shounen can be both. Definitions change over time....if so many people use shounen as a genre than its definition can change over time, different from its original usage. This has happened to plenty of words. (there is a book about this too, its called Frindle)

And if you look online, you will see hundreds if not thousands of people using shounen as a genre not a demographic anymore. if that's the case, the definition can change, even if they are wrong per se. Now, let's not be overly conservative.

Thousands of people use "Shounen" as a genre because they obviously do not know the difference between a demographic and a genre. -_-; It's as simple as that.


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yea, but correct or not, it updates a definition. You'd be surprised how often and accepted these kind of things are.

Example:
When early explorers went to Australia, they saw hopping mammals! They asked the natives what they were called and they replied "Kangaroo". From then on Kangaroos meant a large hopping mammal. Kangaroo means "I don't understand (your question" in the native's tongue. It's not the correct name for an animal but when enough people use it, it becomes part of the language regardless. This is only one example.

Things change, you can't say don't. Language is dynamic, not static. Original definitions DO change. Let's not be close minded.

AND this conversation ends NOW (don't continue it, seriously or it shows it doesn't matter what anyone says, you will be stubborn).

Negima is the best (and a must read), HXH a close second (terrible art though).

Last edited by Mastermack0 at 2:26 pm, Jan 3 2009

Somhow that gets annoying like the other say shonen is a demographic like shoujo seinen and josei It only says in what kind of magazine it was published would shounen be a gernre it woul mean young man or somthing like that then would evry mang with a young man be shonen thats ridiculous.
and a gernre cant explain with a gernre like you do here


you cant say an apple cake is a fruit becuse there are apples within (lol what a bad example )
so apple cake would be the demographic
and the apple the gernre
Can I put it that way...

Last edited by DarkBlade at 2:30 pm, Jan 3 2009

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I just want to note, Mastermack0, that Shounen stays Shounen. It's not a matter of definitions changing over time. Green looked green 2000 years ago, it didn't look purple. Also, you do realize that no one untill yet has backed up your standpoint.

Maybe you're just misinterpreting something? At least you acknowledge that its one of the 'definitions'. That's a first step. And in no ways do we mean to attack you, rather we just want to clarify a term that is oftenly used in the wrong way by people who don't really understand the concept behind demographics in order to avoid further misconceptions.

Anyways, one of the better Shounens around is Tegami Bachi, imo. Immortal Regis definitely is up there somewhere as well.

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incorrect analogy. Green is a physical thing. Words aren't (those are abstract). Click genre on the right hand side. Or search "shounen genre". Only 2 or 3 people are reading this, tahts why no one backs me up. You are historically correct but in the face of the internet, you lose. Things change and shounen is no longer just a demographic. It is now used to categorize manga and anime. Stereotypes have even risen: "worthless side charcter", "action", etc.

Words and definitions change. Clearly you know nothing about etymology. Its it that difficult to understand that shounen is being used for another things other than its original purpose? because it is and i simply assumed that we were using on the general defintion and not its original and less popular definition. No offense, but the entire web backs up my opinion despite it truthfully being wrong. Even thigns taht are 'wrong' can become the truth.

If bunch of wapanese people think shounen is a gender it doesn't mean it is.


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If the sea were made of Whiskey and I was a duck
I'd swim to the bottom and never come up

Techniquelly it is a 'gender'. its male. But i will be leaving now, i dont need to argue with close minded people.

IMO, Air Gear, mainly because the Agito is just pwnage and also because it has a plot/background of it's own.

How witty...But Instead of close minded people, I would rather use people that are right.

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If the sea were made of Whiskey and I was a duck
I'd swim to the bottom and never come up

Air gear, ares, one piece, 20th century boys, pluto, claymore, monster, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, soul eater, black god, zero and death note.

Hey, do you guys remember when this thread was about people saying what they thought was the best shounen manga, and not a huge round table debate as to whether shounen was a genre or a demographic?

*sigh*

Good times, man. Good times.

Last edited by loosecannon504 at 5:28 am, Jan 4 2009

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It's fair enough if one doesn't think something like Dear is shounen though it was published in a shounen magazine. But Ichigo 100% and the like? Aren't they OBVIOUS enough to be shounen? I don't think a story about a guy being surrounded by a harem with ecchi is intended for girls.

thank you loosecannon504.
and for the record, my vote for best shounen manga goes to either fairy tail or soul eater.

It's not very popular but, Deadman Wonderland is fap worthy in my opinion. Also, Blazer Drive is pretty promising.