"Bishounen" (JP) is a term for a young male character with a beautiful face. They have more gentle features and are considered to be a pretty boy.
Etymology
Meaning of the Term
Bishounen (美少年) is a combination of "bi" (美), meaning "beautiful", and "shounen" (少年), meaning "young boy". It is a Japanese term for young males with 'feminine' or androgynous beauty traits. This includes having softer, more round features.[2]
The term "shounen" refers to school-aged boys between the ages of 7-18. Young men between 18-30 are called "seinen" or "biseinen" (beautiful young man) instead.[3]
Origin
The first known use of the term "bishounen" can be traced back to at least 1643.[4]
However, it did not have its current meaning until the 1990s. Originally the term "bishounen" referred to beautiful young people of either gender and meant "beautiful youth". This changed after the creation of the female only term "bishoujo" (beautiful girl) for beautiful girls in the 1990s, leading to the gender neutral term being used exclusively for boys.[2]
Localization
The term is also sometimes romanized as bishōnen or bishonen.[1]
It is usually localized in English as "pretty boy".[5]
Misuse
The term "bishounen" is widely used with a different meaning that how it is used in Japan. Especially in the United States, it is widely used to refer to boys and men of any age regardless of whether they are actually a shounen (young boy) or not. American historians also put a great amount of emphasis on these men being "submissive" and "feminine", but Japanese historians refute these claims arguing that American historians have misinterpreted the meaning and used it for their own agenda.[6]
History
Bishounen characters are most prevalent in shoujo manga, as a way to appeal to the female readers and are very popular among girls and women.
Characteristics
Bishounen are young boys with a beautiful face.
They are commonly depicted as being slender, with big, beautiful eyes and no body or facial hair. They typically also have longer hair.
Personality
Hijiri Koganei and his adoring fans from Romantic Killer
Bishounen characters can possess any personality traits, as this archetype is solely about their physical appearance being beautiful, however, in media bishounen characters often have some mix of the following personalities.
Bishounen are most often very polite and charming, or even flirtatious people. They have a lot of confidence in their appearance and are not afraid to flaunt their beauty. Because of this, they are usually very popular amongst females and may even have lots of adoring fans. Some bishounen may let this go to their head and become very entitled or arrogant because of the attention they are getting, thinking they are more beautiful than everyone else.
Bishounen will often behave in ways that are considered elegant. They refuse to act in ways that are not considered "beautiful" or that are undignified, such as rough housing or sports. A lot of bishounen will behave like a true gentleman in public. In a social setting, they sometimes can even be the "parent" of the group, who tends to be mature, and patient, and be the one who keeps the peace among the group.
Other bishounen may have what is seen as a more gentle or "feminine" personality. They will have a gentle personality and be more in touch with their feelings. These characters usually have interests that rely on aesthetic abilities that are typically associated with girls; for instance hairstyling or fashion.
Differences From Other Archetypes
When it comes to comparing bishounen to ikemen, the difference is that bishounen are more on the "cute" side while ikemen are more on the "cool" and "hot" side.
Unlike otokonoko characters they don't look identical to women, they are just more in touch with their beauty and appearance. Otokonoko characters will cross-dress in women's clothing and are almost unrecognizable as a male, unlike bishounen who are just considered as beautiful boys and still look masculine.
Similar Archetypes
- Ikemen: A term for a male character who is cool, stylish, and incredibly handsome.
- Monster Danshi: A term for a beautiful male character who shares traits with a monster.
- Otokonoko: A term for a male character that looks like a woman.
List of Characters
Gallery
 Hijiri Koganei from Romantic Killer  Tamaki Suoh from Ouran Koukou Host Club  Tamaki Suoh from Ouran Koukou Host Club  Kurama from Yu☆Yu☆Hakusho  Alice Asmodeus from Mairimashita! Iruma-kun  Nagahiro Sakiguchi from Bishonen Tanteidan |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bishonen Tanteidan. Shaft (2021/04/11).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 What is Bishonen. Pixiv Encyclopedia (2010/11/19). “Originally, it meant "a beautiful child" regardless of gender, but now it refers exclusively to "a young boy with beautiful looks.”
- ↑ What is Biseinen. Pixiv Encyclopedia (2012/04/26). “A young man of beautiful appearance.”
- ↑ Bishounen. KotoBank (2024/12/10). “A boy with a beautiful face. (2) A boy of good looks. [The first example] "There is a bishounen named Yuxin in the Tang Dynasty who is not to be found in the 400-odd provinces of the Tang Dynasty" (source: Kana Zoshi, Xinyu Ki (1643)).”
- ↑ Pretty Boy Detective Club. Kodansha (2021/07/21). “Who’s your pretty boy? A mysterious group known as the Pretty Boy Detective Club is rumored to solve (and perhaps cause) most of the trouble at Yubiwa Academy—in a strictly unofficial, undercover, uncommercial capacity, of course. In order to find a star she glimpsed ten years ago, second-year Mayumi Dojima enlists the Pretty Boy’s aid, and gets much more than she bargained for! When they run up against a shadowy organization called the Twenties, stargazing is suddenly the least of their worries. Mayumi’s entire future is in jeopardy, and the Pretty Boy Detective Club must race to solve the Mystery of the Dark Star before time runs out!”
- ↑ Bishounen. Wikipedia JA. “Bishonen (美少年) refers to boys and men who are underage and cute or cool in appearance. In modern times, outside of Japan and especially in the United States, the term "bishonen" refers to beautiful men. They do not necessarily have to be young; any man of good looks can be called "bishonen" even if he is older. Many American historians and sociologists believe that this concept applies to all men, regardless of age or context, and that this is evidence of a submissive feminine ideal for Japanese men. Many Japanese historians, however, refute this and argue that American historians have misinterpreted the concept. They also accuse them of being racist or of trying to rationalize their support for homosexuality by exploiting a foreign and misunderstood culture.”
| v • eAndrogynous Archetypes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Female |
Bokukko ♡ Dansou no Reijin ♡ Ikemen Joshi ♡ Orekko ♡ Otenba Musume ♡ Otoko Masari | |
| Male |
Bishounen ♡ Josou Danshi ♡ Okama ♡ Otokonoko ♡ Nekama | |
| Both | ||