Hello,

I've been alive for many years but I've yet to really get into shoujos/josei. I really like a few of them, like Maid-sama, Honey to Clover or 07-Ghost, but mostly I can barely read them.

The thing is, I often find mangas which don't appeal to me because of the drawings or pacing. Recently I had tried a few of them which are said to be good, in a classical style, but still, I could only get bored.

So what I'm looking for is something which is clear : somehow it seems to be the worst point of most shoujos/josei, as they're not badly drawn in terms of skills but rather, placement and/or pace. I can barely follow, it's often not smooth like other kind of mangas and I get lost really quickly.

And also, I'm not exactly fond of the stereotype love stories, I would really like to see the best shoujos/joseis can offer, marginal works and/or simply something great.

Thanks,

Monkey High

It is special in multiple ways, including being well drawn and easy to follow. It is available online and I'll leave you to find it, because I think it's now been published in the USA and I think it's even worth buying.


And Kimi wa Pet

A classic, with an unusual couple and really fine quality drawing.

Last edited by lambchopsil at 11:35 am, Jul 18 2015

You can probably start by reading the top rated josei/shoujo manga/manhwa/manhua/webtoons listed on this site, or just use the advanced search engine + categories to find something you'd like. It might help if you can specify your tastes a bit more. What were the ones that you couldn't seem to get into? Below is a of josei/shoujo stuff that I liked and think are nicely paced and/or have interesting stories, though you of course might have a different opinion.

Webtoons-Josei
Cheese in the Trap- has an interesting look into the complicated mess that is human relationships, contains characters who are more than they appear
Annarasumanara- has a nice hopeful and also nostalgic tone to it, deals with societal pressures and the wonders of "magic"
Nineteen, Twenty-One- a coming of age story with heartwarming characters and lots of cute cats

Manga, Manhwa, Manhua-Josei
A Night of a Thousand Dreams- contains stories within a story
Kuragehime- coming of age story about a shy jellyfish otaku and the quirky people she meets
Nodame Cantabile
Gokusen- very funny GOT-esque manga with a great female lead
Kimi wa Pet
Heptagon- about self regrets and second chances, has a nostalgic tone to it
Paradise Kiss
7 Seeds- haven't read it yet but have heard good things about it
Sakamichi no Apollon
Oishii Kankei

Webtoons-Shoujo
Orange Marmalade
Pinocchio
The Pale Horse
Gyon-Woo & Jik-Nyu

Manga, Manhwa, Manhua-Shoujo
Koi Dano Ai Dano
Chang Ge Xing
Tomodachi no Hanashi- has an interesting look on female friendships
Cat Street- another coming of age story about someone who is stuck in the past and can't catch up to the present, contains quirky and fun characters
Last Game
Love So Life
Ore Monogatari!!- a parody on the shoujo genre
Kanata Kara
Glass Mask- old and contains many overly dramatic elements (it is about acting after all), but is pretty addicting to read
Kami-sama Hajimemashita
Fruits Basket- funny and heart-wrenching at the same time, contains lots of messed-up family relationships and sob stories
Ouran Koukou Host Bu- also parody on the shoujo genre, contains quirky characters who don't mind making fun of themselves and the genre they are in
Akatsuki no Yona
Mars
Saver
Vanilla Ice- a nice reversal of gender roles and very funny, though it'll probably never be completed due to the author's circumstances
Flowers of Evil

________________

Thanks for all the recommendations, I'll be checking it though I've already read a few :

Cheese in the Trap: many years ago, I stopped because nothing happened, but I've been reconsidering rereading.

Nineteen, Twenty-One: really enjoyable and heart warming.

Orange Marmalade,Pinocchio, Ore Monogatari!!, Last Game: they were all great but I stopped reading them because it was still ongoing.

Akatsuki no Yona: That was one of the most enjoyable, as I seem to be fond of adventure shoujos. It also reminds me of +C: Sword and Cornett.

I've started Monkey High and it's a funny and nice read.

EDIT: I just noticed I've been posting in the wrong section. Sorry for the mistake.

Last edited by Katsono at 8:56 am, Jul 20 2015