Mars | Manga - Recommendations

Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou addpermalink

Both of these series are about the fundamentals of romance, the struggles seen in love, and the raw emotions between them. While they both have very different stories, MARS happening to be a bit more soap-opera in appearance, the two had a distinct line of similarity. They will both try to tug on your heart strings, if not attempting to make you remember past experiences in love. If anything, I recommend both series, mostly if you liked one or another.  

reportRecommended by Kanashimi

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Let Dai addpermalink

Both have delinquent charismatic main characters that fall in love despite constant adversity and forces pulling them apart. Mars has been my top favorite manga for a long time and i never expected to find a manga that could rival it but Let Dai proved to be equally amazing. Both have beautiful artwork and fully developed characters that take you on a breathtaking journey that stays poignant on your mind long after youve finished the series. Simply amazing stories. 

reportRecommended by rubberducky_jen

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Starts off dark and progressively gets much darker, but still somehow manages to have bits and pieces of lightheartedness.

-An unlikely love between a delinquent and a normal high schooler (Though Let Dai is between two guys)
-They have an instant connection upon meeting
-Delinquent is extremely violent
-Normal high schooler lives with a single-mom who they don't want to disappoint
-Dysfunctional families 
-Delinquent has a powerful, influential dad who does not approve of his life choices, though it's for completely different reasons
-Depression
-Abuse
-Rape (Though in Let Dai it's not the main character)
-Hatred of men ("   ")
-Jealousy
-Very deep with lots of metaphors and thoughts about life
-Art is kind of similar
-They're the same length, if that means anything read more 

reportRecommended by MeNaK

These two series have a very similar feel, especially in terms of the narration style, late 90s art style, and ideas explored. Both deal with themes such as identity, redemption, and taking risks, and have some very dark tones. Both also feature a passionate, forbidden "opposites attract" romance between a daredevil bad boy and a goody-two-shoes (who eventually comes out of their shell). In both cases, everyone around them doesn't want them to be together, but they can't help but be attracted and change each other for the better. Overall, they're both really good dark romances. 

reportRecommended by wystery

These two mangas gave me the same feeling while reading them. 

Both stories are about an innocent girl(Mars)/boy(LD) who meets a popular delinquent boy. They develop feelings for each other, but the relatives/friends of the couples don't support their relationship. Yet they want to be together, and try to overcome their fears and problems.

The art styles are also quite similar and the stories are both quite dramatic. 

reportRecommended by Cindy-Uchiha

Both contain very confident main characters, romance dynamics, and are a longer read. They have lots of emotions. 

reportRecommended by firstspring

"Kare" First Love addpermalink

I actually made the mistake of trying to read both at the same time, and ended up getting them confused.  Mars is far darker than Kare First Love and also 5 volumes longer.  Both focus on shy, artistically-inclined girls (Karin wih music, Kira with art) who, despite their best efforts, fall for "bad boy" types (though Kiriya is A LOT tamer than Rei).  Kare is a lot lighter, but Mars is very realistic.   On another note, Mars volumes are kind of hard to find.  (I had to stop the series because volumes are on backorder at the local bookstore AND online). 

 read more 

reportRecommended by SweetlyKaoru

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The One addpermalink

Male leads are very similar, with their backgrounds, traumas and all. The One and Mars both have more realistic approach to relationships unlike other shoujo series out there. While leads in the Mars are high-schoolers, the ones in The One are older. Especially the male lead of The One has a more mature attitude towards his past and present. They both give the same heart wrenching feeling most of the time except The One is hilarious as well. 

reportRecommended by _mAgy_

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Cat Street addpermalink

My first impression of this manga is that Keito reminds me of Kira; personality-wise and appearance-wise. 

reportRecommended by xich

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Bokura ga Ita addpermalink

Shy, innocent girl falls in love with the outgoing, popular guy. Guy has trouble coping with traumatic death of a loved one in the past. 

reportRecommended by YakuzaDog

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ES: Eternal Sabbath addpermalink

It's done by the same creator and has the same feel for the main characters.  Both stories explain actions going on in great detail, espceally things that may be unfamiliar to the reader of the story.

Even though MARS focuses more on the romance element, the story is very complex and will not leave you bored. 

reportRecommended by ziplap

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Nana addpermalink

Both are shoujo series that deal with romance and tragedy equally and have a more serious, adult tone. It's hard to be particular about it, but they both definitely have the same feel to them. 

reportRecommended by lithiumflower

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Eden no Hana addpermalink

in both stories the girl protagonist has been sexually abused, and a guy comes along to protect her. they both fall in love along the way. the girlr is kind of a loner at the begining of each story, but while being with the guy they start to come out of their shells. 

in eden no hana, the guy protagonist is a her brother
in mars they are different people but fall in love despite all that 

reportRecommended by TeARsFade

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Hana yori Dango addpermalink

Shoujo standards about love between an unlikely couple. In Mars they get and stay together early and have outside forces to contend with, while in HanaDan its their own problems that typically provide the problems. 

reportRecommended by lithiumflower

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Kimi ni Todoke addpermalink

They're both about shy, quite girls who are taken out of their shells by the most popular guys in school. In both the attention they receive from the guys leads to bully from other students in the school and in both they end up falling in love (though they are really confused about it).

Both of these are great and I highly recommend each.  

reportRecommended by CuteAnimeJunkie

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Totally Captivated addpermalink

Like the character show to everyone else, and how can change wanted or not by someone else, is one of the best thing that we can read here, and the hide the Essence of love, we can run but not hide from ourselves, and sometimes we can find us inside someone else, our real and suffer love.
The Bad guy, The good one, who can destroy they own walls, By Unexpected ways of chilhood, personality, and guilty. 

reportRecommended by saiyagok

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The Other Side of the Mirror addpermalink

FlameKissedHeart has already pretty much nailed this with the first recommendation, but just to add weight to what she said: 

TOSotM is like a shorter version of Mars. The art is very similar - the male leads in particular bearing a close resemblance - and the story of troubled individuals discovering a love of life after falling in love with each other is, obviously, also reminiscent of Mars. The two main characters, like those featured in Mars, have troubled pasts, though their pasts didn't get anywhere near as much time as the Mars' leads did.

If the length of Mars scares you but the description intrigues you, then reading TOSotM first wouldn't be a bad way to go. read more 

reportRecommended by AironicallyHuman

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Kyou, Koi wo Hajimemasu addpermalink

Really similar stories, good girl and playboy start out hating each other but then fall in love. If you liked one, you'll definitely like the other, both are really awesome. 

reportRecommended by Beeb

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Heart addpermalink

Both are about nice girls and  bad boys with motorcycles. Mars tends to be more serous drama where Heart is more lighthearted and comedic  

reportRecommended by Karchan

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Honey na Koto addpermalink

they both have a more mature feel than usual shoujo and they're about the main characters dealing with the good and bad things coming their way while being in a relationship. also, for both male leads there's a sport that's really important in their life (surfing/racing) 

reportRecommended by Shiharu

Manga: Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan

Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan addpermalink

The pivotal characters in Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan's struggles and growth as they help each other cope with problems at hand is very much similar to the relationship of Kira and Rei in Mars as they support and love each other. The problems featured in both mangas take on a more darker note rather than usual "gorgeous ex-girlfriend" or "persistent best friend" cliches. They also offer a realistic and layered glimpses into the complexities of the characters. Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan is a shorter manga  compared to Mars, but it is still well developed and despite its short length, the mangaka, Yumeko Sumomo is able to tell a love story that could have started off a cliche but weaves and develops into something beautiful, subtle and memorable. Mars, with its length (of 90 chapters) is able to paint a detailed picture of the characters and the problems that haunt them. However, despite its length, it doesn't deviate from its story line. While Mars is focused a lot more on the romance aspect of the characters like Kira and Rei, Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan offer a more subtle and tender look at the relationship of the two characters, Yuu and Mutou. Essentially, they are both touching and beautiful stories of the struggles of two characters and how with one another's support, they are able to move on forward. Perfect for a reader who craves romance but at the same time wishes for more realistic portrayals of love story that have slice of life elements. read more 

reportRecommended by fayevalentines

Kare wa Tomodachi addpermalink

Both are similar in the way that even though they (the main characters) love each other, their love relationship is not smooth sailing as there are obstacles. Both mangas have good character development in the sense that the characters felt real and not superficial. We can also see how the characters mature overtime. 
Although Kare wa Tomodachi is shorter in terms of volume and the plot is built differently than in Mars (as in the things that happened to the characters in both mangas), both are reading pleasures in their own rights. 

reportRecommended by blue-y

Manga: Torikagosou no Kyou mo Nemutai Juunin-tachi

Torikagosou no Kyou mo Nemutai Juunin-tachi addpermalink

Both have characters that are artists (Kira in Mars and Yusei in Birdcage) that have other characters pose for their work (Rei in Mars and Kizuna in Birdcage). Both also have a lot of drama and romance. 

reportRecommended by PoweredByRamen

Kiss in the Blue addpermalink

The feel and situations of both manga are similar. They both have that similar darkness to them as well as similar main characters.Although, they are also very different, if that makes any sense at all ~><~. I enjoyed them both. 

reportRecommended by nichole84

Fruits Basket addpermalink

Mars is like a more mature, darker version of Fruits Basket. The protagonists are older, but I saw many parallels in the way the main character's developed around each other to the characters of Furuba. There's also the themes of family, emotional trauma, protecting the ones you love, and the future. 

reportRecommended by Sweetcaspia

Akuma to Love Song addpermalink

They are both shoujo and romances, and it would seem that the similarities will end there.  Yet Mars and Akuma to Love Song had one quality I really liked: they probed into subjects that people normally don't talk about.  Mars is, of course, hands down, the most thought-provoking of the two, and while I wouldn't call Akuma to Love Song to be "deep" there is a sense---even in the beginning--that the characters have more depth and hidden parts of themselves that aren't seen in the surface.  Maria is blunt and straightforward in everything she does and says; she has no qualms about saying harsh truths, which often ends up offending people and making lots of enemies.  She also has a remarkable quality of "seeing through people" and understanding the more selfish motivations  behind what people say, often tearing down people's masks of civility to reveal a darker part of themselves... Yet despite this Akuma to Love Song is far more light-hearted in nature than Mars.  Mars deals about the issues of suicide, rape, and death in a far more personal way; in a way that really causes you to feel how terrible these issues really are.  Akuma to Love Song, in contrast, so far from what I read ( which is till chapter 40), mentions these issues in passing, not really going down to gritty details and asking tough questions the way Mars does.

Overall, I love Akuma to Love Song's characters more because they are so unique from characters i read so far in any anime/manga I read so far.  Yet I feel I like the subject matter more in Mars and the way they handled the darker sides of life.

If you like one, you might like the others.  I encourage you to give Mars and Akuma to Love Song, a chance. read more 

reportRecommended by kasumi99

Koukou Debut addpermalink

Mars and Koukou Debut are very different, but the romance is similar so if you enjoyed Mars you'll enjoy Koukou Debut and vice versa. Both mangas have your basic shoujo cliches like, love triangles, girl from the guy's past, girl getting bullied, etc.

Mars is really deep/dark and more mature while Koukou Debut is more fluffy and sweet, so I guess Koukou Debut can help you recover after reading about all the evil psychopaths and dramas in Mars.

Mars is still my all time favourite and I had a hard time enjoying a new manga after reading it but Koukou Debut is something Mars fans will enjoy, probably.

 read more

reportRecommended by hk17

Make Love Shiyo addpermalink

Well while Mars binshi is a bit do-moment in the beginning but is a nice person and starts his romance naturally and not forceful like in this manga.  

reportRecommended by Animewolfguy

Six Half addpermalink

If you like shoujos but more into the dark and realistic ways of life (perhaps even josei, yet they're hard to find), you'll definitly enjoy these mangas. 
True messy relationships between the characters and how they solve them.  

reportRecommended by Ray_Monster

Hakuji addpermalink

Both stories are initially about one of the main love interests painting, using the other love interest as a model, and are bittersweet tales. Mars is much longer than Hakuji.  

reportRecommended by Ocean_Tide

Awfully Damn Kiss and Hug addpermalink

These two mangas are on the darker than most shoujo, because of their more realistic and dark approach of tropes, making them seem as if they're josei mangas. The MCs  are kind teenage girls, who meet and fall for a classmate, who are full of problems. As the mc gets familiar with the boy, their lives change as they get involved with people or conflicts, acquainted with the boy. What also distinguishes these two series from others of this genre are the complex and developing characters, not only the mcs, but also the side characters 

reportRecommended by ani147

Oboreru Knife addpermalink

both are psychological shoujos that deal with dark themes, such as violence. the romance in mars is stronger tho, so if u weren't satisfied with oboreru knife's romance, then try mars! 

reportRecommended by sadfrog666

Full House addpermalink

Both manga start out with two people, a guy and a girl, who don't get along at first. Both manga can have a somewhat darker side, with trauma, jealousy, and people who object to their relationship. There are friendships formed that might seem impossible before and enemies created. 

reportRecommended by angelabsun

Muchakucha Daisuki. addpermalink

There is the popular handsome guy whom almost every girl adores, and there is the girl who doesn't fit in with the rest. Through many coincidences, they meet and fall in love rather quickly with each other, soon to the point where they cannot be without the other. But there are secrets and people who stand in the way. 

reportRecommended by angelabsun

Kare no Ondo addpermalink

These manga are really similar.  The main characters are so alike, except Rei is a playboy and Ibuki is in a relationship.  Both the female leads have been physically abused, are timid and they even look the same.  These manga's are about the relationship between the couples and their families.  If you like one guaranteed you will like the other. 

reportRecommended by Lithium99

Zankoku na Kami ga Shihai suru addpermalink

At first glance, you may wonder what a romance shojo manga like "Mars" has to do with "A Cruel God Reigns." "Mars" will surprise you with how well it delves into issues like sexual abuse and death, considering that it is a shojo manga. The characters are similar in the sense that they have twisted, murderous, dark sides to their psyches as a result of the messed up ish that's happened to them. The dead haunt the living, the living grasps at straws trying to discover what kind of people the dead really were. Hating oneself, blaming oneself for murder. Becoming a murderer. Suicidal, dependent mothers. Though "A Cruel God Reigns" is much darker and more graphic than "Mars" by far.  read more 

reportRecommended by mowk

Kirai addpermalink

They are both are for a more mature shoujo audience and don't have the typical "I love him, he's so hot, I'm so dumb, please love me, haha I'm only good for comedic relief and am super thick skulled" heroines. Although they have different plots and characters are very different, they both give off the same feeling that the love the main characters have is not some flimsy love, but yes they are imperfect loves (especially in Kirai). Mars touches darker subjects, but Kirai touches, well, touchy subjects (like trust issues, moving forward in your life, etc.) but both are really good stories with complex characters! read more 

reportRecommended by ChiSquared

Ingènuo addpermalink

Both have a main character that have a bad relationship with his father and is a "player".The heroine in both is a very talented girl that is pursuing her dream of becoming a photographer/painter. 
They have a dark atmosphere although mars is far deeper and intense than Ingenuo.
 

reportRecommended by gabii

The Moon in Eden addpermalink

If you are a fan of Mars you might like The Moon in Eden - these are mature shoujos that have depth to them and more nuanced characterizations than the average manga.    Both feature a male lead who is a known delinquent.   In The Moon in Eden the mc's have troubled family backgrounds and it's a manhua that is ongoing in translation while Mars is a completed manga.    The female leads are not put off by the guys' reputations but neither of these presents the generic delinquent type that is common but more reasons behind the guy's behavior and it's not presented in a cliche way.    If you like mature shoujos or joseis give these a read.   read more 

reportRecommended by inzaratha

Ai Hime: Ai to Himegoto addpermalink

The plotline was very different but they touched me in there own way. I would recommend to anyone who loves a couple that are perfect together but have drama along the way. In both society shuns them for there decision to be together but Ai Hime is about a non-related Uncle and niece meeting after falling in love and Mars is about two high schoolers with secrets making the steady flow into love. 

reportRecommended by caileen710

Marmalade Boy addpermalink

Even though the characters in both series are the same age, Marmalade Boy comes off as a kind of "MARS Junior" series. Both are about the trials and tribulations surrounding family, friends, and young love, with the various problems faced by characters in each series sometimes having striking similarities; Marmalade Boy just takes a lighter, softer approach that lends itself to humour, a more casual tone, and a younger audience while MARS amps up the drama to keep readers rivetted. 

reportRecommended by lithiumflower

Kiss & Never Cry addpermalink

Both of these stories involve main characters who have been traumatized at an early age and how they deal with their problems. 

reportRecommended by layhas

Knife addpermalink

Although this is a series of short stories, there are a lot of moments in Knife that remind me of Kira and Rei's struggles with Masao.  

reportRecommended by layhas

Banana Fish addpermalink

The main characters share some interesting qualities—Ash and Rei are naturally smart and cunning, despite their outside appearance, intense, scarred, beautiful, and dangerous.  Rei is a diluted version of Ash in many ways.  They both meet a quiet individual and their interactions and the qualities they bring out in each other are a highlight of the works.  Read either one if you're looking for something outside the norm of shoujo manga. 

reportRecommended by shinkeikaku

Doll addpermalink

both are from Fuyumi Souryo and the two main characters are kinda similar.
Also they both tell a love story which is sometimes dramatic...
But of course Doll is a lot shorter than Mars^^ 

reportRecommended by AkariXchan

Pink Lady addpermalink

Both manga are about art, but when Pink Lady is all about painting, Mars explores other subjects. Both art are incredible, with the difference that Pink Lady is a web comic, and the drawing have more freedom than the classic manga published in paper.  

reportRecommended by Apocaly

Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori addpermalink

The reader is able to watch the main female character grow and mature as danger lurks around every corner.  Both titles keep you on your feet and turning the page with not only mystery and death, but true love. 

reportRecommended by yukihime

Sora wo Daite Oyasumi addpermalink

The male protagonist in both has a deep secret from his past haunting him. They are very similar in that sense. But so you know, Mars is a shoujo romance and Oyasumi is a yaoi. 

reportRecommended by YakuzaDog

I Accept You addpermalink

These two are pretty similar, both romance and shoujo. Both the male lead characters have a violent side , but change when they fall for the "plain & timid" girl of their school. Also in both, the female leads have a friend which at first tries to sabotage their relationship. However Mars has more depth and chapters! 

reportRecommended by XDKeriDX

Deep Love: Ayu no Monogatari addpermalink

Both give you a feeling of reality and have unusual characters who went through a lot and are very pessimistic about life. Two titles full of drama but in the end really beautiful stories.Worth of reading.  

reportRecommended by Aelynah

Bitter Virgin addpermalink

We see characters dealing with the repercussions of a traumatic past and how they find comfort in a loved one and learn how to trust again. Mars, however, handles issues with greater competence; nevertheless, both are worth reading for those who love romances with a darker edge. 

reportRecommended by orangensaft

Billion Girl addpermalink

both are about:
- beautiful, rich men
- harem 
- main girl - cute, adorable and very gentle also caring 
- tragic pasts and love  

reportRecommended by Noofar

Tenshi Nanka ja Nai addpermalink

both have similarities in family issues?! But with Mars it is a bit more deep and more psyhological!? :P
 both are a great read  

reportRecommended by Noofar

Kodomo no Omocha addpermalink

As I scrolled down the ro commendations page I looked for the link to go back the manga mars. It surprised why I did this becuase these two series are VERY different. But thinking back the funny twist and turns of kodocha reminded me the more realistic sadder mars. Both series are pretty long.  

reportRecommended by Ardnaed

Boyfriend addpermalink

I think Mars is darker but Boyfriend has it's tragedies too. They are about two people who fall in love and gives you that same feeling.  

reportRecommended by Ardnaed

Tobenai Tori addpermalink

Obviously Mars is a lot longer and in depth than Tobenai Tori, but both illustrate the guy healing the girl's wound. 

reportRecommended by beckaleck

Pietà addpermalink

Similar themes of two people helping each other cope with their various past damage, although Mars is a much longer story. 

reportRecommended by Aiferrific

You're So Cool addpermalink

Both involve sexy school badass falling for least expected girl in school. 

reportRecommended by Merciless27

Beast Master addpermalink

Both Beast Master and MARS are about a guy who is often is called a rebel and some people are scared of him cuz of his reckless attitudes but both are actually really nice guys! also in both mangas each main guy ends up falling for a girl that is their complete opposite! Both are really good read i really liked them both :) 

reportRecommended by hunnysenpai

Basara addpermalink

It may not seem similar, but the interactions between both Rei and Kira resemble those between Shuri and Sarasa. 
Basara's story is much more large scale, with a large variety of characters, which may give less room for character development, but the romance between Shuri and Sarasa plays a big role. 
Mars' story is very small-scale and focuses on the relationship between Rei and Kira.  

reportRecommended by Phantom-Brave12

Suki tte Ii na yo. addpermalink

Tachibana and Kira (Mars) are both secluded and introverts. Kurosawa and Rei (Mars) are both popular, talkative and liked by everyone in their entourage. 

Tachibana is honest (read explosive) with her feelings like Rei though, and Kurosawa lacks confidence that he is strong mentally much like Kira. 

The feel of their relationship as well as the pace of the story are very much alike. If you like one, chances are you'll like the other.

reportRecommended by -BlackRabbit-

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