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The Kodansha Manga Award (講談社漫画賞, Koudansha Manga Shou) is an annual award for serialized manga published in the previous year, the event is sponsored by the publisher Kodansha. It is currently awarded in three categories: shounen, shoujo, and general. The awards began in 1977, initially with categories for shounen and shoujo. The first award for the general category was in 1982, and the first children's category's award was in 2003. The children's category was merged into the shounen and shoujo categories starting in 2015.

(not just manga but I don't want to bog down the title)

some of them are BL or yuri. some of them just have random gay side characters. sometimes. the random side character is trans. if you are insane like me, you will read the whole thing just for that one queer character.

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.

Just a list of what in my opinion is the pinnacle of the medium. No particular order.

A list of rom-com and pure romance mangas to give you your daily dose of insulin.

Manga that I believe are highly underrated and deserve more attention.

bl as in: published in a bl magazine or otherwise implied by the author (ergo; just because the mc is a queer guy does not mean the manga is bl)

listed with at least one bl the author wrote (either my favorite that they wrote or their most popular)

I was going to add oofuri to this list but can't find what bl the author wrote (tho I am sure that people used to say she had written bl before).

feel free to recommend any authors, just make sure you have an actual example instead of a rumor.

This is for your friends who only know manga through anime or only relate it to shonen and H, it’s not necessarily directed at a “manga beginner” but for someone who wants to understand it better as a medium. More than 1 volume, well drawn, easy to follow yet interesting visual and narratively.

Some aspects I considered:
- Little to no gratuitous fanservice and tropes that might break the immersion (e.g. author insertion)
- Cinematic vibes
- Down to earth, realistic characters
- Cross-cultural appeal
- Human drama

All the manga & manhwa that are listed currently have an anime or an anime that has been announced.

here we have some recommendations for manga they can be wholesome or not, funny or not, but they are a gem!

really chill manga

Manga with a shounen or seinen with a romance subplot in the background, although it’s not the main focus (plenty of romance fan service though).

Note: these mangas/mangwas have official physicals that are already out or was announced!!

[daily updates!]
this stack is ideal for - both - veterans and beginners alike, providing classy romantic comedy manga tropes/plots for the former and a way to skip to the next level for the latter.

stack for beginners:
https://myanimelist.net/stacks/16919

i'm particularly picky about romance animanga because too many of them drag out for the sake of making more money, they don't even experience the couple's relationships and just ends it at them getting together, etc. the romances i chose have either character development, charm, and/or unique premise.

i tried not including romances where the romance isn't really a huge focus, and i haven't read many novels in general but i'll be adding romance novels i like in the future.

(P.S. I do not hate high school rom-coms, I just read a lot more romances of other genres and it's hard to find a rom-com that doesn't drag out or that stands out imo)

Slice-of-life backed up with pleasing art and decent plot.