Discussion Need Help from some Shoujo fans

[warsaint777]

Okay, so this cute girl I know that I'm trying to get to like me more is interested in the fact that I'm a manga reader. So, she asks me to help her "get into it". Well, even though she does have some faint tomboy qualities in her, she's still 100% girl, so I'm like, I need to get this girl some quality old-fashoined Shoujo.

So I'm asking people what some real good Shoujo would be to start this girl out with. Preferably some titles that are already distributed in the US as graphic novels so I can actually buy the volumes for her. My first thought was Fushigi Yugi, but I know there are even more imaginative and girl-friendlier titles out there. Stuff with romance, adventure, love conflicts, dashing handsome heroes, all that gay stuff. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[BlaZeR]

Absolute Boyfriend, if she doesn't mind ecchi Ichigo 100% is good for romance as well.

 

[choucha0308]

The problem is the fact that she will expect to discuss it with U. So :

How far can you go on the ecchi path ???

If the answer is "well, not that far", FRUITS BASKET is a must, U can also try INUYASHA (not truly shoujo but there is romance for her and action for U...) and more than that :

U should go to the "Shoujo Manga Recommendation Thread" :P

Right here : http://mangahelpers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8764

 

[Nami]

Yes Choucha, I agree with you...not all girls like eccchi, er... so Dark Lucky, its better not to recommend that for now.

Besides the list, maybe can try

From Viz Manga (they list the titles by genre " Shojo" & "Shojo Beat" worth checking out)
- Doubt
- Hana Yori Dango
- Hana Kimi
- Merupuri (great artwork)
- Hot Gimmick

From TokyoPop
- Fruits Basket
- Demon Diary (Supernatural/Shonen Ai but reaally great bishies)..

From Ice-Kunion (for Korean manga/manhwa), there's previews here too..i always go there to peeep
- Hissing
- Goong
- Bring It On (Funny)
- Angel Diary

Hehe, actually there are just so many many shoujo manga out there, and these are the only few I can think of. Maybe someone else will ahve other recoomendations too.

Best if you get her some short completed series, than the longer series.
Alright, that's all for now, once you have decided, let us know the results?!

 

[eni]

Beginner shoujo... hmhmhm...

My first "classic" shoujo (school life, comedy, sibling-in-law-love,...) was Marmelade Boy (8 volumes, released by Tokyopop) and I even bought the jp tanks because I liked it so much.

Another wonderful shoujo I could think of atm is Fullmoon wo Sagashite (7 volumes + Anime, released by VIZ), which really causes my eyes get all wet at the end. If it weren't for a few confusing parts and the very girly-like (neko-shinigami >.<) drawing it would be my favorite one when talking about plot and ending (to short the ending, waaaay to short).

I could also recommend Chrno Crusade (8 volumes, released by ADV), which is a (romantic) shounen. But it has a pretty strong heroine, great comedy and drama and a adoreable main couple.

Also like nami said Demon Diary (7 volumes, which is a Manhwa; released by Tokyopop) and I'm currently reading Love Monster (9 of 12 volumes so far, not licensed) which is pretty simple but a nice start into light-smutty shoujo *giggles*

If you want her to start with something more short, then Anti-Gravity Boy (3 volumes, not licensed) and A Thousand Years of Snow (2 volumes, then dropped but still very cute; released by VIZ). Also there're plenty of cute Shoujo oneshots, but only few of them are probably published in the US (you can print her out, a oneshot is usually around 30-70 pages).

As for Fushigi Yugi, I prefer Ayashi no Ceres (14 volumes, released by VIZ) by the same mangaka. Another longer one to mentation is D.N.Angel (11 volumes + Anime, on hiatus; released by Tokyopop) and Perfect Girl Evolution (18 volumes ongoing + Anime, released by Del Rey). Not to forget Angel Sactuary (20 volumes + OVA, released by VIZ) which is a classic mature shoujo but maybe to confusing for a beginner.

 

[agspun7]

ohh..Hot Gimmick..man oh man, it's hot, there's turmoil..and there is a lot to talk about coming for the guy's end because you can be like OH MY GOSH I WOULD NEVER DO THAT..that guy is sick..haha.
AND...
Kare First Love..this is another manga that I think even the guy could talk about with the girl just because there is so much about relationships that both sexes go through in there.
and,
Just a plain fun manga is Ouran High School Host Club..just because it's cute but there really isn't much lovey dovey stuff in terms of full blown relationships.

also, i just started reading Vampire Knight..but you gotta be willing to accept people biting eachother haha.

Um some others that are out there that may be more to your taste..Crimson Hero, Absolute Boyfriend, Fruits Basket, Hana-Kimi, Peach Girl, and Meru Puri< which is short but man oh man i could read that a million times just because it is so darn cute!

 

[libra_86930]

well.. they say that fushigi yuugi genbu kaiden is loads better than fushigi yuugi, its a border of shoujo and shounen adventure so you can both talk about it comfortably.I dunno.. I dont read fygk XD >_> I heard it has a tragic ending

if she's a fan of supernatural stuff than what about ghost hunt? well the art is a bit ugly and I'm not even sure if ghost hunt is even shoujo ~__~ but its a good manga. if you can manage, let her see the anime first since the anime's art is more nicer than the manga( but the manga's ghosts are more scary and yeah the art is ugly)

I'm not sure if fruits basket is the right manga that both boys and girls can talk about.. it does tend to be more girlish than boys like.

uh... theres...vampire knight!! yeah... thats a really good series.. full of hawt bishies and who can resist bishie vampires? ^^

I heard meine liebe is a good one too.

goong is really famous too, its actually a manhwa but its licensed there aint it?

what else is adventurous... not to girly for a tomboy type of girl(no offense)
H3 School (Happy Hustle High) is a story about a rough girl who finds love, I'm sure she'll like that one

and also a lot of them seems to love skip beat, I've never read it so I cant give you the details

 

[mewtant_x]

How about Maihitoyo and 12 Kingdom for adventure manga? They are close to Fushigi Yugi, girls going to another dimension's world, but are lighter while Fushigi is 13+ with a little mature content.

Golden Corda - Primo Passo is good too. It's a high school setting, where the girl obtained a magical volin from a fairy and entered the music competition where she met all the boys. It is also suitable for younger teens.

Kyo Kara Maou is a good funny one. Almost 99% males characters, BL like Meine Liebe but very very mild. The male characters are not as feminine-looking as Meine. I had seen Edited Mangas of the manga in Mangaupdates.

I am in Asia, English version of the Japanese manga is very limited here. Not sure if you can get them printed in English yet.