I'll try to keep this as open as possible because I am hoping for quite a few recommendations. I have a lot of free time for the next two weeks so please load me up with something to read

I am currently looking for something with a cool/calm/strong male MC with an interesting story (I enjoy fantasy / sci-fi / sports / action / supernatural the most) and some sort of romantic subplot.

I don't need a fully flushed out shoujo-esque romance for this, but I need at least one of the significant characters (introduced at the beginning or very early on) to be a love interest, even if it's subtle. I prefer when the girl is the one with strong feelings or that the feelings are mutual, i am not looking for a story about a guy chasing a girl.

Please don't recommend anything with:
-Abusive tsundere girls. I am okay with emotionally distant / cold girls, but I can't stand the stereotypical tsundere (think Louise from ZnT and then kill it with fire.)

-EDIT: Just realized I left out my biggest turn off. Don't include anything that involves the MCs cheating, even if it's borderline.

-Weak / whiny MCs (weak to strong is fine, completely helpless is not.)

-Clumsy MCs (I can't stand typical ero humor where guy slips and grabs girls breasts or walks in on her changing every other chapter.)

-Focus on perverted humor

-Yaoi / yuri

I will prioritize shows with 20+ chapters scanlated, but I don't mind newer series as well.

I haven't updated my profile on this site yet, but you can see what I have read / am reading here: http://myanimelist.net/mangalist/Feyfray it's mostly up to date except for Mx0 and Psyren (both of which I am almost done with.)

Thanks for reading!

Last edited by Feyfray at 10:16 pm, Sep 26 2014

The one that came to my mind was https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=4875. Kanata Kara. Though the lead female isn't strong physically...she is strong in her own way. It's a favorite of mine.


(I'm sorry I don't know how to do links correctly :S)

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"We are what we believe we are."
~C. S. Lewis~

You'll probably like some of these.

Happy World!
Majo no Shinzou
Psyren
Puchimon
Vampire Juujikai.

I highly recommend Vampire Juujikai.
As for Happy World!, I looked at the tags again... its been years since I've read it but I don't recall a harem or any perverted scenes.

Last edited by silencecomes at 7:13 pm, Sep 26 2014

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Is this me in a nutshell?
Pretty much.

Fullmetal Alchemist -I see that you have not watched this one either, and i would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this one, it is one of the best works ever created and it also fits your request

Bokura no Kiseki -this one is fantasy and supernatural mixed with slice of life and a very complicated storyline with many characters. its a lot of work to keep up with the pace of this one but its definitely worth it if your up to it. it also has a side romance with the MC and one of his classmates and it is a mutual love.

i have more but im too lazy now ill edit this later to add more.... maybe

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Like educational manga? take a look at Ed U. Manga's list of manga here

Akagami no Shirayukihime
Eh well, typical recommendation.

Boku no Chikyuu o Mamotte
Bit more serious romance, but does not interfere with well built plot. Sequel isn't as serious, a lighter read with less romance and sniffles lol.

Bokura no Kiseki

Lip Smoke
Completely romance here... just included it since it's a nice and light read, without an all fluffy female.

Maoyuu Maou Yuusha

Otoyomegatari
By the chance you haven't read yet.

Shin Sekai Yori
Only watched anime, dunno manga and novel. But very good, still one of my fav.

Spice & Wolf

Zetsuen no Tempest

You aren't alone with ZnT. I'd kill her with passion anytime... not going into details, would be gruesome. Not that the guy was much better, obeying a girl like that.

Last edited by reanseih at 8:34 pm, Sep 26 2014

Ah, with shows like Fullmetal Alchemist as well as Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, Naruto, Detective Conan, Inuyasha and most of the other shows that aired on Cartoon Network at some point, I have watched them, but it was out of order and many years ago so I always planned on rewatching them before putting them on my list. I don't think I ever finished Fullmetal Alchemist, though, because I don't remember any romantic subplot in the parts that I watched.

If the manga is good and has a little bit of that, I would definitely love to read it. I enjoy a great story with some kind of love story for the MC even if it's subtle or not well developed.

Pure romance is wonderful (Horimiya is my favorite manga right now) but I think I am way more picky when it comes to that.

I can't say for sure if these three fit exactly what you're looking for, but maybe you'll like them:

I Am a Hero - The "romance" doesn't really show up until somewhat later into the story. Still, I figure that it nicely portrays what it would be like for real, everyday people to suddenly get caught in a "zombie" (they're not exactly your typical zombie at all) apocalypse.

Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari - You've probably read this already. If not, I highly recommend it.

The Voynich Hotel - No real story or major motivations going on for most of the characters. However, it definitely offers a nice romance + a lot of wacky comedy as all the different kinds of characters interact with one-another (there's a guy related to the yakuza, assassins, witches, ghosts, a mangaka, a masked wrestler, a suicidal chef, a robot detective, drug producers, devils/demons, mystery solving kids, etc. etc.)

Hope to hear back your thoughts.

FMA doesn't really have a big focus on romance, but it's definitely there. And although FMA:B anime is very close to the manga, it leaves out some of those romance-y parts. ^^

Magico (IWAMOTO Naoki) i think it's more mutual than him chasing her... but idk i recommend it anyway
Chrno Crusade
Kurenai Ouji
Noragami although he's not exactly calm lol.. but he is pretty cool


... uh everything else i've read either has female lead or is slice-of-life or the male lead isn't cool/calm. lol.

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I'm not against female leads (especially in a male demographic series,) it's just more hit or miss because I really dislike many of the cliche shoujo leads and I find a lot of the stories very dry (I have started and dropped more shoujo series than anything else, I don't even keep track anymore.) I never want to completely rule anything out because I have missed some amazing series/books/tv shows etc. that I had initially ignored because of some prejudice.

I am really against whiny/weak MCs (think Renton from the Eureka 7 anime) though. I don't need an MC to be an ultra badass, but I don't want some spineless dweeb either. It's really hard for me to read something with an MC like that, but I have enjoyed a few (Deadman Wonderland comes to mind.)

I thought of another manga you might like, Watashi no Kyuuseishu-sama. The main character goes through some serious growing up around the halfway point.

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Is this me in a nutshell?
Pretty much.

ES is the only one comes to my mind right now since sci-fi, fantasy, sports and action aren't my prefered genres.

How about checking out these:

Meteor Methuselah
Blood Alone
Oh and I totally second Fullmetal Alchemist, manga and both anime.

And if you don't mind female leads then:

Basara

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Must Read Webcomic:
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Lists:
Reading
Complete
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oh well in that case...

Gokusen nothing really fantasy here, but it's a great story.
Hatenkou Yuugi
Kubera
Pandora Hearts maybe...although the romance is a bit... odd. lol
A Thousand Years Ninetails
Paperweight Eye not tagged with romantic subplot but it's there imo
Superior. Has sequel.


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just found Kono Oto Tomare!, and i think its brilliant.
I love Koi dano Ai dano, because even she looks down on whiny girls, but you're better off reading the prequel first Warau Kanoko-sama
And I always recommend NG Life. The story is just so good, and I remember splitting myself laughing.
Ore-sama Teacher is another current favourite. Just hilarious, if you like quirky characters.
...Just hoped I helped fight the good fight against boredom!

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