Huge new batch of anime and manga tags: time loop, child protagonists, obsessive love, and more!

Hi all,

Here's a summary of all of the anime and manga tags added since the last announcement. There's quite a substantial amount this time, as we had a large batch ready to go in early COVID times, and then it slipped through the cracks what with the global pandemic, all of that. So this time we have an XL release, and moving forward, we plan to announce more regular, smaller batches (closer to a monthly cadence than a yearly cadence!)

There's a few major themes in this batch, isekai/reincarnation sub-tags, romance/drama sub-tags, and various other key additions such as Time Loop. Keep reading for the full list!

As a reminder, you can post suggestions for brand new tags, as well as anime/manga that are missing specific tags, in the tag section of the forum. Help out by posting missing ones in that section! And remember that you can check out recently added tags anytime by using the "date added" sort on the tags page.


Isekai and reincarnation sub-tags
These tags were added to help sub-classify the wide amount of isekai content there is, as well as the massive amount of typically Chinese webtoons and manhua involving transmigration, being transported into a novel, villainess, and second chance scenarios.


Second Chance
ANIME | MANGA

Characters in these anime are sent back in time, against their will, into a younger version of themselves to have a second chance at life. Typically this occurs after the characters die or are killed, but sometimes through other means. After they appear in the past, they may use the opportunity to atone for their past mistakes, to save a life, or to simply live a different version of the life they once had. If the characters travel into the past more than once, Time Loop is used instead.


Villainess
ANIME | MANGA

These anime are about a woman who is written to be the villainess in an Otome Game or a novel, and thus is on the road to ruin. Most commonly an Isekai trope where the main character is reincarnated or transmigrated into the villainess, or someone related to them such as a mob character or the heroine. The villainess and her companions must work to do whatever they can to avoid her fate, deal with life after doom, or just avoid the problem altogether! The worlds are usually based on an existing Otome Game or novel the main character is familiar with, or even wrote in their past life.


World Hopping
MANGA

These manga feature protagonists who travel between multiple worlds. This theme is most common in manhua and novels, where it is also known as "quick transmigration." With quick transmigration, protagonists are often summoned by a deity or by a System Administrator who gives them certain tasks that they must complete. When the system is satisfied, the protagonist moves or is sent to the next world they need to conquer. See also: Person in a Strange World.


System Administrator
MANGA

These manga feature characters who are transported into another world, usually into a fictional one such as a novel, and are bound to a sentient, often non-metaphysical "system". The system is a program that dictates what the character can or cannot do in their new role and tries to get them to follow along with the original plot... usually unsuccessfully. Sometimes the protagonist is fully in control of the system from the beginning but has to unlock new features and upgrades along the way as the story progresses, allowing the protagonist more freedom.


Pill Concocting
MANGA

These manhua or novels feature protagonists who study the art of making and refining magical pills using their spiritual energy, or qi, as a form of Cultivation. The pills can have many powers and effects that are dependant on the setting, although they usually help one to increase their cultivation and the power of their qi-based attacks


Transported Into a Novel
ANIME | MANGA

These manga feature characters who have been transported into a novel, or sometimes another form of fiction such as a manga or doujin. They generally take the role of one of the book's characters, such as the hero, romantic lead, or Villainess.


Framed for a Crime
ANIME | MANGA

Characters in these manga were framed for a crime they didn't commit, sometimes as a Betrayal by someone they know.


Betrayal
ANIME | MANGA

Characters in these manga suffer through a serious betrayal from someone they trust or care about. It may involve Infidelity, being Framed for a Crime, or even the murder of themselves or someone they love.


Slow Life
ANIME | MANGA

These manga feature characters who have had their fill of excitement, adventures, and drama, and seek a more peaceful life. They may be Isekai'd heroes, villains, high-ranking adventurers, or a typical salaryman, but they all share something in common: they've had enough and want to retire to a slow and peaceful life.


Romance and drama sub-tags
These tags were added to help sub-classify romance and drama-related series.


Obsessive Love
ANIME | MANGA

In these manga, a character has a romantic obsession with another. The feelings may be reciprocated in a dysfunctional relationship, or is Unrequited Love via a Stalker or a yandere that can lead to violence.


Dysfunctional Families
ANIME | MANGA

These manga focus on dysfunctional families. A major theme of these stories deal with unhealthy familial relationships such as abusive, overly-controlling, or codependent parent-child and sibling relationships. Unlike the Family Life tag, these stories have a stronger focus on Drama and the negative consequences it has for the characters.


Possessive Lovers
ANIME | MANGA

In these manga, characters are in a relationship in which one or more parties is possessive. They may become jealous easily, or control their partner's life in subtle or abusive ways. This behavior can potentially lead to Obsessive Love or Codependency.


Codependency
ANIME | MANGA

These manga feature characters that are in dysfunctional, codependent relationships with lovers, family, or friends. Their reliance on each other means they are unable to thrive normally or to live as independently as they should. Sometimes, these relationships can escalate into Obsessive Love.


Death of a Loved One
ANIME | MANGA

In these manga, characters deal with the death of a loved one. The protagonists may be actively working through their grief, are inspired to make a new life change, or are driven to seek revenge for the fallen.


Infidelity
ANIME | MANGA

In these anime, infidelity is an important aspect of the story. Characters may be dealing with an unfaithful partner, or having an affair with someone else. Their actions may result in a Divorce or unplanned Pregnancy.


Miscellaneous tags

Time Loop
ANIME | MANGA

The characters in these anime are in a time loop: a phenomenon where they are forced or choose to Time Travel into the past and repeat the same events over and over again unless they can find a way to break the cycle, or until they complete their mission. Also includes cases where a reincarnated or transmigrated character continuously loops through the same events in time, typically dying at the end of each loop and returning back to the point where they transmigrated. Does not include Second Chance cases, which are defined on Anime-Planet as going back once to change events.


Child Protagonists
ANIME | MANGA

These manga feature a protagonist that is under the age of 12. Stories with child protagonists can focus on the challenges of growing up, the innocence of childhood, or or on a child's day-to-day life and misadventures. Does not include cases where adults or teenagers have either undergone an Age Transformation or have become a child due to Reincarnation or transmigration and still possess memories of their past life.


Zodiac
ANIME | MANGA

These anime have themes related to the Chinese or Western zodiac. They may include personifications or representations of zodiac characters, people who are possessed by them or draw power from them, or Gods or other living creatures with zodiac powers.


Crime
ANIME | MANGA

Crime fiction is a genre that focuses on the planning, execution or solving of a crime. These manga typically focus on the investigation of a crime, and often include a cat-and-mouse chase between the perpetrator and the ones trying to catch them. The crime at the center of the story is traditionally a murder, though fraud, theft, money laundering, and complex criminal schemes can also be involved.


Cocktails
ANIME | MANGA

These Alcohol-related anime feature cocktails: mixed drinks that combine spirits and other ingredients such as tonic water, flavored syrups, and bitters. These anime may involve drinking cocktails, making cocktails, or learning about mixology: the art and study of preparing, inventing, and serving mixed drinks.


Banter
ANIME

These anime are all about the dialogue. They typically feature a few characters in a stationary scene and discuss various topics, from current events to whatever is on their mind.


Espionage
ANIME | MANGA

Espionage is the main focus of these manga. Common themes include surveillance and reconnaissance, infiltrating past enemy lines, or Spies that act as secret agents who go undercover, steal technology for their home country, or sabotage the enemy.


Sentai
ANIME | MANGA

Sentai is a sub-genre of Tokusatsu that is based on, or inspired by, the Super Sentai live-action franchise by Toei. Typically, these manga star a group of three or more costumed Superheroes who work together in a squadron to defeat evil or battle Kaijuu, and frequently pilot one or more robotic vehicles.


Tokusatsu
ANIME | MANGA

Tokusatsu is a Japanese term for live action media that include special effects. In the west, the term is primarily used for titles starring superheroes, such as transforming henshin heroes, or metal heroes such as robots or those who wear metallic suits. Tokusatsu-inspired manga often include themes such as battles with Kaijuu, or color-coded Sentai squads.


Sports Medicine
MANGA

These manga focus on sports medicine: a branch of medicine that deals with the treatment and prevention of sports and exercise-related injuries. Sports medicine doctors are specially trained to help professional and amateur athletes, and people who have physically strenuous jobs.


Opening Animation
ANIME

These anime are short segments that appear at the beginning of a video game, festival, concert, live-action movie, or live-action TV series.


Station Identifications
ANIME

Station identifications are short segments shown on TV channels to identify the network or the current programming block.


Based on a Webtoon
ANIME

These anime are based on a Webtoon.


Novels
MANGA

These titles are classified as novels. They are typically longer than Light Novels. See also: Web Novels.



Character or animal tags
We add these tags to an anime or manga for two reasons only:

1) there are only one or two primary protagonists and one or more is the animal/character type; or
2) the entry's main focus is the animal/character type.

Characters

• Cheerleaders - ANIME | MANGA
  
• Concubines - ANIME | MANGA
• Eunuchs - ANIME | MANGA
  
• Exorcists - ANIME | MANGA
• Fudanshi - ANIME | MANGA
• Genies - ANIME | MANGA
  
• VTubers - ANIME | MANGA

Animals

• Penguins - ANIME | MANGA
• Seals - ANIME | MANGA
• Sheep - ANIME
  
• Tanuki - ANIME | MANGA
• Unicorns - ANIME | MANGA
• Wolves - ANIME | MANGA

Sports and games sub-tags

• Curling - MANGA
• Futsal - MANGA
• Gateball - MANGA
• Handball - MANGA
• Hockey - ANIME | MANGA
• Skateboarding - ANIME | MANGA
• Skiing - ANIME | MANGA
• Surfing - ANIME | MANGA
• Water Polo - ANIME | MANGA

Chess
MANGA

These manga focus on chess: a two-player, strategy Board Game where each player controls sixteen pieces on a checkered board. and tries to capture their opponent's pieces. Players move the game pieces to capture the other's until the opponent's king is unable to escape. Checkmate!


Darts
MANGA

These manga focus on darts: a game in which small, pointed projectiles are thrown at a circular target to score points. Or in the case of lawn darts, weighted darts are thrown underhanded at a horizontal target on the ground.


Esports
ANIME | MANGA

Esports, short for electronic sports, is a form of competition where professional players compete individually or in teams using video games, most frequently with multiplayer games. Common examples include Dota, League of Legends, and Starcraft, but these anime may include fictional games as well.


Go
ANIME | MANGA

These anime focus on Go: a two-player, strategy Board Game where players try to surround more territory than their opponents using black and white playing pieces called stones. Believed to be the oldest board game still played in modern times, Go was invented in China more than 2,500 years ago before spreading to Korea and Japan.


Horse Racing
ANIME | MANGA

These anime feature horse racing: an equestrian performance sport where horses race each other in a competition, usually ridden by jockeys.


Pole Dancing
MANGA

These manga focus on pole dancing: an activity that combines dance and acrobatics using a vertical pole. Pole dancing is a form of adult entertainment that includes sensual moves, but it is also a mainstream form of fitness given it combines resistance training and cardio, and improves flexibility.


Shogi
ANIME | MANGA

Also known as Japanese chess, Shogi is a two-player, strategy Board Game where opponents each use a set of 20 flat, wedge-shaped pieces. Like with standard chess, the game ends when one player checkmates the other's king.


Yoga
MANGA

These manga center on yoga: a type of exercise where a person moves their body into various positions to become more flexible and to relax the mind. Originally a 5000 year-old Hindu spiritual discipline, yoga has spread far beyond its native India and is now practiced around the world for its health benefits.


Location tags

• Antarctica - ANIME | MANGA
• Denmark - MANGA
• Iceland - MANGA
• Indonesia - MANGA
• Ireland - MANGA
• Mars - ANIME | MANGA
  
• Netherlands - MANGA
• Philippines - MANGA
  
• Poland - ANIME | MANGA
• Thailand - ANIME | MANGA
• Vietnam - ANIME | MANGA

Bathhouse
ANIME | MANGA

These anime focus on or primarily take place in a bathhouse. Public bathhouses are known as sento (銭湯) in Japan. Bathing facilities are usually divided by gender and have separate showers to wash before soaking in the communal bath.


Catholic School
ANIME | MANGA

These anime take place in Catholic schools: educational institutions run by the Catholic church. Some may be All Boys Schools or All Girls Schools, particularly if they are Boarding Schools. Classes are usually taught by Nuns or Priests and have a religious curriculum based on Catholic doctrine.


Mars
ANIME | MANGA

These manga predominantly or fully take place on the planet Mars.


Orphanage
ANIME | MANGA

These anime take place in an orphanage: an institution that houses and provides for the needs of orphaned and abandoned children.


Changes and deletions

• We had previously soft launched a few Tokusatsu-related sub-genres (Henshin Heroes, Metal Heroes, Kaijuu) that were unannounced. These were based on active help we had from industry experts to help classify and triage our Tokusatsu-related content, but that help stopped, and we do not have experts on the team to be able to help with this anymore. Thus, these tags were removed. It's likely we'll either remove or more strictly limit the definition for Sentai in the future as well, and will likely do the same for Tokusatsu. The latter will likely not be removed, but we will probably remove anything from the tag other than strictly defined content.

• Kaijuu titles have been moved to custom lists instead, which will become "official" custom lists when that feature launches in the future:
  • https://www.anime-planet.com/users/sothis/lists/manga-about-kaijuu-giant-monsters-946344
  • https://www.anime-planet.com/users/sothis/lists/anime-about-kaijuu-giant-monsters-946345

​

• The Anime Bancho tag was removed. This was added for content in a specific YouTube channel and is both no longer active, and isn't a reason for adding an anime/manga tag based on our current guidelines.

• The unannounced Past Memories tag has been removed. There's too much crossover with Modern Knowledge and was overly confusing for both users and moderators.

• Wuxia and Xianxia have updated definitions based on industry advice.

• Tags that were previously added for either anime or manga, and now are up for the other:
  • Kingdom Building (anime)
  • Management (anime)
  • Based on a Play (anime)
  • Based on a Web Novel (anime)

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Thanks, as always, for your continued support of Anime-Planet. If you like our tags, tell your friends about the site! They tend to be a popular draw for new users :)