I was looking for some good series with romance where one or both people are weak, vulnerable or downright broken inside and a great deal of attention is paid to the other supporting, helping and trying to heal their pain. Bonus if both parties have at least periods in which they show some real vulnerability and weakness and the other determinedly works to help, support and/or protect them.

One great example of this is 3-gatsu no Lion. The romance has been very slow to develop, but from early on you see the hero's extremely deep emotional wounds and weaknesses. And you also frequently see his eventual love interest noticing his pain and feeling for him, sometimes trying to help him out and on occasions where she's able actively seeking to stand up for him and protect him from those that would try to break him. The longer things go, the more he expresses a deep fondness for her and the more comfort and support he draws from her. Later, events unfold that simultaneously demonstrate the girl's incredible strength and expose her vulnerability, leaving her almost as helpless and alone as him, and inspiring him to do everything in his power to be there for her and fight for her, not just to comfort her in her weakness but in admiration of her strength.

My one request is that the people who need support not demonstrate their vulnerabilities in extremely negative ways, by being cruel or mean or dangerous. No Shoujo/Smut bad boys, I hate those jerks and can't stand seeing girls go crazy for them, something that I see far too much on both sides of the ocean.

3-gatsu no Lion is wonderful!

Sundome fits the bill, but it's very much geared to the male reader. Nevertheless, it's overall a very moving story, so you might give it a try.

http://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=11316

Also there is Bitter Virgin.

http://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=2997

Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan
A short work that I find very beautiful. It doesn't have a typical happy ending, but I wouldn't consider it completely sad either. Both parties are damaged in some way and find comfort in each other. The male party is on death row, so some demonstration of violence is in there, but it's not the focus at all (shown in memory sequences).

Kingyo Sou
Another short work. Mostly just the male lead is vulnerable due to his hearing impairment. Very sweet.

Pieta
If you don't mind shoujo ai, this is probably my favorite shoujo ai series. Granted, the art is not the prettiest, but the story makes up for it.

Some old classics that you may very well have read before:
Mars - both parties in this have weakness
Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou - mainly only the male lead has weakness
Kanata Kara - only the male lead has weakness
Kodomo no Omocha - male lead mostly, comical a good portion of the time

I'll edit again if I can think of anything else.

Last edited by tsumi_mo_nai at 6:28 pm, Nov 26 2016

Bitter Virgin pissed me off a bit because of 1 page at the end.



That 1 page totally destroyed that entire journey for me.

Should have mentioned Bitter Virgin, considering it's one of my favorite manga and indeed a very beautiful story of healing and support, as well as the struggles that come with a commitment to someone in need of these things.

I've read a couple chapters of Sundome before and might finish it at some point. I had a little trouble because I'm not terribly fond of characters that are that upfront sexually aggressive, whether they're men or women. Obsessed with sex or just plain perverted is one thing, but the sort that comes off as a cunning wolf that has absolute control and means to play with its food before eating it is just a little bit scary, and the way she deliberately pushes him and teases him sort of goes there for me.

Yes she does, but the genius of this story is that her pushing and teasing is just what this particular guy needs! Check out his character at the beginning and, say, through the first half of the manga. He is truly an emotionally damaged and weak guy, and in fact kind of the ultimate timid shounen MC male.

But later he shows good traits formerly hidden under all that fear.

It's a story of unexpected growth.

I love it when a mangaka takes one of the standard plots of the various genres and deforms it while raising it to a more complex level!

Taisho Wotome, this one is really cute and touching. (ongoing)

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=123080

Itsuya-san, quite nice one (completed)

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=71266

Chande 123, it is not as the previous ones where one of the characters literally gets help from one of the casts but, they still support each other. (completed)

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=11058

Kurohime, the MC is a b!tch, the guy helps her change slowly, I thought it may fit your requirements. (completed)

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=464

And of course, you can't miss Koe no Katachi (completed)

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=94116

Futari no Renai Shoka, cute, they both have to deal with their own issues. (completed)

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=82277

I've been adding as soon as a I remember them xD. There are still more but I can't recall to be honest...

Last edited by hurafloyd at 7:32 pm, Nov 24 2016

When you said you want it like that, the first things that came into my mind were Bitter Virgin(which is extremely good) and Zankoku no Kami ga Shiraisuru
Now the thing is, Zankoku showed a darker emotions than bitter virgin, the manga expoits the protagonist's pain and struggles at the beginning of the story, and the latter part is where his step brother tries to heal his wounded heart. Let me just tell you that it's tagged as "Shounen-ai" but this is not your typical boy's love crap. It tells you a story about redemption.



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