Summary
Shojo manga has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the early 20th century. The inception of young girls' magazines like ‘Shojo no Tomo’ in 1908 paved the way for modern shojo artists, writing serialized stories predominantly focusing on romance and female protagonists.
The genre really came into the forefront during the post-war era in the 50s, when legendary manga artist Osamu Tezuka created a series calledPrincess Knightaimed at a female audiencefeaturing a gender-bending protagonist. Since then, tons of series have popped up and left their own mark on the world of shojo manga.
10Fushigi Yuugi
Popularized Reverse Harems and Introduced the ‘Isekai’ Concept to the Shojo World
It’s hard to findan isekai series that doesn’t feature any haremsthese days, and this seems to be the case no matter the target audience. For the shojo demographic in particular, though, the ever-popular reverse harem can be traced back to one series in particular: Yuu Watase’sFushigi Yuugi.
It follows a girl named Miaka Yuuki who discovers a mysterious book about Ancient China in her school’s library. She gets transported into the book’s world when she starts reading, and gets involved in a world of political intrigue, romantic entanglements, and magical battles.
9Cardcaptor Sakura
Quintessential Magical Girl Series, With the Main Character Hugely Influencing ‘Moe’ Characters
One would be hard-pressed to find aBest Magical Girl Series listthat doesn’t haveCardcaptor Sakuraon it somewhere. The manga and anime alike have been praised for its cuteness and wholesomeness, as well as its LGBTQ+ representation. The main character, Sakura Kinomoto, in particular, is one of the most iconic and recognizable characters in anime and manga history.
It’s been suggested that Sakura may have been one of the first ‘moe’ characters, a character who elicits feelings of protectiveness from the audience. It’s no wonder thatCardcaptor Sakurahas inspired several lines of merchandise as well.
8Nana
WhileNanais oftenmistaken for a josei series, it actually ran in the shojo magazine Cookie. The series follows two twenty-year-old women who become fast friends and deal with their hopes, dreams, and romantic struggles together. The manga is known for its emphasis on music, fashion, and urban youth culture.
Nanahas influenced shojo and josei manga with its incredibly realistic and mature portrayal of romantic and platonic relationships. The manga has also inspired a 47-episode anime, two live-action films, and several tribute albums.
7Fruits Basket
Pushed the Boundaries of What Shojo Manga Could Be, Exploring Themes Like Abuse and Mental Illness
Fruits Basketis one of the most important manga and anime series of all time, period. One of the reasons it’s attracted such a large fanbase is its masterful blend of typical shojo tropes likelove rivalries, along with darker and more complex themessuch as abuse, trauma, and family dysfunction, which has had a huge influence beyond just shojo.
Its influence on supernatural shojo manga can be seen in series likeVampire KnightandKamisama Kiss.Fruits Baskethas proven to be so enduring that it was finally adapted into a faithful and complete anime adaptation in 2019.
6Boys Over Flowers
Laid Out the Blueprint for Modern Shojo Romances, Especially Reverse Harem Series
Boys Over Flowersis the best-selling shojo manga of all time and has inspired several live-action adaptations from Japan, Taiwan, China, Thailand, and South Korea. It follows a plucky girl from a middle-class family named Tsukushi Makino, who enrolls at an elite school for the wealthy and powerful.
Along with directly influencing modern classics in shojo manga likeOuran High School Host Club,Boys Over Flowershas become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon in East Asia, and even inspired the name of a Taiwanese boy band.
5Banana Fish
Hugely Influential in the Development of the Boys' Love (BL) Genre
Banana Fishwas a groundbreaking shojo series, blending elements of crime, mystery, action, and psychological thriller in a time when most shojo manga focused solely on melodramatic romance. And that’s to say nothing of the impact the manga has had on the Boys' Love (BL) genre.
While Ash and Eiji’s relationship isn’t explicitly romantic, the subtext is undeniable. The impact of thedark and mature themesof the manga shifted BL manga from shojo-esque high school stories to more gritty, realistic romances with adult protagonists.
4Sailor Moon
Laid the Groundwork for the Modern Magical Girl Genre, in Japan and Abroad
The ways in whichSailor Moonhas shaped the Magical Girl genre are too numerous to list. For starters, it popularized the idea of a team of magical girls fighting against the forces of evil, something which continues to be seen in Magical Girl series both within Japan and outside.
Sailor Moon’s transformation sequences, catchphrases, andgirl power themeshave been parodied and referenced endlessly. Along with being a gateway series to many anime and manga fans, the manga continues to be adapted into various media to this day.
3The Heart of Thomas
Pioneered the Boys' Love Genre, With Several Shojo and BL Manga Artists Citing it As an Influence
The Heart of Thomasis one of the earliest examples of the shonen-ai/boys' love genre, following the story of a German boarding school student named Juli, who is forced to confront his feelings of guilt after receiving a love letter from a classmate who’s just committed suicide.
The Heart of Thomaspioneered many of the visual conventions commonly found in shojo and BL manga. It has often been compared to German Bildungsroman literature due to its rich storytelling and character depth, and has been studied intently by manga scholars and academics.
2Princess Knight
One of the First Shojo Manga, Pioneered the Magical Girl and Gender-Bender Genres
Created bythe godfather of manga, Osamu Tezuka,Princess Knightis arguably the first shojo manga, since it features a female protagonist and is aimed at a female audience. It’s also revolutionary in that it features aTwelfth Night-esque plot, with its gender-bending protagonist, Sapphire.
Princess Knightis considered to be a prototype for the Magical Girl genre, focusing on a female protagonist who fights crime while wearing a Zorro mask. The manga’s influence can be seen in series likeThe Rose of VersaillesandRevolutionary Girl Utena.
1The Rose of Versailles
Mature and Realistic Historical Fiction That Led to Paradigm Shifts in Shojo Manga
The Rose of Versaillesis one of the most iconic and influential works in manga history and continues to be beloved to this very day, as evidenced by a new anime film adaptation of the series slated for release in 2025. It marked a demographic shift in shojo manga, transitioning from a children’s genre to one that teenagers and adults can also enjoy.
The character of Oscar François de Jarjayes in particular has been extremely influential, inspiring other cross-dressing heroines like Utena Tenjou fromRevolutionary Girl Utena.The manga’sexploration of gender roles and sexualityis also notable, especially considering the time it was written.
