Let's start with a great demographic: Shoujo.
For those of you that do not know, Shoujo are manga intended for teenage girls (the word literally means "young woman". Normally shoujo stories deal with romance and love, but settings, stories and tone can vary wildly. Normally, manga series do not belong to just one genre, so it is not unusual for shoujo to have some action, horror or adventure, and of course, comedy and slice of life aspects. For a much better explanation, please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Djo_manga
This is one of the major manga types, there are thousands of different series to choose from, and even if this is not my favorite type (what I love most is Seinen, which I will cover in many other posts) it is a great one, and I will normally grab a good romantic and comedic shoujo to alternate between the gory and action-packed Seinen and Shonen that I usually follow, and let off some steam.
Without further ado, let me introduce you to some great Shoujo manga, I hope you give check them and find them amazing.
Disclaimer: Although I try not to include major spoilers, there might be some minor ones, especially in the images that I choose to accompany my posts, so be warned. Also, I get most images from the internet, and as I have already discussed in other posts, there is an abundance of scanlated manga so, some of the images may come from published books, while others from scanlated sources. I want to share the works of this great mangakas, I don't care about the business, and do not earn a dime one way of the other. Like I always say, if you like a manga, please buy it!
1. Skip Beat!
From my conversations with other otakus, this is a love it or hate it kind of manga, with a slow romance developing between the central characters and plagued with very funny moments. I say give it a try, as it is one the greatest shoujo around, and still going strong. The art work is not the greatest, but like many other manga that develop over many years, quality increases as time goes by. Drama and romance are well balanced in this series, with all characters having great personalities and being very relatable.
One of the things I like the most is the expressions and use of chibi, just read some chapters and you will see for yourself.
The basic premise is simple: Girl is devoted to her childhood friend. He becomes a famous singer and she finds out she was using her as a maid! She vows to get revenge and starts working towards her goal: becoming greater than him in show business.
If you can't have enough of this manga, there is also an anime, drama CDs, TV adaptations and even a Playstation 2 videogame!
2. Bokura ga Ita (We were there)
This is great, slow-paced story, that begins simple enough: a young girl starts highschool, and ends up in the same class as a very popular boy, who does not seem to have an interest in anybody, due to some things from his past. She falls in love with him, confesses it, but is rejected. This is just the beginning of a very sweet story, with many points of view and no real villains. The story moves forward and spans over years, so you will be able to follow how characters grow up, and relationships develop.
The manga spans 16 volumen, was finished in 2012, and it is a great introduction to shoujo manga. There is also an anime, and a live-action film directed by Takahiro Miki.
Myself, i was captivated by its pace, its characters and the love story that slowly developed.
3. Ao Haru Ride (Blue spring ride)
This is a typical shoujo story, about a girl that wants to change her attitude towards life when she reaches highschool, become less ladylike. It has reminiscenses of Bokura Ga Ita, but with not so gloomy parts. You will find yourself rooting for the heroine along her journey.
The art of this manga... is amazing! The proportions, expressions, it is a tryly work of art.
Perhaps it was a little too much soapy-opera at times, but overall I enjoyed it from start to finish. The second half is easily a 7, while the first half, a 10! Do give it a try.
