Hello.
I've seen many posts like this, and I have set up some myself but I always seem to run out of mangas that do not have Shinjo Mayu-like reverse harems.

What I'm looking for mangas that have a relatively "pure" romance, where the couples become a couple and remain a couple until the end without much or any disruptions. Where it's your typical boy-likes-girl and girl-also-likes-boy and where the story focuses more on character/ romance development. Any "love rivals" should be close to insignificant. And any attempts by other characters to split the main couple or refrain from getting them together, shouldn't take up half the story. And I also dislike open-endings where it's up to the reader's imagination to what happens.

I'd also like it if the story is complete (does not have to be scantalated since I can read RAWs) and AT LEAST 5 volumes long.

I'm fine with shoujo-ai but have to pass yaoi/ shounen-qi sorry. No offence.

Some examples of what I'm looking for:
- kare kano
- Saruyama (Monkey Mountain)
- Mars
- Flower (Wada Naoko)
- Hapi Mari
- Kare first love
- hana to akuma
- Darling wa namamono ni tsuki
- Love Complex
- Tokyo Crazy Paradise
- Kiss
- Suzuka (critics may point out the dead-sempai but I for one count him in the "insignificant" category)

Mangas I really enjoyed but didn't have what I was looking for may be some spoilers :

- Shiawase Kissa Sanchoume
- Ichigo 100% (yea...polar opposite of what I'm looking for =P)
- Sheryl / Macross Frontier
- IO

Manga where the "love rival-ness" sat on the fine line of my tastes but which I was lenient on:

- Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni sasagu ( yea there was another guy but it was always going to be Takuma)

Mangas that do NOT fit the category:

- pretty much any Shinjo Mayu
- None of Ikeyamada Go's work apart from Get Love!!
- pretty much any of those "girl is confused as to which guy she wants for 3/4 story" type mangas.

Sorry for my long rant (I'm really picky).
Hope you guys have some awesome recommendations.


Last edited by babybungo at 5:23 am, Jun 18 2012

the only ones i can think of are Change 123, Karin, and maybe Midori no Hibi- all of which arent pure 'romances' but it is a huge part of the plot if you dont mind the rest of the plot- i havent really read any of your examples(but i might now)- however i do know what you mean.

if you dont have any reservations against shoujo-ai/shounen-ai then i have a bunch of recommendations i could give you...

well nice long post, but a bit more information would have been fine, I don't think it'll help to know what you liked but don't want >.<
do you have any genres you prefer? Or some you don't want?
also, would you like it to be completed, or does it have to be completed? (same with the length...)

incomplete/ less than 5 volumes:
Bonnouji
Iris Zero
Magico (IWAMOTO Naoki)
Akagami no Shirayukihime
Dengeki Daisy
Nineteen, Twenty-One

completed:
Melo Holic it is kinda open, but shpuld be fine
Hoshi no Samidare
Ai-Ren
Immortal Rain
Superior and Superior Cross
Orange Roof

I tend to avoid triangles and harems, so I would have a bunch more, but they are mostly a bit shorter, and these are the better ones.

I don't think that this refers to the importance of the plot, but the type of romance, therefore your examples fit just fine

________________
in need of romance?
uncommon, sad, sweet

Yea sorry for the lack of info.

I'm fine with shoujo-qi but I'll have to pass shounen-AI and yaoi sorry.

and I would prefer it to be completed but it doesn't hav to be.

thanks.

well since your fine with shoujo-ai i would highly reccommend Girlfriends- just an all round great romance.
I thought I had more- but the only other ones on my list are Gokujou Drops, and Unchanging Days. most of the rest that i've read are shounen-ai (--_--).

i also just remembered Suzuka was pretty good- there is a little conflict with the relationship but things get back on track (as they do with all romance stories- duh)

and toradora! is really good as well- however the manga is updated very infrequently and is only like half way through- if even. and once you read all the manga you would have to watch the anime from around episode 10-21or2 to know how it ends. but still a cute story.

Ai hime - ai to himegoto definately what you're looking for. They get together and stay together. There is a slight issue running throughout the series, but it's cleared up and it definately doesn't have a closed ending. Also anything else by this author, so Kiss Hug
Barairo My Honey again, slight issue, but they get together and stay together.
Ten no Ryuu Chi no Sakura
Chizumi & Fujiomi definately what you're looking for
Kanata Kara It's fantasy but they get together and stay together.
Daisuki Datta yo, Sensei...
Love Gashapon first two, especially the second.
Koi, Hirari
Beast Master
Nineteen, Twenty-One
[m]Romance Under the thumb[/m]
[m]LairxLiar[/m] <3
Last Game
Usotsuki Lily this was actually the first manga that came to mind after reading your post.
Love so Life
Sensei wa Ore no Mono (?)
Meiji Hiiro Kitan
Hibi Chouchou
Ookami-heika no Hanayome kind of together, kind of not
Saiunkoku Monogatari same as above
Suki-tte Ii na yo kind of developing a "oh no, not angst" plot at the moment, but the author could still redeem it
360° Material
P.A.
V.B. Rose they get there eventually and even while they're taking their time it's a really nice manga.

Yeah, that's about all. Some may not be exactly what you're looking for, but I hope the majority are okay for you! ^^

________________
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captin of my soul.
William Ernest Henely

I rate manga with 5 being the average score.

Mekakushi No Kuni try this one, it's really good. It was recommended by someone and so far no regrets .
or strobe edge (even though they were not a couple until the end, but you could predict the ending)
Sarashi Asobi if you have not read it yet.

or everything from MITSUKI Kako

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Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it. I guess every superhero need her theme music...

<>5 volumes and up<>
Girl Friends is GL, it focuses on two friends who slowly, and now I must emphasize SLOWLY develop a relationship.
Sasameki Koto I'm still reading this one so we might be working on this one together

<>Less than 5<>
Wife and wife has a couple who are "pure romance", they're an established couple before the story starts, but it's only in it's first volume. Very adorable
Strawberry shake sweet is GL too, with a drama-less romance but lasts only two volumes. Really cute and funny
Husky and Medley my favorite romance ever, sorry it's only 7 chapters long - best 7 of my life though

W Juliet, maybe? It's fairly long and they get together in, like, the first chapter. There isn't much development, it's about how their relationship withstands a bunch of stuff. I liked it, though.

shonen/seinen:
Touch
Cross Game
Hourou Musuko
Solanin

shojo/josei/GL
Magic
Nodame Cantabile
Aoi Hana
Tsuki no Ko
Hot Road
Suna no Shiro

Last edited by Roughan at 1:49 pm, Jun 18 2012

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I totally second Dengeki Daisy, it doesn't even have any third wheels.

Hey thanks for all the suggestions guys.

I have to update my reading list since I've read most of them but I definitely have to give V.B rose a go. I started reading Usotsuki Lilly last night. It's awesome.

Thanks once again, and if there are more, keep them coming =D