Shonen stories are at the heart of the anime industry, and their mainstream appeal has carried the medium for decades. From early successes like Yuyu Hakusho and Dragon Ball to modern stories like my hero academia and jujutsu kaisenShonen anime has stood the test of time.
It’s pretty easy to identify a shonen anime. They have a clear focus on exciting action scenes, colorful visuals, and bombastic displays of power from unique looking characters. Certain traits like these define what shonen anime is and explain why the genre has been so popular.
10 Hype-Inducing Action Scenes Expected In Shonen Anime
Shonen anime is defined by over-the-top action. Each series has its own power system that the characters can use in spectacularly creative ways. It can be as simple and eye-catching as Dragon Ball characters launching flurries of punches and energy attacks at breakneck speeds. On the other hand, users of the stand jojo’s bizarre adventure they will constantly try to outdo each other in a creative battle of wits. Whatever the case may be, the dedication to creative action and beautiful animation is what makes shonen battles interesting.
9 Colorful images are a treat for the eyes
One of the main draws of anime is how colorful and vibrant it can be. Anime, like many other media, is a form of escapism for people who want to lose themselves in a story that is far removed from their everyday lives. While all anime can be vibrant, shonen anime takes this to the extreme by creating outlandish locations, characters with spiky pink hair, or outfits that are more flashy than anything at a real-life fashion show.
8 Comedy provides a welcome dose of levity
Everyone likes to laugh a lot, and comedy is a natural element of storytelling within shonen anime. The banter between lovable characters, like Gon Freecss and Killua Zoldyck from hunter x hunter, it’s fun to watch. Slapstick comedy also has its place, as when Kon faces physical harm from Ichigo Kurosaki for his inappropriate behavior in Bleach.
Having Son Goku and Piccolo take a driving test seems hilariously out of character for the two heroes, and the difference between All Might’s two forms is so striking that fans can’t help but smile. My Hero Academy.
7 Creative and amazing character designs stand out from the crowd
All anime genres have their fair share of creative looking characters. However, aside from some interesting costume designs and hair colors, there isn’t a ridiculous amount of creativity on display in the anime without an action focus. This is not the case with shonen anime. These long-running stories with big battles should make their characters distinct enough to be able to follow them through combat. The iconic spiky yellow hair of the Super Saiyans or the vibrant ninja costumes of naruto stand out for this reason.
6 Friendship Is A Trope, But It Has Its Place In Shonen Anime
It may be a meme among anime fans, but the power of friendship is a defining aspect of shonen anime. It’s the idea that having trusted allies to rely on provides enough support to get a hero through the toughest of times. It’s a trope that has been used in countless shonen anime. At its core, it is a healthy theme that represents how important it is to have positive relationships with the people who matter most to an individual.
5 Second chances and forgiveness are good life lessons to learn
Comics and other media have dealt with the topic of killing off antagonists for years. Some stories point out that killing the bad guys is a necessary step towards peace. Other tales emphasize that killing does not make the hero better than the villain.
It’s a moral dilemma, but shonen anime has consistently shown the merits of allowing antagonists a chance to redeem themselves. Characters like Vegeta or Gajeel Redfox wouldn’t have become the fan-favorite characters they are today if shonen anime hadn’t focused on meaningful second chances.
4 Longest Running Shonen Can Go All Out With World Building
Seasonal anime are often limited to twelve or twenty-four episodes to tell a story. While modern shonen anime also adheres to this release format, many of the more famous shonen anime use a full-length format. This resulted in weekly episodes airing for years in the anime cases like Bleach and black clover. The biggest benefit of this approach is that these anime have plenty of time to build their world and characters. Therefore, the audience has important reasons to invest.
3 There is always tons of music to enjoy
The opening and ending sequences are a defining aspect of the anime medium. They set the tone for the story an anime is trying to tell while also providing spectacular animation and music to go along with it. Openings like “Cha-La Head-Cha-La” by Dragon Ball Z stand the test of time, while “99.9” from Mob Psycho 100 Season 2 shows an appreciation for the medium itself. Some openings, such as jojo’s bizarre adventureeven change depending on the events of the current story.
two Characters that have bottomless stomachs are fun to watch
A popular and recognizable shonen anime trope is having a character eat too much food. Protagonists like Goku and Naruto are clear examples of this. latest anime like black clover they have given this trait to supporting characters such as Charmy Pappitson.
Most of the time, these characters do not gain weight by doing so. These moments are meant to be taken as lighter comic scenes that add character to the lovable shonen heroes.
1 The tournament arcs create some of the most hyped moments in anime.
Everyone loves a well made tournament bow. Shonen anime have used tournament arc stories as clever excuses to pit their characters against each other. They are the animated versions of fans discussing fictional matchups between their favorite characters. Some of the best examples include the UA Sports Festival arch my hero academiathe dark tournament in Yuyu Hakushoand the Tournament of Power in Dragon Ball Super.
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