Hello everyone. 1q1y3

Nowadays mainstream shoujo/josei manga really is unsuitable for my taste. So I'm really trying hard to look for something interesting, refreshing and unique. Because like this it's deadly boring...

I'm so pissed of the fact that everything is too often repeating itself. Let me tell some outstanding examples:

• the super unrealistic drawing style (plate sized eyes, spot like nose, skeleton bodies, chibi-like characters, big boobs, doll-like face, just 'perfect' bodies etc.) -----> To me those things are hollow. What is premeditated to be perfectly cute/beautiful or so is turning pretty ugly to me.

• super extra obvious storyline and character types (plot is not deep and realistic, in fact it's really childish and unimaginative - easy to guess, the characters are too often stereotypes: such as crybabies, helpless cowards, cold/quiet ones, machoes, mean-spirited, simpletons, cute/beautiful/handsome ones (popular - the ones each and every one is adoring), good-at-everything – bad-at-everything...ETC.) -----> And the most annoying thing ever is to highlight those features. It's sadly often so.

Those are the main points why I'm so fed up. But don't get me wrong here. I absolutely prefer the genre of shoujo/josei. I really like when it's about mental side and growth, emotions and psychology, slice of life and such. And it's irritating how in shonen it's usually revolving around battling/fighting/winning/women etc. --- what a pitiful outcome. 🤢

BUT hey, of course there are exceptions along. But still…

Is there someone capable of helping me out? I'm really longing for the opposites of the list before. Look at the headline: it would be marvelous if those things would form a story.

PS. I wish not to hurt anyone who is fond of the features/style I criticized.

'through cascades and waterfalls, still waters and breaking waves, the deeper we dive the more remarkable we become. and in the end, the one truth that rises to the top is that our tomorrows belong only to this day. the lesson we learn is to ionately express our daily moments with living grace and gratitude'.

My ongoing master-list is yours:
Josei: Rurouni Kenshin Finished

Action: Superior Day - short

Some genres are stretches because most are the best authors or franchises japan has to offer. Thus the double posts. As always good ongoings lead to good past works.
Happy reading 🙂 .

I also read EU/US comics and am a librarian.
Manga-Masters, My ANN-Lists + Imdb

Truly,
Thank you for all of your suggestions ! 🙂

In your list there are some which I am already familiar with.
I'll glance through your list carefully and maybe I'll find something suitable for me. 😉
It would be great to find something Yamaji Ebine stylish, something sketchy, simple lines and rough.

'through cascades and waterfalls, still waters and breaking waves, the deeper we dive the more remarkable we become. and in the end, the one truth that rises to the top is that our tomorrows belong only to this day. the lesson we learn is to ionately express our daily moments with living grace and gratitude'.

The Sketchy Art, Realistic Art Style Style tag could help. Mugen no Juunin for example has both. Start your yourney there too. Forgot to put it in. I gave your stuff for more then a year to read because these are good people i link to.

I also read EU/US comics and am a librarian.
Manga-Masters, My ANN-Lists + Imdb

Yes, I will. Absolutely.
Thanks again !

'through cascades and waterfalls, still waters and breaking waves, the deeper we dive the more remarkable we become. and in the end, the one truth that rises to the top is that our tomorrows belong only to this day. the lesson we learn is to ionately express our daily moments with living grace and gratitude'.

Wellcome to the community and make your lists public. Allways helps. To anyone reading make your own master lists. The version i did is crazy easy to edit and if you see authors missing drop a line to me. Never wrong. Berserk = Best manga/comic. Start or end there.

I also read EU/US comics and am a librarian.
Manga-Masters, My ANN-Lists + Imdb

Hmm what an interesting request. I'll recommend you the ones that stuck with me. Please note that I read every genre, so I'm also including some BL

Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou - starts out light but before you know it it's spiraled down to darkness. Lovely to see the way characters develop and how their development helps others' in turn. A crazy ride

sorry for the long post, it's just that since I like it when people say what they like about something I figured it might also be appreciated 😛 if you don't want to read the blocks of text just skip'em

The first two manga that came to to mind (for their realistic content, not artwork) are
Cousin.

Also, I second Annarasumanara

Kokou no Hito

[img]http://www.nodiatis.com/pub/10.jpg[/img]

I recommend Tetsugaku letra

Here are a few of my favs with plain/ugly main characters :

Sekitou Elergy : Romance/Drama. The male MC is plain and for once relatively poor, meaning not the usual middle class protagonist.

Old Boy : Mystery/Thriller. I'd recommend you check the movie adaptation if you can, it was really good, but the manga is cool too.

Oyaji : Drama/Action. The MC is old and real ugly, the action can be over the top sometimes but I really liked it.

Boys on the Run : Comedy/Drama. The MC is ugly and a real loser. If you can stand a pathetic protagonist, it's a good manga.

Maybe check works by Akagi (Psychological/Drama).

Debu to Bijin : Romance/Slice of Life. A nice oneshot about an unusual MC. Actually both male and female are very unusual as protagonists for a manga.

Moteki : Comedy/Drama/Romance. Another plain male lead.

Bokko : Historical/Action. A very unusual MC for an action manga : he is old and plain and tend to rely more on wits than brawn. Quite decent if you like tactics/strategy.

I Am a Hero : Horror/Drama. A zombie manga with an unusual MC, he's not quite there in the head. If you liked Battle Royale, Gantz and so on it's worth a read.

Angel Densetsu : Comedy. The male lead is ugly/evil-looking and that's the main premise of the manga. As the story progresses, more traditional shounen elements are brought in, but the author always manages them well so definitely give this one a try.

Stalker : Mystery/Drama. Ugly and creepy male lead. An interesting webtoon. It's complete but sadly not fully translated.

try Watashitachi no Shiawase no jikan and basically all the mangas from that author (Yumeka Somomo a.k.a Sahara Mizu)
the art is pretty and the story has a good plot.

and if you still okay with the art style (no, its not that big and super sparkly eyes art type, but still considerably big) try Warau Kanoko-sama it has some character with that annoying "handsome and smart" and "pretty but dumb" as side character. (yea i hate this type of character too) but trust me the main character is epic. (just give it a shot, you can drop it if it doesn't suit your taste anyway)

Thank you all for your recommendations !
I'll check them up.

But. To be honest. I am really picky when it's about ART... and of course... the STORYLINE. I really insist them to be as earlier discribed: deep and realistic. Else, I'll find it really hard to be interested. 😉

'through cascades and waterfalls, still waters and breaking waves, the deeper we dive the more remarkable we become. and in the end, the one truth that rises to the top is that our tomorrows belong only to this day. the lesson we learn is to ionately express our daily moments with living grace and gratitude'.