History Main / WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForLittleGirls

* ''Manga/{{Chobits}}'' is by [[Creator/{{CLAMP}} the creators]] of ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'' (which ''is'' primarily aimed at little girls) and has a similarly pretty art style, but it's actually a {{Seinen}} series with a fair amount of {{Fanservice}} and existential themes. It was adored by teenage and preteen girls at the TurnOfTheMillennium anime boom, probably because their parents glanced at the covers (which all depict Chii wearing [[CostumePorn pretty, elaborate outfits]]) and thought it must be innocent and girly.

* ''Anime/{{Symphogear}}'' is a show about a group of girls who fight with the [[MagicMusic power of music,]] but the fighting outfits that they wear a Fanservice tad revealing, and the show is much darker than it seems (think Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica). Just in the first episode alone, there is death and blood.

* ''Manga/{{Chobits}}'' is by [[Creator/{{CLAMP}} the creators]] of ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'' (which ''is'' primarily aimed at little girls) and has a similarly pretty art style, but it's actually a {{Seinen}} series with a fair amount of {{Fanservice}} and existential themes. It was adored by teenage and preteen girls at the TurnOfTheMillennium anime boom, probably because their parents glanced at the covers and thought it must be innocent and girly.

* ''Manga/SatouKashiNoDanganWaUchinukenai'' sounds like it's something out of a shoujo manga. It's about a somber middle school girl who is befriended by the eccentric NewTransferStudent who thinks she's a mermaid. There's [[RomanticTwoGirlFriendship a lot of hand-holding]] between the two and the light novel has {{moe}}, brightly colored artwork. But with a title like ''A Lollipop Or A Bullet'' you shouldn't expect cute fluff from the manga. It's anything but. Umino is [[spoiler:severely abused by her [[AbusiveParents father]]]] and in a truly TearJerker of a BittersweetEnding she [[spoiler:ends up brutally ''murdered'' by [[OffingTheOffspring him]].]]

* ''Manga/HanamaruKindergarten'' focuses on a trio of kindergarten-aged girls and their teacher, and they're drawn in a cute art style. It aired at OtakuOClock, and the main source of humor is how one of the little girls wants to marry her teacher...and her mother is ''completely fine with that'', all while being PlayedForLaughs.

* ''Anime/SenkiZesshouSymphogear'' is a show about a group of girls who fight with the [[MagicMusic power of music,]] but the fighting outfits that they wear a Fanservice tad revealing, and the show is much darker than it seems (think Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica). Just in the first episode alone, there is death and blood.

** ''Manga/KOn'' clearly started aimed at a male audience, but appears to have garnered an extensive female fanbase in its wake as well. The anime adaptation helped by toning down the ShipTeasing and {{Fanservice}} while adding more character focus. Point in case: it's airing on the Japanese Disney Channel, but edited of course, and [[http://forum-thalie.fr/thalie/viewtopic.php?f=4&p=99884#p80449 Scuttlebutt has it]] that in France, ''K-On!'' has been promoted in young girls' publications like ''[[WesternAnimation/WinxClub Winx Magazine]]''.

* ''Manga/LuckyStar'''s bright colors and cute female characters who look rather young make it seem like it's aimed at young girls. Most of the characters are actually teenagers and adults (the art style [[ArtisticAge just makes them look younger]]) and the anime has a lot of references to {{Otaku}} culture that would go right over a younger audience's head, plus there are several jokes about Konata's father [[ComedicLolicon having a particular interest in underage girls]]. While the manga is technically shonen, the anime [[OtakuOClock aired late at night]].

* ''Manga/LuckyStar'''s bright colors and cute female characters who look rather young make it seem like it's aimed young girls. Most of the characters are actually teenagers and adults (the art style [[ArtisticAge just makes them look younger]]) and the anime has a lot of references to {{Otaku}} culture that would go right over a younger audience's head, plus there are several jokes about Konata's father [[ComedicLolicon having a particular interest in underage girls]]. While the manga is technically shonen, the anime [[OtakuOClock aired late at night]].

* ''Manga/LuckyStar'''s bright colors and cute female characters who look rather young make it seem like it's aimed young girls. Most of the characters are actually teenagers and adults (the art style [[ArtisticAge just makes them look younger]]) and the anime has a lot of references to {{Otaku}} culture that would go under a younger audience's head, plus there are several jokes about Konata's father [[ComedicLolicon having a particular interest in underage girls]]. While the manga is technically shonen, the anime [[OtakuOClock aired late at night]].

* ''Manga/SchoolLive'' is a cute looking manga about high school girls surviving a ZombieApocalypse on their own. It contains a large amount of NightmareFuel, a fair share of {{gorn}}, and a truck load of general despair. The anime adaptation is LighterAndSofter but still gets fairly dark.

See also {{Moe}}, {{Josei}}, GirlShowGhetto, TestosteroneBrigade and ValuesDissonance. Can be a problem if a MoralGuardian shows this to a child and it's a YuriGenre show. Compare with MultipleDemographicAppeal.

** In Hong Kong and Taiwan, ''Love Live!'' is a kids' show, airing on My Kids TV, the same channel that airs ''Anime/PriPara''. It also appears [[https://pripara-daisui.tumblr.com/post/144897217031/angels-pripara-shining-fashion-design in the same children's magazine]] as franchises like ''Franchise/PrettyCure'', the works of Creator/{{Disney}} and ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''.

* ''VideoGame/{{IMGCM}}'' shares two traits with {{Shoujo}} anime series ''Franchise/PrettyCure'': Evil-exterminating {{magical girl warrior}}s and colorful visuals. However, the former is rated 17+ in smartphones and PC due to some FanService-laden characters, {{stripperiffic}} costumes, JigglePhysics, and PantyShots in the gameplay. Not to mention some mind-screwingly DarkerAndEdgier moments, which include [[spoiler:[[KillTheCutie some heroines']] recurring {{plotline death}}s and [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie a few of them are subsequently corrupted into demons]]]], and HumanoidAbomination demon bosses which make this game ''almost'' equivalent to a MagicalGirlGenreDeconstruction (and there’s an official {{NSFW}} version for PC, and it’s even [[{{Exaggerated}} worse]]).

* The spinoff manga of ''Music/HypnosisMic'' (a franchise classified as female-oriented) notably ran on three different Shonen magazines and are classified as such.

That's not to say that such shows necessarily contain things that would be inappropriate for your little sister, it's just that they're not specifically intended for little girls to watch. Some of these shows do manage a [[PeripheryDemographic female]] [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer fanbase]] on the side. Relatedly, entertainment actually targeted to young girls, especially in the field of music, has become increasingly sexualized, blurring the lines further. The classic examples are {{idol singer}}s and {{girl group}}s such as Music/BritneySpears, the Music/SpiceGirls, and Music/DestinysChild. Just take a look at any ''Series/ToddlersAndTiaras''-type show.

* For that matter, Akamatsu's next work after that, ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi''. "Cute 10-year-old boy genius ends up as a teacher at an all-girls middle school" sounds like the premise for a SliceOfLife or RomanticComedy series. Then the first [[BlowYouAway sneeze]] [[ClothingDamage comes]] and you realize it's going to be ''[[{{Fanservice}} that]]'' kind of series. Then you reach volume 4 or so and you realize that it [[GenreShift isn't]]; it's actually a shonen action series (or more accurately, a ''seinen'' action series since the {{fanservice}} never really goes away) that was designed as a HaremAnime comedy for a couple of volumes because Akamatsu had been {{pigeonholed|Director}} by ''Manga/LoveHina'' and needed to disguise his true intent from [[ExecutiveMeddling his editors]].

* ''VideoGame/ToukenRanbu'' is a free-to-play Browser Game with a CastFullOfPrettyBoys with an easy-to-pick-up gameplay and Japanese history educational elements.....but aside from the gacha elements, later campaigns soon turn to DarkerAndEdgier route with bloodshed. To say nothing of the amount of (relatively tamer) {{Fanservice}} in some of the character designs and injured poses (which are ''less'' than tamer). Adaptations of the game such as the [[Anime/KatsugekiToukenRanbu anime]], theatrical adaptation, and musical are actually targeted to older demographics.
** The anime ''Anime/ToukenRanbuHanamaru'' seemingly averts this trope, being LighterAndSofter than its' source material, until you realize that the manga adaptation of the anime is classified as {{Shonen}}.

* ''VideoGame/ToukenRanbu'' is a free-to-play Browser Game with a CastFullOfPrettyBoys with an easy-to-pick-up gameplay with Japanese history educational elements .....but aside from the gacha elements, later campaigns soon turn to DarkerAndEdgier route with bloodshed. To say nothing of the amount of (relatively tamer) {{Fanservice}} in some of the character designs. Adaptations of the game such as the [[Anime/KatsugekiToukenRanbu anime]], theatrical adaptation, and musical are actually targeted to older female demographic.
** The anime ''Anime/ToukenRanbuHanamaru'' seemingly averts this trope, until you realize that the manga adaptation of the anime is classified as {{Shonen}}.

* ''VideoGame/ToukenRanbu'' is a free-to-play Browser Game with a CastFullOfPrettyBoys with an easy-to-pick-up gameplay.....but aside from the gacha elements, later campaigns soon turn to DarkerAndEdgier route with bloodshed. To say nothing of the amount of (relatively tamer) {{Fanservice}} in some of the character designs. Adaptations of the game such as the [[Anime/KatsugekiToukenRanbu anime]], theatrical adaptation, and musical are actually targeted to older female demographic.

On works with cast of other side of gender spectrum, sometimes female-oriented works with {{Bishonen}} characters and bright and flowery setting can be confused as {{Shojo}} genre works for young girls, where in reality, some of these works are classed as either {{Josei}} or BoysLove made for older female ([[PeripheryDemographic or male]], in case of Boys' Love) audiences. Even an OtomeGame that has all the trappings of content for younger girls can make you wonder why are they made for older female demographic.

See also {{Moe}}, GirlShowGhetto, TestosteroneBrigade and ValuesDissonance. Can be a problem if a MoralGuardian shows this to a child and it's a YuriGenre show. Compare with MultipleDemographicAppeal.

* ''Anime/KingOfPrism'' is a SpinOff of ''Anime/PrettyRhythmRainbowLive'', which was originally marketed towards elementary and middle school girls. However, ''King of Prism'' is aimed at an older demographic and the series' director, Masakazu Hishida, had initially pitched it as a late-night series (and the television broadcast of the third film, ''Shiny Seven Stars'', was broadcast at 1:30 AM). Despite elements of the other ''VideoGame/PrettySeries'' appearing in ''King of Prism'', it is not officially listed as the ''Pretty Series'' to keep its marketing demographics separate.

** What makes ''Producing Perfection'' all the more troubling is that alphabetically it is placed right next to the still T-rated ([[ValuesDissonance 3+ in Europe]]) but more family friendly ''VideoGame/HatsuneMikuProjectDiva'' games in store displays. Considering [[Music/{{Vocaloid}} Hatsune Miku]] has a lot of young fans, all it takes is a confused parent who has a child that's into Vocaloid and difficulty remembering long game names seeing two Vita games with an anime [[TeenIdol Pop Idol]] on it, pick the wrong one and give their ten-year-old girl a game that gives you points for upskirt shots, has risque dialog pushing the envelope, and even has nude scenes. Not to mention, a lot of parents dismiss T ratings in rhythm games due to "family" games like ''VideoGame/RockBand'' having the same rating. That's not to say that the ten-year-old wouldn't enjoy the game.

** ''Manga/YuruCamp'' is a comfy, relaxing series about a group of friends going camping around the country. There is pretty much nothing overtly objectionable about the series (aside from perhaps the antics of minor character [[HardDrinkingPartyGirl Minami]]), but it runs in a seinen magazine.

** ''Manga/KOn'' clearly started aimed at a male audience, but appears to have garnered an extensive female fanbase in its wake as well. Creator/KyotoAnimation helped by toning down the ShipTeasing and {{Fanservice}} while adding more character focus. Point in case: it's airing on the Japanese Disney Channel]], but edited of course, and [[http://forum-thalie.fr/thalie/viewtopic.php?f=4&p=99884#p80449 Scuttlebutt has it]] that in France, ''K-On!'' has been promoted in young girls' publications like ''[[WesternAnimation/WinxClub Winx Magazine]]''.

* ''Manga/ChisSweetHome'' is about a cute little kitty cat and it's in a... seinen manga magazine. What makes this worse is that in Italy, [[http://anime.everyeye.it/notizie/chi-s-sweet-home-l-anime-in-onda-in-italia-su-jimjam-140588.html the anime aired on preschool channel JimJam]] alongside such fare as ''Franchise/HelloKitty'' and ''WesternAnimation/AngelinaBallerina''. There is nothing actually inappropriate for young kids in the series though, so how the heck a manga as child friendly as this ended up in a seinen magazine will be a RiddleForTheAges. (FridgeLogic suggests that the staff of the magazine probably thought ''Chi's Sweet Home'' would serve as a palate cleanser for the readers in case the seinen mangas got too violent for their taste).

* ''Manga/SchoolLive'' is a cute looking manga about high school girls surviving a ZombieApocalypse on their own. It contains a large amount of NightmareFuel, a fair share of {{gorn}}, and a truck load of general despair.

* ''VideoGame/{{MGCM}}'' shares two traits with {{Shoujo}} anime series ''Franchise/PrettyCure'': Evil-exterminating {{magical girl warrior}}s and colorful visuals. However, the former is rated 17+ in smartphones and PC due to some FanService-laden characters, {{stripperiffic}} costumes, JigglePhysics, and PantyShots in the gameplay. Not to mention some mind-screwingly DarkerAndEdgier moments, which include [[spoiler:[[KillTheCutie some heroines']] recurring {{plotline death}}s and [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie a few of them are subsequently corrupted into demons]]]], and HumanoidAbomination demon bosses which make this game ''almost'' equivalent to a MagicalGirlGenreDeconstruction (and there’s an official {{NSFW}} version for PC, and it’s even [[{{Exaggerated}} worse]]).

** ''Manga/KOn'' clearly started aimed at a male audience, but appears to have garnered an extensive female fanbase in its wake as well. Creator/KyotoAnimation helped by toning down the ShipTeasing and adding more character focus. Point in case: it's airing on the Japanese Disney Channel]], but edited of course, and [[http://forum-thalie.fr/thalie/viewtopic.php?f=4&p=99884#p80449 Scuttlebutt has it]] that in France, ''K-On!'' has been promoted in young girls' publications like ''[[WesternAnimation/WinxClub Winx Magazine]]''.