Shoujo manga discussion thread

I know there's a fair few of us that reads shoujo manga, so let's talk about them here! I might put up a list of rec later actually.

but but, seiyuu ka!'s last chapter is out! It's finished! I'm so surprised (considering special A was 99 chapters) since there's so much more that can be explored! I was very interested in this manga since its main focus was the protagonist being a seiyuu.

Personal Recommendations: (note: it's just the order I finished them/remember them, not ranked)
Paradise Kiss
Ultra Maniac
Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne - it was favourite many many years ago, but it might not hold up to standards nowadays.
Zettai Kareshi
Kodocha
W Juliet
Land of the Blindfolded
Nosatsu Junkie
Ouran High School Host Club
Koukou Debut
Eensy-weensy Monster
Strobe Edge
Cat Street
Seiyuu Ka!

Ongoing
Skip Beat
Kimi ni Todoke
Koi Dano Ai Dano
Last game
Akagami no Shirayuki
The One
Switch Girl!
Wallflower - very hilarious, but progress is almost non-existent, or gets reversed, just so you know.

Actually a Manwha, but Nineteen/Twenty Four is cute as hell. I love it a lot.

I don't really read much shoujo, though, mostly because my girlfriend keeps going "You won't like this, read this instead, it's great" and before you know it I've read Sundome (And cried to it a little)

I don't really read any shoujo, but something everybody should read is Kuragehime.
The anime is also excellent.

Oh, I liked Lovely Complex, being as it portrayed a pretty realistic first teen crush scenario. I like my shoujo realistic, most of it irritates me because it's too saccharine and "perfect".

I am addicted to Oresama Teacher, even though the guy I like the most isn't even a contender for Mafuyu's heart. Oh Banchou... It's hilarious and charming and about a hot-blooded delinquent trying to reform her ways and become a girly girl in high school.

I also really love Usotsuki Lily. A plain girl gets asked out by the hottest guy she's ever seen and immediately accepts. Then she finds out that he hates men so much he can't stand to see one in the mirror and crossdresses all the time because of it. And he's a much prettier girl than she is. Depending on the issue their relationship can look het, shoujo ai, or even shounen ai (she decides he's not the only one who can crossdress) and their circle of friends is pretty hilarious too. Super light and fluffy fun.

I put up a list of manga I recommend, didn't comment on them though because I tend to go tl;dr. Happy to provide information if needed though.

I haven't actually read any manwha, I'm not sure why. I'll definitely add it to my list, I haven't really read manga for awhile.

I read a lot of shoujo for mindless fluff, and just something to grin stupidly at. There's quite a few shoujo that have a focus on other things than romance, which it's actually what a lot of BFers reads. A random thing I just noticed, if I read something all in one go, I don't get as attached to the characters and things tend to get fuzzier, to the point sometimes I don't remember the plot a few months after I read it.

Seconding the recommendations to Kuragehime and Lovely Complex! The former gives me warm fuzzy, and its anime provide some wonderful wonderful gifs; the latter just makes me LOL, a lot.

I remember seeing Usotsuki Lily while looking at Kuragehime's scanlation group. It sounds awesome!

Exactly! I'm rooting for him even though I know it's futile. And Banchou is awesome because...KONGOU BANCHOU!!!! (Yes, I realize this is not the shounen thread).

Seconding Koi dano Ai dano. The male lead is hilariously adorable (a rare type in a shoujo).
I recommend Nanaco Robin - funny/sweet.
Dengeki Daisy was interesting, but it's dragging out for so long I think I'm going to wait for it to end and just read the last chapter.
Liar x Liar is really really good (I didn't expect it to be) and it appeals to some of what I'm looking for in a shoujo.
Momoiro Heaven - I like it even though I didn't think I would (It is a bit cliche, but I really like the male lead - he doesn't go overboard too much). Surprising.
Obaka-chan Koigatariki - Didn't like the ending (I did like the guy she ended up with, but not how it ended). Some might find the female lead whishy washy, but when there are two male leads who are interesting and like you...well, I would stumble a bit too.
Pinnochio - I <3 this manhwa. Adorable male lead here too. Anyone seeing a pattern?
Shiawase Kissa Sanchoume - Everything was so fluffy...I was rooting for the opposing bakery's Kou (?) to win Uru's heart. But then never expected it to happen.
Six Half - A bit of a mystery element to this, but it's intriguing so far.
Kamisama Hajimemashita - Adorable male lead with fox ears. Story's a bit slow so far, but it's picking up.
Ojikoi! - Adorable oyaji.
Don't cry, girl - If there is one manga I want everyone to read, it's this one. Plot/characters are very memorable.

Edit: I skipped to the last chapter of Seiyuu ka because I've sort of lost interest in it. I really don't like Kondo Senri's mom. She has issues and I don't think this manga even scratched the surface of the emotional scars she left on Senri. How he can even stand her in a professional setting/see her face is beyond me. Same with the main character's mom and the main character. And she even teases him about his relationship about MC? No. You do not get to basically abandon your child for how ever many years he's lived and then suddenly decide everything's okay and you should act like a regular mom and child. Crappy parenting in this story abound, man. It's just painful to watch.

There's a recommendations list in the Feminist Tea Party group if you're looking for shoujo with a strong protagonist!

Edit: And this is not shoujo but go read Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro. Yako is a rare breed and I love her.

Oooooh, great idea for a thread, Skibblu!

I go through phases of love and hate when it comes to the shoujo genre. Still, no matter what, I always find myself coming back to it *sigh* Anyway, here are some of my recommendations for shoujo mangas. Some of what I've listed has already been recommended, but that should just give even more of an incentive to check it out, right? I also put stars next to the ones I've enjoyed or I am enjoying the most.

Woah, sorry for the long list! Hopefully you guys can find something to enjoy from all of these.
Edited because Lovely Everywhere is completed.

Toss in my vote for these too! Bitou especially, as I like the younger male x older female relationship dynamic being explored. Male lead is adorbz at times and bratty at others.

Randissimo, we all <3 Yako. I wish I had her tolerance for liquor and her ability to empathisize with other people. Sasazuka <3 because oyajicon.

Skibblu, is chapter 68 the last chapter? I don't think it's finished because according to BakaManga, it's still going on. It would be a lame ending if 68 was the last chapter. I am rooting for Yamada x Hime because of squee. I do like Senri as well, though...Especially his blushes...guys, I think the mangaka has caught on to what I look for in a male lead. And I'd been hiding it so well too...

I love every single character in MTNN and I will ALWAYS SHAMELESSLY PLUG IT, I DON'T CARE HOW.

Seconding this- and adding my two cents! Kamisama Kiss by Julietta Suzuki
Is currently (apart from Bride's Tale) is the only series I'm actively purchasing the volumes of as they come out. I like the characters, and how they antagonize each other (in addition to mythology and the power structures that are played around with/explored). As far as shoujo, it's the only one currently on the bookstore shelf that holds my interest, likely because it's not about Vampires and there's more to the story than "Ooooooh I like him so very much~"

I realize I've read less shoujo than I thought.... But I'll make a suggestion with my personal favorite:

From Far Away by Kyoko Hikawa
It's my favorite fluffy fantasy read, the heroine and hero are both sweet and well intentioned. And for me it's the GIRL FROM OUR WORLD INTO ANOTHER done right! She can't speak the language, but instead slowly learns it by her own efforts. And her being brought to that world may be considered a bad thing, at least that's what the Hero first thinks- for his own reasons. I really like it, though it's not dark or gritty. Just good fantasy and nice shoujo fluff.
You can find it online as Kanata Kara (though the fan translations are a tad awkward).

Ojikoi was

I KNOW WHAT I'M READING NEXT

I don't usually care much for Shoujo but I really like Ouran High School Host Club (though I've only read some of the manga, I've watched the anime) and really really like DNAngel. DNAngel actually means quite a lot to me, but sadly it'll probably never finish.

So many manga to read. this is going to turn out well.

MeganeOverlord: the manga adds a lot more to the story I think, so give it a chance sometimes! I liked DNAngel as well. I dropped it when it went on hiatus, but it's serialising again! I uh..just don't remember where I got up to.

Chapter 70 actually. It's still a lame ending though. It feels as if the manga wasn't popular enough and the magazine decide to drop it or something. Yamada x Hime would be interesting! I don't see anything from Hime's side though.
I strongly dislike Hime's mum, not enough "wtf, who does that?!" can sum up my feelings. Actually I'm so surprised the two main leads turned out relatively normal considering their mothers. Power of shoujo tm.

I've just started reading Kuragehime, and I just had to say...

OH MY GLOB
SO CUTE

watch the first ep of anime too because OMG SO CUTE WHEN ANIMATED arghhh <3

I've read a lot of shoujo manga in the past and I remember I liked the manga fruits basket( the anime was boring though). It had a pretty good story and didn't have any scarring rapey stuff in it.

...
How far along did you read...?
(Fruits Basket wasn't really my cup of tea, but I recommend it anyway! It's a classic, and all the characters have nice interwoven backstories! I like backstories~)

Okay wait now that I think about it there may have been some stuff but I don't think I was ever really bothered by it... I read it like 4 years ago I might have forgotten..but I don't know it was decent compared to some other shoujo mangas..

On another note the anime/manga Lovely Complex was one of my favourites. Also Full moon wo sagashite~

Oh crap, sorry, it's Nineteen/Twenty One


Don't know why but I had a major brain derp.

He's a blushing oyaji, too! /points to avatar

Run the title by me again I can't seem to match the image with the titles currently on this list.

I suck at this so bad.

Ojikoi

From Panda Scans:

Sanjou Arashi is a serious and reliable second-year high-school student working part-time at a detective agency. Her boss is a gambling, irresponsible, tobacco smelling oji-san. The pair are complete opposites, but this is the story of a scruffy oji-san X high-school girl romantic comedy!

Here you go :D

Where has this been my whole life.

I watched the anime, and got to about volume 10 and just couldn't make it any further. I loved it when I was watching the anime, then afterwards I realise I didn't like Tohru (she's forgiving to the point of being a sue.). I still haven't finished it to this day.

I liked Full Moon, but for some reason, I didn't like Mitsuki, so it never quite made my favourite. Also because I like Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne better cos of reasons. Most people can't stand Arina Tanemura's styles though. Those eyes! I think they are pretty, but I'm strange.

Donmai:since when does fruits basket have rapey scarring stuff? Unless you are talking about Akito (?)..who I guess, is into making everyone miserable.

I agree I didn't like Tohru much after a while but i enjoyed most of the other characters (minus Akito) so I ended up finishing it. And yesss how could I forget Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne that was a really good manga and definitely better imo.

Cardcaptor Sakura
Princess Tutu
Revolutionary Girl Utena

Well if you can get past the third one being weird as heck.

Oh, shoujo animes we can rec too?

Well Sailor Moon is a classic...
But Puella Magi Madoka Magic is my new favorite tragedy magical girl shoujo adventure.

We are going to be best of friends. If we weren't already.

Also, I hate Arina Tanemura's stuff. All of it. When I saw she tried making a manga based on Jeanne D'Arc being reincarnated, I couldn't even fucking read the first volume. Just no. Her stuff irritates me so badly I can't explain.

Furuba, however, had great moments even if Tohru was a sue towards the end. I quite enjoyed it.

But nothing can beat Princess Tutu in terms of shoujo anime, or RGU.

I've been enjoying Penguin Revolution, Saiunkoku Monogatari, and Kaichou wa Maid-Sama!.

This is not necessarily a recommendation of quality, as I am widely known to have no taste. I just enjoy sparkly shoujo with odd gender politics. (And, in the case of SaiMono, cutthroat imperial politics in general. If only the anime didn't wander off into lengthy stretches of shoujo fluff between bouts of political machination.)

I will probably have a huuuge list of recommendations to put up at some point, when I have more time. But, for just now, I really want to tell you about this one that I'm currently reading, because omp~ So adorable, and sweet, and the diabeetus~ ; u;

Love so Life is seriously adawwsable. :'3

Also, I started reading Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro because I was really curious when you kept mentioning it in the past, Randissimo. :P (My curiosity peaked when I read a post of yours that just mentioned the letters MTNN, I think - I was just like, "Omp~ What could that be~?" and Googled it. XD I love the characters so much~ <3 Though I've not quite finished it yet - just over halfway through.)

I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED GREAT THINGS, THEN.

Also, seconding SaiMono. Read the manga though, the anime Chickified Shuurei at key points and it set me off. I wish they would translate the light novels, though.

No rapey scarring stuff, I just remember being really terrified by Akito's mom and the thing with Hatori's fiancee and the thing with whatshername's history of parental neglect and it's generally a lot less light-hearted than most other shoujo manga that I've read~ Now that I think about it, the fact that I liked Yuki more than Kyo might've colored my view of the series as a whole, so I might be remembering it worse than it actually was. -shruuug-

Yeah, the series doesn't contain rape, but it does contain quite a bit of abuse of varying degrees. Except sexual abuse.

The whole series is pain and tears but it's a really well-written shoujo. Even if it is, as a friend of mine said, and I quote:

It's quality. Tohru has flavours of a purity sue towards the end, but frankly, I can't hate the series for it because fuck, it was welcoming.

I can't remember any point in the anime that really bothered me all that much, truthfully, although what I've read of the manga is definitely better-paced.

Remember the

It's a detail but the changes between the manga and anime were glaring to me, and it really bothered me. I do think reading and watching the anime and manga simultaneously helps to give an idea of how the novels themselves were paced, though. Even if some of the added stuff can get annoying.

Although anything with Ryuuren gets an instant pass with me because Ryuuren is fucking hilarious and beautiful.

Since we're (mostly) on the subject of Furuba, another shoujo manga by Takaya Natsuki that I would recommend is Hoshi wa Utau. Now, I wouldn't really say it's your typical shoujo manga, but it's pretty cute and enjoyable (though you might get frustrated with the characters sometimes...?).

Overall, it is a good read. :3