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Doujinshi (同人誌) is the Japanese term for self-published works, usually magazines, manga or novels. doujinshi are often the work of amateurs, though some professional artists participate as a way to publish material outside the regular industry. The term doujinshi is derived from doujin (同人, literally "same person", used to refer to a person or persons with whom one shares a common goal or interest) and shi (誌, a suffix generally meaning "periodical publication"). doujinshi are part of a wider category of dōjin including, but not limited to, art collections, anime, hentai and games. Groups of doujinshi artists refer to themselves as a saakuru (サークル, circle). A number of such groups actually consist of a single artist: they are sometimes called kojin saakuru (個人サークル, personal circles).

Doujinshi are made by artists or writers who prefer to publish their own materials. Since the 1980s, the main method of distribution has been through regular doujinshi conventions, the largest of which is called Comiket (short for "Comic Market") held in the summer and winter in Tokyo's Big Sight. At the Convention, over 20 acres (81,000 m2) of doujinshi are bought, sold, and traded by attendees. doujinshi creators who based their materials on other creators' works normally publish in small numbers to maintain a low profile from litigation. This makes a talented creator's or circle's doujinshi a coveted commodity as only the fast or the lucky will be able to get them before they sell out.