Shōnen
Shōnen is manga written for teenage boys, published in magazines such as Weekly Shōnen Jump, and best known for long action and adventure series.
Where the word comes from
Japanese 少年, "boy" or "youth". Often written shonen in English.
In depth
Shōnen manga runs in magazines aimed at boys of roughly twelve to eighteen. The best known is Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump, launched in 1968; Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine and Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday both date from 1959.
Typical shape
Many shōnen series follow a young hero who grows stronger through training, rivalry and friendship, often over hundreds of chapters. Dragon Ball, Naruto and One Piece are classic examples. The demographic also covers sports manga, comedy, mystery and romance.
Reader surveys
Weekly Shōnen Jump in particular ranks series by reader questionnaires, and series that rank low are often ended quickly — which is why some shōnen manga end abruptly while others run for decades.
Beyond battle manga
Shōnen is often equated with fighting stories, but the demographic includes sports manga, mystery, comedy, romance, cooking and horror. Many of the best-selling sports manga, for example, ran in shōnen magazines.
How long is too long
Shōnen hits can run for decades and over a hundred volumes. Readers who want a complete story in fewer books can look for series of ten to thirty volumes, which are common in the demographic and often more tightly plotted.
Where it appears
Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama. classic Weekly Shōnen Jump series
Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto. shōnen ninja series, read in seventy-two volumes
What it means today
Long shōnen series are usually best read in order from volume 1; the early arcs set up rivalries the later ones depend on.
