Title pretty much says it all. I'm looking for shojo romances that were popular in the 80s/90s. I'll read something that was published in the 70s if it's outstanding. I've tried using search but it's dreadful trying to sift through year and rating.

Glass Mask, Tokyo Crazy Paradise, Red River, Crystal Lord Opera, Night of the Beasts, Hana yori Dango, and Rurouni Kenshin are some of the manga I've read from this era that I've enjoyed.

I hope to find some new (old) gems!

Oh, I love Glass Mask and TCP. Some I've enjoyed and recommend are:
Oishii Kankei
Ashita no Ousama
Miriam
Basara

EDIT
Kanata Kara - if you enjoy time-traveling ones
Subaru - published in 2000 but I feel that it contains the similar drawing style and feel
Vampire Game

Excellent suggestions! I've read many of the ones you listed and will definitely check out the ones I haven't.

Keep 'em coming

If you're looking for something really super 80s, you've got to read Cipher. Its spinoff Alexandrite is similarly representative of the 90s.
Here are some more of my favorites:
A Million-Pound Love
Nemuranai Machi kara
Yume no Tsuzuki
Mars
Boyfriend (SOURYO Fuyumi)
Hoshi wo Tsumu Donna
Yokohama Monogatari
Aiiro Shinwa
Ao no Fuuin
Boku no Chikyuu o Mamotte
Fusuma Land 4.5
Kagen no Tsuki
Marine Blue no Kaze ni Dakarete
Sora no Shinwa Chi no Shinwa
Doll

There are plenty of great 1970s shoujo, but I'm not sure what you would consider outstanding. Is there anything about 1970s shoujo that you particularly don't like?

Last edited by akari_mizunashi at 7:25 pm, Mar 22 2011

Its kinda more oldish maybe :
Versailles no bara

Old Clamp stuff is from the late 90s

It is shonen-ai but a great read and really funny
Eroica Yori Ai wo Komete




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I'm not sure whether you lean towards heavier josei manga or lighter fluffy shoujo manga so I just put some of my faves here:

light:
Chizumi & Fujiomi
Miracle Girls very light and shoujo-ish
Tokimeki Tonight my only complain is this is too long and kind of lose me in the middle
Alien Toori and Alexandrite I love the mangaka!
Baby Love one of those good age gap manga
Ingenuo
Kare Kano although kinda dark later on
Koucha Ouji
Baby Pop

heavier:
since you seem fine with old style art, i'll definitely recommend [m]Seito Shokun[/m]
Orpheus no Mado my complain it this is freaking sad, I cried everytime I read it. And to a certain extent, Seito Shokun too
Yokohama Monogatari and anything by this mangaka. Early feminism potrayed really well here
Fredward-Shi no Ahiru starts pretty light but it's worth more than you think it is.... kepps getting better that my jaw dropped
Sabbath Cafe beautiful message and friendship

apparently some of my all time favorites come from the era you mentioned didn't even notice that until I keep listing lots of manga (had a hard time picking my best recs)

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Help! I'm looking for... manga with dangerous guys http://www.mangaupdates.com/showtopic.php?tid=39874&pa ge=1#post594033

Orpheus no mado
Alpine Rose - Recommended shoujo, I love it, it's from 80's
Candy Candy - Recommended shoujo, first shoujo manga I ever read, and still one of the best
Fushigi Yuugi
Slam Dunk
Monster


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My personal favorite is Mars, try Marmalade Boy and Itazura na Kiss.

You all are great! Thanks so much for the recs!

@akari: I find that a lot of times with the older mangas I miss a lot of references or often certain situations just seem so outdated that it strays from relatable to laughable. To completely contradict myself, I really like reading older mangas because they're outdated. It's a cool way to see a window into what the past was like. Generally speaking, the mangas I read from the 70s are almost always Historical Romance. Not that I would mind another genre.

@aneo: I love CLAMP! I try to stay away from BL/GL but I'll give Versailles no Bara a try since the description says the shoujo-ai couple is not the main romance.

@cliff: I go back and forth between the "heavier" manga and the "lighter" stuff, so I LOVE that you suggested both And you are so right, a lot of my favorite mangas come from this era. It's one of the reasons for this thread.

@pyonk: I will definitely read your suggestions. I've read Slam Dunk before and liked it, but it's a shounen and there's really no romance. Same with Monster except it's Seinen and I haven't read it. I might check it out regardless.

@Barisaxyphone: These have been on my lists forever. I will definitely read them now!

Always looking for more rec's if you got 'em

Last edited by mecopoly at 8:01 pm, Mar 22 2011

I second Kanata Kara! Cutest couple ever.

Gokinjo Monogatari
Kodomo no Omocha
Mimi wo Sumaseba
Mint na Bokura
Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori

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Avatar by tassyn.livejournal.com

Reading: Kingdom, Sangokushi, Historie

Ghost Hunt - though I think it focuses less on the romance (for now at least)
Tenshi Kinryouku - apparently, this is highly recommended but I haven't gotten around to actually reading this (it is on my "to-read" list though!)
Gokusen - maybe not the typical 80s/90s style I think you're looking for but I personally really liked it. The drawing style though takes a while to get used to.