get me the coke's Topics (41)

I think so too

Atm I just want them to have a close brother relationship. It'll be fine though if they go even further than that :3

I really ship Taesung's friends together, though. I can't remember there names but they'd be so cute together.

I second that

*their omg sorry

So true!

im with u. actually i read this a long time ago and decided to read it again cuz i remember liking it, but i just stopped cuz the beginning is horrible. i'd never end up with a guy like that. so i skipped to future chapters to just get a lil refresher and the chapters i skipped to are really cute i guess. so, like u said, it gets better, but looking at the beginning and whatever problems that will arise in the future (which im sure will be just as annoying), i dont blame u for dropping it.

This was the first shoujo manga I've ever read. It was probably the second manga I've read actually, overall. I was coming in hot after finishing all the available chapters of Black Butler, and on the app I was reading it reading it from, this story came immediately after alphabetically (as Black Butler was listed as Kuroshitsuji). I literally looked at the first page and was like "No, I want more Black Butler".

However, there weren't any updates from them, I was bored and new to the manga community, so I marched on and started reading it.
After I got through the pink colorful pages and the art style that was remarkably different to my usual Black Butler, I found myself enjoying it. It was a pretty easy read, in my opinion, but the first three chapters don't represent the story as a whole.

You have to understand that this author, before this manga, has used the exact same stories for...almost an eternity. There's a naive and innocent girl that is usually barely functioning as a human being that accidentally(?) seduces some hot, intelligent, and more often than not, super rich guy. He has the sexual skills of a horny ninja, and takes the girl's first kiss and virginity while borderline raping her for the first few chapters. My goodness, it's the worst.

I feel like this manga could have been exactly this, except with the typical traits of the characters pulled back. While Tsubaki (the girl) is still naive, she's also really smart and passionate about something. She actually has a character.

Kyouta also isn't this flawless rich guy with all the sexs. I mean, he's a playboy, no doubt about it, but the story goes out of its way to explain why he treats women in such a way, and also condones it.

However, before any of that actually developed character arcs occur, you have to get through the first few chapters. At the very start of the manga, it seems to be going in the same direction as every other work by Minami Kanan (the mangaka). However, something changes in Tsubaki's character in particular. She flat out rejects Kyouta's attempts to get in her panties and holds on to the belief that sex is a sacred thing that she isn't gonna just go with the first boy that paid attention to her in high school.

Tsubaki's smart, ambitious, and holds onto her beliefs which allows a more natural relationship to grow between the two of them. In fact, most of the story is just the two of them dating, and both trying to figure how to be in a serious relationship.

Tsubaki being new to love, in general, doesn't know how to start dating (honestly, their first date makes me so sad from the second-hand embarrassment that often times I just skip the first half and go to the happy ending to that part).

Kyouta isn't really new to love or romance (or sex, heh) but he is, however, new to dating. He's never been in a long-term relationship, and initially doesn't expect it to last long. In fact, when they start dating, they aren't really "In love", which is a term thrown around so lightly in most shoujo mangas.

They actually fall in love as they date and spend time together, learning more about each other and learning to compromise and collaborate as partners. That's what I love about this manga, we watch their relationship in a pretty beautiful way.

Plus, the individual development of each character is unique and appeal to the story as well, making it not just about the relationship but also the people in it. We see Kyouta accept his mom's abandonment, and we see Tsubaki's choice to abandon the dreamed forced onto her by her mother, allowing herself to actually follow her passion.

Don't get me wrong, this manga has its flaws (past the first few chapters) and isn't for everyone. But for me, this sets the standard for what a good shoujo manga should be.

I find most of the drama authentic, and not melodramatic, but as a teen romance you're gonna find a few moments where you're like "Gah, why is this such a problem to Tsubaki?! Stop being so insecure!" Of course, her insecurities throughout the book are reasonable, I just wish she could have come to a point where she got over them completely, especially when it came to Kyouta cheating on her, she was always terrified about that throughout the manga. Which is understandable as he was sort of a hot shot and everyone wants to bang him because apparently there are no other sexually experienced, hot, horny, surprisingly intelligent, but definitely has some serious mommy issues guys at the school.

Okay, that was a bit of a long-winded explanation, so if you've made it to this point, then congratulations! I hope you might consider reading this manga now. If you'd like more good shoujo manga, I can direct you to a few I found especially good.

At first, I didn’t think that i’d get a proper respone, but thank you! Your explanation does make this manga sound more bearable, and I’m usually one to jump to quick conclusions, i still don’t really think this manga is my cup of tea (but its at least now a bit more understanable why a lot of people seem to like it) but i would still love to hear your recommendations! I don’t really read that much shoujo because the MC type in most of shoujos are the same “ naive, *weak* (which basically means that they dont stand up for themselves kinda)” I’m sure you understand what I mean. Tbh I’d really like a shoujo where the MC is independent, cool, can stand up for themselves and not be some damsel in distress all the time. It’s hard to find shoujos like that so I may be asking for too much. ( I usually prefer shoujos that has a ton of chapters as well lol)

Yeah, totally get what you mean when it comes to the main protagonist being "weak". It actually reminds me of this discussion of why Fifty Shades of Grey is so popular despite depicting an abusive relationship with a controlling man. The idea of a main character being weak, simple, or with little personality and romantic experience is common because it's then easy for the readers to put themselves in the main girl's place. The relationship often comes off as abusive because it's unrealistic, and doesn't apply any real effort from both people, which is what relationships are really about, compromise.

Anyway, as for recommendations for good shoujo manga, I'll give you a nice list of the good ones I've found on here with strong female characters. When I give my list, I won't go into detail about the plot so I don't spoil anything and things don't go to long, I'll just talk about the good parts and bad parts and we'll see what happens from there. And you can just read the synopsis if you happen to look it up anyway.

First off, I'd have to say "Dengeki Daisy"
Main character Teru, is perhaps the greatest woman to walk this earth, she's funny, she's fierce, and she has great authentic chemistry with the male lead. The manga is a story-oriented comedy/drama, which leads to a bit of a slow moving romance, but has a great cast of characters and some panels that are just so flat-out hilarious thanks to the author's at times eccentric art style.
The manga is 75 chapters long but was initially meant to only be 4, and it kinda shows with some parts of the early chapters, but overall creates an enticing story with a great cast of characters.
Only off putting feature would be the age difference between the two characters, but with the characters having such a strong relationship your moral compass is at times thrown out the window, but don't worry, she's 18 when they actually get together. Dang it, writing this review makes me want to reread it.

Shoujo wise, I can actually highly recommend most of Motomi Kyousuke's work, as it all consists of her quirky style, charm, and strong sense of comedy. It might be my favorite shoujo manga, but I might be a bit biased because it was one of my firsts and I had to actually sit and WAIT for the updates which took MONTHS sometimes.


Next, "Tomodachi No Hanashi" or The Secret of Friendship

The title sounds dorky, yes, but this is actually a genuinely sweet story that's only a few chapters long. It's a quick read, but by the end, you'll be genuinely frustrated because you want to watch these characters develop further. The story focusses on two girls and their friendship, no this isn't yuri, and how a sincere and meaningful friendship is just as important and difficult to find as a boyfriend, which seems to be all but brushed over in most shoujo manga, which sets it apart from other stories.

The story is only three chapters long, with an extra unrelated one shot at the end. The art style is gorgeous (in my opinion) and has such a sweet feel that seems to compliment the story all the more. It was actually a collab project between two different mangakas, one writing and the other doing the art.

I've actually read it multiple times, each time enjoying it for it's different charms.

Next, "Transparent Cohabitation"

It's technically a manwha, and is in that one-page format (which can be annoying when reading on this site at times unless you change it to the one-page thingy). However, it's simply a beautiful story that has strong and appealing themes. Both protagonists are simply delightful, and it's a very emotional ride and I'm not going to talk about it anymore because I'm gonna start crying if I do.

Next, "Kimi Ni Todoke" or From Me to You
I began watching this before I read it, and was completely charmed by the main character. She isn't the "strong and driven" type, as you hold an interest in. However, the character, while being naive, isn't really stupid, she's simply kind-hearted. This is a cast oriented show, focusing on the main protagonist's relationships with everyone around her, rather than just a boy, which is something I always find great in a shoujo. The story in a whole seems much more innocent than most shoujo, watching two characters slowly develop feelings for one another and form a healthy and youthful relationship. The supporting cast are all very strong and delightful to watch, making it a fun experience to read. The art style took getting used to for me, not because it's bad, just because it's a bit different.

Continuing on, "Say I love you"
There are some nipples, but not many. It's honestly weird, this was a smut mangaka and this was a shoujo/smut initially (I believe) but abandoned the smut for a more heartfelt story (that isn't to say there won't be a bit of smutty action in the first few chapters, but they abandon that). Moving on, this story moves in the same way that I feel Kyou Koi... does, having the couple get together early on so the two could work to navigate their relationship in a whole. However, the characters are very different from the protagonists from this, in a way I feel you'll appreciate them. First off, the main guy is a much better person from the start, making his actions reasonable and him a more likable character from the start. Plus, the main girl is a bit more feisty and set in her ways, despite suffering from depression and swearing off any relationships whatsoever.

The manga isn't just about the two main characters, it spends a great deal of time on the other characters and their relationships (not just romantic too). It's mainly about growing up and discovering the importance of relationships in a whole. How our lives are made up of just a serious of relationships, so how we treat the people around us is important. It's, for the most part, a charming story, but shares a few moments of melodrama, but it mostly moves past that after a few chapters. Sometimes it takes series time to get comfortable in their own skin, so you have to give it time to become right.

Next is "Takane to Hana", or just Takane and Hana
This is a lighthearted and enjoyable read with a strangely appealing art style and a comical relationship between a strong, spirited young girl and a narcissistic adult man with whom she has no craps for. Again, that slightly uncomfortable the more you think about it age gap is present, but it's easy to move past the more you watch the characters interact, having this hilarious relationship where they're just trying to one-up each other. I've found it simply to be a pleasant read thus far, just enjoying the more episodic chapters whenever it happens to update. It's much like Dengeki Daisy, really, except without the strong central story and a more straightforward relationship between the two main characters.

Next, "Kamisama Hajimemashita" or Kamisama Kiss (which means God Kiss, really, but we like the alliteration!)
This is an anime as well, and like Kimi Ni Todoke, I started watching it before I read it. It's a fantasy manga, meaning it's a bit more adventurous and comedic with the romance not always taking the driving force of the story. I mean, yes, it always comes back to the relationship between the main two, but I feel as if the manga does a good job balancing the romance with the plot itself, allowing it to grow naturally in an elegant fashion. The protagonist is a strong lead, a young girl who sorta...begins a god of a shrine. I feared it at times dipped into the reverse harem genre, but it manages to shy away from it (though several other characters take interest in her...it's never considered a real threat to the main interest, but it doesn't come off as just annoying teasing either). Moving on!

I've actually had a friend who particularly hates shoujo claim she likes the manga, as she was really into fantasy so it did manage to appeal to her on that level. Same with "Black Bird", which if you like fantasy and supernatural, I would suggest you go to as well.

Next, "Kaichou Wa Maid-sama!" or The President is a Maid!
Wow, this doesn't sound like something anyone would read, but alas, I felt it might be up your alley from the bit about strong female protagonists. This girl embodies what a strong female protagonist can be, as she's both intelligent, driven, ambitious, and literally strong at a frightening level. As I reread the story, I find a few things bothering me here and there where I feel as if the main character is put down for being a woman. They're like "Did you forget, you're a woman too, so let me, a strong man, save you!" I mean, there isn't anything wrong with a man helping a woman, but I feel like they highlighted the fact that she was a woman too much. They made it almost seem like she needed help because she was a woman. That bothered me, but I might have been reading a bit too much into it.

Other than that, it's a nice read, as it's comedic, enticing, and shows strong growth in the main characters when needed. I think the point of the whole "let me save you!" thing was really just to drive home the idea that the protagonist had the tendency to want to do everything on her own, feeling that if she relied on other people they'd let her down (because daddy issues), so the story is about her putting the thinking aside and allowing others to help her.

The main guy is also absolutely charming as heck. He's the quiet cool guy type, but when he really starts engaging with the girl, he turns out to be quite eccentric which makes for some very funny moments.

It's overall an enjoyable manga, which I feel you may enjoy, so go ahead and give it a look and see if it's for you. If you like this, also check out Special A, it's a lot like this but a bit more over the top at times.

Next, "Youko x Boku SS"
Started watching this as an anime on youtube...didn't expect the supernatural mix.
It's a charming story of a young girl learning how to be a people person. There isn't much to say here, I feel, as I haven't read it in so long, but I do remember the cast being terrific as well as the story behind the main characters being absolutely beautiful. Plus, it has one of the greatest sequences of all time that actually got me watching the anime entirely. A man claims that everyone is either a masochist or a sadist, and proceeds to run around the entire apartment building naming everyone as one or the other, including several inanimate objects. I immediately decided to find the anime and watch all of it. I did, it was a grand day for me.
Another weird age difference, which is always GREAT! DANG IT JAPAN!
I feel like sometimes my only beef is the parts of the endings, where things just get like "oh, what's gonna happen" to "THEY'RE DEAD! THEY'RE ALL DEADDDDDD!" very quickly. I was confused and wanted to cry reading the past few chapters, but the ending is sweet and things turn out okay, so don't be alarmed.

Overall, the main charm of this series (i'd have to say) are the eccentric and hilarious characters (each featuring their own quirks that lead to comical shenningans) and the heartfelt relationship between the two main characters, creating a love story that will honestly break anyone's heart.

Lastly, "Bastard"
Okay, so, uh, this isn't shoujo. I'm just suggesting it because it's an incredible story that has you gripping onto the edge of your seat the entire time you're reading it. I started reading it one night, and I did not sleep until I had read all 60 chapters that were available, where I would then quietly sob as I wished I had paced myself.
I'm only including this because, well, it's got a really good romance in it.
I know some people despise people who focus so greatly on a romance in a story that isn't in the romance genre...but in my defense, it's a good romance.
It's a thriller/semi-horror, mostly thriller and mystery though. I won't tell you what it's about because I feel going into it blind makes the experience a bit more gripping, especially when reading the first few chapters. I just highly suggest the story, it has fantastic writing. Not sure if it's your thing, but when I was going through my list of manga, I saw it and was like "might as well add it"


Okay...I'm done. Finally, but you've now made me want to read every single one of these mangas (except Transparent Cohabitation, CUZ YOU CAN ONLY READ THAT ONCE UNTIL YOU DIE OF SADNESS!!) but I hope I can some way help you find something good to read. Manga is a fantastic art form that few seem to really appreciate, and I simply love going through things and analyzing what exactly makes them good, so this was fun for me! I'm sorry if you'd have hoped for an actually description of the stories, but I felt that would have made me go too far into the story, as I clearly tend to get carried away with these sorts of things, but alas, we're done anyway. Thanks for reading (if you actually made it this far...) and I hope you can manage to enjoy some of the great stories on these lists.

You should add "Mars" to that list