Anime/Princess Mononoke

What is the 'Shojo' and how does it often function in Anime?

"Shojo" means to be a genre of Japanese comics and animated films aimed primarily at a young female audience, typically characterized by an intense focus on personal and romantic relationships" (Dictonary.com, 2015). "Shojo" literally means "young girl" (Napier, 2005)
, the function of this character in Anime is to attract young female audience to the story line of the "Shojo" and perhaps relate to the "Shojo" character. The anime are called Shojo Manga which indicates that the anime is for female readership. 
According to Wakeling (n.d) "the Japanese term “shōjo” is particularly useful to gender discussions of the Japanese girl. It is a way of referring to someone as feminine, but with a distinct suggestion of youth" (Wakeling, Vol 5).

The function of the "Shojo" character in anime has changed over time, although the "Shojo" character is supposedly characterized by the focus on personal and romantic relationships. Mizyaki films depicts the "Shojo" character differently. Miziyaki reverses the common depiction of the "Shojo" by illustrating his female characters to be strong willed, independent and powerful. This illustration of strong-willed and powerful "Shojo" is seen in the character of San in Princess Mononoke in which this character is a wild warrior that had been raised by wolves. San from princess Mononoke is  also courageous in trying to protect the forest by going to war with the humans that are trying to destroy the forest and kill all the magical creatures in the forest. 

The "Shojo" character of San from Princess Mononoke also makes her different from other characteristics of other female characters because San embraces the fact that she has been raised by an animal and is not afraid to adapt to an animal like attitude or the way she appears or speaks. Sans character steers away from the domesticated obedient stereotype of an Asian "shojo" girl.  Napier (2005) that these "Shojo" characters are associated with the masculine hero specifically with with the characteristics of being active, adventurous, courageous.  

 Callavaro, D (p.11) did however say that he believes that Mizyaki characters are still without a doubt "shojo" in relation to their age and general appearance. The film Princess Mononoke was also the highest grossing film in the history of Japanese anime films "Cost 19.6 Million to produce, a record for anime" (p. 120). 

Another interesting charatcer in the Mizyaki film is lady Eboshi in Mononoke, though she is not a young female character but she also squashed the stereotype of "Men being in power and also the stereotype of women being characterized as being helpless, innocent and powerless". In Mononoke she is evil, kills a GOD and is the protector of iron town. 


References

Callavaro, D. (2006). The anime art of Hayao Miyazaki. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co

Napier, S. (2005). Anime from Akira to Howl's moving castle. (p. 11-12). New York: Palgrave

Shojo Manga. (2015). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Djo_manga

Wakeling, E. (n.d). Girls are dancing, Shojo Culture. Retrieved from http://pdf.jpf-sydney.org/newvoices/5/chapter6.pdf