other hand, shojo (also spelled as shoujo and shōjo) is targeted towards girls and young women, and it literally means "young girl". It centers around romance mostly, with a little bit of conflict mixed in as well. They're not really similar, which is why they're too separate categories. Of course, boys can watch shojo anime, and girls can watch shonen anime. It isn't to keep anyone out, it just makes it easier to find what you're looking for. If I see a shonen anime, I know I'll probably like it because that's what I prefer. It's only called shonen and shojo anime because that's who it's targeted towards, but anyone is free to watch and enjoy whatever they like. I hope this has cleared up the difference between these two categories for anyone who didn't know. As always, I hope you all enjoyed this blog post!