There are a few words you need to know the meaning of when getting into anime heres a quick run down of the main basic terms and phrases you should know. ^_^
Anime – The Japanese word for “animation” has become associated with Japan’s unique style of animated films and television. Anime encompasses many different genres and is typically either adapted from or into manga.
Manga – Literally the Japanese word for “comic book,” manga typically refers to a uniquely Asian style of trade paperbacks from Japan, Korea, and China. Manga is usually smaller than traditional graphic novels (often digest-sized) and printed in black & white. Also referred to as manhwa
Doujinshi – A fan-produced manga, anime, or video game
Shonen – The term shōnen, shonen, or shounen manga|少年漫画|shōnen manga refers to manga and anime marketed to a male audience roughly between the ages of 10 and 18. Typically involves fighting, beautifull females and slapstick humour
Shojo – Literally “girl” in Japanese. This is most often used to refer to titles that were written for girls. They tend to have lots of romance and drama. These manga most often have a female main character that is dealing with more mundane things like school, friends, family and first love
YAOI – This is also referred to as BL or Boy Love. The actually word is an anagram. These are titles that are made for adults but are very popular with girls of all ages. Pornographic in nature, these titles feature two male leads, both very beautiful, and one more feminine or submissive. These titles are more like fantasy romances, with a lot of emphasis put on the relationship but also with graphic scenes depicted.
Kawaii – The Japanese word for cute. Cuteness is a national fixation in Japan and it is certainly one of the defining aesthetics of manga and anime.
Ecchi – A word sometimes used to describe pornographic anime and manga. The word Ecchi is more commonly used to describe anime or manga with milder sexual themes and lots of fan service.
Hentai – Sexually themed manga and anime can be very explicit.
Ai – Love
Arigato – Thank you.
Baka – An idiot, term most commonly used to make fun of someone’s lack of intelligence. It can come before a mean knock on the head
Bishoujo – A pretty girl
Bishounen – A pretty boy. Often having long hair and a feminine look to him, it is sometimes hard to discern the gender of an anime bishounen.
Chibi – Small. Chibi characters in anime are short and consequently cute. Often used as a prefix. Also see Super-Deformed
Con (Convention) – A gathering of people sharing the same interests. There are many annual anime conventions everywhere in the world.
Cosplay – A very popular activity during anime conventions It consists of dressing up as an anime or video game character to participate in contests or simply for the fun of it.
Dub (Dubbed Anime) – As opposed to a subtitled anime, dubs have voice tracks in languages differing from the original Japanese voice actors.
Fan Sub – Often done to allow non-Japanese viewers to watch and understand unlicensed anime, fan subs are made for fans by fans and making profits off them is expressly prohibited.
Gomen Nasai – I’m sorry.
Hai – Yes. Also indicates paying attention to someone’s oration
Itadakimasu – pretty much translates to “Let’s eat!”
Kanji – Japanese characters borrowed from the Chinese alphabet forming the base of the written Japanese language. It includes well over 2000 pictograms. Meanings can vary enormously according to the context. By far the hardest aspect of the Japanese language to master
Katakana – A more angular form of Japanese writing used to translate words of foreign origins and scientific terms
Kawaii – Cute. Often used on its own when observing a situation or character having any distinct level of cuteness, cuteness is a major factor in japan.
Konnichi wa – One of the many different ways of saying hello in Japanese. This one is commonly used in the afternoon, the equivalent of good afternoon
Manga-ka – A professional Japanese manga creator.
Nosebleed – According to Japanese belief, boys get nosebleeds when they are sexually aroused. This can happen quite often in shounen anime and is usually rather amusing.
Ohayou Gozaimasu – “Good morning”
Otaku – used to describe an eager fan, In Japan, a derogatory term, but everywhere else it has lost this and is now rather positive.
OVA or (Original Video Animation) – A direct-to-video release often divided into a handful of 30-minute episodes.
Pocky – Popular biscuit-like Japanese snack, pretty, much a biscuit stick coated in chocolate or some other similar substance.
Ramen – Japanese noodles. Standard college meal of choice because it’s cheap and easy to make also Naruto’s Favourite heh.
Romanji – Phonetic writing of Japanese words using the Roman alphabet.
Ronin – A student who has failed a university’s entrance exam.
Sake – Alcoholic beverage common in japan, drunk hot or cold.
Sayonara – one of the ways to say Goodbye.
Seiyuu – A Japanese voice actor
Sub/subbed (Subtitled Anime) – Subs consist of an anime including a written translation of the ongoing dialogue on the bottom of the screen
Sumimasen – “I’m sorry” similar to gomen nasai.
Sweatdrop – A comical facial expression in which someone is drawn with a giant sweat drop next to their head. Indicates personal embarrassment or a reaction to another character embarrassing him/herself, this is a common facial expression in anime, it indicates the persons embarrassment, generally used in amusing situations.
Urusai – Be Quiet
Yuri – A female/female relationship
This is by no means a complete list, but it should be enough to get you by. ^_^
The Anime Sanctuary 