by Mai Lynn
Have you ever seen a cartoon in which a beautiful figure gracefully appears upon the screen with a gorgeous face and luxurious hair, but have been left to question frustratingly, �Is that a boy or a girl?!� While watching a Japanese cartoon (aka Anime), this question is asked frequently. Bishonen and Bishoujo, two of the hottest items in Anime, are always the subjects of such questioning. The two lovely character-types are becoming increasingly popular in America with the introduction of American Anime (American cartoons with Anime aspects). As more of these cartoons are shown on the television, some of the American audience will have to guess upon the gender of the protagonist or other characters. There is no cause for worry because there are simple guidelines to explain the differences as well as the similarities between Bishonen and Bishoujo.
Bishonen and Bishoujo might be confusing terms for people who do not watch Anime on a regular basis. Translated, Bishonen means �pretty boy� while Bishoujo means �pretty girl.� The two beauties have always been a part of Anime history, but not until the early 1990�s did they get some important attention. Both have attributes to individualize each other, but overall Bishonen and Bishoujo are rather alike. Usually characterized with pretty hair, innocent looks, lithe bodies and the trade mark �sparkles�, Bishonen and Bishoujo usually exist only for the fans� enjoyment.
It is imperative for a Bishonen and a Bishoujo to appear attractive and stunning. They must possess a beautiful face, eccentric hair, a stunning figure and heavenly eyes. As such, Bishonen come in many varieties. The most feminine types are the innocent klutz and the depressed angst meister. Both forms usually have feminine figures and are not too tall. What's more, the pretty boys are indeed boys, varying from ages 12-22. Bishoujo also come in a wide variety. The three types of Bishoujo that are often confused with boys are the innocent klutz and the proper but shy blusher. In contrast of those two, there is the occasional blood thirsty villainess Bishoujo. Usually, the villainess has a predominant figure, but there are some that have no figure and can be mistaken for a villain. Bishoujo are usually 14-20, because this is when a girl develops into a woman. Along with young faces, Bishonen and Bishoujo have another essential trait: Hair. Hair is important to a Bishonen and Bishoujo. A Bishonen�s hair must be shiny and, on average, shoulder length or mullet-styled. It usually does not sway in the wind but instead lies against the pretty boy to entice the viewers to his body. A Bishoujo�s hair, on the other hand, is always a treat to watch, because it is often longer than shoulder length and sways about in a light breeze. The colors for hair of both genders range from silver to brown. Another important feature to Bishonen is his eyes. Normally, Bishonen have large, innocent, rounded eyes. In Anime, the larger eyes the character has, the more innocent the person. On the other hand, the angsty Bishonen are known to have slanted eyes. Bishoujo typically have large, innocent eyes with short or long eyelashes. Eyelashes are an essential trait to recognize a difference between the two, because eyelashes signify womanhood. Eye color is usually the same as the hair, but there are times when they differ. Like hair, eye color can range from silver to brown. Color is very important, as it illustrates the personality for the Bishonen or Bishoujo.
As stated before, there are some types of Bishonen and Bishoujo that are often confused with one another. Existing, are two types of Bishonen that appear rather feminine. To explain a bit more, a description of each will be given. The first is an Innocent Bishonen who is a small, cute boy. Though he is a bit clumsy, he is full of laughter and smiles a big heart-warming smile. He loves to play with people and generally thinks the world is a nice place with not too much evil. The Innocent Bishonen is usually at a young age and na�ve, with light-colored hair and eyes to express his innocence. The Angsty Bishonen hates the world around him and carries an air of depression. Normally, he will do anything to be rid of contact with others and prefers solitude. An Angsty Bishonen normally has dark colored hair with light eyes. This does not exactly symbolize his angst; instead, it is to gain popularity towards him as well as the show he features in. Like Innocent Bishonen, an Innocent Bishoujo will bounce about with a perky attitude and love to play with anything, from people to pets to video games. She will always introduce her presence with a smile or a loud �Konnichi wa, minna-san!� (Translation: �Good Afternoon everyone!�) before tripping over her shoes then running into a Bishonen or a light pole. Innocent Bishoujo usually have light colored hair and eyes. On the other hand, a Shy Bishoujo is always respectful and quiet. Although she doesn�t speak much, her voice is usually soft and high pitched. The Shy Bishoujo�s hair is a bit more normal, with browns or blacks while her eyes are either the same, or a light color, such as light purple. An Evil Bishoujo, the somewhat masculine type, is normally snotty and malevolent, with evil plans lurking in her head with a booming laugh. She can get pretty violent, especially towards her minions. An Evil Bishoujo will attract lusty men to become her right-handed minions or a crowd of cowering fools who are willing to follow her orders. While an Evil Bishoujo surrounds herself with minions, an Angsty Bishonen is found with happy, normal people. He will not partake in the happiness that the others are a part of and instead stands to the side, brooding. This enhances the fact that he is depressed. Both Innocent Bishonen and Bishoujo attract good people and funny friends and are often at the center of attention. The type of people and setting for these four types are immensely important and are sometimes necessary to determine the gender.
Bishonen and Bishoujo are always found in Shojo Anime (Shojo is an Anime that gears towards a female audience, though it can appeal to a male audience). Examples of Shojo are romance stories, fantasy and space adventures. There are different styles of Anime that are somewhat exclusive to Bishonen and Bishoujo as well. War Anime, which usually contains characters fighting for a purpose, house a lot of masculine Bishonen and not too many Bishoujo. In contrast, feminine Bishoujo are usually presented in �Boy-meets-Girls� Anime. This is an Anime where a boy finds himself suddenly living with four or more women in an awkward situation. Each example of a Shojo will be explained, as well as tips on how to tell which gender the Bishonen or Bishoujo are. If the case is a romance Anime, Bishonen and Bishoujo are not that difficult to tell apart. Usually, romances are set in Japanese high schools and so the school uniforms obviously tell of the gender of the Bishonen or Bishoujo. If it is not in a school, Bishoujo usually blush easily while the Bishonen will often have surprised looks on their faces. Innocent Bishonen and Shy Bishoujo are normally found in this type. In a fantasy Anime, Bishonen are frequently the Innocent type trying to be strong in an impossible situation. The Bishoujo, the Innocent or the Evil kind, will have plenty of skin showing to reveal herself as a woman. However, if it is a slightly masculine Evil Bishoujo, take note of who her henchmen are. If they are mostly young men, then she may actually be a Bishonen. If they are mostly young girls, then she could be an Evil Bishoujo. Nevertheless, if there is a Bishoujo that seems more like a Bishonen in a fantasy, then he/she is probably a Bishonen. In fantasies, Bishonen love to cross dress for one reason or another. As a reminder, always look for eyelashes. If there are eyelashes, then it is a girl. If there are no eyelashes or the eyelashes are impossibly long, then it is a boy in girl�s clothing. Space adventures, including the war-like atmosphere Anime, are easier at identifying genders than fantasy. Because the Bishonen or Bishoujo are in space, skin-tight clothing is usually worn. Clearly, Bishonen and Bishoujo will be no problem to identify. Usually, these Anime are more serious and political, so cross-dressing would not be an issue. However, if there is possible questioning, behavior is important. If the Bishonen/Bishoujo in question is depressed or crying, then he is a Bishonen. If the character in question is sad, but tries to stay happy, then she is a Bishoujo. In the �Boy-meets-Girls� setting, the Bishoujo are rather noticeable with large breasts, tiny waists and long hair while the boys of the Anime are rather plain and mundane. Overall, Bishonen and Bishoujo have their own qualities in these genres, but it can be rather tricky to tell who is who, especially in a fantasy Anime.
Bishonen and Bishoujo can be identified either by their beauty, personality or the type of Anime they feature in. This essay, if read and applied correctly, can help those in confusion to understand the differences and similarities between Bishonen and Bishoujo. Thus, with the oncoming storm of American Anime, there will be less confusion amongst the audience and more drooling over a gorgeous Bishonen or Bishoujo. Yummy.
