#shoujo fans win this year

[vivianvivvia]

ephemeral happiness ⋆ insp

[hermaeu5mora]

So, today, Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight RE LIVE ended.

Despite having almost not played in the last year, bot for lack of time due to work and lack of story update, I'm sad it's over.

It was one of the worst gacha game in terms of "luck", almost as much as Saint Seiya, but I spent a good amount of time (and money) on it, and at the end of everything I'm grateful for it.

Thanks to have created Yumeoji Fumi, a character so human, that struggled, stumbled so much, and thanks to others it gains the strenght to rise again, thanks because Fumi's mistakes and story echoes so much with my own, that she'll be always my favourite character.

Thanks for Rinmeikan and their story (which I'm so sad it didn't get a continuous after Arcana), and other's schools, and Aracana. But also a lot of others incredible characters, and their seiyuus which take them to life.

Also, thanks to all the creators, at the time I still was on twitter, and their fan art were gorgeous, and the fanfic writer, with some of the most incredible crack pairing ever as well as most memorable stories, like MahiMichi, the Haikyuu au, TamaFumi etc. It surely is thanks to them that I loved this game so much till now..!

I remember being so invested in pvp, keeping playing and winning at the last turn, or being incredible crushed by Op players, and all the small victories against them; or being finally able to do Round's Table Revues and winning them..!

They said don't be sad it's over, but be happy because it existed.

Well, it surely was a journey, not always easy, and with a bit of a bitter end (the management of this game took it to its end), but I'm glad I played it, and to having be a part of it..!

[otomegamesandme]

Em's Personal Favorite Shoujo and Josei manga!

Since one (1) person mentioned they would like a recommendation list of shoujo and josei mangas, I decided to throw one together of my personal favorites! Some of these are well known, some aren't. I also kept it short, so it's more a sample of my tastes. Future lists will probably revolve around themes/genres, but for now here's this!

My Lovesick Life as a 90s Otaku

Demo: Josei

Genre: Romance, Slice-of-Life, Historical

This is a short four volume series about a middle aged mother who reflects back on her teen years and being a big otaku in the 90s. I honestly loved this? There were so many cameos of classic series, and I enjoyed the characters and themes in this a lot. It did make me cringe, just because it reminded me how me and my friends used to be as teens in all the good and bad ways. That relatability is also the reason I was a big fan. It does wrap up pretty quickly at the end, but for a short series, it's one of the josei series I've read that left an impression on me!

Magic Knight Rayearth

Demo: Shoujo

Genre: Fantasy, Isekai

It feels like a crime to not mention Clamp when talking about any of my favorite manga (Tsubasa Chronicles is my favorite Shonen and Chobits is my favorite Seinen, so they're really just winning). Choosing between this and RG Veda was difficult, but this is such a classic. I loved the characters, the world, and how the story reveals itself to be a gut punch at the end. If you still haven't read it, here's yet another rec post telling you to check it out.

Children of the Whales

Demo: Shoujo

Genre: Science Fantasy, Tragedy

This follows a group of people on a floating island, the Mud Whale, which is trapped in a sea of sand. One day, when they send people out to search one of the sunken islands in the sand for resources, they find another human, and through meeting her, learn the truth about their home.

The story telling in this is gorgeous. The mangaka said she was inspired by a lost journal she found, and you really get that feeling while reading it. This is also a series to read if you just feel like being Really Sad. It's one of my all time favorite series, but I did have to read it with breaks between volumes (for reference, I normally binge like five volumes a day when I'm really into a series). There's a rich world and history in this, and each detail feels so carefully considered and thought out. This is one of the series I wished more people talked about.

Dokuhime

Demo: Josei

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Tragedy

A group of orphan girls are raised to be living weapons by consuming poison. They're then sent out to enemy countries to seduce and kill the men in charge, as their bodies are all poisonous.

This doesn't have any official English translations and I came across it randomly one day and just fell in love. It's an older series, and there's plenty of triggering content here (violence and SA being major). But I loved this world and characters so much? My summary does not do it justice, but the dynamics with the main character and the three princes in the country she's infiltrating is so interesting. It also reads very much like a dark fairy tale, especially with how it's structured and the way it goes through each scene and chapter. I know this is likely too old and unknown to ever get picked up officially, but maybe if I get more people to read it, we can all bother seven seas via their licensing survey or something-

A Condition Called Love

Demo: Shoujo

Genre: Romance, Slice-of-Life

I don't think this needs a summary since it's a recent popular one lol, but I love messy characters who face consequences for their messy actions and are forced to grow as people!! I love when bad habits in a relationship get challenged, and it doesn't automatically lead to breaking up but trying to fix things. Hotaru and Hananoi just have my favorite relationship in any modern shoujo series I've read, and while the series isn't over yet, I can imagine them remaining a favorite for a long time.

Chihayafuru

Demo: Josei

Genre: Sports, Slice-of-Life (and romance in the background)

If you know about Chihayafuru, it's that everyone who talks about it is Not Normal about it lol I have never encountered a series with such a large cast where each one is given such weight and brevity as this series. I know it's about such a niche Japanese sport, but listen, the growth and story arch of these three main characters, and how they're affected by the people they meet and how they affect others and grow is just...so good. You want God Tier character work, this is the series you read.

Prince Freya

Demo: Shoujo

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure (and romance if you squint)

I love brutal shoujo. The first chapter of this was not what I was expecting, and it's probably because I went in blind. Anyway, this follows the story of Freya who lives in a kingdom trying not to get conquered by an Empire taking over the continent. The only person keeping the kingdom standing was the Prince, who was poisoned and killed. Since Freya looks almost exactly like him, she's forced to pretend to be the Prince of this country in hopes the kingdom won't fall to the empire.

Freya's character growth in this is a lot of fun to witness play out. I also really have been enjoying seeing the way the world keeps expanding and growing with each volume. I will say, the first few volumes have pacing issues, but by volume 3/4 it was all smooth sailing. I also really enjoy how unflinching it can be, and it doesn't shy away from death or violence when needed, but it also doesn't overdue it either. It's just a solid shoujo fantasy series, and the only bad part about it is waiting for the next volume to drop (Viz it's been 6 months, please-).

[frostfires-blog]

My Top 6 Favourite Shōjo & Josei Anime Series Released in 2023

It's fair to argue that we're in a shojo renaissance given the recent victories for the shoujosei community. To commemorate this I wanted to make a post highlighting my favourite shojosei series from this year's line-up—in the hopes of persuading others to watch them and cast their votes for them in the upcoming anime awards.

Keep in mind that some entries will date as far back as October 2022 because they officially qualify alongside this year's anime as a part of the roster for next year's anime awards.

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Honourable Mentions:

-> Koori Zokusei Danshi to Cool na Douryou Joshi

English Title: The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague

Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Workplace, Mythology

This anime follows Himuro, who involuntarily produces snow and ice phenomena—due to being a descendant of a Yuki-onna— when overwhelmed by his emotions, at his new office job. On his first day, he is saved from being late due to his affliction by the cool-headed Fuyutsuki—who turns out to be his new coworker. As they continue to work closely together, Fuyutsuki continues to provide pragmatic solutions to Himuro’s myriad of wintry quandaries—causing him to constantly want to repay her kindness. As Himuro’s feelings for her continue to grow, so does the frequency of his snowstorms—making them nearly impossible to hide. The fun, relaxing atmosphere of this anime gives a wholesome and homely feel—making it worth the watch if you don’t mind the somewhat slow, romantic development.

-> Romantic Killer

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Supernatural, Parody, Reverse Harem

This series is about Anzu Hoshino, a high school girl with no interest in romance and lives solely for video games, chocolates, and her cat. Anzu’s daily life is turned upside down when a wizard forcibly turns her life into a harem, dating game in order to force her to find love. Out of anger and sheer stubbornness, she vows to resist no matter what. While this is technically a shōnen anime, not a shōjo or josei—I wanted to include it anyway since it has a shōjo vibe to it especially because of the lack of fan service and unrealistic beauty standards. It has a similar vibe to other shoujo series like Watashi ga Motete Dousunda (Kiss Him Not Me) and Kaichou wa Maid-sama! While the storyline is seemingly basic, the show’s refreshing take on classic character archetypes and relatable humour make it worth a watch.

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Top 6:

6) Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru

English Title: My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999

Genres: Romance, Comedy

Despite being dumped by her boyfriend, college student Akane Kinoshita continues to play the MMO they once played together and attends an offline game event in hopes of winning him back. There she meets Akito Yamada, an emotionless yet handsome high schooler, who belongs to the same guild as her. After running into her ex—who is accompanied by his new girlfriend—Akane is desperate for support causing her to rope Yamada into helping her and lending her a shoulder to cry on. As they spend more and more time together their feelings for one another continue to grow despite their innumerable differences. This anime gives off a similar atmosphere to Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashi (Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku) with its humour, casual slice-of-life atmosphere, common themes, and equally catchy opening theme song. The character dynamics, voice acting, and music make this show worth the watch.

5) Sugar Apple Fairy Tale

Genres: Fantasy, Drama, Adventure, Romance

Despite living in a kingdom where fairies are enslaved by humans, through the possession of one of their wings, Anne Halford longs to see the day when humans and fairies are treated equally. Despite this, she is forced to purchase a warrior fairy to protect her on the perilous journey to the Royal Candy Fair in order to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Silver Sugar Master. Anne hires the sharp-tongued obsidian fairy, Challe Fen Challe for this job. Despite Anne promising to return his wing after the journey, Challe remains distrustful and wants nothing to do with humans. However, as the pair travel together, they learn more about each other as well as more about the different dynamics between fairies and humans across the kingdom. While seemingly a typical fantasy-romance shōjo, this anime deals with some heavy themes such as sexism, misogyny, slavery, and historical politics. While these themes could certainly be interpreted as problematic, they aren’t just swept under the rug and are commented on but certainly could’ve been more developed upon. The show ultimately balances its light-hearted, slice-of-life scenes and heart-warming relationship-building moments well with its more dramatic subplots. The art and animation are beautifully done when compared to other releases in the genre, especially its use of colours, lighting, and fluidity. The female lead’s dedication to her craft as a silver sugar artisan is commendable and somewhat reminiscent of Shirayuki’s passion for herbalism in Akagami no Shirayuki-hime (Snow White with the Red Hair). Another selling point of the show is the subtle tension and slowly fostered development between its two leads. Both characters have their own decently developed mentalities and motivations independent of each other which is always delightful to see given how rare it can be. Another selling point of this anime is that both season 1 and season 2 were released this year thus making the overall episode count 24 giving viewers ample time to grow attached to its lovable cast and charming atmosphere without feeling pressured for instant development.

4) Kanojo ga Koushaku-tei ni Itta Riyuu

English Title: Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke's Mansion

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Otome Isekai

After Rinko Hanasaki (originally Eunha Park in the original manhwa) is pushed off a building, she is reborn as Raeliana McMillan—the daughter of a nouveau-rich baron in a historical romance novel she once read who is fated to die tragically young. To prevent the fruition of this plotline Raeliana is determined to end her engagement with the man who orchestrated her untimely demise, Lord Francis Brooks. To do this, she is forced to use her knowledge of the plot to blackmail the novel’s male protagonist, Duke Noah Wynknight, into a contract engagement thus rendering her previous one null and void. Little does she know that she has captured Noah’s interest, in place of the female protagonist, with this move buying her a lot trouble than she originally bargained for… While only decently animated, the character dynamics, voice acting, pacing, and soundtrack make this anime stand out from other similar shows. The compelling chemistry between the two leads really elevates this anime from others with a similar premise. Overall while a decent adaptation from the manhwa, there is some room for improvement especially with the animation. Personally, I felt that this anime could’ve greatly benefitted from having 24 episodes (instead of the chosen 12 episodes) since parts covered by anime are mostly set up with the drama, action, and relationship development only taking place in later story arcs. Unfortunately, most of what makes this series praise-worthy and sets it apart from others with a similar premise wasn’t covered yet in the anime. Although reading the source material in advance had given me relatively high expectations that weren't quite met, I would like to clarify that I thoroughly enjoyed this anime.

3) Sasaki to Miyano Movie: Sotsugyou-hen

English title: Sasaki and Miyano Movie: Graduation Arc

Genres: Shounen Ai, BL, Slice of life, High School

Continuing from season 1, this film follows Shūmei Sasaki and Yoshikazu Miyano as they embark on the next important stage of their romantic relationship as it is tested by Sasaki’s impending graduation from high school. The movie is accompanied by an animated short featuring the side character Taiga Hirano and his growing relationship with his roommate Akira Kagiura. Despite being brief, the movie was filled with tons of important character-defining and relationship-building moments for both Miyano and Sasaki as well as their relationships with other characters and each other. The familiar soundtrack and art style were both nostalgic and comforting while the voice acting was top-notch, carefully conveying the immense depth of the characters’ multi-layered emotions throughout the various scenes. Throughout the movie, we saw just how much the main couple had grown since season 1… We see Sasaki becoming more confident in showing affection towards Miyano, as he holds himself back less and less. While Miyano became much more assured of himself and his feelings towards Sasaki. We see Sasaki’s backstory which provides much-needed context behind his insecurities in season 1. During this adaptation, fairly significant cuts were made from the original source material to accommodate the time constraints—which was naturally disappointing. The animated short that accompanied the movie was heart-warming and leaves watchers curious enough that there is room for a full adaptation of Hirano and Kagiura’s story…

2) Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon

English Title: My Happy Marriage

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Historical

My happy marriage is set in an alternative version of the Meiji Restoration era where spirits and supernatural magic exist but in regression. Our protagonist, Miyo Saimori is born giftless despite belonging to a supernaturally talented family because of this she suffers immense abuse and mistreatment at the hands of her stepmother and half-sister while her father gazes on with indifference. Her hopes of building a happy life for herself seem distant after she is ordered by her family to marry Kiyoka Kudo, a man who is rumoured to be so cold-hearted all his previous marriage candidates ran off. Upon arriving at the Kudo estate, Miyo fully resigns herself to either a life of mistreatment or abandonment but is pleasantly surprised when her husband-to-be is anything but the monster she expected. Both of them begin realizing that the other may be their greatest opportunity to find true happiness and love as they slowly begin to each other. open their hearts to each other. While many may write this anime off at face value thinking of it as just another Cinderella remake—they are sorely mistaken. While seemingly simple in its premise and title, the execution of the many technical elements and core themes that make this anime was nearly flawless. The beautifully detailed animation was a pleasant surprise. Historically speaking shōjo adaptations haven’t gotten the best budgets and heavily rely on having great storytelling and characterization to draw in its viewers. My Happy Marriage however not only has impeccably detailed character designs but also seamlessly fluid and well-paced animation sequences. Special attention was given to animating the opening and ending theme song sequences unlike with many other shows where the theme song animation is somewhat of an afterthought.  The soundtrack and voice acting are both exemplary and encapsulate the moods of each respective scene well. The side characters are all well-crafted to suit their roles in the story and aren’t at all redundant with no single archetype being overused. The two leading characters are well-developed and show slow consistent and most importantly realistic growth. The series delves into lasting trauma caused by abuse and the long journey to healing that trauma. Despite only being 12 episodes, the plot and character-building does not get lost amongst the world-building or fantastical elements. This anime delves into the intricacies of human emotions and relationships as well as the main couple’s personal struggles and motivations making us as the audience want to root for them. Ultimately all these elements blend seamlessly to produce a charming and heart-warming show capable of stirring up the emotions of its audience. 

1) Kōkyū no Karasu

English title: Raven of the Inner Palace

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Historical, Mythology, Supernatural

The Raven Consort, Ryuu Jusetsu (originally Liu Shouxue in the original source material) is both venerated and feared amongst those in the royal court. Despite being titled as a consort, she does not have any contact with the emperor, Ka Kōshun (originally Xia Gaojun), and lives isolated from everyone else. Her fabled mystical abilities make her the subject of many rumours as she is said to take on any request from recovering lost belongings to casting curses. One day her quiet solitude is disturbed when the newly crowned emperor barges into her palace with a request. Despite finding his subsequent frequent visits annoying, she cannot bring herself to turn him away. She soon finds herself forging several meaningful connections with others, despite the warnings of her predecessor, ultimately forcing her to confront a past that was best left concealed.  This show’s unique character designs and uncommon setting make it stand out visually despite its humble budget. While seemingly episode in nature, this show has an intricate overarching plot with fantastic character development. The show does a great job at depicting the main protagonist’s motivations, internal struggles, and development while still maintaining the mystery surrounding her—thus leaving plenty of room for further growth and development. Another thing I greatly appreciated in this anime was its subtly. Rather than just blatantly exposing complex motivations, moral stances, internal conflicts, and relationship dynamics of and between its characters through quotidian dialogue—the show instead chooses to shrewdly unveil this through the actions and expressions of its characters alongside the use of meaningful dialogue.  Despite not being presently romantically involved the budding relationship between its two leads is carefully developed and slowly built upon in such a way that doesn’t make the show feel like just another forced or contrived romance elevating the show beyond layperson’s expectations for shōjo and josei anime. Despite somewhat, complex historical injustices being brought up in the anime, it is more focused on its protagonist helping others find peace through self-forgiveness and remembrance than seeking retribution. This has led to criticisms that the pacing of the series is too slow and that the plot lacks satisfying action sequences. However, in my opinion, the show succeeds in its goal of telling tales about the complexity of human emotions and relationships that transcend life and death. Another aspect of this show that really stood out was the soundtrack, especially its ending theme song, which exhibits a uniquely haunting melancholic ambiance that makes me want to listen to it repeatedly. This series is undoubtedly deserving of the title of an underrated gem—given its unique artistic expression, intriguing emotional storytelling, and character development—and has an immense amount of the potential for a follow-up season.

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[P.S. I'm really going to miss watching My Happy Marriage and Sugar Apple Fairy Tale every week—but at least season 2 of the former has been confirmed😭]

[bunnymajo]

6 Magical Girl Titles to Try if you've only seen "Shonen"

So I've been seeing more and more battle shonen anime fans interested in more female lead characters, stronger female friendships and less objectification of women in general and that's great! When they get told that such a thing does exist, the Magical Girl genre, the unfortunate response is hostility.

And I get it, MG anime can be unapologetically feminine. Frilly, pink & sparkly and full of cute boy drama OR ....it's full of fanservice.... and if none of those things are your cup of tea I can see why that'd be a turn off if that's what you're expecting from the get go.

But! What if I told you that the magical girl anime genre has been going on for almost 60 years and it's not all the same! (wow!)

So here are 6 titles (3 part of the shonen demographic & 3 part of the shoujo demographic) that might change your mind. Also all of these are safe for viewers 13+

Under the cut because this one's long

Granbelm - The most recent entry here, Granbelm is a “Battle Royale” style mecha show where 7 girls duke it out to win the coveted title of the “Princeps Mage” where they’re able to shape the world as they’d like with all the magic they can control. The mild-mannered Mangetsu finds a new genuine excitement in this tournament she’s been thrusted into and her newfound friend and mentor, the lone wolf Shingetsu, is happy to teach her the basics about magic as the two of them try to hold their own. The mysteries behind Mangetsu’s magic power and the bloodied histories of the other 6 contestants unfolds in each episode. Also magic robot fights

2. Genmu Senki Leda - A direct to video movie from 1985, Leda tells the adventure of 17 year old Yohko who’s transported to another world to defeat the evil Zell. Zell becomes interested in obtaining Yohko’s powers for himself to cross dimensions to invade. A very simple fantasy movie premise with some stunning animation and music. Has all the 80’s staples: robots, side ponytails, sword fighting in armored bikinis, artistic music video sequences, you name it! The performance of the late Hiromi Tsuru as Yohko is also very sincere and lovely. If you’re a sakuga buff don’t overlook it!

3. Little Witch Academia (TV Series) - Yeah witches totally count as magical girls! The genre started with witches after all. But anyway: the over-excitable Akko joins the Luna Nova magic academy to learn witchcraft to follow in the footsteps of her idol Shiny Chariot the witch. Magic in this world is treated like it’s been alongside the modern world this whole time but is seen as archaic, unimpressive & useless compared to the breakthroughs of technology. Practicers of “old magic” are a dying breed and trying to find ways to stick to their roots but still be relevant, and the enthusiastic but pesky Akko might just be what they need. Animated by the always impressive Studio Trigger

4. Magic Knight Rayearth - More magical fantasy worlds & giant robots! Taking story & aesthetic inspiration from 90’s Fantasy RPG games, Rayearth is about 3 normal schoolgirls chosen to save a princess held captive by the dark lord Zagato. Our leads Hikaru, Umi & Fuu become unlikely friends that always have each other's backs no matter what the untamed land of Cephiro has to throw at them. Original manga by CLAMP & animated by TMS.

5. Revolutionary Girl Utena - This one’s a bit of a doozy but I think it’s a critical darling for good reason. Utena is a new student at Ohtori Academy but has already gained the reputation for being a rule breaking tomboy determined to become a prince that always defends others. After getting into a fight with a student council member to stick up for her friend, Utena is thrusted into Ohtori Academy’s sword fighting duels to win the hand of The Rose Bride Anthy and her mysterious power that’s said to hold the key to “Revolutionize the World” 

A very allegory heavy work that also deals with heavy topics such as abuse, homophobia, incest, sexual assault but in a way that’s intrinsic to the work itself and it’s characters. I’d say the overall theme of Utena is about the struggles of teen adolescence and it doesn’t shy away from whatever those struggles are and what it may stem from. A bit polarizing but I think if you give it a chance you’ll be incredibly rewarded 

6. Futari wa Pretty Cure - Wait come back! I know you’re thinking this was all a trap just for me to say “Watch Precure!” but I genuinely think the 1st season is a great magical girl show for someone who’s only used to action anime. Directed by Daisuke Nishio of DBZ fame, Pretty Cure was incredibly risky & experimental for its day giving it’s heroine’s hand to hand combat moves and more dangerous stunts & enemies from week to week and finishing off their enemies with a grand lightning attack. Beyond that, Nagisa & Honoka have an “opposites attract” dynamic with Nagisa being a jock with insecurities about herself & Honoka being an outspoken & adventurous lover of science. The bond that grows between these two is really heartwarming and genuine.

[animebw]

So last night was pretty miserable and today hasn't been much better, but hey! Seasonal anime.

Must-Watch

A Sign of Affection: God, I'm so happy we're getting high quality shoujo adaptations again.

The Dangers in My Heart Season 2: I know for a fact a lot of you missed this show last year. Fix that. Now.

Delicious in Dungeon: I think this one took an episode to really find its footing, but I'm digging it a lot. Classic fantasy fans, we are eating so well these days.

Solo Leveling: Now this is looking like some good edgy fun. Maybe this'll be the Webtoon adaptation that finally gets it right!

Runners-Up

Bucchigiri?!: I don't know what Hiroko Utsumi is smoking, but I want some.

Metallic Rouge: Jury's still out whether or not the story will be much of anything, but at least it's gonna look fantastic either way.

Sengoku Youko: Good news, we've got a Mizukami adaptation that doesn't look like complete dogshit!

Worth a Look

Blue Exorcist Season 3: As happy as I am to see all my favorite idiots again, I'm nervous that this new production team doesn't have what it takes to make this story click the way it used to. Fingers crossed.

Urusei Yatsura Season 2: Yep, I'm still mostly enjoying it.

On Thin Ice

Cherry Magic: One of these days we'll stop accepting BL/yuri adaptations getting discarded with bottom-of-the-barrel productions on a regular basis.

High Card Season 2: This show's got a few episodes to win me back after how dull season 1 was, otherwise I'm dropping it.

Already Dropped

The Witch and the Beast: Twenty minutes of poorly edited 2Edgy4U slop that mostly consists of women being brutalized and "but what if discrimination was GOOD, actually?" moralizing. Don't bother.

[yellowbluemoonshine]

Do you read manhwas ?? If so then which one?

Yeah, I read webtoon/manhwa and manga a lot.

I am not really fan of manhua but there are exceptions for that one too, for example; 'Your Dream is Delicious' was one of my exceptions for me because i love characters. I love it.

I dont have specific genre to read one because you can never know which story has good characters and well written plotline but i generally prefer to read;

Yaoi- But i cant enjoy the story, if sex is only thing or main focus.

Romance- The reason i love romance because i love series that focus on relationships the most, though i hate when 'romance is the only focus' or when lovers act like they only care about each others but still, at least, story explores the interaction between characters.

Fantasy- I dont mind slice of life but sometimes its fun to explore supernatural or fantasy world.

Psychological- What can i say, psychology is my favorite thing because i dont enjoy shallow-typical characters, i want to know more about them, thats how i can get into story and enjoy from it. Though, its hard to find well written one.

Horror- i think every story needs a little/small horror element.

Shounen ai- Unlike yaoi, slowburn romance when characters get to know each others first works better because two strangers having sex and magiclaly falling in love is so unrealistic to me. Not to mention, most of them are romanticized toxic relationships without consent, i hate it.

Shoujo ai- I mean, there is no difference for me between shoujo ai and shounen ai, if its well written. Though, its hard to find good yuri too.

This doesnt mean i dont read other genres but i usually read those ones the most. I read reencarnation stories too but most of the mare cliche, its hard to find good one.

The thing is; Its been years since i start reading manhwa, I dont remember which ones i read because i read a lot and i still read.

But i have a few favorites, unfortunately i dont remember everything i read so just a few faves of mine.

Bastard;

Genre; Crime, mystery, psychological, horror.

I enjoy this story a lot.

A Joyful Life;

Genre; Slice of life, shoujo ai, romance, drama

I love main characters and the interaction between them.

Stagtown;

Genre; Horror, mystery, supernatural.

Recently, it has finished, i really enjoyed the horror elements of the story.

Pyramid Game;

Genre; Psychology

Both story and characters are good. Another 'win the game/war' type of story but its about more mental struggle than psychical one. If you love stories with tension, you might like this.

King's Maker;

Genre; Shounen ai, yaoi, history.

Main focus isnt romance. Its about changing the kingdom they live in.

The Best Smell;

Genre; Shounen ai.

Just adding here, cute shounen ai story, though art c/should've been better. Not necessarely my fave but i am just adding here because i dont remember other stories i read.

Her Shimchang;

Genre; Shoujo ai, romance, history, supernatural.

I keep rec.ing shoujo ai, even though i hardly read one, (i usually read yaoi/shounen ai). I often end up hating most the things i read so its rare to find a story i love from beginning to the ending and this one is one of them.

Hooky;

Genre; Fantasy, adventure.

It has very cute art, and storyline. I love when characters go to adventure, discover the world around them, interact with others. Though i didnt enjoy the second part os tory, still worh it though and i love the twins and their relationship the most.

I Love Amy;

This one isnt necessarely my fave because story is new to me but i find the story, characters and art interesting enough to mention it. Its about yandere girl who fall in love with the girl she considered love rival, lol. I love the fact that they actually give yandere girl a character and story and allow her to learn true love.

I read so many good stories, especially romance, yaoi but these ones are the ones i remember right now.

Bonus; I also read Dr Frost, The Guy Upstairs, Like You Maybe, Sugar & Spice, High Class Homos, Fictional Skin, Tower of God etc on webtoon app. Others i read on random websites, there are too many to write it here so for now, thats it.

[seisoukan]

Wonderful Journey - Chapter 1

Translated by: @seisoukan

With thanks to my proofers: Vulpes

Season: Winter

Location: Time Street

TOMOYA: Huff, huff…

Ugh, I’m nearly out of breath from all that running… I couldn’t make it in time, and the bakery ended up being entirely sold out of croissants.

Damn it~ Why’s this type of bread only available on Thursdays, and why’d my after-school duties have to come up on this particular Thursday?

(… In the end, even though tons of bakeries should sell croissants, why’d Anzu-senpai feel the need to use HoldHands to instruct me to buy some from this store specifically?)

MITSURU: Hm, hm~ hm~♪ Dash-dash-dashing with lots of bread~☆

TOMOYA: (… Mm? Why do I feel like I hear Mitsuru’s voice?)

MITSURU: Oi~ Tomo-chan~! Why are you here? Did you come to buy bread too?

TOMOYA: Y-yeah. Uwah, predictably, you’ve got two whole armfuls of bread…

MITSURU: Ehe, of course! After all, today’s the day the bakery sells its super tasty croissants, so the second the school bell rang, I dash-dash-dashed all the way from school to here!

After I bought it, I wandered around a little, and was just getting ready to go back to Seisou Hall when I bumped into you, Tomo-chan.

TOMOYA: I see… If my croissant-buying opponent is Mitsuru, I’ve got zero chances of winning.

MITSURU: Mm? What’s with those empty hands and that lifeless face, Tomo-chan? Did you not get to buy any? If that’s why, I can share some of my croissants with you~

TOMOYA: Eh, you’d do that?! Thanks, you’re a huge help!

MITSURU: Ehehe, there’s no need to be that polite with me~ Besides, I’m real happy that my croissant-liking buddies have grown ♪

TOMOYA: Ahaha, I haven’t actually spontaneously gained an interest in croissants. Or, I guess, they’re just a performance prop I need to complete my mission.

MITSURU: A performance prop…?

Time: A few days ago

Location: Vocal Room

SHU: … Oh, it seems as though I am the last to arrive. Even though there are still ten minutes until our appointed meeting time.

TOMOYA: Hello, Itsuki-senpai! Actually, I just rushed all the way from my last job as well—

Uwah?! Where’d the sound of party poppers come from all of a sudden? That scared the crap out of me!

WATARU: Welcome, welcome, warm welcomes all around ☆ Sending greetings to you all from the fluttering pieces of colored paper! It’s your Hibiki Wataru… ♪

KEITO: … Hibiki, quiet down, you. We aren’t some tour group sightseeing at ES for the first time.

Since we’ve all arrived, let’s cut to the chase and start today’s meeting. Anzu should already have sent the relevant details on HoldHands to each of you ahead of time.

TOMOYA: Mm… I can’t believe this time’s job request is filming a promotional commercial for the newest volume of a currently popular shoujo manga.

According to Anzu-senpai, that manga artist is a loyal fan of Dramatica, and personally comes to the theater for each showing. Thanks to that, they really want someone from the troupe to perform this time.

KEITO: That’s right. The four of us assembled here today are Anzu’s final choices for the most suitable members to appear in the commercial.

Due to personal interest, I have read this manga in the past, so allow me to briefly introduce its general contents to assist your understanding and familiarity with the original work.

To summarize, the direction of the work is largely that of a classic shoujo manga setting. The female protagonist has an unrequited crush on a senior one year above her, but is completely unaware of the fact that the childhood friend that she grew up with has always liked her.

To support her endeavors in love, the protagonist’s best friend enthusiastically provides ideas on how to pursue the senior. However, deep down, she actually has a crush on the protagonist’s childhood friend.

TOMOYA: Help, just hearing this is giving me a stomachache…

Mm? You’re asking me if I need to take some medication for my stomach pain, Anzu-senpai? Huh, you carry that kind of stuff around on your person…?

I don’t actually have a stomachache, I just wanted to describe how these kinds of complicated four-way relationships make me feel, so don’t worry about it.

KEITO: I understand what Mashiro is saying. However, this manga doesn’t fall into any clichés; or rather, the author frequently subverts expectations with conscious intent, thereby creating the effect of a sort of youthful comedy.

For instance, one second the atmosphere might still be abnormally tense and serious, but the next moment is likely to introduce an unexpected interlude that causes one to double over with laughter.

WATARU: Amazing… ♪ To boys and girls in the prime of youth, toil and trouble over love! Savor the unripe flavor of first love, and spend your days tinted in rose!

However, Keito-kun seems to hold a certain fondness for this manga. When you received the invitation to take part in the filming, did you not accept it quite readily?

KEITO: Oi, don’t say anything unnecessary… Fine, since it’ll be exposed sooner or later, I’ll admit I am in fact a fan of that manga artist.

Moreover, I’m usually in charge of the creation of our scripts. Taking this opportunity to accumulate some experience as an actor isn’t a bad idea, either.

SHU: Is that so? I have no interest in the common people’s entertainment. It ought to be said, the one originally scheduled to appear in the commercial had been that boy.[1]

It just so happened that that boy suddenly came to COSPRO searching for me a few days ago. He said that due to a sudden change in his work arrangement, a scheduling conflict had arisen. Thus, he recommended me to the client, hoping I could take his place.

Honestly. The next time these sorts of troublesome things crop up, I shall reject it without a second thought.

WATARU: Hahaha, Shu is the type of person to be stubborn but soft-hearted, after all~ No matter how you look at it, acting in a commercial is a wonderful experience, so I do hope you too can enjoy yourself.

Moreover, as long as Natsume-kun looks at you with a beseeching gaze and says “Pretty please, Shu-niiSAN”, I’m sure you won’t be able to refuse him, correct?

SHU: … Hmph. You say that about me, but you’re the same, as well.

TOMOYA: U-um… It might be a bit late to start complaining now, but I still have a small question—

Why do I have to crossdress with the Masked Per… Hibiki-senpai again?! And since it’s a shoujo manga, is it really okay for the female protagonist and the female supporting character to be played by guys?!

WATARU: Fufufu, for this sort of arrangement is undoubtedly, Amazing ☆

In actuality, the most important part of any commercial is to have enough of an eye-catching gimmick, so that more people are interested in the work itself— that is, a principle similar to ‘food for thought’.[2]

Not to mention, the original style of the manga is fairly relaxed and lively, so it’s not a problem if the commercial’s production effects are a little exaggerated.

And really, the most important point is, the client approves greatly of Tomoya-kun and my own crossdressing abilities, and considers us capable of making the fake look real ☆

TOMOYA: How exactly did the client see my appearance while crossdressing? It couldn’t have been you secretly mailing that kind of photo alongside my personal profile, right?!

WATARU: Oya, oya, would I be that sort of vile person~? Perhaps they saw a play that Tomoya-kun and I performed in women’s clothing, and it left a very profound impression on them?

However, what I did not anticipate was that the client would ultimately designate me to play the protagonist; rather than Tomoya-kun, whose temperament usually fits these types better.

TOMOYA: Hmph, just go ahead and call me ‘ordinary’.

KEITO: My guess is, it’s because the protagonist of this manga is an energetic, passionate woman, while her best friend is more of the quiet, introverted type.

The senior I’m playing possesses a sugar-and-spice, taciturn personality. Furthermore, Itsuki has to play a sunny and cheerful childhood friend with a high degree of approachability.

SHU: That’s why this role was initially suited for that boy, and not me.

In this chapter, Shu calls Natsume 小鬼, which more directly translates to 'brat'. 'Boy' is used to maintain consistency between stories.

The idiom used here is 抛砖引玉 (lit. throwing a brick to attract jade). It is a metaphor for attracting refined opinions with one's rough ideas. A similar English idiom is used in translation.

Wonderful Journey - Masterlist

[engshoujosei]

Perfect World

12 volumes

Licensed by Kodansha

The moving, provocative manga about the struggles and triumphs in love of a woman and a man who uses a wheelchair comes to print! Fans of tumultuous manga romance -- like A Silent Voice and Your Lie in April -- don't miss this! A company get-together reunites 26-year-old Tsugumi with her high school crush, Itsuki. In the years they've been apart, Itsuki has realized his dream of becoming an architect--but along the way, he's also suffered a spinal cord injury that's left him in a wheelchair. Seeing Itsuki again rekindles Tsugumi's feelings for him. It also forces her to confront her own hidden prejudices. Itsuki's disability seems like an intimidating obstacle at first, but soon, Tsugumi discovers that her world feels imperfect without him.

Notes: Received the Kodansha Manga Award in 2019 for Shoujo.

Status in Country of Origin

12 Volumes (Complete)

Tags:

Adapted to Live Action

Adoption

Architect/Interior Designer

Award-Winning Work

Breakup/s

Coworker/s

Determined Protagonist

Disability/ies

Disapproved Relationship

Ex-Classmate/s

Ex-Lover

First Love

Friends Become Lovers

Hard-Working Protagonist

Hospital

Infertility

Injury/ies

Kind Female Lead

Kind Male Lead

Love Interest Change

Love Triangle/s

Overcoming Adversity

Paraplegia

Reunited Friends

Second Chances

[beautifulpersonpeach]

I remember on your old blog you gave amazing film and book recommendations. I might be pushing it here but do you watch anime by any chance? If you do can you give some recommendations?

I absolutely adore your blog. You very nice, keep going. 💋💋

**

Hi Anon,

This is such a cool ask! 💜

I spent some time in Japan for grad school and watched a fair bit of anime then. Many of the shows I watched have remained favourites till now. It's been a while since I checked out anything so my recs might be a bit dated, but these are animes that feel evergreen for me so I hope you like them too.

In no particular order:

3-gatsu no Lion OR March Comes in Like a Lion

It's a chill slice of life anime based on a manga by Umino Chica. It's a bit of a slow burn but I think a beautiful story unfolds the more you watch.

*

Hunter x Hunter

This one is a classic but such a feel good option. They don't make villains like Hisoka anymore.

*

Haikyuu!!

This one is another classic (and a favourite anime for jikook going by that RUN BTS episode 138). The chemistry between Hinata and Kageyama is so fun to watch!

*

Terror in Resonance

I'd describe this story as dystopian, Black Mirror-esque. A better expression of that trope than whatever The Promised Neverland ended up being. It's got an interesting soundtrack too, a bit different from the rock-heavy opening sequences typical of anime. Jungkook also seems to be a fan of one of the artists on the soundtrack, but this one is my favourite.

*

Food Wars

I like food. I like anime about food. And if you like food and don't mind random foodgasm-induced nudity, this is the anime for you. :)

*

Kaichou wa Maid Sama

This is a shoujo anime in a school setting. The manga is infinitely more interesting than the anime, but I found Misaki and Takumi's story to be the cutest thing the first time I watched/read it. I still think so years later. (And in case you've never been to a maid cafe before, trust me when I say you absolutely have to visit one. Yes they do actually act like what's in the anime, yes they do actually give you bunny ears and fancy omurice with complementary performances, yes their clientele is mostly middle-aged men who should be home with their wives and kids, but also working women, school-aged kids, grandmas... it really is an experience).

*

Sound Euphonium

This is one of the best anime series made by Kyoto Animation in my opinion. Many of the people who worked on the series unfortunately passed away in the 2019 arson attack. Please consider giving their work a watch. The art style is incredible, the story - about a music club in a school - is heartwarming.

*

Kids on the Slope

It's about jazz, not-so-subtle homoerotic energy, and teens coming of age.

*

Psycho Pass

More dystopian classics. The first season is really enjoyable for me. It kinda holds up in the second season and falls off in the third. But it's still a fun watch. :)

*

Akatsuki no Yona

A romance shoujo anime with a fierce protagonist and a colourful cast of supporting characters. A win for me.

[fukaimetsu]

Seeing xb fans on bird app saying monolith hate women if next XB is not female protagonist is funny.

When monolith has made 3 xeno series with female protagonist and female chara as major character. The reason they're not doing it nowadays because they got backlash because most average jrpg fans cant stand with mentally ill protagonist and don't like female characters having nuance.

Also i doubt this people would appreciate female protagonist from monolith in XB, like i have so much trust issue with xenoblade fandom when it comes to female characters be it from the wokes side or chuds side.

As someone who deep down wanting female MC i just dreading at the thought of discourse.

If the female protagonist is safe and likeable, ppl will call her boring and a lot video or comment how she's the most forgettable xb MC

If the female protagonist being romantically paired w/ Malos the woke side will hatinf her and reduce her as "erasing Malos queerness" And god, get in the way with Mal*sJin ship or if she's straight they will whining how Monolith is sexist always paired female chara with male chara lol.

If the female protagonist is nuanced and has some unlikeable moment or the "women moment", the chuds side will demeaning her nonstop and she will get so much discourse in many years as worst protagonist. Or if she's not sexy, they will chimped out and call how monolith went woke, pozzed and censored.

Like there's no winning for female protagonist enjoyer. Because people just don't care abt them and only want it for their agenda/convenient for culture war purpose. Hell they don't even care abt xeno.

Frankly, I don't blame monolith not having female protag considering how most average XB and JRPG fans just being shitty with Shania and heck a lot people still can't get over abt Mythra being bitchy in early chapter.

Tl;dr people cant see female protag as their own character

Anyway, I want female protag in XB because I think it would be neat and it means the romance subtext will feels more like shoujo-ish which rare to be found in modern jrpg nowadays. I know Takahashi wanted to write his straight shoujo romance for women, he's sucker for romance. Being harem like Rex would be good as well, give her hot dudes fawning all over her! We need reverse harem representation in JRPG. Also make her mentally ill that put Shion to shame. The romance potential is great

[popmusicu]

LOONA's complex history in the KPOP industry

LOONA was a southcorean girl group that debut in 2018. But their proyect start 2 years before in october of 2016 when the first member was reveal, HeeJin was introduced with her mini album "HeeJin" and her music video "ViViD". After that in november they introduce HyunJin with her solo "Around You" with a diferent style.

And successively they present to each of its members every month, and even they were divided into 3 subgoups. The first one LOONA 1/3, integrated by HeeJin, Hyunjin, HaSeul, YeoJin and ViVi, with a asthetic similar to a shoujo with the cute and romantic school girls. Then they introduce us to LOONA ODD EYE CIRCLE, in 2017, with Kim Lip, JinSoul and Choerry with a "girl crush" concept and a music much influenced by R&B. And finally LOONA yyxy appears integrated by Yves, Chuu, Go Won and Olivia Hye, where they talk about self-esteem and more controversial topics like lesbian love with the Chuu's music video "Heart Attack".

And in agoust of 2018 they finally debut as a full group of 12 girls with the album (+ +) and the title track "Hi High". They weren't a very famous group in that time but for many other reasons like their unique "pre-debut", diversity of concepts and talk about topics that in that years the kpop industry don't talk about, they form a very loyal and powerful fandom.

Everything  started to go well until in 2019 they have their first legal problem because their company BBC (BlockBerry Creatives) breached a contract with a company that financed them, besides this same year's comback "Butterfly" sold more copies than the distributor printed for not having faith in them. And what´s more, HaSeul the lider of the group, went on hiatus due to mental health problems. LOONA was in their lowest but thanks to the fans and the hashtag #SAVELOONA they went viral and after a year they released a new album "#" with the title track "So What" where they win in MCountdown and duplicated the sales of the new album. But they where only 11 members in many combacks, Until 2021 when HaSeul comeback with "PTT (Paint The Town)".

That was their best year and in 2022 they participated in the reality show "QUEENDOM 2" with other girl groups and  they became fan favorites, even thay took 2nd plan and the hashtag #LOONAWINSQUEENDOM was trending topic.

Everything was finally was going the best for LOONA, until in that same year the catastrophe appeared. Chuu, the favoriote member of the fans and even  the new korean sweetheart, was expelled from the company for ill-treatment of the staff. Everyone in Korea was shocked because it seemed impossible that Chuu had that behavior, and then former staff began to appear to deny this and information began to come out about the abuses that were happening within the company, especially with the money and salary of the members. What happened is that for each income that LOONA earned, 75% was taken by BBC and 25% by the members, but the expenses were paid 50% by the company and 50% by the members, so for each profit each meber ended up with a greater debt. And it's there were a new hashtag star that was #BoicotLOONA and #FreeLOONA.

Each member started a lawsuit, and the company to distract began to advertise a new comback, but thanks to the he organization of the fans and the boycott where it was forbidden to listen and buy anything related to loona, 500 pre-orders were sold of the album that is not even the eighth part of what is normally sold and BBC had to cancel the comback. 

After many month HeeJin, Kim Lip, JinSoul and Choerry managed to win the lawsuit and get out of the company, and joined a new company led by the former director of loona and creator of this project who resigned after the 2019 scandals, accepting any member who wants to join with open arms. this new project or even that they belong to other industries and only do collaborations. Then Hyunjin and ViVi leave the company and finally the other 5 remaining members won the lawsuit and left the company.

This 12 of July 3 members will re-debut un ModHouse with the newalbum "Version Up" of the subgroup ODD EYE CIRCLE and the fromer director maneged to buy the right of that sub unit and after six years we have a new album of that sub unit, but with more expirience.

The LOONA's future is uncertain, Chuu has her own company, HaSeul joined HeeJin and the others 3 members in the new company Modhouse with their  former director, HyunJin and ViVi joined another company with someone who work with them in the past and for the other 4 members we don't have new information, the only thing that they all say is that they hope to work together again even if is not in the same group.

By Sebastián Orellana Gutiérrez

[kukuandkookie]

I have a full list of donghua/manhua recommendations here!:

To find slice-of-life series, you can cmd/ctrl + f for "slice-of-life." ^^

As for specific series, I do think it depends on what you’re looking for! For example, shoujo (shaonü), bl (danmei), gl (baihe)? Oh, and sorry, I really only specialize in Chinese media so I don't have any manhwa recs KSDFJGDFS...

But here’s some safe bets to start with!:

Hidden Love (aka Hidden Love: Can’t Be Concealed): shoujo (shaonü) romance, also has a hit cdrama adaptation, based on a novel

Straight Girl Trap: girls’ love (baihe), manhua original

Don’t Say You Love Me: mostly slice-of-life bl (danmei), manhua original, has a vomic adaptation on MaoEr FM

I Ship My Rival x Me: boys' love (danmei), based on a novel, also has an audio drama adaptation on MaoEr FM

Secret Love: manhua original, slice-of-life shoujo (shaonü) romance

Tamen de Gushi (Their Story): gl (baihe), manhua original

PS: see also the list below for slice-of-life manhua similar to Tamen de Gushi in that they also don't update weekly!

19 Days: bl (danmei)

Wolf Butler and His Cat Master: anthro bl (danmei)

Here U Are: bl (danmei), completed

Salt Friend: bl (danmei)

The Wolf That Picked Something Up (aka Papa Wolf and the Puppy: found family

Nan Hao and Shao Feng: comedy

The Drifting Star: mostly slice-of-life (also has the body swap trope), shoujo (shaonü) romance, manhua original

Baili Jin Among Mortals: mostly slice-of-life, girls' love (baihe), manhua original

Win Like Xiaohe (aka For the Win!): e-sports slice-of-life, shoujo (shaonü) romance, manhua original slated to have an upcoming donghua adaptation

Saye: bl (danmei), based on a novel, slated to have an upcoming donghua adaptation

It's Not That I Want to Wear Women's Clothing: bl (danmei), manhua original, another one that's completed

AWM PUBG: e-sports slice-of-life, bl (danmei), based on a novel, slated to have an upcoming donghua adaptation

Fei Ren Zai, Wan Sheng Jie, and You Shou Yan: mostly slice-of-life (starring fantasy creatures) and comedy; these 3 are different series but technically part of a sisterhood! Fei Ren Zai stars Chinese gods in the modern day, Wan Sheng Jie stars western supernatural creatures in the modern day, and You Shou Yan stars Chinese mythical creatures in the modern day. All three have donghua adptations as well: here's the OP for Fei Ren Zai, for Wan Sheng Jie, and for You Shou Yan.

PS: fan art taken from here!

Please Take My Brother Away: comedy slice-of-life, also has a cdrama and donghua adaptation

More:

Hey, Your Cat Ears Are Showing!: bl (danmei), has a donghua adaptation too, manhua original

Jie Yao: bl (danmei), has a donghua adaptation too, based on a novel, has a bit more drama to it

Those Years I Opened a Zoo: bl (danmei), has a donghua adaptation too, based on a novel

Beryl and Sapphire: unique case because any genre is possible—see the donghua/manhua recs list for more details, sometimes bl, has a donghua adaptation too, manhua original

Quan Zhi Gao Shou (The King's Avatar): e-sports, based on a novel, has a donghua adaptation too

P.S. Waiting for You by the Lake: bl (danmei), manhua original

She Is Also Cute Today: gl (baihe), slated for an upcoming cdrama adaptation, manhua original

Roommates: shoujo (shaonü) slice-of-life, slated to have an upcoming donghua adaptation, manhua original (no English translation)

My Cat Hates Me: comedy slice-of-life, has a donghua adaptation too, manhua original

Brainless Witch: shoujo (shaonü) romance, has a donghua adaptation too, has a bit more drama to it, manhua original

Once More: shoujo (shaonü) romance, manhua original

Summer Bloom at the Corner of the Street: shoujo (shaonü) romance, manhua original

Bailin and Li Yun: bl (danmei), on Webtoon as it's a "manhua" original made by a Chinese-Canadian!

My Food Looks Very Cute: gl (baihe), mostly slice-of-life (starring fantasy creatures), manhua original

Gradually Close to (the) Heart: shoujo (shaonü) romance, completed, manhua original

Etc

There's seriously so much more I could recommend and they're all in the donghua/manhua recs list, but I can't cover everything out there. Plus it does start expanding genres, with some treading on "not really slice-of-life" (eg The Legend of Luo Xiaohei) to no real English translation (《我的同学都很奇怪》—literally All My Classmates Are So Weird), but I hope this serves as a helpful list nonetheless, and that with such a wide selection of different kinds of slice-of-life stories, you'll find something you like! 🥰

can any manhua/manhwa fans recommend me some romance or slice of life stories that are currently updating???

[ichinoue]

Good point about Kubo not adding a significant amount of IH during the SS arc due to bleach being a shounen. And those links you shared were very informative. Based on this, IR from a romantic perspective was never an option. But I think Kubo was hesitant to make IH blatantly obvious until the last chapter because he'd receive hate from the majority of shippers (who were pro IR). I think he also wanted the IR fans to continue buying his manga because once IH become official, they no longer would

See, I don't think he was ever hesitant when it came to IchiHime. To me, it was blatantly obvious since the arrancar arc. There may not have been tons of hugging and hand-holding or a kiss scene like you would find in a shoujo, but for a shounen? Ichigo's enemies targeting Orihime the most because he had a weakness/soft spot for her, his friends, family, and mentors teasing him about her or playing matchmaker for them, Orihime's love confession, Ichigo bowing before Orihime when he made the promise to protect her, Orihime being the love interest that wore her heart on her sleeve for him as the moment that changed the entire course of the Grimmjow battle, and Ichigo rising up from the dead for her, chanting how he'll protect her even after he attacked his own friend, and then battling side by side with her against the final boss?

For a shounen series, that's laying it on thick, and anyone who wasn't blinded by the fact that they already declared IR as their OTP in chapter one should have seen it. And hell, even the IR fans could see how obvious IH was in the HM arc. After the lust arc, they were despairing on the online forums, ready to throw in the towel and drop Bleach altogether because IH seemed inevitable at that point. But then, a fan-essay detailing how the lust arc was actually spelling out the imminent downfall of IH managed to reel them back in. They considered that essay their bible and it kept them going for years in denial, even as Kubo continued to churn out more and more IH content.

If he was afraid of IR's dropping his manga, he wouldn't have written half of those things for IH that I listed all throughout the series. He would have just kept writing tons of IR nakama moments while depriving IH of any significant screentime until the last few chapters.

Instead, the opposite happened.

IchiHime may not have been made official until the final chapter (per typical shounen formula of couples not getting together until the final chapters, and again, Kubo explained the reason for them getting together offscreen was because romance was supplementary), but it was there all along, dating back to Orihime's romantic feelings being introduced in chapter two.

I don't think Kubo cared about backlash from IR shippers--he even told them off on twitter when they spammed him with hate about Orihime. He said comments like that made him want to write more scenes for her out of spite. They begged him to write an IR vs Yhwach battle, and he gave it to IchiHime instead. That's how little he cared about keeping them satisfied.

Because if he cared what they thought, or feared their backlash, he would have given Ichigo and Rukia more screentime, and yet their moments and interactions completely plateaued after the SS arc (as I outlined here), while Ichigo and Orihime's screentime and development kept gaining more momentum. IR fans were starved of content for years, and never managed to regain what they had in the beginning, while IchiHime shippers had been well fed since the end of the SS arc.

And I really admire Kubo for that--even with Bleach's declining sales and popularity, he didn't write something disingenuous to him just to win back fans or please the IR masses.

[animenostalgia]

News - To celebrate 40 years of Saki Hiwatari as a manga artist, a stamp rally for her landmark shoujo series Please Save My Earth will begin at Tokyo Tower January 2022! Fans will be able to search for clues related to the series to win an original postcard with art by Hiwatari. The rally will run from the 8th to the 23rd.

[amane-by-together]

I do adore || Yashiro Nene

Yashiro Nene x Female! Reader

genre: fluff and shoujo ai (girls love)

summary: when yashiro gets tired for having unrequited love towards men starts to have romantic feelings for [name]

“When every little thing you do, I do adore.”

Yashiro had always been head over heels to tall and handsome guys. The senpai whom she liked for three years, spent herself learning how to cook, sew and gardening, ended up getting rejected and calling her a radish.

Teru Minamoto. The president of the student council, known for his good looks and a kind personality. Yashiro had woken up from her fantasies and knew that she didn't deserve him, but he'll be the person she'll look up to instead.

The cream haired girl was frustrated about her love life and wanting to get a boyfriend to make her fairytale come true. It's hard being a romantic, that's what you get from reading romance and fantasy novels.

That's where Yashiro dropped her wishes on having a boyfriend due to her having unrequited love and insecurities because of her legs, decided to focus more on studies and friends. Guess what? She failed to do so.

[name] [surname] was a new student, she transferred a month ago and immediately got along with everyone. [name] and Yashiro started to become friends and had a lot in common, making them even closer.

For whatever reason, [name] never failed to make Yashiro's heart skip a beat. “Yashiro-chan~!” [name] skipped over to her seat and grins sweetly. “Guess what~?”

“Yeah?” Yashiro asked, a little nervous on [name]'s closeness. “Do you need something?” she winced. [name] started to talk about what happened about her day as Yashiro listened on every word she says.

Voices from other classmates started to fade around her and Y/n's voice is the only thing Yashiro can hear. The cream haired girl watched her small movements such as tucking hair behind her ear and the way she smiles brighter than the moon.

Yashiro's heart started to pound inside her ribcage. Her cheeks suddenly warming at the longer she stared at [name] while her thoughts are racing. ‘I don't understand why [name]-chan isn't popular, I mean she's very pretty, kind and caring and...’

Her thoughts were interrupted by a small giggle from [name]'s lips. Yashiro could've fainted right there, her giggles are very endearing, oh how she wished she could make her laugh like that.

Yashiro had never felt this much romance from her previous crushes. Most of them came from pure admiration and looks, seems like [name] outshined all of them. Other than wanting to be like [name], she wanted to be with hers also.

“[name]-chan, what do you think about my legs, by the way?” Yashiro twiddled her fingers, her magenta eyes darting away from the pretty girl's direction. [name]'s expression turned soft, she tenderly wrapped her hands around Yashiro's. This made her heartbeat quicken and her whole face turned into a beautiful shade of vermillion. "Sorry for the sudden question though, I j-just wanted to k-know..."

"Your legs look fine to me, Yashiro-chan." [name] replied, reassuring her with the sweetest smile she could ever give to someone. “I think you are cute too...” she said.

“R-Really?” Yashiro lights up and beamed. [name] nodded sheepishly. The cream haired girl was swooning so hard, she felt like a leading lady in a kdrama with cherry blossoms all around. [name] went back to her seat, leaving Yashiro to fan her blushing face in between stutters. ‘[name]-chan, called me pretty...’

Its not everyday where someone calls you pretty, for Yashiro, its more like a one in a million moment and the compliment was from [name] herself. And Yashiro absolutely adores her for that.

Yashiro glances towards [name] across on where she was sitting. [name] was looking over to the window while her cheek is resting on top of her palm, admiring the falling cherry blossoms during spring. “I'm falling for you everyday...” she whispered under her breath with a pink color tinting her cheeks.

[name], a certain girl who is currently running around Yashiro's mind that night. The naivete couldn't stop thinking about her, she just got her first female crush. “[name]... why are you making me flustered...” she murmured against her pillows. Yashiro notices her hamster, Black Canyon, munching on a sunflower seed silently. “What should I do Black Canyon?”

Maybe she could write her feelings about [name] in her diary. Yashiro stood up and went over to her study desk to get her diary. She begins to write, wholeheartedly pouring out her love for [name].

“I want to hold her hand and whisk her away. I want her in my arms protectively. I wish we could be like feathers that softly fall for another. I want to feel your soft lips against mine. I wish you were mine...”

Yashiro sighed and slumped her shoulders with a flustered look on her face. She was too in love for [name] its driving her crazy. Who knew a girl who dreamed about a prince giving her a romantic fantasy dream would fall for a pretty and kind girl?

If only she was a guy, she blamed fate for being a girl who had fallen head over heels in love for [name]. Yet she feared a lot of things: What would [name] think about her sexuality and knew that she likes her? What if she starts to avoid her for it? It will be another rejection for Yashiro if that happened.

All Yashiro ever wanted, was to be together with [name]. The relationship where she can hold her hand, cuddling her in her arms, smothering kisses all over her face, she always wished to do that to [name].

Ring Ring!

Yashiro picked up the phone since it was her dear friend, Aoi, who was calling. She took a deep breath and answered. “Aoi...” she said.

“Good evening Nene-chan, I got bored and I decided to call you!” Aoi cheerfully said from the other line. Yashiro wanted to tell Aoi about her crush towards [name], yet she feared that Aoi is going to judge her for it. There's no way she could do that, right?

“Hey Aoi...” Yashiro held the phone near her ear, her hands slightly shaking because of nervousness. “There is something I want to tell you, please don't judge me for it...”

“You know you can tell me anything, Nene-chan.” Aoi assured her friend. Yashiro inhaled deeply, her cheeks warming up just by thinking about [name]. She was straight from the beginning yet she never saw it coming when she starts to fall for [name]. “So what is it you want to tell me?”

“There is someone I like...” Yashiro can feel herself getting hotter and hotter. ‘I never felt this gay towards someone, I swear...’

Aoi suddenly became excited and squealed slightly at her friend, she's a sucker for anything related to romance, she even fangirls in Yashiro's love life. “Was he an upperclassmen? Is he from another class or is he in our class?!”

Then, Yashiro finally told her. “Its from our class...” she paused to lick her lips and looked down on her feet, embarrassed that she's going to come out to Aoi. “And it's a her...”

“I have fallen...for [name]...” The cream haired girl admits. “And I really don't know how I came to love her, it's confusing me lately because I just really love her—”

“Kyaaa~!” Aoi squealed from the other line. Yashiro stopped from talking all of a sudden. “You're in love with [name]-chan? That's wonderful!”

“Y-You're okay with it?” Yashiro asked for confirmation, making sure that Aoi wasn't joking about it.

“Of course Nene-chan.” Aoi gleefully replies. “What do you like about [name]-chan?”

“She's very pretty Aoi...” Yashiro laid down on the bed and covered her eyes using the back of her arm. “Other than being pretty, she's kind, sweet and soft. There are times that I wished that she was my girlfriend but somehow I think it's impossible...”

“I don't even know if she likes girls...” Yashiro laughs bitterly. “Even if she does, she wouldn't like me back...”

Day by day, Yashiro's crush for [name] continued to grow. With her blushing and her heart racing whenever [name] comes around. She also seeks advice from Hanako on how to win [name]'s heart, he was weirded out on how Yashiro came from liking guys to girls but he shrugged it off and helped her.

Their first method was her sneaking flowers and letters inside [name]'s locker. Yashiro filled her letters with her adoration and love for [name], unbeknownst to herself that a certain someone sneaked behind her. “Yashiro-chan~!”

“Gyah!” Yashiro jolted up in surprise, turning around and saw that [name] was grinning sheepishly. The cream haired girl stopped all of a sudden, her heart started to race and her cheeks turning red. “[n-name]-chan?!”

“Ah, I didn't mean to startle you!” [name] stepped back and swatting her hands. Cute. Yashiro thought to herself, staring at her even more.

‘Nene, you're too in love with this cutie—I mean person!’ Yashiro yelled inside her mind. [name] tilted her head and smiled, giving her a slight wave before walking off. ‘What should I do?’

Should she confess to [name]? Would this affect their friendship after that? Yashiro lifted her head and looked at the cherry blossom tree across the window, at that moment she had her decision.

‘I'm going to confess to [name]!’

[name] was hiding behind the wall, clenching her chest as she sneaked glances from Yashiro who was talking to Aoi in a rushed manner. [name] smiled before leaving her hiding spot. “Aoi, what am I going to do?”

“Hmmm~” Aoi thinks for a moment as she pointed at the cherry blossom at the distance. “How about confessing to her under the cherry tree from outside?”

Yashiro blushed. Thinking about confessing to [name] was already nerve-wracking. The problem is the result of the confession, the answer lies whether she's going to be rejected or accepted. “Should I really do it, Aoi?”

“We won't know unless you try, Nene-chan.”

'Are you really going to confess again?' Yashiro's inner voice asks her. The second thoughts of hers kept echoing in her mind and then she blinked. All of the negative thoughts were gone. “I'll try!” Yashiro cheered and Aoi clapped her hands happily.

”You can do it Nene-chan!”

Yashiro finally made her decision, she's going to confess to [name] on the cherry tree outside their classroom. There's no turning back and she would rather do this than hiding her feelings forever.

“I can't tell [name]-chan to meet her by the cherry tree...” Yashiro teared up while shakily holding the love letter, she was too shy to ask her and [name] might take the hint that Yashiro was going to confess. “Oh well, there's no turning back now...” she tucked the letter inside [name]'s locker and ran off to the cherry blossom tree to wait for her.

[name] got out of the classroom minutes after Yashiro puts her letter. [name] went to her shoe locker to change her shoes, but when she opened the locker door, a letter fell out. ‘Hm? A letter?’ she raised the letter to her face and checked the sides. ‘I guess this is addressed to me...’

The [hair color] haired female puts the letter inside her bag. She quickly ran outside to the cherry blossom to see her admirer. [name] tilted her head in confusion to see Yashiro standing there. “Ah, Yashiro-san.” [name] scratched her cheek as she walked over to the cream haired girl. “I assume that you're the person whom I'm going to meet here, right?”

Yashiro saw [name]'s smile again, she can feel her apple cheeks burning again and her heart beating faster. “There's something I wanted to tell you, [name]-chan...” she said, her voice was slightly cracking.

A huge gust of wind blew over them, carrying the petals of the cherry blossom along with the sway of their hair. Yashiro clasps her hands together near her chest and shouted out her feelings. “I like you, [name]-chan!” Yashiro confessed with tears brimming out of her ruby eyes, betraying her straightness right there. “Please go out with me...”

[name] stood there speechless at Yashiro's confession, she assumed that the cream haired girl was attracted to prince-like males like Teru Minamoto. “B-But Yashiro-san, I'm just a normal girl.” [name] stuttered out. “I-I'm not like those prince charming that you always fantasize about!”

“So?” Yashiro asked in verge of tears. “Even if you're not those, I still like you despite of that!”

Yashiro couldn't handle this anymore and by the looks of it the confession wasn't running smoothly. Yashiro tried to runaway to hide her tears until [name] caught her hand. “Wait!” [name] yelled out.

[name] saw that Yashiro was crying after that confession. “Yashiro-san...” [name] gently holds her hand, preventing the cream haired girl from running away. “Don't go...” she croaked out.

“[name]...?” Yashiro stared at her, thinking why did [name] stop her from going. [name] teared up also, still holding Yashiro's hand with hers.

[name] mustered up a tearful smile and confessed also. “I have always liked you Yashiro-san...” she said.

Yashiro couldn't believe what [name] just said. Did she just say that she likes her too? [name] likes her back? Yashiro cried even more and smiled. “R-Really?”

“Mhmm.” [name] and Yashiro felt happy now that they both confessed that they liked each other. “It's true that I like you Yashiro-san, and I want to go out with you too.”

Yashiro immediately hugged [name] which the latter returned the affection. “I'm so glad.” Yashiro softly cried, the person she had a crush on is finally hers, it seemed impossible that [name] would like her back, but the supernaturals lingering around the school looked so real, then maybe anything is possible after all.

Yashiro and [name] pecked each others lips, pulling away with a smile now that they shared their kiss. “Nene-chan, wanna go on a date this Saturday?” [name] suggests.

“Of course.” Yashiro laced their fingers together as they walked back to their houses. This is one of the fantasies that Yashiro had dreamed of, being [name]'s girlfriend. There's nothing more she can ask for other than this realistic serenity she's feeling right now.