Anime Dictionary:
AMV: you will find this abbreviation in YouTube. It stands for Anime Music Video. AMVs are videos that consist scenes from anime together with audio from another source.
Baka: Japanese for "fool"
BGM: stands for backgroundmusic of an anime series, video game or movie.
Dub: editing out the original language and replacing it with your country's language
Sub: an anime series/movie with the original voices but subtitles in your language
Fandub and Fansub: the same meanings just made by fans and not official companies
Filler: episode of an anime that does not occur in the series' original manga. They create fillers to give the manga time to catch up or make the anime last longer than the manga. Most of the times fillers have nothing to do with the original storyline.
Kawaii: Japanese for "cute". Example: Me - Mikasa :$
OST: stands for Original Sound Track. An OST is a music CD including background music and songs from an anime.
Otaku: someone who's obsessed with something. However, Japanese people don't like to be called otakus, I experienced that in Tokyo ^_^
OVA: stands for Original Video Animation. Episodes of a series that were made for home video and not TV/cinema. Those OVAs are longer and better since the creators don't have to worry about censorship.
Maid: Employee in so-called maid-cafés. Everytime someone enters the building the maids say "welcome home, master".
Manhwa: Same as manga just from/made in Korea
Manhua: Same as manga just from/made in China
Small Vocabulary:
Arigato = Thank you
Ai = Love
Itadakimasu = Let's eat --- greetings to Luffy
Hai = Yes or paying attention
Sayonara = Goodbye
Urusai = Be quiet
Oi = Hey / more common in animes than konichiwa
Naze? = Why?
Yamero = Stop
Ganbare = Hang in there
Sakura = Cherry blossom
Anime Genres/Demographics:
Action
The most popular and most common genre without a doubt. As the name says it's packed with a lot of action and extreme fight scenes. The genre includes lots of battle scenes, fluid animation and bloody confrontations.
Examples: Blech, One Piece and Kill la Kill
Adventure
Also another popular genre of anime. It deals alot with characters moving around and exploring new places. These animes tend to be very long but the characters typically have a solid background. The storyline is thought out to the smallest detail. Unfortunately many viewers might get bored due to the slow story progression.
Examples: Pokemon, Fairy Tail and One Piece
Comedy
As its name implies this genre deals with light humour but sometimes it is very easily overdone and cringy. Funny moments, wacky dialogues and hilarious scenes are supposed to make the viewer laugh or at least giggle a tiny bit.
Examples: Full Metal Panic, The Devil is a Part-Timer and Nichijou
Demons
Pretty common genre, deals with evil spirits, demons, witches and other mythical monsters. More and more animes with demon-like elements are being produced because of its constantly rising fame.
Examples: Inuyasha, Blue Exorcist and Chrono Crusade
Drama
Suspenseful, shocking and full of emotion - that is what this genre stands for. Even though Drama is way more popular in Japan than in the West, it's still much appreciated. The producer attaches much value to the characters and the plot. It's very well implemented and as a result the viewers feel just as how the character feels. It's not unusual that the audience starts crying every now and then. Don't be ashamed if you cry :P
Examples: Angel Beats, Mirai Nikki, Clannad and even Attack on Titan
Ecchi
This genre is full of slight sexual scenes but still mild enough to be viewed by the general audience and mentioned in this forum :P it's a known fact that Ecchi is taking an upswing nowadays while it was totally ignored a decade ago. More and more titles are produced every season and those are ranked very high. Ecchi is often combined with comedy which prevents that the animes cross the line and are too inappropriate for the young audience.
Examples: Prison School, High School DxD and Elfen Lied
Fantasy
The fantasy genre in anime primarily deals with fantasy worlds and surreal events and places.
Most of the time, the setting is in a magical fantasy world where the characters start an adventure. Those animes are usually based on mythology or folklore. Even though the characters' backgrounds are bad-written, the art and the atmosphere is breathtaking.
Examples: Nanatsu no Taizai, Fairy Tail and Fullmetal Alchemist
Game
The game category encompasses shows revolving around the idea of gaming and playing. May it be a card game, a board game, a puzzle game, or even a virtual online game.
Examples: Yu-Gi-Oh, Sword Art Online and Duel Masters
Harem
Basically there is a male character being surrounded by multiple female characters. Yeah, that's it.
Examples: School Days, Date A Live and He Is My Master
Historical
As the name suggests, historical anime revolves around events in history, historical settings, and moments of antiquity. Typical of this genre are shows set in ancient japan. Rarily in Middle Age or other Western Eras.
Examples: Rurouni Kenshin, Fushigi Yugi and Samurai Champloo
Horror
It’s not much difficult to spot the horror genre in anime. Usually, if there are ghosts, monsters, gore, and creeps, then it’s a horror anime you’re watching. They aren't really scary more filled with bloody splatter scenes.
Examples: Parasyte, Elfen Lied, Hellsing and Another
Josei
Josei is actually a demographic but is also considered as a general genre in anime. It’s a genre that specifically targets female viewers around the age range of 18-40. With that age range, the shows here are depicted in a more mature light usually with very realistic romance and less-dreamy, less-idealized portrayals.
Examples: Nana, Paradise Kiss and Honey & Clover
Kids
A lot of people say that anime is just for kids, but that’s not really true. As a matter of fact, there are only a few number of anime that are precisely catered towards children. These animes are less violent and bloody.
Examples: Doraemon, Pokemon and Digimon
Magic
Magic in all its essence is about magical stuff like spells and incantations. One of the most famous theme in the magic genre is the “magical girls” theme which is becoming so popular that it might just become a whole new genre on its own in the future.
Examples: Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Magical Doremi and Magi: Labyrinth of Magic
Martial Arts
Martial arts plays a big role in every anime that has fighting/battles in it. Filled with hand-to-hand combat, swordplay, gun shooting and armed combat. There are shows that are focused on martial arts itself and the battle techniques.
Examples: Hajime no Ippo, History’s Strongest Disciple, and Dragon Ball
Mecha
Another action packed anime genre, but with the use of giant robots or Mechas. Often includes space, military and fantasy.
Examples: Mobile Suit Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Aldnoah.Zero
Military
As the name implies, the military genre involves the military in one way or another. War may also be a huge part of the military genre as this is the case where the military is often utilized.
Examples: Ghost in the Shell, Code Geass and Full Metal Panic
Music
Anime shows in the music genre aren’t that popular nowadays, but they do exist and they are very timely. Whether it’s singing, dancing, or playing musical instruments - all those components describe this genre.
Examples: K-On, Nodame Cantabile and Beck
Mystery
Anime Genre that keeps the views wondering whats going to happen next, usually involves a chain of unexplained events, where the protagonist tried to solve them. It's common that the protagonist's IQ is above the average.
Examples: Death Note, Detective Conan, Darker Than Black, Steins Gate and Eden of the East
Parody
A parody anime is one which countless numbers of other anime references are showcased throughout the plot.
Examples: Senyuu, Blood Lad and Gintama
Police
The police genre emphasizes the life and struggles of police characters in their line of duty. Police doesn’t just count police characters – it also counts detectives, investigators, and enforcers in its array.
Examples: Death Note, Psycho-Pass and Lupin The Third
Post-Apocalyptic
Post-Apocalyptic anime are basically shows that happen in a world that is in a dystopian state (means: destroyed world, nearly extinct human race, survival after an apocalypse, etc.).
Examples: High School of the Dead, Attack on Titan and Shin Sekai Yori
Psychological
Based on its literal meaning, psychological anime are shows that delves into how the mind, psyche, and thinking works.
Examples: Monster, Death Note and Mirai Nikki
Reverse Harem
Basically there is a female character being surrounded by multiple male characters. Yeah, that's it.
Examples: Amnesia, Fruits Basket and Ouran High School Host Club
Romance
Romance is all about love and sweet moments. The focus in this one is the romantic relationships of the characters as well as the blooming of their love with one another.
Example: Romeo x Juliet, Kare Kano and Special A
School
School anime are shows that are set in a school setting.
Examples: Assassination Classroom, Kare Kano and Beelzebub
Sci-Fi
Sci-Fi (short for science fiction) is a genre that showcases scientific and technological elements in its story. Machines and various kinds of technologies are staples of this genre.
Examples: Space Dandy, Cowboy Bebop and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Seinen
Seinen is actually a demographic but is also considered as a general genre in anime. It’s a genre that specifically targets male viewers around the age range of 18-40. With that age range, the shows here are depicted in a more mature light and often includes much more explicit content such gore, adult love and violence.
Examples: Berserk, Monster and Ergo Proxy
Shoujo
Shoujo is actually a demographic but is also considered as a general genre in anime. It’s a genre that specifically targets female viewers around the age range of 10-18. With that age range, the shows here are mostly idealized and well-rounded.
Examples: Sailor Moon, Lovely Compley and Vampire Knight
Shoujo-ai
Animes about love between two female characters.
Example: No, stop dreamin'
Shounen
Shounen is actually a demographic but is also considered as a general genre in anime. It’s a genre that specifically targets male viewers around the age range of 10-18. Most of the time, shounen anime shows are considered general and almost always even becomes the most trending mainstream shows.
Example: Naruto, One Piece, Toriko and Dragonball
Shounen-ai
Animes about love between two male characters.
Examples: Still no
Slice of Life
Aims to keep the story as realistic as possible and expresses everyday life.
Examples: Barakamon, School Rumble and Ai Yori Aoshi
Space
Usually implies there is alot of space travel or a large amount of the show’s setting is on a space colony or in a spacecraft .
Examples: Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star and Planetes
Sports
Any sport which can’t go under the ‘Martial Arts’ genre will usually go under this genre.
Examples: Prince of Tennis, Kuruko no Basket, Captain Tsubasa and Haikyuu
Super Power
Action or Adventure Based where the protagonist has variety of super powers.
Examples: Naruto, Dragon Ball and Toriko
Supernatural
Anything unexplainable, which defies the laws of physics, even within the anime/manga world it is featured in.
Examples: One Punch Man, Tokyo Ghoul and Soul Eater
Tragedy
As the name implies, the tragedy genre revolves around tragic events or phenomenon where the characters are deeply involved and affected. Tragedy comes in diverse varieties such as disasters, accidents, misfortunes and deaths.
Examples: Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, Zetsuen no Tempest, and Technolyze
Vampire
As vampires have become so popular throughout the world, it’s to no shock that they’ve also infested the world of anime. There are lots of titles now featuring vampires and the themes surrounding them.
Examples: Vampire Knights, Dance in the Vampire Bund and Hellsing
Yaoi
Anime about man-man-love but deeper
Examples: Forum says no
Yuri
Same as above, just between females.
~~~ Will be expanded ~~~