In this article, you will read about the must read shoujosei manga for 2023. You don’t want to miss it.

What is a shoujosei manga? The word comprises both demographic–shoujo and josei–in manga. It is manga that targets a certain demographic and for this, it means girls and women alike. It should not be confused with genre. Shoujosei manga doesn’t mean that it only revolves around the stereotypical idea of “what women read”. A lot of people confuse shoujosei manga as romance and slice of life however that’s not the case. Shoujosei manga vary depending on the manga’s genre. 

For The Fantasy Girls Out There: A Fantasy Shoujosei Manga

Queen’s Quality

Volumes: 18 (Ongoing)

Anime Adaptation: No

Genre: Action, Supernatural, Comedy, Drama, Romance

Queen’s Quality is a supernatural ongoing manga by Motomi Kyousuke. This action-filled manga dives deep into mental issues through sweepers. The female protagonist, Fumi Nishioka, is an apprentice sweeper–specializing in cleaning the minds of negative energy and harmful spirits. As she embarks on her journey to becoming a full fledged sweeper, she uncovers the secrets and truths of the family she lives with–the Horikita family–and her entanglement with them.

Best paired with:

Queen’s Quality has a related series entitled QQ Sweeper. In this 3-volume series, you get to see Fumi before she became a sweeper and was taken under the wing of the Horikita family. If you’re thinking about dipping your toes into a new genre, QQ sweeper is definitely a must read shoujosei manga for it!

A Historical Shoujosei Must Read!

Yona of the Dawn

Volumes: 40 (Ongoing)

Anime Adaptation: Yes

Genre: Historical, Action, Supernatural, Drama, Romance, Harem

Kusanagi Mizuho’s Yona of the Dawn work has proven itself with how much reception it’s getting. This historical shoujo manga has captured the hearts of historical manga lovers out there. With its beautiful artwork and great character development. The twists and turns of each volume will definitely put you at the edge of your seat. Don’t pass up the opportunity to read this shoujosei manga, with 40 volumes to catch up to and more, you will not regret reading it.

Horror Girlies out there! This Shoujosei manga is for you!

Tomie

Volumes: Standalone

Anime Adaptation: Yes

Genre: Horror, Drama, School life, Mature, Tragedy, Supernatural

Being one of Junji Ito’s best works, Tomie is about a beautiful woman. It is easy for men to fall in love and become obsessed with her. Eventually, these men kill and dismember her body due to their obsession. However, Tomie always comes back. She always does. 

Best paired with:

Tomie: Replay is a novel that features two girls who always wonder why doctors, nurses, and patients disappear one by one. As they do their best to uncover the truth behind the incidents, they link it to a woman named Tomie. 

An Action-filled Shoujosei with a Dash of Tears

Banana Fish

Volumes: 19 (Completed)

Anime Adaptation: Yes

Genre: Action, Drama, Psychological, Tragedy, Mature

Banana Fish is a manga created by Yoshida Akimi. This garnered a permanent spot in a lot of people’s reading list. As the genre lists, this is an unfortunate story between Ash Lynx and Okamura Eiji as they navigate through the toughest challenges of life. This manga series dives deep into the nature and nurture of a person and how one attempts to break free from the chains of it. This will definitely make your heart hurt for days.

Sports Shoujosei Manga

Chihayafuru

Volumes: 50 (Completed)

Anime Adaptation: Yes

Genre: Sports, Slice of Life, School life, Drama

Chihaya has always dreamt of her sister becoming the best model in Japan. However, an unassuming transfer student made her realize that dreams should be about herself and she must work hard to aim for it. As Chihaya learns more about herself, she discovers that she has a passion for Karuta–a Japanese traditional card game. She decides that it’ll be her dream: to become the best Karuta player in the world–the Queen of Karuta.

This compelling manga by Suetsugu Yuki has captivated its readers for years. As the manga closes the series after 15 long years, we get to see the characters get what they deserve. A long yet beautiful story of friendship, dreams, love, and passion. This is definitely a shoujosei must read to be added on your list!

Slice of Life that will Keep You Up At Night

Haru’s Curse

Volumes: 2 (Completed)

Anime Adaptation: No

Genre: Slice of Life, Psychological, Drama, Romance

Losing a sister is never easy. Natsumi just right after losing her sister, Haru, from cancer, gets a sudden proposal from her sister’s fiance. All she wants to be at that moment is to be with her dear sister but Tougo, Haru’s fiance, proposes a different method–one that she doesn’t think will mend both of their hearts. This story revolves around grief, love, and betrayal. Asuka Konishi’s work has both beautiful artwork and storyline. This is definitely worth reading for those wanting a different take of the slice of life genre. 

Manga Translation Services For Every Genre

Without proper and licensed manga translations, we do not get to enjoy the Japanese manga in its full potential. Manga translators take into consideration the genre, demographics, background, and character design for their translations. Manga translation is not a one size fits all ordeal. If you want to have the best manga translation available, then you must choose experts for the job.

It is critical to find a translation services supplier who can deliver the majority of the services required by the company. It prevents issues like misunderstandings and incoherence, which is crucial because it could drive away current and future customers.

A provider of translation and localization services with ten years’ experience is Creative Connections & Commons Inc. These years of expertise are a clear indication of the company’s ability to provide accurate and of high quality translation services. CCC offers all the translation services you need to launch your international business, from literary to expert.