One of the most popular kinds of manga is known as shonen, which includes adventure stories aimed at boys up to around age 18. Of the many shonen titles and series, some of the most globally popular are "Dragonball" and "Dragonball Z," which were launched in the 1980s and follow the adventures of the young warrior Goku. These and other shonen titles are marked by fast-paced action, unusual heroes and villains, and sometimes juvenile male-oriented humor. Other popular shonen series include "Mobile Suit Gundam" and "Naruto."
Shojo manga tends to be targeted to adolescent girls and often involves more romance and character development than the type of action typical of shonen manga. However, many shojo characters are involved in adventures. Popular shojo titles include "Sailor Moon" and "Princess Ai." A sub-category of shojo, known as maho shojo, or "magical girl," has numerous titles and a large following. "Sailor Moon" is among the best-known maho shojo series internationally, while other popular titles include "Princess Tutu" and "Cardcaptor Sakura."
Kodomo manga is geared toward young children and often has an educational angle. Characters learn about science and history, for example, while following the adventures of the main characters. One one of the most enduring kodomo characters is Doraemon, a robotic cat from the 22nd century who travels to present-day Japan and helps Nobita, a fourth-grade boy who struggles with his schoolwork, baseball and all the aspects of childhood.
Dojinshi is fan-created manga, usually based on an existing and popular series. This kind of fan-fiction is often published online and shared among manga fans. Often, dojinshi involves humorously pornographic or adult-oriented twists on series that may be geared toward a more general audience. Some dojinshi, however, is completely original, just drawn and written in traditional manga style.