I am looking for a psychological manga with a likable / decent main character; but not a goody- two - shoes, innocent child who knows nothing about the world (like Fruits Basket~I was kinda surprised to find out this was psychological)
   Lately, the psychological mangas I have been reading have had an unappealing protagonist, I am kind of sick of hating the central character... But I don't want someone too nice.

For example.  What I don't want: 
Death Note: I would love a similar story, but knowing that the protagonist was evil made me feel like I was the one lying to the other characters (L made me feel especially guilty).    
                           What I want:
Liar Game: the male protagonist doesn't seem completely evil or fully good.

In summary:
--protagonist isn't completely innocent/good or evil
--Really, I will take any manga that is good if the protagonist has redeeming qualities

In addition: 
--no romance outside of m/f of socially acceptable age
--no smut/ only minimum echi

One Outs. He may be arrogant and evil looking but...
Usogui He's somewhat screwed up in the head, but at least he isn't as crazy as the guys he takes on.

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Simply another normal human being...

Hoshi no Samidare - the male lead should totally fit, so give it a try; the romantic subplot might look like lolicon, but the age difference isn't actually big (first year university student and a high-school girl, though I don't remember which year)

Maybe Sugar Dark

Zippy Ziggy - a very selfish and two-faced male lead, but he can be good if he really tries (or is made too )

A lollipop or a bullet
Vitamin (Suenobu Keiko) has some nudity, sex scene(s)
Franken Fran episodic, sometimes I hate Fran - she's not evil but she isn't "good"

Gantz A good psycological/seinen/action manga with a more realistic main character....though it has heavy violence and sex content.

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Melo Holic he is neither good nor bad and not innocent but inexperienced (and funny )

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in need of romance?
uncommon, sad, sweet

ES. I haven't read all of it yet, but Akiba is the kind of character you approve of, while thinking he's still a bit freaky.

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Oyasumi Punpun
A Cruel God Reigns
Banana Bread Pudding
After School Nightmare
Heart of Thomas
A Million Pound Love
Taiyou no Ijiwaru
Adventure Boys

Last edited by Roughan at 4:12 pm, Jun 30 2012

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Lets see...

Seimaden
Kimi no Knife
Kurosagi
Makai Ishi Mephisto (maybe, yet to tell)
Weiss Kreuz
Petshop of Horrors (perhaps... on contrary to most, he's not really evil on the front, but the back... you can say mildly or you can say he's evil... kinda one of those more complicated characters)
Vampire Juuji Kai
X-Kai
12 Nin no Yasashii Koroshiya - Leo Murder Case
9th Sleep (kinda?)
Akusaga (a bit...)
Usotsuki Mi-kun to Kowareta Ma-chan Totteoki no Uso (er... maybe?)
Cantarella (marked as shounen-ai, but really, there's nothing. The shounen-ai is just wishful thinking on us readers' part >.>)
God Child (can't remember if it fits or not)

Last edited by Ibleda at 7:06 pm, Jun 30 2012

Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan
Maybe Coelacanth or Akuma to Love Song.
Seconding A Lollipop or A Bullet.

what is or not psychological is difficult to say, but here are some kinds of mangas that may rise psychological/humanistic questions and that have almost antihero protagonists

blade of the immortal
Berserk
Sugar Dark
Kurozuka
black lagoon
Kara no Kyoukai: The Garden of Sinners watch the movies, more complete.
Kimi no Knife
Baccano! 1931 The Grand Punk Railroad go for the anime series.
Usotsuki Mi-kun to Kowareta Ma-chan Totteoki no Uso
ES
Deadman Wonderland
Kyou kara Hitman

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Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900) - "Man is more ape than many of the apes."

Jean-Paul Sartre - "You are--your life, and nothing else."

Henrik Ibsen - "The majority is always wrong; the minority is rarely right."

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GoodIsNotNice
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ByronicHero
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NominalHero
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SlidingScaleOfAntiHe roes

Just read the description and start clicking links for more like 'em.

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"Officially, this machine doesn't exist, you didn't get it from me,
and I don't know you. Make sure it doesn't leave the building."

hmm... not sure if this is considered 'psychological' but the lead Yureka is definitely a character of his own and is not 'evil' but is not 'good' by any means

Well, even if you give this description is hard to tell if you're going to like this character, because its a matter of tastes, but i recomend you Pandora Hearts, though you have to trust me and keep going when you meet Oz (the main character) because at first he doesnt seem to fit with what you are asking, but at least basically, he fits. I Hope you read it and like it!

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Ganbare Seishuu! Ganbare Seishuu!