I want to read a manga like Otomen, where the characters have interests that aren't "acceptable" for their gender. A lot of gender bender shoujo start out this way, but they usually do the opposite of what I want, with the girls learning how to be more feminine. I want a manga where a girl is encouraged or praised for being good at martial arts or some other masculine activity. The same goes for men or boys who want to do something feminine. AND most important of all, I want them to win at life or whatever it is they want to do.

Examples:
1. Otomen: I already mentioned this one. It's about a guy who likes to bake and sew, but is still pretty manly in that he is also captain of some sports team.
2. Chihayafuru: Schoolgirl aims to be the "Queen of Kuruta". She has the potential to be a model, but doesn't have much interest in being one.
3. Tokyo Crazy Paradise: If I remember correctly, not only is the male lead impressed by the girl's fighting ability, he hires her as a body guard and she eventually is revealed to be some sort of super fighter.
4. Moribito Guardian of the Spirit: The spearwoman kicks serious ass throughout the whole anime and never loses her badassery. In fact, she's revealed to be more and more badass as the series goes, even with a sweet boyfriend waiting patiently at the hearth back home. A magnificently done role reversal! Anime suggestions are also welcome.

What I Don't Want:
Tomboy being turned into a girly-girl, a skilled female fighter learning how to act princess-like, an androgynous girl who learns about make-up/skirts, a commoner who suddenly finds out she's a princess and needs to learn princess-like behavior. Everything I listed here is the opposite of what I want.

Perhaps Oresama Teacher? She's a super-fighter and it's constantly getting into trouble so she wants to become more girly... but it doesn't really work. It's a very funny manga, I think it's worth reading.

Hourou Musuko - actually about 2 transgender kids, a boy that wants to dress like a girl and a girl who wished to be a boy

Basara - the heroine is forced to pretend to be her brother and take on his fate and responsibilities

Cross Game and Katsu! feature tomboy female leads who are good at male sports (baseball and boxing).



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i second this. though the girl tries to be girly, she just kicks ass all the time.

ouran high school host club perhaps? the girl in it 'cross dresses' but not deliberately, and she already knows some cooking/sewing skills and etc but her personality does develop but... not in a more feminine way if you get what i mean? like, she becomes more stronger mentally rather than girly.

1/2 Prince (Novel) This definitely fits. Though the elements you're looking for are also in the manhua version, they are more prominent in the novel.

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Tesla: If an immortal vampire dies in a virtual world-

Magnus: -does he make a sound?
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Likes: Action, adventure, drama, fantasy, historical, horror, mystery, psychological, sci-fi, seinen, shounen, supernatural, tragedy

...I read too much >.>

The real deviants populate Family Compo

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grammar mistake is intentional, grammar nazis need their entertainment.

Not so sure, but maybe Kanojoiro no Kanojo? The second female lead dreams of becoming a free-fight champion, but is some kind of 'lightweight' and has to go trough some struggles while reaching her dream, even if shes a rather small girl and needs to train harder. ^^"

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"It's like love is a bonus in your life. Even without it, I'm just fine. I don't feel like pointlessly searching for it. You don't have to make yourself unhappy." (Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji)

"Why does it rain?" - "To create drama." (Drops (Andou Yuki))

That's probably not what you are looking for, but I'll post it anyway:
Witchcraft Works - the part where the female lead used princess grip on the male lead and called him her princess - PRICELESS

If you're okay with anime check out Revolutionary Girl Utena, but for manga I would agree with Hourou Musuko.

And as a response to this:

This is just hella rude. Transgendered people are not "deviants".

There's also a manga, but I heard the anime is better. I only read the manga and I didn't like it very much.

Haha yeah I didn't mention the manga because I really don't recommend it. The anime is super great though and pretty spot on with what the OP is asking for.

Excuse me, but why is calling anyone a deviant rude? Also he didn't say anything about who the deviants are...
Oh, and btw... By the definition of the word deviant, transgendered people are deviants...

I second Half Prince
Sasameki Koto if you don't mind yuri.
Past Future seems to be going that way.
Ai wo Utau Yori Ore ni Oborero! I'm not sure if it fits or not, can't hurt to read the description

ps.: I second Witchcraft Works too. Though it's not their interests, but rather their relationship...

Last edited by Draconic at 12:57 pm, Jun 25 2012

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"Thus is our treaty written, thus is agreement made
Thought is the arrow of time, memory never fades
What was asked is given, the price is paid"

It's rude because though it is unfortunately true that in today's society being transgendered is still considered "deviating from the accepted standards", calling some a deviant isn't nice. It's like the difference between calling someone a pervert and pointing out a perversion, one is aimed at a person and it's sexually charged. In modern language deviant = pervert, devious/twisted/kinky person. And the way "the real deviants populate Family Compo" is phrased is like, to me at least "sure other manga characters are tomboyish or crossdress a little to fight, but the REAL freaks are those transgendered people happy with their lives in Family Compo". I don't want this to get anymore of an argument than what it's become already but calling a transgendered person a deviant is never nice! I just wanted the poster to realize that.

I know the deviants he is talking about are the transgendered characters because the OP was asking for characters who defy gender roles and Family Compo has transgendered characters (I've also read it if that counts for anything). It would be irrelevant to post about Family Compo if it didn't have those characters.

I don't know how they use the deviant word nowadays in english speaking countries, but as far as I know it means anything that is outside accepted social norms, customs, and so on. In which I see nothing rude.
I even claim to be a deviant (not that this means anything, since I claim to be evil too, and that is certainly rude...)

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"Thus is our treaty written, thus is agreement made
Thought is the arrow of time, memory never fades
What was asked is given, the price is paid"

Well if you want to get technical any LGBT person by definition is a pervert due to the nature of their sexuality vis-à-vis the biological function of sex.
It could also apply to certain heterosexual practices, such as cunnilingus, fellatio and heterosexual sodomy.

However, unlike the contemporary usage of deviant (eg: DeviantArt), pervert does carry negative connotations.

In regards to "deviant" don't cry foul when no offense was intended. It cheapens your argument and is a form of rhetorical bullying.