April 19, 2015

10 Manga for Romance and Comedy Lovers

Since the Japanese themed read is nearly over and the last thing on it is a manga series I decided to dedicate two posts to this art form. Today I will present to you 10 manga series you can read you are a lover of romance and comedy. The list includes both well-known and loved series, as well as personal favourites. 

Skip Beat by Yoshiki Nakamura


Manga Skip Beat cover

Skip Beat is an absolute favourite! The truth is it's massive, 37 volumes have been published and it's still ongoing. But don't be alarmed by this fact, it's one of the best that the shojo genre has ever produced. The story, a simple revenge story at first, is great, the characters are well-developed and it's hilarious. Plus, Tsuruga Ren is one of the best male characters!

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya


Manga Fruits Basket cover

This manga is also one of the most loved ones. With its 23 volumes is a series that can make you obsessed with it. Apart from its romantic nature, there is also a strong fantasy element in a family curse. The climax is thrilling and it has one of the most interesting antagonists. 

Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori


Manga Ouran High Scholl Host Club cover

A slightly smaller series, with 18 volumes, Ouran High School Host Club is one of the funniest series I have ever read. There were moments when I would just stop reading because I was laughing so hard. The story in this series is amazingly built and the characters are all unique and memorable. Months after I've read it I still remember each one's personality.    

Hotarubi no Mori e by Yuki Midorikawa


Manga Hotarubi no Mori E cover

Hotarubi no Mori E or Into the Forest of Fireflies' Light is actually not a series. It's a collection of four one-shot stories, one for each season. The second story, the one that shares its title with the volume, is one of the most bittersweet stories ever written. I can only describe it as magical and deeply touching. The rest of the stories are sweet as well and the volume is one of my personal favourites.

Kodomo no Omocha by Miho Obana


Manga Kodomo no Omocha (Kodocha) cover

Kodocha, as is the shortest version of the name of this manga, is also one of my personal favourites. Older than the previous ones in this list, it's not only a romance but much more like a coming-of-age manga. Only 10 volumes long, we get the chance to watch Sana and Akito grow up and have a wonderful relationship. And they are so cute together!

Kimi ni Todoke by Karuho Shiina


Manga Kimi ni Todoke cover

This one is also a massive series, which is still ongoing. The art in Kimi, no Todoke is so amazing! Look how beautiful cover it has! The romance in this series, as a typical slice of life, is slow and gradual, taking things one step at a time. At times, it also feels dramatic, but in general it has a comfortable atmosphere to it.

Paradise Kiss by Ai Yazawa


Manga Paradise Kiss cover

At the end of this series, I was crying. Paradise Kiss feels heavy at times and things can actually go very, very badly. The romance indeed is bittersweet and really unique. It has some amazing fashion and diverse characters. George is very complicated, but he is very compelling at the same time.

Kaichou wa Maid-sama! by Hiro Fujiwara


Manga Kaichou wa Maid-sama cover

The President is a Maid as it's the English translation of the name is a hilarious manga. It has a strong female lead, which is forced to work as a maid, a "perverted space-alien" who is attracted to her and ex-gang members with soft sides. Have I persuaded you already? Ok, Usui is another reason to read this series and his killer line "just her stalker" can make me laugh without a reason.

Beast Master by Kyousuke Motomi


Manga Beast Master cover

A short and cute manga. Beast Master is a lesser known manga, but a true gem. It's only 2 volumes, but can put you in a good mood nonetheless. The relationship between the main characters is very difficult, but they are adorable. 

Red River by Chie Shinohara


Manga Red River (Anatolia Story) cover

Red River or Anatolia Story is a historical fantasy shojo manga. A modern teenager is transferred back in time in Anatolia and is saved by a prince. Many of the people and events are drawn from actual history when the Hittite Empire was near its peak. It's definitely a unique and memorable series. 


Have you read any of those? Which ones would you add to the list?

8 comments:

  1. Havent heard of Red River.. looks interesting!!

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    Replies
    1. It's well known among the fans of shojo manga, but not in general. It's indeed very interesting.

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  2. KAICHOU WA MAID-SAMA, FRUITS BASKET AND OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB! I've read and watched almost everything in this list during my anime fandom days. Haha! Though I'm very much done with anime and wholly regret the time I tried to cosplay, I still wouldn't mind binge watching/reading my all time favorites! ;D

    Blessie @ Mischievous Reads

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    1. Those three are basically the most popular of the genre. Plus Skip Beat. When I first watched Fruits Basket I was disappointed by the series, but then I took the manga and it's basically amazing! :)

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  3. I really enjoy posts like this, especially because I don't know many manga at all. Actually, I never finished a manga, so it's nice to know a few different ones :)

    Paranoid Puppet @
    paranoidpuppets.blogspot.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Then you should start with oneshots, or with manga that have a small number of volumes. There will be another manga list very soon, that will include other genres. I hope you'll enjoy it as well :)

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  4. How about:
    "Kamisama Hajimemashita"
    (https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=24388)
    and
    "Dengeki Daisy"
    (https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=13582)
    There are two of my best favorites!

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    Replies
    1. Both are great additions to this list! Unfortunately, I haven't read Kamisame Hajimemashita and I've read only a few volumes of Dengeki Daisy. But both of them are really popular.

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