Shojo anime is a genre targeting the young female demographic, associated with countless misleading stereotypes. Shojo’s reputation as a childish and boring anime category comes from its most prominent exemplars, good-natured kids series and colorful magical girl shows. However, shojo is a much more varied and multifaceted category than most assume.
In fact, some shojo series tackle profound themes unseen even in the most intellectual josei and seinen titles. Their cutesy, innocent visuals and artless premises are often only a misleading facade for sophisticated, thought-provoking stories. These shojo series surprised fans by being much deeper than expected.
10 His And Her Circumstances Is The Most Thought-Provoking Romantic Comedy Out There
Romantic comedies aren’t typically associated with intellectual depth. Most shojo rom-coms are simple entertainment perfectly suited to turn your brain off and enjoy. Yet, the notorious director of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Hideaki Anno, can turn even a simple genre into something thought-provoking.
His rom-com His and Her Circumstances is a surprisingly grounded, in-depth look at how two internally damaged individuals can work through their differences and build a successful relationship. Insightful and unorthodox, this shojo series really gets the realistic complications that arise in love.
9 Cardcaptor Sakura Makes Both Kids And Adults Think
Fans seeking sophisticated themes and unorthodox stories out of anime tend to stay away from magical girl shojo, dismissing the genre as a trope-ridden popcorn entertainment for children. While Cardcaptor Sakura indulges in many mahou shojo clichés, its appeal isn't exclusive to any age group or gender.
While kids love the show’s bubbly facade of episodic magical adventures, adults appreciate Cardcaptor Sakura for its profound exploration of the nature of love, authentic LGBTQ+ representation, and deep dive into the origins of evil in human hearts.
8 Into The Forest Of Fireflies' Light Makes Every Second Of Its Short Runtime Count
It’s hard to imagine a shojo movie tackling outstandingly deep topics in a short 45-minute timeframe. Yet, Into the Forest of Fireflies' Light exceeds fans’ expectations. The star-crossed lovers at the movie’s center, an ordinary girl Hotaru and a cursed forest spirit Gin, share little time with each other and the audience.
Nevertheless, their bittersweet love story makes the viewers question their understanding of romance, pained by the cruelty of time and destiny. Into the Forest of Fireflies' Light proves that nuanced stories seldom need long to make a lasting impact.
7 Orange Adds Dramatic Depth To High School Slice-Of-Life Setting
At first glance, nothing sets Orange apart from other contemporary high school shojo dramas. Yet, the unique sci-fi twist introduced to the narrative in the first episode, a letter the main heroine Naho receives from her future self, indicates something special about this show.
Orange masterfully mixes good-natured slice-of-life romance with much deeper narrative themes. The subjects of regret, loss, and mental health, hinted at in the show’s opening act, slowly become more prominent. As the show progresses, Orange transforms into a heavy-hitting, sophisticated drama.
6 Banana Fish Is Nothing Like Most Shojo Works
The gritty criminal drama Banana Fish is rightfully considered one of the most unusual exemplars of the shojo genre. Yet, the show’s unique subject matter doesn’t save it from dismissive prejudice. Many still assume it to be a mindless action series about cute boys causing mayhem in New York’s criminal underworld.
In reality, Banana Fish is a surprisingly poignant character study dedicated to digging deep into its heroes’ internal tribulations. Thought-provoking and heartbreakingly tragic, this unorthodox shojo is a psychological study disguised as an action-packed love story.
5 Natsume's Book Of Friends Is All About Coexisting With The Unknown
Natsume's Book of Friends is an episodic slice-of-life shojo that follows the daily adventures of its titular protagonist, a boy with a unique ability to communicate with ghosts and spirits. Fans didn't expect particular depth from something meant to be soothing and tranquilizing.
Yet, Natsume’s encounters with the paranormal realm lead both the boy and the viewers to some unexpected realizations. The series tackles many thought-provoking themes, from coexisting with nature to the complex spectrum of human emotions. It’s hard to remain unchanged after this show.
4 Nana Makes Classic Shojo Themes More Adult-Oriented
Despite featuring an unusually mature cast of characters, the slice-of-life shojo Nana doesn’t strike the audience as a sophisticated show at first glance. It poses as a simple series centered around two provincial girls with identical names chasing their dreams in the big city.
Nevertheless, Nana won the hearts of fans by adding a previously unseen depth and complexity to shojo anime’s primary theme – love. The adult cast allows the plot to explore the thought-provoking nuances of different kinds of love, from platonic bonds between friends to forbidden, toxic romance.
3 The Rose Of Versailles Comments On Both Historical And Present-Day Issues
The Rose of Versailles is a rare historical shojo that doesn’t follow tiresome soap opera tropes of its genre. Instead, this classic series offers an unorthodox retelling of the world-shaking events of the French Revolution.
The show takes a lot of creative liberties, straying away from historical accuracy to tell a compelling, character-driven story relatable to modern viewers. It strikes a balance between history and fiction by giving equal attention to factual political struggles and more relatable issues of restricting gender roles and women's rights.
2 Princess Tutu Surprised Magical Girl Fans With Its Maturity
The magical girl shojo Princess Tutu takes a lot of inspiration from classic fairy tales, yet not the bubbly and sugary ones even kids find unrealistically positive. In fact, this particular show is more similar to gloomy, mature folklore, despite its sweet title and girly aesthetics.
Princess Tutu is a dark fantasy deconstruction of trope-ridden monster-of-the-week magical girl shojo. Its complex, surprisingly tragic story about a duck's transformation into a human child struggling against fate reminds viewers of classic fairy tales' frightening and shockingly thoughtful roots.
1 Fruits Basket Adds New Depth To A Commonly Dismissed Genre
The 2019 readaptation of the cult-classic shojo Fruits Basket gave the old-school series a new life. Yet, even the new generation of anime fans prematurely dismissed the show as just another mindless reverse harem flick. Nevertheless, those who gave Fruits Basket a try found the anime to be anything but shallow.
The series deals with many heavy intellectual themes, such as loss, toxic familial relationships, pains of vulnerability, and the long-term effects of past trauma. Disguised as a quirky love story with an astrological twist, it sets a new standard for thought-provoking shojo anime.