Also known as "The Gateway Post," or the manga version of "Pimp My Ride". 😀

This post is a challenge to get people to read manga genres that they've given up on for one reason or the other - for example, maybe you can't stand reading shoujo, or you think you can't stand shounen, or yuri, or some other genre.

There are two possibilities: Either you did try reading these genres and were just unfortunate enough to come across really bad examples (thus leading you to avoid the whole genre because of the trauma, lol) OR you never actually tried these genres and just assumed that they weren't for you.

But it's my firm belief, as a manga omnivore, that ALL genres have something for everyone. Maybe not everything in a genre will suit you, but something will. My goal with this post is to get people to try out genres that they usually avoid, and to get them to do that by getting "gateway" recommendations from fans of those genres. (For example, someone who doesn't like shounen but loves shoujo, would get recommendations for shoujo stories that share shounen features, or would suit shounen fans.)

Maybe you still won't like all genres equally - I myself favor seinen and josei, for example. But I hope, at the end of this post, that you won't automatically discard a genre, or think that the whole genre doesn't suit you at all. 🙂

How will the recommendations work?

Well, you'll reply to this post saying what genre you dislike/avoid the most, and also which genre you like the most. Then, someone will give you a recommendation that has some of the qualities of your favorite genre, even though it actually belongs to your least favorite genre. That way, you won't be too scared of trying out the new genre! And you're more likely to actually enjoy it. That's the goal of this post - to get you to enjoy something you don't normally enjoy.

For example, if you tend to avoid shoujo but love action-filled historical shounen, perhaps a manga like Kaze Hikaru would suit you, because it's less romantic than most shoujo mangas and has a greater emphasis on things like bushido and the samurai way of life. Or if you're a seinen fan that avoids yaoi, then What Did You Eat Yesterday? might be a good introduction, because it has gay characters but was actually published in a seinen magazine.

Get my drift? That's how this thread is going to go. Together, let us become unbiased manga fans! Or as close to unbiased as possible, anyway. 🤣

NOTE: This is NOT a space to diss any genre or to flame people! If you can't stand a genre, this is not the place for you to voice your complaints. Instead, this is a positive space, where you reply stating which genre(s) you avoid, possibly with some (non-inflammatory) comments as to what puts you off about that genre. THEN, fans of that genre will try to recommend to you a manga from that genre that is closer to your tastes, and that avoids your squicks.

Please don't participate in this thread if you do not honestly want to try broadening your horizons. Manga bigotry is strictly prohibited! 😛 (Lol, that sounds bigoted as well. 😀 )

Let us all attain a greater understanding of each other, as manga fans across genres. You know: LOVE and PEACE, and all that jazz. All for one, and one for all!

Okay, so I'll start us off! Since this is my thread, anyway, and it would be weird if I didn't contribute. >_>;

The genre that I tend to avoid most is shounen. Weirdly enough, I read a lot of seinen, but I think my initial experiences with the shounen genre were disappointing, because I tried series like "Naruto," which (no disrespect to its fans, seriously) just put me off. I developed a feeling - probably unfair - that shounen was very cliched or just filled with lots of action sequences and little plot. I prefer seinen because it tends to have stronger plots. Yes, I'm prejudiced! THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO PROVE ME WRONG. Actually, please prove me wrong. I don't like being prejudiced! Because I know it's unfair. 😀

So, um. Can anyone recommend a gateway shounen manga to me? Something that avoids my squicks - too many action sequences, repetitive storylines, wildly popular cliches, etc. A thoughtful shounen manga, that is more like a seinen manga. Or maybe even a sensitive shounen manga, on the subtler or gentler side, because I also love shoujo/josei and wouldn't mind a shounen manga that shares some of their characteristics.

Think you can help me? Then, please do. And tell me about the genre(s) you avoid, as well.

See everyone on the other (more enlightened, more unbiased) side!

This is actually a bright idea, tartufo. 😉 -applauds-

The genre that I tend to "avoid" most is Yaoi/Shounen-ai. And I don't really have a favorite genre.

For your request, I would recommend...

Ahiru no Sora - A Shounen manga about basketball. Pretty entertaining, and the main character is nice as well. Try it!

Akiba Roumansu! - This is a Shounen manga that stars a FEMALE OTAKU lead! How rarer can you get. xD It has some funny moments, and expressions. I like the thought process of the lead. She's silly.

Chikyu Misaki is a cute Shounen, about a girl that finds this creature that can change into a cute boy (that doesn't talk).

Death Note - Yeah, it's mainstream and all, but it barely has any "action" which you don't seem to like. And it's more a battle of wits between several characters. So if you're up for that, try it.

Kurohime - I'm just going to throw this in, if you feel like reading it. I'm already going to warn you that this has Ecchi, and a somewhat lackluster beginning. But if you stick with it some 10 chapters, you'll learn to like it. The only reason why I'm suggesting this is that other girls who don't really like Ecchi, liked this one. Maybe it's because of the epic proportions that love seems to play in this manga?

Also try Higurashi no Naku Koro ni - Himatsubushihen and all its related series. It's a mystery shounen manga, so again no to little action whatsoever!

Luck Stealer has the feel of a Seinen manga. About a guy that "steals" luck from criminals in order to save his daughter who is in desperate need of some... Interesting and unique concept.

Superior - Ack, I almost forgot this one! Very good Shounen, and one that has a similar feel to a Shoujo, mainly the art. It features action and subtle romance between good and evil!

Toradora! is a unique, Shounen romance that feature three potential love interests. No, it's not a harem and no Ecchi situations either. It doesn't help that the manga has some of the best and funniest expressions ever.

Umineko no Naku Koro ni is of the same caliber as Higurashi. It's a mystery manga as well, but this one isn't that diverse compared to Higurashi. With that, I mean, that it doesn't have many related series. The releases are slow though, so that dampens the tense atmosphere that the manga has going. :/ Still a pretty damn good read (if you're for mystery)!

Watashitachi no Tamura-kun is from the same mangaka as Toradora! A great Shounen romance as well. This one only has two love interests, so it's a love triangle. PLUS, you'll be sitting at the edge on your seat of who he is eventually going to choose. It's not predictable at all.

Zippy Ziggy - Funny manga with an evil protagonist but he's admired by his whole class as a saint! But they don't know about his evil personality, it just so happens that he can make advantage of situations and make himself look good. Try it~ It has some Ecchi situations though.

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Wowee, now THAT's what I call a big list!

Luck Stealer sounds really interesting - a very unique concept. And yes, I love mystery, so Umineko would be good! Also, I'm curious that there's actually a "cute" shounen. To tell you the truth, I avoid overly "cute" shoujo as well, but just the idea of a cute shounen is intriguing enough that I will have to try out Chikyu Misaki. Plus, it just sounds really fuzzy and endearingly odd - like a shounen mangaka on a very mellow acid trip. 🤣

Are you sure you don't have a favorite genre? Then, what sort of stories do you like? Mysteries, maybe? Historical epics? Slice of life? Grand adventures?

Let me know and I'll try to find something for you featuring light BL. I don't read yaoi much (because it's explicit and I usually get embarrassed by explicit manga, straight or gay, PLUS I can't read it on my computer in front of my family) - but I might have some light BL recs to offer.

Thanks so much for participating in this insanity! Lol.

I also added Kurohime and Superior if you didn't notice. 🤣

And right now, I guess I'm addicted to mysteries. Just recently I've read almost every Higurashi manga (already saw the anime before though), and the Umineko manga (there's going to be an anime of it in July!). Another manga that has a similar feel to them is Shiki. Another good mystery manga is Mouryou no Hako, it's pretty good. The anime is excellent! I want to cry of joy when I watch it. When are the next subs going to come out~ ;__;

Pfft, when I recommend, I make sure to do so in abundance. 😮

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I don't tend to exclude any 'gender' genre. I chose shounen because it gained less amount of my love and recently I avoid it. I've read a number of good titles of this genre and I don't think I need an intro (but I'll look through doc's post))).

shounen titles I liked:
Bremen
Hello Baby
Kare no Satsujin Keikaku
Trick Ster (about a girl. a cruel girl)
Kugutsu

Btw, It's even more better when manga has none of the listed genres.

P.S. But I am a bit afraid of fantasy, sci-fi, historical, gender bender. Can I also ask here for good titles?

Shounen, Seinen, Shoujo and Josei are demographics.
Not genres.
So changed your title.

I don't read most shoujo/shounen and I have highlighted them for the soul purpose of not clicking on them.
Though I do read shounen/shoujo.
I usually go by recommendation with those, or if I search for them myself.

Demographics are based on the magazine they are published in.
For example, while Aria and MPD Psycho seem to be they should have been labeled seinen they were in fact serialized in shounen magazines.
07 gohest seems like shounen (at least to me), but was serialized in a josei magazine.

Anyways, that's for people who don't know the difference.
Most manga is in their "right" category as viewed by us fans. (I assume)...

I just want to say it's not fair to discriminate by either genre or demographic.
Though I'm guilty of that myself since I tend to avoide most shounen and shoujo releases. ^^;;;;;

@stubborn blob
Penguin Kakumei Hourou Musuko Houkago Hokenshitsu for gender bender.
Sci-fi YKK.
Vinland Saga for historical.

Hrodulf and Bjornolfr, you will not be forgotten.
[img]http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp199/SyberAngelGabrielle/couplesig.jpg[/img]
[color=black]And if the world were black and white,
you would be my rainbow in shades of grey.[/color]

Click 'n Play!

If I had a fantasy self, it'd be a tentacle monster.

Handsdown

YURI AND YAOI
(unless if some of the titles are recommended to me)

[img]http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj11/obinrobin31/FINISHED2-Roger.gif[/img]
[color=black]The Hidden Agenda=[/color][color=red]Gol.D.Ace[/color]

[color=black]This Week's favourite:[/color]
DoLL (Okado Tatsuya)
Xp

cough
Yaoi/BL. Just not my cup of tea.

♪MONSTARR~ will eat all your cookies and steal your bishies~♪ Φ_Φ

What Starry said.

Most shounen and shoujo don't interest me either. But that's because I tried a lot of them and gave up. On the other hand, quite a few of my favorite manga are shounen and shoujo, so I can't say I really dislike any demographic. 🙄

Sequence is a good shounen-ai, for girls who like action/mystery even if they are not into BL.

Some shounen/shoujo I would recommend:
Vampire Juujikai
Maou - Juvenile Remix
World End Fairytale
Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna and Spiral Alive
Trinity Blood
Mother Keeper
Shinrei Tantei Yakumo
Tactics

Lots of harem/moe/ecchi shounen titles are "cute". 😮 I am so used to them now and didn't even think anyone would not think shounen is related to anything cute. They are the genres I tend to avoid most.

Could anyone recommend me non-yuri/shoujo-ai moe titles with minimal harem cliches, NO loser guy or guys like the main dude from GTO, and preferably no ecchi (esp. panty shots and huge boobs)? Their demographic is otaku males, right? I have read/watched the Key stuff and liked the manga version of Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora and Toradora. If Aria counts, it's on my to-read list.

I guess Boy Love, but I actually have read and enoyed some of those. I just tend to not pick them up when I have other choices.

yuri,yaoi/BL..
I read a BL manga once, but it just wasn't really...my kind of manga 🤣

clickI THINK EDWARD CULLEN IS UGLY.click

Yaoi/BL gets my vote.

Nah man. It's just not for me 🤣

You guys do realize that replying to this thread means you WANT someone to recommend you something you hate in order to convert you?

Otherwise the point of this thread has changed completely.