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The Kodansha Manga Award (講談社漫画賞, Koudansha Manga Shou) is an annual award for serialized manga published in the previous year, the event is sponsored by the publisher Kodansha. It is currently awarded in three categories: shounen, shoujo, and general. The awards began in 1977, initially with categories for shounen and shoujo. The first award for the general category was in 1982, and the first children's category's award was in 2003. The children's category was merged into the shounen and shoujo categories starting in 2015.

(not just manga but I don't want to bog down the title)

some of them are BL or yuri. some of them just have random gay side characters. sometimes. the random side character is trans. if you are insane like me, you will read the whole thing just for that one queer character.

If you've had enough life and love experience to have a decent understanding of how things actually work (and how they don't), you realize that the way manga and anime typically portray romance is lacking, to say the least. And also generally horrible, if I'm being honest. But some are clearly written by people who know what's up—and you should check them out.

This is a list of printed works featuring characters who:
* exhibit authentic romantic chemistry with each other;
* have charisma and/or sex appeal and aren't afraid to use it;
* are able to hold mutually engaging conversations on different subjects;
* have three-dimensional personalities that are interesting and relatable outside the context of their relationships;
* go above and beyond the stale tropes in their relationship;
* otherwise behave like people tend to in non-imaginary relationships.

Includes well-written same-sex/LGBTI romance that complies with the principles above.

Includes stories that explore toxic/unhealthy relationships and relationships that don't end well but are still true to the real-world experience.

Includes stories that aren't completely focused on romance but have it as one of the core elements of the storytelling and character progression.

More entries will be added in the future. Existing entries are subject to revision.

This list constitutes my personal views and stances. Feel free to shoot me suggestions via DMs but make sure you have a convincing argument if it's not something that's already on my main manga/anime list. I don't promise it'll end up here but I will consider all suggestions.

This list is printed-works-only because many of these don't have an anime equivalent and I don't want to multiply effort. Entries that have anime adaptations may be experienced better as such (I have noted it in the descriptions where applicable).

Honorable anime-only and anime-original mentions: Mind Game, Furiko, Steins;Gate.

Just a list of what in my opinion is the pinnacle of the medium. No particular order.

A list of rom-com and pure romance mangas to give you your daily dose of insulin.

Manga that I believe are highly underrated and deserve more attention.

Recommended manga/manhwa that hasn't been adapted yet into anime part 2

Part 1: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/5329
Part 3: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/6748
Part 4: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/55028
Part 5: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/55029
Part 6: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/55030
Part 7: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/55031
Part 8: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/60035
Part 9: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/60034
Part 10: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/60044
Part 11: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/60043
‎Part 12: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/62517
‎Part 13: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/62633
‎Part 14: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/62635
‎Part 15: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/64116
Part 16: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/75737
Part 17: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/75739
Part 18: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/75742
Part 19: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/75744
Part 20: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/75925
Part 21: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/75941
Part 22: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/76030
Part 23: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/75923
Part 24: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/76105
Part 25: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/76028
Part 26: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/75939
Part 27: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/75926
Part 28: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/76029
Part 29: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/75933
Part 30: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/75938
Part 31: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/75924
Part 32: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/76375
Part 33: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/76436
Part 34: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/76503
Part 35: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/76508
Part 36: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/76952


Note:some lists may be/have been adapted into anime

bl as in: published in a bl magazine or otherwise implied by the author (ergo; just because the mc is a queer guy does not mean the manga is bl)

listed with at least one bl the author wrote (either my favorite that they wrote or their most popular)

I was going to add oofuri to this list but can't find what bl the author wrote (tho I am sure that people used to say she had written bl before).

feel free to recommend any authors, just make sure you have an actual example instead of a rumor.

This is for your friends who only know manga through anime or only relate it to shonen and ecchi, it’s not necessarily directed at a “manga beginner” but at those who aren't part of the niche and want to see the different perspectives the medium can offer. I'm obviating some extremely popular works for variety's sake, shoujo and josei are overlooked enough in this kind of stacks ;) 3 volumes and up, well drawn, mostly easy to follow, interesting visual and narratively.

Some other aspects I considered:
- Cinematic vibes
- Human drama
- Down to earth, realistic characters
- Cross-cultural appeal (e.g pop culture references, foreign settings, etc)
- No out of place fanservice
- No tropes that might break the immersion (e.g. author insertion)

All the manga & manhwa that are listed currently have an anime or an anime that has been announced.

here we have some recommendations for manga they can be wholesome or not, funny or not, but they are a gem!

really chill manga

Manga with a shounen or seinen with a romance subplot in the background, although it’s not the main focus (plenty of romance fan service though).

Note: these mangas/mangwas have official physicals that are already out or was announced!!

Trans, Nonbinary, Genderqueer and other

i'm particularly picky about romance animanga because too many of them drag out for the sake of making more money, they don't even experience the couple's relationships and just ends it at them getting together, etc. the romances i chose have either character development, charm, and/or unique premise.

i tried not including romances where the romance isn't really a huge focus, and i haven't read many novels in general but i'll be adding romance novels i like in the future.

(P.S. I do not hate high school rom-coms, I just read a lot more romances of other genres and it's hard to find a rom-com that doesn't drag out or that stands out imo)

Slice-of-life backed up with pleasing art and decent plot.