Like all cultural phenomena, manga has its own language. So you won't be totally clueless, here are a few of the more common terms.
- Bishi
- Usually refers to the bishounen, or "beautiful boys" in girls' manga.
- Chibi
- Manga characters who are experiencing embarassment, anger, or other strong emotions and revert to chubby, childlike versions of their normal selves.
- Hentai
- Adult, that is, pornographic, manga.
- Otaku
- Someone who spends all their time reading manga/watching anime/playing video games. A nerd. This can be a derogatory term, but just like nerds, otaku are taking it over and making it a positive. Otaku pride lives!
- Shojo, Shoujo
- Girls, as in, shojo manga—girls' manga.
- Shonen, Shounen
- Boys. One of the most popular boys' manga is called Shonen Jump.
