Shojo is a genre that’s often popular among younger female audiences, usually the teen audience, but not exclusively. The story settings and worlds can vary but normally take place around a school-type setting.
There are many anime fans who are drawn to the genre for a variety of reasons, such as touching stories, comical situations, sweet relationships, or sometimes relatable characters. However, the shojo genre is not without its faults. Like every genre, it has some traits that become repetitive and more often than not can turn into a real eyesore for shojo fans.
10 Weak & Unsure Protagonists
This is a trait that’s not seen as often as it used to be, but there are many shojo anime where this type of protagonist can still be seen. The weak protagonist is usually portrayed as someone fragile, meek, and unable to do things for herself.
When used right, this trait can begin as a good start for character growth, but when done poorly, the character is often in constant need of saving without any type of growth ever happening. This not only makes a character dull but also unrelatable.
9 Strong But Damsel-In-Distress Protagonists
This shojo trait is normally seen with female protagonists. Many fans love when a story is given a strong female protagonist, be it mentally or physically. However, in shojo anime, sometimes this strong protagonist is put into a situation that should not be an issue for the character based on similar situations the character already faced.
Suddenly, this type of shojo protagonist becomes a damsel-in-distress who must now be rescued. Not only can this leave a bad taste for a once likable character but it can also make them seem like a stranger to the fans.
8 Popular Love Interests
The protagonist falling for the most popular guy or girl in school is one of the most overused traits in shojo anime. The love interest is usually written as being a beautiful individual who’s charming, kind, or helpful. They’re either placed in roles such as club president or as a student with top grades, made to seem all-around perfect, and can do no wrong in anyone’s eyes.
The protagonist often thinks they don’t stand a chance with someone like this or may not even be aware of their presence. Then something happens where the love interest finally begins to take notice of the protagonist. It’s usually an irritable trait that often leaves fans wondering why the protagonist was never noticed before.
7 Aloof Love Interests
This shojo trait is normally seen after the protagonist meets the future love interest to-be. At first, the protagonist does not like them due to their too-cool-for-school attitude or coldness. Sometimes, this potential love interest is at times rude and mean.
This is usually the set-up for the love-hate relationship where the protagonist is annoyed or put off by the love interest, but an event happens where they end up being around each other more than they want and begin to fall for one another. However, this also can set up the protagonist to easily forgive certain behaviors of the love interest at times, which can be seen as somewhat unhealthy.
6 Bullies That Antagonize Protagonists For Petty Reasons
This shojo trait is pretty predictable and has been used in a variety of ways. Sometimes this trait is seen when the protagonist is an outcast or unpopular and the bullies see them as an easy target. At some point in the story, the protagonist must eventually overcome them.
Another time this is seen is when not long after the protagonist and love interest begin to spend more time together, others will get jealous and try to force the protagonist to stay away from the love interest. These types of petty bullies are frustrating to watch.
5 Love Triangles That Go Nowhere Or Get Chaotic
Shojo anime is infamous for some of the dramatic scenarios that can take place in them. One way that they try to spice things up in the drama department is by adding a love triangle. Normally, the protagonist is always in the middle of it with a current love interest and best friend or current love interest and ex.
Sometimes the trait occurs during shojo anime that have the harem or reverse harem aspects going on in them. It can get quite tiredly chaotic when multiple love triangles are added or if it happens multiple times throughout the anime.
4 Dramatic, Nonsensical Betrayals
Another way that shojo anime likes to add to the drama side of things is by adding a sudden betrayal from a best friend or love interest. It can be something as simple as miscommunication or being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Sometimes the betrayal can escalate to the love interest cheating on the protagonist or the protagonist being stolen away from the love interest. Similar to other drama traits of shojo anime, it can quickly turn into a hot soap opera mess that can become off-putting to some fans.
3 Lifelong Friends Get Sidelined
This trait is touched upon often in shojo stories that often become heartbreaking. The protagonist or love interest has a best friend who has been there for almost their whole life. However, the friend is only ever seen as a friend and nothing more, despite all the times the friend has been there.
When the friend has developed feelings for them, it’s often overlooked or rejected in some manner. Sometimes a reason is given for why there are no returned feelings, but many times no real explanation is given. For fans, especially those used to the friendzone burn, this can be an emotional sting that’s too much at times.
2 Sudden Forgetfulness Or Forgiveness
One of the most common and toxic traits of shojo anime is the forgive-and-forget scenario. It can add to the story when introduced in a small dose or used in a light manner, such as forgiving a misunderstanding or past mistake. But when used in a heavy manner, such as the love interest doing something to the protagonist that’s harmful or life-threatening, it can become toxic.
This is especially true when the protagonist still ends up with this love interest and acts as if nothing bad ever happened. Sometimes a case of amnesia from an accident is used to help with righting the wrong of what had happened. Regardless, it often can give the false belief that all wrongdoings can be forgiven in the name of love.
1 Unrealistic Expectations
A shojo anime trait often called out by fans and non-fans alike is the unrealistic expectations set forth when it comes to relationships and serious issues. Topics such as romantic interest between siblings or student-teacher relationships are often over beautified and treated with a grain of salt. Sometimes these topics are even glamorized.
Generally, relationships in shojo anime are exceedingly romanticized and misleading. Treating relationships in this manner can often lead to misconceptions of how actual relationships work in the real world and can leave many fans with expectations that are not plausible.
About The Author
