Title.

Looking for something good that you would personally recommend to your friend. Something longish (about 50+ chapters to hundreds.) Any genre is accepted. Also, if you can tell us why you think it's good, the better.

It's really hard to recommend something when you have no idea what a person's likes or interests are. So... here is a variety from my top list. If any of these do or don't work for you I have more.

Kaichou wa Maid-sama! shoujo, rom-com
It made me laugh a lot. The FL actually has a personality and even though she is naive to love, she is not weak. A female tsundere is not standard. Even though the ML is a typical confident, rich, hot guy there are still moments when he acts the fool.

Here U Are shonen ai, drama
I really liked the art. The story had a realistic feel. The MC actually feels like a real person. It is a slow burn for a bit so you need to be able to hang with it.

Devil's Line seinen, action, drama, romance
Nice world building. The story isn't just about the 2 MCs. There is a lot going on... vampires, cops, conspiracy, dangerous romance.

These last 2 don't meet your length requirement, but I'm gonna list them anyway.

Orange shoujo, romance, sci-fi
Nice art. Good cast of characters. The timeline manipulation is interesting and even covers the issue of a paradox. Again it's not all about the romance, there is more to the story.

Nyankees seinen, comedy
Amazing creativity and art. Good character variety. Some really funny moments. I thought it was brilliant but I probably have a cat bias.

Last edited by Midlife_otaku at 4:28 am, Feb 2 2023

Something I would recommend for a friend:

Kindaichi Case Files: Mystery genre
- Kindaichi is the grandson of a great detective; as a high school student he gets involved in a lot of cases with the police and his childhood friend. The cases are well done and the overall series is good if you enjoy mystery.

Maison Ikkoku: romance / comedy
- Follows a young widow who becomes a manager of an apartment complex with weird tenants; the male romance figure is a college student attempting to enter college - for him it is love a first sight. A light romantic comedy.

Akame Ga Kill: fantasy (dark fantasy)
- Follow a group of revolutionary assassins as they fight the Empire. It is a darker fantasy - assassination, with some graphic violence. If you enjoy a darker fantasy then this is good.

New Game: slice of life/ work life
- Follow a recent high school graduate as she follows her dream job with her favourite video game company as a character designer. A light slice of life / work life manga.

Silver Spoon: slice of life (high school) - agricultural
- Follows a young man from a city who enters an Agricultural high school. At the start of the manga he is just running away from his difficulties but soon finds himself a part of this rural community. A light comedy in a rural agricultural community.

Futari Ecchi: Adult/Comedy/Drama/Romance/Seinen/Slice of Life
Sex education + marital relations (90's Japan specific).

Inuyasha - An excellent supernatural time travel (almost isekai) action romance with epic fights and a well written villain. Demons, half-demons, humans and a quest for the shards of a jewel that will help the MC purify the villain.

Ares - Action packed story about a mercenary who goes out into the world to avenge his teacher. Quite the memorable introduction to the love interest, too.

Full Metal Alchemist - Its reputation is legit.

Full Metal Panic - A young secret military agent needs to protect the daughter of a politician or wealthy man or something like that. Hijinks, action, rom-com, etc. Worth checking out.

BLAME! - A post apocalyptic cyberpunk tale with a lot of fights and stories of the survivors the MC meets. Quite the mature title, so not for kids.

Princess Resurrection - A supernatural princess takes in the MC, whose sister works for as a maid, and becomes her boosted bodyguard. Lots of fights, a bit of romance, and a tournament to see if the princess can keep her life. The princess also wields a chainsaw, despite being the scheming type of character, soooo.... (also not for kids)

Blood+ - Go watch the anime, the English dub is actually really good, too. But the manga exists. Saya, a vampire who wakes up every few decades along with her sister, is in a personal war against said sister, with only their blood being able to kill each other. She tries her best to stay alive and keep those close to her alive as well. It'll have you going on a rollercoaster of emotions.

________________
I'm a jack of all trades but master of none. Too many jars and not enough hands.

Eyeshield21. Fun series, good for anyone even if not interested in sports. Excellent character growth.
Yugami-kun ni wa Tomodachi ga Inai. Fun school-life comedy with a good message at its end.
Boku Dake ga Inai Machi. What I felt was a pretty good mystery thriller.
Is complete in Japan, 10 out of 11 volumes released in English, Demi-chan wa Kataritai is another fun comedy and slice of life.

I second Fullmetal Alchemist.

Tricky without knowing your reading preferences, but here are the longer series that I have enjoyed enough to recommend to friends (those with similar tastes obviously).

Haikyu! complete

I love this series although I am watching the anime, not reading the manga. Heart-warming story about volleyball, friendship, and believing in yourself.

Sport, comedy, school life.

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/ul2du3n/haikyu

Solo Levelling not complete

Just started this on Tapas and I'm enjoying it a lot.

Action, adventure, fantasy.

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/6z1uqw7/solo-leveling

Dear Door not complete

There’s an all-ages version (or maybe 15+?) on Manta. I've read most of it. The artwork and characters are fantastic. There's an 18+ version on Lehzin / Tapas.

YAOI, supernatural, action.

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/6f4apbl/dear-door

Twittering Birds Never Fly close to complete

One of my all-time faves, a slow-burn love affair between a sexually messed-up yakuza and his bodyguard. Very hard-hitting but has some surprisingly funny moments given the darkness of the storyline. Great characters and lovely, subtle artwork. Has won a few awards so I'm not the only one who thinks so 😉

(I've actually bought this in print so that if the world as we know it comes to an end, I'll still be able to read it. Just kidding.)

YAOI, drama, yakuza.

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/tkck7k7/saezuru-tori-wa-habatakanai

Death Note complete

Award-winning tale of mystery and the supernatural. The 2 MCs pit their wits against each other - one is killing criminals and the other is trying to stop him. I've read some of the manga and watched some of the anime.

Mystery, supernatural, crime.

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/1ljv3bs/death-note

Edit:

I'll save this damned family! not complete

One of the better isekai series IMO, the protaganist wakes up in a novel and realises that her new family is on a political path to destruction. She makes up her mind to save herself (and them) from their fate, and learns to play politics and manipulate situations with the best of them. I'm reading it on Manta.

Political intrigue, comedy, historical/isekai

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/rtgne5j/i-ll-save-this-damned-family

A Bookstore Romance complete

A sweet and comforting romance set in a bookshop which is run by a variety of supernatural beings.

Romance, supernatural, drama.

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/ybgxq4w/romance-in-the-old-bookstore

The lady and her butler complete

I really love this romance series about a woman who's avoiding relationships at all costs and the guy who moves in as her housekeeper. The art style is unique and gorgeous as well.

Romance, drama, slice of life.

https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/dvh5hiv/the-lady-and-her-butler

Hope one of these is to your liking 😁

Last edited by Saezuru70 at 4:05 am, Feb 9 2023

I second Here U Are. Such a lovely story 🙂

Idk what you like, but here’s the kind of stuff I recommend my friends

Want an easy read with fight scenes? Try

Sumomomo Momomo: https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/irtc7rv/sumomomo-momomo
I actually liked this better than Magi, the author’s most famous piece. It’s a action romcom with lots of shenanigans. Inuzuka Koushi has long abandoned the path of martial arts to study to get into a good college. His goal: become a prosecuting lawyer. However, a wrench is thrown into his plans when his small, fiery, alleged fiance introduces herself. In a tumble of events Inuzuka has to use his wits, his fiance’s brawn, and his dusty social skills to escape the trials that threaten to escalate into a full-on clan war.

Want a more serious one? Try

Apothecarius Argentum: https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/j1nalw2/apothecarius-argentum
This is a more shoujo-romance style manga with some solid political notes. Set in a older European setting (not like an isekai-Euro setting where everything is modern except for Castle-nim), with princesses and crusty apothecaries.

Meteor Methuselah: https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/kqkil85/meteor-methuselah
I like manga about immortality, because I think it’s a good lens to consider the meaning and importance of life. Fun characters, chase scenes, and one of my favorite villains thrown in. One where the villainous introductions met the buildup.

Want to cry? How about

Blade of the Immortal: https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/dhtyiyk/mugen-no-juunin
One of my favorite ever series, and definitely not one for children. Has murder, gore, rape, human experimentation, the Japanese-Christian purge, and also some of my favorite fight scenes since One Punch Man

Hoshi no Samidare: https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/cuqcef4/hoshi-no-samidare
Imho the most underrated manga in the world. It has an okay anime. But the manga was formational when I was a kid. This one is much more family friendly than Blade of the Immortal, but a lot more philosophical in examining the importance of growing up and being an adult. Also has fun battle scenes.

Wanna laugh? Try

Saiki K: https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/x5dqwsp/saiki-kusuo-no-ps-nan
The anime is p good, too.

Mob Psycho: https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/0a07j0a/mob-psycho-100
Another omnipotent human designed by One, Mob is just a boy who wants to be popular with girls. Unfortunately, the trail ahead of him is long, because his only talent is Goku-level psychic power. The art for most people is either a huge turnoff or an incredible enhancement

Quick Romance?

Last Game: https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/n0j4kba/last-game
A cute series about a boy trying his best to one-up a girl who isn’t interested in competition. Good, healthy relationship dynamics, and likable ML and FL.

July Found by Chance: https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/3n7njao/extraordinary-you
Doesn’t meet the length requirements (<40 chapters), but definitely one of my favorites. About a girl who comes into the awareness that she’s the character of a comic, and she doesn’t have long left to live. Furthermore, because of the nature of the storyboard, that precious time is confined to moments between the panels. It’s a story of her finding freedom, direction, control, and love where her destiny is predetermined.

Sensei!: https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/uaoqfe5/sensei
If you’re into age gaps, this is a pretty good one—the ML is mature and doesn’t initially see the FL as a target for romance. Also has some good growing up themes and good communication between the leads. More angsty than Last Game, less angsty than July

Just wanna see people fighting?

Samurai Deeper Kyo: https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/609xxw3/samurai-deeper-kyo
Just about samurais fighting. It’s been a while since I read it, but I enjoyed it back when.

Medaka Box: https://www.mangaupdates.com/series/e9d5yw6/medaka-box
Lots and lots and lots and lots of battes, and one of my favorite villains. Gets pretty mid towards the end, but the first few arcs are fun.

Last edited by Goats at 3:41 am, Aug 25 2023

Changes of Heart
Ase to Sekken
Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku
My Boy
After the Rain
Blue Flag
A Silent Voice
Planetes
Ran and the Gray World
Summer Time Rendering

Most of them are romance, drama and/or slice of life.

Last edited by dalek at 8:25 am, Aug 25 2023