Well-written, relatable romance
Manga
If you've had enough life and love experience to have a decent understanding of how things actually work (and how they don't), you realize that the way manga and anime typically portray romance is lacking, to say the least. And also generally horrible, if I'm being honest. But some are clearly written by people who know what's up—and you should check them out.
This is a list of printed works featuring characters who:
* exhibit authentic romantic chemistry with each other;
* have charisma and/or sex appeal and aren't afraid to use it;
* are able to hold mutually engaging conversations on different subjects;
* have three-dimensional personalities that are interesting and relatable outside the context of their relationships;
* go above and beyond the stale tropes in their relationship;
* otherwise behave like people tend to in non-imaginary relationships.
Includes well-written same-sex/LGBTI romance that complies with the principles above.
Includes stories that explore toxic/unhealthy relationships and relationships that don't end well but are still true to the real-world experience.
Includes stories that aren't completely focused on romance but have it as one of the core elements of the storytelling and character progression.
More entries will be added in the future. Existing entries are subject to revision.
This list constitutes my personal views and stances. Feel free to shoot me suggestions via DMs but make sure you have a convincing argument if it's not something that's already on my main manga/anime list. I don't promise it'll end up here but I will consider all suggestions.
This list is printed-works-only because many of these don't have an anime equivalent and I don't want to multiply effort. Entries that have anime adaptations may be experienced better as such (I have noted it in the descriptions where applicable).
Honorable anime-only and anime-original mentions: Mind Game, Furiko, Steins;Gate.
This is a list of printed works featuring characters who:
* exhibit authentic romantic chemistry with each other;
* have charisma and/or sex appeal and aren't afraid to use it;
* are able to hold mutually engaging conversations on different subjects;
* have three-dimensional personalities that are interesting and relatable outside the context of their relationships;
* go above and beyond the stale tropes in their relationship;
* otherwise behave like people tend to in non-imaginary relationships.
Includes well-written same-sex/LGBTI romance that complies with the principles above.
Includes stories that explore toxic/unhealthy relationships and relationships that don't end well but are still true to the real-world experience.
Includes stories that aren't completely focused on romance but have it as one of the core elements of the storytelling and character progression.
More entries will be added in the future. Existing entries are subject to revision.
This list constitutes my personal views and stances. Feel free to shoot me suggestions via DMs but make sure you have a convincing argument if it's not something that's already on my main manga/anime list. I don't promise it'll end up here but I will consider all suggestions.
This list is printed-works-only because many of these don't have an anime equivalent and I don't want to multiply effort. Entries that have anime adaptations may be experienced better as such (I have noted it in the descriptions where applicable).
Honorable anime-only and anime-original mentions: Mind Game, Furiko, Steins;Gate.
Manga, 28 vol, 2015 Me:- Author:9
The first few volumes are more-or-less straight comedy satirizing typical romcom tropes, but starting around 4th or 5th volume it gradually starts taking its own characters more seriously—and you'd be surprised just how many seemingly minor things it gets right. That's also around where the secondary cast gets the attention it deserves, launching the series' writing into the stratosphere.
Kaguya delivers in heaps on both the comedy and the romance fronts, which is a welcome thing considering most "romcoms" tend to fail at either or both.
Kaguya delivers in heaps on both the comedy and the romance fronts, which is a welcome thing considering most "romcoms" tend to fail at either or both.
Manga, ? vol, 2004 Me:- Author:9
No, no, no, I know what you're thinking: this is a manga about a disgusting lowlife, it's literally called "Molester Man" and the synopsis on the site describes a typical /b/tard!
Read the first chapter, and you'll be amazed and humbled by how mistaken you are for judging a book for its cover. That is LITERALLY what one of the main characters does right off the bat, to the exact same end.
I promise you, the reason this manga is rated so highly and favorited by so many despite the unwelcoming title, description, and lack of a popular anime adaptation is because it really is one of the best damn romantic stories listed on the entire site.
Read the first chapter, and you'll be amazed and humbled by how mistaken you are for judging a book for its cover. That is LITERALLY what one of the main characters does right off the bat, to the exact same end.
I promise you, the reason this manga is rated so highly and favorited by so many despite the unwelcoming title, description, and lack of a popular anime adaptation is because it really is one of the best damn romantic stories listed on the entire site.
Manhwa, 3 vol, 2010 Me:- Author:9
Korean webcomic writing genius Il-Kwon Ha tries his hand at the shoujo romance and delivers a work that is magical in more ways than one.
This short series ended up so acclaimed in his home country it received both a live-action TV series AND a stage adaptation. If that doesn't convince you, I don't know what will.
This short series ended up so acclaimed in his home country it received both a live-action TV series AND a stage adaptation. If that doesn't convince you, I don't know what will.
Manga, 14 vol, 2019 Me:- Author:8
There are so many wild takes on high-school romance that go deep into the pandering territory that sometimes I feel like Japanese authors have completely forgotten how it happens in real life.
But not here. This is high-school romance done exemplary. It doesn't have exciting plot development, drama, or complex love polygons. What it does have instead is a pair of excellently-written three-dimensional characters engaged in a genuine, realistic relationship that has consistent progress right from the first volume. And that is exactly what a high-school romance needs but so rarely gets.
And this series is so good at this one simple thing, it sets the high bar for everyone else.
But not here. This is high-school romance done exemplary. It doesn't have exciting plot development, drama, or complex love polygons. What it does have instead is a pair of excellently-written three-dimensional characters engaged in a genuine, realistic relationship that has consistent progress right from the first volume. And that is exactly what a high-school romance needs but so rarely gets.
And this series is so good at this one simple thing, it sets the high bar for everyone else.
Manga, 10 vol, 2010 Me:- Author:-
Adult romance written by adults for adults. Starts out slow but becomes incredibly satisfying over time.
The anime adaptation is stellar, go watch it instead.
The anime adaptation is stellar, go watch it instead.
Manga, 11 vol, 2009 Me:- Author:8
The Flowers of Evil is without doubt Shuzo Oshimi's strongest effort to date. Its portrayal of teenage angst is one of the best since Salinger's seminal Catcher in the Rye (quoted within the manga, unsurprisingly), and the choice between the healthy normalcy and unhealthy excitement is portrayed exactly for how difficult it is.
Light Novel, 12 vol, 2007 Me:- Author:-
Katanagatari is far from a typical romance series in the sense that it doesn't intentionally pit the two characters together on a collision course. Here, their relationship starts almost as a business venture, a calculated agreement between a schemer with an agenda to fulfill and a sheltered martial artist with nothing better to do.
That is exactly what makes the development of these characters so fascinating. Although both of them have a troubled past, they are people from completely different worlds, with different viewpoints, strengths, and weaknesses. Their open and frequent communication reflects their differences but also brings them closer together as they grow to understand and care for each other. The progression feels natural and makes you fall for these characters just as much as they fall for each other.
Go watch the anime adaptation for this, it's AMAZING.
That is exactly what makes the development of these characters so fascinating. Although both of them have a troubled past, they are people from completely different worlds, with different viewpoints, strengths, and weaknesses. Their open and frequent communication reflects their differences but also brings them closer together as they grow to understand and care for each other. The progression feels natural and makes you fall for these characters just as much as they fall for each other.
Go watch the anime adaptation for this, it's AMAZING.
Light Novel, ? vol, 2014 Me:- Author:-
I've only seen the amazing anime adaptation, but the chemistry between Azusagawa and Sakurajima (and between him and the other girls to a lesser extent) is real and fantastic.
Sure, you could argue they're a toned-down knock-off of Araragi and Senjougahara—and you wouldn't be wrong—but that doesn't mean they still aren't far above most other romantic pairings.
Sure, you could argue they're a toned-down knock-off of Araragi and Senjougahara—and you wouldn't be wrong—but that doesn't mean they still aren't far above most other romantic pairings.
Manga, 1 vol, 2006 Me:- Author:8
The mysterious and intensely charismatic titular character, Emanon, hooks you up on herself just as quickly as she does with the male protagonist, making this single-volume manga relatable in more ways than one.
Manga, 2 vol, 2009 Me:- Author:8
Inio Asano doesn't sugarcoat toxic romance and portrays it in all of its hollow, degrading, sexually frustrated glory. It's raw, compelling, and occasionally terrifying; a lot like watching a Pier Paolo Pasolini movie, except the characters are teenagers. (So perhaps I should rather compare this manga to Harmony Korine movies instead, but it's nowhere near as bad as those so I won't.)
To reiterate, this is not what a good romance looks like. It's not something to aspire to. Rather, it's what tens of millions of teenagers around the world simply happen to go through as at the part of their life that they will go on to remember as one of their lowest points later on.
To reiterate, this is not what a good romance looks like. It's not something to aspire to. Rather, it's what tens of millions of teenagers around the world simply happen to go through as at the part of their life that they will go on to remember as one of their lowest points later on.
Light Novel, 5 vol, 2014 Me:- Author:-
This bittersweet fantasy series tries to do many things at once, and although romance isn't its only focus (nor even its main one, arguably), it's executed frighteningly well. Characters have meaningful conversations with each other and treat each other with respect and dignity that most pure romance series can only dream about.
Manga, ? vol, 2018 Me:- Author:8
Skip & Loafer is a pretty straightforward, fluffy high-school slice-of-life with a romantic through-line. What sets it apart from other series is how it treats its characters with far more care and respect than you usually see in the literature using the same setting. Every character is a joy to behold, their interactions are natural and fun; they grow on you so much you start treating them as a group of your personal friends after a while.
So when the romantic development finally takes stage, you can see that it happens out of two independent people's personal and well-informed volition rather than the writer's plan to pit them together against any logic and common sense.
So when the romantic development finally takes stage, you can see that it happens out of two independent people's personal and well-informed volition rather than the writer's plan to pit them together against any logic and common sense.
Manga, 11 vol, 2018 Me:- Author:7
While teenager-oriented romance stories tend to end at the first kiss, or a mutual confession, us adults treat it as the first step out of many more to come. As such, this one gets to the first sex almost immediately and follows up on how the relationship develops afterwards.
Manga, 2 vol, 2005 Me:- Author:7
You know, Inio Asano wasn't always so heavily depressed and cynical. Solanin is perhaps his softest, most straightforward work that still contains all the master strokes you'd expect from reading most of his other offerings.
One of the few Asano works that received an adaptation, by the way.
One of the few Asano works that received an adaptation, by the way.
Manga, 8 vol, 2017 Me:- Author:7
Barring a confusing timeskip ending (that clearly skipped too much), this is a surprisingly decent take on a teenage love polygon involving LGBTI issues—in a medium where their representation typically varies between appallingly misguided and fetish-pandering. The characters are gripping both with their feelings for another as well as their feelings for themselves and their place in society. Good stuff.
Manhwa, 7 vol, 2013 Me:- Author:7
This will trigger immediate red flags with some as it involves what could be seen as pick-up artist apology. But on a deeper examination, said artist character is simply tapping into a common pool of knowledge to help a protagonist with poor social skills set up romantic communication based on openness and respect. Crazy, I know.
It's silly how rare this is to see in the genre.
It's silly how rare this is to see in the genre.
Manga, 13 vol, 2009 Me:- Author:7
This is hentai. It has lots of sex and quite a bit of fetishism at that.
Now that the warning's out of the way, the story and characters in this manga are actually more deep than you'd imagine, and their interactions have authenticity not normally seen in hentai. The sex may be a core part of their relationship but it's not the REASON for it.
Now that the warning's out of the way, the story and characters in this manga are actually more deep than you'd imagine, and their interactions have authenticity not normally seen in hentai. The sex may be a core part of their relationship but it's not the REASON for it.
Manga, 6 vol, 2019 Me:- Author:7
This short manga is my go-to example of flirting done right. Shame it didn't develop the characters as much as it could have, but it's still good at what it did.
Manga, 16 vol, 2017 Me:- Author:7
The beginning of this unusual manga may give a lot of uneven power dynamics comedy vibes, but it's not really that at all. As it keeps developing its characters and adding a bright supporting cast, you really get to appreciate the style and the genuine care given to the relationships.
Manga, ? vol, 2016 Me:- Author:7
In a rather dark take on the genre, Azure and Claude uses its depressing premise to demonstrate how even when everything seems lost, there might just be something (or someone) to live for.
The series is currently on hiatus.
The series is currently on hiatus.
Manga, 1 vol, 2017 Me:- Author:7
Sometimes your love life just doesn't turn out the way you want. In this short manga Inio Asano produced while taking a break from DeDeDeDe, he portrays a depressed manga artist trying to reconnect with his muse while nearing the line of moral bankruptcy.
Absolutely not an example of a healthy romance, but a very believable take on an unhealthy one.
Absolutely not an example of a healthy romance, but a very believable take on an unhealthy one.
Manga, 7 vol, 2020 Me:- Author:7
Yet another work from the controversial Shuzo Oshimi, this time featuring a high-school boy questioning his sexuality as his feelings are torn between the female classmate he's adored for years and a friend who reappeared in his life as a genderqueer.
Manga, 4 vol, 2013 Me:- Author:6
The romance is really more of an undertone than an actual development here, mainly shown through body language and other easily overlooked nuances. Nevertheless, they add just the right bit of spice and wholesomeness to the otherwise mundane character interactions to make them engaging.
Manga, 5 vol, 2011 Me:- Author:-
A comedy manga from the author of Kobayashi's Maid Dragon that focuses on the day-to-day interactions and romantic relationships of married pairs. While it doesn't show a lot of depth per se, what it excels at is the minute details that make you go "yep, been there" every time.
Watch the anime adaptation for this.
Watch the anime adaptation for this.
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