Bishonen/Bishounen -  this is a term use to describe a male anime character having  a feminine features. The word Bishonen can also mean a beautiful young man.

 

Chan - from the Japanese, meaning "darling" or "little one". A suffix attached to names, only used with a child, or for women and girls. Animals, females, and children are the most commonly associated things with this suffix.

 

Chibi - short and tiny.

 

Chotto - a term literally means "a little". When exclaimed it means "wait!" or "hold on!". Most commonly used when anime characters are being pulled off somewhere.

 

Con - this is a short cut term for "convention". There are a lot of kinds of conventions. In regards to the anime genre, a convention consists commonly of dealer's rooms full of imported CD's, posters, and other Japanese anime merchandise, video rooms which show different kinds of anime, panels of guests or fans discussing various issues, masquerade/cosplay, artist sketches and drawings, and much more. Cons are a way of gathering large groups of anime fans in one place to have fun and have a good time talking anime. 

 

Cosplay - to dress up like your  favorite anime characters. Cosplay was derived from  the word costume and play.

 

Dojo -  a practice hall for the martial arts.

 

Doshite -  this type of expression is mostly used by your favorite anime characters, which literally means "why?" or "what do you mean?".

 

Doujinshi -  a non-official sanctioned manga usually produced by amateur fan or professional manga artists.

Dub -  form of anime which has been translated by non-Japanese into the culture's native language, in order to understand the dialogue. Commonly such translations involve fitting the words of the native language such that when the voice actor says their lines, they match perfectly with the anime character's moving mouth . As a result, translations may be lost, altered, or otherwise changed from the original Japanese dialogue. 

ED -  Ending or Ending Song  in anime. This expression  is usually played when the credits are rolling after an episode in conjunction with an animation or art sequence.

Ecchi -  an adult oriented genre of anime or manga.

Eyecatch -  this refers to a 5-10 second sequence played at the "halfway" point of a particular anime episode. Since Japanese television typically has only one commercial break in a 30-minute time block, eyecatches are usually played at 15 minutes into the episode. Sometimes there are two eyecatches (one for going to commercial and one for coming from commercial), and they can consist of comedic, cute, or serious sequences.

Fanart -  a fan-drawn anime-style characters and scenes. Most fanart tends to be of existing anime characters, but some are in it's original form. An example of fanart could be seen in the "Envelope Art" submitted to anime magazines each month, in which fans drew their favorite anime characters or scenes onto an envelope and send them in.

Fanboy -  a term used to describe a male anime fan of near-religious and rabid love for anime, anime characters, and the anime lifestyle.  The term can be used to describe someone with no social or personal life outside of anime. A stereotypical fanboy defends and loves anime, or the characters they happen to like in anime.Another definition for this term can be attributed to someone with an intense love for anime.

Fandub -  anime in the original Japanese that is dubbed by fans for distribution in the anime community. Fandubs are much rarer to find than their more notorious counterpart, the fansub, for many reasons - some of which being: equipment costs, accuracy, and quality/competancy of the voice acting. S

Fanfic -  another term  for "fanfiction", this is a term used to describe original works of fiction based off of an existing source or series. These works are unofficial and do not claim ownership of the characters or series from which they are basing their work on.

Fangirl -  a term used to describe a female anime fan of near-religious and rabid love for anime, anime characters, and the anime lifestyle. These people are less common than "fanboys", and as a result the term carries less of the derogatory stereotypes that are associated with its more prominent gender counterpart. 

Fanservice -  unnecessary scenes, shots, and pictures of anime characters which have nothing to do with the story or anime and exist merely to please the fans and give them what they want to see. Most commonly this is seen in the form of  female characters in revealing shots and poses which have nothing to do with the story but which serve to show their bodies off, much to the delight of the male fans. Cute creatures and shots of creatures can also be used as a service to fans who have a liking for such things.

Fansub -  an anime that is subtitled by  anime fans.

Fuku -  a Japanese meaning for "suit" or "uniform". Fukus are most commonly seen as part of a consistent dress code followed by Japanese school children and students. Fukus can also be seen in military functions.

Gaijin -  a Chinese borrowed word, literally meaning "foreign person" or "stranger". This expression is most commonly used to describe a foreigner (non-Japanese) or someone from another country or culture. 

Glomp -  this is used to describe a very strong hug in an anime scene. Usually the one doing this action is usually one who has a strong romantic interest for the person he or she is hugging. Such a hug is done in an attaching, cloying way, such that the person being hugged could drag the hugger around a room and still not loosen their grip.

Hajime no Ippo -  First step

Hentai -  an anime/manga equivalent of  pornography.

Japanimation -  a combined words for  "Japanese" and "Animation", this is used to refer to animation from Japan and the industry as a whole. 

Katana -  sword

Kodomo -  used to refer to anime which aims at little children, similar in content and theme to some American cartoons. The word Kodomo could also mean child or children.

Kohai -  this type of expression can sometimes be heard from our  favorite anime character expressing a more fraternal, work-based environments, the term is used in conjunction with "sempai" to illustrate senior/junior member distinctions. The word Kohai can also mean apprentice or underclassman.

Koutetsu Tenshi Kurumi -  Steel Angel Kurumi or Iron Angel Kurumi

Kun -  literally means "friend" or "associate". This is used most commonly between those who are of a close, non-romantic relationship or those of equal status. This type of expression is only used for men and boys, and never for a senior or superior.

Mahou Syoujyo Neko Taruto  -  Magical Cat Girl Taruto 

Manga -  a Japanese word for comic book.

Manga-ka -  anyone who creates manga. Also known as a manga artist.

 

Mecha -  a Japanese derivation of "Mechanical" and loosely refers to any large humanoid robots.

 

OVA/OAV -  Original  Video Animation

 

OP -  Opening. Used to refer to the opening song in a Japanese anime. Usually the opening theme conveys the mood of the series and introduces what kind of action will be portrayed in the anime.

riginal  Video Animation

 

OST -  Original  Sound Track, complete music from an anime.

 

Otaku -  literally means "house". In Japan, the term refers to someone with a heavy, and sometimes near-religious interest in something. In the Japanese culture it also carries a derogatory meaning, in the context of being someone with no real social or personal life outside of the object of their obsession (much like the term "fanboy" or "nerd" in Western culture). However, outside of Japan, the term may or may not carry a derogatory meaning depending on the person being referred to. Many anime fans in Western cultures proudly call themselves otaku, preferring to use the term to describe themselves as a "hard core", or knowledgeable, anime fan.

 

Raw -  refers to an anime that is in original Japanese form, without any dubbing or subbing. 

 

Rekka no Honou -  Flame of Rekka

 

Sakura Taisen -  Cherry Wars

 

Sama -  sama is most often used to address persons of much higher rank or nobility. It can also be used by someone in the case of addressing someone for whom you have great respect or even romantic interest. Some translations give it a meaning of dear or darling, eventhough this meaning is not always the case.

 

San -  san is the most commonly used suffix heard in anime and it is usually employed when addressing an acquaintance or one of equal status.

 

Seiyuu -  either a male or female anime voice actor.

 

Shonen - an anime/manga that is directed at a young boy audience.

 

Shojo/Shoujo  - an anime/manga that is directed at a young girl audience.

 

Sub - short cut for Subtitled, this is used to refer to anime that has been subtitled in another language, in order that they might be able to understand the dialogue while at the same time preserving the original voices and script of the Japanese. 

 

Suki Suki Majyo-Sensei -  I like my witch teacher

 

Super Deformed - refers to anime characters drawn in squished, miniturized versions of themselves, for the purpose of increasing comedic or cuteness value. Animated characters drawn in this manner tend to behave exactly as their "life size" counterparts, and exaggerate actions on-screen.

 

Syukan Jyosei -  a  weekly manga magazine directed at  an adult woman audience.