Please attempt to recommend Manga that is not well-known, as I have most likely read all of the mainstream stuff. I'm looking for that hidden gem!

Absolute must:
Beautiful shoujo-esque art.
Female protaganist.
At least 20 chapters, preferably more. I like them lonnngggg.
Romance.
Absolute can not:
Yaoi, yuri, shounen-ai, shoujo-ai
Childish romances where it takes 20+ chapters for them to even holds hands.
Optional good genres:
Josei
Fantasy
Historical
Mature
Smut
Bad genres:
Sports
Gender Bender
Hentai
Favorite manga ever (in no particular order)r:
Saiunkoku Monogatari
Fushigi Yuugi
Kamisama Hajimemashita
Dengeki Daisy
Kaichou wa Maid-Sama!
Ouran High School Host Club
Skip Beat
Watashi ni xx Shinasai!
Barajou no Kiss
Shitsuji-sama no Okiniiri
Vampire Knight
Boku kara Kimi ga Kienai
Hadashi de Bara wo Fume
Bokura ga Ita
Not so favorite manga I've read:
Red River/Anatolia Story (yes long, but didn't like the art so much)
Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge (the female protaganist disgusts me)
Hapi Mari
Sukitte Ii na yo
Mei-chan no Shitsuji
Honggane
Lovey Dovey
Shugo Chara
Momoiro Heaven
Cutie Boy
Hanayomesama wa 16-sai
Desire Climax

Thank you so much in advance. I realize I'm picky.

Did u try kindan no koi de ikou? There is also mamotte agemasu but I think its a little more known.
"
if I remember right mamotte had somewhere around 20 chaps including its sequels... not rly sure. Kindan is rly long including the prequels.

Also its insanely unlikely u haven't read it yet, but I'm mention Tokyo crazy paradise as well.(based on liking skip beat)

Last edited by SAimNE at 9:38 pm, Apr 13 2012

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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 >_>

attempting... lol

Kaikan Phrase
My second favorite romance after skip beat!

I never know what's popular and what's not, so you've probably read at least a few of these.

Reimei no Arcana
Hana no Kishi is gender bender (sorry), but really not like any other, and beautiful art
Venus Capriccio
Her Majesty's Dog
Akuma to Love Song
Orange Marmalade A slow romance, but it's certainly not childish. Really addictive.
Five if you like the art
Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun maybe
Chocolate Cosmos
Hana no Namae
Black Bird

Ganota no Onna and love scar

Dear my girls Multiple relationships
Zettai Kareshi Pretty much mainstream.
H20 - foggy memory on this one, think it fits. Multiple relationships

Making your lists public helps a lot. You liked ouran but you don't like gender benders?

Zig Zag Don
Para Paru its only at ch 16 though , but its ongoing
CLOVER (CHIYA TORIKO)
Keishichou Tokuhanka 007 its only at ch 13 and ongoing though
Youth Gone Wild
Auto Focus its only 16 chapters , but its so good , hope you dont mind
Bijo ga Yajuu
Can't See Can't Hear But Love webcomic
Hoshi wa Utau
Piece of Cake
Song of the Cloud webcomic
Yume Miru Taiyou



Last edited by candicane at 11:04 pm, Apr 13 2012

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I'd say Bitou Lollipop, but the art there was meh (though everything else was good).

Edit: Note that I'm not a fan of shoujo-esque art style, so my judgment of such art would be low by default.

I second Can't See Can't Hear But Love, it's awesome, though it doesn't have a set demographic (not really a shoujo).

I liked the art style in Tales from the Land of Daughters - ShengNan's Story, but I'm not sure if it fits all your requests (unfortunately only the first 4 chapters are translated).

Last edited by jahu at 11:55 pm, Apr 13 2012

Issho ni Neyou yo
Little Queen
Saruyama!
Antique Romance
The Three Times
Koi Shitagari no Blue

Maybe...?

Last edited by MaskingTape at 1:13 am, Apr 14 2012

Kare Kano
Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu
Moe Kare!!
Kare First Love
Strobe Edge
Kare wa Tomodachi

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"In a world where most people would be crazy, then it would be normal to be crazy and crazy to be normal... but then again, if you were normal, then you would be crazy... isn't it crazy what a paradox a little craziness can create?"

I hope you find something among any of these:

Barairo My Honey
Fruits Basket (though, okay... the romance part is slow, but the overall story is sooooo good)
Ai Hime - Ai to Himegoto
Koukou Debut
Shiawase Kissa Sanchoume
Kuro Bara Alice (I personally like this more than Vampire Knight.)

Have you tried Tsumi ni Nureta Futari?

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ongoing:
Akagami no Shirayukihime
Honey Bitter


completed:
Toraware no Minoue


second:
Orange Marmalade
Strobe Edge
Monkey High (=Saruyama!)
Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

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in need of romance?
uncommon, sad, sweet

Wow! I walk away from this thread with a nice big bounty of gems. I also "re-discovered" some that I'd originally labeled as not my type.
Thank you all so much for all of your help! My sack of "to-reads":
Joousama no Inu
Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun
Chocolate Cosmos
H20 (Not too sure about this Multiple Relationships thing... I'm going to give it a shot)
Zig Zag Don
Paru Paru
Clover
Keishichou Tokuhanka 007
Youth Gone Wild (Art is borderline, but I'm going to give it a try!)
Auto Focus
Bijo go Yajuu
Hoshi wa Utau
Song of the Cloud
Issho ni Neyou yo
Koi Shitagari no Blue
Kuro Bara Alice

Love you guys!! <3