Hi!
I need help looking for some mangas to read. I would like with romance, of course, but something non-typical/refreshing/original. I'm kind of sick of predictable mangas and now I only read mangas that are somewhat original (and that have a good art). For example, Dengeki Daisy, Kimi ni Todoke, Shinobi Life and Katekyo Hitman Reborn! (I know it doesn't have romance, but it's one of the most original mangas out there).
I don't like:
- Shoujo-ai, shounen-ai
- Yuri, yaoi, hentai
- Lolicon, shotacon
- Mechas
- Gender bender
- Incest
- Future related stuff
If possible, recommend only mangas and not manhwas and stuff like that, please.
I don't mind if it's a shoujo, a josei, a shounen or a seinen, although I prefer shoujo and josei. I don't mind as well smut or mature (as long that it has plot).
My lists are public, if that helps. I already read a lot, so it might be hard to find something that isn't there. ^^"

EDIT: By typical, I mean that kind of shoujo cliché where girl meets guy, they fall in love at first sight, there's a love triangle, they overcome all difficulties and then they live happily ever after. Just like Kare First Love, for example. I really hate those clichés... Kimi ni Todoke is kinda like that, but it felt refreshing to me and I love it.
I also don't mind drama at all. I just don't like the genres posted above. ^^

Last edited by Shibiusa at 10:49 am, May 2 2010

Hm, I don't see how the titles you listed are original or at all unpredictable. Actually, those are some titles that I would list if asked to list typical manga. I'll give you some titles that I think are fairly original, anyway.
Bronze no Tenshi - The story of Alexander Pushkin's wife Natalia. The art is gorgeous and Chiho Saitou writes truly epic romance. You could check out more of her works, including:
Waltz wa Shiroi Dress de - A romance between a Japanese woman and a foreign spy.
Hoshi wo Tsumu Donna - A ballet romance.

Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan - A romance between a man on death row and a suicidal woman.
Nodame Cantabile - A very long series about an eccentric genius pianist who falls in love with a conservative genius pianist, and how they gradually come together.
Fukuyadou Honpo - The romances of the three daughters of a wagashi shop.
Ashita no Ousama - The romance of a girl who loves theater.
Oishii Kankei - A similar manga about the romance of a girl who loves good food.
"Bungaku Shoujo" to Shi ni Tagari no Douke - A shounen romance between a boy that writes literature and a girl that eats literature.
Sakuran - Romance between a high-class prostitute and her pimp.

Last edited by akari_mizunashi at 6:18 pm, May 2 2010

Kingyo Sou
Love so Life
Otomen
Akuma to Love Song
Ojousama wa Oyomesama

I'm not sure if some of them are what you're looking for. =)

Maybe Sing Yesterday for Me? It's probably the only atypical romance manga I've ever come across.

Sorry but I have to agree with akari_mizunashi ... the mangas you listed are all kinda predictable (I did read all of them) and not non-typical ...
I'll still try to suggest some stuff similar to it, if I'm right, you're looking for more light-hearted stuff without all the heavy drama you often get in shoujo.
So my recommendations are based on that:
Aishiteruze Baby (the anime annoyed the crap out of me - the small girls voice in particular - but the manga isn't half bad and somewhat original)
Akuma to Love Song (second it)
Biyaku Cafe (there's not too much plot but it's just a short read and the character interactions are quite intriguing imo - SMUT though)
Boku to Watashi no Henai Jijou (a lighthearted romance comedy, only few chapters though)
Cynical Orange (the heroine is somewhat refreshing - it's korean though if I remember correctly)
Darling wa Namamono ni Tsuki (hilarious comedy about a married couple - the description says it all... SMUT though)
Kimi wa Pet (I think of it as quite original for a romance manga)
Ookami to Koushinryou (the anime is called Spice & Wolf - it's seinen but it's a good read/fun to watch. I recommend the anime though)
Sora Log (sweet and cute, leaves a warm feeling in your stomach after reading through the couple of chapters that are translated at the moment)
Suki-tte Ii na yo (not too original but quite refreshing - somehow comparable to kimi ni todoke imo - though the main protagonists become a couple quite early)
Warau Kanoko-sama (funny and non-typical in my opinion, not too much romance as of yet though - it's got a sequel as well)
Yoroshiku Master (sweet, cute and short - might or might not like it)
I could list some more but since I don't know if it's what you're looking for that's it for now.

By typical, I mean that kind of shoujo cliché where girl meets guy, they fall in love at first sight, there's a love triangle, they overcome all difficulties and then they live happily ever after. Just like Kare First Love, for example. I really hate those clichés... Kimi ni Todoke is kinda like that, but it felt refreshing to me and I love it.
I also don't mind drama at all. I loved reading Kare Kano and the drama was a bit heavy. I just don't like the genres posted above. ^^

I already read some of the mangas that were suggested. Aishiteruze Baby (cute. But the , Suki-tte li na yo (probably, I'm going to drop it soon), Yoroshiku Master (I didn't like it), Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan (beautiful)...
Kingyo Sou is in my on hold list. Although the character is deaf, the story is somewhat typical. Love so Life and Otomen are in my wish list, but I don't feel like reading them now. Same for Nodame (too long...). Ojousama wa Oyomesama sounds like a typical shoujo about arranged marriage. Ashita no Ousama also looks cliched.

Oishii Kankei looks somewhat promising. I also liked Sora Log. And I might also give Warau Kanoko-sama a try. ^^

-Kirai: Player who is actually a player and it crushes a few shoujo cliches (especially chapter 23)

-Aozora Yell: Main guy isn't an angsty and perfect pretty boy nor is he a loser. The two main characters don't fall in love right away. It also focuses on friendships and goals.

-Monkey High!: If only because its shoujo and the popular pretty boy doesn't get the girl. My Hero! seems to be following a similar path.

Non-typical for shoujo anyway.

Some helpful threads:
01, 02, 03.

Maybe those 3 :
- Nana to Kaoru : maybe a bit too ecch but the story and art is really really good =)
- Onani master Kurosawa : one of the strangest yet best story i ever read =) (if you like this manga, you should read After the Juvenile, a novel that take place 2 years after the story in the manga, translated by Emergency Exit)
- Pheromomania Syndrome : one of the funniest manga =) Don't be fooled, it's not really a Gender Bender. The girl just look like a guy and that can be a little disturbing in the beginning but she is really a girl and think like a girl and when she is dressed like a girl n normal cloth she is really beautiful =) The guy on the contrary seem a little girly but oly for the first pages =) He is a complete sadist and over possessive guy who can be manly when it's needed. somewhat it's like Lovely Complex.

Tomorrow's King is one of the most original, in the romance front and otherwise, despite the mildly badly-written summary. It definitely doesn't fit your definition of "typical", anyway.
Here's some more you may like:
Cipher - No love-at-first-sight, and surprisingly no love triangle. It feels very realistic and it's one of my favorites.
Hotarubi no Mori E - Lovely, heart-wrenching romances. (The last one has incest.)
Yume no Tsuzuki - Easily some of the least typical romances I've ever read.
Boyfriend (SOURYO Fuyumi) - A lovely, realistic romance by the author of Mars (which is equally great but fits what you're avoiding).
Doll - Another good manga by Souryo Fuyumi about dancers.
Niji no Ikusa - In this one, love comes after marriage. It's based on real people.

Ouran High School Host Club, because it's a slow romance, but it isn't so typical.
Koizara ... I guess you could say it's a 'different' romance manga, and it's a little tragic.
Hana to Akuma isn't your everyday romance, it's rather cute, too.
Oishii Kankei is a good josei manga
Aishiteruze Baby is good, but personally I think the anime is annoying
It's not like that, Darling, is different, there's a bit of a love triangle, but it isn't, 'love at first sight', and the way they get together is interesting.

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From a bumper sticker I like:
"If you're gonna ride my ass, at least pull my hair."

Ummmmm probably Atashi wa Bambi, a really great shojo, but maybe a little cliché so maybe not what you search but... not really typical i think.
and Utopia of Homosexuality (yes i know it's listed shonen/shoujo ai, but this is a story of love between a guy and a girl, don't be fooled by this genre)

Beauty is the Beast -- Emie, a new boarder at her high school, befriends a boy whom others find scary. She doesn't do anything she is 'supposed' to do. The guy she likes has a girlfriend; instead of being jealous, she befriends her. She doesn't seem to realize that the boy who likes her considers her to be his girlfriend. Beautiful story with funny moments, with real characters and real emotion, ends a bit abruptly — be sure not to miss the two-page epilogue after the unrelated extra story;

Stroke Material -- Told from the guy's point of view, this is a very funny role reversal. Kaname is as angsty as any shoujo heroine when his girlfriend's ex comes around, when she is cold to him, when she doesn't want sex, or for any reason that makes him think she doesn't love him.

I just read Watashitachi No Shiawase Na Jikan and it is seriously one of the best mangas I've read. Amazing love story, seriously.

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