What defines shounen Anime? (Shounen vs. Shoujo)

[give me food]

Shoujo Anime is easy to pick out. Frilly skirts. High-pitched voices. A ditzy yet gold-hearted femme main character with lame attack names. Also quite possibly stupid. May also include a shoujo senshi, magic wands, and sparkly objects. You know the type, yet you may not be able to get enough of 'em: Sailor Moon, Tokyo Mew Mew, Cardcaptor Sakura...

But what of Shonen? Yes, sure, One Piece has been labelled Shonen, but what calls it so, exactly? Would reversed roles apply? Low-pitched voices, shonen senshi?

How do you pick out shonen?

Do you like shoujo or shonen more, and what shonen/shoujo (that isn't mainstream) do you like?

[Dee Emm]

Tenchi Muyo and Ranma 1/2 could be considered, IMO, but that's only because the show, with a male main character, is still mostly females.

What do I consider a shounen anime? I guess Trigun and Lupin. oO Ass-kicking and comedy rolled into one.

[give me food]

Originally posted by SuperLuigi64:
Shounen means 'boy' unless I'm mistaken.

I know THAT, you twat. X/

[PK FIRE!]

Uh I'm pritty mucht a novis in anime save for Akira, Princess mononokie La blue gril9shudder boy do I regret that) and Jungle what the rest of it's name is i've only seen dubs and i don't really know the difrrence between the two stylies your talking about. So could some one elaberate a bit more?