Too look at the word “Renaissance” meaning flourishing, a revival of an culture or art, I am so inclined to agree with the masses and internet saying the rise of shojo has been making a comeback.
Read more: Shoujo Renaissance Revival
Getting to write anything lately has been annoying but I wanted to least give a short spill on my thoughts that shojo over the last three years has made a comeback. What made me think of this was Kimi Ni Todoke S3 return for me, the rise of different shoujo directions has been there, romance, fantasy, isekai and beyond that. The gears have been turning towards female curated titles A Sign Of Affection and Honey Lemon Soda to name a couple stole my heart soon after Kimi Ni Todoke and maybe that is where my re-obsession for titles like this resurged. I am watching titles more like this than before honestly almost weekly being in my middle prime now, you crave for what you once consumed mountains.
Loving anime for over a decade I remember the personal dry spell of shoujo titles 2010 and 2015 for me it was. Snow White With The Red Hair rekindled something at a time simulcast seasonal watching really took off. The flavours of shojo have manifested into more than romance from what I thought I once knew, powerful woman, magical girls, adult romance, complex themes of the heart to name a few.
The most thing to notice is the rekindling for older titles to be noticed, an example out of the blue being hit with a Red River anime adaptation:
I was going “WTF” when I saw it appear on my twitter feed. The pleading from fans just to get a manga reprint all these years later was painful and they got it but. . . just serve on a shojo platter like nothing is new of adapting titles on the yearly. This was one of many moments I’ve experienced this past 6 months that just didn’t make sense but here it is. While I am excited it also makes me apprehensive for the treatment of the series. Red River is full of classic shojo tropes and full of many misconceptions that make it for the thrill ride it is for romance fans. This is one element I expect to see in the anime, the ridiculousness of what occurs is why it has made its name. My apprehensive extends to recent announcements of Magical Knight Rayearth, Dengeki Daisy and From Far Away. I’m saying in a neutral fashion my apprehension not like others full on hating on things that haven’t even aired yet or made it to the screen. The excitement of a being a long time fan of shows like this may seem like it blinds you to questioning the handling of the series and direction but honestly let me say what can you do?
Honestly,
Seeing a story alive in anime format is going to blind you and I’d rather that consume me than become overly critical of something that hasn’t manifested yet. If it’s shit or amazing I’ll deal with my feelings by being a fair critic then than a completed apprehensive dick at the start. I want to bask in the shojo being served especially 2026, clearly demonstration has been proven of more female curated titles for us and others. I am happy fan to say the least so having a shojo renaissance deserves me sipping on red wine every time we have a resurgence don’t you think haha.
