Hey I'm looking for manga recommendations for manga that address sex/intimacy maturely. I don't mean manga that have sex or smutty scenes, but just brings it up in a casual or realistic manner. The couple doesn't even have to actually have sex. Here's some examples of what I'm talking about...

Cheese in the Trap: Main couple doesn't take physical intimacy for granted, progresses from kissing to hand holding to sleeping in the same bed as emotional rapport is gradually increased.

Devil's Line: Main couple is sexually attracted to one another. Although the plot makes the situation pretty kinky, they actually discuss their sexualities and so on in honest conversation.

Ran to Haiiro no Sekai: One of the male leads is a "playboy" and is sexually attracted to the main girl but respects her boundaries and never takes it farther.

Mars: Main female lead embraces wanting to have a healthy sexual relationship with the male lead and fucking owns it too.

Basara: Main couple have a (relatively) normal sexual relationship until plot makes things super awkward between them haha. Sex is shown to sometimes be wonderful, and other times a dangerous tool.

Anatolia Story/Red River: Although the manga includes other rape-y parts, the main couple have a normal sexual relationship and the story even covers some parts of pregnancy.

Usotsuki Lily: Young couple eventually wants to have sex with one another, but talk about it and decide they're not quite ready yet.

Savage Garden: The intimacy isn't healthy but the story actually acknowledges that these sort of clandestine meetings actually happen (and have happened) in history.

Bonnouji: BEST EXAMPLE. Normal healthy couple, and the manga actually shows the progression of their physical relationship. Super casual vibe.

Jackass!: Male couple (and best friends) explores kink in a non-rapey and non-shaming way, which is rare for yaoi manga. Plus they actually talk through problematic parts of their relationship.

Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou: Already a great example for shoujo involving relationships that evolve in a relatively normal way.

Sekine-kun no Koi: Main guy lusts after/crushes on the main girl and it's normal and not weird. They actually end up having sex in the end and it's great and doesn't feel forced or fan-servicey at all. Also explores some topics of sexual abuse.

Sabishisugite Lesbian Fuzoku Ni Ikimashita Report: ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE. A straight up autobiography of the mangaka coming to terms with her attraction for women, and hiring an escort to try to work her emotional baggage out.


SOOO basically anything that brings up the topic of sex or other forms of intimacy without resorting to the default "ohoho I'm going to attack you" thing. Or shaming or rape-y vibes like you normally see in shoujo, smut, and yaoi. Super cool with couples of any gender configuration.

At the very least, maybe this list will help others who are interested in this same thing? Lol. Thanks in advance guys.

Man, you've got a great list and some of those I will now have to check out or get caught up on (mainly Devil's Line and Cheese in the Trap respectively). As for suggestions, try out:

Talk to Me (Female protag wants to experiment sexually and tries to figure out how to communicate that to her boyfriend.)
How Far Have You Gone? (Slice of life newlywed's sex life where wife doesn't have much experience and the husband does and they explore that along with just other slice of life stuff.)
Honto Yajuu (This one I'm not too sure on, though I feel like the two are very good at communication with each other in general, but there may be an "ohoho...attack you" from both of them to each other.)

And though you only asked for Asian comics, there are really good Western ones so here are a few more:

Love not Found (Sci-fi where people don't touch each other anymore and two people explore touching each other.)
Shades of A (An asexual man and middle aged transvestite have a relationship with each other.)
Alfie (This is pr0n in a fantasy setting, but it's really good at sex positivity, but so far there hasn't been much on the romance side since so much of it is about discovering yourself.)

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Wow thanks a lot for your recommendations! I ended up starting to read Shades of A before I realized it, haha.

Hajiotsu.
Soushi Souai (Liberum)

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Thank you!

Blue Sky Complex addresses homosexual intimacy in a very realistic way.

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I don't know what manga you read, but it wasn't Ran to Haiiro no Sekai. That guy was an utter sociopath who didn't even acknowledge women's humanity let alone respect boundaries. He was only there to serve as a self-insert for sadists and narcissists.

Actually none of your examples feature healthy relationships. You have a strange notion of what "mature" means.

This. So glad that...

Great manga, conceptually, dramatically and visually. I

t's a magical melodrama. Every melodrama needs a villain. The male character in question is a consummate one. The fact that mention of him always elicits a storm of condemnation from women proves that!

Umm yeah. Totally agree. Ran to Haiiro no Sekai is an excellent manga but it does not address intimacy well. There are quite a few elements that I find squicky and the ending was a relief.

Anyhoo, back to the topic in question. [

m]Tsurezure Children[/m] is one manga I believe addresses the evolution of relationships pretty well. And realistically. Intimacy maybe not yet but I believe we'll get there soon enough.

Liar x Liar is another one... It may make you go wtf a bit but it's pretty well written and engaging.

Bonnouji is one of my top 10 favourite manga. It's so sweet and we'll written and the evolution of their relationship is perfect and very realistic. Definitely recommend.

Am Allowed to recommend series that haven't reached the intimacy bit but when it does I know for certain they're going to do it excellently? Then you must read Otoyomegatari. Amir and Karluk's relationship is just blossoming and I have a feeling that Kaoru Mori sensei is going to handle it just right.

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Miss Abbott And The Doctor
Zettai Heiwa Daisakusen(dont remember much)
3d Kanojo
Kyou no Yuiko-san
Kekkon Yubiwa Monogatari
Hare-kon
Chisa X Pon

I would recommend:
& by Okazaki Mari: deep/reflective piece about touching, it's one of my favourites!

Momoiro Heaven! , although being high schoolers, the male lead has expertise & leads to a convincing progression of their relationship

The One an outstanding manga in many ways, other than this one!

Miss Abbott and The Doctor, which you can find for free on Webtoon; she's so badass, even in the 18th century!

Onani Master Kurosawa it's a shonen, specifically, but I felt it was well done in this aspect.

Zig Zag Don

Let me know if you like any of these!

Last edited by burnchocolateforfree at 5:45 am, Dec 19 2017

To me, "mature" doesn't necessarily equal "healthy". More like realistically? I like stories that acknowledge sex and attraction exist in a non-shaming, non-glamorized way. Like for example, in a lot of yaoi or smutty shoujo manga you get a lot of non consensual situations passed off as "normal" or even "exciting".

Ran to Haiiro no Sekai makes the list because it doesn't pretend that sexuality doesn't exist just because the main character is a child. It shows questionable situations, but plays them straight instead of glamorizing them. Like the mangaka is just showing it how it is instead of adding sexual elements merely for fanservice? Like the story is self aware that it's not healthy and doesn't pretend otherwise, .

AND ALSO THERE ARE THE SIDE COUPLES!

Sorry if that was unclear haha.





@burnchocolateforfree
& and Zig Zag Don look great, I'll have to try them!

I've actually read The One, but forgot to mention it in the list!

I've tried Miss Abbot and the Doctor while it was still on Discover, but thought the doctor was a little overbearing? But since multiple people have recommended it on here I'll have to give it another go I think haha.

Onani Master Kurosawa already had my interest before this, so now I'll DEFINITELY have to give it a read.

I saw Momoiro Heaven! before, but thought the summary looked a little problematic with the whole "slave" thing. It is rated pretty highly though, so it must be better than I originally thought. Can't judge a book by it's cover, amiright?

Thanks!

Last edited by lambchopsil at 11:28 am, Dec 23 2017

Read Molester Man by the same author. It's MUCH better. Onani has one of the shittiest plot twists ever and the rest of the story absolutely sucked after that.