In a strict sense, josei refers to manga marketed to an audience of adult women, contrasting shōjo manga, which is marketed to an audience of girls and young adult women. 'women's comics', pronounced ), also known as ladies' comics ( レディースコミック) and its abbreviation redikomi ( レディコミ, 'lady-comi'), is an editorial category of Japanese comics that emerged in the 1980s.
Cover illustration to the josei manga series Kōrei Shussan Don to Koi!! by Motoko Fujita, an autobiography chronicling the author's pregnancy at the age of 43.
