I'm looking for something similar to Gokusen and/or Until Death Do Us Part.

What I liked:

*Age gap between the love interests.

*Subtlety of the romance between them.

*Interesting collection of characters who actually add something enjoyable to the plot.

*Kick-arse protagonists who fight for something or someone.


If anyone could recommend something like either one or both, I'd greatly appreciate it. I'd also like to add that I love seeing the characters kick major butt throughout the series while improving themselves or learning about life. Anyone who starts out perfect is incredibly boring and those who are too dumb to even carry on their roles as the hero/heroine of the story properly annoy the tar out of me.

Anyhoo, I leave this open and less specific since there are too many elements from both stories that I really adore for me to list them all. Feel free to draw your own parralels between them, I don't quite mind it, so long as I get some good recommendations.

Thanks in advance!

Oh, and real quick: no shounen/shoujo-ai, yaoi, yuri, smut, or hentai.


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My Personal Favorites: Skip Beat, Tokyo Crazy Paradise, Ashita No Ousama, Gokusen, Until Death Do Us Part, Perfect Girl Evolution, Ouran Highschool Host Club, Kisu yori mo Hayaku.

*falls back with nosebleed, killed by the sexy*

Action with Age Gape and Romantic Subplot and none of the dislikes
Action and Romance with Age Gap and none of the dislikes

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"Officially, this machine doesn't exist, you didn't get it from me,
and I don't know you. Make sure it doesn't leave the building."

Maybe kyou kara hitman and until death do us part

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Few favs
Comedy:
Kyou kara ore wa!!, Mx0, Angel Densetsu, Skip Beat, Ai Kora, The Devil King is Bored

Romance:
Hana to Akuma, No bra, Shinigami Trilogy, kindan no koi de ikou, Usagi Drop, Threads of Time, Girl Friends

Most under rated:
Kindan no koi de ikou, kyou kara ore wa!.
m0r l83r... maybe >_>

I can't draw many similarities with the two manga mentioned but Gunslinger Girl covers all your 4 points you mentioned. You should try it if you're ok with something more serious and less comedic.

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What I like in Trivial Pursuit style. Pick your category:

i've been recommending this one a lot lately, but Dengeki Daisy seems to fit most of it: age gap with older guy, physically and mentally strong couple, both who fight for a goal or to protect. only thing that may not fit is the "subtlety" of the romance. although i would say that there is a more important plotline, the romance is still an important point/drives the main plot.

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From the manga: Good Luck, Demon King!

Eternal Sabbath might fit most of the descriptions. Maybe the age gap is not apparent but he is technically younger than her although the appearance might say otherwise.

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"I am a colorful fantasy born on dark nights; a delusion of black and bottomless minds; a thought that dies in the morning reborn by moonlight. What am I?"
- A Night of a Thousand Dreams

Angel Densetsu

no age gaps but still good

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stupid photobucket, wanting $400/yr just to display your images

I second Dengeki Daisy
You could try Otoyomegatari (it's awesome)

Maybe also Enchanter. It says harem on it's page, but it's more of a love polygon. The character development is interesting.