COMICS CULTURE SHRAPNEL from CBEM 390
But we're not quite there yet, right now most of the work being done seems to be just publicity, getting the word out. And one of those things we must convey is what shoujo is exactly, and it occurs to me that I've been talking about this "Shoujocon" when a great deal of my audience might not know what it is, or assume it's just another anime convention.
Shoujo is an umbrella genre (or maybe a tone) of anime and manga (japanese animation and comics, respectively). In its most basic incarnation, it is anime and manga aimed at an audience of young girls (which is what "shoujo" means). But that doesn't limit the genre in any way - shoujo is enjoyed by adults, both men and women. And some shoujo is now aimed at older women - this subgenre is called "josei".
The best way to think about shoujo if you're unfamiliar is to call up its American analogues. Here in the United States we have our own genres. When a movie comes out, we often make judgments of what kind of movie it is - either a "guy movie" or a "chick flick". The guy movies are usually action-adventure films, with fighting, guns, explosions, car chases and the like. Or maybe they're sports pieces, or buddy films. There's a tone we can identify, we see testosterone as a driving factor. Chick flicks are very different and we know it - no matter what kind of story it is - a contemporary drama, a high fantasy tale, a period piece - the plots usually revolve around friendship, internal struggle, and of course, romance. Romance itself is thought of as a feminine idea. Walk into a bookstore and go to the romance section - you'll be assaulted by a sea of pink and purple. The protagonists will usually be female, who will face some emotional conflict while advised by her best friend and eventually ending up in the arms of her dream guy. Reverse the gender of the main character to a guy and you'll find the book either in contemporary fiction or even erotica.
It's easy to be fooled by the gender of the main character - but simply having a female protagonist does not a shoujo make. Take Lara Croft - I would NOT classify any of her adventures (either in games or on screen) as "shoujo". The heavy emphasis on action, as well as the overly buxom figure of Ms. Croft would direct her adventures more toward a male audience and the "shounen" genre (shounen means "young boy" though like shoujo, is not limited to that age group or gender). Having a female main character simply means that more females might be more inclined to look at her adventures, or that they would enjoy the product more because they can more closely identify with the main character.
Shoujo can have male protagonists. In many cases, they will be objects to be admired and adored, attactive young men that many a shoujo fan will fantasize about. This subgenre is called "bishounen" which basically means "pretty boy". There might be the occasional case where the male protagonist is not drop dead gorgeous, though if there are female supporting characters, it's likely that what you're seeing is not a shoujo at all, but an example of the "bishoujo" ("pretty girl") subgenre of shounen. An ordinary guy finds himself in some situation where he is surrounded by numerous cute or even beautiful girls, some of which he may even have a chance with. Even if the story is not heavily laden with action or adventure, the very premise is a guy fantasy.
Artistically shoujo is very unique. You're not likely to find the ubiquitous speed lines of manga and anime here - remember that the action is often downplayed while emotional conflict tends to be heightened. The art is likely to reflect the mood in the room - lots of white space when someone is shocked or thinking intensely, an increased shinyness to faces when someone is feeling good. The background itself might briefly change in color or display a particular pattern to illustrate the mood of the character being shown in portrait. And then there are the flower petals - these create a dream-like atmosphere for the characters to act in, and you'll see them quite a lot.
So those are the basics of shoujo - I hope you understood what I tried to convey, and I certainly hope it didn't turn you off to the genre. I like shoujo for various reasons - romantic overtones and female protagonists aren't all there is to shoujo. It can be exciting, filled with suspense and some good action sequences. It can also be fairly humorous, the situations the protagonists find themselves in or get themselves into. Shoujo can also be science fiction, fantasy, or even sports. There just happens to be that little extra touch there that makes it shoujo.