A
Anime Japanese animation. common japanese art of drawing, it features people with large eyes, small mouths and
noses in comparision to their face
Arigatou (Gozaimasu) Thank you (very much ~ formal)
B
BGM Abbreviation for BackGround Music
Bishonen Japanese for "beautiful youth", usually male characters drawn near female style.
Bishoujo "pretty girl," of shoujo anime and manga.
Bishounen "pretty boy," normally used to describe a young man(boy) who is either very sexy. In its more literal
meaning, it is used to refer to young men who have very feminine features.
Bushido Japanese for "the way of the warrior." A code of ethics observed by the warrior noblemen, or samurai, of feudal
Japan.
C
Chara Character
-chan dear, a younger girl, a very close friend
chibi Small (Mostly meant as a degroatory term, however, In anime/manga/cosplay, etc... it's is used to describe
size. ) When refering to UFO catcher dolls or drawings, chibi refers to small and proportionate characters.
Imagine the Muppet Babies. ^.~
ex:
Con abbreviation for "Convention"
Cosplay "Costume Play" Where fans of Anime/Manga/Video games, etc dress as thier favorite character. Generally
done at anime and gaming events such as conventions, etc. (including the unique Comic Market events in
Japan). Also relates to those who make/design such costumes
Custom UFO Catcher Dolls Handmade plush dolls resembling those won in UFO catcher Machines in Japan. However, most Custom UFO
Catcher Doll patterns are the interpretation of the artist making the doll and may vary from those found in UFO
Catcher machines. May be characters from Anime, manga, Video games, etc
Custom Plush see "Custom UFO Catcher Dolls"
D
Dubbed When an anime has its original script/voices removed then translated into another language. ie: japanese
speaking voice actors for original, English speaking voice actors for dubbed version.
Dojinshi/Doujinshi Dojinshi are fan produced items for some storyline, particularly fan drawn manga. Doing this is actually
quasi-legal in Japan and the makers of the official manga know that the more dojinshi material out there, the
greater the fanship of the real stuff. Many dojinshi groups are very successful and the quality for dojinshi
manga ranges from photocopied and stapled booklets to professionally bound works. "Dojinshi" literally means
something like "same stuff, different people".
E
Ecchi A Japanese word for "pervert" (though the connotations are somewhat more mild--see Hentai, below). Usually
used by American fans to refer to anime and related art of an adult nature. Commonly used term on the web.
Properly written "H" and pronounced "ecchi" in Japanese, this is an interesting bit of linguistics; the Japanese
word for "pervert" is Hentai. This is sometimes abbreviated (by the Japanese) as H, which is, in turn,
pronounced (again, by the Japanese) "ecchi".
Etchi lecherous person
F
Fanart A fan-created artwork, generally of or about characters from a TV Show, Movie, Comic Book, Novel, Cartoon,
Anime, Video Game, etc.
Fanfic/Fanfiction A fan-created story, regardless of length, written around the characters from an established TV Show, Movie,
Comic Book, Novel, Cartoon, Anime, Video Game, etc.
Fansite website devoted to one or more anime/manga series; may include: descriptions of the plot and characters,
character images, information about the voice actors, fanfiction, and links to other sites about the series;
Fansub Fan-subtitled video. (Videotape of an anime series, made by fans of the series and subtitled by them.)
G
Gaijin Foreigner; someone who is not from Japan
Ganbate Japanese for "Good Luck"
Glomp to come up to another person and throw yourself onto him/her in a massive bear hug, often putting your
cheeks together and hanging on long enough to make the other person irritated
Gomen Japanese for "Sorry." "Nasai" can be added at the end to make the apology more meaningful.
Gothic (In terms of Cosplay) Gothic is a style based solely in Japan, but was actually taken from an European fashion
movement from the late 19th century/early 20th century. Back then, corsets were the standard, bustle skirts
popular, dark fabrics the in-color, and parasols a must have. This style has been 'resurected' as the Gothic or
Goth style we see today.
H
Hai Japanese for "Yes."
Henshin Transformation. Used to describe the sub-genre of special-effects shows featuring super-hero. Also used to
describe transforming mecha.
Hentai The Japanese word for "pervert" (see Ecchi above, which is a milder form). It is commonly used by
English-speaking fans to refer to pornographic anime (note that it usually has slightly stonger connotations
than Ecchi). Also used occasionally (particularly on the web or in fanfics) as an insult, with the same meaning
as it has in Japanese.
I
Iie Japanese for "No"
J
Ja ne Japanese for "see ya"; casual way of saying goodbye, used most among young people; used widely on anime
mailing lists to sign off of e-mail messages. (also "ja")
Japanimation Slang for for Japanese animation. It's best to use the full "Japanese animation" or shorter "anime."
K
Kawaii "Cute"
-kun a younger boy, a very close friend
L
Lolita Lolita is a style based solely in Japan, but was actually taken from an European fashion movement from the
late 19th century/early 20th century. However, in contrast to Gothic/Goth style, Lolita takes these elements of
Victorian style and presents them in a cute demeanor, as if to be transported back then to be a little Victorian
girl. Puffy skirts, ribbons, meters of lace, warm colors, and cute Mary Janes dictate this part of Gothic and
Lolita.
M
Magical girls A genre of (usually) shoujo anime whose main character is a girl (or group of girls) out to save the world. She
usually has some kind of magic powers and a transformation sequence.
Manga The Japanese word for comic book Most anime stories come from manga.
Mecha Just about anything mechanical: weapons, vehicles, robots, but usually not items like pencil sharpeners or
ceiling fans.
Miko literally a Shinto priestess who acts as an assistant to a priest within a particular god's shrine; in anime
(especially on the Web) refers to a girl or woman who is passionately devoted to a particular character (and
who usually creates a web page, or shrine, devoted entirely to that character); characters that have miko's are
usually male and very good looking; used with no to indicate which god or character the miko serves.
Mina/Mina-san everyone, everybody; can be made more polite by adding san to the ending; often begins e-mail messages to
fan mailing lists, e.g., "Hello, mina-san!"
N
Nani Japanese for "What"
Nihon Japan.
Nippon Japan
O
OAV/OVA Original Video Animation: an anime direct to video release, anime made only for the video market.
Oi! "Hey!"
Omake comedic shorts added at the end of anime which usually adds more info or characterization to the story in a
humorous manner.
Oni Japanese for "demon", "spirit monster", or "evil spirit".
OOC Chat and Fanfiction abbrieviation for "Out of Character"
Otaku Anime fan*. (I understand it's generally a good thing in America, but apparently closer to being a geek in
Japan.) *a very obsessed fan
OST Original Sound Track
P
Pocky A favorite Japanese snack food that seems to be something of a long-standing tradition among anime otaku.
Basically they're thin cracker sticks that have been dipped in chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, and other flavors.
Plush/Plushie another word for a plush or soft/stuffed doll (regular or UFO Catcher). Plural: Plushies
Q
R
RPG Role Play Game
S
-san Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms. Formal and for respect
-sama your holiness, your majesty, master
SD - "Super-Deformed" Anime caricature style of an original character -- drawn very short and fat, with emphasized features. Usually
used for comic relief. Basicly, the character has a large head and a little body.
ex:
Samurai A warrior class in Japan, or a member of that class. The samurai formed a distinct class, wearing two swords
as a symbol of their caste and following a rigid code of ethics known as bushido.
Sayonara Japanese for "Good-bye." Usually only written using Kana
Seiyuu Japanese word for voice actor or actress
-sempai a classmate, older (?)
Senpai Senior, elder, predecessor
Sensei Teacher
Senshi Warrior
Sentai A Sentai TV show is a live action show with costumed heroes and villains. "Sentai" literally means "corps" or
"squadron".
Shojo girl ~ Type of anime or manga targeted to the "young girl" market.
Shojo Anime/Manga shojo anime is anime directed completely at girls, it typically involves a male in which many female charecters
admire, but this trait doesen't always mean it's shojo
Shonen boy ~ Type of anime or manga targeted to the "young boy" market.
Shonen Anime/Manga anime targeted specifically at boys, these typically involve mechas, guns(used by mechas or charecters) and
martial arts
Spoiler to give away part of the plot either by request, in hopes of some advice or more readers, or by releasing a
fanfic chapter or story that comes after the privious, unfinished fanfic. Also used in referring to movies, anime'
series, OAVs, Video Games, etc.
Subtitled Generally any Anime' presented in it's original, Japanese Language Version (sometimes left unedited), except
translated at the bottom of the screen into English or some other language in a color that will usually stand out
against the video behind it.
Sugoi Japanese for "terrible," "dreadful," "terrific," "amazing," "great," or "wonderful" ( I like this multi use word ^.~)
Sumimasen Japanese for "I'm sorry; forgive me"
Super Deformed see "SD"
T
-tachi "and others" (Ex: Duo-tachi ="Duo and his friends")
Tokusatsu Special-effects. As one might use it in English, tokusatsu is used to describe a super-categeory of live action
super-hero shows (Kamen Rider/Masked Rider or Zyuranger/MMPowerRangers) and giant monster movies
(Godzilla or Mothra).
U
UFO Catcher Machine prize machine in Japan. Is like the claw machines found in the US. You attempt to direct a 'claw' or crane
over a prize and grasp with the claw/crane (One version. There are many others)
UFO Catcher Doll/Plush Pertaining to the prize one wins in a UFO catcher Machine. Plush genrally refers to the soft cloth doll but also
may refer to a figure.
V
W
X
Y
Youja The name of the demons/evil spirits that are the enemy in the TV series.
Youma Japanese for "ghost, apparition." Used in many supernatural and horror Anime' to refer to demons, monsters,
ghosts, and members of the undead. (Also spelled Yoma.)
Z
