Shōnen, shonen, or shounen manga(少年漫画shōnen manga) is manga aimed at a male audience. It appeals to a large age group, ranging from about 10 to 42 years old, though its primary audience stays roughly between the ages of 10 and 18. The Kanji characters (少年) mean "boy" or "youth"; the characters (漫画) mean "cartoon" or "comic". The complete phrase literally means "young person's comic" or simply "boys' comic". Shōnen manga has been said to be the most popular form of manga. The female equivalent to shōnen manga is shōjo manga.