I want a ROMANCE manga that is SHOUJO, JOSEI or BL, and that fulfills the following requirements:

> The protagonist is in love with the person they end up with, but they have to watch that person have many other relationships with other people, first, before their love is requited - and I mean actual relationships, not just gossip or hearsay or subtext. These relationships could be romantic or just plain sexual, but there should be at least ONE other person, if not more, that the protagonist has to watch the object of their affections be with. Oh, and at least some of these relationships should happen ON-SCREEN, during the actual manga. Not just vague flashbacks or reminiscing or dialogue!

> However, after a long time (at least several months, preferably years), the protagonist finally 'gets' the one they've been yearning for, and their love is requited. Before, the protagonist had not known that this requital was a serious possibility, because, given the string of relationships that the one they were in love with had pursued, it had seemed like they weren't interested in the protagonist at all, and would never be interested in them. Well - surprise! Dreams can come true!

> And yes, the protagonist has to be in love FIRST. Because the key thing is the waiting, the enduring, as the one they're in love with takes up with other people... (Or just sleeps with other people, or seriously dates them, or even marries them.) As long as they do get the object of their affections in the end...!

Some examples include A Delicious Relationship and Hotaru no Hikari (um, it's the male protagonist that has to wait in this case, not the female protagonist).

Do you know of any titles like that? Please help!

Thanks...

There is Parfait Tic where the girl loves a boy named Daiya. And yes he is a playboy. But there is a time when the girl falls in love with another person. But it doesn't last.

toshiue no hito (past thing)
glass no megami ( i am not too sure....i dropped it after 3 chapters)

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best shonen manga couples :

shinichi X ran
natsu X erza
ippo X kumi
naruto X gaara

Nana
Hachi idolized Takumi at first, then they...
Ame no Niau Heya
The girl got accident and coma for a long time before she could tell the boy that she like him.

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I think Strobe Edge fits the criteria - for the most part anyway.
It hasn't been completely scanlated, but I read some spoilers that say that end up together.
I don't know if that was exactly what you were looking for but it was the first thing that came to my mind.

Right now, I can only think of Kimi wa Pet...

Glass Mask, if it ends in the most probable way romantically.

You might wanna try reading Threads of Time at least there's the "finally, at long last" part in it... This might not be obvious until the final volume though (to be honest, I didn't see this plot twist coming until the very last chapters).

Strobe edge?

I have yet to think of a good manga suggestion and post later, but what comes into mind after reading the "enduring" part is Gone with the Wind... soo good

Maybe Cat Street?
It doesn't focus on the waiting, though, and

Aiiro Shinwa
It goes both ways in terms of having unrequited feelings and having relationships with other people. It spans 10 years so there is definitely a "finally..." feeling at the end.

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[Url=http://goo.gl/WMSVJ] k'><u>Looking for... shoujo with a canned peach confession.</u></a><!--url_type_2_end--><BR><!--url_type_2--><a href='<!--Auto_parse_begin--><a target='_blank' rel='nofollow' href='http://www.antimoon.com/how/pronunc-soundsipa.htm''><u>http://www.antimoon.com/how/pronunc-soundsipa.htm'</u></a><!--Auto_parse_end--> target='_blank'><u>Don't English Me I'm Panic</u></a><!--url_type_2_end--><BR><!--url_type_4.5--><a href='<!--Auto_parse_begin--><a target='_blank' rel='nofollow' href='http://www.mangaupdates.com/showtopic.php?tid=3839'><u>Guess'><u>http://www.mangaupdates.com/showtopic.php?tid=3839'><u>Guess</u></a><!--Auto_parse_end--> the Manga/Anime Name</u></a><!--url_type_4_end--><BR>'Shojo manga has no boundaries, and never did!’ -Shimizu Reiko, Himitsu - Top Secret fanbook interview

Ooooooh, thank you everyone!

@waftingwish, I'm starting with your rec first since it seems to suit most! 10 *years* of waiting...?! Wow!

And I love Strobe Edge, total agreement with everyone that recommended it! <3

PLEASE keep recommending, I really want more titles with this theme! Lolol... Am I a masochist or what?

I believe Random Walk would fit.

edit: Sorry, after recalling the story of random walk i don't really think it fits at all. I mean, there's no "finally" kind of thing. Well anyway, she ends up with "someone" after having 3-4 boyfriends.

Btw, if you're not only limiting it to manga, then there's a LOT of korean dramas that would fit. Namely, Autumn in my heart and Summer Scent. Old but classic.

Last edited by jameh at 7:15 am, Dec 1 2010

Love @ First Sight would most likely fit. Though it's really ambiguous who fell in love with who first. It's a special relationship....