• Is one of the main protagonists getting sick? Sure.
• Is there a school festival? Yes.
• Are there misunderstandings? Of course.

So there are some tropes in these manga, but other than that, these shoujo titles feel really refreshing. But generally, I want to say: there’s nothing wrong with tropes. Some, like enemies-to-lovers, childhood-friend-to-lovers, and office romances, are very welcome because you know exactly what you’re getting. But as an avid reader, a breath of fresh air in the romance genre is always welcome. So I created this list.

Shoujo Manga without tropes -overview

To know which one you should choose, it depends on what you’re looking for. Ohayou Ibarahime and Queen’s Quality, for example, are more story-driven and focus on the characters’ backgrounds, while Furare Girl and Boku to Kimi no Taisetsu na Hanashi focus more on the protagonists’ everyday school life. But all of these 5 recommendations are great picks:

• Ohayou, Ibarahime
• Our Precious Conversations
• Queen’s Quality
• Furare Girl
• How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer

How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer

Official Summary on MangaUP!

College student Tokiwa gets invited to a mixer by his female classmate Suo. But when he arrives with his friends, they’re greeted by three dazzlingly handsome men?!

Platform: Kodansha · Genre: Romance · Status: Ongoing · Release: 2021

What makes this Shoujo stand out

If you want to read a shoujo that doesn’t feel “tropey” at all, How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer is your pick. The premise is also pretty funny. Our three FLs work in a cosplay café and didn’t have time to change outfits, so they just went to the mixer disguised as guys. It has many sweet moments and breaks some of the standard gender prejudices that are often used in shoujo. This time, the guys are the ones who are flustered 24/7, not the other way around.

Wake up Sleeping Beauty/Ohayou, Ibarahime

Official Summary on Kodansha

High schooler Tetsu Misato is hardworking, frugal, and easily scared, but he commits to a part-time job at the mansion on the hill—the one that’s rumored to be haunted. As he toils away, he notices a building separate from the estate and the mysterious girl who lives within it: Shizu Karasawa. Tetsu slowly becomes enchanted by Shizu’s lonely smile, but by their second encounter, he quickly finds himself in over his head. There’s an unsettling feeling he can’t quite shake, but there’s love there, too.

Platform: Kodansha · Genre: Shoujo · Status: Completed · Release: 2017

What makes this Shoujo stand out feels like a breath of fresh air

To be honest, after reading chapter one, I thought: wait a second, a confession after two meetings? But just keep reading. Tetsu is a very lovable ML with a lot of character development. He tries to conquer his fears and always helps Shizu and his family (sometimes he is portrayed a bit too perfectly). Shizu gave up on herself a long time ago, but with Tetsu’s help, she tries to come out of her shell.

I must say, the ending of this manga was perfect: emotional and satisfying. Everything was resolved, and you get a really satisfying scene without any time skip or the usual “trip to America.” It could have been a bit longer, and the last chapters feel a bit rushed, but definitely give it a try.

Where you can support the creator: Follow on Twitter: @megumi_ibara

Queen’s Quality

Official Summary: Fumi Nishioka lives with Kyutaro Horikita and his family of “Sweepers,” people who specialize in cleaning the minds of those overcome by negative energy and harmful spirits. Fumi has always displayed mysterious abilities, but will those powers be used for evil when she begins to truly awaken as a Queen?

Platform: Viz · Genre: Shoujo · Status: Completed · Release: 2015

A shoujo with action

Queen’s Quality is a continuation of QQ Sweeper. If you want to get the full story, you should start with that first. It has three volumes. Kyousuke Motomi is also the author of Dengeki Daisy, so I expected a unique premise, but Queen’s Quality really is something else. It explores the corruption of the mind and how it affects people, which I find truly interesting. Every thought matters, and every suppressed feeling matters. I also like the dynamic between the main characters, Kyotaro and Fumi.

The story is somewhat predictable – I don’t want to go too in-depth so I won’t spoil anything – but there are still some twists. What I also like is that the characters have clear reasons for their actions and don’t just do things for plot convenience. Major spoiler: when these two finally get together, it’s not your typical “I blush and can’t look him in the face” kind of development. It can get a bit dark at times, but not too heavy.

Where you can support the creator: Follow on Twitter: @motomikyosuke

 

Boku To Kimi No Taisetsu Na Hanashi / Our Precious Conversations

Official Summary: Nozomi Aizawa has kept her feelings for her schoolmate Azuma-kun a secret for quite a while, but the time has come for her to finally confess. His response, though, is far from ordinary! Led in circles by his hilarious tangents, these two awkward teenagers find themselves growing ever closer while muddling through misunderstandings and off-topic rants. When the airheaded stalker Aizawa-san finally connects with the petulant know-it-all Azuma-Kun, the result is a romantic comedy worth talking about!

Platform: Kodansha · Genre: Shoujo · Status: Completed · Release: 2017

This Shoujo introduces tropes in an original way

From all four suggestions, Our Precious Conversations is probably the most shoujo-like and includes the most tropes, although the execution feels really refreshing. The two protagonists are very lovable and often don’t react the way you would expect: Aizawa-san is completely different from the shy beauty you might assume she is, and Azuma-kun is definitely not the diligent type he appears to be.

And to top it off, the side characters are well fleshed out, lovable, and have heart-wrenching stories of their own. It’s one of the few shoujo series that can deliver romance without the typical Valentine’s Day chocolate exchange, which really impressed me. It starts a bit slow – I was worried they would just keep talking at the station – but that’s not the case. So just keep reading. Their relationship develops naturally over many conversations, so it doesn’t feel forced or rushed.

One downside, in my opinion: The manga basically ends when they get together.

Where you can support the creator : Follow on Twitter. @robicon2018

Furare Girl

Official Japanese Summary (translated)

“Please be my mistress!”

Akasaka is suddenly hit with this incredibly rude confession from her classmate Aoyama. Her biggest complex? Her overwhelming sex appeal. The constant aura she gives off ended up driving away even the boyfriend she truly loved, leaving her scared of romance. But then…!?

Platform: Hakusensha (no English official) · Genre: Shoujo · Status: Completed · Release: 2018

Why this Shoujo stands out

With Furare Girl, you never know what to expect. All the characters are pretty unpredictable, especially because you sometimes just can’t believe that Aoyama really is that gullible, but he is. If he can’t control his emotions, he liquefies or turns into sand.

There are also random guardian spirits. This sounds absurd, and maybe it is, but overall, this is a really fluffy and non-generic shoujo without much drama and with interesting characters. The artwork is unique as well. And don’t worry: his excessive nosebleeds from the beginning almost completely stop later on.

Where you can support the Creator: Follow on Twitter: @tsutsumikakeru