I'm looking for manga that are about a topic.
i.e., Nodame Cantabile is about music and conducting
Eyeshield 21 is about football
Hikaru no Go is about Go.
Liar Game is about cons and game theory and psychology etc... sort of...
etc.

It can't just have characters involved in that topic/field/whatever, where the topic is merely background. For example, a manga set in a restaurant, where the characters are chefs, but the story is all about relationships, not cooking*. It needs to reflect a certain "insiders knowledge". I should feel as if I walked away from it knowing at least somewhat more about the topic in question.

*Think the difference between Shiawase Kiss Sanchoume and Yakitate Japan

It can be shoujo, shounen, seinen, josei, whatever.
But nothing smutty or overtly sexual. And no shoujo-ai or shounen-ai, please.

(I'd also prefer if it's more lighthearted as opposed to depressing... But I don't care that much, if it's really informative)


(I'm thinking things like Hetallia could also count, ish. It's not quite what I'm looking for, but it's close enough to count...)

Edit: oh, and extra points if the "informative" consists of giving a realistic and in-depth look at a particular career

Last edited by wanpisu at 9:44 pm, Aug 1 2011

I'm not sure but maybe Akumetsu about politics in japan, although I never bothered to look up what they talk about and see if it's true.
I learned a lot about surgery in Japan(and in general) from Team Medical Dragon, the part about the power struggle might not be true, but I think all of the medical stuff is.
Initial D talks about racing and the different types of cars. However it's from 1995 so it's not really up to date on some of the cars.
I think you'll find most sports manga at least talk about the sport they're playing for a few pages.

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"I don't hate people, I just feel better when they're not around."

Bum bum be dum bum bum be dum dum

"Don't you fly?"

Bambino! - cooking
Wa ga Na wa Umishi - diving
Kokou no Hito - climbing
Kinou Nani Tabeta? - cooking, shounen-ai but i don't even remember if they even kissed

Thanks so much! (please keep 'em coming =D)
I'll definitely check those out (and also check out the sports category...)

Check this thread out for sure:
http://www.mangaupdates.com/showtopic.php?page=1&tid= 12065

wow that's an impressive thread, thanks!

Baby Steps - about tennis

ZIG☆ZAG- it's about flower arrangement
Kiss and Never Cry is about ice skating

Bakuman - manga industry (too cute to be believable lately, but still entertaining);
Beck - kickass story of an upcoming rock band;
Franken Fran - delightful deconstruction of various medical stereotypes;
Genshiken - otaku life;
Sanctuary - politics;
Spice and Wolf - medieval economics;
Tetsuwan Girl - women's baseball in postwar Japan;
Ushijima the Loan Shark - self-evident (and devastating).

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"They're talking to their balls." (FMP Fumoffu)

Billionaire Girl - economics
Shion no Ou - shougi
Chihayafuru - karuta
Amanchu! - diving
Nana Maru San Bantsu - quizzes
Noririn - cycling

Say Hello to Black Jack Really gets you thinking a lot and some of the stuff about ethical conundrums is really educational. Downside: a bit depressing.

Wine : Aside Kami no Shizuku, there is Sommeliere.
Climbing : Kokou no Hito
Diving : Wa ga Na wa Umishi
Firefighter : Megumi no Daigo
Photography. I've sorted it.

Add more:
Politics/Election : Eagle
Banker : Kono Hito ni Kakero
Negotiator : Yugo
Politics/Historical : Cesare

Last edited by comel at 6:54 pm, Aug 1 2011

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is Cesare really "historical"?
I have a friend who is a huge Cesare buff and from what I've heard the manga bears pretty much no connection to actual historical fact...?

There are already several threads on this:

http://www.mangaupdates.com/showtopic.php?tid=12065&h l=educational

http://www.mangaupdates.com/showtopic.php?tid=3515&hl= educational

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