Tramps Like Us
1,160
Fed-up with a life of being under-appreciated and disrespected, Sumire Iwaya decides to change things when she picks up a young boy off the street and brings him into her house. Despite being total opposites, the two seem to complement one another as they try to carve out an ordinary life for themselves. (Source: TokyoPop)
Tomorrow's King
90
First-year Japanese major Yuu Sasaya is a naive country girl who has yet to adjust to the sophisticated city lifestyle. After watching a stage play for the first time, a particular minor role's performance leaves such a profound impact on her that she decides to pursue a career in acting. Yuu confesses her newfound dream to a classmate and though ridiculed, attains an opportunity to tour a theatre company. While there, she meets the well-reputed rookie actor, Touya Ichii, and immediately recognizes his voice as the character who had impacted her. Seeing Yuu's passion, Touya recommends her to his friend's troupe, Garandou Company, run by Shougo Shimamura. Shougo tests Yuu's acting skills with high expectations, only to discover that she is a complete amateur. Unwilling to accept defeat so soon, she pleads him to let her observe and learn from them over time. tells Yuu's story as she searches for her hidden flair among the different positions offered in a theatre troupe, with immense determination to make it big in the world of the dramatic arts. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Gokusen
5,785
Fresh out of college, Kumiko "Yankumi" Yamaguchi becomes a math teacher at an all-boys high school. Unfortunately for her, she's assigned by the school board as the homeroom teacher for class 3-D, which happens to be the class of delinquent students. When the class attempts to make a living hell out of Yankumi's career, they fail as her persistence and aggression gain her respect. However, little does anyone in the school know that Yankumi is actually heir to the Kuroda Ikka—one of Tokyo's most powerful yakuza clans. (Source: ANN)
Saiyuuki Reload Blast
708
At last, the Sanzou Party has arrived in India. In this foreign land, where the anomaly's influence runs rampant, their battles only heighten in their violence. And also awaiting them is their tragic fate from 500 years ago— What will they find at the end of their long and treacherous journey?
Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
1,090
Young Yotarou has just left prison after serving a short term for a crime he does not know anything about, but without family, he has nowhere to go. Instead, he is going straight to the unrivaled master of Rakugo—a form of comedic Japanese storytelling—Yakumo Yuurakutei himself. Due to a series of events, Yotarou becomes enamored with Rakugo, bent on becoming a shunichi. Yakumo, who never takes apprentices, almost immediately agrees to pass his trade on to Yotarou. Together with Konatsu, a young lady living in the household, they start struggling toward becoming the new hope for Rakugo, which seems to be slowly withering away alongside the Shouwa era. However, as Yotarou gets to know his new mentor and "big sis," he notices hints of a dark past in both of them. The environment of the household becomes strained and, at times, scary. Naturally, no hardships matter to the young Yotarou, as his gaze is set upon their mutual future—the future where he becomes the master of Rakugo. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child
527
Born during the sunrise—an auspicious beginning—the Azumas' newborn son is named Hikaru, which means "light." But during one play date, his mother notices that her son is slightly different from the other children. In this alternately heartwarming and bittersweet tale, a young mother tries to cope with both the overwhelming discovery of her child's autism and the trials of raising him while keeping her family together. This is a story that resonates not only for those whose families have been affected by autism, but also for all past, present, and future parents. (Source: Yen Press) Volume 15: Thank You Sensei!, Haru no Manazashi
Saiyuki Reload
1,293
The fearsome foursome continue their journey west towards Shangri-La, encountering new challenges and new adventures along the way. Their legend precedes them, but not always in the way one might expect. The Minus Wave that apparently drove all the youkai in the land mad looks like it might have missed one, as Sanzou, Gojou, Hakkai and Gokuu meet a lone guardian and the band of children he cares for. Fear and misunderstanding run throughout this particular leg of the journey, including between the members of the Sanzou group! (Source: Tokyopop)
Paradise Kiss
9,255
Yukari wants nothing more than to make her parents happy by studying hard and getting into a good college. One afternoon, however, she is kidnapped by a group of self-styled fashionistas calling themselves "Paradise Kiss." Yukari suddenly finds herself flung into the roller-coaster life of the fashion world, guided by George, art-snob extraordinaire. In a glamorous makeover of body, mind and soul, she is turned from a hapless bookworm into her friends 22 own exclusive clothing model. (Source: Tokyopop)
Princess Jellyfish
12,026
The story centers around Tsukimi Kurashita, a huge fan of jellyfish (kurage, a wordplay on the "kura/mi" and "tsuki/ge" in her name) and a girl who moves to Tokyo to become an illustrator. She moves into "Amamizukan," an apartment complex that is full of fujoshi (diehard female otaku) with a no-men-allowed rule. However, one day, Tsukimi invites a stylishly fashionable woman to stay at her room at Amamizukan—only to discover that the guest is not who "she" seems to be. (Source: ANN)
Honey and Clover
3,164
Takemoto lives in a run down student apartment, where his greatest worry is when he'll next be able to afford to eat meat and whether he'll get to class on time. Although he's away from home and living on his own, Takemoto is far from finished growing up. Along with his crazy cast of friends, Morita, Mayama, Yamada, and Hagumi, Takemoto sets out to discover life and his true self. (Source: VIZ Media) Volume 10: Sora no Kotori, Hoshi no Opera
Pet Shop of Horrors
882
Beyond the mist-filled alleyways in the concrete crevices of Los Angeles' Chinatown hides a mysterious pet shop, home to many bizarre yet friendly creatures. The store's proprietor is an enigmatic young man who goes by the name of Count D. Count D welcomes those who feel lonely and wounded through the doors of his shop, claiming to sell "love, dreams, and hope" in the form of the fantastic beasts that lie within. Each creature comes with a special contract accompanied by a set of rules. However, he warns customers that he cannot be held accountable for any consequences of breaking the rules. Short-tempered detective Leon Orcot traces the source of several crimes back to Count D and what the former considers to be a pet shop of horrors. Determined to find proof that the Count is a criminal, he begins to pay regular visits to the shop. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Nodame Cantabile
6,250
Shinichi Chiaki, the perfectionist son of a famous pianist, is in his fourth year at Momogaoka College of Music, hoping to achieve his secret dream of being a conductor. His admiration for his father led him to pursue a career in music. As much as he wants to return to Europe, his phobia of flying traps him in Japan where he now lives. One night, he passes out, and ends up being taken in by Megumi "Nodame" Noda. Upon first glance, Nodame is a talented pianist, but she is also slobbish and eccentric. What's even worse is that she is his neighbor and he ends up forced to work with her. Though it sounds like a recipe for disaster, Chiaki is drawn to this girl who makes him remember the love for music he once held. Just what does the future hold for this musical duo? [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Chihayafuru
33,118
Always deemed inferior to her elder sister, the strong-willed yet aimless Chihaya Ayase has no dream of her own. In contrast to her, Taichi Mashima, the son of a surgeon, is gifted yet insecure as he is burdened by the heavy expectations of his strict mother, who wants him to be perfect in everything. However, the lives of Chihaya and Taichi soon change as they encounter Arata Wataya, the new transfer student in their class. Inspired by Arata's dream to become the best at competitive karuta—a card game based on the classic anthology of one hundred Japanese poets—Chihaya quickly falls in love with the game. Refusing to lose to the talented Arata, the prideful Taichi joins along and immerses himself in the game, aiming to one day surpass his fated rival. The three friends spend their childhood practicing karuta everyday, until certain circumstances force them to part with each other. A few years later, now in high school, the trio finds themselves reunited through the world of competitive karuta. Alongside their newfound comrades and rivals, they embark on a journey of self-discovery, friendship, and romance. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Sakamichi no Apollon
3,164
Constantly transferring schools since childhood, Kaoru Nishimi has always been seen as a social outcast when he transfers due to his intellectual nature and wealthy background. But after moving to Kyushu for his first year of high school, things begin to change when Kaoru befriends the class president Ritsuko Mukae and, unexpectedly, the notorious school delinquent Sentarou Kawabuchi. While Kaoru is an honors student, Sentarou is constantly getting into fights and skipping class. However, these two opposites find a common ground in one thing—music. One day, Kaoru is invited by Ritsuko to visit her family's record store, where he finds Sentarou in the basement showcasing his skill in jazz drumming. Kaoru, being a classical pianist, knows nothing about jazz. But inspired by the performance, he begins to open his mind to the genre alongside Sentarou. The duo begin to practice in after-school jazz sessions in the record store's basement. As he spends more time improving his skills in jazz, Kaoru finds a person whom he can truly call his friend, and comes to learn the joys of playing music. follows their story of friendship and love brought together by jazz. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey
1,692
Akiko Hayashi has soaring but strangely specific dreams: to make a successful manga debut while still in school, have her favorite actor star in its adaptation, and end up marrying him. However, she is far from having the motivation or skills to realize these hopes. When a friend introduces her to an unorthodox, backstreet art class taught by the strong-armed Kenzou Hidaka, called simply as "sensei," Akiko decides to enroll, expecting an easy ride and an automatic improvement in her art skills. To her chagrin, what she gets is something else entirely—a tough, demanding, and uncompromising teacher with absolutely no interest in manga. But when Akiko takes up Sensei's challenge of an intense schedule, she comes to recognize how much he cares about his students and forms a close bond with him. With Sensei's guidance, Akiko learns what is necessary to become a successful mangaka as well as what it means to be an adult. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
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