Bishounen is a Japanese term, which literally means “beautiful youth.” It is a recurrent figure in Japanese pop culture, and is very popular among girls in Japan. However, to manga and anime fans it refers to any handsome male character regardless of age. Here are some traits of bishounen: 

The Hair Factor
In most of the animes I’ve seen, the bishounen always seem to have long hair. I think it adds to their mystery, and maybe even makes them seem dangerous. Still, they remain charming and handsome.

Haruka from Tactics

Lean Mean Gorgeous Machine
Another common trait among bishounen is that they’re lean, yet not thin or muscular. They're agile and they have  stamina, sometimes even grace. He always remains cool and confident.

Sha Gojyo from Gensomaden Saiyuki

The Loner
Bishounen are also most likely to be found walking alone. They prefer to overcome obstacles and problems by themselves.

Standard of Excellence
The bishounen is also the one who sets the standard for the hero in anime. What kind of bishounen list would be complete without Rukawa from Slam Dunk? Unlike Sakuragi, Rukawa had already been playing basketball for a long time. He was the best rookie in the league, a title Sakuragi wanted for himself. In short, Rukawa set the bar of excellence that Sakuragi—the hero—must achieve or even surpass.

Rukawa from Slam Dunk