Shojo is one of the two biggest demographics in anime, with many popular and beloved titles under its belt. Though it centers itself more around femininity, shojo anime can be enjoyed by anyone. With a focus on emotion and character-driven stories, shojo anime have a lot of depth and are often more thought-provoking than the usual action-based series.
However, despite its popularity and influence on anime, it isn’t always easy being a fan of shojo anime. The genre is plagued with problematic tropes and many clichés that make it frustrating to watch. With its many problems and a greater emphasis on shonen anime throughout the community, shojo has even begun to see a decline in recent years.
10 There’s Often Little To No Action In Shojo
Most shojo series stray far from the usual adventures fans can find in shonen or other genres. Generally, shojo anime are more slice-of-life and have a slower pace to them.
While plenty of fans enjoy a good slice-of-life story, many others find them to be boring and prefer a little more action in their anime. However, not all shojo series stick so closely to reality. Some series feature fantasy adventures and battles against evil, but these are few and far between. Overall, shojo series tend to stick to the mundane of life, which isn’t for everyone.
9 Relationship Drama Takes Up Too Much Of The Story
With a strong emphasis on romance, it’s only natural for shojo series to have a healthy dose of drama in them. Many feature love triangles, with characters duking it out to win the protagonist’s heart.
There’s nothing wrong with a little drama, as it keeps things interesting. However, when that’s what a good portion of shojo provides, it gets pretty old after a point. Shojo anime often recycle the same tired storyline over and over, causing frustration for many long-time fans who have seen this type of plot many times before.
8 The Heroines Are Usually Very Weak And Helpless
There are many iconic shojo protagonists out there, giving fans the very best the genre has to offer. Unfortunately, not all shojo heroines are the strong female role models fans hope for.
It’s a well-known trope among shojo for heroines to be pretty weak. Most of them come off as very helpless and tend to need the guys of the series to rescue them or help them out. They have very little agency of their own and easily submit to the other characters, making for disappointing protagonists who fans can’t look up to.
7 Toxic And Abusive Relationships Are The Norm
Shojo is riddled with toxic relationships that often borderline on abusive. With an overly aggressive love interest and a docile and weak heroine, shojo couples are often a recipe for disaster. They often involved the harsh mistreatment of the protagonist, who fails to see how abusive and awful the love interest truly is despite it all.
Though these relationships are problematic and harmful, shojo series usually portray them as romantic nevertheless. Such a push for unhealthy relationships leaves a bad impression on fans who just want to see a nice, wholesome love story.
6 They Create Unrealistic Expectations Of Love
While it’s true that media’s depiction of romance shouldn’t be taken to heart, shojo anime undoubtedly gives fans an unrealistic expectation of love and relationships. In most series, the heroine effortlessly wins over the love interest no matter what.
Shojo protagonists often fall into the arms of the first person they meet, immediately deciding that they must be “made for each other,” even when they barely know a thing about each other. Love at first sight is a cute concept in shojo, but it’s one that fans who like a more realistic love story grow tired of.
5 Love Triangles Are An Annoying Staple Of The Genre
Love triangles have always been an easy way for stories to add drama and mix things up for the characters and audience alike. While they’re a staple of shojo series, most fans have grown to dislike their inclusion in a romance plot.
Despite the interest love triangles add to a series, most of them are an annoying and needless part of a shojo that ultimately brings down the series overall. Nowadays, most see love triangles as a lazy writing tool that many stories rely on far too heavily, and that goes the same for the forced love triangles of shojo.
4 They Often Feature An Unlikable Male Lead
While shojo heroines are often cute, sweet, and lovable, their male counterparts are usually the exact opposite. Though this isn’t the case for all shojo male leads, a vast majority of them are mean, harsh, and downright cruel to the protagonist.
The male leads are often so unlikable that they leave fans to wonder just how they managed to capture the hearts of the heroines in the first place. With such unpleasant love interests, it’s much harder for fans to stay invested in a series. Unfortunately, many shojo anime have this problem still today.
3 Many Stories Have The Same Tired Romance Plot
Shojo is a genre filled with drama and emotion, and the intensity of these feelings is usually its strongest feature. However, as the years have passed, the novelty of the shojo romance has slowly begun to wear off. Many shojo anime recycle the same old storylines and character archetypes, only changing a few bits here and there.
There are only so many times fans can watch the same romance play out before it starts to get boring. While there are some gems among them that branch out and bring new ideas to the genre, many series are bland and tell the same story over and over.
2 Shojo Has Become A Much Less Popular Genre
For decades, shojo slowly rose in popularity, gaining more fans than ever in the ’90s and 2000s. It had a lot to bring to the table and a unique flair that really made it stand out. For a while, it seemed like shojo was unstoppable and easily matched up against shonen at its peak. However, these days, shojo is all but forgotten.
In the wake of modern anime, shonen has taken center stage and is the go-to for most anime fans. Now that it’s become a much more versatile genre, shonen appeals to more demographics than ever before, leaving shojo in the dust. With shojo’s popularity waning, many fans have had to look elsewhere and leave the genre behind.
1 It’s Much Harder To Find New Series Now
With shojo’s decline, fans have been left high and dry, with little to no new series coming out. Where there once were many new shojo to choose from, fans are now lucky to have even one or two to check out. Hardcore fans have likely already watched everything out there, and while newcomers have a lot to hold them over, there’s little that appeals to the modern sensibilities.
Most new anime fans lean toward more action-packed and exciting storylines, having little taste for a dramatic romance. As a result, most anime releases nowadays appeal to this general audience, leaving little for anyone looking for the latest shojo hit.