As you begin your manga-reading adventures, there are a TON of new terms, words, and phrases that you’ve probably come across. While you may know the basics, there are some words that may have you saying, “What the heck does that mean?” Well, this mega manga glossary is here to help you out.
There are a variety of words in this list, ranging from technical manga terms to specific Japanese cultural references you may have encountered before.
Why do some entries have different/multiple spellings? Not everyone agrees on how some Japanese phonetics get transcribed into English text. To make referencing easier, I included the various romaji spellings in which you may encounter certain words—and I also want to score those sweet search engine optimization points (*ΦωΦ*).
0-9
4-koma (4コマ) – a short manga strip, usually comedic in nature, that is composed of four vertical panels.
A
Ahoge (アホゲ) literally “idiot hair” – a strand of hair that sticks straight up from a character’s head. This visual trope usually indicates the character is foolish and/or serves as comic relief.
Aizōban; aizouban (愛蔵版) – a collector’s edition book that includes special features such as limited edition covers, higher quality paper, or a special slipcase.
Akahon (赤本) literally “red book” – cheaply printed books usually aimed at children. This term was used from the Meiji era through the postwar era.
Amekomi (アメコミ) – the Japanese term for American comic books.
Amerimanga – an outdated term for American comics that have been aesthetically influenced by Japanese manga.
Anime (アニメ) – the Japanese term for animation. In Japan, anime is used to describe any animated media regardless of origin. In the West, anime is used to describe animated media originating from Japan.
B
Bessatsu (別冊) literally “supplement” – a term widely used in magazine titles to indicate spinoff editions of major publications. For instance, Bessatsu Margaret is a spinoff of Margaret.
Bishojo; bishōjo; bishoujo (美少女) literally “beautiful girl” – attractive, youthful female characters, often depicted with idealized features such as large expressive eyes, slender physiques, and charming personalities.
Bishonen; bishōnen; bishounen (美少年) literally “beautiful boy” – young male characters with delicate, androgynous, or feminine features, often depicted with slender physiques, smooth skin, and elegant or stylish appearances.
BL – an abbreviation for boys’ love.
Boys’ love (ボーイズ ラブ) – a genre of media that features homoerotic relationships between male characters that are usually targeted towards female readers. In recent years, this term has replaced yaoi.
Buchinuki (ブチヌキ) – a type of page spread where a character is drawn over or overlapping the panels for emphasis.
Bunkobon (文庫本) – a pocket edition paperback book, usually printed in A6 size (approximately 4.1 in. x 5.8 in.).
C
Chibi (ちび) – a style of caricature in which figures are drawn in an exaggerated or superdeformed (SD) way, i.e. large eyes, short body proportions, and oversized heads.
Chūnibyō; chunibyo; chuunibyou (中二病) literally “middle-school second-year syndrome” – adolescents who have delusions of grandeur, often imagining they have secret powers in order to stand out from their peers. Popular manga that feature chūnibyō characters include Komi Can’t Communicate, Daily Lives of High School Boys, and The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
Circle (サークル) – a term for dōjin groups.
Comics (コミックス) – a Japanese loanword for comic books. In Japan, comics can refer to both comics produced in Japan and those produced abroad.
Comiket (コミケット) short for “Comic Market” – a massive fan convention that takes place in Tokyo, Japan, usually twice a year.
D
Dojikko (ドジっ子) – a character trope that describes a cute girl who tends to be clumsy.
Dōjin; doujin (同人) – a collective of people with shared interests. Sometimes, dōjin groups are referred to as circles. Doujin can also refer to amateur self-published works, including manga, anime, music, video games, and more.
Dōjinshi; doujinshi (同人誌) – an independently published magazine or book centered around a specific topic, such as a particular manga or anime, character pairings, themes, and more.
E
Ecchi (エッチ) derived from the pronunciation of “H” – a term used to describe erotic content without explicitness.
Edo Period (江戸時代) – the period of Japanese history from 1603 to 1867.
F
Flopped – a printing format in which manga artwork is “flopped” to read from left to right instead of right to left, usually for localization purposes.
Frame – see koma
Freeter (フリーター) – a Japanese term for people who work only part-time or are unemployed, excluding housewives and students.
Fudanshi (腐男子) – literally “rotten boy” – the male equivalent of fujoshi.
Fujoshi (腐女子) literally “rotten girl” – women who are fans or creators of works centered on male-male romance usually written for female readers.
Furoku (付録) – bonus or appendix material, usually promotional in nature, included with magazines or books. Manga magazines sometimes come with stationary, small toys, and other character-branded goods to entice buyers.
G
Gag manga (ギャグ漫画) – a genre of manga that focuses on jokes and comedic situations. Unlike story-driven manga, gag manga prioritizes quick laughs, slapstick comedy, and absurd scenarios, often with exaggerated facial expressions and over-the-top reactions.
Gal; Gyaru (ギャル) – a Japanese fashion and subculture known for its bold, glamorous, and rebellious aesthetic. Gyaru culture challenges traditional beauty standards in Japan by embracing tan skin, dramatic makeup, and trendy Western-inspired fashion.
Gekiga (劇画) literally “dramatic pictures” – a category of manga that is characterized by serious, dramatic stories and often realistic or cinematic artwork. Popular gekiga manga include The Legend of Kamui, Golgo 13, and Lone Wolf and Cub.
Gekiga Kōbō; Gekiga Koubou (劇画工房) – an artistic collective formed in 1959 that advocated for more realistic storytelling in manga. Members included Yoshihiro Tatsumi, Masahiko Matsumoto, and Takao Saito.
Gekkan (月刊) – a monthly publication or monthly issue of a magazine.
Gensakusha (原作者) – the original author of a work, sometimes used to refer to the writer (but not the artist) of a manga.
Girls’ love (ガールズ ラブ) – see shojo ai.
Golden Week (黄金週間) – a string of Japanese holidays that take place at the end of April into early May. Many manga magazines do not publish new issues during this time period.
H
Halftone – a printing technique that uses small dots to create shading, patterns, or textures.
Harem-mono (ハーレムもの) – a media genre that depicts stories in which many characters compete for the love of the main character. Harem-mono can feature female characters competing for a male character, male characters competing for a female character (sometimes called a reverse harem), or characters competing for a character of the same sex. Popular harem-mono manga include Love Hina, To LOVE-Ru, and Yona of the Dawn.
Heisei Era (平成) – the period of Japanese history from January 8, 1989 to April 30, 2019.
Hentai (変態) – a term used to describe erotic or pornographic manga and anime.
Hikikomori (ひきこもり) – a reclusive person who withdraws from public life to an extreme degree. Popular manga that depict the hikikomori lifestyle include Welcome to the NHK and No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular!
I
Idol – a performer that fosters a good relationship with their fanbase. Idols can work alone or as part of a group.
Isekai (異世界) literally “different world” – a media genre in which the main character is usually transported to a different dimension, fantasy world, parallel world, etc. through extraordinary means. Popular isekai manga include Overlord, How Not to Summon a Demon Lord, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.
J
Jidaigeki (時代劇) literally “era drama” – a genre of Japanese film, television, and theater that focuses on historical settings, typically from the Edo period or earlier.
Josei (女性) – a term that usually refers to media aimed at the adult female demographic.
Jōhō manga; jouhou manga (情報漫画) – a genre of manga that focuses on delivering factual, educational, or informative content in a visually engaging comic format.
K
Kaijin (怪人) literally “mysterious person” – a villain character who possesses special and mysterious abilities. Famous kaijin characters include Dr. Nazo from Golden Bat and members of the Black Cross Army from Himitsu Sentai Gorenger.
Kaiju (怪獣) literally “mysterious beast” – a giant monster or creature. Kaiju can also refer to the media genre that features these monsters. Famous kaiju include Godzilla, Gamera, and Rodan.
Kakugetsukan (隔月刊) – a bi-monthly publication or bi-monthly issue of a magazine.
Kamishibai (紙芝居) literally “paper play” – a form of street theater and storytelling popularized during Japan’s Depression and post-war periods. In a kamishibai performance, the storyteller conveys the story through illustrated boards and narration. Many early mangaka created illustrations used in kamishibai before transitioning to manga.
Kanzenban (完全版) – a “perfect edition” book, usually printed in A5 size (4.1 in. x 5.8 in.). Kanzenban manga releases generally contain content that was originally printed in the magazine run, including color pages, chapter covers, and bonus side stories.
Kashihon (貸本) – books or magazines available to rent and read.
Kashihonya (貸本屋) – a store that sells rental books.
Kawaii (かわいい) – an adjective used to describe anything that stirs feelings of love, care, and protectiveness. Read more about kawaii here.
Kemono; kemona (獣, ケモノ, ケモナー) literally “beast” – a term for anthropomorphic animal characters.
Kemonomimi (獣耳, けものミミ, ケモノミミ) – a term for humanoid characters with animalistic features such as animal ears and tails.
Kogal; kogyaru (コギャル) – see gyaru.
Kōhai, kouhai, kohai (後輩) – a Japanese honorific for one’s junior at work, school, etc.
Koma (コマ) – a single manga panel or frame.
Komaga (駒画) literally “panel pictures” – a term coined in 1956 by artist Masahiko Matsumoto to describe his cinematic comic style. This term predated the use of gekiga.
Kūdere, kuudere; (クーデレ) – a portmanteau of cool (クール), and dere dere (デレデレ), or “lovey dovey”; a character trope that describes a person who is cool, calm, and emotionally reserved but gradually shows a softer, more affectionate side as the story progresses.
L
Light novel (ライトノベル) – a book
Line (ライン) – a Japanese social networking and messaging mobile app developed by LINE Corporation.
Localization – the process of adapting a product or content to a specific region, country, or market.
M
Mahō shōjo; maho shojo; mahou shoujo (魔法少女) literally “magical girl” – a media genre that features young protagonists, usually girls, who either gain or possess magical powers and/or the ability to transform into a superhuman version of themselves. Popular mahō shōjo manga include Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, and Magic Knight Rayearth.
Manhua (漫畫) – comics or cartoons created by Chinese artists primarily for Chinese audiences.
Manhwa (만화) – comics or cartoons created by Korean artists primarily for Korean audiences.
Manga (漫画) literally “whimsical pictures” – comics or cartoons created by Japanese artists primarily for Japanese audiences.
Manga (万画) literally “ten thousand pictures” – an alternative iteration of manga proposed by mangaka Shotaro Ishinomori as a way to define manga as the art of telling stories using a multitude of images. This terminology was never adopted by the industry.
Mangaka (漫画家) – an artist who creates manga.
Manga café (漫画喫茶) – establishments in Japan where patrons can read manga and enjoy light refreshments for a set fee, usually hourly.
Mangazasshi (漫画雑誌) – a manga magazine, such as Weekly Shonen Jump, Margaret, Ribon, etc.
Mecha (メカ) – a media genre that features robots, often controlled or piloted by characters, that are used for battle. Often, the robots depicted in mecha media are super sized. Popular mecha manga include Mobile Suit Gundam, Patlabor, and Mazinger Z.
Meiji Era (明治) – the period of Japanese history from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912.
Mihiraki (見開き) – a manga scene, usually a single image, that extends over a two-page spread.
Moe (萌え) literally “to sprout” – a Japanese term used to describe strong feelings of affection and attachment to a fictional character.
Mook (ムック) – a portmanteau of “magazine” and “book”; a publication that often features high quality, glossy pages and artwork. Many manga and anime series receive mook companion guides that contain author and staff interviews, production artwork, character design sheets, and other content.
N
Name (ネーム) – a rough storyboard of a proposed manga.
NEET (ニート) an acronym for “Not in Education, Employment, or Training” – a person who is unemployed and not receiving an education or vocational training.
Nekomimi (猫耳) literally “cat ears” – a female humanoid character with cat traits, such as ears, a tail, or other feline characteristics.
Nico Nico Douga (ニコニコ動画) – a Japanese video-sharing website.
Nijicon (二次コン) literally “two-dimensional complex” – a Japanese term used to describe people more interested in fictional (two-dimensional) characters than real people.
O
OEL manga – an abbreviation of Original English Language manga; a term created by North American publisher Tokyopop to describe its line of manga-inspired Western comics.
OL (オーエル) an abbreviation of office lady – a woman who works in an office or corporate setting and usually performs clerical or secretarial tasks. Popular manga featuring OL characters include Butterflies, Flowers; Idol Dreams, and Happy Marriage?!
Omake (おまけ, オマケ) literally “extra” – an addition to a manga, such as a bonus strip at the end of a chapter or volume.
One-shot – a single-volume manga story that is typically self-contained and does not continue beyond that one chapter or installment.
Oneesan, oneechan (お姉さん, お姉ちゃん) – a term of endearment for one’s older sister.
Oniisan, oniichan (お兄さん, お兄ちゃん) – a term of endearment for one’s older brother.
Otaku (おたく) – a term used to describe people with obsessive interests or hobbies, including manga and anime. In the past, otaku was generally a derogatory term, but in modern Japanese slang, it’s more equivalent in meaning to nerd or geek.
P
Parasite single (パラサイト・シングル) – a Japanese term for an unmarried person who still lives with their parents after graduation and depends on them for basic living expenses.
Pixiv – a Japanese social media site where users upload original artwork, manga, and stories.
R
Rakugaki (落書き, らくがき) – a term used by Japanese internet artists to describe rough sketches or scribbles.
Raws – a term used by scanlators to describe scanned but untranslated manga.
Reiwa Era (令和) – the period of Japanese history from May 1, 2019 to the present.
Rental manga – see kashihon.
Reverse harem – a term for stories in which many male characters compete for the love of the main female character.
S
Scanlation – the unauthorized scanning, translating, and editing of comics from its original language into another language.
Scanlator – a person or group involved with scanlation.
Screentone – a technique for applying textures and shading to drawings. In the past, screentone patterns were transferred to paper using preprinted ink sheets. Many artists now use computers to generate the same effect.
Seinen (青年) – manga and anime aimed at the adult male demographic.
Senpai (先輩) – a Japanese honorific for one’s senior (at work or school), superior, or elder
Sensei (先生) – a Japanese honorific for a teacher, master, doctor, etc.
Serialization – any work that is published or presented in the form of a magazine serial.
Shinsōban; shinsouban (新装版) – a “new edition” release of a book. Shinsōban manga releases usually feature new covers, color pages, and other bonus content.
Shōnen; shonen; shounen (少年) – manga and anime aimed at the preteen and teenage boy demographic.
Shōnen ai; shonen ai; shounen ai (少年愛) – an outdated term that used to refer to the boys’ love (BL) genre. In modern Japanese culture, the term shōnen ai almost exclusively refers to pederasty and should be avoided when discussing BL manga.
Shōjo; shojo; shoujo (少女) literally “young girl” – manga and anime aimed at the preteen and teenage girl demographic.
Shōjo ai; shojo ai; shoujo ai (少女愛) literally “girls love” – a term coined by American audiences to describe media featuring non-explicit romantic relationships between women. This term was created to be a counterpart to shōnen ai and is now considered outdated.
Showa Era (昭和) – the period of Japanese history from December 25, 1926 until January 7, 1989.
Shukan (週刊) – a weekly publication or weekly issue of a magazine.
Slice of life – a media genre that focuses on the seemingly mundane or arbitrary experiences encountered by everyday characters. Popular slice of life manga include Yotsuba!, Ristorante Paradiso, and Himouto! Umaru-chan.
Sōshūhen; soushuuhen (総集編) literally “complete collection” – a special book format published by Shueisha, usually printed in B5 size (6.9 in × 9.8 in). A sōshūhen edition usually induces chapter covers, color pages, and other bonus content. Sōshūhen editions of manga also compile more chapters than standard tankōbon editions.
Speedlines – directional lines in artwork drawn to indicate motion.
T
Taisho Era (大正) – the period of Japanese history from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926.
Tankōbon; tankobon; tankoubon (単行本) literally “independent book” – individual volumes of manga.
Tobirae (扉絵) literally “door page” – a full-page illustration that marks the beginning of a manga chapter.
Tokugawa Period (徳川時代) – another term for the Edo Period.
Tokusatsu (特撮) derived from tokushu satsuei (特殊撮影), meaning “special effects” – a genre of live-action films and TV shows that heavily use practical effects, CGI, and stunt work. Many tokusatsu shows have manga adaptations, and vice versa.
Translation – the process of translating words or text from one language into another.
Tsundere (ツンデレ) – a portmanteau of tsun tsun (ツンツン), or “cranky,” and dere dere (デレデレ), or “lovey dovey”; a character trope that describes a person who acts coldly at the start of a relationship but gradually shows a warmer, friendlier side as the relationship progresses.
W
Webtoon – a type of digital comic that originated in South Korea and is designed to be read vertically by scrolling, making it easy to consume on smartphones and other devices.
Weeaboo – a Western term used to describe overly obsessive and often cringey Western fans of Japanese media.
Wide-ban (ワイド版) – a manga book format, usually printed larger than a tankōbon.
Y
Yandere (ヤンデレ) – a portmanteau of yanderu (病んでる), an iteration of the verb meaning “to be sick,” and dere dere (デレデレ), or “lovey dovey”; a character trope that describes a person who is caring, loving, and obsessed with their crush to the point of violence.
Yokai; yōkai; youkai (妖怪) – a supernatural creature, spirit, or being commonly found in Japanese folklore.
Yomikiri (読み切り) – (see one-shot)
Yonkoma (4コマ) – see 4-koma
Yuri (百合) literally “lily” – a term used in Japan to describe stories featuring homoerotic and/or explicit relationships between female characters that are usually targeted towards male readers. In the West, yuri generally refers to any work that contains a lesbian relationship or character. Okazu has an excellent glossary of yuri-related terms.
Resources Used
Academia:
“The Possibilities of Research on Fujoshi in Japan.” by Suzuki Midori
Books:
- Japanese Visual Culture edited by Mark W. MacWilliams
- Manga Manga Manga! The World of Japanese Comics by Frederick Scholdt
- Manga in Theory and Practice by Hirohiko Araki
- Bakuman by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
Hakutaku 
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