user62: This was touched on in another meta, but I think it deserves a more in-depth discussion. It's also something we should straightened out now, because the current usage of these tags are already getting a bit out of control.
As of now people just seem to be tossing the anime and manga tags onto a question based on whether they are reading the manga, or watching the anime.  I don't see what purpose this serves, since the question will apply to both the manga and the anime, and the answers will often be the same. In the situations where they aren't users can indicate this in their answers, stating whether this answer applies to the anime or the manga (and, ideally, could answer for both). Having two separate, yet identical questions, one for the manga and another for the anime is just redundant (and messy).
There are some exceptions to the "small difference" of course, where the anime and manga are significantly different (The first Full Metal Alchemist (FMA) anime and Manga are a perfect example of this), but in these situations having a separate tag for the manga and the anime makes more sense (i.e. something like full-metal-alchemist and full-metal-alchemist-2003-anime). It's much easier for a user to only need to search one tag, rather than two, and it also allows users to ignore questions from one work and not the other. Continuing on my FMA example, if I've watched the anime but I haven't read the manga I'd want to be able to ignore all of the manga questions to avoid spoilers, but would still like to be able to see questions about the 2003 anime. 
Furthermore, if they anime and manga are that different, then I'd consider them independent yet related bodies of work anyways, and thus both deserving of their own tag.
It also fails to be useful as a filter. Considering the entire site is about anime and manga, then every question is going to be relevant to either an anime or a manga. It would be akin to tagging questions with programming on Stack Overflow. Performing a searching with just programming isn't going to help, I'll always need to use another tag for it to be useful. The same applies to anime and manga with their currant usage. 
With that said, when should we use the anime and manga tags? 
My first thought would be to state that the manga and anime tags should only be used when it's specifically about topic of manga and/or anime, and not about a specific work. However, I feel like this needs to be fleshed out more through community discussion. 
An example of the above usage would be  What is the difference between doujinshi and manga? This isn't about a specific work, but manga as a whole. In this question the tag clearly indicate what the question is about:  manga terminology. 
When should we use the anime and manga tags?

user40: I agree that anime and manga tags are just too general.  Why not instead have anime-only or manga-specific type tags.  This removes the ambiguity of the general tags and makes their use very obvious.

user136: I don't think you should have these tags at all.
As you've already seen, users will continue to use these tags in lieu of good tagging practices. They're too general, which is why we typically block them on the outset… to say "no, no... what is your question really about?" 
I understand that menga and anime were never designed to be general, catch-all tags… but that's how they are going to be used. Users are never going to understand that an anime or menga tag is only for questions that are specific to the anime-version of a series that exists as both anime and manga. So those tags will applied to a completely random assortment of questions without reason. 
If you have a question that is about an anime-specific version of the work, describe that in your question; not with tags. You don't need tags to narrow down your question to that degree. It's too confusing and misleading to the vast, vast majority of your users, and I can all-but-guarantee you it will become the most-overused and abused tags on the site.

62: <p>This was touched on in <a href="https://anime.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/18/anime-tag-is-not-allowed">another meta</a>, but I think it deserves a more in-depth discussion. It's also something we should straightened out now, because the current usage of these tags are already getting a bit out of control.</p>

<p>As of now people just seem to be tossing the <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/anime" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;anime&#39;" rel="tag">anime</a> and <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/manga" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;manga&#39;" rel="tag">manga</a> tags onto a question based on whether they are reading the manga, or watching the anime.  I don't see what purpose this serves, since the question will apply to both the manga and the anime, and the answers will often be the same. In the situations where they aren't users can indicate this in their answers, stating whether this answer applies to the anime or the manga (and, ideally, could answer for both). Having two separate, yet identical questions, one for the manga and another for the anime is just redundant (and messy).</p>

<p>There are some exceptions to the "small difference" of course, where the anime and manga are significantly different (The first Full Metal Alchemist (FMA) anime and Manga are a perfect example of this), but in these situations having a separate tag for the manga <em>and</em> the anime makes more sense (i.e. something like <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/full-metal-alchemist" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;full-metal-alchemist&#39;" rel="tag">full-metal-alchemist</a> and <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/full-metal-alchemist-2003-anime" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;full-metal-alchemist-2003-anime&#39;" rel="tag">full-metal-alchemist-2003-anime</a>). It's much easier for a user to only need to search one tag, rather than two, and it also allows users to ignore questions from one work and not the other. Continuing on my FMA example, if I've watched the anime but I haven't read the manga I'd want to be able to ignore all of the manga questions to avoid spoilers, but would still like to be able to see questions about the 2003 anime. </p>

<p>Furthermore, if they anime and manga are <em>that</em> different, then I'd consider them independent yet related bodies of work anyways, and thus both deserving of their own tag.</p>

<p>It also fails to be useful as a filter. Considering the entire site is about anime and manga, then every question is going to be relevant to either an anime or a manga. It would be akin to tagging questions with <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/programming" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;programming&#39;" rel="tag">programming</a> on Stack Overflow. Performing a searching with just <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/programming" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;programming&#39;" rel="tag">programming</a> isn't going to help, I'll always need to use another tag for it to be useful. The same applies to <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/anime" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;anime&#39;" rel="tag">anime</a> and <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/manga" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;manga&#39;" rel="tag">manga</a> with their currant usage. </p>

<p>With that said, when <em>should</em> we use the <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/anime" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;anime&#39;" rel="tag">anime</a> and <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/manga" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;manga&#39;" rel="tag">manga</a> tags? </p>

<p>My first thought would be to state that the <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/manga" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;manga&#39;" rel="tag">manga</a> and <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/anime" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;anime&#39;" rel="tag">anime</a> tags should only be used when it's specifically about topic of manga and/or anime, and not about a specific work. However, I feel like this needs to be fleshed out more through community discussion. </p>

<p>An example of the above usage would be  <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/36/what-is-the-difference-between-doujinshi-and-manga">What is the difference between doujinshi and manga?</a> This isn't about a specific work, but manga as a whole. In this question the tag clearly indicate what the question is about:  manga terminology. </p>

<p>When should we use the anime and manga tags?</p>
 40: <p>I agree that <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/anime" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;anime&#39;" rel="tag">anime</a> and <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/manga" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;manga&#39;" rel="tag">manga</a> tags are just too general.  Why not instead have <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/anime-only" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;anime-only&#39;" rel="tag">anime-only</a> or <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/manga-specific" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;manga-specific&#39;" rel="tag">manga-specific</a> type tags.  This removes the ambiguity of the general tags and makes their use very obvious.</p>
 136: <p>I don't think you should have these tags at all.</p>

<p>As you've already seen, users will continue to use these tags in lieu of <em>good</em> tagging practices. They're too general, which is why we typically block them on the outset&hellip; to say "no, no... what is your question <em>really</em> about?" </p>

<p>I understand that <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/menga" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;menga&#39;" rel="tag">menga</a> and <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/anime" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;anime&#39;" rel="tag">anime</a> were never designed to be general, catch-all tags&hellip; but that's how they are going to be used. Users are never going to understand that an <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/anime" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;anime&#39;" rel="tag">anime</a> or <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/menga" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;menga&#39;" rel="tag">menga</a> tag is only for questions that are specific to the anime-version of a series that exists as both anime and manga. So <strong>those tags will applied to a completely random assortment of questions without reason.</strong> </p>

<p>If you have a question that is about an anime-specific version of the work, describe that in your question; not with tags. You don't need tags to narrow down your question to that degree. It's too confusing and misleading to the vast, vast majority of your users, and I can all-but-guarantee you it will become the most-overused and abused tags on the site.</p>
