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content indicatorsThe content indicators branch is intended to be a less geographically specific tool than the `age rating` used by convention, for warning about things that might cause offence. Obviously there is still a degree of subjectivity involved, but hopefully it will prove useful for parents with delicate children, or children with delicate parents.

nudityNudity is the state of wearing no clothing and exposing the bare skin or intimate parts. NO FRONTAL NUDITY (visible genitals) = 1.5 STARS OR LESS. Especially gratuitous fanservice shows tend to show their characters frequently without any clothes, though often hiding genitals through the means of additions like steam.

sexSexual intercourse, the ultimate bond of love and the "Origin of the World" (just think of Gustave Courbet`s painting).

violenceViolence is the use of physical force against oneself or another entity, compelling action against one`s will on pain of being hurt.

animal abuseViolence against animals. The humane society will not like this.

goreVery violent scenes appear in the show. Do not be surprised to see people dying in a violent and painful way. Oh, and with lots and lots of blood splattering all over the place.

mutilationMutilation is an act of physical injury that degrades the appearance or function of any living body. Some ethnic groups practice ritual mutilation as part of a rite of age. In some cases, the term may apply to treatment of dead bodies, such as soldiers mutilated after they have been killed by an enemy. Maiming, or mutilation which involves the loss of, or incapacity to use, a bodily member, is and has been practised by many societies, and is also a customary form of physical punishment.

dynamicSome of the central structural elements in anime are Plot Continuity, Stereotype Characters and Plot Twists.

back to square oneThe story returns to its starting point (or another situation) once or even multiple times. Possible causes for this might be amnesia or time travel. This sometimes leads to the repetition of certain events (like in the "Endless Eight" episodes in Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu (2009)).

branching storyThe whole series consists of alternative stories, starting at the same point, branching off to different endings. It is like a normal visual novel / dating sim, where you have different choices to meet different girls.

choose your routeFurther expanding on the branching story concept, a "choose your route" anime allows the viewer to choose how the story progresses, similar to a visual novel / dating sim], by selectively watching the various episodes that have been released for the anime.

castno description set

animal protagonistThe anime revolves around an animal, usually only communicating with typical onomatopoeia. The animal mostly lives in a human family and has adventures on a regular base. This can be the discovery of a new room, or being lost by having taken a wrong turn in the outside world. Not to be confused with tag "animal world". Typical example: Chii`s Sweet Home.

antiheroAn antihero is a main character in a story who lacks conventional heroic qualities and attributes such as idealism, courage and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actions that are morally correct, it is not always for the right reasons, often acting primarily out of self-interest or in ways that defy conventional ethical codes. A villain protagonist is where the leading character of the story (the protagonist) is also a villain; this is a fairly rare occurrence.

cast-freeA cast-free show is one with no characters or spoken dialogue from any source. This does not include narration; a show that fits the previous requirements but has a narrator is still considered cast-free. Additionally, a show with only "characters" that are equivalent to background scenery should be considered cast-free; please ask before adding or removing the tag from shows that may fit this characteristic.

colour codedEvery single character on the main cast has a unique hair colour to help less perceptive viewers distiguish between them.

ensemble castA show with an ensemble cast focuses on a larger group of main characters in a single plot narrative; anime containing several segmented plot narratives (such as episodic or arc-based plots) are excluded. Every member of the central main character group plays an important part in the show`s grander scheme; no single character is more important or prominent than the others. A show with 3 main characters is likely an ensemble cast, whereas 2 main characters is generally not an ensemble cast.

multiple protagonists - TO BE MOVED TO PARENT OR DELETEDThis tag is to be moved into its parent tag "ensemble cast", or removed entirely. If the tagged entry meets the updated definition of ensemble cast, tag ensemble cast and delete multiple protagonist. If it does not meet the ensemble cast definition, delete this tag and take no further action.

female protagonistThe anime has a female protagonist.

male protagonistThis anime has a male protagonist.

nearly almighty protagonistThis anime`s main character is comparable to the gods themselves in of resistibility, strength and/or downright bad-assery. Whenever they seem as if the fire inside has burnt out, they rise from the ashes with enough tenacity and ferocity to vanquish any foe that dare stand against them.

predominantly adult castThis show features mostly adults. That means children and teenagers are relatively rare and unlikely to hold significance to the plot. That is a rare trait in anime, as most shows spin around children or teenagers.

predominantly female castA show with a predominantly female cast has mostly females as main and secondary cast while few if any male characters have major roles. This also applies when a male lead is surrounded by females of lesser individual plot relevance, such as in a harem setting.

predominantly male castThe anime features a mostly male cast, i.e. female characters are rare. Example: Reverse harem setting with a plethora of bishounen.

stereotypesThis show presents stereotypes, which are generalizations about a group of people. Examples would be saying that people from a certain country or with a certain hair color are stupid. If the show deals with comedy, the stereotypes are likely to be played on for laughs; if the show is a parody, the stereotypes will be exaggerated to have their flaws exposed and may be used as a form of social commentary.

strong female leadThe lead female character has a strong personality and plays a part that is not the typical damsel-in-distress role. This is the exact opposite of the “damsel in distress” tag.

strong male leadThe lead male protagonist in this anime shows backbone, is competent, and does not shy away from seemingly insurmountable objectives.

character drivenThe main appeal of the show is the way the characters are portrayed and interact, focusing on dialogue, spending time together or getting to know each other. These anime are not "story-less" but story is secondary to character development and the characters themselves and what they experience.

cosmic resetAll events that occurred up to a certain point are mysteriously undone, as if the Universe pressed a rewind button.

deus ex machinaWhen the story has been spun so wildly and the plot has been driven so deeply, when all resources are exhausted and the linear truth stands so proudly at the end of the road, ready to bring the never-ending adventure to its epic conclusion... The writers kick you in the behind and say "Screw that!! Suddenly... UFOs!!! No, wait, Werewolf UFOs!!! Bet you didn`t see that coming!"

endingThis is a container tag to house meta-like tags relating to how endings of anime play out.

happy endingAnd they lived "happily ever after"... *sniff*. All issues in the anime have been resolved, the love polygons sorted out, the conflicts resolved, the guy gets the girl (or the other way around), and everyone else lives on blissfully. (Not very realistic, but then again this is anime.)

open-endedThe ending of this anime is left to the viewer`s imagination. There are no clear hints at a definite story outcome, several possibilities are presented without closure, or the story ends suddenly without explanation. There may also be room for a sequel.

episodicAn episodic anime consists of many successive short arcs that are generally 1-2 episodes in length, with strong plot continuity within each arc but generally little continuity from one arc to the next; for long shows (well upwards of 50 episodes), the episode count constraint is less tight.

fast-pacedHold onto your hats, this anime`s storyline is relentless. The characters don`t get time to take a breath as events keep both them and the viewer on a roller coaster ride of revelation and excitement! Hopefully it all makes sense...

frame storyIn the single story, the opening and closing constitutes a frame. In the cyclical frame story — that is, a story in which several tales are related — some frames are externally imposed and only loosely bind the diversified stories.

in medias resIn medias res (Latin for "into the midst of affairs (lit. into mid-affairs)") refers to a literary and artistic technique where the narrative starts in the middle of the story instead of from its beginning. It is generally a plot-driven concept rather than a character-driven one; though characters are commonly used to provide the backstory. The characters, setting, and conflict are often introduced through a series of flashbacks or through characters relating past events to each other.

long time spanThe anime spans a much longer than usual (for that genre) period of time, typically several years (possibly decades or even centuries). Example: In a school setting this could mean the character development is followed from school through college right into working life and the founding of a family with children.

misleading beginningThe beginning of the show is misleading as to the tone, premise, or story path that the rest of the story will take. Sometimes, it even follows an entirely different cast that never appears again. This may take the form of the first episode or couple of episodes of a series or the first few minutes of e.g. a movie.

non-linearThe story is told achronologically.

perpetual ongoingNo end in sight! No matter what the genre may be or what the storyline consists of, this series just keeps on going... and on... and on.

plot continuityConsistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the viewer. A single linear focused plot is highly continuous. A truly random plot is highly discontinuous.

plot twistsThe plot and story of this anime may seem to be going along a quite predictable path, when suddenly there is a jarring unexpected twist in the plot, taking the viewer by surprise.

randomnessThe anime does not follow a predictable storyline. New, strange, obscure, or otherwise unexpected story elements are introduced at a whim.

short story collectionAn anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts by different authors. An omnibus format release is not just one continuous story, but several short stories. They may feature a different cast between each story, and the authors may differ.

slow-pacedThe story — including its characters and events — develop slowly. May contain a weak continuity of plot and/or character development. Or may be a story telling device to increase the "sense of foreboding" in an anime with thriller or horror setting.

storytellingno description set

dialogue drivenA dialogue driven show has its story advanced by dialogue, with action being of much lower priority, and relies heavily on conversations between characters.

narrationThe most common example is that of a voice, either that of one of the characters or entirely unrelated, that appears at the beginning of an episode to offer a summary or introduction, and at the end of an episode for closure or for a preview to hint upon what to expect next.

talking is a free actionTime in comics is flexible. Each shows a single event, which is usually accompanied by a length of dialog, which must take some time to say. This disparity is usually accepted if it isn`t taken to extremes. But often, characters will exposit when it`s most needed: at the story`s climax, when both the intricacies of the plot and the intensity of action hit their highest.

walls of text"Walls of text" refers to Japanese text (in huge letters) that appears in large quantities in the anime.

time loopA time loop is a common plot device in science fiction (especially in universes where time travel is commonplace). Events in the story repeat themselves a number of times with or without some variation with each . Most characters either do not realise this is occurring or are attempting to break the cycle in some way.

time skipThe plot features at least one skip or jump in time. Example: A skip from the present into the past, or time skips in increments, e.g. every hour there is a time skip by a day.

tone changesThe anime switches quickly, often rather drastically between different moods or tones, sometimes even on the same scene.

elementsNext to Themes setting the backdrop for the protagonists in anime, there are the more detailed plot Elements that centre on character interactions: "What do characters do to each other or what is done to them?". Is it violent Action, an awe-inspiring Adventure in a foreign place, the gripping life of a Detective, a slapstick Comedy, an Ecchi Harem anime, a SciFi epic, or some Fantasy travelling adventure?

actionAction anime usually involve a fairly straightforward story of good guys versus bad guys, where most disputes are resolved by using physical force. It often contains a lot of shooting, explosions and fighting.

air combatDogfight refers to combat engagement between aircraft (or space craft), often one on one. So in short: jets, planes, missiles, machine guns and maybe a kamikaze or two. Not to be confused with the `bark-bark` or `woof-woof` sort of dogfight.

battle royaleMany characters are removed from their normal lives or lifestyles and thrown into a game where they are forced to battle each other until one survivor remains. Much like the famous film `Battle Royale`.

bloodless woundsNo matter what weapon is used in what way to attack, hurt or kill somebody, there won`t be blood. You may see ripped clothes and smoke coming from the deadly wounds, but that`s it.

bullet timeBullet time refers to a simulation of variable speed (i.e. slow motion, time-lapse, …) and is characterized both by its extreme transformation of time and space to show normally imperceptible and un-filmable events, such as flying bullets. Most infamous scene using this technique, Neo dodging bullets in The Matrix film.

calling your attacksIf you can do something more impressive than just throw a punch, your attack(s) must have an equally impressive name. More than that, you have to call it out as you launch the attack. It doesn`t matter if it`s a martial arts move, a magical spell or your secret superweapon, if you can`t say its name, it just isn`t nearly as cool or effective.

car chasesCar chases occur as part of the action setting in this anime.

collateral damageThe usually action orientated anime does not only show large amounts of combat and weapon use, but also the incidental massive destruction of property, often due to the inability of the protagonists to aim properly. Example: Mecha duking it out in a densely populated urban area.

fightingFor some reason or other one faction has to take it out on some opponent via fight or battle. Typical examples of this are all the anime with "endless pointless fighting" tag.

street fightingno description set

gunfightsFights where two or more parties are firing guns at one another.

Itano circusThe Itano circus is named after Itano Ichirou, a Japanese animator, and refers to a highly stylized and acrobatic method of depicting aerial combat and dogfights in many anime, particularly the Macross series, where it was utilised by Itano for the first time and was ground-breaking.

martial artsVarious sports or skills, mainly of Japanese origin, that originated as forms of self-defense or attack, such as judo, karate, and kendo.

cultivationCultivation is a Taoist concept that describes extending one`s lifespan through the practice of martial and mystical arts with the goal of cultivating qi/chi, spiritual life force. Cultivation is a common theme in both Wuxia and Xianxia stories

ninjaA ninja was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations. The ninja, using covert methods of waging war, were contrasted with the samurai, who had strict rules about honor and combat.

wuxiaWuxia, which literally means "martial hero", is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China or pre-modern China. A typical wuxia story features a young male protagonist who experiences a tragedy, such as the loss of his loved ones, and goes on to undertake several trials and tribulations to learn several forms of martial arts from various fighters. At the end of the story, he emerges as a powerful fighter whom few can equal.

sea battlesno description set

space battlesThere are space battles in this anime. Usually between Earth forces and some alien invader, but ship to ship skirmishes in deep space are just as common.

swordplayThe act or art of using a sword or similar weapon skillfully.

samuraino description set

adoring fan clubA character, group or characters, or an organisation is considered so awesome that a adoring fan club is formed to idolise them. If the character is sufficiently cool, an instant fan club may happen practically overnight (i.e., within a few episodes of them being introduced), although the subject of iration typically has mixed feelings about the entire affair.

adventureAdventures are exciting stories, designed to provide an action-filled, energetic experience for the viewer. Rather than the predominant emphasis on violence and fighting, the viewer of adventures can live vicariously through the travels, conquests, explorations, creation of empires, struggles and situations that confront the main characters. Adventure films are often, but not always, set in an historical period.

gotta catch them allA typical plot or sub-plot for many shows. Either the cast or somebody else, that being often the main antagonist, embarks on a quest to collect things, shiny things.

journeyno description set

treasure huntingA significant part of the anime centres on the protagonists` search for some obscure artefact or other treasure, an epic adventure and wild goose chase for something unusual and quite valuable.

anachronismsCustoms, events, or objects are shown in a period to which they do not belong, e.g. jet planes in medieval Japan.

angstA feeling of general discomfort and uneasiness is present due to either trivial or more serious reasons, often accompanied by depression. Warning: may contain copious amounts of brooding and sighing. Etymology: "Angst" is a German word meaning fear or anxiety.

anthropomorphismAnthropomorphism is the attribution of uniquely human characteristics to non-human beings, inanimate objects, or natural or supernatural phenomena. If it`s an animal or an object (AI excluded) and it speaks and/or does other human-like things (dresses up) then we`re dealing with anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphism leans more on the animal-looking side when compared to juujin, which leans more on the human-looking side.

animal worldAll characters of the show are walking-talking animals. Their behaviour and clothing can resemble that of humans. They also may try to mirror human society. There are no humans present in this world.

blackmailIn general usage, blackmail is a crime involving unjustified threats against a person or organization in order to make a gain or harm or cause material loss to them unless a demand is met. It may be considered akin to extortion. Most often, blackmail involves the threat of revealing a secret to a given third party or the general public. In anime and related media, blackmail is also used to coerce people into having sex with others; in such cases, it may be considered akin to or a form of rape.

brainwashingBrainwashing, the application of coercive techniques to change the values and beliefs, perceptions and judgements, and subsequent mindsets and behaviours of one or more people, usually for political, financial, personal, or religious purposes. The victim is left brainwashed. Often featured in dark anime or pornography.

comedyAnime whose central struggle causes hilarious results. These stories are built upon funny characters, situations and events. A comedy anime is laced with humour and sets out to provoke laughter from the audience. Japanese humour can be a bit strange to westerners, so if you`re new to this type of humour, just bear with it; it`ll most likely grow on you if you`re a fan of other kinds of comedy.

absurdist humourSurreal humour is a form of humour predicated on deliberate violations of causal reasoning, producing events and behaviours that are obviously illogical. Constructions of surreal humour tend to involve bizarre juxtapositions, non-sequiturs, irrational or absurd situations, and expressions of nonsense. The humour arises from a subversion of audience`s expectations, so that amusement is founded on unpredictability. Its appeal stems from the situation being exceedingly ridiculous or unlikely.

black humourSure, it`s funny, but you really shouldn`t be laughing... In other words, it`s a comedy that employs situations that nice people should not be laughing about.

facial distortionThe characters face are exaggerated into a misshape, deformed, and almost warped. Used as comedy element to express extreme mood swings. Differing from "super deformed", here only the face changes to an extreme degree, not the whole body of the protagonist.

funny expressionsThe facial expressions of the characters may change so quickly or unexpectedly distort that hilarity will ensue.

medium awarenessMedium awareness is the situational awareness characters in works of fiction have and display of the very fact that they are characters in works of fiction. For example, they may quip about the script or narration, complain about their roles, and so on. The most common form of medium awareness is known as breaking the fourth wall, in which characters speak directly to the audience. The "fourth wall" is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage through which the audience sees the play.

parodyAnime that imitate other stories (can be from TV, film, books, historical events, ...) for comic effect by exaggerating the style and changing the content of the original. Also known as spoofs. It can also refer to when whole elements of one work are lifted out of their context and reused.

self-parodyThe anime is a parody of itself. I.e. the authors make fun of the genre they are portraying, and take the actions of their characters and story lightly.

running gag(Bit) character(s) play out a short skit several times during the course of the anime. The skit may or may not be exactly the same but does tend to have the same theme throughout.

satireIn satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement. Although satire is usually meant to be funny, its greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit as a weapon. (Wikipedia)

slapstickSlapstick humour is generally recognized by lots of physical abuse, horseplay and practical jokes. Also often seen are impossible situations, using sounds to illustrate impossible stunts that aren`t shown on-screen and to create tension for audience anticipation.

catastrophic gadgetsComedy element: One of the characters in the anime tends to "invent", "create", or "call into existence" all sorts of wacky gadgets. The intent is to help the other protagonists in some way. Only that this fails every single time, ending in a catastrophe.

German suplexA wrestling move commonly used in a slapstick manner by one of the more unique characters in a series. The move typically signals a strong and coordinated individual (who may or may not actually be a wrestler). Often the move will be deployed on the same person over and over again as part of a running gag.

horny nosebleedIn Japanese media, healthy young men who have no other sexual outlet will often suffer nosebleeds upon seeing the naked female body, or even just a pair of well-filled panties.

hyperspace malletIt comes from nowhere, it strikes without mercy, and disappears again. It`s a mallet the size of a circus sledgehammer, and it`s evidence that anime characters watch too many Bugs Bunny cartoons or Three Stooges shorts.

lethal chefThe character is hopelessly terrible at cooking, and any attempts he or she makes at making even the simplest dishes are spectacular failures.

violent retribution for accidental infringementA comedy / slapstick element often found in Ecchi anime: The hilarity derives from spontaneous embarrassment, overreaction of the "victim" (girl), immediate retribution for a seemingly inappropriate act, and a sense of pity with the supposed "aggressor" (boy).

super deformedA caricature style often seen in anime when the character shows extreme emotions, like fear, anger, happiness, surprise, or shame. Seen as cute, as part of humorous comedy. The character`s face suddenly turns into a simplified version, the body will usually also deform into that of a small child (oversized head, short limbs, extra-large tears).

toilet humourToilet humour, or potty or scatological humour, is a type of off-colour humour dealing with defecation, constipation, urination and flatulence, and to a lesser extent vomiting and other bodily functions. It sees substantial crossover with sexual humour, such as dick jokes.

wealth-related humourIn wealth-related humour, either lack or excess of wealth (or both) is used as a source of humour.

wordplayThe characters play with words. E.g. purposely or accidentally use similar-sounding but wrongly applied words in the Japanese original, leading to supposedly funny misunderstandings and confusion.

competitionSome sort of confrontation occurs in this show. The protagonists "duke it out" via various competitions.

tournamentA competition involving a large number of participants. Such competitions may range from friendly, moderated sporting events to anything-goes, all-out fights to the death.

deconstructionIn the context of fiction, a deconstruction is the act of taking storytelling devices and exploring their real-life consequences, commonly in dark and cynical ways. Deconstructions often reveal the dark and terrifying aspects of some of the themes and elements that appear recurrently in fictional works.

detectiveA detective is an investigator, generally either a member of a law enforcement agency or as an individual working in the capacity of private investigators, tasked with solving crimes and other mysteries, such as disappearances, by examining and evaluating clues and records in order to solve the mystery; for a crime, this would mean uncovering the criminal`s identity and/or whereabouts.

dinosaurDinosaurs are vertebrate animals that dominated terrestrial ecosystems for over 160 million years, first appearing approximately 230 million years ago. At the end of the Cretaceous Period, 66 million years ago, non-avian dinosaurs suffered a catastrophic extinction, which ended their dominance on land. Taxonomists consider modern birds to be the direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs.

documentaryA documentary is traditionally defined as a nonfictional motion picture or series intended to portray some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record. However, inside a work of fiction, it may also describe fictional, in-show events in documentary style. It should not be confused with a mockumentary, a show where fictional events are presented in documentary style with the explicit purpose of parodying actual facts related to them.

ecchiEcchi, or etchi (エッチ), is a common Japanese word meaning "indecent", "lewd", "frisky" or "sexy"; its usage can be compared to the English word "naughty". Among western anime fans, the term is used when vague sexual content, such as skimpy clothing or nudity, is prominent. In Japanese, however, it is a catch-all term for all things anyhow sexual in nature, mild or otherwise.

borderline pornAnime is considered borderline porn when a non-porn anime contains content where, on the low end, the physical interactions and dialogue between characters may be extremely sexual without engaging in actual sex, and on the high end, actual sex takes place despite the anime being non-porn.

breast fondlingBreast fondling is the act of touching, groping, or fondling the breasts of a person, typically female.

French kissA kiss in which the tongue enters the partner`s mouth.

Gainax bounceA term that has come to describe often exaggerated, very jiggly, fluid, and painstakingly detailed animation of female characters` bouncing breasts. The term has its roots in Top o Nerae! — Gunbuster, Gainax`s first OVA (1988), in which the Gainax bounce is found unabated in the three female characters of Noriko, Kazumi, and Jung.

lingerieLingerie is a term for fashionable and alluring women`s undergarments.

pantsu"Panties" in Japanese. Upskirt views in various positions are typical, however all forms of partial or fully exposed panties are accepted. Exposure is usually accidental, but may also be deliberate. Pantsu views may be exclusive to the viewer without impacting any characters. Bikinis are not pantsu.

paper clothesWorn clothing appears paper-thin and takes little abuse to be shredded or torn from the body. This is common in ecchi anime where the main storyline involves some type of fighting but consists primarily of dialogue and fanservice (Ikkitousen and Platonic Heart). Various girls’ clothing exploding as if made of rice paper is a very enticing prospect.

sexual fantasiesOne or more characters in this anime let their imaginations run wild thinking about another character. Yes, they are thinking about sex, and in an ecchi anime these thoughts are often perverted, leading to a nosebleed. But it may also be romanticising simply being husband and wife, and everything that implies.

skimpy clothingWhen a job needs to get done you need the appropriate clothing on the appropriate persons. That calls for preferably scantily clad young ladies.

sudden naked girl appearanceA character or group of characters are simply minding their own business, when suddenly, a naked girl appears. It does not matter how or why, but a naked someone is there. Sometimes the naked girl is not happy about this. Usually this is a fanservice element, but not always.

sudden naked guy appearanceA male specimen previously unknown to the viewer and not dressed in any clothes suddenly appears out of nowhere.

wardrobe malfunctionA euphemistic term for an embarrassing display of a body part when clothing droops, falls, or is torn. Wikipedia: "Super Bowl XXXVIII half-time show" for more details.

educationalThe entire series (at least a major part of it) is centred on a particular subject. Information is fed to the audience in a sublime manner. Most of the time an on-screen written comment by the narrator (or translator) can be seen, e.g. biological specimen, medicine, process, etc. Sometimes at the end of every episode’s closing song, a 20 seconds educational clip is presented.

European stylisedThe anime`s setting is crafted in some classic European style. Imagine an architectural and cultural mix of London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Prague, and other cities as they were at any point in the 19th century or earlier.

gender benderTerm used to refer to a person who takes on the role of their opposite gender. This often only reaches to the extent of cross-dressing (involving physical appearance and clothing only), but in rarer cases, involves a total gender swap (which seems to be more common in anime) - where the willing or unwilling victim receives a body opposite of their original gender (either permanently or temporarily), with all natural parts per their new body fully (or just all-out amply) included.

sex changeSomeone in this anime has his/her body changed to the opposite gender.

haremThree or more characters, generally female, are under the influence of one character, normally male. Their interactions are romantically or sexually loaded. The female characters often draw heavily from stock archetypes. Sexual tones are applied to the lead`s behavior and to the ` depiction. The lead will often be physically abused for his behavior. The harem may be only a to an existing or predictable relationship, or the lead may end up in relationships with most or all .

henshinJapanese for "transformation" (metamorphosis or disguise). A "henshin anime" is any anime, where the characters or their costumes transform, such as Sailor Moon. The henshin switches on the character`s special powers, and is frequently accompanied by a costume change. Often the change of clothing is the only outward indicator that the character has changed and yet nobody seems to notice the hero`s true self. Most henshin heroes have a special item which they use to change into their heroic form. These items are usually activated by a command phrase (which is often in Engrish, for some reason), triggering a transformation sequence.

human-animal relationshipThe relationship between a human and an animal (or an animal-like creature like a dragon) plays an important role in the plot of this anime.

incestIncest is human sexual activity between family or close relatives by consanguinity (blood relations) and sometimes by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption, clan, or lineage. The incest taboo is among the most widespread cultural taboos in present and past societies. Most modern societies have laws regarding incest or social restrictions on closely consanguineous marriages, with first cousins being the closest kin that is often (but not always) considered legally acceptable.

aunt-nephew incestImmoral or illegal sexual relations between an aunt and her nephew.

brother-sister incestImmoral or illegal sexual relations between two siblings of opposite sex.

father-daughter incestImmoral or illegal sexual relations between a father and his daughter.

mother-daughter incestImmoral or illegal sexual relations between a mother and her daughter.

mother-son incestImmoral or illegal sexual relations between a mother and her son.

sister-sister incestImmoral or illegal sexual relations between two sisters.

twincestOr “incest between twins”. Often describes a sexual relationship between twins. The twins might be or not be actually related (in the latter case they may have previously been thought to be related, but are later discovered not to be). This is not exclusive to gender or sexual preference, and can be a heterosexual or homosexual relationship.

uncle-niece incestImmoral or illegal sexual relations between an uncle and his niece.

juujinKemono is a Japanese art and character design genre prominently featuring anthropomorphic characters, referred to as juujin. Kemono employs animal traits considered cute and endearing; most kemono characters retain a fundamentally human personality, seldom behaving as the actual animals from which they have been anthropomorphized, instead depicted living as humans. Juujin leans more on the human-looking side when compared to anthropomorphism, which leans more on the animal-looking side.

magical boyA cross-dressing boy that dresses like a magical girl.

magical girlMagical girls (also known both in Japan and in the West as mahou shoujo, and in Japan as majokko) are young girls with superhuman abilities of magical nature. In the early years, magical girls usually used magic to solve everyday problems and often transformed into idols; nowadays, however, the term is most often used to refer to with girls who fight evil using magical powers, and, although transformations are still common, they tend to be more along the lines of a change of costume.

magical realismMagical realism is fiction that portrays magical or unreal elements as a natural part in an otherwise realistic or mundane environment, in particular when a highly detailed, realistic setting is invaded by something too strange to believe.

manipulated memoriesThe protagonist finds out that his/her cherished memories are actually fake and have been implanted.

master-servant relationshipTo some genres, this would suggest a genuine pairing where one person exists to serve another person, such as in some action/dramas where the pair becomes united by destiny as partners — fighting or battles between different pairs/partners will usually be a dominant part of the story.

master-slave relationno description set

medieval -- TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThis anime is probably either set in the European Middle Ages or inspired by the medieval aesthetic. If it is, please set the corresponding appropriate tag and then remove this one from it. If something else is more appropriate (it takes place in a specific period in Japanese or Chinese history, or is inspired by it), please creq the removal of this tag from it and provide detail about the specific situation of that anime. Thank you.

medieval European aestheticAn anime with medieval European aesthetic is not set in the European Middle Ages, at least not that we know of, but it often looks and feels that way.

melodramaA melodrama is a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions, often with strongly stereotyped characters.

memory transferno description set

mockumentaryA mockumentary is a type of film or television show in which fictional events are presented in documentary style to create a parody.

mono no awareLiterally "the pathos of things", also translated as "an empathy toward things," or "a sensitivity of ephemera"; a Japanese term used to describe the awareness of the transience of things and a gentle sadness (or wistfulness) at their ing. Also frequently been translated as "the `ahh-ness` of things".

monster of the weekOn a pretty much regular basis — weekly or episodic — the protagonists engage in some kind of conflict. This can be an actual showdown between mecha, or the all-out fight against an enemy, or a (car) race that needs to be won. This can make the anime quite repetitive.

motifsno description set

Chinese zodiacThe Chinese zodiac is a 12 year long cycle in which each year corresponds to an animal.

seven deadly sinsThe seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, is a grouping and classification of vices of Christian origin. Behaviors or habits are classified under this category if they directly give birth to other immoralities. According to the standard list, they are pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth, which are also contrary to the seven virtues. These sins are often thought to be abuses or excessive versions of one`s natural faculties or ions.

tarotThe tarot is a pack of playing cards, most commonly numbering 78, used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot. From the late 18th century until the present time, the tarot has also found use by mystics and occultists for divination.

Western zodiacno description set

mysteryThe mystery film is a sub-genre of the more general category of crime film. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of a crime by means of clues, investigation, and clever deduction. (Source: Wikipedia)

neo-noirNeo-noir is a style that prominently utilizes elements of the now declined film noir, but with updated themes, content, style, visual elements, or media that were absent in films noir of the 1940s and 1950s.

onmyoudouOnmyoudou is a traditional Japanese esoteric cosmology that mixes natural science and occultism. A practitioner of onmyoudou is called an onmyouji.

parasiteParasites are life forms that feed off other beings in some way. In anime, they are often aliens and usually intelligent. For shock value, and to avoid having to draw aliens all the time, their prey is preferably human; they may see humans as food, as puppets for mind control, or simply as temporary body hosts. In every case, the human is the victim of a "merging", which is not to be confused with the more "amicable" symbiosis.

pornographyAnime clearly marked as "Restricted 18" material centring on all variations of adult sex, some of which can be considered as quite perverted. To certain extent, some of the elements can be seen on late night TV animations.

ahegaoA term for the weird face occasionally seen in adult games/anime/manga. Canonically, ahegao has eyes rolled up, mouth open and tongue sticking out. Sometimes also referred to as "fucked silly".

analSodomy, buggery, buttsex, cornholing, or the poop-chute polka. Call it whatever you like, but somebody is getting something stuck where the sun does not shine.

anal fingeringAnal fingering is the manual stimulation of the anus (male or female) by another person`s hand and fingers. See also fingering of the vagina, and the male equivalent of a handjob.

prostate massageA prostate massage is the massage or stimulation of the male prostate gland, via the anus, for sexual stimulation or medical purposes.

assjobAn assjob is a non-penetrative sex act in which the penis thrusts, rubs, or grinds against the buttocks.

double assjobA double assjob is a non-penetrative sex act in which the penis thrusts, rubs, or grinds against the buttocks of two people.

BDSMA form of "kinky sex". The acronym BDSM derives from BD (bondage and discipline), DS (dominance and submission) and SM (sadism and masochism). BDSM usually characterizes with one side being superior (active) over the other (ive), with each side being one or more participants. Whips, chains, handcuffs, ropes, blindfolds are common elements of BDSM.

bondageBondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.

nostril hookno description set

pilloryThe pillory is a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, formerly used for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse. In modern usage, it is a device used in BDSM play.

shibariShibari (or Kinbaku) is a Japanese style of erotic bondage or BDSM which involves tying up a person using simple yet visually intricate patterns, usually with several pieces of thin rope.

strappado bondageStrappado bondage is a term describing a position and technique used in BDSM. A person`s arms are bound behind their back, then by use of some method of attachment such as a rope or chain that runs from their wrists to a securing point above, their arms are lifted up behind them until the person is forced to bend forward or in other genital-revealing positions. It typically also involves the usage of clamps and gags.

suspension bondageSuspension bondage is a form of sexual bondage where a bound person is hung from one or more overhead suspension points. Suspension bondage carries a higher risk of injury than other forms of sexual bondage.

dominatrixA dominatrix is a woman, typically a paid professional, who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. A dominatrix may be of any sexual orientation, which does not necessarily limit the genders of her submissive partners. The role of a dominatrix may not even involve physical pain toward the submissive; her domination can be verbal, involving humiliating tasks, or servitude. The umbrella term for BDSM activities involving a dominatrix is female dominance, female domination, or simply femdom.

enemaAn enema is the procedure of introducing liquids into the rectum and colon via the anus for the purpose of cleaning the insides or for BDSM play.

erotic tortureErotic torture involves deliberately using (almost) any form of physical or excessive psychological abuse to inflict physical and/or mental pain, with the goal of inducing sexual pleasure. This is distinct from the common, non-erotic torture, which is generally for the purpose of inflicting pain, to either fulfill a desire of the torturer, or to apply coercion to compel action from the victim.

cockringA cock ring is a ring worn around the penis, usually at the base. The primary purpose of wearing a cock ring is to restrict the flow of blood from the erect penis in order to produce a stronger erection or to maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Genital adornment is another purpose, as is repositioning the genitals to provide an enhanced appearance.

wax playWax play is a form of temperature play practiced in a BDSM context. The idea of wax play is to introduce a slight burning sensation to the skin.

facesittingFacesitting, also known as queening, or kinging, is a sexual practice in which one partner sits on or over the other`s face, typically to allow or force oral-genital or oral-anal . It is common for this position to form part of BDSM, involving dominance and submission, though this need not be the case. Within a BDSM or D/S context, facesitting can be an especially intense form of erotic humiliation.

orgasm denialOrgasm denial, is a sexual practice or sex play in which a person is kept in a heightened state of sexual arousal for an extended length of time without orgasm.

spankingSpanking someone`s butt as torture or for sexual pleasure.

submissionno description set

whippingno description set

wooden horseA wooden horse is a device used in BDSM play, by having the victim straddle the wooden horse.

bestialityIs the practice of sex between humans and animals, or a preference or fixation on such practice.

creampieThe act of a man ejaculating inside a girl`s vagina, leaving the semen oozing out of her.

cum playFetish of sorts where the focus is of the semen that is ejaculated. This can include snowballing, drinking copious amounts of semen, eating it off food, using it to brush one`s teeth, acting as a urinal for semen, gargling it, rinsing one`s mouth with it, or any other act where semen is involved that does not have to do with fertilization of an egg. This should not be used if one cannot visibly see semen in scenes or if the scene is extremely short.

bukkakeBukkake is a group sex practice wherein a group of men ejaculate onto a woman.

cum swappingSharing is caring!

felchingFelching is the act of sucking semen from a human orifice, such as the vagina or anus.

gokkunGokkun is a sexual activity in which a person, not necessarily but usually a female, swallows semen directly from a penis or from a container. The Japanese word "gokkun", whose meaning is close to "gulp" in English, is an onomatopoeia resembling the sound made by swallowing.

cybersexCybersex is a virtual sex encounter in which two or more people connected remotely via computer network send each other sexually explicit messages describing a sexual experience. In one form, this fantasy sex is accomplished by the participants describing their actions and responding to their chat partners in a mostly written form designed to stimulate their own sexual feelings and fantasies.

doggy styleBang her from behind and use her boobies as a steering wheel!

erotic asphyxiationErotic asphyxiation, also called breath control play, is the intentional restriction of oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal.

exhibitionismExhibitionism is the act of exposing in a public or semi-public context the parts of one`s body that are not normally exposed. That may be done to induce sexual arousal, but many forms of exhibitionism actually mean to create humour or disparagement. The idea of exhibitionism is closely tied to the notions of decency and modesty in dressing, and as such is highly dependent on one`s own cultural background. Exhibitionism is not to be confused with nudism.

eye penetrationno description set

fingeringFingering is the manual stimulation of the vagina by another person`s hand and fingers. The male equivalent is a handjob. See also anal fingering.

fistingTo insert a fist into a sexual area of the human body.

footjobA foot is used to invoke sexual pleasure.

foreskin sexForeskin sex is the act of using the foreskin of another person`s penis as a pussy.

glory holeA glory hole is a hole in a wall, or other partition, for people to engage in sexual activity.

group sexGroup sex is sexual behavior involving more than two participants. Participants in group sex can be of any sexual orientation or gender. In principle, any sexual behavior performed by more than two people can be referred to as group sex, but various are used to describe particular acts or combinations of people.

foursomeWhen four people have sex with each other at the same time.

gang bangA gang bang is a situation in which one person (typically a receiving female) has sexual intercourse and performs other sex acts with a number of people, either in turn or at the same time. Common acts may include threesomes, double penetration, spitroast, and/or triple penetration. Reverse spitroast positions are uncommon, since gang bangs generally involve a receiving female, but the reverse spitroast centers around a "receiving" male.

orgyAn orgy is a sex party consisting of at least five where guests freely engage in open and unrestrained sexual activity or group sex. For the sexual activity to qualify as an orgy, a single person cannot be its focus, as that is a gang bang instead; of course, there is no reason an orgy cannot also happen to contain one or more gang bangs.

threesomeTag for any scene where sexual acts take place with three people of any gender. Should not be used if more than three.

double penetrationDouble penetration is a situation in which the receiving partner (typically female) is simultaneously penetrated in the vagina and anus by two phalluses (any combination of penises (including futanari), strap-ons, and/or double-sided dildos; regular handheld dildos do not count). A combination of vagina/anus + mouth is instead a spitroast situation, rather than a double penetration. Triple penetration is when 3 or more phalluses are involved; tag both double and triple penetration in this case.

triple penetrationTriple penetration is a situation during which the receiving partner is simultaneously penetrated by a minimum of three phalluses (including futanari). Usually, this means one oral penetration, one vaginal penetration, and one anal penetration. Triple penetration happens most often during gang bang scenes, particularly gang rape scenes. Triple penetrations often also include a spitroast position.

FFF threesomeA threesome with three females. It often involves regular handheld dildos, strap-ons, double-sided dildos, and/or futanari.

FFM threesomeA threesome with two females and one male partner. It often involves the reverse spitroast position.

MMF threesomeA threesome with two male partners and one female partner. It often involves the spitroast and/or double penetration positions.

MMM threesomeA threesome with three male partners.

reverse spitroastReverse spitroast is a threesome position in which one penetrating partner (typically male) has penetrative sex with another partner (typically female) in the cowgirl position while performing oral sex on a third partner (typically female) who is sitting on their face. The two participants on top typically (but don`t always) face each other. This is not to be confused with the spitroast position, which, despite the apparent similarity the name would suggest, is fairly different.

spitroastSpitroast is a threesome position in which the receiving partner (typically female) performs oral sex on another partner (typically male) while being penetrated (anally or vaginally) in the doggy position by a third partner (typically male). Not to be confused with reverse spitroast (which is fairly different despite the similar name), or with double penetration (the receiving partner (typically female) is simultaneously penetrated in the vagina and anus by two phalluses (including futanari)).

threesome with sistersA sexual act involving three people, in which two or all are female siblings. The third person, if not a third sister, can be of either gender, and may be another family member as well, such as their brother, father or even mother. The sisters do not necessarily have to be blood-related (e.g. stepsisters).

handjobA handjob is the manual stimulation of the penis by another person`s hand. The female equivalent is fingering.

impregnationAt least one of the character is impregnated during the anime. This is confirmed by the characters, or the character is later shown as pregnant. Merely shouting "I`ll become pregnant!" or something similar during sex is not impregnation. If she is impregnated by a non-human, the impregnation with larvae tag may also apply.

impregnation with larvaeLarvae impregnation is when the (generally human) character is impregnated with something other than human DNA, becoming pregnant with larvae (a non-human fetus). This includes but is not limited to: larvae, insects, demons, ghosts, animals, tentacle monsters, lovecraftian stuff, aliens, etc, you name it.

internal shotsInternal shots are pictures that display the interior of the body of a living being, either through the skin, kind of as an "x-ray" of sorts, or from the inside, as if the camera was also inside. This is generally used during sex scenes to display the inside of any area being penetrated. Those shots may happen either by making an area of the body transparent or by displaying the same area again, but from the inside.

cervix penetrationThe cervix/womb of a female is visibly penetrated. Very likely invoked in conjunction with the internal shots tag.

lactationCapable of secreting breast milk, sometimes referred to as Mother`s milk.

macrophiliaMacrophilia is a fascination with or a sexual fantasy involving giants, or more commonly giantesses (female giants). It is typically a male fantasy, with the male playing the "smaller" part and entering, being dominated, or being eaten by the larger woman. Other forms involve partners who naturally have a significant difference in size.

mammary intercourseMammary intercourse is a sex act, performed as foreplay or as non-penetrative sex, that involves the stimulation of the male penis by the female breasts. Commonly, this sex act involves the man placing his penis in the woman`s cleavage and thrusting between her breasts, while the breasts are squeezed around the penis for additional stimulation, and fellatio may also be performed in combination.

masturbationManual erotic stimulation of the genitals or other erogenous regions, often to orgasm, either by oneself or a partner.

microphiliaMicropholia is the sexual attraction to small things.

navel fuckno description set

necrophiliaSexual intercourse with or attraction toward corpses.

nipple penetrationno description set

nipple playno description set

oralOral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat.

cunnilingusCunnilingus is an oral sex act performed on a female. It involves the use by a sex partner of the mouth, lips and tongue to stimulate the female's clitoris and vulva. A female may receive cunnilingus as part of foreplay before sexual intercourse, or the sex partner may proceed until the female reaches orgasm.

The term is derived from the Latin words for the vulva (cunnus) and tongue (lingua).

fellatioFellatio is oral sex performed upon the penis. It may be performed to induce male orgasm and ejaculation of semen, or it may be used as foreplay prior to sexual intercourse.

autofellatioAutofellatio is the act of sucking on one`s own penis.

double fellatioDouble fellatio is when oral sex is performed on the penis simultaneously by two individuals.

rimmingRimming is the act of using one`s tongue on the anus or perineum of another person in order to gain and/or give sexual pleasure.

sixty-nineAt least one sex position from a group generically called sixty-nine or 69 is featured.

throat fuckingThe act of actively thrusting one`s penis into a persons mouth and throat.

oyakodonOyakodon is a Japanese term describing a situation in which someone is in a relationship with a mother and her daughter at the same time (most often, in a sexual way).

pantyjobStimulation done by rubbing through the panties. This involves no penetration.

petplayPetplay is a form of BDSM where the submissive partner imitates an animal and the dominant play its owner. The common choice of being a dog imitation, where the sub wears a collar and little to no-clothing while being walked on all fours by the dom.

plot with pornAny adult-rated work where porn is not the only point to it. As in, it has a plot that is not merely an excuse for having sex on screen. Even better if the sex is actually plausibly worked into said plot or used for characterization.

point of viewPoint of view pornography (POV) is adult entertainment that is filmed as if the watcher had experienced the sex-acts themselves.

pregnant sexPregnant sex involves having sex with a pregnant individual. Engaging in at least 1 pregnant sex scene is not sufficient in and of itself for tagging pregnant on the character; only tag pregnant sex at the anime level in such a case. A character only shown pregnant for a small segment of their total appearance(s) should not be tagged as pregnant. Pregnancy and/or pregnant sex typically follows after an impregnation or impregnation with larvae scene.

prostitutionProstitution is the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for payment.

enjo-kousaiEnjo-kousai means "compensated dating" and is a practice which originated in Japan where older men give money and/or luxury gifts to attractive women for their companionship, and possibly sexual favours. The female participants range from school-age girls to housewives. A common misconception is that enjo-kousai "always" involves some form of sexual activity.

soaplandA Soapland is a type of brothel in Japan where male clients can engage in sexual activity with female prostitutes, although officially the clubs do business as places where the client is bathed. There are also a few soaplands specifically for female clients.

public sexPublic sex refers to sexual acts that take place in public or semi-public places.

outdoor sexPopular place for sex in visual novels and manga.

pussy sandwichA pussy sandwich is an FFM threesome sex act during which a man`s penis is pressed against ("sandwiched") by two (or potentially more) vulvas. In the classic pussy sandwich, two women lie atop each other, face to face, and the man either "penetrates" the space between their vulvas or alternates penetrating their vaginas. Two women can also scissor a penis for a perpendicular pussy sandwich. The non-threesome version is sumata.

safer sexSomeone is actually using a condom in this anime.

scatCoprophilia, also called scatophilia or scat, is a sexual fetish involving feces. It is a fairly common motif in Japanese animated pornography, and has even spawned a fairly successful meme inside the fandom, in which a character appears on screen with the superimposed line: "how can you say you love her if you can`t even eat her poop?"

sex ritualA sex ritual is a ceremony utilizing sexual acts, generally supernatural in nature and often hoping to achieve something evil such as the summoning of a demon lord.

sex tapeA sex tape is a camera recording of sexual acts, regardless of the actual storage medium. Such recordings are sometimes made against the will or even knowledge of the depicted persons.

While most of them are made solely for personal use, a sex tape may be released (or threatened to be released) to damage the reputation of the depicted, to blackmail them or merely to make a profit.

sex toysA sex toy is an object or device that is primarily used to facilitate human sexual pleasure, such as a dildo or vibrator.

dildos - vibratorsThese are toys that are used for sexual pleasure.

double-sided dildoA regular dildo is inserted by hand. A double-sided dildo is inserted into the penetrating girl`s vagina and held in place there, so that she can penetrate the receiving girl the same way a male would. Not to be confused with a strap-on dildo.

hidden vibratorThis anime features scenes where a character uses or is forced/tricked into using a vibrator in secret during every day activities, for example while at work, at school, eating dinner, etc.

onaholeAn artificial vagina used to masturbate a penis.

sex dollA sex doll is a type of sex toy in the size and shape of a human sexual partner for aid in masturbation. The sex doll may consist of an entire body with face, or just a head, pelvis or other partial body, with the accessories (vagina, anus, mouth, penis) for sexual stimulation. The parts are sometimes vibrating and may be removable or interchangeable, whereas the body may be inflatable. A robotic sex doll, designed to be able to exhibit more complex interactions, is called a sex robot or sexbot.

strap-on dildoA strap-on dildo is an artificial phallus, typically used by a female so that they can can engage in the penetrating role during intercourse. Not to be confused with a double-sided dildo.

peggingSexual practice in which a woman penetrates a man`s anus with a strap-on dildo.

sex while on the phoneGirl gets banged while talking to another person on the phone (usually her boyfriend or husband in a NTR scenario).

sleeping sexHaving Sex with someone who is sleeping.

squirtingSquirt, a small, quick stream, a jet when girl gets orgasm.

stomach bulgeVisible stomach distortion caused by large quantities of fluid or air having been inserted into the vaginal or anal cavity. Not to be confused with stomach stretch or pregnancy.

stomach stretchVisible abdominal distortion from objects or anatomy pressing out from within the vaginal or anal cavity. Not to be confused with stomach bulge or pregnancy.

sumataSumata (素股, "bare crotch") or intercrural sex in English translation (sometimes known in the West as a pussyjob) is a Japanese term for a non-penetrative sex act. It is a form of frottage performed by a female upon a male. The female rubs the male`s penis with her vagina (pussyjob) and/or thighs (intercrural sex). The FFM threesome version is a pussy sandwich.

urethra penetrationno description set

urinationUrination, also known as micturition, voiding, peeing, weeing, pissing, and more rarely, emiction, is the ejection of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body. In healthy humans the process of urination is under voluntary control. In infants, some elderly individuals, and those with neurological injury or extreme psychological problems, urination may occur as an involuntary reflex.

anal pissingAn act where a person urinates inside the ass of another person.

golden showerA sexual act involving one person urinating onto the body of or into the mouths of other people.

urophagiaUrophagia is the consumption of urine.

vaginal pissingAn act where a person urinates inside the vagina of another person.

voyeurismVoyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of spying on people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions usually considered to be of a private nature. The principal characteristic of voyeurism is that the voyeur does not normally interact directly with the subject of his/her interest, who is often unaware of being observed.

wakamezakeWakamezake is a sexual act in which sake is poured into the valley that appears in a woman`s lap when her legs are closed. Her partner then drinks the sake from there. The word may also be used to refer to the sake which is drunk in this act. The name derives from the idea that the woman`s pubic hair in the sake is supposed to resemble soft seaweed (wakame) floating in the ocean.

water sexSexual acts taking place in water: i.e. sea, pool, bath, shower, etc.

window fuckFucking a girl from behind, while she`s facing a window. Often, her breasts are exposed and pressed against the glass, and she is embarrassed about being seen by neighbours.

wormhole sexno description set

yaoiYaoi refers to anime that portray gay (male/male) sex. Do not confuse this with the Shounen Ai category under Romance, which only portrays male/male relationships, but generally not anything pornographic. This is real male/male porn. The female version is Yuri.

youji playParaphilic condition in which sexual/erotic arousal is dependent on impersonating a baby in diapers and being treated as a baby.

yuriYuri refers to anime that portray lesbian (female/female) sex. Do not confuse this with the Shoujo Ai category under Romance, which only portrays girl/girl relationships, but generally not anything pornographic. This is real female/female porn. The male version is yaoi. Cute girls doing cute things (CGDCT) is often mistaken as low level Yuri or Shoujo Ai. If there is no Yuri or Shoujo Ai subtext, i.e. if there is no romantic subtext, only tag CGDCT.

scissoringScissoring is a lesbian sex act where the partners interlock their spread legs (like two pairs of scissors) and grind their vulva together to stimulate each other.

reverse haremThe gender-reversed version of the usual harem genre. In a reverse harem, instead of several female characters focused on one male character, the viewer sees several male characters surrounding a single female character. The most notable characteristic exclusive to reverse harem is the tendency towards bishounen looks. Homosexual relationships are not covered by reverse harem.

romanceRomance describes a story that deals with love between two or more characters typically also having an optimistic ending. Romance is also a difficulty encountered when creating a harem.

age difference romanceA romance between individuals of significantly different ages is featured. Depending on how big the age gap is and on the society featured, that may be considered taboo. While the "lolicon" and "shotacon", often used in relation to anime and its fandom, are limited to a physical or erotic attraction to sexually precocious girls or boys respectively, this tag expands into platonic romances and other age ranges.

older female younger maleThis tag indicates that this anime has a male and female lead, and the female is older. If the main cast is greater than two people, then the use of this tag would indicate a romantic relationship between those two. In case of harems it translates to: a) majority of the girls are older than the guy b) the lead girl (or her main rival) is older than the guy

boy meets girlA classical type of plot in story writing, where the story begins with a boy meeting a girl leading to romantic development between the two. More often than not the boy loses the girl later on and has to find her again.

engaged to an alienThe human protagonist in this show is engaged to an alien for some strange reason. Comedy element used to create many strange situations and misunderstandings.

fake relationshipA relationship where characters just play the boyfriend and girlfriend roles.

first loveThe love that is ed the most fondly by the participant, as this is commonly what people experience when they first have a first crush.

forbidden loveThis anime contains characters pursuing a romantic interest that their parents, grandparents, the police, the fire department, the neighbourhood watch association and local politicians do not approve of. Potential relationships defined as such may be ones that are incestuous, violations of caste systems, or socially unsanctioned.

group loveGroup love is a reciprocal love between three or more people. In group love, everyone loves everyone else; this is distinct from a harem, in which every member of the harem loves only one person, and also from a love polygon, in which each person loves someone else, who loves someone else in turn, and so on.

love at first sightPlot device: When two characters meet for the first time, at least one party, supposedly, immediately falls in love with the other party, and from then on tries to get to know that party better.

love between enemiesno description set

love polygonA love polygon refers to a romantic relationship involving n people. Although a love triangle is not limited to just heterosexual relationships, in anime, it usually deals with two females liking one male and vice versa.

multiple couplesMore than one couple is developed in the anime.

shoujo aiShoujo Ai means girls love, and as such it explores what happens when two girls (or women) fall in love. This is not to be mistaken for Yuri which is (or, at least, how this term is often used by the western audience) a hentai genre. This is not; that means there is no graphic sex. The male version is Shounen Ai. Cute girls doing cute things (CGDCT) is often mistaken as low level Yuri or Shoujo Ai. If there is no Yuri or Shoujo Ai subtext, i.e. if there is no romantic subtext, only tag CGDCT.

shounen aiShounen Ai means boys love, and thus explores what happens when two boys (or men) fall in love. This is not to be mistaken for Yaoi which is (or, at least, how this term is often used by the western audience) a hentai genre. This is not; that means there is no graphical sex. The female version is Shoujo Ai.

slow when it comes to loveThe main protagonists in this anime have a very hard time trying to express their feelings to each other. They simply will not finally confess their love. In some cases this romance element is based on unrequited love, or an absurd amount of shyness.

sudden girlfriend appearanceSudden Girlfriend Appearance anime involve a sudden change in the main character`s life where (s)he suddenly gets confronted with an individual (s)he`s sexually attracted to, the two of them inevitably becoming a couple.

teacher x studentSuggests a relationship involving a teacher and their student, often times sexual in nature.

unrequited loveAt least one character has a romantic interest in another one, but the feelings are not returned. This is the cornerstone of all love triangles or love polygons.

unrequited shoujo aiAt least one female character has a romantic or sexual interest in another female character, but the feelings are not returned. This can be because the recipient is oblivious, straight, or simply not interested.

unrequited shounen aiAt least one male character has a romantic or sexual interest in another male character, but the feelings are not returned. This can be because the recipient is oblivious, straight, or simply not interested.

sexual abuseSexual abuse is the act of one person forcing sexual activities upon another. Sexual abuse includes not only physical coercion and sexual assault, especially rape, but also psychological abuse, such as verbal sexual behaviour or stalking, including emotional manipulation.

attempted rapeAttempted rape is an unsuccessful attempt at rape. For AniDB purposes, generally an "unsuccessful" attempt is where both fellatio and penetration did not occur. Discretion should be applied on a case-by-case basis.

gropingGroping is the act of subjecting another person to unwanted sexual touching.

chikanChikan refers specifically to molestation in a public setting. Most commonly, this is depicted on a form of public transportation, such as a train or subway.

psychological sexual abusePsychological sexual abuse is the exercise of sexual coercion through non-physical means, such as verbal sexual behaviour, stalking, and emotional manipulation.

rapeRape means to force someone to engage in sexual interaction without their consent. If the rape is not successfully executed (both fellatio and penetration did not occur), tag with attempted rape instead.

enjoyable rapeThis anime features a rape scene during which the raped character also reaches orgasm or else somehow derives sexual pleasure from the act.

female rapes femaleBoth the perpetrator and victim are female; a same-sex rape results.

gang rapeGang rape occurs when a group of perpetrators (at least 2) participate in the rape of a single victim. A gang rape often involves a threesome position.

male rape victimContrary to the more common situation, the rape victim is a male instead of a female. A common situation in hentai anime, a male character, commonly a lucky harem lead, is sexually overpowered by their enticing and overly seductive female counterparts. These situations are usually undesired by the male character... though as a viewer, one might wonder why.

male rapes maleNot only is the rape victim is a male, but the perpetrator is also a male; a same-sex rape results.

sexual abuse -- TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThis tag is to be split into the following new tags under the sexual abuse category. Afterwards, delete this tag. New tags: groping/molestation, chikan (child tag of groping), psychological sexual abuse, rape, attempted rape.

sexual humourSexual humour is prevalent in this anime. It often involves cheeky or crude sexual language, with innuendos and jokes about the female or male genitalia. Often, such anime also have ecchi elements to them.

flat chest jokesJokes about the (supposedly or actually) flat chest of a character.

penis jokesA penis or other phallic object is used as a device to elicit laughter from the viewer. This also includes indirect references to such objects provided the intent is clearly the same.

social commentarySocial commentary is the act of using rhetorical means to provide commentary on issues in a society. This tag should only apply to anime where social commentary is major theme that is explored thoroughly as a main (sub-)plot element. As social commentary, the anime should send a message to the viewers, criticising our society through fiction; merely portraying complex social elements such as racism is not sufficient.

social class issuesA character`s standing in society is cause of many issues. More generally, the society`s class structure is the source of many problems in the anime. A common example is class division between rich and poor.

speculative fictionSpeculative fiction is an umbrella genre encoming fiction with certain elements that do not exist in the real world, often in the context of supernatural, futuristic or other imaginative themes. This includes, but is not limited to, science fiction, fantasy, superhero fiction, horror, utopian and dystopian fiction, fairytale fantasy, supernatural fiction, as well as combinations thereof.

bendy lasersLasers — of all things — bend at strange angles, are profusely in effect in this anime. Usually seen in a space setting, as part of a weapon system on spaceships.

daikaijuuLiterally translating to giant monster, daikaiju is an element found often in Japanese entertainment. Although usually for the science fiction genre it is also often used in horror, fantasy, mecha, and to a lesser extent comedy. Any monster that towers over a house technically qualifies as a daikaiju. Some anime, usually mecha, will go as far as calling their daikaiju with a specific title.

fantasyImaginative or fanciful work, especially one dealing with supernatural elements and themes.

angelA supernatural being, said to be the messenger of God. They are often depicted as human beings with a pair of white feathered wings and sometimes with a halo.

contemporary fantasyMagic and supernatural beings exist secretly in what is generally regarded as the real world. Such elements may have originated from another world. Stories where a modern-day character travels to an alternate fantasy world are not considered contemporary fantasy.

dark fantasyFocus set on darker themes in a fantasy setting, sometimes leaning towards horror elements. Bleak and pessimistic tones often dominate. Dark supernatural beings like vampires may play a significant role.

deitySome religions say that there is a supernatural being called God. Other religions say there is more than one god. A supernatural being is also sometimes called a deity. Many religions believe that a deity created everything that exists. In most religions, a god is believed to be immortal (cannot die), and to have powers to control nature far beyond the powers of humans.

demonIn Western lore, demons are often described as minions from Hell, generally known to attack humans and feast on their flesh or possess the bodies of those with weak souls. In Eastern lore, on the other hand, they are generally supernatural, often but not always malevolent beings who can be more mischievous than actually evil, or simply supernatural spirits of no specific alignment.

succubusA succubus is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were depicted as frightening and demonic. Succubi draw energy from men to sustain themselves, often until the victim becomes exhausted or dies. The male counterpart is the incubus.

dragonVery intelligent mythical beings - a cross between a very large lizard and a dinosaur - that breath fire, and have a knack for kidnapping damsels, thus distressing them.

elfElf, in common description, near-divine beings, with pointed ears and immortal life-spans. They are sage beings that occupy the realms and gates between humanity and the gods.

dark elfno description set

exorcismEviction of demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed.

fairyA fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature in European folklore, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural, or preternatural.

gaslamp fantasyGaslamp fantasy is a subgenre of both fantasy and historical fiction, similar to but distinct from steampunk, to which it is loosely related. While steampunk focuses on fantastic Industrial Revolution technology and as such is a genre of science fiction, gaslamp fantasy focuses more on supernatural elements and frequently includes magic and supernatural creatures.

goblinA goblin is a monstrous creature from European folklore, first attested in stories from the Middle Ages. They are ascribed various and conflicting abilities, temperaments and appearances depending on the story and country of origin. They are almost always small and grotesque, mischievous or outright malicious, and greedy, especially for gold and jewelry. They often have magical abilities similar to a fairy or demon.

high fantasyGenerally a serious and epic story set in an invented world. The world may be more or less based on real world environments or history. Typical fantastical elements are usually dominating, such as elves, dwarves, magicians, invented languages, quests; just to name a few.

magicMagic is the art of purportedly manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of unknown occult laws.

magic circlesA circle used to contain magical energy and/or to provide magical protection. It can be drawn (with chalk etc.) or it can just spontaneously appear as part of the spell/ritual.

magic schoolA school where magic is taught.

magic weaponsThe characters in this anime wield magic weapons.

spellcastingThe magic version of “call your attacks”. The protagonist will explicitly call out the magical incantation for the spells.

summoningAbility to call/materialize some kind of creature.

mermaidA creature that is half-human (usually the upper body) and half-fish (usually the lower body). A male mermaid is called merman (but they can appear under many different names)

science and magic coexistIn this anime science and magic do not exclude each other. Magic here is actually very advanced, artefact- and/or ritual-based science.

undeadno description set

ghostIn traditional belief, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely: The mode of manifestation can range from an invisible presence to translucent or wispy shapes, to realistic, life-like visions.

zashiki-warashiThe name breaks down to zashiki, a tatami floored room, and warashi, an archaic regional term for a child. The appearance of this spirit is that of a 5 or 6 year child with bobbed hair and a red face. Zashiki-warashi can be found in well-maintained and preferably large old houses. It is said that once a zashiki-warashi inhabits a house, it brings the residence great fortune; on the other hand, should a zashiki-warashi depart, the domain soon falls into a steep decline.

vampireA vampire is an undead that uses fangs to penetrate the necks of people to drink their blood as nourishment and to turn them into slaves. They have no reflection in mirrors, can shapeshift into bats, have unlimited lifespan and superhuman strength, reflexes and senses, and may only be killed in a few specific ways. A human bitten by a vampire typically becomes a slave, dying as if poisoned and becoming an undead after death, often staying under the command of the vampire who originally bit them.

zombieA zombie is asserted to be a reanimated corpse, or a human who is being controlled by someone else by use of magic with some media renditions using a pandemic illness to explain their existence. Stories of zombies originated in the West African spiritual belief system of voodoo, which told of the people being controlled as laborers by a powerful wizard.

giant insectsno description set

horrorThe horror cinematic genre is characterized by the attempt to make the viewer experience dread, fear, terror, or horror. Often their plots involve the intrusion of an evil force, event or personage, sometimes of supernatural origin, on the mundane world and the consequences thereof.

eating of humansThe eating of humans, also called man-eating, is the practice of some species to prey on human beings for nourishment. Examples of possible hunters may include Earth animals, alien species, zombies or other undead, and so forth. Eating of humans is not to be confused with human cannibalism; the former is about other species eating people, while the latter is about humans eating fellow humans.

human cannibalismCannibalism is the practice of an individual of a species eating parts or the whole of another individual of the same species; as such, human cannibalism is when a human eats the flesh, organs, or other parts of another human being. Human cannibalism is not to be confused with eating of humans; the former is about humans eating fellow humans, while the latter is about other species eating people.

insects of doomConcerns insects, be them biological, magical or robotic in nature, that are either the bane, or a major stepping stone in the way of the main character(s) of the anime.

inverted gravityThe world has more to offer than your usual type of gravity you are used to from your daily life on earth. In this world there are actually two worlds, with opposite gravities. Alternatively, gravity only works the opposite way, sending things away from large masses.

out-of-place artefactOut-of-place artefact (OOPArt) is a term coined by American naturalist and crypto-zoologist Ivan T. Sanderson for an object of historical, archaeological, or palaeontological interest found in a very unusual or seemingly impossible context that could challenge conventional historical chronology.

science fictionScience fiction stories usually focus on how situations could be different in the future when we are more technologically advanced; due to either our own achievements or having met with other civilizations whom we have learned from.

alienThis entity or creature was born on another world than the main characters.

alien invasionAn alien invasion or space invasion is the invasion of the Earth by an extraterrestrial species, usually but not necessarily sentient and highly advanced technologically. The invasion typically happens for reasons such as to exterminate and supplant human life, to enslave the earthlings or harvest them for food, to steal the planet`s resources, or simply to destroy it altogether. It often happens during, causes, or is the result of a war between humans and aliens.

faceless alien invasionUncommunicative, faceless aliens suddenly invade Earth from outer space or a parallel world thus causing a war with humans. If the humans are lucky, the invasion may go off without a war that would cause untold destruction and death.

aliens living on EarthThere`s an alien or a hive of aliens blending into society near you!

humanoid alienHumanoids are aliens, intelligent beings who do not originate from Earth, but have a striking similarity to humans or at least show the basic body layout, i.e. two arms and legs, head with two eyes and ears, one nose and mouth. Though the latter - head-related features - may vary. As "DearS" shows some aliens actually exhibit super-human beauty, or as in the case of "Onegai Teacher" they are genetically compatible to humans for some strange reason.

symbiotic aliensAliens form symbiotic relationships with humans or some other creatures in this anime.

ancient aliensAncient aliens, hundreds, thousands, or millions of years in the past; aliens from another world or dimension played a significant role in human history.

artificial intelligenceDiffering for organic based life forms and their "natural" intelligence, AI is created / programmed by artificial means. Robots, androids, or advanced computers (think "HAL 9000") will have artificial intelligence.

Asimov`s Three Laws of RoboticsThe SF author Isaac Asimov developed (1942) a set of laws he used to govern the behaviour of robots: 1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

biopunkBiopunk stories explore the struggles of individuals or groups, often the product of human experimentation, against a backdrop of totalitarian governments or mega-corporations which misuse biotech as means of social control or capitalist extortion. Unlike cyberpunk, biopunk does not centre on information technology but on synthetic biology.

cyberpunkCyberpunk focuses on computers or information technology, usually coupled with some degree of breakdown in social order. The plot often centres on a conflict among hackers, artificial intelligences, and mega corporations, tending to be set within a near-future dystopian Earth.

dieselpunkDieselpunk is a genre that combines the aesthetics of the diesel-based technology of the interwar period through to the 1950s with retro-futuristic technology and postmodern sensibilities.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?The phrase implies a set of existential questions: Do artificial beings (e.g. Replicants, Bioroids, or other AI constructs) dream, feel, or have a soul? If memories can be implanted, what makes real memories real? By contrast — what makes humans human? What is reality?

hard science fictionHard science fiction is a category of science fiction characterised by an emphasis on scientific accuracy, technical detail, or both. The term is not defined precisely, and is often seen as an approximate way of describing works. There is a degree of flexibility in how far from "real science" a story can stray before it leaves the realm of hard science fiction; a story`s scientific "hardness" is less a matter of absolute accuracy of science content than of rigour and consistency.

human enhancementHuman enhancement can take various forms: It can be something comparatively non-intrusive as a power-up drug, a form of machine implantation or cyberization ("SAC Solid State Society"), or outright - possibly atrocious - genetic manipulation ("Ao no 6-gou"). Plot-wise enhanced protagonists in anime usually have to pay a price for their enhancements, be it physical or mental.

cyborgCyborgs are humans, who have been taken over in part or in whole by cybernetic or electrical/mechanical devices, which either control them or which they retain control of. The term comes from "CYBernetic ORGganism", which literally means an organism that contains both mechanical and organic components.

genetic modificationStory-wise, genetic modification is usually centred on humans, probably the most subtle and creepy way of messing with mankind. Playing with the fear of the unknown, genetically altered humans are technically a new species, that may not only sur but actually replace unaltered humans. The level of modification will vary from subtle changes in "look" (e.g. beauty), to mental enhancements (PSI powers), to more or less atrocious adaptations to extreme environments (breath under water).

human experimentationGenetic, biological, chemical or psychological experimentation on human beings are portrayed or their aftermath is shown.

mechaMecha in Japanese basically means mechanical things; everything from an electric whisk or a car to a spaceship or a robot. Here however we limit it to the more exotic things usually referred to as mecha anime: robots, whether controlled by a human or not, and their ilk.

organic mechaAn organic mecha is a mecha that has organic tissue in its composition. The most prominent historical example is Neon Genesis Evangelion.

power suitPower Suits are similar to Piloted Robots which are controlled from inside the robot except that Power Suits tend to be more directly tied to how the character moves and they are usually not as big as Piloted Robots can be. They are still mechanical and shouldn`t be confused with plug suits.

robotA robot is an automatically guided machine, able to do tasks on its own. Another common characteristic is that by its appearance or movements, a robot often conveys a sense that it has intent or agency of its own. Not to be confused with android (human-like robot).

androidAn android is a robot or synthetic organism designed to look and act like a human.

human-android loveThere is a romance going on between a human (often male) and an android (usually female).

human-replacement robotsIn an usually sci-fi setting robots, or quite probably actually androids, take the place of humans. Examples: Humans have become infertile and androids now take the place of children. Or it may be a more sinister undermining of human society by artificial intelligence.

piloted robotPiloted Robots are, as the name suggests, robots that cannot control themselves; they need to be steered from somewhere, this can be from a human sitting inside or a remote controlled option.

real robotReal robot refers to mecha that are powered by conventional power sources and weapons explainable by real world science, and that use ranged weapons (especially guns and cannons) and speed to survive battle situations. It is commonly associated with Gundam, which was the first series to introduce that idea.

robot helperIn a science fiction setting, the robot helper is, in a comedic sense, pretty much equivalent to what the "cute comic relief animal sidekick" is in a fantasy setting. The usually small machine has artificial intelligence, enabling it to their owner / master with advice or help with menial tasks.

Androids should not be considered robot helpers since these are far more complex; use the android tag instead.

super robotThese robots tend to have almost semi-magical attacks, which seem impossible or non-realistic, and/or perform non-realistic transformation sequences where they seem to gain/lose mass and utterly change their form, even if it means making their super-hard armour bend like plastic sheets.

transforming craftA transforming craft is an object built by humans or other intelligent lifeforms, usually a robot but sometimes also a vehicle of some sort, that can rearrange its parts in order to switch between a minimum of two forms.

gattaiGattai is when two fighting spirits collide and unite, when a man`s soul is ablaze! When you are about to get your asses kicked by the big bad evil, it`s time to show your true fighting spirit and gattai, literally combine with your mecha to become at least ten times as powerful and kick the big bad evil`s ass.

nanomachinesThe anime features sub-microscopic (nano = 10E-9 = one billionth) machines, machines that float in the bloodstream and affect the human body. They can be used both for good (repairing human cells in situ) or for evil (nano-machine warfare, attacking human cells in situ).

organism cloningOrganism cloning, also called reproductive cloning, is the creation of an organism that is genetically identical to another. While this is a natural phenomenon in many species, this tag is specifically about artificial organism cloning, as in Dolly the sheep. Cloning of multicellular organisms, and especially of human beings, remains both a scientific frontier and a highly controversial subject, especially in regards to its ethics.

soft science fictionSoft science fiction is a type of science fiction in which the science presented is scientifically inaccurate or unimportant to the story, in contrast to hard science fiction. Its elements generally present themselves via artistic licence. This is not to be confused with social science fiction, confusingly also called "soft science fiction", which is science fiction concerned with the "soft sciences" (social sciences), as opposed to the "hard sciences" (natural sciences).

space explorationTo cross the last frontier and have a look, what lies beyond it.

space monstersno description set

space NazisThe term space Nazi refers to any futuristic society or group, whose appearance, politics, or culture are modelled after the Nazis.

space operaSpace opera is a sub-genre of fiction that emphasizes romantic adventures in space. Space opera generally involves large-scale conflicts between opponents with powerful abilities and technology.

space piratesPirates who operate from a spaceship instead of a normal ship. Their targets are other spaceships or whole planets.

space travelSpace Travel usually refers going to space or travelling there with or without a spacecraft. There are different forms of space travel like Interplanetary travel, Interstellar travel or Intergalactic travel. Since it isn`t possible to travel faster than light, most anime series involve some sort "sub-space travel mechanism" as a way to travel faster than light.

faster-than-light travelFaster-than-light travel is taken for grated in this anime. This is achieved by travelling via hyperspace, nullspace, or wormholes.

space westernSpace Western is a subgenre of science fiction that transposes themes of American Western books and film to a backdrop of futuristic space frontiers; it is the complement of the science fiction Western, which transposes science fiction themes onto an American Western setting.

steampunkSteampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery, especially in a setting inspired by industrialized Western civilization during the 19th century.

terraformingTerraforming (literally, "Earth-shaping") of a planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to the biosphere of Earth, in order to make it habitable by humans. (Source: Wikipedia)

the lives of mini-peopleThe show features the lives of mini-people, characters much shorter than would be natural, and how they interact with a world of things much bigger than themselves. This is not about characters merely being short, but about living in a world of things that, from their perspective, are gigantic.

time travelIn time travel anime characters are transported through time either figuratively or literally to find themselves either in the past or the future

person from the pastPossibly via stasis or cryogenic chamber, a person from the past will reawaken into a future present.

time machineA machine (or sometimes a living being) that accomplishes time travel. The details (what travels in which direction in time and how far) vary wildly from anime to anime.

super powerBe it an ancient Greek Heracles, a cybernetic muscle-man, or a fourteen year-old girl in a mini-skirted sailor suit. As long as they have super powers, they`re in the show.

emotions awaken superpowersDuring an extreme emotional state — rage, love, hate, angst, sadness, comion — something inside the character will "click" that will increase greatly his/her power or a new superpower awakes, that sures anything achieved by him/her until then.

extrasensory perceptionExtrasensory perception (ESP), involves reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses but sensed with the mind.

superheroIn modern popular fiction, a superhero is a type of costumed heroic character who possesses supernatural or superhuman powers and who is dedicated to fighting crime, protecting the public, and usually battling supervillains. A female superhero is sometimes called a superheroine. Fiction centered on such characters, especially in American comic books since the 1930s, is known as superhero fiction.

thrillerThe thriller is a genre of fiction in which tough, resourceful, but essentially ordinary heroes are pitted against villains determined to destroy them, their country, or the stability of the free world. The hero of a typical thriller faces danger alone or in the company of a small band of companions. The protagonist may be a law enforcement agent, a journalist, or a soldier, but typically he or she is cut off from the resources of "their" organization.

tortureTorture involves the deliberate act of inflicting pain, to either fulfill a desire of the torturer, or apply coercion to compel action from the victim. This is distinct from erotic torture, which is generally for the purpose of using (almost) any form of physical or excessive psychological abuse to inflict physical and/or mental pain, with the goal of inducing sexual pleasure.

tragedyTragedy is a form of drama characterized by seriousness and dignity, usually involving a conflict between a character and some higher power, such as the law, the gods, fate, or society.

tropesA trope is a commonly recurring literary and rhetorical devices, motifs or clichés in creative works.

adults are uselessFor when adults can`t do anything right.

military is uselessThe regular military force per se or certain units thereof are way out of their league when trying to take on the usually vastly superior foes (e.g. powerful aliens). Thus the regular military is completely useless. Often, only children (of all people) with special abilities and/or powered suits can defend Earth.

police are uselessThe civilian law enforcement representatives do not seem to be of much use, when trying to take on the usually vastly superior foes. The "helpless" and often clumsy antics of the police can be used as a comedy element.

ass-kicking girlsThe female characters in the anime are very proficient in some form of martial arts, swordplay, or gunfights. They may also have super powers.

breathing in spaceFind yourself in space without an oxygen tank? Not a problem! Breathing in the vacuum of space is just as easy as breathing on Earth, especially if you are a superhero or somehow able to leave the atmosphere under your own power.

bridge bunniesA term and English nickname describing the attractive girls who manage the various functions aboard a ship`s/starship`s bridge area. Although it originated in reference to characters from Macross, it does not exist among Japanese fans.

Bright slapYou are the commander of a spaceship, leader of a faction or a team and your best mecha pilot stops fighting and grows increasingly hysterical and angsty, while the enemy could strike you at any time. What are you going to do? You slap or punch him, preferably in the face, and back to his senses while delivering a heroic speech that would turn any wimp into a man of destiny.

call my name"TETSUOOOOOO!!" "KANEDAAAAAA!!" "TAMAHOMEEEE!!" "MIAKAAAA!!" Feelings of any kind towards other characters are best shown by calling each other`s name, loud, REALLY LOUD. For better effect at least twice or thrice. For lover`s couples and mortal enemies it is a requirement to run towards each other while calling each other`s name, unaware of the surroundings.

dear mother in heavenA form of veneration of ancestors, where people call upon their ancestors for help, advice and similar in their everyday life like in other cultures upon God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary or various saints. The veneration of the spirit`s of one`s ancestors is an integral part of Japanese culture.

defeat means friendshipIn a series based around an endless series of one-on-one fights, defeating a Worthy Opponent or The Rival will sometimes convert them to the hero`s side, if not always to his cause.

EngrishEngrish is actually a mispronunciation of English, as can be the result of someone, who does not have English as their primary language of origin (such as Japanese or Chinese).

faceless background charactersUnimportant random/extra characters that appear mostly as part of the background are often drawn without much facial details, normally to save money, effort and manpower for more important parts of the show. Sometimes, they have almost or no facial details, meaning their heads only have indications of the presence of parts such as hair or mouth, or not even that. This can go as far as only drawing an abstracted silhouette of the whole body.

god is a girlIn storylines where many or all gods are portrayed as goddesses (female gods), "The God of all Gods", or the Number-One-God so to speak, is also female. In other instances, such may just refer to a girl with god-like powers.

grail in the garbageIt`s an artifact of earth-shaking power. Its value is immeasurable, its history is the stuff of legends. It`s... being offered at a clearance price at the local discount store. (e.g. Chii in Chobits, Saito`s sword in Zero no Tsukaima)

guns are uselessGuns are about as effective as throwing tissue while only manly things like swords, spears, and bare fists are of any use at all.

heroic sacrifice"In order to save the many, the few will need to sacrifice their lives..." or so this character may think. In a seemingly hopeless situation, against impossible odds, the character does not choose the path of the coward and run, he or she chooses to bravely face the enemy, fully aware that this will mean death.

imperial stormtrooper marksmanship academyWhen only the Bad Guys suffer from A-Team Firing. Also called The Principle of Evil Marksmanship. The good guys (the non-Red Shirt ones, at least - and sometimes even them, too) can stand in the middle of the firefight and never get hit, and can pick off any bad guy with even the most casually-aimed shot while the bad guys seem unable to hit the broad side of a barn.

important haircutWhen a character cuts off his or her hair, it often symbolizes a rite of age or bout of character growth. A princess striking out on an adventure, or a new recruit at boot camp, for instance. Hair is something that takes time and effort to grow, so parting with it voluntarily can be a powerful act.

inter-dimensional schoolgirlOne, or more, schoolgirls cross through time, space or some dimension using a space-warp-magic-portal-wormhole-singularity-thing to save one, or more, worlds, or planets. A major twist could be that the schoolgirl might originate from that very magic-futuristic world, bearing one great secret legendary power to defeat one big bad legendary foe. The return back home is the leitmotiv of the whole series.

just as plannedA term usually used to describe a situation, where a seemingly smart and cunning villain sets up a plan that seems grand and impressive, but is actually long winding, ridiculous, and convoluted. And all of that just to trick his opponent(s), like the hero or anybody else, into doing things exactly as he planned. Suffice to say that the villain could have reached his goal by much shorter and easier means, it just wouldn`t seem as awesome anymore.

lost technologyAny advanced technology or science-related knowledge that was lost for some reason fits the description. This could be technology from a time before a post-apocalyptic cataclysm, knowledge gained a long time ago but forgotten, or the relics of an old alien civilization only recently discovered.

mundane made awesomeBy adding exaggerated expressions and gestures, excessive intonation, lighting, slow motion, griping orchestral music, or ominous Latin chanting, everyday mundane events can be made awesome!

philosopher`s stoneThe philosopher`s stone, reputed to be hard as stone and malleable as wax, is a legendary alchemical tool, supposedly capable of turning base metals into gold; it was also sometimes believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and possibly for achieving immortality.

power gives you wingsIt is not Red Bull that gives you wings, but power, most often even the power of love. Once they start powering up and become REALLY powerful, it will be indicated by them getting a pair of wings. Specifically, feathery white angelic wings, sometimes also wings made of Hard Light or Pure Energy.

red ones go fasterWhen a character is only faster, stronger, better, cause s/he`s making liberal use of the color red on his/her equipment or on herself/himself.

show within a showA fictional TV (or radio, or stage) show that takes place within an actual TV show; or, occasionally, a fictional instalment or incarnation of an actual show. Many comedies have short one-off gags where they parody existing shows. Example: A large part of Martian Successor Nadesico is centred around the fictional popular anime Gekigangar III, which is being watched by several characters of the Nadesico crew.

sibling yin yangIn real life, siblings hardly ever act the same. Fiction sometimes takes this to an extreme. Enter Sibling Yin Yang, the occurrence of siblings that are nearly polar opposites. If he`s cool and reckless, she`s responsible and thoughtful. If she`s a spiky-haired hooligan, he`s the nerdy wimpy one. If he`s an immature brat, she`s... well, you get the picture.

space is an oceanThe difference between space and ocean is marginal. In fact the two are completely interchangeable. Spacecraft are usually called ships and space forces use naval ranks. Movement in space is two-dimensional. There is friction. And not to forget space pirates are roaming through the galaxy and just so often you will encounter space whales. Some titles take this even a step further by actually displaying the space as a sort of gigantic liquid mass.

there can be only oneThe long-term plot of the program revolves around a group of characters whose numbers are being slowly whittled away by one means or another, usually by killing each other. In the case of some reality shows, this is a process of elimination intended to result in a single winner.

Tokyo is the centre of the universeWhether it`s the big bad evil aiming for world domination, demons bringing the hell over to this site or aliens attacking the Earth, their centre of attention is always Tokyo, as if the rest of the world did not even exist! But worry not if you happen to live there, because your neighbour could just be the leader of a senshi team or the pilot of a giant mecha and they are surely going to save the day again.

trapped in the body of a childFor some reason, a character in this anime who is a late-teenager or an adult, has their mind trapped in the body of a child. E.g. a former late teenager or an adult is transformed into a child. This can be the result of magic, science, or otherwise.

under one roofFor some reason or another, the main protagonist (e.g. male in harem / female in reverse-harem) is living together with many other characters of the opposite-gender, all under the same roof (in the same dwelling unit).

visible auraCharacters are surrounded by a visible energy field usually representing inner strength, but not restricted to only that.

visiting alien superheroSometimes, the Earth does not have enough of its own Defenders of Justice. In such cases, a "Gastarbeiter" hero from a foreign planet or world has to appear to save the day.

wardrobe limited to school uniformThe main characters only wear school uniforms, even though other clothes would be more appropriate. Example: Kagome in Inu Yasha, wears her uniform in Inu Yasha`s world, although she is shown to own other clothes at home.

zero to heroWith his first appearance, this character is getting his ass kicked by nearly everyone, but as the plot continues, through training (mental or physical) or instant power-up, he changes into a killing/fighting/winning machine. The best example: Makunouchi Ippo from Hajime no Ippo series.

unidentified flying objectAn unidentified flying object, or UFO, is in its strictest definition any apparent object in the sky that is not identifiable as a known object or phenomenon. However, the term is widely used in popular culture to refer more specifically to supposed observations of craft of extraterrestrial origin.

WesternThe setting and/or world are pretty much like in Western films depicting the American Old West, with cowboys, Indians, deserts, small towns, bounty hunters, and lots of revolvers. Just think John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Sergio Leonne`s "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly", or "A Fistful of Dollars".

fetishesFor non-porn anime, the fetish must be a major element of the show; incidental appearances of the fetish is not sufficient for a fetish tag. Please do not add fetish tags to anime that do not pander to the fetish in question in any meaningful way. For example, there`s some ecchi in Shinseiki Evangelion, but the fact you get to see Asuka`s pantsu is not sufficient to warrant applying the school girl fetish tag. Most porn anime play out the fetish, making tag application fairly straightforward.

aphrodisiacAn aphrodisiac is a substance that increases libido when consumed.

bishoujoIn the West, bishoujo are attractive girls generally from late childhood or early adolescence to late adolescence, especially those that appeal to males, and particularly fictional characters designed in a way traditionally associated to shoujo manga. Fictional bishoujo tend to be cute, pastel-coloured teenagers; they lack the sophistication of older women, instead having detailed eye and hair design, fluttery costumes often including ribbons, and all sorts of generally sparkly fluff.

bishounenA bishounen is a Japanese term literally meaning "beautiful youth (boy)" and describes an aesthetic that can be found in disparate areas in East Asia: a young man of effeminate beauty. While the beauty transcends gender, the character clearly has a male body; their gender is not ambiguous and there the character is not androgynous.

breastsThe female bust size matters! Or does it? The subcategories spell out the the range of breast sizes.

breast expansionWhen the breasts grow in size, right before the viewers eyes! The breasts will slowly grow larger, either stretching clothing to its limit or bursting free completely!

gigantic breastsGigantic breasts are unnaturally large breasts, even by anime standards; they are true gargantuan monstrosities, either because of sheer size or through the combination of size and exceedingly unnatural shape. Essentially, breasts that take at least as much space as the rest of the chest or the abdomen, or that are almost as big but have an absurdly unnatural shape, are gigantic; smaller breasts are the more common huge breasts, even if they`re as big as the character`s head.

huge breastsHuge breasts are breasts that are noticeably larger than what you may normally see in real life, often as big or even bigger than the character`s head. They are bigger than large breasts and smaller than the less common totally unreal looking gigantic breasts.

large breastsLarge breasts are breasts a fair notch larger than average, as found in some real life adolescent girls or fully grown women. They are bigger than medium breasts and smaller than huge breasts. Note: This tag has many anime/character entries that need to be moved to the new medium and huge breasts tags. Please add the appropriate tag and remove this one from the corresponding anime/character afterwards.

medium breastsMedium breasts are breasts that have a moderate size but aren`t overly big like large breasts. Medium breasts are what would be considered normal size in real life, whereas below average sized breasts are called small breasts.

small breastsSmall breasts (flat chested) are breasts that would be considered below the average size for real life medium breasts.

cross-dressingThis character sometimes wears clothes traditionally worn by and associated with the opposite sex. Cross-dressers often hide their cross-dressing identity for a long period of time and thus tend to become adept in accurately portraying the opposite sex in of voice, movement, behaviour, temperament, etc.

reverse trapA reverse trap is a plot device where a female character is mistaken for a male, with the intention of sexually deceiving other characters and/or the viewer. This behavior does not need to be intentional by the female (it is often not intentional) or continually maintained by the female, but the occurrence is common enough to deserve this fetish-specific tag.

trapA trap is a plot device where a male character is mistaken for a female, with the intention of sexually deceiving other characters and/or the viewer. This behavior does not need to be intentional by the male (it is often not intentional) or continually maintained by the male, but the occurrence is common enough to deserve this fetish-specific tag.

dark-skinned girlThe anime features a girl with dark skin. A fetish of sorts, since the other protagonists are usually as white-skinned as porcelain dolls.

defloweringDeflowering is the act of breaking the hymen of a female who hadn`t yet had vaginal intercourse. This tag can be applied only to pornographic anime in which a female is seen being deflowered; most often, one knows she had been a virgin because blood is seen coming out of her vagina during sex or after it, but her word on the matter is also considered valid.

eyeball lickingno description set

female studentPretty much exclusive to hentai shows only unless an ecchi show has implied sex and/or a strong indicator of nudity. A character is considered a student if she goes to school, doesn`t matter if it`s high school, college or homeschooling, but she should be of appropriate age for a student; a housewife going to college should not get this category.

female teacherAny kind of female teacher will do, even if she only does home visits. Female teachers imply mature women (even if they sometimes look like schoolgirls) dressed in what women would typically wear when doing official business (like a blouse, pinstripe dress with side front slit), but of course, not limited to that. Furthermore, school nurses also count as female teachers unless they`re actually wearing a nurse outfit, which they almost never are. Almost completely exclusive to hentai animations.

foot fetishAnime contains scenes which revolve around foot-fetishism.

futanariFutanari (a compound word meaning "two form" in Japanese) depicts hermaphrodites, intersex or other individuals with female body-types and sexual organs resembling penises, whether or not those organs are in fact enlarged clitorises, or they possess both male and female reproductive organs.

futa x femaleA futa girl having sex with a girl

futa x futaFutanari girls having fun with each other.

futa x maleA futa girl having sex with a guy.

guroGuro is a literary and artistic movement with a focus on eroticism, sexual corruption, and decadence that originated circa 1930 in Japan. While it speaks of erotic and grotesque, that comes through the display of the malformed, the unnatural, and the horrific, and not necessarily through the pornographic, the bloody, or the gratuitous violence. While Western audiences often incorrectly use the term guro to mean gore, the two concepts are unrelated and should not be confused.

housewivesA housewife is a mature woman (should be out of high school age) who doesn`t necessarily have to be married in our context, but typically is. A housewife doesn`t work (depending on context, she would be an Office Lady instead), however, since we`re not as much down to technical details as we are of visuals, that restriction can be discarded if the character in question is shown mostly in home environment wearing leisure time clothing or a kimono and an apron can also be safely added to the bunch. Almost completely exclusive to hentai animations.

loliLoli is a short form of the word Lolita, describing sexually precocious young girls. The related fetish for this is called Lolicon (Lolita Complex).

maidA maid is a female employed in domestic service. They usually wear uniforms. Maids perform typical domestic chores such as cooking, ironing, washing, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, walking the family dog, and taking care of children.

nunA nun is a member of a religious community of women, typically one living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

nurseFor hentai shows, it`s enough if a nurse costume is worn without the female character actually working as a nurse. For ecchi shows, the nurse profession must play a big enough part in the overall setting. Almost completely exclusive to hentai animations.

nyotaimoriNyotaimori (女体盛り, "female body presentation"), often referred to as "body sushi", is the practice of serving sashimi or sushi from the body of a woman, typically naked.

office ladyAn office lady, often abbreviated OL, is a female office worker in Japan who performs generally pink collar tasks such as serving tea and secretarial or clerical work. Like many unmarried Japanese, OLs often live with their parents well into early adulthood. Office ladies are usually full-time permanent staff, although the jobs they do usually have little opportunity for promotion, and there is usually the tacit expectation that they leave their jobs once they get married. OL stock characters are frequently found in josei manga and anime, often portrayed as attractive, clever, and wistful individuals bored with their jobs, over-pressured by their families, and facing psychological issues.

shotaShota, describing sexually precocious young boys. The related fetish for this is called Shotacon (Shoutarou Complex).

tentacleA tentacle or bothrium (plural: bothria) is one of usually two or more elongated flexible organs present in animals, especially invertebrates. Usually, Tentacles are used for feeding, feeling and grasping.

mechanical tentacleSame as tentacles, but instead of being fleshy-slimy, they`re made of metal or perhaps plastic, doesn`t really matter, as long as they look mechanical.

uniform fetishFocuses on many different kinds of, often sexy, uniforms.

waitressA female attendant who serves customers in a restaurant, café, or similar.

maintenance tagsThese tags are used for maintenance.

CAST MISSINGImportant characters are missing, either in-part or entirely. This includes basic entry info (name, gender, picture), appear episode range, seiyuu and/or tags.

DESCRIPTION MISSINGThe description for this entry is missing. e.g plot, biography... Please help by adding it, and remove this tag afterwards. Thank you.

DESCRIPTION NEEDS IMPROVEMENTThis entry has a poor description and needs to have it either edited for improvements or replaced by a higher-quality alternative. If you can, please swap a good enough description in or improve the current one and remove this tag. Thank you.

NO ENGLISH SUBS AVAILABLEThis entry does not have any subbed and/or dubbed releases in English (that are tracked on AniDB).

PIC NEEDS IMPROVEMENTThis entry has a poor picture and needs to have it replaced by a higher-quality alternative. Causes may include: it is too small; its colours or lighting are bad; it has excessive compression or other encoding issues; it is from non-anime sources (anime/char); the face is hard to see (char/creator); the hair/eye/skin colours do not match the anime (char); it does not represent their usual appearance (char); among others. If you can, please swap a better picture in and remove this tag. Thank you.

STAFF MISSINGThis anime is missing staff credits. Please assign staff credits to the anime accordingly and then remove the tag. Please see the full tag description for details on this.

test tagTest tag.

TO BE MOVED TO CHARACTERTags under this parent tag are going to be moved to character tags and removed from the anime they`re currently assigned to. They will be blocked from the anime system once that move is complete. Please help with that job if you know what characters they should be assigned to.

allergy to potential love interestsA character will be found responding to potential love interests, usually of the opposite gender, as if allergic to them.

ambitioushaving a strong desire for success or achievement; wanting power, money, etc.

animal sidekickEvery mahou shoujo anime needs them, the cute little critters that are supposed to help the protagonists but in reality are nothing but useless bystanders most often abused for gags. Kids love them but they can also often turn into an annoyance.

aristocratAn aristocrat or noble is a member of the aristocracy or nobility, an upper class in feudal societies. Nobles may or may not hold any specific nobility title. For simplicity`s sake, royalty should also be considered nobility.

artificial life formno description set

bad luckFate hates you. Your sister is killed, your girlfriend breaks up with you after being crippled in a terrorist attack and finally you end up as a pizza delivery boy. And just when you thought it can`t get worse, it does.

barefootThis character never seems to wear any shoes — possibly a martial artist that prefers to stay in close with the ground, or a girl from the country now living in the city. Alas, under more dire circumstances this can also be a sign of real poverty.

befriend attackA befriend attack is a pounce performed by someone in an attempt to hug someone else. This is an exuberant display of affection, often used for comedic effect. Sometimes, the target of such attacks learn to dodge them, usually by simply sidestepping them.

bicycleA bicycle, often called a bike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A bicycle rider is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.

bitingSome people seem to like biting others, especially when irritated. This may also be an aggression or self-defence mechanism. In anime, this will often lead to greatly enlarged mouths being able to bite someone else`s head, commonly for comedic effect.

blimpAn blimp or dirigible balloon is a type of aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft that can navigate through the air under its own power. Aerostats gain their lift from large gas bags filled with a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air.

bodyguardA bodyguard is a type of security guard or government law enforcement officer or soldier who protects a person or people, usually high-ranking public officials or officers, wealthy people, and celebrities, from danger: generally theft, assault, kidnapping, assassination, harassment, loss of confidential information, threats, or other criminal offences.

boob cannonA female character that utilizes their healthy pair in the form of a weapon relative to a cannon, machine gun, missile launcher, or other similar device.

bousouzokuBousouzoku ("violent running gang") is a Japanese subculture associated with motorcycle clubs and gangs. The typical bousouzoku member is often depicted in a uniform consisting of a jumpsuit like those worn by manual labourers or a tokko-fuku, a type of military issued overcoat with kanji slogans usually worn open with no shirt underneath showing off their bandaged torsos and baggy matching pants tucked inside tall boots. The uniforms are most likely adorned with militaristic slogans, patriotic rising sun patches, ancient Chinese characters, or even manji. Among other items in the bousouzoku attire are usually round or wrap-around sunglasses, long hachimaki headbands also with battle slogans and a pompadour hairstyle most likely akin to the greaser/rocker look or perhaps because of the hairstyle`s association with yakuza thugs. The punch perm is considered a common bousouzoku hairstyle as well.

broomA domestic utensil with fibers bound together at the end of a long handle, used for sweeping. Brooms are frequently associated with witches, which they use for flying.

carefreeA carefree person is free of worries, cares or concerns. This does not necessarily imply that they have no responsibilities or are negligent towards them; they are simply able to live out their lives in tranquility regardless of what happens.

cat personA cat person is a humanoid with a cat`s characteristics, most commonly ears, paws, or a tail.

catchphraseA catchphrase is a sound, word or phrase commonly used by a person. That may be simply out of habit, or in an attempt to deliver some form of image, like that of cuteness. In fiction, characters often use catchphrases as a way to deliver specific personality traits.

chainno description set

charismaticCharisma is a compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others.

cloneThis character is grown from a single somatic cell or cell nucleus and genetically identical to it.

clumsyA clumsy person is one lacking in coordination, and as such prone to often having accidents such as tripping, bumping into objects, or dropping things. In female characters, this is often thought of as endearing.

combat butler -- DO NOT ADD -- TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThis tag is meant to be deleted. Please DO NOT add it to further anime. Please tag the relevant characters "butler" and whatever combat- or martial arts-related tag is appropriate. For the already tagged anime, please tag the relevant characters, and then remove this tag from the related anime. Thank you.

communication with the deadThis character is able of some manner of communication with the dead, or at least with one dead person. This includes talking to the dead, seeing the dead, outright mediumship, or any form of unidirectional or bidirectional form of communication that ordinary characters are not generally able to achieve. This does not apply in environments where characters are expected to be dead, or where nobody is alive to begin with.

computerA device, usually electronic, that processes data according to a set of instructions.

computer geekA person (mostly male), who is obsessed with computers.

contractorno description set

corporationA corporation is a legal entity that is created under the laws of a state designed to establish the entity as a separate legal entity having its own privileges and liabilities distinct from those of its .

corruptThe character is spiritually or morally impure and may accept payment or other benefits for services or material which the recipient is not due, under law.

costumesno description set

creepy laughAt least one character in the show inexplicably and repetitively seems to have the urgent need to laugh in a creepy, loud and usually very annoying way. For male bad guys this seems to be a must, but some of the uppity (rich) female characters use the laugh as part of their condescending attitude as well.

crime syndicateAn organization run by criminals for the purpose of illegal activity.

crippledA person that is partially or totally unable to use one or more limbs, for example a lame.

crybabySomeone whose feelings are very easily hurt, often by trivial matters.

demon dogno description set

detective agencyno description set

dojono description set

dollno description set

domestic catThe cat is a small, usually furry, domesticated, and carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for companionship and its ability to hunt vermin and household pests. Cats have been associated with humans for at least 9,500 years and are the most popular pet in the world. They have bodies adapted to killing small prey and are skilled predators, hunting over 1,000 species for food. Despite being solitary hunters, they`re a social species with many means of communication.

doppelgangerOr "Doppelgänger" in German (lit. meaning "double goer"), refers to a paranormal, sometimes ghostly double of a living person.

dragon personDragon people are reptilian demi-humans, often said to be descended from or related to dragons. Dragon people are generally partially covered by scales that tend to be very strong and often able to withstand edged weapons or even deflect projectiles, and may also have a tail and a pair of wings.

drillno description set

eccentricBecause normal people are no fun.

energeticAn energetic character, often also called a genki character, shows great, often excessive levels of activity or vitality, and seems to always be doing everything extra fast. Genki characters are often slightly, or sometimes very, eccentric, and are filled with confidence and determination, regardless of whether they are competent or not; in fact, they often have little to no actual competence at whatever they generally do.

enigmaticAn enigmatic person is someone with a mysterious personality that is difficult to grasp and/or defies description.

eternal blushIt is no ordinary blush it is a blush that does not disappear.

evil laughThe thing all great evil villains do after saying/doing something evil. Some notable examples of great evil villains with evil laughs: Dr. Evil, Dr. Horrible, The Joker, Lelouche, Light, and Mickey Mouse.

familiar spiritA familiar spirit is a spirit, typically animal-shaped, which is summoned by a magic- usually to perform various menial tasks. In witchcraft a typical familiar spirit takes the form of a black cat, hence the superstition that a black cat is bad luck.

femme fataleA Femme fatale (french for "deadly woman") often leads men into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She tries to achieve her hidden purpose by using feminine wiles such as beauty, charm, and sexual allure. Typically, she is exceptionally well-endowed with these qualities. In some situations, she uses lying or coercion rather than charm. She may also be (or imply to be) a victim, caught in a situation from which she cannot escape.

firefighterno description set

flyingThis character has wings, natural or artificial, which enable the character to take flight. Or is in command of some form of levitation (e.g. a witch using a broom to fly). Not to be confused with "flying planes" or "flying helicopters".

ganguroGanguro ("Black Face Girls") is a fashion trend among Japanese women, characterised by blonde or orange hair, tanned skin, black ink used as eye-liner, and white concealer used as lipstick and eyeshadow. False eyelashes, plastic facial gems, and pearl powder are often included. It peaked in popularity around the year 2000. The Shibuya and Ikebukuro districts of Tokyo were the centres of Ganguro fashion.

giantno description set

glowing eyesno description set

going berserkAt least one of the characters in this anime gets really ticked off, so much so, that he/she wants to smash and destroy everything on his/her path.

golemA golem is an animated anthropomorphic being, magically created entirely from inanimate matter. The word was used to mean an amorphous, unformed material (usually out of stone and clay) in Psalms and medieval writing.

gossipGossip is idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others.

greedyEager to acquire and possess things especially material possessions or ideas; grabby, grasping, greedy, covetous, rapacious

grimoireA grimoire is a textbook of magic. Such books typically include instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms and divination and also how to summon or invoke supernatural entities such as angels, spirits, and demons.

gun - TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThis character uses at least one type of gun, or this anime has one character that uses at least one type of gun. Please tag the characters with the appropriate gun type tags (e.g. pistol, revolver, assault rifle, etc) and remove this tag from them or their corresponding anime afterwards. Thank you.

hand puppetno description set

hard-workingDescribes someone, who is constantly, regularly, or habitually active or occupied.

headstrongA headstrong person is one that is determined to do as one pleases, and not as others want.

helpfulThis character is serviceable for an end or purpose.

hero complexA hero complex is a state of mind in which an individual believes they need to save or assist others, uphold morals, serve justice, or perform other such supposedly hero-like acts, often at any cost. They may feel personally able for any failure at those self-assigned duties. Their main concern is performing their supposedly heroic deeds; any questions others might raise about such actions are all secondary concerns at best.

heterochromatic eyesHeterochromia Iridis is a medical condition, where an individual has at least an eye with more than one colour or two eyes of entirely different colours.

human weaponThis tag applies to weapons that can take up a human-shaped form (Bleach and Soul Eater), artificially created human-like entities (Angeloids from Sora no Oto, Dragoons from ScrappedPrincess) and engineered humans (Chise from Saikano, Saiko Yuki from Silent Möbius).

hunterHunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife or feral animals, by humans for food, recreation, or trade.

idealistThis is a character who represents things as they might be or should be rather than as they are.

imaginary personA nonexistent imagined/invented person. Usually in the case of children they have imaginary friends to have somebody to play with.

immatureMarked by or indicating a lack of maturity

improvised weapons -- TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThis tag is set to be split and deleted. Please apply any applicable weaponized object tags to the relevant characters, or create new tags if necessary, and delete this tag from the anime/character.

indecisiveThis character has trouble taking their own decisions, and may rely on others to do that instead.

indifferentIndifference or apathy is a lack of or a suppression of interest, concern, excitement, motivation, and/or ion. This may range from not caring enough to seek to get involved on matters that don`t directly concern the indifferent individuals to not caring about life itself, be it other individuals` lives or even their own.

innocentno description set

insaneInsanity, craziness, or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person becoming a danger to themselves or others.

insane drivingVehicular conduct that goes beyond "risky" or "reckless," and ventures into the realm of the impossible or absurd. Expect to see cars driving up stairs and similarly bizarre stunts.

insecureNot confident or assured; uncertain and anxious.

inter-dimensional travelInter-dimensional travel is the ability to move between dimensions. It is often also explained as moving between dimensional planes. Holders of this ability are generally called sliders.

journalistA journalist is a person who collects, writes, or distributes news or other current information to the public. A journalist`s work is called journalism. A journalist can work with general issues or specialize in certain issues. A reporter is a type of journalist who researches, writes, and reports on information in order to present in sources, conduct interviews, engage in research, and make reports. Reporters may split their time between working in a newsroom and going out to witness events.

jumping very highThe character can jump unnaturally high.

kappaKappa are legendary creatures, a type of water sprite found in Japanese folklore. They are typically depicted as roughly humanoid in form and about the size of a child with scaly, reptilian skin ranging in color from green to yellow or blue.

ki blastA ki blast is a weaponisation of ki manipulation that some fictional martial artists are capable of. Famous examples include the Hadouken and the Kamehameha.

ki manipulationKi, also chi or qi, is believed to be a vital force forming part of any living thing. It literally translates as "breath", "air", or "gas", and figuratively as "material energy", "life force", or "energy flow", and it is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese martial arts.

kitsuneKitsune is the Japanese word for fox, which are a common subject of Japanese folklore. This term in English specifically refers to kitsune as demon foxes or fox spirits. Not to be confused with foxpersons, a juujin with fox characteristics. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume human form.

lonelyLoneliness is an unpleasant feeling in which a person feels a strong sense of emptiness and solitude resulting from inadequate levels of social relationships. However, it is a subjective experience. Loneliness has also been described as social pain — a psychological mechanism meant to alert an individual of isolation and motivate her/him to seek social connections. (Source: Wikipedia)

lonerA characters who avoids or does not actively seek human interaction or prefers to be alone, either because they prefer solitude and independence and are content to have very limited social interaction, or because they are forced to be isolated because they are rejected by society.

magatamaMagatama are curved beads that first appeared in Japan during the Joumon period.

manipulativeEnjoy controlling people without them knowing, usually tricking people into doing stuff for them

manlyMasculinity is possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a man. Typical characteristics associated with masculinity are: courage, a strong physique, competitive, strong willed, and a sense of honor. Very important for being considered masculine however is the ability to inspire respect from your fellow brethren and/or being perceived as a virile man by the opposite sex.

maskMasks are items normally worn on the face. Their uses range from medical (example: oxygen mask) to disguise (avoiding recognition). They can also be used for entertainment (for example, in theater or dance), and may even be forced upon someone as punishment. Masks have been in use since ancient times.

mechanicA mechanic is a skilled person who repairs and maintains machines.

megalomaniacMegalomania is a psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of power, relevance, and omnipotence, and by inflated self-esteem.

melancholicA melancholic person is someone that is filled with or affected by great sadness or depression, especially of a thoughtful or introspective nature.

mercenaryA mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national or party to the conflict and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities by desire for private gain". Mercenaries fight for money or other recompense rather than for political interests.

mischievousThe character enjoys causing small irritations, pranks, and misfortune for others.

mobile phoneCharacter is often or always using a mobile phone.

moeMoe is a Japanese slang loanword that refers to feelings of strong affection mainly towards characters in anime, manga, and video games. At the anime level, the cute girls doing cute things (CGDCT) tag may also apply.

motorcyclistA person who is skilled at riding a motorcycle/motorbike and does so on a regular basis.

multiple personality disorderMultiple personality disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a condition in which a single person displays multiple distinct identities or personalities (known as alter egos or alters), each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment.

Nagoya dialectThe Nagoya dialect is a Japanese dialect spoken in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. In a wide sense, Nagoya dialect means the dialect in the western half of the prefecture (formerly part of Owari Province), and in that case, it is also called Owari dialect (尾張弁 Owari-ben). The dialect spoken in the eastern half of the prefecture (formerly part of Mikawa Province) is different from Nagoya dialect and called Mikawa dialect (三河弁 Mikawa-ben).

naiveA naive person lacks worldly knowledge, experience, wisdom, understanding, or judgement.

naked apronA character wearing nothing but an apron appears in the show.

narcissisticThe term narcissism refers to the personality trait of egotism, which includes the set of character traits concerned with self-image ego. The narcissism, narcissistic, and narcissist are often used as pejoratives, denoting vanity, conceit, egotism or simple selfishness. Applied to a social group, it is sometimes used to denote elitism or an indifference to the plight of others.

negotiatorno description set

ninja maidThis is an old tag for anime which had characters that were maids and also ninjas, or at least able to use ninjutsu. The tag will be removed once all maids in question are properly tagged. See also the list of anime with characters tagged ninja and maid and the list of anime with characters tagged ninjutsu and maid.

non-blood-related siblings -- DO NOT USE -- TO BE DELETEDThis tag is set to be deleted. Please add char-char relations of the "is family of" type with the appropriate relation comment to the relevant characters and remove the tag from the corresponding anime. Thank you.

nopanThe character foregoes underwear.

obsessive -- DO NOT USE -- TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThis tag is meant to be split and deleted. Please help by tagging all relevant characters with more specific tags and then deleting this tag from them or from their anime, as applicable. Depending on the context, such tags may include, among others: any of the complexes, otaku, ionate, persistent, psychopath, or yandere.

oedipus complexThe Oedipus complex, in psychoanalytic theory, is a group of largely unconscious (dynamically repressed) ideas and feelings which centre around the desire to possess the parent of the opposite sex and eliminate the parent of the same sex.

ojou-sama laughA type of haughty laughter typical of rich young girls, as well as older rich women. Generally sounds like a high-pitched "OHOHOHOHOHOHO".

optic camouflageOptic camouflage is a type of camouflage that distinguishes itself for actively altering optical properties around itself in order to make the wearer invisible. This could be said to be a high-tech form of "invisibility cloak".

origamiOrigami (折り紙, from ori meaning "folding", and kami meaning "paper"; kami changes to gami due to rendaku) is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. It has since its creation evolved into a modern art form. The goal of this art is to transform a flat sheet of material into a finished sculpture through folding and sculpting techniques, and as such the use of cuts or glue are not considered to be origami. Paper cutting and gluing is usually considered kirigami.

orphanThe character (in common usage: only a child, or the young of an animal) has lost both parents.

otakuOtaku is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga, and video games. While some use the term proudly, most Japanese would consider it undesirable to be described in a serious fashion as otaku; many even consider it to be a genuine insult.

overconfidentAn overconfident person is one who misjudges one`s own limitations by overestimating one`s abilities or underestimating the risks faced in one`s undertakings.

overeaterA character (who quite often is anything but fat) eats enough for an entire football team, usually devastating the whole table — and perhaps entire restaurants — with their insatiable hunger. Often combined with a speed-eating technique that makes food seem to vanish spontaneously from the plate.

paparazziPaparazzi (singular: (m) paparazzo or (f) paparazza) are photographers who take pictures of athletes, celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people usually while they are going about normal life routines.

paramilitaryA paramilitary is a semi-militarized force whose organizational structure, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, and which is not included as part of a state`s formal armed forces.

paranoiaParanoia is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself. Paranoia is distinct from phobias, which also involve irrational fear, but usually no blame. Making false accusations and the general distrust of others also frequently accompany paranoia.

part-time workerno description set

pegasusno description set

pervertedIs a concept describing those types of human behavior that are excessive or deviated from what is considered to be orthodox or normal.

pessimistThis character has a tendency to take notice of the negative or unfavorable aspects of any given situation, or to take the gloomiest possible view.

petA domestic animal kept for pleasure or companionship.

phoenixno description set

playing harmonicaThe harmonica, also known as a French harp, is an instrument, which is played by using the mouth (lips and tongue) to direct air into or out of one or more holes along a mouthpiece.

playing video gamesVideo games are electronic games played on a video screen, normally a television or a built-in screen when played on a handheld machine.

playing violinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello.

precociousExhibiting mature qualities at an unusually early age, especially in mental aptitude.

precognitionThe ability to see into the future. This can manifest as prophetic visions or could be more prosaic, such as the ability to see future events by means of some divinatory devices such as tarot cards or astrology, but such divination should be accurate.

pregnantThis tag should only be added to characters who physically look pregnant, meaning that showing positive pregnancy test results, talking about being pregnant or doctor`s report do not count. If a character gets pregnant, and is shown as such, only later on in the story (typically at the end), then the tag should be marked as spoiler for that character. Not to be confused with stomach bulge or stomach stretch.

priestno description set

prodigyCharacter is very good at everything he/she does.

prosthesisA prosthesis (prosthetic) (from Ancient Greek πρόσθεσις, "addition, application, attachment") is a device that replaces a missing body part.

protection complexA character has a protection complex if the character is overly protective of other characters, beyond what would be considered a "normal" or "expected" duty of care. The magnitude of overprotection can vary. It can be as low as constantly nagging someone to "stay safe". It can be as extreme as the protector making it their mission in life to protect the other character.

psycho faceA psycho face or comical angry face is a weird or scary face that makes the character look like a psycho. This includes, but is not limited to: popping veins, eyes with different sizes, miniature pupils, grins, evil grins, showing incredible tongue, licking something, and/or drooling. This can result from either a character trait (structurally naturally scary looking face), or a habit, as in, they like making scary faces such as when angry.

psychokinesisPsychokinesis, also referred to as telekinesis with respect to strictly describing movement of matter, describes the direct influence of mind on a physical system that cannot be entirely ed for by the mediation of any known physical energy.

psychoticPeople suffering from psychosis can be described as having lost their with reality and deteriorated their social functioning to the point of becoming deranged.

puppeteerA person who manipulates an inanimate object, such as a puppet, in real time to create the illusion of life. The puppeteer may be visible to or hidden from the audience. A puppeteer can operate a puppet indirectly by the use of strings, rods, wires, electronics or directly by his or her own hands placed inside the puppet or holding it externally. Some puppet styles require puppeteers to work together as a team to create a single puppet character.

rakugokaRakugo (literally "fallen words") is a Japanese verbal entertainment. The lone storyteller (rakugoka) sits on the stage, called the Kouza. Using only a paper fan and a small cloth as props, and without standing up from the seiza sitting position, the rakugo artist depicts a long and complicated comical story. The story always involves the dialogue of two or more characters, the difference between the characters depicted only through change in pitch, tone, and a slight turn of the head.

regeneration from death -- TO BE SPLIT AND REMOVEDThis tag is meant for removal. The characters it would apply to should be tagged with "regeneration" and/or "immortality", as appropriate. Please tag the relevant characters with those two tags and remove this tag from their respective anime. Thank you.

robot petThis tag should be moved to character. The corresponding characters in each anime should be tagged with both the "pet" and "robot" tags, and then this tag should be removed from the respective anime. Please help with this process if you can. Thank you.

rogue artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence devices may at times act outside their intended parameters. While this normally doesn`t mean much in reality aside from forceful shutdowns and loss of productivity, in fiction this may go as far as turning against their own human creators/masters, and, in extreme cases, even exterminating them.

royal guard -- TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThis tag is set to be split and deleted. Please retag the relevant characters with the appropriate tags and then delete this tag from the anime/characters. Relevant tags will most likely include bodyguard, and may also include, among others, soldier (when belonging to a military unit or organization), military police member (when belonging to a military unit or organization with police duties), and police officer (when belonging to a civilian unit or organization with police duties).

ruthlessThis character will stop at nothing to achieve their goals and will be unbound by any constraints

sarcasticThe character frequently uses sharp, bitter, or cutting expressions or remarks. (From Greek sarcasmos, "to tear flesh, gnash the teeth, speak bitterly".)

school swimsuitA school swimsuit (also known as sukumizu, shorthand for school mizugi) is a standardised navy blue one-piece swimsuit worn by schoolgirls. Typically they also have a name tag on the front. Sukumizu can also be black or white.

scooterA scooter is a type of motorcycle with a step-through frame and a platform for the rider`s feet.

secret identityThe (usually main) protagonist has a secret identity that he or she desperately tries to keep secret. This can lead to all sorts of amusing misunderstandings, thus is used as comedy element in some anime.

sentaiIn the anime fandom, sentai usually refers to the Super Sentai Series, a long-running superhero team franchise of tokusatsu shows featuring live action characters and colorful special effects, and other similar shows. A prominent characteristic of such shows is that the colour- and elemental-coded heroes, usually numbering around five or more, fight to save the world from the evil that terrorizes the area, which may even span the entire universe.

sentient objectA sentient object is what would be an inanimate object, but which has the capacity to think, feel, perceive, analyse, or experience events. Generally, sentient objects have the ability to take decisions and act on them. It is also common for them to be able to move around on their own and simply do things on their own power.

sentient weaponA sentient weapon is a common plot device in many works of fantasy and mythology, and is related to the classic motif of the magic sword. Sentient weapons may be human, robotic, or magical, but not all magic weapons are sentient. A sentient weapon may experience a moral conflict from its specific nature as a weapon, or may function as the villain, which, through its intelligence, is able to gain power. Another possibility is that it assists the wielder, or is merely neutral.

sexually dominantSexually dominant is a designation applied to those able to assertively assume and maintain control over the actions of their partner(s) during sexual activity, actively steering it towards their own intents and preferences and possibly to the detriment of those of their partner(s).

shyA shy person is disinclined to take part in social interactions, especially those involving people they`re unfamiliar with.

sign languageThe character can communicate with sign language either instead of or in addition to speech.

simple-mindedThis character exhibits a `special` sort of intelligence. Be it the inability to comprehend even the most simple of situations, or the lack of common sense found in even a preschooler, the character never ceases to amaze both the show`s cast and audience with their idiocy.

smokerThis character likes to smoke cigarettes, cigars or a pipe.

social outcastSomeone who has been rejected or excluded from the majority, or all of the social groups in an area (school, work, etc.). A person that does not fit in society. They typically look slightly high or depressed and they are usually alone most the time. Some are alone because they are too snobbish and see themselves above everyone else. Others are alone because they want to be. They are usually the victims of every negative stereotype and rumour. Some might even be called “freaks”.

spider tankA spider tank that uses four or more legs for movement instead of the tracks seen in most real-life tanks.

spyno description set

stoicA stoic person can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining.

strictThis character is rigorously conforming to principle, norm or condition.

stubbornIs a description of someone who has difficulty changing opinions. The word can also be used to describe objects that are difficult to move or change

stuffed toyA stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw, beans, plastic pellets, cotton, synthetic fibres, or other similar materials. Stuffed toys are also known as plush toys (U.S. English) from plush, the outer material used, and soft toys or cuddly toys (British English).

subservientPrepared to obey others unquestioningly.

suicidalThe character has suicidal tendencies.

swimsuitA swimsuit is a garment designed to be worn by people engaging in water-based activities or sports or during certain activities under sunlight. Most kinds of swimsuit reveal a large portion of the body surface area. In anime, it is common for at least one episode to feature the characters in swimsuits, usually as an excuse for gratuitous fanservice; swimsuits, particularly one-piece swimsuits, are a very common fetish in Japan. One-off appearances of characters in swimsuits should not be tagged.

swordA sword is a long, edged piece of metal, used as a cutting, thrusting, and clubbing weapon in many civilizations throughout the world. It fundamentally consists of a blade and a hilt, typically with one or two edges for striking and cutting, and a point for thrusting.

talking animalTalking animals are a common theme in mythology and folk tales, as well as children`s literature. Fictional talking creatures often are anthropomorphic, possessing human-like qualities but appearing as a creature. An animal that only knows how to say its name (for example, 99.9% of all Pokemon), are not talking animals.

talks too fastThis character speaks with a pace so frenetic that it can get hard to follow.

tannedThe brown colour produced by the skin after intensive exposure to ultraviolet rays, especially those of the sun.

telepathyno description set

teleportationTeleportation is the transfer of matter from one point to another, possibly a distant one, without application of force, and generally instantly. This contradicts scientific law as we know it, and is therefore nowadays impossible. Sometimes it appears as a paranormal or supernatural ability, and sometimes it is shown in science fiction through technological devices backed up by scientific laws yet to be discovered.

timid -- TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThis tag is set to be split. Please add the shy and/or cowardly tags, as applicable, to the relevant characters, and then remove this one from them and/or the anime they`re related to, and please make sure you`re also adding both tags if both apply to the characters in question. Thank you.

tomboyA girl who acts and dresses like a boy and enjoys rough, noisy activities traditionally associated with boys.

transfer studentA transfer student is a student who changes from one institution or course to another at the same level. Their arrival, when not at the beginning of the school year, tends to cause a stir.

transsexualA transsexual person is someone, generally transgender, who underwent medical and surgical procedures to alter external sexual characteristics to those of the opposite sex.

traumaCharacter with emotional or psychological injury, caused by single or multiple events/experiences in the past.

tsuchigumoTsuchigumo, literally translated "dirt spider", is the name for a race of spider-like youkai in Japanese folklore.

tsukkomiA tsukkomi is a comedy duo stock character in a traditional Japanese slapstick stand-up comedy style known as manzai. Tsukkomi characters are the smart, reasonable, and down-to-earth half of the unit; their simple-minded counterparts are the boke characters. Their approximate equivalent in Western culture is the comedy role of straight man.

tsundereA character type (usually female), who is often easily agitated or combative, but other times is quite kind and caring, especially in situations involving a person they are (knowingly or unknowingly) attracted towards.

twin -- TO BE DELETEDThis tag is meant to be purged in the short term. Please DO NOT assign it to any further characters; add the appropriate char-char relations to them instead.

underdogThe character portrayed in this anime is seemingly not cut for his challenge. He is expected to be no match for his rivals or enemies. However, mostly through hard work and dedication he will eventually overcome his limitations.

unicornno description set

uniform -- TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThe "uniform" tag is to be split and removed. Please help by tagging the character with the appropriate kind of uniform (e.g. school uniform, maid dress, etc) and removing this tag from them, and by not adding this tag to any further characters. Thank you.

unusual illnessA character has unusual or unlikely side-effects from an accident or suffers symptoms from ailments that could only exist within the anime.

unusual weapons -- TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThis anime tag is set to be split into multiple character tags. If you are very sure of what existing tag to use, please apply it to the relevant characters and remove this one from the anime. On the other hand, if you know why this tag is applied and either expect a new tag will be necessary or don`t know how to handle the retagging, simply remove it from the anime and explain the case to the mod.

vigilanteA vigilante is a civilian, or rarely organization, acting in a law enforcement capacity or in the pursuit of self-perceived summary justice without legal authority.

violentno description set

vulgarTalking (and acting) in a way that is considered uncultivated, bawdy, common, coarse or unrefined, or "taboo" according to existing cultural standards. Includes boorish manners and obtrusive display of carnal "assets".

wafuku -- TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThis tag is set to be split and deleted. Please tag all relevant characters from the tagged shows with the appropriate wafuku tags and then delete this tag from the corresponding anime. Thank you very much.

warriorno description set

weaponized baseball batno description set

weaponized forkNot a knife but a fork is actually being used as a weapon in this anime.

weaponized paper fanA giant paper fan, usually made in a closed fashion.

weird eyesEyes suggesting something supernatural.

whaleno description set

wingsno description set

xenophobiaAn intense dislike and/or fear of people from other countries.

yandereA character trait involving a personality initially loving and gentle that becomes psychotic or deranged, often brutally so. See also yangire, a sibling trait to the yandere.

ZakuA mobile suit type from the Gundam series.

zettai ryouikiZettai ryouiki, literally "absolute territory", is an area of exposed skin of a female in the gap between thigh-high or over-the-knee hosiery and a miniskirt, shorts, or on occasion a minidress. In addition to the area itself, the term can describe the clothing combination. Please note that zettai ryouiki requires all three components: over-the-knee or thigh-high hosiery, thigh skin, and one of skirt, shorts, or minidress.

TO BE MOVED TO EPISODETags under this parent tag are going to be moved to episode tags and removed from the anime they`re currently assigned to. They will be blocked from the anime system once that move is complete. Please help with that job if you know what episodes they should be assigned to.

amusement park visitPlot device: All or part of the cast visit an amusement park.

babysittingBabysitting is the practice of temporarily caring for a child on behalf of the child`s parents. Babysitting is commonly performed as an odd job by teenagers for extra money, stereotypically (but not necessarily) by girls.

banana peelUsed as slapstick comedy element in this anime: At least one of the characters in this anime will slip on a banana peel, leading to humorous or even ecchi situations.

birthdayAll about the birthday celebration of at least one of the protagonists in this anime. This includes a birthday party with a birthday cake and other food and presents — lots of them.

boobs in your faceThe character`s face is pressed into a female`s cleavage. This may be accidental or actually intended by the female character, or even a result of a device by the other character. This action is generally seen as sexually charged by the viewers and often also by the cast, so it will usually happen in an ecchi context; as such, something such as a mother hugging her child won`t generally count.

cardiopulmonary resuscitationR is an emergency procedure that combines chest compression often with artificial ventilation to manually preserve brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It involves at least 100 to 120 chest compressions per minute and may include artificial ventilation, often via mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. In general, R is continued until the person has a return of spontaneous circulation or is declared dead.

childhood memoryThe childhood memory of one of the protagonists plays an important part as plot device in this anime.

ChristmasThis anime is about Christmas or has an episode relating to Christmas, often including the decoration of the Christmas tree, the shopping for and the handing out of presents, and an extra special opulent dinner (a Christmas party). No Christmas is complete without the falling of snow — for those romantic moments.

confessionSomeone confesses his/her love to someone else.

cooking curryJapanese curry, usually eaten as curry rice, and often pickled vegetables, served on the same plate and eaten with a spoon, is one of the most popular dishes in Japan, where people eat it 125 times a year according to a survey made in 2005. As such Japanese series will often devote a whole episode to the characters cooking and eating curry dishes.

crossover episodeUsually refers to the fact that one or more characters on this title come from other separate titles — often from series by the same creator/studio. Something like a "guest star", but in a more important role.

eating PockyPocky is the name of a famous Japanese snack, consisting of a biscuit stick coated with chocolate.

first kissThe first kiss plays a role in this anime. Especially for the female cast this can be quite an important moment, so that stealing ones first kiss is serious for them.

flashbackA flashback is a moment where events from the past are recounted. Flashbacks are used primarily to give insight into a character`s mind or to reveal information previously kept from the audience. They normally consist of mostly new content; they are different from and should not be confused with recaps, where old content is shown again for no particular purpose. Generally, to qualify as a flashback, the scene must advance the narrative. The opposite is a flashforward. See also in medias res.

hanamiHanami (花見, lit. "flower viewing") is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, "flower" in this case almost always meaning cherry blossoms or ume blossoms.

indirect kissComedy element: Especially in a school setting the character who has fallen for a fellow student, but has not yet confessed his/her love, will be desperate for any sign of "closeness". The indirect kiss: Anything the adored person touches with his/her lips — e.g. a used glass of lemonade, some half-eaten food, a half-emptied can of soda — the love struck will want to touch with her/his own lips.

journey to the center of the mindA journey to the center of the mind or dreamworld trip is a "visit" that involves characters entering and visiting another character`s mind, the "dreamworld", a place that only exists in the mind of an asleep and dreaming person, or, more generally, any place in someone`s mind or other world that is not part of reality. Not to be confused with dream sequence, where a sleeping character has a dream, and the episode`s plot includes playing through that dream.

karaokeObligatory national pastime for students in any anime with school setting. Amateur singing to subtitled music videos. The word itself is a compound of the Japanese words for "empty orchestra".

lap pillowAs a sign of closeness the usually male character is encouraged to rest his weary head on the female’s lap.

late for schoolOne of the central characters in a school setting keeps on getting up too late in the morning, and thus has to show frantic activity at breakfast, to then rush to school. This is also related to "guy/girl running with toast in mouth" and may include the "running into a character of the opposite gender" scene.

live-action closing -- TO BE MOVED AND DELETEDThis tag is set to be removed. For each tagged anime, please tag the corresponding ending/credits episodes with the live-action episode tag (adding them and their relation to the ending songs if necessary) and then remove this tag from it. Please do not apply this credit to the main episode that has the live-action ending, only to the corresponding credits episode. For example, if episode 22 has a live-action ending, and that ending is also credits episode C7, tag episode C7, not episode 22.

lottery wheelOne of the protagonists plays the lottery wheel in some shopping mall and — as fate will have it — wins a prize, e.g. a visit to the local hot springs or water park. Thus adding an unexpected plot twist to the story (and some ecchi potential).

mountain-tripThe location and visitation of a mountain plays an important role in this episode.

New Year`s DayIt is tradition in Japan to celebrate the new year at a Shinto shrine (hatsumode). The protagonists will offer some money, ring a bell at the end of a thick rope, and then pray for good fortune. This usually goes along with gorging yourself at the many temporary food stalls, playing various games, and drawing a fortune. The female characters in the anime will usually dress up in a kimono, to show off their traditional Japanese clothing, while watching the fireworks.

omiaiOne character promised to marry another one, either by free will (read: love), or due to external interference e.g. by parental "guidance".

omimaiVisiting a sick person (as in a hospital or at home). The protagonist or any other character caught a cold so his friends go visit him. In a school setting this is used as a plot device to allow fellow students to show their concern, and it is also a pertinent excuse to get out of school.

OP and ED sung by castThe OP and/or ED is sung by the anime`s cast.

oppai pillowJapanese for "breast" pillow.

performing in a concertThe main characters play one or more live music performances during the show.

piggyback rideOne of the protagonists (usually male) gives another character (usually female) a ride on the back. Can be interpreted as a sign of closeness or endearment in a romance setting. Reasons: The female character is exhausted from previous running, or has a fit of anaemia, or hurt herself and no longer can walk.

pillow fightA fight involving the use of pillows, as weapons, in a melee or projectile capacity. Usually they do not inflict harm but in the arms of certain individuals they are deadly weapons which, unlike real life pillow fights, can involve fatal injuries.

post-credits sceneA little bit of the story is found after the credit titles. A little bonus for those patient enough! This applies regardless of if the credits play over an ED sequence, or over the "regular episode" that continues to air into the credits. A sequence at the end of an episode, showing what will happen in the next episode, is NOT a post-credits scene; that is a preview.

preview before edUnlike most productions, where the next episode preview rolls *after* the ending with the production credits, this title does the reverse: preview the next episode *first*, then enjoy the ED (or skip it if you prefer, without missing the juicy preview details).

purikuraA standard on a date in a school setting, to the moment with the "loved one". In Japan, purikura (プリクラ) refers to a photo sticker booth or the product of such a photo booth. The name is a shortened form of the ed trademark Purinto Kurabu (プリント倶楽部). The term derives from the English print club. (Source: Wikipedia)

rock-paper-scissorsWhenever a decision has to be made in anime, the Japanese protagonists seem to be awfully fond of playing rock-paper-scissors (or jan-ken-pon) to determine the outcome.

rolling boulder trapNothing beats the rolling boulder trap in case you want to smash those tomb raiders to a blood pool to teach them a lesson. Its simplicity and versatility is matched only by its destructiveness and the sheer terror it evokes.

school excursionTrue for almost all anime with school setting, there will be a school excursion or field trip. Tokyo and Kyoto seem to be particularly popular as sightseeing destinations. So are hiking excursions into the local mountains. This also is a good excuse to present the prefecture`s / city`s food specialities. Potential for ecchi moments: Obviously the "boys" will get all sorts of ideas with the "girls" sleeping so close by.

school festival - TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThe obligatory school festival (or cultural fair) with cosplay cafe, haunted house, theatre performance, and food booths cannot be missing in any school setting. For good measure there may also be an athletics or sports festival in this anime.

school sports festivalTo show off the students in sports clothing — in ecchi anime the female students in particular — a sports festival (or athletic meet) is quite popular in your typical anime with school setting. Here the protagonists can show their skills in diverse athletic competitions. Note: This festival may also, though very rarely, take place at a kindergarten or preschool.

skirt flippingNaughty characters — usually boys — flip the skirts of female protagonists to ascertain what panties they are wearing (also see Pantsu category).

summer festivalThe summer festival is used to show off the female protagonists in traditional Japanese clothing — the yukata — a casual form of kimono. The festivities include food stalls (cotton candy, candy apples, choco bananas, taiyaki), various games (scoop goldfishes), and a fireworks display.

tanabataTanabata (七夕, meaning "Evening of the seventh") is a Japanese star festival, originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival.

test of courageAs part of a summer excursion or festival, an anime with school setting may also have a "test of courage" (or "kimodameshi" in Japanese, also known as "fear trial"), where the male and female students are paired up (by lottery) to retrieve a "charm" by ing though a "haunted house" or a scary forest at night.

Valentine`s DayValentine`s Day is a festive day celebrated every February 14. In Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China, Valentine`s Day is one month before White Day, a celebration unique to those countries.

zoo visitA visit to the zoo can provide some `personal moments` in a school setting anime. Or the destination of a field trip. Or it might simply be to visit the animals at the zoo.

originno description set

American-Japanese co-productionno description set

Chinese productionno description set

development hellDue to unforeseen circumstances, the production or release of this anime has been pushed back, stalled, or cancelled one or more times from when it was first announced.

fan-madeProduced by an unofficial entity, totally unrelated to any commercial production studio/company (maybe even a group of friends with an idea, access to some equipment, a very tight budget, and lots of spare time). "Made for fans by fans" in its purest form.

French-Chinese co-productionno description set

French-Japanese co-productionno description set

Indo-Japanese co-productionno description set

Italian-Japanese co-productionno description set

Japanese productionno description set

Korean-Japanese co-productionno description set

North Korean productionSee also: South Korean production

Polish-Japanese co-productionno description set

remakeThis anime is a remake of a previously released story, anime, or movie.

Russian-Japanese co-productionno description set

Saudi Arabian-Japanese co-productionno description set

Singaporean productionno description set

Sino-Japanese co-productionno description set

South Korean productionSee also: North Korean production

Taiwanese productionno description set

Thai productionno description set

original workWhat the anime is based on! This is given as the original work credit in the OP. Mostly of academic interest, but a useful bit of info, hinting at the possible depth of story.

American derivedA work which was created as a continuation/remake of an American based franchise or cartoon series. These works are completely Japan original, but which lack roots within Japanese media. See also: cartoon remake

CG collectionCG collection is a collection of illustrations, usually fully coloured and mostly linked to adult content. They are similar to erotic games, as they have a story and repeat an image with changes in dialogue and/or small changes in the drawing, but are otherwise not a game. They can also have speech bubbles and use multiple s like a manga.

gameBased on an interactive (even if minimally so) form of entertainment software, generally available for PCs, consoles or arcade machines.

action gameAny game where reflexes are the key to the gameplay, violence is optional.

erotic gameAn erotic game (eroge) is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. In English, eroge are often called hentai games in keeping with the English slang definition of hentai. This is sometimes shortened to H games. In Japan, eroge are also referred to as 18+ games. Most erotic games are visual novels or dating sims but are not limited to them.

RPGAny anime that is based on a role-playing game aka RPG. A role-playing video game is a video game which includes elements of non-electronic role-playing games.

visual novelThe two are similar yet different, however, the fact that they look and `feel` the same outweighs the technical differences. For clarification, visual novels are considered a sub-genre of adventure games and the term does not cover simulations.

mangaManga is the lifeblood that drives the anime industry. Everything and its mother is based on manga. However! There are exceptions where the manga was not the basis for the anime. See also manhua and manhwa.

4-koma mangaA comic-strip format, which generally consists of gag comic strips within four s of equal size ordered from top to bottom.

Ultra JumpMonthly seinen manga magazine published by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. It was first issued in 1999. The manga carried are mostly fantasy and science fiction stories aimed at young adults.

Weekly Shounen JumpThe Weekly Shounen Jump is a Japanese manga magazine released on a weekly basis. Its main target audience consists of young males and it features several manga titles. A number of very famous shounen manga were or are published in the magazine.

Weekly Shounen SundayWeekly Shounen Sunday is a weekly shounen manga magazine published in Japan by Shogakukan since 1959. Contrary to its title, Weekly Shounen Sunday issues are released on Wednesdays.

manhuaThe Chinese equivalent of the Japanese manga, produced in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. See also manga and manhwa.

4-koma manhuano description set

manhwaThe Korean equivalent of the Japanese manga (has the look of a manga, but you read it like a Western comic). See also manga and manhua.

4-koma manhwano description set

movieBased on a live action film, Japanese or otherwise.

newNot based on anything, the story is a new work, usually made up by the people involved in creating the anime. Generally if an original work (原作) credit is given, it will be to the studio, or director, or other of the production team.

novelA novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, normally written in prose form, and which is typically published as a book. Manga, comics, or visual novels do not fit this description and are not considered novels; including a small number of illustrations, however, is still permissible, which means that light novels are considered novels.

picture bookA picture book is a book, most often aimed at young children, that combines visual and verbal narratives. With the narrative told primarily through text, they are distinct from comics, which do so primarily through sequential images.

radio programmeno description set

television programmeBased on a live action television program, Japanese or otherwise.

Korean dramano description set

Western animated cartoonAn anime series which originally started as an Western/American cartoon series or movie, but was later changed/adapted and remade specifically for the Japanese audience, and done through local anime studios within Japan.

Western comicsThis anime is based on a western comic book.

settingThe setting describes in what time and place an anime takes place. To a certain extent it describes what you can expect from the world in the anime.

placeThe places the anime can take place in. Includes more specific places such as a country on Earth, as well as more general places such as a dystopia or a mirror world.

aboard aeroplaneThe story takes place aboard an aeroplane flying through the air. This does not include helicopters or vessels that can go underwater or into space.

aboard shipThe story takes place aboard a vessel which sails on the surface of the sea, a river, or a similar body of liquid.

casinoA casino is a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are known for hosting live entertainment events, such as stand-up comedy, concerts, and sporting events. (Source: Wikipedia)

circusA circus is a company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other object manipulation and stunt-oriented artists. The term also describes the performance which has followed various formats through its 250 year modern history.

countrysideThe anime takes place far from the any densely populated areas like cities, i.e. out in the suburbs, in the countryside with many fields and forests.

desertSetting with vast amounts of sand, merciless high temperatures, and very little water.

dungeonA dungeon is a closed environment in RPG terminology. Dungeons are usually full of enemies and loot, which corresponds to items and money that may be either lying around or dropped by enemies killed by the player. Caves and ruins are among the most common forms of dungeons.

EarthThe Earth is the third planet from the Sun. It is a ball of hot mud, but on the surface it`s cold enough, so most of us live on it (or are supposed to). To its inhabitants, our planet is their home, so, as a species, we cherish it to the point many cultures even to this day deify it. The Earth is the main setting of most fiction, but many titles are set in other places, such as unrelated fantasy worlds, and in a considerable number of fictional titles the Earth is actually destroyed by invaders.

AfricaThe world`s second-largest continent and the birthplace of the human species, Africa is a place of a huge diversity. It has been the cradle of empires and has been ruled by foreign powers, and as of the early 21st century sees swift changes and economic boom going side by side with inhuman levels of poverty.

EgyptEgypt, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt is a Mediterranean country bordered by the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Gulf of Aqaba to the east, the Red Sea to the east and south, Sudan to the south, and Libya to the west.

AmericasThe Americas, also collectively called America, encom the totality of the continents of North America and South America. Together they make up most of Earth`s western hemisphere and comprise the New World.

BrazilBrazil is the largest country in South America and Latin America, the world`s fifth-largest country by area and population, and the largest Portuguese-speaking country. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, borders most other South American countries, and covers 47.3% of the continent`s land area. Its economy is the world`s ninth-largest as of 2015. Brazil is a regional power in Latin America and an international middle power identified by some analysts as an emerging global power.

CanadaCanada is a country located in the northern part of North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean. Canada is sparsely populated, the majority of its land territory being dominated by forest and tundra and the Rocky Mountains. Its capital is Ottawa, and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

ChileChile is a South American country occupying a long, narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake age in the far south. Chilean territory includes the Pacific islands of Juan Fernández, Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and Easter Island in Oceania. Chile also claims about 1,250,000 square kilometres of Antarctica, although all claims are suspended by treaty.

Easter IslandEaster Island is a Chilean island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle. Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapa Nui people.

MexicoMexico is a federal republic in the southern half of North America. The country is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico. Covering almost two million square kilometers. With an estimated population of over 120 million, it is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world while being the second most populous country in Latin America.

PeruPeru is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the west by the Pacific Ocean. Peru is an extremely biodiverse country with habitats ranging from the arid plains of the Pacific coastal region in the west to the peaks of the Andes mountains vertically extending from the north to the southeast of the country to the tropical Amazon Basin rainforest in the east.

United StatesThe United States of America (commonly referred to as the United States, the U.S., the USA, or America) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district.

ChicagoChicago, officially the City of Chicago, is the third-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Cook County. The Chicago metropolitan area, often referred to as Chicagoland, has nearly 10 million people and is the third-largest in the United States. Chicago has often been called a global architecture capital and is considered one of the most important business centers in the world.

HawaiiHawaii is the 50th and most recent state to have ed the United States of America, having received statehood on August 21, 1959. Located in Oceania, Hawaii is the only U.S. state outside North America and the only one composed entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean.

NevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. Nevada is the 7th most extensive, the 35th most populous, and the 9th least densely populated of the 50 United States. Over two-thirds of Nevada`s people live in one single county, Clark County, which contains the Las Vegas–Paradise metropolitan area, where the state`s three largest incorporated cities are located. Nevada`s capital is Carson City.

Las VegasLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous for its consolidated casino–hotels and associated entertainment.

New YorkThe City of New York, often called New York City or simply New York, is the most populous city in the United States. New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the United States. Located at the southern tip of the state of New York, the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area, one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world.

AntarcticThe Antarctic is a polar region around the Earth`s South Pole, including the continent of Antarctica and nearby islands.

AsiaAsia is Earth`s largest and most populous continent. Asia covers an area of 44,579,000 square kilometers. The continent, which has long been home to the majority of the human population, was the site of many of the first civilizations. Asia is notable for not only its overall large size and population, but also dense and large settlements as well as vast barely populated regions within the continent of 4.4 billion people.

ChinaChina, officially the People`s Republic of China (PRC), is a unitary sovereign state in East Asia and the world`s most populous country. It is the third- or fourth-largest country by total area, depending on the source consulted. China also has the most neighbor countries in the world. Governed by the Communist Party of China, it exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 direct-controlled municipalities, and the special istrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.

Hong KongHong Kong, officially the Hong Kong Special istrative Region of the People`s Republic of China, is an autonomous territory on the eastern side of the Pearl River estuary in East Asia, south of the mainland Chinese province of Guangdong, and east of the special istrative region of Macau. Hong Kong is the fourth-most densely populated region in the world.

ShanghaiShanghai is one of the four direct-controlled municipalities of China and the most populous city in the world. It is a global financial centre and transport hub, with the world`s busiest container port. Located in the Yangtze River Delta, it sits on the south edge of the estuary of the Yangtze in the middle portion of the East China coast.

TibetTibet is a historical region covering much of the Tibetan Plateau in Central Asia. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpa, Qiang, and Lhoba peoples and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han Chinese and Hui people. Tibet is the highest region on Earth, with an average elevation of 4,900 metres (16,000 ft).

HimalayasThe Himalayas is a mountain range in Asia.

IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast. It shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast; and Myanmar (Burma) and Bangladesh to the east.

JapanJapan is a sovereign island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies off the eastern coast of the Asian mainland and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and China in the southwest.

ChibaChiba is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Chiba.

HiroshimaHiroshima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chuugoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.

HokkaidoHokkaido is the second largest island of Japan, and the largest and northernmost prefecture. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu. The two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The largest city on Hokkaido is its capital, Sapporo, which is also its only ordinance-designated city.

KagawaKagawa is the smallest prefecture of Japan by area. It is located on Shikoku island and its capital is Takamatsu.

Kamakurano description set

KumamotoKumamoto is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.

KyotoKyoto Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Kansai region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Kyoto.

NaganoNagano is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chuubu region of Honshuu. It borders Niigata to the north, Gunma to the northeast, Saitama to the east, Yamanashi to the southeast, Shizuoka and Aichi to the south, and Gifu and Toyama to the west. The capital and largest city is the city of Nagano, with other major cities including Matsumoto, Ueda, and Iida.

NagasakiNagasaki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.

NaraNara Prefecture is a prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The capital is the city of Nara. Nara Prefecture has the distinction of having more UNESCO World Heritage Listings than any other prefecture.

OkinawaOkinawa Prefecture is the southernmost prefecture of Japan. It encomes two thirds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1,000 kilometreslong. The Ryukyu Islands extend southwest from Kyushu (the southwesternmost of Japan`s four main islands) to Taiwan. Naha, Okinawa`s capital, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island.

OsakaOsaka Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.

TokyoTokyo, officially Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital city of Japan and one of its 47 prefectures. The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world. It is the seat of the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese government. Tokyo is in the Kantou region on the southeastern side of the main island Honshu and includes the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands.

AkihabaraAkihabara is a common name for the area around Akihabara Station in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo, Japan. It gained the nickname Akihabara Electric Town shortly after World War II for being a major shopping center for household electronic goods and the post-war black market. Nowadays, Akihabara is considered by many to be an otaku cultural center and a shopping district for video games, anime, manga, and computer goods.

IkebukuroIkebukuro is a commercial and entertainment district in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. Toshima ward offices, Ikebukuro station, and several shops, restaurants, and enormous department stores are located within city limits.

ShinjukuShinjuku is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and istrative centre, housing the Northern half of the busiest railway station in the world (Shinjuku Station) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the istration centre for the government of Tokyo.

Tokyo SkytreeTokyo Skytree is a broadcasting, restaurant, and observation tower in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan. It became the tallest structure in Japan in 2010 and reached its full height of 634.0 metres in March 2011, making it the tallest tower in the world, displacing the Canton Tower, and the second tallest structure in the world after Burj Khalifa (829.8 m). Note: Not to be confused with the very much older Tokyo Tower.

Tokyo TowerTokyo Tower is a communications and observation tower in the Shiba-koen district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan. At 332.9 metres, it is the second-tallest structure in Japan. The structure is an Eiffel Tower-inspired lattice tower that is painted white and international orange to comply with air safety regulations. Note: Not to be confused with the very much younger Tokyo Skytree.

YamagataYamagata is a prefecture of Japan located in the Touhoku region of Honshuu. It borders Akita to the north, Miyagi to the east, Fukushima to the south, and Niigata to the southwest. The capital and largest city is the city of Yamagata, with other major cities including Tsuruoka, Sakata, and Yonezawa.

YokohamaYokohama is the second largest city in Japan by population, after Tokyo, and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantou region of the main island of Honshu. It is a major commercial hub of the Greater Tokyo Area.

KoreaKorea is a historical country in East Asia; since 1945, it has been divided into two distinct sovereign states: North Korea (officially the "Democratic People`s Republic of Korea") and South Korea (officially the "Republic of Korea"). Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by China to the northwest and Russia to the northeast. It is separated from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait and the Sea of Japan.

PakistanPakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia and crossroads of Middle East and Central Asia. It is the fifth-most populous country in the world. Pakistan has a 1,046-kilometre coastline along the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by India to the east, Afghanistan to the west, Iran to the southwest, and China in the far northeast.

SingaporeSingapore is a sovereign island city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude (137 kilometres or 85 miles) north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bordering the Straits of Malacca to the west, the Riau Islands to the south, and the South China Sea to the east.

Sri LankaSri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia, located southeast of India and northeast of the Maldives. The island is home to many cultures, languages and ethnicities. The majority of the population is from the Sinhalese ethnicity, while a large minority of Tamils have also played an influential role in the island`s history. Moors, Burghers, Malays, Chinese, and the aboriginal Vedda are also established groups on the island.

TurkeyTurkey, officially the Republic of Turkey, is a transcontinental parliamentary republic in Eurasia, mainly on the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia, with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. Turkey is a democratic, secular, unitary, constitutional republic with a diverse cultural heritage.

IstanbulIstanbul, historically known as Constantinople and Byzantium, is the most populous city in Turkey and the country`s economic, cultural, and historic center. Istanbul is a transcontinental city in Eurasia, straddling the Bosphorus strait (which separates Europe and Asia) between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Its commercial and historical center lies on the European side and about a third of its population lives on the Asian side.

VietnamVietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. Vietnam is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, Thailand across the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest, and the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia across the South China Sea to the east and southeast.

EuropeEurope is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. It comprises the westernmost part of Eurasia.

Ancient RomeIn historiography, ancient Rome is Roman civilization from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, encoming the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and Roman Empire until the fall of the western empire. The term is sometimes used to just refer to the kingdom and republic periods, excluding the subsequent empire.

BelgiumBelgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Western Europe bordered by , the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. A small and densely populated country. Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Latin Europe, Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups: the Dutch-speaking, mostly Flemish community, which constitutes about 59 percent of the population, and the French-speaking, mostly Walloon population, which comprises about 40 percent of all Belgians.

Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, is a landlocked nation state in Central Europe bordered by to the west, Austria to the south, Slovakia to the east and Poland to the northeast. It is a unitary parliamentary republic, the capital and largest city is Prague.

PraguePrague is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, the 14th largest city in the European Union and also the historical capital of Bohemia. It is situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river. The city has a temperate climate, with warm summers and chilly winters.

FinlandFinland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden to the west, Norway to the north, Russia to the east, and Estonia to the south across the Gulf of Finland. Source: Wikipedia

, officially the French Republic, is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan in western Europe, as well as several overseas regions and territories. The metropolitan area of extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. The overseas territories include French Guiana in South America and several islands in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans.

ParisParis is the capital and most populous city in . The city is a commune and department, and the heart of the Île-de- region (colloquially known as the `Paris Region`). Since the 17th century, Paris has been one of Europe`s major centres of finance, commerce, fashion, science, and the arts.

, officially the Federal Republic of , is a federal parliamentary republic in central-western Europe. It includes 16 constituent states, and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. is the most populous member state of the European Union. `s capital and largest metropolis is Berlin, while its largest conurbation is the Ruhr, with its main centres of Dortmund and Essen.

IcelandIceland is a Nordic island country between the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is linked culturally and politically with Europe, and is the region`s most sparsely populated country. Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which is home to about 36% of the country`s roughly 380,000 residents. The official language of the country is Icelandic.

ItalyItaly, officially the Italian Republic, is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares open land borders with , Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, San Marino and Vatican City.

RomeRome is the capital of Italy and a special comune (named Comune di Roma Capitale). Rome also serves as the capital of the Lazio region. It is also the country`s most populated comune. It is the fourth-most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. It is the centre of the Metropolitan City of Rome. Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, within Lazio (Latium), along the shores of the Tiber.

VeniceVenice is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is situated across a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by bridges, of which there are 400. The islands are located in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay that lies between the mouths of the Po and the Piave Rivers. Parts of Venice are renowned for the beauty of their settings, their architecture, and artwork.

RomaniaRomania is a sovereign state located in Southeastern Europe. It borders the Black Sea, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, and Moldova. The country is the seventh most populous member state of the European Union. Its capital and largest city, Bucharest, is the sixth-largest city in the EU, other major urban areas include Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Iași and Constanța.

RussiaRussia, officially known as the Russian Federation, is a sovereign country in Eurasia. Russia is the largest country in the world by area, covering more than one-eighth of the Earth`s inhabited land area, and the ninth most populous. The European western part of the country is much more populated and urbanised than the eastern; about 77% of the population live in European Russia. Russia`s capital Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world.

Eastern RussiaEastern Russia / North Asia consists of the Russian regions of Siberia, Ural and the Russian Far East – an area east of the Ural Mountains. The region is sometimes also referred to as Asian Russia (as opposed to the smaller but more densely populated European Russia to the west)

VladivostokVladivostok is a city and the istrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, located around the Golden Horn Bay, not far from Russia`s borders with China and North Korea. The city is the home port of the Russian Pacific Fleet and the largest Russian port on the Pacific Ocean.

MoscowMoscow is the capital and most populous city of Russia, it is recognized as Russian federal city. Moscow is a major political, economic, cultural, and scientific centre of Russia and Eastern Europe, as well as the largest city entirely on the European continent.

SpainSpain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country mostly located on the Iberian Peninsula in Europe, with there also being two large archipelagoes, the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands off the African Atlantic coast, two cities, Ceuta and Melilla, on the African mainland and several small islands in the Alboran Sea near the African coast.

SwitzerlandSwitzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation is a federal republic in Europe. The country is situated in Western-Central Europe spanning an area of 41,285 km². While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population of approximately eight million people is concentrated mostly on the plateau, where the largest cities are to be found.

United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, the UK includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands.

LondonLondon is the capital and most populous city of both England and the United Kingdom. Standing on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. It was founded by the Romans, who named it Londinium.

Middle EastThe Middle East is a transcontinental region centered on Western Asia, Turkey (both Asian and European), and Egypt (which is mostly in North Africa). The corresponding adjective is Middle Eastern and the derived noun is Middle Easterner. The term has come into wider usage as a replacement of the term Near East (as opposed to the Far East) beginning in the early 20th century.

OceaniaOceania is a geographic region comprising Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia and Australasia. Situated in the southeast of the Asia Pacific region, Oceania is the smallest continental grouping in land area and the second smallest in population after Antarctica.

AustraliaAustralia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It is the largest country in Oceania and the world`s sixth-largest country by total area. The neighbouring countries are Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and East Timor to the north; the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to the north-east; and New Zealand to the south-east.

Pacific OceanThe Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth`s oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.

fictional locationA fictional location is run by different rules than your common and ordinary world: fictional worlds, computer-generated worlds, fantasy worlds, magical worlds, parallel worlds accessible through portals, etc. A fantasy world typically involves magic or magical abilities, and/or a medieval theme. A world that generally shares the characteristics of, and/or is generally indistinguishable from the real world (bar research on a "more than cursory" level), would NOT be considered a fictional world.

demon worldno description set

floating islandA floating island is either an island floating in the sky, or actually floating in the ocean (mobile). The island`s flotation can be powered either by magic or science.

aspidocheloneThe aspidochelone is a fabled sea creature, variously described as a large whale or vast sea turtle, and a giant sea monster with huge spines on the ridge of its back.

Muno description set

parallel worldParallel world, parallel universe, or alternative reality is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with our own. A fictional world can just as well have an alternative reality, it doesn`t need to be our reality. To put it more simply, this category is to show if more than 1 world/universe/reality is present in the anime. Multiple timelines of the same world/universe/reality are NOT considered parallel worlds.

virtual worldA virtual world is a place where the character interacts with a computer (or some other device)-simulated environment, be it real or imagined. The condition for a virtual reality to exist is the existence of an originating "real" (source/anchor) world for the character. In some cases, a virtual reality where characters can get harmed physically is depicted.

ghettoA ghetto is a part of a city in which of a minority group live, especially as a result of political, social, legal, environmental or economic pressure.

hospitalThe place or building where sick people receive medical treatment in the hopes of curing their sickness. Also a dandy setting for creepy happenings in anime.

islandPart of this anime takes place on an island, a small landmass that is surrounded by the sea. Generally, an island setting involves interaction with "island" elements. Such elements could include (but is not limited towards): riding on a boat, fishing, foraging/hunting, beach scene, "peaceful island life", being "shipwrecked", island fever, lamenting isolation from the mainland, etc.

jungleThis show features jungle(s) as one of its settings. This can either involve jungle adventures or shady business revolving around deforesting of jungles or forests.

nurse officeno description set

oceanThe large bodies of salt water surrounding the continents and islands are a (significant) setting of this anime.

ocean worldno description set

orphanageAn orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans, children whose biological parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to take care of them.

palaceA palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop.

prisonA building used to house convicted criminals and accused persons.

prison planetno description set

red-light districtA red-light district is a part of an urban area where there is a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc. The term originates from the red lights that were used as signs of brothels. There are areas in many big cities around the world which have acquired an international reputation as red-light districts.

slumA slum is a highly populated urban residential area consisting of densely packed housing units of weak build quality and often associated with poverty.

spaceThe final frontier.

other planetThe anime will fit this category if some or all of the action takes place on another planet which is supposedly in the same universe as Earth, not a complete fantasy world; usually there has to be some concept of space travel. The Latin name for Earth - Terra, would also the condition of being in the same universe as Earth. Basically, even mentioning of Earth existing or having existed would be enough. Although Moon is a moon, it also qualifies as Other Planet.

MarsMars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System after Mercury. In English, Mars carries a name of the Roman god of war, and is often referred to as the "Red Planet" because the reddish iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance that is distinctive among the astronomical bodies visible to the naked eye. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere.

MoonThe Moon is an astronomical body that orbits planet Earth, being Earth`s only permanent natural satellite. It is the fifth-largest natural satellite in the Solar System, and the largest among planetary satellites relative to the size of the planet that it orbits.

shipboardBeam me up, Scotty! Space stations (think Death Star) also count. Basically, this category is to tell if the setting takes place onboard a spaceship in space. This category is not applicable if the spaceship lies on a planet and never actually gets into space.

space colonyThe human race (or possibly some alien race) has mastered space travel and founded at least one colony either in space, on a moon or another planet. This usually also includes colony-life episodes that not only show the technical staff of professionals (astronauts, scientists, etc.), but also their families (i.e. children).

colony domeA space colony with a dome to provide an atmospheric environment.

space elevatorA needle-like structure placed on the equator of a planet connecting the surface with a low planetary orbit in about 200-300km height (it may even reach out into a geostationary orbit). Very efficient way to move mass "out of" a planet`s gravity well — much more efficient than e.g. chemical rockets.

spirit realmA spirit realm is a place where inhabited by the spirits of the dead, deities, demons, and other such entities. Examples would be Heaven and Hell in Christianity, the Elysium in Greek mythology, and so on.

heavenHeaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious, cosmological or transcendent place from which heavenly beings (such as a God, angels, the jinn, and sky deities like King or Queen of Heaven, Heavenly Father, Heavenly Mother, Son of Heaven, heavenly saints or venerated ancestors) originate, are enthroned or inhabit. (Source: Wikipedia)

hell"Abandon hope all ye who enter here" You been a sinner? Welcome to Hell, where you will suffer for all eternity for your sins. The devils with pitchforks will take good care of you there.

submarineno description set

undergroundSome or all of the action occurs underground, in caves, mines, sewers, subways or underground cities.

underwaterUnderwater is a term describing the realm below the surface of water where the water exists in a natural feature such as an ocean, sea, lake, pond, or river.

timeThis placeholder lists different epochs in human history and more vague but important timelines such as the future, the present and the past.

futureAnime that fall under the future category are the ones that have a society that could have originated from ours. In most cases it should go hand to hand with sci-fi since we expect the future to consist of advanced technology, however, in the case where it`s explicitly stated in the story that the anime takes place "x years into the future", the state of technology doesn`t matter as long as it`s long into the future. The anime can be set in an alternative universe not tied with our own, as long as it has a futuristic feel to it. This category sports quite a lot of anime, mostly stemming from SciFi, but not necessarily only from there.

Universal CenturyRefers to the Universal Century timeline in Gundam anime. Gundam anime with this tag all belong in the same universe.

pastAnime that takes place in the past or clearly seems to take place in the past in case of an alternative universe. This category should almost always go together with one of its sub-categories, because the past can either be a depiction of a historical event(s) or not, in which case it would be alternative past.

alternative pastAn anime that takes place in an alternative past is an anime that clearly does not belong to the future or the present, and isn`t tied particularly closely to our history, or has ties to our history but only as a premise.

historicalHistorical anime have clear ties to our history and usually occur in a particular epoch.

1920sDuring the 1920s, we had gangsters, Mafia, alcohol, and gambling prohibition. The Corleones ruled that time.

1960sThe anime takes place in the 1960s.

Asuka periodThe Asuka period was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 (or 592 to 645). The Yamato polity evolved greatly during the Asuka period, which is named after the Asuka region, about 25 km south of the modern city of Nara. The Asuka period is characterized by significant artistic, social, and political transformations. The introduction of Buddhism marked a change in Japanese society. The Asuka period is also distinguished by the change in the name of the country from Wa to Nihon.

Bakumatsu - Meiji Period"Bakumatsu" occurred between 1853 and 1867 during which Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy and modernized from a feudal shogunate to the Meiji government. Bakumatsu represents the final years of the Edo period (when the Tokugawa shogunate ended) and preceded the Meiji era. The Meiji Era (including Meiji Restoration) denotes the 45-year reign of Emperor Meiji, running from 23 October 1868 to 30 July 1912. During this time, Japan started its modernization and rose to world power status.

Cold WarThe Cold War was a state of political and military tension after World War II between powers in the Western Bloc (the United States and its allies) and powers in the Soviet Bloc (the Soviet Union and its allies). In fiction, the Cold War between the USA and the Soviet Union is sometimes featured in "what if" scenarios that take place in the future or alternative present.

European Middle AgesIn the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries. This period began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD and ended with the fall of Constantinople in 1453 AD. The Middle Ages is the middle period of the three traditional divisions of Western history: classical antiquity, the medieval period, and the modern period. The medieval period is itself subdivided into the Early, High, and Late Middle Ages.

French revolutionno description set

Han dynastyno description set

Heian periodLast division of classical Japanese history, covering the time period from 794 to 1185.

Kamakura periodThe Kamakura period (1185–1333) is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shougun, Minamoto no Yoritomo. The period is known for the emergence of the samurai, the warrior caste, and for the establishment of feudalism in Japan.

Muromachi periodThe Muromachi period is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573.

Nara periodThe Nara Period is the historical period beginning in 710, the year the capital was moved from Fujiwarakyou to Heijoukyou (the modern-day city of Nara), and ending in 784, when the capital was moved to Nagaokakyou.

Sengoku periodThe Sengoku period (戦国時代, Sengoku jidai) or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference to the Warring States period in Chinese history (Sengoku jidai (戦国時代) in Japanese) which preceded the unification of China. Likewise, the Sengoku period in Japan would eventually lead to the unification of political power under the Tokugawa shogunate.

Taishou periodA period in the history of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign of the Emperor Taishou.

Three KingdomsChinese names to the likes of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Cao Cao, Sun Jian, as well as their allies, enemies and subordinates are used or referenced amongst primary and secondary characters. The supposed historical novel itself was written in the 14th century by Luo Guanzhong of China and is based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of China, starting in 169 and ending in 280.

Tokugawa periodThe anime takes place during a period of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868.

Victorian periodThe Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria`s reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The Victorian Era style of clothing, however, ended in 1912. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence for Britain. Some scholars date the beginning of the period in of sensibilities and political concerns to the age of the Reform Act 1832. A famous era for old classic literature works.

World War ISet in the time of World War 1

World War IIThis category is for anime that take place during or around World War II, including the prelude to the actual war when Hitler came to power.

presentSomewhere between past and future.

alternative presentAnime that fit in the alternative present category usually have technology and society that is very similar to ours, but with differences in both, history and culture, which sometimes are blatantly obvious, but sometimes harder to place; this one can at times be very subjective.

seasonIn temperate and subpolar regions, four calendar-based seasons (with their adjectives) are generally recognized: spring (vernal), summer (estival), autumn (autumnal), fall and winter (hibernal).

autumnAutumn, interchangeably known as fall in the US and Canada, is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March (Southern Hemisphere), when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier and the temperature cools considerably. One of its main features is the shedding of leaves from deciduous trees.

springDuring spring, the axis of the Earth is increasing its tilt relative to the Sun, and the length of daylight rapidly increases for the relevant hemisphere. The hemisphere begins to warm significantly causing new plant growth to "spring forth," giving the season its name. Many flowering plants bloom this time of year, in a long succession sometimes beginning when snow is still on the ground, continuing into early summer.

summerAt least one of the episodes takes place in summer. Think oppressively warm weather, summer vacation, summer school, summer festival, or a visit to the beach.

winterColdest season of the year with ice and snow, everything is covered in a blanket of white.

target audienceAnime, like everything else in the modern world, is targeted towards specific audiences, both implicitly by the creators and overtly by the marketing.

18 restrictedThis isn`t really an "audience". While some anime might feature sexual content they still might not be considered pornography. This category is meant only for when the content is clearly *not* intended for minors. The distinction is made by whether the content is sold only to adults.

joseiIn the context of manga and associated media, the word josei refers to a female audience roughly between the ages of 15 and 44. In Japanese, the word means simply "woman", and has no anime/manga-related connotations at all. It does not comprise a style or a genre per se, but rather indicates the publisher`s intended target demographic.

kodomoIn the context of manga and associated media, the word kodomo refers to a children`s audience roughly for the ages 12 and younger. In Japanese, the word means simply "child", and has no anime/manga-related connotations at all. It does not comprise a style or a genre per se, but rather indicates the publisher`s intended target demographic.

minaIn the context of manga and associated media, the word mina refers to a broad audience, which can be said to be "the entire family", from the grumpy grandpa to the newborn baby. In Japanese, the word means simply "everyone", and has no anime/manga-related connotations at all.

seinenSeinen, literally "young man", is one of the main demographic classifications applied to manga, and, by extension, to anime, especially manga-based ones. As the name implies, seinen works are marketed primarily to an audience of young men; the age range commonly understood to be the target of such works goes roughly from 17 to somewhere in the 40s.

shoujoIn the context of manga and associated media, shoujo, literally meaning "girl", refers to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10 and 18.

shounenIn the context of manga and associated media, shounen, literally meaning "youth" and often also specifically "boy", refers to a male audience roughly between the ages of 10 and 18.

technical aspectsIt may sometimes be useful to know about technical aspects of a show, such as information about its broadcasting or censorship. Such information can be found here.

3D CG closingThe closing sequence is 3D CG animated.

adapted into other mediaThis anime is a new original work, and it has been adapted into other media formats. In exceedingly rare instances, a specific episode of a new original work anime can also be adapted.

adapted into Japanese movieThis anime is a new original work, and it has been adapted into a Japanese movie. In exceedingly rare instances, a specific episode of a new original work anime can also be adapted.

adapted into JDramaThis anime is a new original work, and it has been adapted into a JDrama. A JDrama (Japanese drama), also called "terebi dorama" ("television drama") or "dorama" for short, is a Japanese live action television series. Japan produces many drama series every year, from a huge variety of genres. In exceedingly rare instances, a specific episode of a new original work anime can also be adapted.

adapted into mangaThis anime is a new original work, and it has been adapted into a manga. In exceedingly rare instances, a specific episode of a new original work anime can also be adapted.

adapted into novelThis anime is a new original work, and it has been adapted into a novel. In exceedingly rare instances, a specific episode of a new original work anime can also be adapted.

adapted into video gameThis anime is a new original work, and it has been adapted into a video game. In exceedingly rare instances, a specific episode of a new original work anime can also be adapted.

alternating animation styleThe animation style in this show may change between scenes, usually making the anime experimental in a way. This may be a form of artistic visualisation.

awardsno description set

Animax TaishouThe Animax Taishou (アニマックス大賞) is a Japanese animation scriptwriting competition organized by the Japanese anime satellite television network Animax.

Crunchyroll Anime AwardsCrunchyroll Anime Awards are annual awards given to recognize anime from the previous year. The awards were first held in January 2017. The judges create a short list in different categories and public votes for the winners are held online.

Miracle Comic PrizeOne of two winners from Shueisha`s Miracle Jump magazine 2014 contest.

Newtype Anime AwardThis anime has won 1 or more Newtype Anime Award(s)

Oofuji Noburou AwardThe Oofuji Noburou Award is an animation award given to a group or individual at the Mainichi Film Awards to recognise animation excellence. It is named after Japanese animator Oofuji Noburou.

based on real eventsContains content based on real-life events. Depending on the creators` wishes those events may have been altered. In the most substantial cases, expect many things to have been changed from the original events.

biographical filmA biographical film, or biopic, is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character’s real name is used. They differ from films "based on a true story" or "historical films" in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their lives.

black and whiteSome or all of this anime is in black and white, typical of older anime made before ~1960. Some modern anime may intentionally shift to black and white for certain scenes or episodes as an artistic effect.

broadcast cropped to 4-3Although this anime was created in 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio, its Japanese TV broadcasts were all cropped to 4:3 (fullscreen). It was only made available in 16:9 upon its DVD/BD release. Note: This tag does NOT apply to series that had initial broadcasts in 4:3 and 16:9 broadcasts several weeks later, such as Clannad, Asu no Yoichi, K-On!, etc. For those, use "Delayed 16-9 broadcast".

bundled episodesBundled episodes are where an OVA or music video with multiple (otherwise unrelated) full-length episodes are consolidated into a single episode video track. Not to be confused with long episodes (a single episode that exceeds a standard 25-30 minute full-length segment) or multi-segment episodes (split into several short segments (parts), usually with separate titles and independent storylines).

cel-shaded animationCel shading (often misspelled as `cell shading`) or toon shading is a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make 3-D computer graphics appear to be flat. Cel-shading is often used to mimic the style of a comic book or cartoon. It is somewhat recent, appearing from around the beginning of the twenty-first century. The name comes from cels (short for celluloid), the clear sheets of acetate which are painted on for use in traditional 2D animation.

censored uncensored versionEven the DVD and Blu-ray releases do not let you see everything you were expecting to. That normally applies to fan service, but may also apply to gore and violence. A very common example is characters without nipples; in other cases, something such as steam or foam stays in the camera`s way. In some shows, the censorship in the disk releases is even stronger than in the TV version. This does not apply to censorship of what Japanese pornography laws still require to be censored.

CGIComputer-generated imagery (CGI) or computer animation is the art of creating moving images via the use of computers. Increasingly it is created by means of 3D computer graphics, though 2D computer graphics are still widely used for stylistic, low bandwidth, and faster real-time rendering needs.

3D CG animationAbbreviation for "three-dimensional computer generated animation" or "computer graphics" (CGI). The traditional 2D art is enhanced by 3D imagery developed through computer modeling software. Done in the right way, this union of 3D in a 2D animated world can be a very beautiful relationship.

chibi EDSome or all of the endings feature chibi versions of the characters.

claymationShort for clay animation.

commercialThis title is used to sell and/or promote a real-life product or service. Not to be confused with "product placement" or "subliminal advertising" — this features *direct* promotion for such element. Depending on the setting, some could even be considered as "animated infomercials".

crowdfundedThis anime was funded, at least partially, through a campaign on a crowdfunding website.

cutout animationCutout animation is a form of stop-motion animation using flat characters, props and backgrounds cut from materials such as paper, card, stiff fabric or even photographs.

delayed 16-9 broadcastThis anime was created with an aspect ratio of 16:9 (widescreen), but its initial Japanese TV broadcasts were cropped to 4:3 (fullscreen). At some point (usually 2-4 weeks) down the line, it was rebroadcast in 16:9. Note: This tag does NOT apply to series created in 16:9, but only broadcast in 4:3 and not made available in 16:9 until their DVD/BD release. For those, use "Broadcast cropped to 4-3".

detailed landscapesAn amazing view of nature, of artificially sculpted landscapes (i.e. gardens), or of a cityscape.

discontinuedThis anime plot was supposed to run on more episodes, but it was prematurely discontinued before reaching the end. Generally, we can only reasonably observe that a show is discontinued after the fact. As such, this tag should not be added to an anime until at least 5 years have ed since the anime airing has ended.

ED varietySeveral ED sequences in this anime have either a different song or different animation, maybe even to the point of having a unique ED for each episode.

experimental animationThis anime uses distinct, alternative animation — much unlike other contemporary anime — either throughout or in individual episodes/sequences.

fictional languageFictional languages are intended to be the languages of a fictional world and are often designed with the intent of giving more depth and an appearance of plausibility to the fictional worlds with which they are associated, and to have their characters communicate in a fashion which is both alien and dislocated.

first person viewThe events in this anime are shown from the perspective of one or several characters, as if you watch the scenes through their eyes.

flash animationMade in Adobe Flash (formerly known as Macromedia Flash), a software package for rich multimedia and Web animations and applications. Very popular on amateur fanproductions (like the ones found in places such as YouTube)

footage reuseFootage reuse is the employment of a sequence of frames many times, generally as a side effect of a constrained anime production budget. This can happen by using the same footage once at a time, but many times over the course of the show, or by directly looping it. Types of scenes that tend to get reused include transformations, attacks, and any kind of action that involves repeating the same movement. This tag does not apply if the footage changes significantly between iterations.

fulldome videoAn anime produced as fulldome video is primarily designed to be displayed on a fulldome projector, for example in a planetarium, as opposed to conventional rectangular screens.

half-length episodesHalf-length episodes are regular episodes that are somewhat shorter than the standard length. This includes episodes that are 11 to 20 minutes in length; shows with episodes up to and including 10 minutes are short episodes instead.

improvised dialogueno description set

live-action imageryThis anime incorporates still images and/or video footage of real-world objects and locations into the animation.

long episodesLong episodes are regular episodes that are much longer than the standard 25-30 minutes, usually 45-60 minutes. Not to be used if a show has occasional 45-60 minute specials. Also not to be confused with an OVA or music video with multiple (otherwise unrelated) full-length bundled episodes consolidated into a single episode video track.

merchandising showThe bane of the parent`s wallet; this show usually has only a single reason for existence; to the toy line it is based upon to the intended target audience.

multi-anime projectsMany anime are created as part of larger projects encoming many shows without direct relation to one another. Normally, there is a specific idea in mind: for example, the Young Animator Training Project aims to stimulate the on-the-job training of next-generation professionals of the anime industry, whereas the World Masterpiece Theatre aims to animate classical stories from all over the world.

Anime no ChikaraAnime timeslot on TV Tokyo.

Anime no MeAnime no Me was an anime brand and programming block by TMS Entertainment, Shin-Ei Animation, East Japan Marketing & Communications, Inc., Sumitomo Corporation, and Asmik-Ace. It ran from July 2016 to March 2018. The "Me" in its name means "eye" and refers to the eye of a typhoon.

AnimeismAnimeism is a late-night Japanese programming block established in April 2012. It is devoted to anime and broadcast on MBS.

AnimeramaOne of the Mushi Productions Animerama films from the early 70s.

AnisunPart of a series of anime OVAs and OADs released by Shogakukan as part of their Anisun Sunday Anime Project.

ComicFesta Anime ZoneComicFesta Anime Zone, is the anime distribution website for ComicFesta. ComicFesta is an electronic comic distribution site operated by WWWave Corporation (株式会社ウェイブ), with many original works (including doujin) posted directly by their publishers. ComicFesta Anime Zone contains several original work and doujin teen and adult love anime. The full, uncensored versions are distributed on Anime Zone. The R-15 versions are broadcast on terrestrial TV and mainstream internet distribution websites.

ganimeGanime label is for the new style of artistic visual content characterized by pictures, words and music to express the artists’ unique perspectives.

Injuu Hentai SeriesThe Injuu Hentai Series are a group of thematically similar, but otherwise unrelated, hentai series.

Jump Super Anime TourAnimes released in the Jump Super Anime Tour.

Kinder TVKinder TV was a children`s programming block that aired on TV Tokyo from 2 October 2016 to 1 April 2022.

Lion BooksLion Books was a 1950s Japanese manga series by Tezuka Osamu, published as a supplement to Shueisha`s Omoshiro Book magazine. The series was partially adapted into an experimental anime series in the 1980s and 90s.

Margaret Video SeriesMargaret Video Series is a multi-anime project by studio Madhouse comprising several one-episode OVAs based on various mangas serialized in shoujo magazine Margaret.

Minna no UtaMinna no Uta is a five-minute music programme broadcast several times daily on NHK TV and radio since 1961. It is used to introduce new songs from popular and new singers, as well as to highlight the talents of various animators and directors.

NoiseNoise was a Fuji TV late night anime programming block.

noitaminAnoitaminA is a Fuji Television programming block devoted to anime, with the intention of expanding the target audience beyond the typical young male demographic.

Plus Ultra+Ultra is an anime programming block established by Fuji TV.

Rumic WorldRumic World is a series of OVAs based on short manga stories written by Takahashi Rumiko, as well as well the name of the manga series most of the original stories were compiled in.

Secret Anima SeriesSecret Anima Series is an anthology of pornographic anime produced and distributed by TDK Core from 1997 to 1998.

Sekai Meisaku GekijouWorld Masterpiece Theatre is a Japanese TV anime staple that showcases an animated version of a different classical book or story each year. It originally aired from 1969 to 1997 and then resumed in 2007. WMT series originally air primarily on Fuji Television.

Super Robot WarsSuper Robot Wars is a series of tactical role-playing video games produced by Banpresto. The main feature of the franchise is having a story that crosses over several popular mecha anime, manga and video games, allowing characters and mecha from different titles to team up or battle one another.

Tate AnimeTate Anime is a mobile device application by Production I.G dedicated to the streaming of exclusively produced short-episodes anime in vertical format. On 31.05.2018, it was replaced by Anime Beans, a rebranded application offering the same content and adding more on a daily basis.

TBS WonderfulA late-night slot on TBS that ran from 29-Sep-1997 to 26-Sep-2002.

Ultra Super Anime TimeUltra Super Anime Time was a half-hour anime block produced by Ultra Super Pictures that aired on Tokyo MX and BS11 between July 2015 and June 2016. The block typically featured three short episodes anime of about eight minutes each.

Vanilla SeriesCollection of unrelated hentai produced by Digital Works.

Wakate Animator Ikusei ProjectThe Young Animator Training Project is an annual project that culminates in a series of shorts produced by various animation studios each year and means to address the concern that more of the Japanese animation process is being outsourced overseas, thus leading to a decline in opportunities to teach animation techniques within Japan, through on-the-job training of young animators.

yuruani?yuruani? was a Nihon TV programming block. It was broadcast from 12.04.2011 to 04.10.2011.

multi-segment episodesMulti-segment episodes are split into several short segments (parts), usually with separate titles and independent storylines. Not to be confused with short episodes, which are regular episodes that are much shorter than the standard length (up to and including 10 minutes). Also not to be confused with an OVA or music video with multiple (otherwise unrelated) full-length bundled episodes consolidated into a single episode video track.

no dialogueThe anime either has no spoken dialogue or no dialogue at all.

off-model animationAnime shows tend to most often run on an already tight budget; some have even tighter ones. Thus, over the years it became a norm to invest more time and money into the first and last episode, leaving many episodes in the middle to stand severe budget restrictions. This sometimes results in episodes which particularly stand out due to the drop in artwork or animation quality; bar some basic framework, they often have little in common with the rest of the series.

OP varietySeveral OP sequences in this anime have either a different song or different animation, maybe even to the point of having a unique OP for each episode.

original in EnglishThe anime was originally released with an all or almost all English voice cast.

s that require pausings that require pausing are image or text s that interrupt regular animation and flash by so quickly that the viewer cannot recognize the image or read the text fast enough while playing at regular speed; they require pausing the video, or at least viewing it at a lower speed. Given the short screen time these s are given, they are usually not relevant to the plot.

photographic backgroundsReal-life backgrounds, with the possible addition of a few 2D elements are shown / used in the anime.

preaired episodesAn anime has preaired episodes when one or more episodes, generally the first ones, were aired ahead of the usual schedule.

product placementOtherwise known as a "plug" or "writing commercials right into a show". The practice of prominently displaying or talking about a recognizable product in a program, in exchange for some consideration from the manufacturer, usually monetary. (Source: TV Tropes) Particularly notorious example, Pizza Hut for the involvement with Code Geass, Darker than Black and other series.

promotionalno description set

puppetmationA puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by a puppeteer. It is usually (but by no means always) a depiction of a human character, and is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre. The puppet undergoes a process of transformation through being animated, and is normally manipulated by at least one puppeteer.

real-world locationPlaces seen in the show exist in reality. Note: This could be sometime in the future, though names and certain places will still be recognizable.

recycled animation -- TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDThis tag overlaps recaps, flashbacks, and footage reuse. For that reason, it is set to be split. If you can, please apply the correct tag to the anime that have it, and remove this one from them; guidance on how to use each of those tags can be found in their description. If what the anime contains is a mere recap, please don`t apply any tag at all, and remove this tag from it instead.

remastered version availableThis anime has been remastered in a higher quality format than the original release. The remaster may be a simple upscale, or it could be a full enhancement project from the original frames. This is irrespective of whether specific groups have released rips of such formats to the internet.

rotoscopingRotoscoping is an animation technique in which animators trace over footage, frame by frame, for use in live-action and animated films.

short episodesShort episodes are regular episodes that are much shorter than the standard length. This means up to and including 10 minutes; shows with episodes that are 11 to 20 minutes in length are half-length episodes instead. Not to be confused with multi-segment episodes, which are regular episodes that are split into several short segments (parts), usually with separate titles and independent storylines.

short movieTypically used when an OVA only has one part and is less than the usual 20 to 25 minutes in length. So instead of calling it a `short episode`, the `short movie` tag is more appropriate.

slide show animationThe entire anime or parts of it show sequences of still images. Sometimes used in low budget animations for action scenes.

stand-alone movieYou can watch this movie without having to watch something else first. This tag should not used for sequels, side stories, or summary movies, but may be used if the movie is either the first anime in a franchise or a remake. The movie must be feature-length. For shorts, use the `short movie` tag. In general, a "show-in-show" would not qualify as standalone.

stereoscopic imagingThis anime was shown in cinema rooms with stereoscopic 3D capabilities, released on Blu-ray 3D, or available for other stereoscopic 3D capable devices like the Nintendo 3DS or the Sharp AQUOS "NERV Edition" SH-06D smartphone.

stop motionStop motion (also known as stop-action or frame-by-frame) is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence.

subtle OP ED sequence changeA (small) part of the opening or ending sequence changes after a certain episode, usually to reflect a plot milestone.

superflatSuperflat is a postmodern art movement, founded by the artist Takashi Murakami, which is influenced by manga and anime. The term is used to refer to various flattened forms in Japanese graphic art, animation, pop culture and fine arts, as well as the "shallow emptiness of Japanese consumer culture". As self-proclaimed art movement, it was a successful piece of niche marketing, a branded art phenomenon designed for Western audiences.

thick line animationThe characters are drawn with a thicker outline than is usually seen in anime.

TV censoringThe TV version is censored and later DVD/BD releases are uncensored, so the money-grubbing capitalists can make a couple more bucks at our expense.

excessive censoringThere are basically two cases to which this term can be applied to: Creative censorship: the TV station airing the anime does its best to remove most ecchi parts from the show, using various and original methods. Convenient censorship: a blatant substitute for mosaic/steam/etc. over nether regions.

violence censoringDescribes TV shows, where parts of the scenes considered as too violent are blackened, blurred, changed to other static screen, or cut out completely. Examples: Dean Wonderland, Fate/Zero, and Mirai Nikki.

uncensored version availableThere`s an uncensored version available of the porn anime this tag is added to, which in most cases means, that there was a region 1 DVD (R1 DVD = North America) release.

vertical formatThe anime was produced in vertical format; in other words, its vertical dimension, height, is bigger than its horizontal dimension, width. Reasons for that may include, among others, to optimize the available screen area of mobile phones. This is not the same as and should not be confused with the Tate Anime mobile device app, which streams some anime in vertical format.

vignetted pictureVignetting is a reduction of an image brightness or saturation at the periphery compared to the image center. It is sometimes used purposedly as a false camera effect, such as drawing attention to the center of the screen.

watercolour styleA watercolour or aquarelle is a painting method in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-based solution. Some anime are created in the watercolour style, usually with faded pastels that often give the show a warm and friendly visual presentation. In modern anime, this is generally achieved via computer effects that create an imitation of watercolour. While the watercolour style is more commonly used for backgrounds, it is possible to create the entire anime in such a style.

widescreen transitionWhen it began, this anime was made in 4:3 (fullscreen), but over the course of its run, the decision was made to change the production to 16:9 (widescreen) instead. Typically found with 100+ episode series that began in the mid-00s or before. Not to be confused with "broadcast cropped to 4-3" or "delayed 16-9 broadcast"

themesThemes describe the very central elements important to the anime stories. They set the backdrop against which the protagonists must face their challenges. Be it School Life, present Daily Life, Military action, Cyberpunk, Law and Order detective work, Sports, or the Underworld. These are only but a few of the more typical backgrounds for anime plots. Add to that a Conspiracy setting with a possible tragic outcome, the Themes span most of the imaginable subject matter relevant to anime.

afterlifeThe afterlife is the continued existence of an essential part of an individual`s identity or consciousness after the death of the body. When people continue existing beyond the death of their physical bodies, they may or may not keep interacting with the realm of the living and/or retain their memories. It is possible for them to start a new life without a physical body in a spirit realm, and they may or may not be able to understand that they`re already dead.

agricultureAgriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi, and other life forms for food, fiber, biofuel, medicinal and other products used to sustain and enhance human life.

alcoholAlcohol (or more scientifically, ethanol), is one of the world`s oldest psychoactive substances. It is traditionally found in the form of a beverage such as beer, wine, or liquor, although in some contexts it can be inhaled to produce similar or intoxication, and some people prefer another way of consuming beverage-form alcohol.

beerA popular alcoholic drink with a relatively low alcohol content. It is traditionally made from malted cereal grains with hops.

sakeSake, generally referred to as a Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting rice.

amnesiaThe character suffers from some kind of amnesia (memory disturbance or loss). This may mean inability to memorize new information, or inability to recollect old memories. Since there are many types of memory, the person may e.g. forget who they are but still retain learned skills. Amnesia is fairly common in fiction as a plot device. In fact, because it allows for major plot changes while requiring little creativity from the author, it may be subject to heavy overuse.

anti-warThe anime portrays the insanity of war.

archaeologyArchaeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes. Archaeologists study human prehistory and history, from the development of the first stone tools up until recent decades. Archaeology has various goals, which range from reconstructing past lifeways to documenting and explaining changes in human societies through time.

astronomyAstronomy is the study of celestial objects and processes, the physics, chemistry, and evolution of such objects and processes, and more generally all phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth. Historically, astronomy has included disciplines as diverse as astrometry, celestial navigation, observational astronomy and the making of calendars, but professional astronomy is nowadays often considered to be synonymous with astrophysics.

aviation"These magnificant men in their flying machines"

battle of witsThere is some intellectual battle between the characters. They each might attempt to discern what the other knows and/or could be planning. Then, rather than simply relying on the use of raw power, try to deduce an effective strategy to foil their opponent(s). The battle of wits can be in the center of the intrigue or just a side story. Examples: Death Note, Code Geass

be careful what you wish forBe careful what you wish for... your wish may actually come true. This is an age-old philosophical problem of what human beings think they want and what is actually good for them. The power to wish for anything can be very dangerous and usually — as a moral lesson — yields unexpected / unwanted results. A contract with the devil is a specific case of this; receiving great power, especially from a devil, is usually a double edged sword.

betrayalFriends become enemies. Strong bonds of trust receive violations of confidence while friendships are faithlessly given up or revealed to have been false from the start.

body and hostWhen a foreign entity like that of a symbiote, body snatcher, puppeteer parasite, or even a hacker (when regarding machines like robots and computers) enters/outright hijacks a body, the possessed subject becomes what is usually called: the host.

body exchangeTwo or more characters swap bodies (or, equally, swap minds).

body sharingA character shares the same body with another entity. Usually this is due to a secret/hidden identity either due to DNA/blood, a ritual, an item or some freak accident. Not to be confused with body snatcher.

body takeoverA person`s body is taken over by some foreign intelligence. It`s not brainwashing, because they still have control of their own mind — but that`s all they have. Either they`ve been reduced to a spectator in their own body, or their soul has been booted out of their body entirely. Either way, the rest of the cast will soon find he`s not himself.

bullyingBullying is the use of force, threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively dominate others. One who engages in bullying is known as a bully.

castawayThe characters in this title were put in an island isolated from the rest of the world. This probably happened due to their transport vessel failing near said island, most often during a storm. Despite having used products of modern technology before, they are left without such resources, effectively living in some sort of stone age.

child abuseStory depicts child abuse, which is a very complex and dangerous set of problems that include child neglect and the physical, emotional, and sexual abuse of children.

coming of ageIn the strict sense the Coming of age describes a young person`s transition from adolescence to adulthood. In anime the term is used in a more general sense where the protagonists have to face a challenge, make an important decision in their life, take on responsibility, or learn a lesson, and by overcoming these obstacles they reach a higher level of maturity.

conspiracyThe conspiracy thriller (or paranoid thriller) is a sub-genre of the thriller which flourished in the 1970s in the US (and was echoed in other parts of the world) in the wake of a number of high-profile scandals and controversies (most notably Vietnam, the assassination of President Kennedy, Chappaquiddick and Watergate), and which exposed what many people regarded as the clandestine machinations and conspiracies beneath the orderly fabric of political life. The protagonists of conspiracy thrillers are often journalists or amateur investigators who find themselves (often inadvertently) pulling on a small thread which unravels a vast conspiracy that ultimately goes "all the way to the top".

cookingCooking is the process of preparing food by using heat.

bakingThe art of making bread, cakes, pastries, pies, tarts, quiches, cookies and similar food in the oven. Mmmm.... smells nice.

corrupt nobilityThe nobility is characterized by decadence, sadism, and contempt towards the baseborn.

cosplayingThis character likes to cosplay.

coup d`etatA coup d`état (/ˌkuːdeɪˈtɑː/; French: blow of state; plural: coups d`état), also known as a coup, a putsch, or an overthrow, is the sudden and illegal seizure of a government, usually instigated by a small group of the existing state establishment to depose the established government and replace it with a new ruling body. A coup d`état is considered successful when the usurpers establish their dominance. If a coup fails, a civil war may ensue.

courtroom dramaA courtroom drama uses the proceedings of a trial, court case, or other legal proceedings as the main element of the plot. The story generally takes place in a court of law, and the key characters are the defendant, the lawyers for prosecution and defence, judge, and jurors, and witnesses. There may be significant action outside the courtroom as the defence and prosecution chase witnesses or gather evidence.

crimeThe underworld we talk about here is not to be confused with the place where people are believed to go after they die, but the general term for organized crime. It is a shady world, unknown to most people, where illegal things like murder, smuggling, drug dealing and similar are happening daily. Groups known to be acting in this world are for example the mafia or the yakuza.

bounty hunterA bounty hunter is one who hunts and captures targets (be it people, animals, etc.) for monetary gain, preferably without killing/destroying their target.

contrabandThe anime includes depiction of smuggling or smuggled goods.

gangsA gang is a group of people, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation.

hostage situationOne or more characters in this anime are taken hostage, to pressure or blackmail other involved parties. A person given as a pledge or security for the performance of the conditions of a treaty or stipulations of any kind, on the performance of which the person is to be released. (Source: Wiktionary)

kidnappingIn criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person`s will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority. This may be done for ransom or in furtherance of another crime, or in connection with a child custody dispute.

mafiaA mafia is a type of organized crime syndicate whose primary activities are protection racketeering, the arbitration of disputes between criminals, and the organizing and oversight of illegal agreements and transactions. The term was originally applied to the Sicilian mafia, but has since expanded to encom other organizations of similar methods and purpose, such as in "the Russian mafia" or "the Japanese mafia".

organ traffickingIllegal trafficking of human organs.

piratePirates are people who attack ships on the high seas to rob others of their treasure... usually. Others calling themselves pirates may be focusing on the freedom and romance in the piracy-related tropes. They may be after the One Piece or a spaceship full of diamonds, too. Real-life pirates were extremely common a few centuries ago, but nowadays very few still exist. The word also refers to people who illegally copyrighted works. Arr, avast! Thar be pirates in these dark waters, matey!

terrorismTerrorism is, in the broadest sense, the use of intentionally indiscriminate violence as a means to create terror among masses of people; or fear to achieve a religious or political aim. It is used in this regard primarily to refer to violence during peacetime or in war against non-combatants (mostly civilians and neutral military personnel). Some definitions now include acts of unlawful violence and war.

cyberterrorismWith the development of computer and Internet technology a new form of terrorism has emerged, the cyberterrorism, which is the manipulation of a target`s computers and information, particularly via the Internet, to cause physical, real-world harm or severe disruption of infrastructure. It finds often use in science fiction stories.

thieveryno description set

vandalismDeliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property.

curseA "curse" in this manner depicts an adversity placed upon a person or object by a supernatural power often represented by unique designs and symbols found on the inflicted. While not all curses have negative effects, the majority are meant to remain forever hexing to the receiving victim`s soul.

cute girls doing cute thingsCute girls doing cute things with each other (CGDCT): when girls are super friendly with each other and do all sorts of cute/moe things with each other, but there is no yuri or shoujo ai subtext -- more specifically, there is no romantic subtext. CGDCT is often mistaken as low level yuri or shoujo ai. If there is also actual romantic subtext, use the yuri (18+) and shoujo ai tags as well, they are not mutually exclusive.

daily lifeThe antics of the protagonists do not take place in some exotic setting or time, but in everyday life. Daily Life is basically a synonym for everything normal, repetitive, and trivial happening to your average person.

working lifeThe life of someone actually working on a often less than glamorous job is depicted in this anime. The job is taxing and the pay is low, not really the dream job one would choose to work in. Examples: Working as salesperson in a department store, or as a waitress in a family restaurant.

damsel in distressThe damsel in distress is usually a young, nubile woman placed in a dire predicament by a villain or a monster and requires a hero to dash to her rescue. Often used to unite the cast of a show for this one goal, to make them put differences aside and become a band of nakama. Examples: Sakoshita Yanagi from Rekka no Honoo, Yuuki Miaka from Fushigi Yuugi or Higurashi Kagome from Inuyasha.

deathDeath is the state of no longer being alive or the process of ceasing to be alive.

death is cheapImportant characters will have a terrible tendency to die dramatically, but will not, under any circumstances, stay dead. This tends to cheapen the dramatic death of a character to the point of being little more than a flesh wound if overused.

delayed deathThe Final Battle has begun. The two opponents square off, and one of them hits the other with a series of mighty blows that would fell a mountain. But what`s this? Nothing seems to be happening! That`s when your opponent tells you that You Are Already Dead, right before your head explodes, your body separates in two, or you disintegrate into a fine mist. If you`re unlucky, only one of those happens. Sometimes, you may also discover that you were Made of Explodium.

everybody diesNot necessarily everyone, but a good portion of the characters kick the bucket.

human sacrificeHuman sacrifice is the act of killing one or more human beings as part of a ritual. Throughout the majority of human history, primitive societies have engaged in human sacrifice, generally as a religious act, such as an offering to please or appease deities, spirits, or the deceased. Other uses that have been seen include magic rituals, usually related to black magic or the summoning of demons.

murderTo bring about someone else`s death, by a voluntary act. Whether it comes from the killer`s own hand or by exposing the victim to life-threatening circumstances, the result is foreseeable and sought by the perpetrator. Someone who murders as their profession/job is an assassin or hitman.

genocideThe systematic killing of substantial numbers of people on the basis of ethnicity, religion, political opinion, social status, or other particularity. Acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.

massacreMass murder.

parricideParricide, or the murder of family , is the act of taking the life of of one or more of one`s own close family , or even one`s entire family; that may include spouses, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings, cousins, uncles, aunts, nephews, and nieces, among others.

suicideOne or several characters in this anime commit suicide.

group suicideno description set

dietOne or more of the characters in this anime go on a diet, to lose some weight. Typically a female character will be extremely distressed that her clothes no longer fit, or that her ideal weight has been exceeded. Ironically, normal growth is often the explanation. Since diets do not work, this ends up as a comedy element, with many ridiculous attempts to get slim quickly.

disasterA disaster is a large-scale situation that causes great loss of or damage or threat to life, health, property, society, or the environment, irrespective of its source or cause. Disasters have substantial, long-lasting negative repercussions, and great effort must be spent in order to undo or mitigate their effects.

earthquake*rumble rumble rumble rumble* Upheaval of the Earth`s crust, usually resulting in widespread destruction.

end of the worldThe imminent end of the world may range from the total destruction of the planet Earth, to the destruction of Earth`s surface, or to the point where human life on the planet is no longer possible, aka the end of humanity. In any case it looks grim, and the protagonists battle to preserve what they can.

epidemicA rapid spread or increase of something (e.g. a disease) affecting many persons.

fall of a countryThe fall of a country is the demise of a national state, generally as the result of foreign conquest or large-scale natural disasters. In some cases, it may be the result of another internal power wrestling control away from the hands of the central authorities, which may pave the way to the immediate rise of a successor state or to fragmentation into numerous minor states. On a larger scale, the concept may also be applied to entire civilizations or to the world as known by its inhabitants.

famineWidespread scarcity of food caused by various factors, including crop failure, population unbalance and/or government policies.

fireno description set

floodA flood is an overflow of water that submerges land which is usually dry.

impact eventAn impact event is a collision between celestial objects causing measurable effects. When large objects impact terrestrial planets like the Earth, there can be significant physical and biospheric consequences, though atmospheres mitigate many surface impacts through atmospheric entry. In fiction, an impact event is a common way to end the world as we know it, either through the impact itself or through its aftermath, and it may happen either naturally or through human hands.

post-apocalypticAfter a major cataclysm has occurred. World War III, an alien invasion, plague, global warming or some other general disaster are common themes to build a post-apocalyptic world upon, where the effects were severe enough that mankind barely survived.

post-warAn armed conflict has ended not too long ago, devastation of the world or society is still evident.

rampant biomassLikely as the result of a failed genetics experiment, or perhaps due to contamination, biological matter (living cells) achieves a rapid, unregulated growth rate, occupying a large region of land.

Tokyo destroyedTokyo is depicted as being or having been destroyed, either partially or completely, by some sort of disaster, such as a nuclear blast, a very large-scale fire, or rising sea levels. Should the situation be dire enough, Tokyo may be destroyed again after a recovery, or a new Tokyo may be built and subsequently destroyed, by a new disaster.

tsunamiThe anime features a "huge wave" as part of the story, usually with devastating results: loss of live and destruction of property. A tsunami (from Japanese: 津波, lit. "harbour wave") is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions (including detonations of underwater nuclear devices), landslides, glacier calvings, meteorite impacts and other disturbances above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami. (Source: Wikipedia)

typhoonA typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops in the north-western part of the Pacific Ocean between 180° and 100°E. This region is referred to as the north-west Pacific basin. Identical phenomena in the eastern north Pacific are called hurricanes, with tropical cyclones moving into the western Pacific re-designated as typhoons. (Source: Wikipedia)

volcanic eruptionno description set

warAn armed conflict is the main theme or plays a large role in this anime.

asymmetric warfareAsymmetric warfare is war between conflicting groups whose relative military power differs, or whose strategy or tactics differ significantly. Asymmetric warfare can describe a conflict in which the resources of two groups differ in essence, and in the struggle, they interact and attempt to exploit each other`s weaknesses.

biological warfareBiological warfare is the use of weaponized biological agents (bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists, monera, etc.) to inflict harm on humans and/or other targets in a military engagement

chemical weaponsA chemical weapon is a device that uses chemicals formulated to inflict death or harm on human beings. The term may also be applied to any toxic chemical or its precursor that can cause death or harm through its chemical action. Munitions or other delivery devices for chemical weapons are also considered weapons themselves. In spite of a legally binding, worldwide ban on the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons and their precursors, large stockpiles thereof continue to exist.

child soldierUntrained and as yet immature, children are expediently thrust into the role of warriors to protect god, king, and country. Not having even finished school, they are inexplicably designated to elite status or roles, typically requiring months of training and years of experience. All the more so with "experimental" equipment or weapons of mass destruction.

civil warno description set

guerilla warfareGuerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and less-mobile traditional army, or strike a vulnerable target, and withdraw almost immediately.

kids in warWhen minors experience an armed conflict.

large-scale warWhen the whole world, or, at least, a big part of it, partakes in the hell that is war.

nuclear weaponsA nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, which release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. Nuclear weapons are considered weapons of mass destruction, and their use and control have been a major focus of international relations policy since their debut.

war-zone realitiesWar is hell. This tag is for when characters experience the hell of war... not just the exciting stuff blowing up part.

concentration campno description set

water scarcityWater crisis is the lack of sufficient available water resources to meet water needs within a region.

drastic change of lifeOne or more characters in this series go through an event that makes them change their way of life drastically and permanently. This change might be voluntary, or against the character`s will. Some examples might be an accident, the gaining of superpowers, or simply graduating.

ecologyNature and ecology are a central theme of this anime.

economicsEconomics is the social science that studies economic activity to gain an understanding of the processes that govern the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services in an economy.

environmentalismEnvironmental protection is a practice of protecting the natural environment on individual, organizational or governmental levels, for the benefit of both the natural environment and humans. Due to the pressures of population and technology, the biophysical environment is being degraded, sometimes permanently. This has been recognized, and governments have begun placing restraints on activities that cause environmental degradation. Since the 1960s, activity of environmental movements has created awareness of the various environmental issues. (Source: Wikipedia)

global warmingno description set

man vs natureno description set

nature strikes backHumanity continues to pollute and waste the land. Until at some point (usually in the future), nature "has had it" and devises a way to countermand this dire situation. This cleansing of the Earth may well take out humanity, though.

evolutionEvolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. Evolutionary processes give rise to biodiversity at every level of biological organisation, including the levels of species, individual organisms, and molecules.

existentialismMost commonly defines the rejection of a god and any transcendent will that dictates how humans should live. It rejects any "created" meaning of life and the world, stating a leap of faith is required to live an authentic life. In this existentialism, belief in a god is often considered a form of Bad Faith.

family lifeno description set

divorceThe parents depicted in this anime have divorced, usually upsetting the life of their children.

dysfunctional familyWhen the nuclear family (Mother, Father and child(ren)) goes boom due to conflicts between family , sometimes resulting in the breakup of the family or even violence.

family valuesFamily values are traditional or cultural values, generally conservative in nature, that pertain to the family`s structure, function, roles, beliefs, attitudes, and ideals. They encom a set of beliefs, the most common of which is the classical "traditional family" involving a middle-class family with a breadwinner father and a homemaker mother, raising their biological children.

family without fatherFor some reason the protagonists father is no longer among the living. The much too early death was due to sickness or accident. This plot device adds a certain degree of tragedy to the anime and usually has repercussions on the rest of the family: Possibly the grieve-stricken mother and children barely function as humans. Or adding emphasis to the overall financial predicament of the family, should the father have been the money earner.

family without motherFor some reason, the protagonist`s mother is no longer among the living. The much-too-early death was due to sickness or accident.

intact familyThe main character`s family is a so-called "nuclear family". Wherein both parents are alive and present in his or her life. This is actually relatively rare for anime, where "parental abandonment" is the norm.

parental abandonmentIn Japan it is a common custom for parents to leave their children alone at home and embark on a lifelong trip around the world once they hit the tender age of 14, sometimes even earlier.

parentingThis anime is about parenting and its many challenges.

fashionFashion is a popular aesthetic expression in a certain time and context, especially in clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle and body proportions.

fateFate — The predestined path of all things. The outcome is inevitable and the consequences predetermined. Whether or not the protagonist ultimately decides to follow this path shall weigh heavily on their soul.

against destinyScrew destiny and all the others who try to discourage them; they`re not going to fulfill the prophecy of world destruction because they`re the Big Bad`s descendant, or become a sacrificial magician. They`re going to become who they want to be. (source: TV Tropes)

children of destinyIn case of nearing doomsday leave all the military equipment to kids — they will save the day. Rejoice!

the chosen one!One of the characters in the anime is the "chosen one", the one to bring about change, the only one to "set things right" in a "good" ending, or bring about complete destruction in a "bad" ending.

fate worse than deathIf you think death is the worst that can ever happen to someone, you had better think again: at least one character in this show is sure to end up in such a terrible way that many people would likely have preferred death if they had the choice. The fate of such characters is normally not for the faint of heart, and the audience is expected to at least sympathise with the poor character`s fate, and at times even be horrified at the shocking turn of events that led to their demise.

feudA feud is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party (correctly or incorrectly) perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another. Intense feelings of resentment trigger the initial retribution, which causes the other party to feel equally aggrieved and vengeful. The dispute is subsequently fuelled by a long-running cycle of retaliatory violence.

following one`s dreamNo matter what the hardships may be, at least one of the protagonists in this anime is following her/his dream. Examples: To become a professional athlete, a musician, a painter or the ruler of this world!

aim for the topThis can be a positive or negative plot device. A character may strive to become the best in an altruistic way (e.g. best healer, most widely learned master), or it can be quite banal and primitive (e.g. challenged delinquents wanting to be the strongest fighters). Alas in fighting anime the latter usually prevails.

hard work and gutsOne of the character`s motto in the anime. Because there is nothing that cannot be achieved by hard work and guts.

friendshipThe feeling of trust, kindness, and friendship between a group of high school students for example, is a central theme of this anime.

broken friendshipFor a broken friendship a group of three friends is a must, the break up can be caused by betrayal or death, a love triangle is also possible. The ghost of the old friendship will be the cause of many flashbacks and reminiscences. A dreaded face to face could be a major event or just used as plot device.

gamblingGambling is the wagering of money or something of value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods.

pachinkono description set

rouletteno description set

geologyGeology is an earth science concerned with the solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Geology can also include the study of the solid features of any terrestrial planet or natural satellite such as Mars or the Moon. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other earth sciences, including hydrology and the atmospheric sciences, and so is treated as one major aspect of integrated earth system science and planetary science.

good vs evilA theme often used to relay lessons of morality. The fight between two entities, with one side representing all that is good and right and the other one all that is evil and wrong. It’s one of the most conventional themes in literature, and sometimes considered to be a universal part of the human condition.

healthcare and medicineThe anime contains themes related to healthcare, medicine, or the human body.

heart-warmingThe story and its characters give off good vibes — includes elevated feelings of affection such as tenderness, sympathy and love, all in one package. The kind of anime which leaves you with a warm feeling inside and you can not stop smiling while watching it.

history is written by the victorsno description set

immortalityImmortality is the ability to live for an infinite or inconceivably vast length of time. Humans, whose life span is limited, have long sought ways to extend their lives. In fiction, immortals are not quite as uncommon as in real life, and the possible implications of endless or very long lives are often explored. While many may wish for immortality, it may be little more than a curse for the few who have it.

impending death -- TO BE SPLIT AND DELETEDAt least one character in this show is going to or very likely to die soon because of a terminal illness, of a disaster such a war, an epidemic (including the zombie apocalypse), or of other life-threatening reason. Please assign the appropriate disaster tags to the anime, the terminal illness tag to the relevant characters, and any other relevant or necessary replacement tags to the corresponding entities, and then remove this tag from the anime in question. Thank you.

imperialismImperialism is a type of advocacy of empire. Its name originated from the Latin word "imperium", which means to rule over large territories. Imperialism is "a policy of extending a country`s power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means".

infidelityInfidelity is a violation of a couple`s assumed or stated contract regarding emotional and/or sexual exclusivity, sometimes according to the subjective feeling that one`s partner has violated a set of rules or relationship norms; this violation results in feelings of sexual jealousy and rivalry. What constitutes an act of infidelity is dependent upon the exclusivity expectations within the relationship.

netorareNetorare is when the protagonist gets his wife/girlfriend stolen from him by someone else. It is a sexual fetish designed to cause sexual jealousy by way of having the heroine indulge in sexual activity with someone other than the protagonist. The intent or reason causing the scenario does not have any bearing as to whether the scenario is netorare or netori; perspective is the only differentiating factor.

netoriNetori is what happens when the protagonist steals the lover or wife/husband of someone else. The intent or reason causing the scenario does not have any bearing as to whether the scenario is netorare or netori; perspective is the only differentiating factor. Netori might be caused by, but is not limited to: a result of true love, or of unhappiness with the original relationship. With netori, there is often (but not always) no malicious intent from the protagonist.

isekaiAn isekai story is one in which the lead characters are transferred to and become stuck or trapped in another world completely different from the one they lived in up until the transfer, commonly a fictional world. They generally cannot come back permanently without meeting a highly specific goal. In some cases, they will seek and eventually find a way to return; in others, they will gleefully embrace their new life.

iyashi-keiA feel good, "no true conflict within story" type of plot, instead about the daily musings and activities of the characters with an overall tranquil mood. Similar to "Slice of Life", but much more relaxed, peaceful and "zen".

jealousyA character is jealous of another character either due to love, or power, or wealth.

journalismJournalism is the work and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word applies to the occupation (professional or not), the methods of gathering information, and the organizing literary styles. Journalistic media include: print, television, radio, Internet and, in the past, newsreels.

law and orderWhere there is "wealth", there are criminals. It is up to the civil law enforcement, i.e. detectives, Police or Special Squads, to keep the lawless activities in the real world or in cyberspace under control. Note: Do not confuse this with Military presence.

policeThe police (civil servants) are the good guys in the battle against crime. Though they try hard, they are usually outclassed by super-criminals or criminal organizations in anime, requiring the help of special units or some lone hero.

special squadsThe Special Squads are called in when the police is completely outclassed, e.g. fighting criminal syndicates. These special forces are trained to combat specific forms of crime, e.g. the anti-cyber-crime division. There are several such squads: Whereas Section 9 of Ghost in the Shell is an official government organisation, there are also "benevolent" vigilante groups like the Knight Sabers (Bubblegum Crisis). Criminal syndicates also have their special forces e.g. "death squads".

shinsengumiThe Shinsengumi were a special police force of the late shogunate period.

militaryThe military, also known as the armed forces, are forces authorized and legally entitled to use deadly force so as to the interests of the state and its citizens. The task of the military is usually defined as defence of the state and its citizens and the prosecution of war against foreign powers. The military may also have additional functions within a society, including construction, emergency services, social ceremonies, and guarding critical areas.

air forceAn air force, also known in some countries as an air army or air corps, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. Typically, air forces are responsible for gaining control of the air, carrying out strategic-bombing missions and providing to surface forces. Air forces typically consist of a combination of fighters, bombers, helicopters, transport planes and other aircraft.

evil militaryThe military is depicted as being of a nefarious nature in this anime. Be it through the heartlessness that their soldiers convey, or the ruthless killing of innocents, the military in this anime is not to be messed with.

feudal warfareFeudal Warfare is the warfare of the Middle Ages and therefore the setting must take place in a time line similar to that of Middle Ages or its Asian/American counterparts, or in a fantasy world. Generally it can be described the same way as the Military category, just that the weapons used are swords, spears, bows, catapults, cannons and other weapons used in the Middle Ages.

navyno description set

tank warfareno description set

moneyno description set

grandiose displays of wealthSome of the characters in this anime come from very wealthy families. A huge estate with large mansion or castle, a flotilla of expensive cars, private jets or islands, and many servants will impress the viewer profoundly.

povertyIt refers to the condition of not having the means to afford basic human needs.

unexpected inheritanceNews of a death in the family is rarely well received, especially when its someone who cares very deeply for you. So deeply, in fact, that they have left you with a massive inheritance; but apparently not so much that they ever bother to get to meet you in person.

mythologyThe anime gets inspirations from many forms of mythologies (either Greek, Egyptian, Nord, etc.) to form its story and setting.

Ainu mythologyno description set

Chinese mythologyThe anime is derived or draws elements from the Chinese mythology, and as such features some mythological characteristics of Ancient China.

Egyptian mythologyThe anime holds elements of Egyptian mythology featuring egyptian gods, mummies, sphinxes, trips through an old pharaos pyramid or similar things.

folkloreFolklore, or simply Lore, are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group, in the form of legends, music, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales, stories, tall tales and customs. In usage, there is a continuum between folklore and mythology. Folklore is generally divided into four areas of study: physical artifacts, transmissible entities and stories, culture and technologies, and behaviors and rituals.

fairy taleThis anime is either based on or contains parts of fairy tales. Usually those parts are highly modified or twisted when compared with the original source.

Greek mythologyThe anime is derived or draws elements from the Greek mythology, and as such features some mythological characteristics of Ancient Greece. Those may be creatures, such as the Centaur or Hydra, tales, such as that of the Trojan War, or even the Gods themselves, like Zeus or Poseidon. More subtle references also count, such as the careful usage of names of places or people that hold significance in the myths.

Japanese mythologyJapanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon alone consists of an uncountable number of kami (Japanese for "gods" or "spirits"). (Source: Wikipedia)

Matter of BritainThe Matter of Britain is the body of medieval literature and legendary material associated with Great Britain and Brittany, and the legendary kings and heroes associated with it, particularly King Arthur. It was one of the three great story cycles recalled repeatedly in medieval literature, together with the Matter of , which concerned the legends of Charlemagne, and the Matter of Rome, which included material derived from or inspired by classical mythology.

Norse mythologyNorse mythology, or Scandinavian mythology, is the body of mythology of the North Germanic people stemming from Norse paganism and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia and into the Scandinavian folklore of the modern period. The Norse mythology consists of tales of various deities, beings, and heroes derived from numerous sources from both before and after the pagan period, including medieval manuscripts, archaeological representations, and folk tradition.

YggdrasilThis anime contains a system or other-worldly existence, based on Norse mythology, called Yggdrasil.

Persian mythologyPersian mythology are traditional tales and stories of ancient origin, all involving extraordinary or supernatural beings. Drawn from the legendary past of Iran, they reflect the attitudes of the society to which they first belonged - attitudes towards the confrontation of good and evil, the actions of the gods, yazats (lesser gods), and the exploits of heroes and fabulous creatures.

nationalismno description set

nostalgiaA bitter-sweet longing for things, persons, or situations from the past.

occupation and careerThe kind of anime which shows the career of a character, usually from the beginning.

entertainment industryThe show depicts how the entertainment industry works and how the main protagonists strive to cope with the sudden change to fame. At times this can be a very ugly sight indeed.

seiyuuA seiyuu or voice actor is someone that provides voice-overs or narration in radio, television, or films, as well as character actors for animated works and video games. Conventionally, the term "seiyuu" is used among English-speaking fans to denote a Japanese actor, whereas "voice actor" is the norm when referring to their counterparts in other languages, and particularly in English voice-overs of anime.

otaku cultureOtaku (おたく/オタク) is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga, and video games. A female otaku is occasionally referred to as a fujoshi. (Source: Wikipedia) Here certain aspects of this "fandom" are presented in more detail, e.g. the creation of doujinshi (self-published amateur manga).

pacifismThe belief and following of principles stating all and any conflict has a peaceful solution without use of violence.

paradise lostDerived from the Biblical story of the Fall of Man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

politicsFrom commies to fat capitalist pigs, all the stuff done by the "guys with the power", mainly evil tactics for gaining more power over the masses. Watching this title may remind you why CNN is boring.

court politicsCourt politics are the power struggles internal to the retinue of sovereign rulers, nobles, and other persons of similar social stature, generally in monarchical contexts.

governmental censorshipCensorship is the suppression of speech or deletion of communicative material which may be considered objectionable, harmful or sensitive, as determined by a censor. In fiction (particularly dystopian sci-fi works) often used by totalitarian regimes to control the people.

royal intrigueno description set

promiseA dramatically-made promise that serves as foreshadowing. The promise will eventually be called in and action will be required. Whether they succeed, fail or refuse to keep their promise depends almost entirely on the idealism-level of the story. Other factors, such as whether they were told what they had to do, or if it was a Leonine Contract, may come into play. Even Releasing from the Promise is usually a scene of high drama.

childhood promiseSweet childhood promises... who re them other than the Japanese anime characters? It keeps the main characters obsessed with promises that they made when they were children, mostly related to love, with lines like "I will always protect you" or "I will marry you when we grow up".

propagandaPropaganda is communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience.

religious propagandaReligious propaganda is a form of communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some religion or cult.

wartime propagandano description set

proxy battlesIn our , a proxy battle is a battle where humans use creatures/robots to do the fighting for them, either by commanding those creatures/robots or by simply evolving them/changing them into battle mode. Often the training aspect is also involved, or in some cases the proxies are nothing more than holographic representatives of some other variation of competition (like for example a card game). While many popular shounen anime fit under this category, it`s not limited to shounen anime.

psychoactive drugsPsychoactive drugs are chemical substances that affect the function of the central nervous system, altering perception, mood or consciousness.

put right what once went wrongno description set

racismRacism is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of an ethnically different background based on the pseudo-scientific belief that biological differences between peoples form so-called "races" and that one`s own "race" is superior to another, possibly also holding that of different "races" should be treated differently. In works of fiction, this may also include similar actions against other sentient species, including non-biological species such as robots.

rebellionRebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encoming a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or taking over the position of an established authority such as a government, governor, president, political leader, financial institution, or person in charge. On the one hand the forms of behaviour can include non-violent methods such as the (overlapping but not quite identical) phenomena of civil disobedience, civil resistance and nonviolent resistance. On the other hand it may encom violent campaigns. Those who participate in rebellions, especially if they are armed rebellions, are known as "rebels".

redemptionno description set

reintroducing technologyTechnology foreign to a world is (re)introduced by a third party.

religionReligion is a collection of belief systems, cultural systems, and worldviews that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to explain the origin of life or the universe. They tend to derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle from their ideas about the cosmos and human nature.

BuddhismThe anime features the religion Buddhism.

ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. Christians believe Jesus is the son of God, God having become man and the saviour of humanity. Christians, therefore, commonly refer to Jesus as Christ or Messiah.

corrupt churchAn official religion (not cult or sect) has become evil or was evil to begin with, and tends to be highly influential with political leaders, to strengthen / enforce the church`s power over the people.

Happy ScienceHappy Science is a new religious and spiritual movement founded in Japan on 6 October 1986 by Ookawa Ryuuhou.

ShintoismShintoism presents a blessed being or creature that governs over areas of terrain, general space of existence, or an individual object (be it alive or inanimate). Everything has its own "spiritual essence". Defined as the earliest Japanese thoughts of an unified religion, the word Shinto comes from the Chinese hanzi "神道", combining two kanji: "shin" (神), meaning gods or spirits; and "tō" (道), meaning a philosophical path or study.

TaoismTaoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao (道), which is the mechanism of everything that exists. The word "Tao" (or "Dao", depending on the romanization scheme) is usually translated as "way", "path" or "principle", although the word also means "nature" as in the nature of all things as well as the natural world.

revengeA primary factor that drives the plot forward, is the almost obsessive desire of one of the characters to get back at someone else.

rivalryQuite broadly used term describing a conflict, contest, struggle, or opposition of some sort. Typical examples: The mostly comedic rivalry for the love of a protagonist in a harem anime (love polygon), the more "mindless" battles between wannabe delinquents in a school fighting anime, or the struggle between good & evil in an epic conflict for world domination.

school rivalrySimple description for a "School vs School in all-out physical-combat" series. No matter how geographically close or far apart the schools are, students from different schools are enemies by default and are likely to engage in physical fights on sight (except on the occasion that certain schools form pacts of alliance or peace).

sibling rivalryno description set

rotten worldA rotten world is a setting or situation where the jaded notion that "anything that can go wrong will go horribly wrong" almost always applies. Oppression, perpetual warfare, lawlessness, despair or other forms of mental instability, and other highly undesirable factors tend to be rampant.

dystopiaA dystopia is, in literature, an often futuristic society that has degraded into a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian.

saving the worldWhile villains love to take over the world or cause the end of the world as we know it, the heroes are most likely motivated by the polar opposite, saving the world. A fairly simple plot/motivation related to for great justice and what not, this trope is pretty broad and very common for many stories not focused on character interaction only.

school lifeSince a large part of the anime audience still takes part in school life or is visiting college, it is only natural to choose a setting the audience can identify with, be it elementary, middle, or high school. For the older viewers a college setting with more mature real-life problems is appropriate. And since clubs take up so much time in the lives of students, these are obviously also important.

absurdly powerful student councilA student council is a student-managed body inside a school which engages in istrative affairs, usually working in a partnership with management, staff and parents. In real life, a student council holds no actual power, but in many anime/manga, they are allowed to overrule nearly everyone else.

all-boys schoolA private school setting that consists of only male students (may or may not include teachers and other school staff, aswell).

all-girls schoolThis school is only for female students. There may be a few male teachers though.

art schoolThe education in art plays an important part in this anime. Art school is a general term for any educational institution with a primary focus on the visual arts, especially illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and graphic design. The term applies to institutions with elementary, secondary, post-secondary or undergraduate, or graduate or postgraduate programs in these areas. They are distinguished from larger institutions which also may offer majors or degrees in the visual arts, but only as one part of a broad-based range of programs (such as the liberal arts and sciences). `s École des Beaux-Arts is, perhaps, the first model for such organized instruction, breaking with a tradition of master and apprentice instruction when it was formed. (Source: Wikipedia)

boarding schoolno description set

catholic schoolA setting for this anime is a school run by the nuns and/or priests of the Church Of Rome. Religious instruction may be an integral part of the plot. Religious icons - particularly crosses and crucifixes are usually prominent.

cram schoolCram schools ("juku" in Japan) are specialized schools that train their students to meet particular goals, most commonly to the entrance examinations of high schools or universities. The English name is derived from the slang term "cramming", meaning to study hard or to study a large amount of material in a short period of time. (Source: Wikipedia)

delinquentDelinquents - Every school has them, but not all anime with school setting make delinquents a central topic. There are several versions of these delinquents, though some are grounded on a misunderstanding.

elementary schoolThe term elementary school is used in some countries for schools where children from the age of about five receive primary education.

formerly one-gender schoolThis anime takes place at a school that was formerly one-gender, but has recently begun to it the opposite sex. This can be a set-up for harem situations stemming from a still-skewed gender ratio.

high schoolA secondary school that usually contains grades 10 through 12 in Japan, or 9 through 12 in America.

middle schoolno description set

preschoolPreschool education (or infant education) is the provision of learning to children before the commencement of statutory and obligatory education, usually between the ages of zero and three or five, depending on the jurisdiction.

school clubsEven though school clubs in Japan are not mandatory, there is some pressure from the social grid (e.g. fellow students, teachers) to participate in some kind of after-school activity, be it in sports or arts. Colleges also have clubs. There is the element of social commentary, making it clear that you have to a club. Since self-founded clubs need at least 3 , the desperate search and advertising for new can be cause for hilarity in anime.

school dormitoryA school dormitory or residence hall is the student living quarters at an elite academy, boarding school, or military school. The main characters may live or work at the dormitory, and it often becomes the backdrop for a reoccurring part of the story.

school for the rich eliteno description set

student governmentno description set

universitySince college/university students are typically at least eighteen years old, with stories covering mature everyday life topics, you will find the college setting quite often in seinen and josei anime.

secret organisationA secret organisation or secret society is an organisation whose activities and inner functioning are concealed from non-. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence itself. Examples of historical and existing secret societies include Freemasonry, the Knights Templar, the Rosicrucians, Skull and Bones, the Thule Society, and the Illuminati.

slaverySomeone is owned by somebody else. In anime this usually affects body (slaves in a fantasy setting) or mind (the evil villain brainwashes a sidekick, creates an obedient minion or places a spell on some poor bloke). Slavery is also a common element of hentai.

liberation of slavesLiberation of slaves is the release of people from the condition of slavery. Ways in which this can happen include the historical movement of abolitionism, rescuing people from slavery by force, deciding to set one`s own slaves free, or even slave revolts. The liberation of slaves is often a delicate, complex process that needs to address issues such as how the newly-freed slaves are going to live from that point on.

social mediaSocial media are computer-mediated technologies that allow the creating and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks.

sociocultural evolutionDescribes how cultures and societies develop over time, based on both cultural evolution and social evolution. A post-apocalyptic or a Utopian setting would show very interesting changes in human behaviour, mental state, or simply daily life.

sportsSports anime revolves around a recreational physical activity or skill. In addition they often adhere to certain genre conventions, the emphasis on training and practice in preparation for competition, characters desire for self improvement, and pursuit of a specific goal.

acrobatic divingAcrobatic diving, or simply diving, is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, usually while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime. It is not to be confused with underwater diving.

acrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination.

American footballAmerican Football is a type of ball game that is played by two teams of people with 11 players on each side. It is played with a ball that is shaped like an egg. Contrary to its name it does not actually have much to do with football and is almost like rugby, just with the players clothed in heavy protection gear, out of fear of injuries.

archeryArchery is the art, practice, or skill of shooting arrows with a bow. A person who participates in archery is an archer. Archery has been used for hunting, but through most of human history its main use was for combat. With the invention of firearms, archery quickly became obsolete in war, but in the Far East it is to this day considered an important subject in martial arts, with archery dojos being ran by school archery clubs, and it reemerged as a recreational activity in the West as well.

association footballFootball is a sport that involves kicking a ball in order to score a goal, while the other team tries to stop you by kicking the ball in the other direction to score a goal of their own. In the United States, this sport is known as soccer; the inappropriately titled "American" football is some kind of rugby for rugrats.

btonBton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. The most common forms of the game are "singles" and "doubles". Bton is often played as a casual outdoor activity in a yard or on a beach; formal games are played on a rectangular indoor court.

baseballBaseball is like a complicated version of Rounders. It involves hitting a ball with a stick, then running around several bases placed in the form of a diamond on a field. Big in the US, and also in Japan.

basketballBasketball is Netball for men, the real game that encourages dribbling and other such uncouth behaviour that was sanitised out of the ladies` version. However, it is itself woozy compared to Ulama, as the losing side are seldom publicly sacrificed.

bicyclingBicycling, also called cycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in bicycling are referred to as bicyclists, cyclists, or bikers.

billiardsBilliards are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber cushions.

board gamesPeople here play a board game. It can vary from chess and Go, to Monopoly, to Dungeons and Dragons.

chessChess is a game for two players. It is played on a square board, made of 64 smaller squares, with eight squares on each side. Each player starts with sixteen pieces (eight pawns, two each of knights, bishops, and rooks, and one king and queen). One player`s pieces are a light color, he is called "White", and the other player`s pieces are a dark color, he is called "Black".

goDeceptively simple (rule-wise), yet quite complex strategic board game for two players. Called "igo" in Japanese.

mahjongMahjong is a tile-based game, which was developed in China during the Qing dynasty. It is commonly played by four players.

shougiJapanese chess.

bowlingBowling refers to a series of sports or leisure activities in which a player rolls or throws a bowling ball towards a target.

card gamesA card game is any game using playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, be they traditional or game-specific.

blackjackBlackjack, also known as twenty-one, is the most widely played casino banking game in the world. Blackjack is a comparing card game between a player and dealer, meaning that players compete against the dealer but not against any other players.

karutaKaruta (かるた, loaned from the Portuguese word meaning "card", carta) is a Japanese card game.

koi koiKoi Koi is the most popular game in Japan played with Hanafuda cards.

ino-shika-chouThe most remarkable card combination in the Hanafuda card game Koi Koi. Ino-Shika-Chou means boar-deer-butterfly, and is referenced in a small amount of anime and manga.

pokerno description set

cheerleadingCheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organised routines, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate in competitions.

climbingClimbing is the activity of using one`s hands, feet, or any other part of the body to ascend a steep topographical object. It is done for locomotion, recreation and competition, and within trades that rely on ascension; such as emergency rescue and military operations. It is done indoors and out, on natural and man-made structures.

combatCombat involves a violent conflict with the goal to establish dominance over an opponent.

boxingBoxing is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves, throw punches at each other for a predetermined set of time in a boxing ring.

judoJudo, or juudou in Japanese, is a modern martial art, combat and Olympic sport created in Japan in 1882. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the objective is to either throw or takedown an opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue an opponent with a pin, or force an opponent to submit with a t lock or a choke. A judo practitioner is called a judoka.

karateA Japanese martial art originating from Okinawa.

kendoKendo is a popular sport from Japan. It consists of swordplay with one or two shinai, a two-handed bamboo sword which may also be held with one hand only, while wearing armour.

Muay ThaiMuay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems.

wrestlingWrestling is a fight between two people without weapons, in which each person tries to beat their opponent. Wrestlers use clinching, holding, locking, and leverage. It resembles ritual fighting as it avoids things that will likely lead to serious injury. It is similar to military hand-to-hand combat or self-defence systems.

sumo wrestlingSumo wrestling is a competitive full- wrestling sport where a rikishi (wrestler) attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring (dohyou) or into touching the ground with anything other than the soles of his feet.

competitive beach volleyballBeach volleyball is a team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net. Use the beach volleyball episode tag instead when the beach volleyball game is a one-off event, such as during a beach or pool visit.

croquetCroquet is a sport that involves hitting plastic or wooden balls with a mallet through hoops embedded in a grass playing court.

dodgeballDodgeball is any of a variety of games in which players try to hit other players on the opposing team with their own balls while avoiding being hit themselves. Don`t try this at home, kids.

fishingno description set

golfGolf is a game played in an open field where the player hits a small ball with a specifically prepared club to sink it into a hole of about the same size. This may appear as a very boring and pointless type of game to on-lookers.

gymnasticsA competitive sport in which this character performs optional and prescribed acrobatic feats mostly on special apparatus in order to demonstrate strength, balance, and body control.

horse ridingThe ability to ride on a horse.

ice skatingno description set

inline skating`Inline skates` (often called Rollerblades after the popular trade name) are a type of roller skate used for inline skating. Unlike quad skates, which are configured with two front and two rear wheels, inline skates have two, three, four or five wheels arranged in a single line.

lacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a sport which requires padding.

motorsportDriving involves driving in a competitive manner. Note that just driving to get groceries does not suffice, unless one does it like Takumi Fujiwara in Initial D.

driftingDrifting is a driving technique where the driver intentionally oversteers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels, while maintaining control from entry to exit of a corner.

formula racingFormula racing is any of several forms of open-wheeled single-seater motorsport. The origin of the term lies in the nomenclature that was adopted by the FIA for all of its post-World War II single-seater regulations, or formulæ. The best known of these formulæ are Formula One, Formula Two, and Formula Three.

street racingSeen The Fast and The Furious or played Need for Speed Underground series? This is it: people racing in illegal races on the streets with their own modified cars and maybe seeing the police chasing them.

mountaineeringThe sport of climbing mountains.

OlympicsThe modern Olympic Games or Olympics are the leading international sporting event, featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competitions, with more than 200 teams representing sovereign states and territories participating in them. The Olympic Games are normally held every four years; since 1994, they have alternated between the Summer and Winter Olympics every two years during the four-year period.

rugbyRugby is a style of football game named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union. (Wikipedia)

skateboardingA skateboard is a type of sports equipment used primarily for the activity of skateboarding. It usually consists of a specially designed maplewood board combined with a polyurethane coating used for making smoother slides and stronger durability.

skiingSport or recreation, involving traveling over snow on skis.

soft tennisSoft tennis is an offshoot of tennis that was developed in Japan in the late 19th century. The main difference is the use of a much softer rubber ball, hence the name.

softballno description set

swimmingSwimming is an individual or team sport that involves using arms and legs to move the body through water. Typically, the sport takes place in pools or in open water. Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic sports.

table tennisTable tennis (also called ping pong) is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball back and forth using a table tennis racket.

tennisTennis is yet another sport involving hitting a ball. Were it not for the copious amounts of grass involved in certain varieties, it seems hard to imagine that people would pay it any attention at all.

track and fieldA collection of sports events that involve running, throwing, and jumping.

high jumpA track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of any devices.

underwater divingUnderwater diving is the practice of descending below the water`s surface to interact with the environment. It is not to be confused with acrobatic diving. Please note that this tag is only about underwater diving as a sport; diving for e.g. salvaging shipwreck should be tagged with other, more specific tags.

volleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team`s court under organized rules. Use the competitive beach volleyball tag for competition or professional beach volleyball play. Use the beach volleyball episode tag when the beach volleyball game is a one-off event, such as during a beach or pool visit.

wheelchair basketballWheelchair basketball is a basketball variant played by people with varying physical disabilities that disqualify them from playing an able-bodied sport. It is recognized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) as the sole competent authority in wheelchair basketball worldwide and it is included in the Paralympic Games.

star-crossed loversTwo lovers — usually teenagers — destined to be kept apart no matter how hard they struggle to be together. Shakespeare`s Romeo and Juliet is the most famous example of this archetype but it dates back at least as far as the ancient Greeks.

surveillanceSurveillance is the close observation and/or monitoring of behavior, activities, or information for the purpose of information gathering, influencing, managing or directing. Surveillance is used by governments for intelligence gathering, prevention of crime, the protection of a process, person, group or object, or the investigation of crime. It is also used by criminals to plan and commit crimes, and by businesses to gather intelligence on criminals, their competitors, suppliers or customers.

survivalThe theme/genre of survival typically depicts the act or process of continuing to live, generally in a hostile, possibly post-apocalyptic environment. Survival-centered media tends to be dark, set most commonly in a contemporary context, and generally leads either to small groups of people forming closely knit and functional units or to individuals turning against their fellows in a return to the survival of the fittest.

talesTales are stories told time and again and ed down from generation to generation, and some of those show up in anime not just once or twice, but several times.

Alice`s Adventures in WonderlandThe anime or an episode features important elements of the novel. This could mean that the main character is portrayed as Alice (with another name), accompanied by somebody portraying the white rabbit (possibly as a human). While the world can be a Wonderland, it does not have to be.

CinderellaCinderella is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression and triumphant reward, with thousands of variants known throughout the world. The defining characteristic of the tale is the title character, a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune.

Gulliver`s TravelsGulliver`s Travels is a prose satire by Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift. It is a satire both on human nature and on the "travellers` tales" literary subgenre. It is Swift`s best known full-length work and a classic of English literature. He himself claimed that he wrote Gulliver`s Travels "to vex the world rather than divert it".

HakkendenNansou Satomi Hakkenden (The Tale of Eight Dogs) is a Japanese epic novel in 106 volumes written by Kyokutei Bakin over nearly 30 years in the first half of the 19th century.

Hyakunin IsshuA traditional anthology style of compiling Japanese waka poetry where each contributor writes one poem for the anthology. Literally, it translates to "one hundred people, one poem". It also refers to the card game of uta-garuta, which uses a deck composed of poems from one such anthology.

Journey to the WestJourney to the West is a classic Chinese mythological novel. It was written during the Ming Dynasty based on traditional folk tales. Consisting of 100 chapters, this fantasy relates the adventures of a Tang Dynasty priest Sanzang and his three disciples, Monkey, Pig and Friar Sand, as they travel west in search of Buddhist Sutra. Several anime are loosely based on its story, most famously Dragon Ball.

Kaguya-himeThe Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is a 10th-century Japanese folktale. It primarily details the life of a mysterious girl called Kaguya-hime, who was discovered as a baby inside the stalk of a glowing bamboo plant by a bamboo cutter, alongside riches in gold. After some time it is found out that she belongs to the people of the moon. The anime or episode either takes on the whole tale of Kaguya-hime or just parts of it.

Little Black SamboIn some way the anime references the classic story of Little Black Sambo. Sambo is a South Indian boy who encounters four hungry tigers, and surrenders his colourful new clothes, shoes, and umbrella so they will not eat him. The tigers are vain and each thinks he is better dressed than the others. They chase each other around a tree until they are reduced to a pool of melted butter. Sambo then recovers his clothes and his mother makes pancakes out of the butter.

Moby-Dickno description set

Night on the Galactic Railroad"Night on the Galactic Railroad" (Ginga Tetsudou no Yoru) is the most famous Japanese children`s book written by Miyazawa Kenji.

One Thousand and One NightsOne Thousand and One Nights is a collection of Middle Eastern and South Asian stories and folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age.

Robinson CrusoeLiterary classic about a man marooned on a distant island.

Run Melos!Run, Melos! is a Japanese short story by Dazai Osamu published in 1940 and a widely read classic in Japanese schools. The most prominent theme of the story is unwavering friendship; despite facing hardships, the protagonist Melos does his best to save his friend`s life, and in the end his efforts are rewarded.

Sherlock HolmesFictional London-based detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Sleeping Beautyno description set

Snow WhiteSnow White is a 19th-century German fairy tale which The Brothers Grimm published in 1812 in the first edition of their collection Grimms` Fairy Tales. It features such elements as the magic mirror, the poisoned apple, the glass coffin, and the characters of the evil queen and the Seven Dwarfs.

The Spider`s ThreadThe Spider`s Thread is a 1918 short story by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, first published in the children`s magazine Akai Tori. It is the tale where a cold-hearted criminal named Kandata tries to escape from Hell by climbing a string of spider silk lowered from Paradise by Buddha.

The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz is an American children`s novel written by author L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow, originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900.

Urashima TarouA Japanese legend about a fisherman who rescues a turtle and is rewarded for this with a visit to the Dragon God`s palace. He stays there for three days but, upon his return to his village, he finds himself in a strange world that is actually 300 years in the future. The anime or episode is either completely devoted to depicting the tale of Urashima Tarou or contains important references to this tale.

Yotsuya KaidanYotsuya Kaidan, the story of Oiwa and Tamiya Iemon, is a tale of betrayal, murder and ghostly revenge. Arguably the most famous Japanese ghost story of all time, it has been adapted for film over 30 times, and continues to be an influence on Japanese horror today.

teamworkA cooperative effort by the of a group or team to achieve a common goal.

the artsThe arts represent an outlet of human expression, usually influenced by culture, and driven by human creative impulse. Major constituents of the arts include literature, music, dance, and theatre; culinary arts such as baking, chocolatiering, and winemaking; media arts like photography and film, and visual arts – including drawing, painting, and sculpting. Some art forms combine a visual element with performance (e.g. film) and the written word (e.g. comics).

doujinThe term is used to refer to amateur self-published works, including but not limited to manga, novels, fan guides, art collections, music and video games. Some professional artists participate as a way to publish material outside the regular publishing industry.

drawingThe art or technique of representing an object or outlining a figure, plan, or sketch by means of lines.

filmmakingFilmmaking is the process of making a film.

literatureWorks of literature are featured. Likely, a prominent character in this anime likes to read books, or the books themselves play a role. They might be specific, named works of literature or books in general.

musicMusic anime generally revolves around people concerned with music in their everyday lives. In addition they often adhere to certain genre conventions, the emphasis on training and practice in preparation for competitions, characters desire for self improvement, and pursuit of a specific goal. This is not unlike the Sports category.

classical musicAnime tagged have classical music as a central theme.

euro-beatEuro-beat is a music genre from Europe. In Japan, this label is strongly tied to dance and para-para music. A good example is the entire Initial D soundtrack.

heavy metal musicHeavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that is traditionally characterized by loud distorted guitars, emphatic rhythms, dense bass-and-drum sound, and vigorous vocals. Metal subgenres variously emphasize, alter, or omit one or more of these attributes. The anime features a theme revolving around metal music or generally features metal music.

hip-hopThe anime shows a strong influence from the hip-hop culture, or features it as a theme.

idolIdols are young media personalities who are considered particularly cute and cuddly and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g. as singers for J-pop groups, bit-part actors, TV personalities, models in photo spreads published in magazines, ments, etc. Virtual idols are animated characters created as idols. They are often also vTubers and/or vloggers.

jazzA style of music originating in the Southern USA in the early 20th century, emerging from Blues and Ragtime. Jazz is often associated with the city of New Orleans. Jazz music is typified by improvisation and syncopation. Instruments often associated with Jazz are the trumpet, trombone, piano and clarinet. The anime features a vast amount of jazz, or the theme revolves around it.

musical bandA musical ensemble also known as a music(al) group or music(al) band is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music, typically known by a distinct name.

rock musicRock music is a genre of popular music usually centered on the electric guitar, as part of a rock group with electric bass guitar and drums. The anime is themed around a rock band or the genre in general.

techno musicTechno music is a type of electronic and dance music. It emphasizes rhythm and utilizes advancements in music technology and production. It is a mainly instrumental genre, usually reliant on DJ mixes. Its main tenets include the use of electronic instruments and the uniformity of a common drum beat. The anmie features a vast amount of techno music, or simply revolves around the genre.

paintingThe term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. Paintings may have for their such surfaces as walls, paper, canvas, wood, glass, lacquer, clay, leaf, copper or concrete, and may incorporate multiple other materials including sand, clay, paper, gold leaf as well as objects.

performanceThe song performance on stage or acting in a theatre is a central part of the character`s life in this anime type.

dancingDance is when people move their body to music. There are many kinds of dance, like ballet or waltz. Dancing can be done for fun but can be also an art.

balletno description set

belly danceBelly dance is any solo, improvised dance based on torso articulation originating from the Middle East.

para paraPara Para is a synchronized dance that originated in Japan. Unlike most club dancing and rave dancing, there are specific synchronized movements for each song much like line dancing. Para Para is said to have existed since the early 1980s when European countries started selling Italo disco and Euro disco, and in the mid-to late 1970s, new wave and synthpop music in Japan. However, it did not achieve much popularity outside Japan until the late 1990s.

yosakoiYosakoi is a unique style of dance that originated in Japan.

kabukiKabuki is a classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. It is a form of "avant-garde" or "bizarre" theatre.

photographyPhotography is the art or process of producing images by the action of radiant energy and especially light on a sensitive surface (such as film or an optical sensor).

the effects of time and distance on human relationshipsno description set

the power of loveThe power of love is not only the strongest power known to mankind, it is the strongest power in the universe. The power of love conquers all things. It makes people cry, it makes people laugh, it can make them sing and occasionally it even brings dead people back to life, just so.

trainingTraining is extensive, serious practising a person undergoes in order to develop skills and abilities, such as handling weapons, playing instruments, playing sports, and so on.

utopia"Paradise". Portrays a peaceful, united civilization striving for perfection. This may include the world living as one in peace or just an isolated society, at peace with all their surroundings and anything that exists on the outside is irrelevant. In these conditions, humans may have obtained balance with technology which now exists merely to enhance human living standards.

video game developmentPart of the anime`s story relates to creating video games.

world dominationA main objective for one of the characters is absolute control of not just one country, but a whole planet!

ungroupedno description set

1950sno description set

1990sno description set

ability stealingno description set

adventurno description set

adventurerno description set

afterlife worldno description set

ai dubbingno description set

aichmophobiano description set

airheadno description set

airportno description set

anal prolapseno description set

antiterrorismno description set

appraisalno description set

arithmophobiano description set

Arm cannonno description set

atheistno description set

avatarsuitno description set

axolotlno description set

Baiheno description set

bansheeno description set

based on mangano description set

bear headno description set

Big Comic Spiritsno description set

burn markno description set

businesno description set

butterflyno description set

castleno description set

ceremonyno description set

cleaverno description set

coitus interruptusno description set

condomno description set

coulrophobiano description set

criminalno description set

cuffno description set

cultno description set

cultivation schoolno description set

death gameno description set

deceitful organizationno description set

denmarkno description set

dittoheadno description set

duelno description set

Dutch-Japanese co-productionno description set

dynamic comicno description set

Eldianno description set

erotic horrorno description set

espionageno description set

fanaticno description set

father-son incestno description set

ferronniereno description set

fictional religionno description set

fictional sportAn invented sport is played by the characters.

fully black and whiteno description set

Gainax poseno description set

glassedno description set

gnomeno description set

gods worldno description set

gothno description set

grey eyebrowsno description set

hair flowerno description set

half-yukionnano description set

heroes partyno description set

historical asia ambienceno description set

Historical characters assembleno description set

Hokkaido dialectno description set

Hokuriku dialectno description set

hybrid of few speciesno description set

hyperhidrosisno description set

ice hockeyno description set

idealisticno description set

impaired mobilityno description set

insomniano description set

internal breast shotsno description set

Ishikawa prefectureno description set

Judeo-Christian mythologyno description set

Kenyanno description set

kicked from partyno description set

kleptomaniano description set

lachanophobiano description set

Laser cannonno description set

latexno description set

lengsno description set

less censored versionno description set

leukemiano description set

level systemno description set

living dollno description set

long tongueno description set

love hotel visitno description set

mafia donno description set

mafia memberno description set

magical creatureno description set

marksmanshipno description set

marriage lifeno description set

mazeno description set

mecha unitno description set

mesophiliano description set

millerno description set

model kit builderno description set

Mongoliano description set

neckbeardno description set

netoraseno description set

Nigerianno description set

non-chronological releaseno description set

one vs armyno description set

OP and ED have swapped orderno description set

opportunisticno description set

overknee socksno description set

panty theftno description set

paper talisman magicCharacter use small rectangular sheet of paper with spell written on it. Its very typical for Japanese shrine maidens, priest or exorcists.

police proceduralno description set

polyamoryno description set

premature ejaculationno description set

projectile weapon marksmanshipno description set

pubic hair shavingno description set

punch fistingno description set

puzzlesno description set

quasi-musicalno description set

racketno description set

raiderno description set

regicideno description set

religious orderno description set

rheano description set

robosexualno description set

rosy cheeksno description set

Salvadoranno description set

Satanismno description set

scenaristno description set

sense of justiceno description set

sensitiveno description set

sex swingno description set

shark tailno description set

Shizuokano description set

sickleno description set

skullno description set

skunkno description set

sleevelno description set

social anxietyno description set

solitaryno description set

somalino description set

South Koreano description set

space magicno description set

spiritno description set

Sumeriano description set

Sydneyno description set

Tanzanianno description set

thaumaturgeno description set

The Crab and the Monkeyno description set

throwing weapon marksmanshipno description set

time stopno description set

train episodeno description set

transmigrationno description set

v-neckno description set

villainessno description set

voice inflectionno description set

walking stickno description set

Warehousemanno description set

wedding ringno description set

white eyebrowsno description set

witch huntno description set

xianxiano description set

xuanhuanno description set

youtuberno description set

unsortedno description set

age changeBecause who wouldn`t like to be young/old again.

aggressive plantsPlants that can actually attack humans.

animal transforms into weaponA being that appears to be a normal animal, is actually something much more, for it can transform into a weapon.

art nouveauParts of this animation, or its OP/ED use Art Nouveau style art.

battlefield of dreamsThis anime involves conflicts with spirits/monsters/etc. that inhabit, infiltrate into, or invade from the world of dreams.

butchered foreign languagesIn this anime, some characters "speak" foreign languages, successfully making the audience`s ears bleed. That is especially true if the viewer is a native speaker of or otherwise proficient in the languages in question. The foreigners in the show do not seem to take much notice of the fact that their supposed native languages are being massacred. In fact, oftentimes they also actively participate in the butchering of said languages. That happens, of course, because they, too, are voiced by Japanese people without knowledge of the language they`re supposed to speak, or to pretend to speak at any rate.

character related tags which need deleting or mergingno description set

cute but deadlyDon`t be fooled — the more you stare at those precious girls, the likelier you will end up six feet under. Just like watching a solar eclipse without a protective glass, it`s not a good idea to stay near of those cuties — it`s all smoke and mirrors.

cute monsterCute monster refers to animal soldiers.

even the girls want herA female character is presented as so uniquely spectacular that even some (or all) other female characters wouldn`t mind making her their (girl)friend-with-benefits.

hirable protagonistThe protagonist in the anime will do just about anything... for the right price, of course.

popularity fetishAt least one character in this anime obsesses with being or becoming popular with the other characters. E.g. a school girl may want to become as popular as an idol (which could turn out to be not what she hoped for). Good school grades may also improve popularity, at least in fiction.

scary dadComedy element: The father of one of the usually female characters, appears to be a very menacing figure. He can be huge, often with facial scaring, and may be connected with the yakuza. Think Nogizaka Gentou or Seto Gouzaburou.

seeking protagonistThe main character has a main objective that is referenced to through the whole series; he is in search of something, or someone Should it be treasure, friends, money, power or all of the above nothing will stop our lead character in his quest to find his ion

skilled main characterThe main character in the show is very skilled in one or more tasks, often to the amazement of those around him/her.

sudden loli companion appearanceThe main character meets a preadolescent girl in an unexpected way becoming a friend / partner of the main character. (The term loli is short for Lolita meaning a girl in preadolescent age. Typical attributes are moe, cute, and innocent.)

troubled male leadThe male lead character will be in some sort of trouble within himself or only he is able to know of the trouble.

unfoundedly feared characterDue to some strange misunderstanding, or some other unfounded reason the character in the anime is feared by his contemporaries. Example: A male student with an "evil eye" is mistaken for a delinquent, and thus feared by the students in his class.

vile protagonistThe protagonist of this anime is portrayed as highly unsympathetic, cruel or even evil.

cheatingCheating is an act of lying, deception, fraud, trickery, imposture, or imposition. Cheating characteristically is employed to create an unfair advantage, usually in one`s own interest, and often at the expense of others. Cheating implies the breaking of rules. Note: In the game of Mahjong you HAVE to cheat to win.

childhood tiesAt least two of the characters share a childhood experience together that plays a part in the plot of the anime. The experience can be anything that ties them together, be it a memory, friendship, promise, tragedy, etc. Something happened to them in their childhood which binds them in a way that is unique.

childhood townThe protagonist returns to his/her childhood town after a significant period of absence. As one would expect, some things stayed the same, and some do not. Usually this involves a fair amount of amnesia on the protagonist`s part, and his/her attempts to a childhood friend/promise/memory.

covert operationsno description set

crash landingno description set

cultural referencesThe plot of this anime shows signs of cultural references, these are often jokes that make reference to a certain custom, habit or history that is specifically attributed to that culture. Knowledge of the culture itself is needed in order to properly understand these jokes.

darkDescribes the overall mood in this anime. Dark colours, a non-happy, often tragic story, dark lighting, many night scenes or constantly dark skies, and continuous rain all contribute to setting this mood. The anime will often be quite depressing to watch.

dark atmosphereUsually metaphorical. Sometimes literal. At times both! Typically this refers to the fact that the story is set in a grim, dog eat dog milieu — for example a decaying city. Often the characters are just doing what they need to do to survive, with little or no expectation that their lives can be better. And often characters may feel they do not have any real choice in what they do. And yes, occasionally the setting is actually dark — be it night or perpetually heavy cloudy sky and rain. It all adds to the oppressive, hopeless feeling of the show. You probably will not feel uplifted or happy after watching this anime.

dark moodSimilar to `Dark Atmosphere`, but more focused on the actual characters rather than the setting. A dark mood can easily result from a dark atmosphere. A dark mood is more than just occasionally feeling angry or down, it`s usually a permanent character trait that sours the character`s relationships with others. However it arises, at least one character in this anime can see little good in the world or the people in it.

dark pastWay back when, something horrible happened - like murder, betrayal, rape or cataclysm. It may have happened to a character, or been caused by a character. It may be some powerful evil that was vanquished long ago. Whatever it was, that past event will echo in the plotline of this story, providing motivation or peril for the protagonists.

deceptionno description set

dementiaSerious emotional and mental deterioration of organic or functional origin, often age-related.

demon huntDemons are tracked down and probably killed in this anime.

despairInvolves characters that may be lost in negatively emotional atmospheres created through feelings of hopelessness and suffering.

disturbingWatching the show may cause the viewer to have unpleasant feelings.

drastic change in sequelThis anime differs greatly in genre and/or overall mood from its prequel.

dreamsWaking or sleeping, the mind can go to some strange places, usually beyond the control of the dreamer. New worlds, strange creatures, unfulfilled fantasies, they are all there. Sometimes a person`s dreams can be taken over, with catastrophic consequences for the character and sometimes the real world.

dreams and realityThis genre of anime is typically set in both the world as we know it (reality) and a world of dreams, mythology or imagination. Sometimes this dreamworld is actually real, sometimes it is not. Other times what we think is the real world is the dreamworld, and vice versa. They are not always easy to distinguish from each other, neither by the characters nor the viewer. Whatever is real, and whatever is reality, both worlds are integral in shaping both the plot of this anime and the development of the characters.

ending tags that need mergingno description set

cliffhanger endingno description set

complete manga adaptationAnime ends, then manga ends

downer endingA finale that ends the story in a way that is usually truly miserable and tragic or a similarly low-key or unhappy ending to a normally "happy" series. Cruel examples of the ways this ending happens are all the major characters dying or the "bad guy" winning in a way that there`s no sight of happiness in the end.

incomplete storyThe show does not cover all the original work (if present) or was cancelled prematurely, leaving plot lines unresolved or aborting character development. Sometimes the end is entirely abrupt, leaving viewers wondering whether they`re missing the final episodes.

only the beginningThe anime shows a full story, but leaves the story line itself unfinished, ending at a point which could easily be seen as a hint for a possible sequel, where none exists. Note: Only for anime that have no sequel and are stand-alone.

series endThis marks the end of the anime series. The series may include many types, (TV, OVA, movies, etc.) but this marks the wrap-up point for all of the major story threads. The entire thing feels complete at the conclusion of this. It may or may not be the actual end of the anime series. Sometimes the producers will try to milk a dead cow and add extra episodes at the end of an anime run but those only open up new threads that usually never get closed.

tragic endingUp to the very end of the anime the viewer will hope that the story will end well and that the characters will in some way be able to solve the problems. Not so. The sense of foreboding doom could not be averted. The social or personal calamity strikes mercilessly. Examples: The catastrophic meteor strike does hit Earth after all. The long sick loved one cannot be saved. After overcoming all obstacles a random cruel event ends the life of the protagonist. A almost forgotten tragedy in the past has repercussions in the present.

twisted endingno description set

unresolved romanceAt the end of the series the main character — even though involved in one or more romances — does not choose and thus resolve the situation. Usually emotionally very disappointing for the viewer.

endless battlesBattles or tournament matches that last much longer than needed (compared to other genres) - perhaps even spanning several episodes. Filler scenes are inserted between the action scenes, painfully lengthening the screen time even further. A long roster of characters (main, secondary, even extras) watches the events, expressing their opinions about the development of the match, trying to predict the outcome, explaining the rules to those who do not know them, and showing their amazement by an oh so surprising turn of events.

everybody is niceAll characters are nice in their own way; nobody has ill intentions to others. Even if a secondary character appears to be bad at the beginning, they will redeem themselves or become tamed/pacified/neutralized swiftly.

evil americanThe US plays the evil role. Usually through their actions towards another country while playing the role of the World Police.

evil empireno description set

evil organizationThe main enemy in this show is an evil organization, that starts off with a small number of unknown goals/powerful that you learn about as the story goes on. Examples: 1 - Akatsuki from Naruto. 2 - Demon Cards from Rave Master. 3 - Gung-Ho Guns from Trigun.

experimental technologyIn generic use, experimental technology has not yet been fully proven in operating. Often only a prototype exists that`s being tested.

fight for peaceDon`t they all... The protagonists are trying to ensure long-lasting peace by fighting a vicious enemy, hoping to defeat the threat permanently.

fighting dollsno description set

fist fightno description set

flying boatsno description set

futuristic motorcycleno description set

game referencesBe it the sound of a 1-up being grabbed, three golden triangles appearing on someones shirt or a blatant parody portraying a monkey throwing barrels down a poorly constructed facility, this anime contains characteristics dedicated to the remembrance/worship of an actual video game.

ghost huntingGhost Hunting is the process of investigating locations that are reported to be haunted by ghosts. Typically, a ghost hunting team will attempt to collect evidence claimed to be ive of paranormal activity. Ghost hunters often utilize a variety of electronic equipment. Traditional techniques such as conducting interviews and researching the history of a site are also employed. Some ghost hunters refer to themselves as a paranormal investigator. While many groups claim to utilize scientific methods in their search for the ghosts, no scientific body has been able to confirm the existence of ghosts. Ghost hunting can be classified as a pseudoscience. Source: Wikipedia

girly tearsUsually girly tears are the ones not shed by men (duh). Like when a (stereotypical) girl watches something and cries her makeup out, a (stereotypical) dude just says, proclaiming his masculinity: "Meh, yet another soap opera bulls..t, I`ll be in my garage fixing my ride while playing heavy metal on a burning guitar ...with my teeth! And where`s my beer, woman?". So that`s how it goes: girly tears are for girls and sissies! Chuck Norris forbid a guy would weep watching something that has this tag! Now 20 push-ups! P.S. The opposite of "manly tears". Or is it? Let`s face it - it`s all subjective (and relative, and context-dependent).

growing hairno description set

hallucinationHallucinations can occur when excessive amount of drugs (normally illegal) are consumed / injected / smoked. A person hallucinating cannot differentiate between reality & falsehoods. Surroundings & environment looks crazy, bright and colourful. Everything seems to be moving.

hand signsCharacters form attacks through a succession of special hand signs.

harem member povThe main character is a member of a "harem"; one of many rivals for the romantic affections of another character. This stands in contrast to standard harem anime, which presents the main character as the harem "owner".

hidden agendaSomeone or some organization/government/etc. is misrepresenting themselves by doing/saying one thing while hoping/striving for something else.

hidden baseSomeone wants to be secretive when he plans to take over the world...

hidden powerFor some reason or another a character has powers (or potential) he or she can`t access and may not even know about. In some anime these hidden powers are used quite frequently to overcome an enemy or threat (e.g. Naruto, Bleach).

high-class worldSome of the characters in this anime live in a "high-class world". Usually this means that, they are rich and/or quite influential.

human - god relationshipThe anime explores the relationship between a mere human and a god. This usually comes with a "sense of foreboding".

human - non-human relationshipThe relationship between a human and a non-human — be it alien, or artificial — is explored in this anime. This usually means between a male human and a female (humanoid) alien or AI (avatar).

human psycheHow that grey mass inside the skulls of us earthlings works.

i got a crush on youIt happens when a person develops an interest in someone that seems mysterious, smart, sexy, cute, fun, etc. Basically just someone you would like to spend more time with. Crushes are usually one sided and they happen more frequently among middle and high school students. A person with a crush usually has a hard time expressing or conveying his/her feelings to that other person. That other person is usually clueless of the situation. Sometimes that person knows about the crush, but feels annoyed or embarrassed by it for some reason. Having a crush on someone does not mean you are in love with that person, at least not yet. Depending on the situation crushes could develop differently (for better or worse): 1) Larger scale interactions (love). 2) Dating relationships. 3) Scary obsession or stalker type situations. 4) Disappear over time or distance.

illnessIt could be life threatening, debilitating or just an annoyance, but one character in this anime has a disease that affects not only them but those around them. Friends and family may need to help the character perform day to day activities, or nurse them round the clock. Sometimes the character recovers, sometimes not. The attitude of the character to their illness can be inspiring or galling to the viewer... some characters rise above their illness, but others use it as an excuse to do whatever they want and take advantage of others. And then there are the hypochondriacs...

improbable physicsThe physics in this anime have little to do with real-world physics, and are actually very much exaggerated. Examples: Cars hitting a tiny obstacle, but then flying through the air for no apparent reason, or flimsy bullets slamming heavy characters clear across the room.

inconclusive romantic plotThis tag refers to unresolved romance in a series. It`s common in harem anime, but may also appear in normal romance series (especially if they are incomplete adaptations of novels or manga). The protagonist doesn`t choose any of his love interests in the end and doesn`t dump any of them either. This tag does not refer to those (few) series where protagonist actually chooses all the girls on his own accord (i.e. Sekirei).

internetIt`s not a big truck. It`s a series of tubes.

introspectionThe characters in this anime do not walk through life simply accepting how they are, but quite on the contrary constantly try to understand their own motives, feelings and reactions to the other protagonists. This self-searching included the questions: "Who am I?", "What makes me tick?", "What do I want?", "What do others expect of me?", etc.

it`s time to duelIndividual characters frequently face each other head-on, usually for a prize.

kamikazeLiterally means "divine wind" or "god`s wind" in Japanese. A suicide attacker, specifically the WWII Japanese pilots, that flew their planes into Allied ships and other targets.

killing criminalsno description set

libraryIn a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed.

life forceLife force exists in many forms and is known under many names. It is the invisible fuel that runs human bodies and is resistent against scientific research and explanation. However, this very energy is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. Especially in mahou shoujo anime, the big bad evil will always try to steal it for their plans, bad guys from outer space will need it as food and even the good guys will often use their life force to bring back dead to life again, eventually sacrificing their life in the course of such an event. Other energy sources known to mankind are the power of love and the power of friendship.

light-heartedNot being burdened by trouble, worry, or care; happy and carefree. Just a casual and feel-good watch.

living together with godDivine roommate

living weaponsAt least one usually quite powerful weapon in this anime is actually a living being, e.g. a cute girl, that can transform into a weapon, like a sword or a dagger. In any case the weapon is not a static object, i.e. dead, but living. Thus this can imply a form of regeneration when damaged.

living with the villainBoth, hero and villain have their secret identities. They live next door, go to the same school, work at the same place or even are best friends. But little do they know that in another part of their life they are the worst enemies. And yet they just do not recognize each other when they are out of their costumes.

lonely atmosphereno description set

longingOne or more characters yearn for some person or some place.

lost loveno description set

love letterOne of the characters in the anime receives a love letter, usually stashed away in their school shoe locker. Or in other cases a girl might directly give the love letter to the boy she loves. Plot device to further the relationship between characters, may also be used as comedic element creating awkward situations.

loyaltyLoyalty is faithfulness or a devotion to a person, country, group, or cause.

machiavellian intriguesNamed after Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (3 May 1469 - 21 June 1527). Machiavelli is considered one of the founders of modern political science, and was a philosopher and diplomat. He is famous for his political treatise `The Prince`, which is essentially a manual about the acquisition and maintenance of power, including the need for deceit and the application of armed force. It is the use of deceit from which the term `Machievellian` derives. This term generally applies to a person who uses deceit to manipulate others for their own amoral (and usually power hungry) ends. This anime contains at least one character whose intrigues drive the plot.

magical creaturesMagical creatures are beings associated with a fantasy setting, thus do not exist in reality. Apparently they were "created of" or "powered by" magic. An incantation may have brought them into existence. Examples: A legendary creature, a mythological or folkloric creature, a fairy or demon, ...

main character diesAt least one of the main characters in the anime dies.

man the hell up!There is a male character in this anime that is overall not very manly. Most of the time he starts off as your typical high school student. In time there are, through major changes in his life, several more characteristics added to his personality. Usually these add up to be extremely pathetic and the character becomes quite annoying. This goes along with the viewers wish for him to get over it and do something about it. Hence, he should "Man the hell up!".

manipulationWhen someone else is pulling the strings.

manly tearsSomewhere down the line, it became the "norm" that boys don`t cry. The scenario does not matter; shedding tears is the ultimate no-no in of what you can and cannot do as a man (at least in the West, anyway). But there comes a time when a man`s emotions do get the better of him, and they pour forth - as prerequisite an imioned speech may or may not be present - by cascading down his cheeks. These are what we like to call "manly tears". Extremely powerful. Not limited but often used in hot-blooded / super robot shows. Examples include Yuusha Ou GaoGaiGar, Getter Robo and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. The opposite of manly tears are "girly tears".

mecha musumeno description set

mental cinemaThe ability to imagine all kinds of things, as if they were real.

mind fuckA `mind fuck` is a slang term which describes a work that uses literary devices such as nonlinear storytelling and plot twists in order to present convoluted, yet not conflicting, themes. A creation is usually considered a mind fuck when a casual observer is not able to discern the true meaning of a work without making a serious attempt to unravel the themes presented or when the plot is incredibly difficult to follow. Special examples of mind fucks involve a single plot twist which completely changes the viewer`s understanding of the events in a film or novel as well as the ideas it presents.

mind gamesAn act or series of acts of calculated psychological manipulation, especially in order to confuse or intimidate.

misunderstandingSuggests that a large portion of storyline revolves around a rather large misunderstanding between two or more characters, usually forming long lasting situations of separation or hostility between all those involved. A large portion of the story may be dedicated to gradually working all parties into a mutual understanding to true intentions or changes of heart.

monologuesThis show features a noticeable amount of screen time during which characters talk to themselves. That is usually a way to display to the viewers what the characters are thinking. When used in excess, it may be a sign of poor storytelling, but when done skillfully, it may be excellent comedy fuel.

motivational animeThe anime motivates doing something which is shown in the show (for example club activity, sports, choosing a job, a hobby etc).

mutationExtreme physical deformation from the norm.

Nazisno description set

nervous breakdownA character sees his entire world being destroyed around him, and his brain can`t take it anymore.

nightmaresOne or more characters in the anime are plagued by bad dreams. Possible causes: A traumatic experience in the past or induced by an external "presence".

occultHaving to do with paranormal or metaphysical activity and/or phenomena. Beyond the range of ordinary knowledge or understanding. The unseen.

odd jobsA character (or several of them) in the anime takes on various jobs.

old animetags - OP EDno description set

preview in edFor some reason the director decided to show the preview during the ending sequence. In some cases the preview might be after the ending animation, but still during the ending theme.

recap in openingA short recap of the previous episode(s) is included in the opening sequence. This can result in an opening longer than the traditional 1m30s.

ominous futureno description set

only makes sense with original work knowledgeno description set

organic spaceshipThe primary design of the spaceships in this anime seem to be organic in nature. This is quite rare in sci-fi, and hints at certain regenerative properties of these ships, i.e. damage can automatically be repaired. Or that the ships need not be "built", but can be "grown". It might even imply a consciousness on the part of the spaceship. Typically spaceships are made of "dead" inorganic materials, though.

out-of-body experienceOut of Body Experience

overcoming adversityHang in there! Overcoming problems of different variety. Sometimes the journey is as important as the goal.

pactA pact, from Latin pactum ("something agreed upon"), is a formal agreement. Within anime as a medium is usually entails some sort of sacrifice on one`s part in the exchange for power.

piledriverAs you can see, the characters shirts were torn from a fight as they were previously wrestling. They seem to wrestle a lot in the show and most of the time you just see them doing the choke hold wrong and giving each other piledrivers.

play or dieThe protagonist(s) are forced into a situation where they have to partake in some form of event, often a game of death, unless they want to bid farewell to their life.

poetryThe anime is based upon, around or contains significant references to poetry

political unrestno description set

power corruptsno description set

psychedelicno description set

psychologicalDirected toward dealing with or affecting the mind, especially as a function of awareness, feeling, or motivation.

psychological manipulationPsychological manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the perception or behaviour of others through underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics. By advancing the interests of the manipulator, often at the other`s expense, such methods could be considered exploitative, abusive, devious, and deceptive. Social influence is not necessarily negative. For example, doctors can try to persuade patients to change unhealthy habits. Social influence is generally perceived to be harmless when it respects the right of the influenced to accept or reject it, and is not unduly coercive. Depending on the context and motivations, social influence may constitute underhanded manipulation. (Source: Wikipedia)

quantum mechanicsQuantum mechanics (or physics) is a set of principles that describe the physical world (everything that is material) in of atoms and subatomic particles (e.g. electrons, photons, neutrons, quarks) and the relations between them. (See wikipedia for detailed info). The story or plot used in this anime is directly related with one or more of this principles; mainly the simultaneous wave-like and particle-like behavior of all matter and radiation, or the "Heisenberg uncertainty principle" (one can never know both the location and the speed of a particle with all certainty). Sometimes just some of quantum mechanics are used in the anime, like "Schrödinger`s cat" or "synchrotron radiation", to make the story more "real".

recruiting teammatesno description set

reincarnationOne of the main characters was reborn in another body.

religious conflictsno description set

religious persecutionno description set

restaurantno description set

resurrectionAt least one character in this anime is brought back from the dead or from a near-death experience. This is achieved by either very advanced technology or simply magic.

RPG aspectsThe anime shows elements of a `R`ole `P`laying `G`ame, either as part of a parody or because the anime is actually based on an RPG. Typical elements: When collecting items, beating opponents, or levelling up a distinct (often childishly sounding) sound cue is played. A HUD (`H`eads `U`p `D`isplay) may also be presenting in combat, showing vital player and "enemy" statistics.

ruinsno description set

rural townThe rural town is one that is either isolated from what is considered "normal" society or it is so far away from the city centre that there are not a lot of buildings. Some rural towns do not have the technology of the city (and some want it that way), while others just seem to be behind the times. Most of these towns have some sort of farming culture or inn culture.

sea monstersno description set

secret military unitA military unit not publicly known or even unknown to the most parts of the military itself is involved. This includes also former of those kind of special units that are now part of "normal" units or retired.

secret serviceA secret service describes a government agency, or the activities of a government agency, concerned with the gathering of intelligence data. The tasks and powers of a secret service can vary greatly from one country to another. For instance, a country may establish a secret service which has some policing powers (such as surveillance) but not others. The powers and duties of a government organization may be partly secret and partly not. The organization may be said to operate openly at home and secretly abroad, or vice versa. Secret police and intelligence agencies can usually be considered secret services. (Source: Wikipedia)

sense of forebodingThe anime starts off quietly, everything seems to be fine, but from episode to episode the signs that something ominous is about to happen increase. E.g. a typical mystery setting.

slow motionThe character`s movements are slowed down for greater impact, a dramatic effect. Or bullets, missiles, thrown weapons, etc. are are slowed as to show greater detail and/or for more visual impact, the body being hit and showing the effects of each one hitting it. For example the Matrix movies show how visually stunning this can be.

small townno description set

some weird shit goin` onScenes of this show point to insanely strange events which seem to be taking place; throughout its episodes, the show may or may not explain what is going on. Either way, many viewers will find that a succinct and accurate way to describe the show is "WTF?", and the show`s explanations (or lack thereof) to the events will often be subject of heated debate.

spacing outA comedy element: The character starts to daydream or fantasize about some topic. The typical complete lack of reality makes the spacing out funny. Especially when the protagonist mumbles to himself / herself and friends hear this. Promptly teasing the possibly lovestruck and very embarrassed protagonist.

special bulletCustom made bullets that have special effects (and often shapes, too), which take action when hitting the enemy/ally.

spiritsSpirits will appear throughout this anime. These will often be depicted as small orbs of glowing light, or transparent images of the deceased. Not to be mistaken with "I see dead people", these spirits will usually appear at the location of their departure when the characters have gotten close to the truth surrounding their death. Or as plot element, when a spirit will often stay close to a character as a sort of "Guardian Angel". Although they are never actually seen, their presence is sometimes felt.

spiritual powersA reality where spiritual or supernatural power is shown to exist in the world, objects, or in characters (not the same as spell-craft, science, or fantasy based powers).

starsHeavenly bodies that twinkle and sparkle in the night sky; sometimes beautifully and serenely, sometimes ominously. In some way, the plot is related to them.

strategyInstead of blindly running into a battle or trap, at least one of the protagonists devises a clever strategy to significantly improve the odds of victory.

superstitionno description set

surrealRefers to things or occurrences that are generally bizarre or dreamlike, with the relentless capability of replacing reality through the eyes of the beholder. Surrealism is boundless, limited only by thought itself.

symbiotic creaturesSome creatures form symbiotic relationships with humans in this anime.

symbolismRepresentation of a more complex concept by a simple thing. Like a red flower for love or a flag for a nation.

tacticsno description set

time dilationTime dilation is a scientific phenomena related to relativity, basically stating that for an observer onboard a spaceship travelling at a certain speed, time es more slowly than it would for an observer on Earth. When near-lightspeed travel becomes involved, the effects become quite drastic: a person might go on a space journey that seems to him to last one year and, on returning, find that 10 years have ed on Earth.

transforming guardianGuardian-like characters in this anime, e.g. Guardian Angels, will actually transform into another usually "powered up" version of themselves.

transforming weaponsThis anime features transforming weapons, this can either be cars or household appliances that transform into weapons, such as transformers or weapons that themselves transform into bigger badder shapes to deal more and more damage.

trappedThe anime takes place inside a building or some kind of landform from which the characters can`t get out.

tuningPimp your ride to get better performance where it matters, slick paint jobs, or stupid things like TV displays in your exhaust pipe. Placing a "PRO GT-R PERFORMANCE" bumper sticker in your ride is NOT tuning!

twisted loveno description set

ukiyo-eA genre of Japanese woodblock printing and painting, featuring motifs of landscapes, tales from history, the theatre, and pleasure quarters.

undefeatable spaceshipno description set

undercoverBe it the spy, the criminal or the police, someone pretends to be a person they aren`t in order to obtain information or something of value.

unintentional comedyThis anime contains certain elements intended to be serious, dramatic, or sad. However, these elements wind up provoking laughter instead.

unlikely duoComedy element: There is usually not only a difference in gender but also in appearance, character, and background concerning the main characters of this anime. Making it very unlikely for them to appear in the same context. Non-the-less they share the same adventure, as in "opposites attract". These differences are exploited to come up with all sorts of wacky situations. Examples: A demon-killer or Hero and the daughter of the Demon King. A girl from a normal family and a very intelligent and attractive boy from a very rich background (Shoujo). A very energetic outgoing girl and her very calm almost introverted best friend.

world governmentWhen a whole planet (e.g. Earth or a fictional planet) has one single government.

you`re my hidden weapon!One or more characters (females usually) turn into weapons or release them from their body to be used by their teammate or partner in times of need. Examples: Himemiya Anthy from Shoujo Kakumei Utena, Soul from Soul Eater, Kureha from Shining x Tears Wind, and Yuzuriha Inori from Guilty Crown.

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