If you are a fan of manga and anime, surely you have read and seen a lot of stories of many genres. One of them is the seinen, but not everyone knows exactly what this term refers to.
Therefore, on this occasion, we are going to help you understand perfectly what it means and what are the main differences (or how to identify) a seinen manga from one that is not. Shall we start?
what is seinen
As we told you before, the word seinen is related to manga and anime, but also with light novels and manhwa. According to its translation, it means "young man" and this can give you an idea that it is a genre focused on a male and older audience. However, we must make an aside and that is that, although it was like that a few years ago, now it is increasingly common for seinen to focus on an adolescent (underage) male audience, in addition to the traditional one.
In other words, the stories, series... They aim to attract men. hence the plots are very different from those you can find in shojo (which is the genre focused on women) or even shonen, which is a genre more focused on men but based more on action and adventure.
What characterizes seinen
Now that you have a clearer idea of what seinen is, let's see the features, and at the same time the differences, with other genres of manga and anime.
Its plot is more elaborate
Seinen manga (and anime) are characterized by having a much deeper plot, of topics that interest adults. It does not mean that they should be serious, because within seinen there may be other genres, but it is not based only on fights (as shonen is) but goes further.
The plot in this genre is more important than reaching an ending. They give priority to creating the story than in getting it to a point, because what it is about is talking about adult issues and we know that it is not easy to solve them (on many occasions).
In many cases, the plots can revolve around violence, sex or politics, as well as the daily life of an adult.
It is more related to reality
In the sense that it seeks to create a relationship with real life, or at least use logic even when based on a fantasy story. That is to say, the plots often have to do with day-to-day problems, or in general, that may interest adult men.
For example, a few years ago the iyashikei genre was born within seinen, which was focused on Japanese men stressed by working conditions. In this way they could see themselves identified and thus relax (if comedy was used) or reflect on those stories.
How to know if you are facing a seinen
What we are going to tell you next is only possible when you have Japanese manga in your hands, and in Japanese. Because the only difference between shonen and seinen, or seinen and other demographics (as they are called in the country) is that seinen does not have furigana over the kanji. That is to say, there is no trace of furigana and it is because, being focused on the adult (and male) gender, it does not need to appear (hence, it is what can help you distinguish it the most).
Of course, it does not always work. And it is that, sometimes, some manga (and anime) have been classified incorrectly, putting them as shojo when they are seinen (or as shonen when it is actually seinen).
Seinen manga and anime you should know
After talking about seinen, how about we give you practical examples of this genre? Well here we go:
Akira
Akira is one of the first manga that was framed within the seinen by history (although in Spain, when it arrived, it was believed to be shonen). The story places us in 2019, in Neo-Tokyo, a futuristic city where the government controls citizens excessively (being able to do experiments on children and force them to do certain things that are not "legal").
Tetsuo and Kaneda are two friends who are part of the group The Capsules, some bikers who are dedicated to racing and who are at war with another gang, The Clowns. In one of the confrontations, Tetsuo is injured by an old child, and soon after the government begins to persecute him.
Although many years have passed (the manga was published between 1982 and 1990), It is one of the best seinen references. By the way, it was written by Katsuhiro Otomo.
Monster
This manga is one of the hardest and also realistic ones you can read. Created by Naoki Urasawa, you come across a plot that will make you think.
Kenzo Tenma is the main character, a Japanese neurosurgeon who works in Düsseldorf, Germany. He faces a dilemma: save the mayor or a child who has just been shot. The choice you have to make makes your whole life turn around.
We will not leave you the mystery, because the truth is that at the beginning of the story we already see that he opts for the little one, with which the mayor dies and that damages his reputation, but also his personal life.
After a few years, This run-down neurosurgeon discovers that the child he saved from certain death has become one of the most dangerous psychopaths.. And that's when he decides to take action on the matter.
Berserk
We end with Berserk so you can see that fantasy (and history) can also be present in the seinen). In it we are in medieval Europe (with many licenses, by the way). You will meet Guts, a warrior with a huge sword, Dragonslayer. He seeks revenge with a sect called The Hand of God.
On his journey he meets Griffith, the leader of the Band of the Falcon and decides to work for him while he finds those of that sect.
The manga was created by Kentaro Miura in 1988 and just so you know, it is still active.
Is the seinen clearer to you now?