Usually translated as perverted, or sexually explicit
Here is a list of select terms used to describe anime and manga. It is helpful to understand these basic terms when conversing with others or reading on the subject. Note: Japanese words have no plural ending, for example manga can refer to one or several manga depending on the context. Also be aware that the Japanese use of these terms sometimes varies from English speaking fan use.
A type of realistic manga for, mainly male, older teens and adults developed in the 1950s which often includes antiheroes such as gangsters, poor samurai and the urban poor, often in violent and sexual situations
Animation produced in Japan for the Japanese market. Anime, as defined by common fan usage, is simply any animation that is made in Japan for a Japanese audience. In Japan the word simply means any animation made anywhere in the worldmercial anime dates back to 1917. Modern anime dates from the 1960s with the work of Osamu Tezuka, best known in the U.S. for “Astro Boy”, Tetsuwan Atom in the original Japanese.
While anime is sometimes erroneously referred to as a “genre” it is in reality a medium that includes any genre that can be found in cinema or literature. The evaluation of anime titles should be done with all the care that goes into evaluating movies or novels, even more so since it is often hard to get good reviews of anime to aid the selection process.
A term coming from otaku culture used to refer to the feelings of moe one has to a chara (character) in anime, manga, video games and other character sources. The feelings can also be focused on specific alluring characteristics such characters may have to the point of fetishism.
A group of people who come together for non-work related projects. Among fans this can be creating a dojinshi, making garage kits, or any other kind of activity that works well with a group. However circles are not limited to fandom. In schools and workplaces circles may come together and form school clubs to carry on their activities.
These are usually made by small fan circles and often will use characters from anime, manga, TV shows, games or actual persons. Japanese companies tend to ignore dojinshi which use trademarked characters or see it as a sign of the popularity of their products. Outside Japan dojinshi have a reputation for being sexually explicit, this is not the case as there are plenty which are not. Some non-Japanese will incorrectly use the term to refer to any erotic manga.
Erotic manga, sometimes called porunomanga. In the English speaking world the term hentai-manga has come into use. However this use of the word hentai is not the way the Japanese use it.
A term coined by female fans of yaoi dojinshi and BL (Boys Love) manga to describe themselves rather than use the sometimes pejorative word otaku. While the pronunciation is the same as another word that means wife or woman the first kanji has been changed to another, also pronounced fu, that is used in words that refer to rot, decay and depravity. The self-deprecating term can be translated as “rotten woman” and has connotations of “fallen woman”.
A story writer who teams up with a mangaka to create manga. Not all manga are produced by one person, such writer artist teams are not unusual. The most famous gensakusha is probably Kazuo Koike.
This word in Japanese usage is far more complex than that as it has other meanings such as metamorphosis, weird, an anomaly, or abnormal. But most of the time that you see or hear it in anime or in fan circles it refers to perverted.