Hi All!
I'm new here and in need of some new manga. I'm a huge fan of Naoki Yamamoto (I daresay he's my favorite aside from Junji Ito). His manga might not really be that easy to love (no otaku tropes and usually no clear-cut personalities/archetypes) but his works have been consistent character and societal studies.
Dance Till Tomorrow is my favorite; it's part screwball comedy and part a critique of societal responsibilities (particularly marriage and relationships). I love how "realistic" the characters there are; this might be the first manga I've read where the author has truly captured the difference between men and women and yet, without sweeping any form of judgement whatsoever. I'm looking for similar manga with complex characterization and subtle storytelling with a disregard for typical conventions.
Aside from that, I also like Junji Ito's works for their sense of macabre and menace. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Ito's art (I wouldn't call it avant garde but it's definitely not typical) is fantastic.
Other manga I like are:
Arigatou
Believers
Tomie
Uzumaki
Drifting Classroom