Try Cannon God Exaxxion, It's a mecha with nothing of the things you described, plus the science is well done for a change with not too much lose on explanations

To be honest I don't enjoy the genre all that much for the same reasons, I prefer hand to hand combat as well, so I don't know that many Mecha to begin with.

Guro.

Here's a quadruple-getter: Dokuhime for historical (kinda. it's fantasy with a historical flair), tragedy, josei, and psychological. Pretty much all the characters are traumatized and certifiably insane in one way or another, though, so it's one of those mangas that people either love or hate. There is a reverse harem, but it's mitigated by the fact that (1) the male leads involved are possessive of her, as though she were more a toy than a human being, so the harem isn't at all romantic, and that (2) the FMC is more dedicated to running away from them (since they're more than willing to kill her for most of the story) than to finding love with them.

On another note, Chang Ge Xing meets the following categories: shoujo, historical (china of the Tang dynasty), and tragedy. It's incomplete (in status of origin as well), so you might want to wait until it's completed (no idea when that's going to be though OTLQQ). Granted, the story seems a bit... loose, I suppose you could say, and I sometimes feel as though the author has no clue what he/she wants to do with it. Nonetheless, the author has managed to pull the loose strings together every few chapters for the most part, and I'm eager to read more of this series.

Finally, I guess I can kinda recommend Basara for shoujo and historical. Basara's pretty much old Japan under a different name iirc. The series is from either the 80s or the 90s, so the gratuitous reverse harem and the "whoa, this girl is actually sweet to me unlike ~everyone else~ despite the fact that I've betrayed her and shit" from love interests are only to be expected. It's labeled as tragedy, and it's true that lots of people die and the country ends up in disarray politically. However, the FMC + her love interest end up together (and alive, obviously) and we get a post-epilogue volume that shows how all the characters manage to cooperate and cope with/settle/change the political and personal dilemmas presented to them.



I second Hoshi no Koe, lmao. Although I have a hard time believing the male lead could still feel attracted to the female lead after ~6 years (it makes sense on the FMC's part, because not as much time has passed for her & iirc she has a limited group of people to befriend), it was cute and heartwarming regardless.

Also, Bokurano is pretty good, all things considered. I was expecting a lot worse, since I couldn't tolerate Narutaru, which is by the same author, but I digress.


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I absolutely cannot tolerate shounen, with all its gratuitous reverse harems, horrible plotting, and outrageous characterization. I also hate the way some of them tend to go on for forever, either by dragging or by pointlessly continuing long after the series should have ended. These traits are also prevalent in seinen/shoujo/etc., but I've read so many good seinen/shoujo/etc. mangas that keep me from hating the demographics themselves. The same cannot be said for shounen.

And please, please do not recommend Death Note or the like. I realize a lot of people tout it as "something that could easily pass for seinen", but I thought DN had too many aspects that were, uhh. mediocre at best.


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wow essay wow ugh

Can't say anything for guro, sorry. I think one scene in Battle Royale might count as guro? Is that just porn with violence involved or what? /shot

Last edited by PinkStarBePink at 7:59 pm, Aug 12 2014

(Ero-)Guro comes from "erotique grotesque" and is gore's sexually gratifying twin. Don't ask me how gore can be sexually stimulating but the niche exists.

Now on to the real topic. I can relate to your aversion of the above mentioned flaws of mainstream Shounen but as you've said yourself, they can be found in mainstream works of the other demographics, too. Maybe you only need a gem to get you started, something with profound characterisations, solid storytelling and an elaborate setting - and I'm not talking about stuff like Death Note. How about you try one of the following suggestions?

Koe no Katachi by OOIMA Yoshitoki
I'm firmly convinced that this story is one of the rare gems whose demographic shouldn't matter at all. In this manga, you'll find neither ecchi scenes with a weak-willed harem protagonist nor an over-powered male lead who keeps on fighting the same guys for hundreds of chapters. Instead it confronts you with a harsh but profound depiction of bullying, the inclusion/ exclusion of the disabled and the coming of age.
As a literary work that explores its subject with an uncomfortably unvarnished perspective, it may hit too close to home for some people but that is about the only justified reason to miss out on this masterpiece. You could consider it a character sketch of sorts.
Therefore, the characterisation really makes its plot shine: Be it the bully, the victim, the sympathizers, parents or teachers, the mangaka quietly provokes us to question our view on each role as we follow their lives from primary to high school. When is someone to be held accountable? Is there really such a thing as redemption? How can lives be mend after they were once broken if it is possible at all?
She doesn't give any answers but the story challenges you to reflect on these problems by yourself.

Mahou Tsukai no Yome by YAMAZAKI Kore
This story is still in its early stages but I have high expectations for this one. The first chapters may focus more on introducing the fantasy world to us than progressing the plot, nevertheless, there's enough foreshadowing for a promising mystery story.
For once the protagonist isn't an easy-going brat nor a tsundere but a taciturn young girl who has been dealt a fair deal of hardships. The male lead is even more intriguing: His character combines a curious appearance with an enigmatic personality and maybe even with a trifle eerieness.
All in all, the atmosphere, thick with wonder and secrecy, suggests that this series will be closer to a Seinen or a Josei, i.e. slow-paced but well-developed storyline with a sound setting and some character growth.

If you're interested in a shoujo-like slice of life, you could try Horimiya by HERO/ HAGIWARA Daisuke although I'm not sure if you'd like it after looking through your lists.


Last edited by Tripitaka at 9:56 pm, Aug 13 2014

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"Stories are what death thinks he puts an end to.
He can't understand that they end in him, but they don't end with him."
- Ursula K. Le Guin, Gifts

To be savoured:
- Blood Alone by TAKANO Masayuki
- Otoyomegatari by MORI Kaoru
- Gangsta. by Kohske
- Seishun Kouryakuhon by AKIZUKI Sorata

Tripitaka pretty much got the current top non mainstream shounen right there.

I also have issues with shounen in general, from all demographics I've read so far the most diverse spectrum, because if that starts to get bad it gets unbearable. I also tried death note and after about the halfway point I got soooo bored I dropped it. that's kind of the problem with that, they tend to have pretty bad parts but on the bright side tend to recover. at least if there is anything left to recover.
There is also a nice genre in there: slice of life
Yotsubato!
Barakamon
Koe no Katachi
Horimiya
are prime examples for that

Kono Bijutsubu ni wa Mondai ga Aru! is hilarious, comedy done right

there's also Double Arts that shows you that shounen adventures can in fact be pretty good and not just stupid.



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in need of romance?
uncommon, sad, sweet

Thank you I'll read them right away. I actually remember looking into Mahou Tsukai no Yome a while back lmao, but I decided not to read it because of the sketchy skeleton man on the cover page & because the cover page looked too, uh, jovial. Koe no Katachi looks especially promising, so thanks again.

As for Horimiya, my lists are far from complete, and there are a couple more shoujo slifes that I have enjoyed than my lists would let on, so I might end up enjoying it a lot. Obviously, I don't know for sure until I've read it haha.



Thanks for the recs!

+ I can't thank you enough for Yotsubato!. I remember picking the first few volumes up at the local library several years ago and loved it, but I moved and eventually forgot about the series.

As for Double Arts, it seems to have been discontinued? I'd rather not start a series if it ends abruptly, so I'm putting it on hold for now.

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While I'm at it, another thing I can't stand would be yaoi. Yuri I'm actually somewhat fond of (that cuteness though. omg), but bl mangas seem to always portray abusive relationships and often show so many sex scenes--and rape scenes--in one series that they start to reek of abusive porn. Furthermore, pretty much all the bl I've tried to read focused on just that--the abusive romance and resulting misunderstandings/jealousies/etc. between the two guys. So bl with, uh, a solid plotline revolving around things other than simply the romance itself would be nice.

A friend of mine really likes bl, so I tried asking her for recommendations to see what she liked so much about it, but ughhh. All her recommendations were, uh, excruciatingly bad. But, once again, I digress so...

I gotta say I'm starting to hate the fact that there is Ecchi almost everywhere so I'm putting that on hold for now. On a most annoying case, I stop reading anything that had gender bender cuz of those 2 series Uwasa no Midori-kun!! and Houou Gakuen Misoragumi

I don't hate anything. If it doesn't pique my interest, I don't read it.

Not completely sure, but you're saying the genre you hate is gender bender and ecchi, right? Lmao I hate ecchi/pointless fanservice, too, so I can't really help you there, but I have some reqs that have gender bender elements.

+++ Lmao I'm recommending the same stuff I recommended in my earlier post, but oh well.

In Chang Ge Xing, Chang Ge crossdresses as a guy for the first 3 or 4 volumes, because she lives in a time period (Tang Dynasty, China) during which women don't have easy access to the recognition and power that men of lesser qualifications can easily grasp. You also see several women manipulating the men who do have power rather than grasping for it themselves, but I digress.

In Basara, the twin brother of Sahara, the main character, is widely touted as the "destined child". But then he dies lmao. To keep up the morale of the people as they prepare to defend themselves against and battle the Red King and the royal family, Sahara takes his place and pretends to be her twin brother. Drama ensues.

The main character pretends to be a guy in Tokyo Crazy Paradise, too, because the story's set in a more dangerous/wild version of Japan and her parents were paranoid she'd be raped or something. To be completely honest, I wasn't too fond of this series, lol, but a lot of people seem to love it and it has a really high rating, so I'd definitely give this a try.

I've never really considered NG Life gender bender, but apparently it is, so recommend I will. Basically it's about a bunch of people from Pompeii who got reincarnated in contemporary Japan. Some of them remember their past life; others do not. About half of them were reborn in the opposite gender lmao. It's not your average gender bender, since nobody voluntarily disguises him/herself as a member of the opposite gender, but one of the male leads is often forced into crossdressing by his peers, which I guess sort of counts? It does drag, and it's a bit too melodramatic at times, but overall it's a gem.

I read My Heart Is Beating around 3 years ago, so I don't remember it too well, but it's pretty funny. Basically the male lead is blackmailed into crossdressing as a girl and joining the girls' swim team. There's also some drama regarding a cold war of sorts between the MC and his father. Not the best of Ha Il-Kwon's works, but you can't go wrong with the author, and MHiB is worth a quick read.

Last edited by PinkStarBePink at 8:52 pm, Aug 13 2014

For Martial Arts, if your main objections are to a weak/wimpy/dumb male lead and an annoying female lead with little real purpose in the plot, make sure to check out Feng Shen Ji. The male lead is the exact opposite of the wimpy protagonists you dislike and his love interest grows into a powerful character with a significant effect on the plot as well. The art is simply phenomenal, btw. It's all beautifully colored and there are even a few paintings of close ups in every chapter. In terms of the sheer effort it takes to design, draw, and color the whole thing, I've simply seen no match. You didn't mention objecting to the battles, so if you don't, quiver in awe of the incredibly OTT battles throughout this story. They are as much philosophical battles as physical ones and usually pit adversaries with distinctly different views against each other, so it's often just as interesting reading about the mental battles as it is admiring the physical fight.

And there I've gone and written a small essay. You can tell how much I've enjoyed this story. Please check it out and perhaps change your views on martial arts stories!

I generally dislike harem. However, I know that Ranma 1/2 and some others are considered classics, and I am totally willing to check them out. It's more like I tolerate harems, but they usually don't add much to a story besides serving as a convenient premise gimmick. Does anyone know of a manga that actually explores/deconstructs the dynamics of a harem? The only one I know of is Honeymoon Salad and that was less of a harem and more of a pretty tame love triangle.

I tolerate ecchi. From what I've read, it's mostly just fanservice and doesn't add much to the story. If somebody knows of a really good one, I'd be excited to read it.

Smut/hentai/borderline-h are tolerable, but usually have little to do with a story. Plots are usually just vehicles for the sex, rather than the other way around. I also dislike the depictions of massive amounts of bodily fluids (seriously? people have barely that amount of fluid in their bodies for chrissakes) and the extreme anatomy of the women. The usual one-sided focus on the woman is also boring, but understandable. Sex is just boring without context or with extremely bland context, tbh. Does anyone have a story where the sex actually have some value to the story (and the story isn't godawful)?


Last edited by lambchopsil at 11:13 pm, Aug 13 2014

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fiveblithebells.com

As for the harem, I'm not completely sure this is what you want, but in Yume no Shizuku, Ougon no Torikago, the FMC has to find the love of the emperor of a legitimate harem amidst hundreds of other women to ensure her survival and crap like that despite being in love with another man. She apparently ends up with the emperor guy, though. The author narrates in the first or second volume that "this girl would eventually become the empress of [whatever the country's name was]..." I personally -and fruitlessly- ship her with the black-haired slave guy (or whatever he was), but whatever.

Edit: Oops, sorry, it says right there in the summary: "Hence begins the story of a slave to an empress of the greatest empire of all time, Alexandra, the woman who would one day be known as Roxelana, Empress of the Ottoman Empire."

Last edited by PinkStarBePink at 10:40 pm, Aug 13 2014

I haven't read it myself yet, but I'm thinking that A Girl By The Sea would qualify.

Atlas Shrugged is the only story I've read where the harem had any thought put into it, lol.

Dance Till Tomorrow, Arigatou, and other series by Yamamoto Naoki.

Also, Tropical Citron - if you like this one, try other Matsumoto Jiro works as well (I find his series hit-or-miss, myself).

And perhaps Volume 2, chapter 9 of 3, Street of Mysteries, if you're looking for sex scenes that are decidedly unserviceable.

(Note that most of these have rape. Also, Yamamoto's series may induce rage in certain readers; if you consider a rage-inducing story to be inherently godawful, then start with Believers instead of the two listed above.)

i love this description of it XD

for those who hate ecchi: well, i don't like it either XD But there's this one-shot called Sex Manga that's hilarious -- it makes fun of typical ecchi manga and was totally worth seeing a few panty/boob shots lol

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WEBTOONS ヽ( ★ω★)ノ

I can't stand "legit" gender benders. (those in which the original biological orientation of a character is changed to an opposite gender through bodily transformations) Maybe what I really couldn't handle is complication of the relationships between the protagonists, especially If the character wounds up leaving the original love interest in search of another partner to suit the superficial changes. I am not so sure but this may be due to what happened in the Cheeky Angel anime from my childhood.

I dislike shounen or seinen in which some random girls are just thrown in to the mix of the harem blindly running after the useless male lead though there is a cannonical partner. Or those with ultra dependent chicks whose humongous boobs are so in contrast with their flat, boring personality. (Yes, Kei. I am kinda talking about you...) Though, these are so mainstream I can actually tolerate them.

Those who love the type of genderbending I said, any tips, suggestions or recommendations? (´･_･`)