Anime genres and tags

These anime have episode lengths of 12 minutes or less. Anime with a single, short episode are tagged Shorts instead.

Merfolk are human above and fish below, and generally can breathe both above and below the water. These anime showcase mermaids and mermen either as the primary cast or as the story's primary theme and focus.

Harder, better, faster, stronger. Cyborgs are organic beings enhanced by mechanical prosthetics, granting them abilities beyond those of mere mortals. Where does the man end and the machine begin?

Mercenaries are people who take on dangerous jobs for their own personal gain and generally don't have any loyalty to their employer. In these anime, characters undertake a variety of jobs such armed combat, retrieving an item or person, or straightforward assassination.

Cyberpunk is a type of science fiction where rapid advancement of technology comes at the cost of neglecting social issues. Common themes include powerful or intelligent computers, vast cyberspace networks that can be jacked into or explored virtually, or human augmentation. Many Cyberpunk anime showcase a society that's evolved into a hyper-efficient Dystopia where human needs are secondary to a smoothly functioning corporate machine.

They're fast, they're sexy and they're the perfect way to get from A to B in style. They're cars! These anime showcase automobiles and the characters who interact with them, from street races to cars used in combat, to AI-controlled vehicles that have gone awry.

Races are competitions of speed and skill where losing means heartache and winning means anything from fame and glory to financial riches. Using bikes, cars, horses, spaceships, or even themselves, competitors battle it out on the streets, on a track, or in the skies to see who can finish the fastest.

Boxing is a Hand-to-Hand Combat sport featuring two unarmed opponents fighting with their fists, and has its origins in prizefighting competitions. These anime typically focus on characters training and then traversing amateur or professional circuits, earning fame and fortune with their skills.

These anime showcase close-quarters combat, from Martial Arts, to Boxing, to flat out street brawling and beyond. Hand-to-hand combat includes all forms of kicks, punches, grabs, or throws, or even stranger close quarters maneuvers.

Martial arts are techniques that heavily involve training and are steeped in tradition. These techniques can have varied applications such as self-defense, psychological health or advanced use of weaponry, amongst others. Characters in these anime often spend much of their time training to defend themselves or others, participate in competitions of skill, honor their culture, or develop their health and spirituality.

Horror anime create an atmosphere of unease. Like Mystery anime, they encourage viewers to learn more about their world... but there may be secrets that are better left unexplored. Through eerie music and sounds, visceral or disturbing imagery, or startling moments, works of Horror make you worry about what gruesome thing is coming next.

Suicide, the act of killing one’s self, is attempted in these anime, or is a central theme overall. Suicide scenes attempts may contain graphic or upsetting images of violence and self-harm.

Characters in these anime find themselves in a world very different from their own. They may have been suddenly whisked away to a strange world, become stuck in a video game, or are trapped in a different time period. Common themes include trying to discover how to get home, coming to terms with a new life in a new place, or political or social involvement with the local populace. See also: Isekai, Reverse Isekai, Summoned Into Another World, Trapped in a Video Game, and Time Travel.

These anime have a mild amount of physical conflict, such as weapon fights that result in bodily harm, bloodless death, or dangerous explosions. Violence in these anime may also be censored with glowing or unusually-colored blood, a lack of detail given to wounds, or clever uses of cinematography.

Baseball is the focus of these anime. Training and competing in tournaments or championships are common themes in sports titles, as well as team spirit, or being an underdog who goes against the odds to succeed.

Basketball is the focus of these anime. Training and competing in tournaments or championships are common themes in sports titles, as well as team spirit, or being an underdog who goes against the odds to succeed.

Board game anime feature traditional-style board tabletop games such as chess, checkers, or mahjong. Characters may simply enjoy games among friends, be shown preparing for or competing in professional matches, or engaging in the shadowy world of underground gaming.

Mystery anime focus on unresolved questions, and the efforts of characters to discover the answers to them. Whether curious and deadly events are afoot, or some part of the world itself is strange or inexplicable, or someone's past or identity seems strangely shrouded, these characters are set on learning the truth.

Magic is the use of gestures, incantations, or rituals to harness some kind of supernatural power. Characters in Magic anime tend to go by titles such as witch, wizard, mage, or sorcerer, and may be occupied with learning to harness these abilities or with finding magical relics or battling against strange entities... or other magic users.

Demons are non-human entities generally believed to be dark or evil in nature. If demons are a core aspect of the work, their actions - often harmful to humans - will generally be the focus. Characters may engage in fighting demons physically; may attempt exorcisms or other rituals or spells to deal with them; or may be the demons or their servants or allies, carrying out their own agendas.

Abstract works are generally intellectual in nature and rooted in imagination or philosophy, portraying a unique message or theme. As such, they don't necessarily focus on traditional narration, characterization, or development, presenting unique, unconventional or vivid visual styles instead.

Slice of life, or "nichijou" in Japanese, refers to events that occur on a daily basis such as getting ready for the day, light chores, enjoying a hobby, or preparing meals. These events differ depending on setting, but above all else are considered to be ordinary, everyday actions that don’t always follow a central plot. The related tags School Life and Work Life focus on ordinary events that take place in a school or work setting, respectively.

Sci-fi, or science fiction, is a speculative genre which builds on imagination. Sci-fi anime ask, "what if things were different?" They explore a new world, whether it's the world of the future or past, a present Earth with a changed history, a land that was previously unknown, or another planet entirely. The genre commonly features humanity's inquisitiveness and innovation, as they grapple with new technologies, new societies, or new frontiers in Outer Space.

These anime have a strong military presence, be it on a national or intergalactic level, or showcase characters that are in the military.

Constant panty shots, bouncing breasts and dubious camera angles are hallmarks of an Ecchi title. These titles are usually sexualized and designed to titillate, depicting perverted themes and focusing heavily on the female body. Nosebleeds, suspicious hand positions, faceplanting into bosoms, expressive and exaggerated body parts and other tropes characterize this genre. Ecchi is all about fanservice, while Borderline H and Smut titles focus more on sexual content.

The world was nearly wiped clean of life, whether through nuclear war, an alien invasion, a natural disaster, or a pandemic. From the ashes of the old world, some societies struggle to endure and rebuild, while others live new, agrarian lifestyles and the old days are merely legends.

Shounen (少年), translated as "young boy", is a demographic aimed at boys and young men, from elementary school age to around the age of 15. Shounen is the counterpart of Shoujo, a demographic aimed at teenage girls.

For anime, collections are a compilation of episodes that focus on the same theme, but from different directors or staff.

For manga, collections are a compilation of One Shots from a single author, unlike Anthologies, which are a compilation of One Shots from multiple authors or artists.

The word otaku describes a person with obsessive interests, usually in the realm of anime and manga fandom. Characters in these anime may be shown visiting stores to acquire new merchandise, cosplaying as their favourite heroes or heroines, meeting and trading Doujins at fan conventions, or arguing online about works from their favourite authors or studios.

Tennis is the focus of these anime. Training and competing in Tournaments or championships are common themes in Sports titles, as well as being an underdog who goes against the odds to succeed.

These anime take place in a setting thematically similar to Europe in the middle ages. Castles, moats and small villages adorn the landscape, and knights, military forces and feudal kingdoms rule the populace.

These anime take place in or around the time frame of World War II, a period of great upheaval and change across Europe, America, and Asia. They may focus on events that were part of the war itself, or deal with its build-up, aftermath, or impact away from the front lines.

Environmental anime concern themselves with the state of the natural world and how humans interact with it. Balance and harmony, and specifically the effects of expanding civilization and industry on wildlife, biological diversity, and the world as a whole, are important themes.

Psychological anime delve into mental or emotional states of a character in the midst of a difficult situation, letting you observe them change as tension increases. Internal monologues are a key feature, allowing narration to delve into a character's mind, revealing their innermost ideas and motivations - even as they may be driven to the brink of sanity.

In these anime, characters embark on a journey to explore the world or to search for something. These wanderers travel to many places and meet new people, often encountering hardships along the way, or discovering strengths and weaknesses about themselves that are revealed throughout the adventure.