Super Vanilla Manga (read #1 post)

[all_flying]

I know I'm creating two threads up. But please bear with me since two communities already disappoints me.

So, I'm looking for romance manga with "Super Vanilla" grade, meaning?

• obviously vanilla only (not harem, triangle, netorare, or anything else which is not vanilla)
• Focus on the romance part not the drama (again: NOT THE FRIGGI'n DRAMA!!)
• hetero only
• IF there is a harem, its better at the level of Umi no Misaki or omnibus format (Amagami, KimiKiss, KamiNomi). Otherwise, just no
• Seo Kouji is a NO!
• Yuyuko or "Whoever wrote Toradora and Golden Time" is a no!
• Oneshot/short/long series are fine
• Anthology? As long as it didn't develop into a love polygon. (Meaning, Hatsukoi Gentei is a no)
• Ecchi/Borderline H is fine, but of course blatant Hentai is a no
• I can't stress it hard enough: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! NOT THE DRAMA!!!
• It will be great if the MC is not someone who are obsessed with pure/virginity. But, whatever. There is no such thing anyway.
• Not from shoujo demographic
• But bishoujo is fine
• And bishounen is a no.
• Lastly with reasons (Again: moderator's rules)

Of course I understand there is no romance without a bit sense of drama. So, how much drama is acceptable?

1. (heavy) Drama comes out, but quickly watered down by the amount of sweet moments afterwards (e.g. One Week Friends) (It doesn't dragged out for like 100 pages or so)
2. Drama spikes up, but people involved choose to talk things over (i.e. Molester Man)
3. little to no amount of drama (ex: KimiKiss, Amagami, Hadi Girl)
4. Last minute drama. But not the last minute "Axed" drama. (Because there is some stories which have heavy drama built up in the last few chapters for the sake of glorious public proposal thing )

inb4 Horimiya, I have this ticklish sensation when reading Horimiya. Almost as it was came out from shoujo manga. Sorry, I am allergic towards shoujo demographic.

[RRW]

ehhhh why Bishonen is no? how Bishe do you dont want them?

thought my recommendation is Horimiya pretty straight forward normal high school love story that develop naturally.

Bonnouji also another one where their love is developed naturally with older cast than Horimiya (20-30)

[SamVision]

What you are looking for is kind of rare. I can think of a few right now: Hajimete Datteba, Comic Studio, Love Calendar, maybe Yandere Kanojo although that is mostly gags than romance. Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan can be considered vanilla romance too although it doesn't initially appear that way.

[all_flying]

Originally Posted by RRW

ehhhh why Bishonen is no? how Bishe do you dont want them?

thought my recommendation is Horimiya pretty straight forward normal high school love story that develop naturally.

Bonnouji also another one where their love is developed naturally with older cast than Horimiya (20-30)

Unnacceptable: 99.99% hero from any Shoujo manga you've picked up at random:

Spoiler for Unnacceptable:

Acceptable: less than 1% MC from your favorite shonen/seinen manga:

Spoiler for Acceptable:

Else: Toudouin Masaya, Sugisaki Ken

Horimiya felt shoujo-ish with the concrete traditional pairing set up, aloof beauty at school but domestic girl at home. And the male MC is very difficult to relate/make-sense of which is (again) like any other shojo title out there. And of course "dat bishounen art-style"

Bonnouji is tamer because it felt more Josei-ish with very down-to-earth characters and interaction. And the art style wasn't too 'intimidating'

Originally Posted by SamVision

What you are looking for is kind of rare. I can think of a few right now: Hajimete Datteba, Comic Studio, Love Calendar, maybe Yandere Kanojo although that is mostly gags than romance. Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan can be considered vanilla romance too although it doesn't initially appear that way.

Its not that rare: Hatsukiai, Itoshi no Karin, Itoshi no Kana, Hadi Girl, Shinonome Yuuko, Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou, Bocchi na Bokura Renai Jijou, One Week Friends, KimiKiss, Kyou no Yuiko-san, and every single Amagami manga. At least, from the top off my head.

I've read Hajimete Datteba, Comic Studio, and Yandere Kanojo. Will try Rakudai Kishi (yes, it looks like a generic LN harem) and Love Calendar seems to miss a lot of chapters

EDIT: Ah now I remember. I did ever read Rakudai Kishi but dropped it before even finishing chapter one, because it painfully looks like a generic harem LN adaptation. Please, someone tell me I'm wrong!

[Sackett]

Hmmm.. not shoujo, that rules out Kimi ni Todoke, which was what I was thinking until I got there. Kimi ni Todoke is about as shoujo as they come, although with very down to earth characters (in case that's what you are concerned about).

Not much fits...

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun is actually a shonen, no drama, but it emphasizes the comedy over the romance. Yandere Kanojo is similar, though maybe a little more romance then Nozaki-kun.

Cross Game isn't super drama (other than the first episode), the romance is low key and there is a heavy slice of life feel. Not sure it's what you are looking for.

Silver Spoon is a similar feel to Cross Game, but without the baseball.

Maybe Koi Dano Ai Dano? We see most of the romance from the viewpoint of the male lead, but most everything else from the heroine's viewpoint.

There's Last Game, not sure if that is shoujo or shounen. But it fits pretty well. Guy has been chasing the same girl for 10 years (starting in third grade) and is finally making progress now that they are in college.

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun has drama but it fits in both your #1 and #2 items of acceptable drama. Also it's complete, with a very satisfying ending. Technically shoujo, but feels more like a shounen after the first couple chapters.

Maybe Love So Life, the romance is mainly subtext (pretty clear subtext though), not much drama.

Maybe Tonari no Kashiwagi-san which has drama only inside the head of the protagonist.

Your "ecchi is okay" makes me think of B Gata H Kei, which despite the goals of the heroine, does fit.

Looking, looking...

Aha, I couldn't remember the name, but I found it: 14-sai no Koi, which is a very sweet manga about first love. Little to no drama, just a focus on romance, and two kids trying to figure out how it's supposed to work.

[SamVision]

Koi Dano Ai Dano... Last Game... Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun... Love So Life... 14-sai no Koi...

These are all shoujo/josei.

Tonari no Kashiwagi-san

By all means stay the fack away from this one.

Ah now I remember. I did ever read Rakudai Kishi but dropped it before even finishing chapter one, because it painfully looks like a generic harem LN adaptation. Please, someone tell me I'm wrong!

The romance in it is SO vanilla that you might get diabetus.

[all_flying]

I don't have anything against Josei. Usually it was less superstitious than it's little sister (Shoujo). 14-sai no Koi turned out not like what I expected but it still has a nice feeling.

I've watched Tonari no Kaibutsu anime. And yeah it felt less shoujo-ish. Partly, maybe because the protagonist is more cold and pragmatic in contrast with the usual wishy-washy type. But it still didn't delete the tedious drama near the end of season 1. And I watch mostly for the good laugh. The romance part is not very good.

Nozaki-kun really pointed out things I hate from shoujo manga (clarify: I don't hate the show itself). And, mfw when I know Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun is not a shoujo but a parody of shoujo

@SamVision
What went wrong with Tonari no Kashiwagi-san?

[Flower]

To be fair I very much enjoy Tonari no Kashiwagi-san, but I could see how some might not enjoy it. Even so, I kinda doubt it would be something you would enjoy.

Hmm...you already mentioned the beautiful Itoshi no Karin...

Other than that I find it hard to recommend things to you (just like in the other thread) simply because I enjoy shoujo, drama, etc. plenty. I also am fond of innocent love type stories, but most of them are either shoujo or have drama mixed in at times. Love So Life for me is a perfect example of a super vanilla story, but I wonder whether or no it would fit the rather specific standards you are asking after?

I recently stumbled across another very vanilla love type story, but I wonder whether it might be too shoujo for you? It is Kokoro Kimiiro Sakurairo.

There is an outside possibility you might find some series of interest in this thread: http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=127767

[all_flying]

Seriously, what the heck is wrong with Kashiwagi? I thought it was pretty nice, comfy and cute (4 chapters in). Don't tell me it will become a huge trainwreck later on?

Spoiler for blog:

I dislike Shoujo mainly because of.... basically, anything wrong with Kimi ni Todoke, CLAMP being CLAMP, hero treat the heroine like sh*t and yet she still pick him up over any nice guy beside her, Long story short: What the heck? What was I reading? It doesn't make any sense! "This guy annoys me, but why is she still chasing after him?" tears, tears, TEARS! Well you know, the usual business. And, the artwork often didn't strike me much.

Well, I don't blame them because I'm not their primary target audience anyway. And yes there are some exceptions. But still, I'd rather read some Manga Time Kirara lineup than blindly dive into Bessatsu Margaret.

Kokoro Kimi-iro Sakurairo is Josei. Josei and Seinen are very close to each other. Thats why I rarely have any problem reading Josei.

On unrelated note: finished 5 chapters of Rakudai Kishi, and doesn't feel like vanilla. Or at least inb4 reading the LN

[SamVision]

Don't tell me it will become a huge trainwreck later on?

That is exactly what happens, considering your definition of the word "trainwreck".

On unrelated note: finished 5 chapters of Rakudai Kishi, and doesn't feel like vanilla. Or at least inb4 reading the LN

Read the light novel for spoilers, but it will get pretty vanilla less than ten chapters in.

[Sackett]

You might like Koi Dano Ai Dano then. The girl is basically oblivious to love, which is more of a shounen trope then shoujo. The guy is asked to pretend to fake-date someone else in an attempt to make the girl jealous and his response was: "Who would do something like that? If I have to lie to her I'd rather it be something that makes her happy." It was a very surprising bit of rejecting shoujo tropes so you might find it interesting.

The last chapter to be honest did have some shoujo vibes, but after the previous 28 chapters I'm sort of expecting the shoujo tropes will just be subverted again.

[all_flying]

Originally Posted by SamVision

That is exactly what happens, considering your definition of the word "trainwreck".

Koe no Katachi level? or Seo Kouji level? Please God, No! Why is it there is always someone doing a healing romance for the sake of ruining it? That's why we can't have a nice thing!

Originally Posted by Sackett

You might like Koi Dano Ai Dano then. The girl is basically oblivious to love, which is more of a shounen trope then shoujo. The guy is asked to pretend to fake-date someone else in an attempt to make the girl jealous and his response was: "Who would do something like that? If I have to lie to her I'd rather it be something that makes her happy." It was a very surprising bit of rejecting shoujo tropes so you might find it interesting.

The last chapter to be honest did have some shoujo vibes, but after the previous 28 chapters I'm sort of expecting the shoujo tropes will just be subverted again.

errr...., I think you forgot this one:

• And bishounen is a no.

And, this is not the first time someone introduced me into this title.

Actually, shoujo and shounen share very distinctive similarities: bland-nice protagonist with super cool (often abusive) love interest. Just swap their gender, they're interchangeable.

Spoiler for blog time part 2:

Like I said earlier, shoujo manga never intended for me (bearded fella ) especially (story, character, artwork). Even though there are some titles which I really like (i.e: Honey & Clover, Hal, Hotarubi no Mori) but those are very rare exceptions, and it still doesn't change my stance against shoujo demographic. Heck, I even tried watching Ao Haru Ride, but gave up midway (And Sabagebu often didn't strike me). It just simply not my cup of tea. Well, those are anime but my point is this: "demographic"

Demographic matrix:
Shoujo: young, female
Shounen: young, male
Seinen: adult, male
Josei: adult, female

Of course I'm very much aware there are shonen/seinen title which is felt more feminine than usual or shoujo title which is felt heavier than usual. But, they're published in "demographic magazine" so the authors are still using tropes/anything to pull on its intended readers. Or some titles which don't have any effect or whatsoever even when they changed demographic (Aqua/Aria changed from shoujo magazine to shounen magazine).

on another unrelated note: 2 chapters of Love Calendar. The date scene was so cute, I can't stop laughing like a madman.

[Tempester]

Originally Posted by all_flying

I dislike Shoujo mainly because of.... basically, anything wrong with Kimi ni Todoke... hero treat the heroine like sh*t and yet she still pick him up over any nice guy beside her

Wait, what? I thought the main hero in Kimi ni Todoke was a sweet nice guy. Are we talking about the same thing?

[SamVision]

Koe no Katachi level? or Seo Kouji level? Please God, No! Why is it there is always someone doing a healing romance for the sake of ruining it? That's why we can't have a nice thing!

It starts off really well, but gets side-tracked to a point where I don't think it has a plot anymore.

Originally Posted by Tempester

Wait, what? I thought the main hero in Kimi ni Todoke was a sweet nice guy. Are we talking about the same thing?

This is indeed true, Kazehaya is by no means a jerk. He has just as many insecurities and is often just as embarrassed as the protagonist. I wouldn't call him a bishounen at all.

[all_flying]

Originally Posted by Tempester

Wait, what? I thought the main hero in Kimi ni Todoke was a sweet nice guy. Are we talking about the same thing?

No, I was talking about something else entirely. I mean, anything wrong with Todoke (basic shoujo romance which goes nowhere) is one thing, then any sentence afterward is another thing. Sorry for poor wording.

Originally Posted by SamVision

It starts off really well, but gets side-tracked to a point where I don't think it has a plot anymore.

You scares me there. So, it is just like Nisekoi now?

[Flower]

Shoujo romance going nowhere could be levelled at the Kashiwagi-san manga, I think - alas.

[all_flying]

Originally Posted by Flower

Shoujo romance going nowhere could be levelled at the Kashiwagi-san manga, I think - alas.

Well, Time Kirara (including Forward, Carat, and Max) is basically a shoujo magazine for male readers

[Flower]

Originally Posted by all_flying

Well, Time Kirara (including Forward, Carat, and Max) is basically a shoujo magazine for male readers

I still enjoy reading Kashiwagi-san - do not get me wrong!

Was just saying that that the accusation against it for dragging things out at a slow pace with the feeling of "going nowhere" is not entirely unjust.

Dragging out in and of itself is not a problem for me personally. If I feel there is noticeable slow development in the series I will follow it. For me Kimi ni Todoke fits this bill for me, but I feel it has more emphasis on coming of age than romance - maturing and slow realizations can take place separate from the most noticeable romance theme.

But there are series that for me agonizingly went absolutely nowhere on every possible level, and no amount of great art (like Pastel) or great story setting and characters (Nazo no Kanajo X) can make up for the lack of movement.

It is one thing when you catch yourself before you invest yourself, but another when you suddenly realize the story is going nowhere after you are hooked on some aspect of it. *shakes fist ar certain series that shall remain nameless*

[SamVision]

If only Douluo Dalu gets translated all the way. While it's focus is not on romance, what considerable romance it has is exactly what you are looking for. It's at times too cute for words.

[all_flying]

Originally Posted by Flower

I still enjoy reading Kashiwagi-san - do not get me wrong!

Was just saying that that the accusation against it for dragging things out at a slow pace with the feeling of "going nowhere" is not entirely unjust.

Dragging out in and of itself is not a problem for me personally. If I feel there is noticeable slow development in the series I will follow it. For me Kimi ni Todoke fits this bill for me, but I feel it has more emphasis on coming of age than romance - maturing and slow realizations can take place separate from the most noticeable romance theme.

But there are series that for me agonizingly went absolutely nowhere on every possible level, and no amount of great art (like Pastel) or great story setting and characters (Nazo no Kanajo X) can make up for the lack of movement.

It is one thing when you catch yourself before you invest yourself, but another when you suddenly realize the story is going nowhere after you are hooked on some aspect of it. *shakes fist ar certain series that shall remain nameless*

I know your point,

I don't have a problem with slow development. Udon no Hito, and Aki Eda's works especially were just as slow as well. What differ them is "the-type-of-pandering" used to hook in readers. And like I said earlier it has a lot of things to do with 'demographic' (like the artwork, characters, quirk, flow & execution). Okay, how about like this, imagine: "What should you do as an author/artist/editor if Todoke being brought into a seinen manga (example: Manga Time Kirara Forward)?"

Speaking of which, I've found two more super vanilla grade: Hajiotsu (innocent side) and Kanojo no Kagi wo Akeru Houhou (ecchi side)