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Shoujo manga tends to have a reputation for telling the same kind of stories over and over - romances, magical girls, cute animals, fujobait involving a cast of hot guys (often flocking around a hapless female lead), and slice-of-life series starring characters doing mundane things. They tend to be full of fluff or melodrama and are generally low on violence. But not every shoujo title fits into the "usual" categories meant for teenage girls. This list features atypical titles that you probably wouldn't guess ran in a shoujo magazine.

good and bad, to play after reading

These are all shoujo manga (manga targeted towards girls and young women) featuring male protagonists/main characters
[The following list includes series of VARIOUS genres]

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[Not on MAL]

-She’s My Knight
-Hunting Summer
-Ai wo Kataru nara Hisoyaka ni

very much based on my personal tastes, everything here has a larger story and plot, as well as depth of character. some may have romance and smut. most are rather dark.

work in progress, feel free to send me recs!

Manga, manhwa or manhua with bromance or BL subtext.

Manhwa that are not on MAL:
SKT+ / SKT Plus / Swallow Knights Tales. Plus (2008, print manhwa, not translated into English)
SKT Official Comics / Swallow Knights Tales. Official Comics (2011, print manhwa, not translated into English)
Black Haze (2012, webtoon)
The Dragon Master (2014, webtoon)
The Editor Is the Novel’s Extra (webtoon, announcement)
Ex Rank Supporting Role’s Replay in a Prestigious School (webtoon, announcement)
The Bizarre Story of Banwoldang (webtoon, announcement)
All Your Skills Are Mine (webtoon, announcement)
Black Haze (2025, webtoon, announcement)

Keyword: bromance, BL subtext, non-BL, male-friendship, fujobait, fujo-bait, gay-bait, queer-bait, queerbaiting, queercoded, queer coding, ship, ambiguous ambiance, yaoi, shonen-ai, shounen-ai, danmei, BL, boys love, gay, fujoshi, fudanshi, ikemen, bishounen, pretty boys, borderline BL, subtle BL, BL vibes, light shounen ai, it's not BL, shounen-ai undertones, shounen-ai subtext, shounen-ai elements, shounen-ai hints, yaoi undertones, yaoi subtext, yaoi elements, yaoi hints, yaoi subtext in shounen, homoerotic undertones.

shoujo and josei manga that started publishing in the 1990s

if u wanna understand the avengenders endgame of shoujo that is tsubasa chronicle or wanna just be a collector or both or whatever

Manga/LNs with intertwining plots. They feature large casts/many different groups of people moving independently but simultaneously to form one larger plot, and actions taken by characters/groups influence others (Narita Ryohgo is a master at this; a lot of the titles on this list are written by him). May involve frequent POV shifts and may have a non-linear plot.

A list of science fiction manga from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. Not even close to comprehensive.

DISCLAIMER: not every title on this list is trying to be a "good and realistic representation". But I believe even "problematic" depictions are worthy of note. You've been warned.

List of manga with non-binary characters(aka X-gender in Japan): protagonists, main characters and side characters. I tried to include only the confirmed ones.

Note: arranged in the order of release. Some of the titles are NSFW.

Work in progress!

Not found on MAL: Watashi no Kanojo wa Otoko no Ko(2018), Alien Idol(2018), Douruanki(2019).

mixed with some non-mystery or non-fantasy victorian era/gothic-style manga
funnily enough many of them have vampires

**disclaimer: i have not read everything in this stack, im kind of using it as a to-read list of sorts (apart from my favs that i've already read) and just sharing in case others have similar taste

Literature that, at the time of the release, was set at least a year into the future with a date that has already come to pass.

I don't read that much so some dates may only apply to the anime adaptation and some sources refer to the anime although they may be stated in the manga too.

Corrections and additions are welcome!

Anime set in a future now in the past: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/30015

This is from what I found, so I may have missed something.

CLAMP is a group of mangaka known for creating interconnected stories within their universe. Although there is no strict order to watch or read their works, here is a suggested chronological order to enjoy some of CLAMP's main series:

"Tokyo Babylon" (1989-1993) and "X/1999" (1992-2003)
"Tokyo Babylon" and "X/1999" are interconnected, and it is recommended to read them together. Both series share characters and plot elements, and "X/1999" is a direct continuation of the events in "Tokyo Babylon". Therefore, by reading "Tokyo Babylon," you will have a solid foundation to fully understand the story of "X/1999".

Cardcaptor Sakura, Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, and xxxHOLiC are indeed connected and can be read together.

In "Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE," various characters from different CLAMP series, including "Cardcaptor Sakura," "xxxHOLiC," and others, are brought together in an interdimensional adventure. The story revolves around Syaoran, who must travel through parallel worlds to retrieve Sakura's memories, the princess of Clow Country.

If you wish to explore the relationship between the two series, it can be interesting to read "Cardcaptor Sakura" first to become familiar with the characters and the original story. Then, you can embark on "Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE" to see how these characters are reimagined and involved in a more complex narrative.

However, it is important to mention that "Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE" is a denser story and involves multiple dimensions and cross-references between CLAMP series. So, be prepared for a more intricate plot when reading this work.

"Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE" and "xxxHOLiC" do share characters and plot elements. They have significant crossovers where characters from one series appear in the other. Reading these two works together allows for a deeper understanding of CLAMP's shared universe, revealing exciting connections and developments.

It is recommended to start with "xxxHOLiC" before diving into "Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE." This will help you become familiar with the main characters, especially Yuuko Ichihara, and better understand the context before embarking on your journey through dimensions in "Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE."

I hope this clarifies the recommended reading order for CLAMP's

When I started to read Kimetsu no Yaiba years ago I had this feeling that the manga felt like something I've read before. It took me years before I realised I was thinking about Seraph of the End and to a lesser extent, Blue Exorcist, because I read both around the same time.

There’s a heavy sense of awareness to the threats and dangers, because the advantage is stacked heavily in favour of the antagonists. And there’s usually some occultism sprinkled into story and world building,

Overall, I just feel these works are cut from the same cloth.

(This list is arranged chronologically)

Disclaimer: I am a quack.

Mangas from different genres and demographies that will most likely leave a mark on you. Rich stories with strong characters and themes, sometimes uplifting, sometimes tragic, but stories worth telling. Beware of the TWs, lots of the mangas presented here contain delicate subjects