Slow Romance

Best Shoujo and Josei Manga featuring a slow romance.

Ao Haru Ride Manga by Io Sakisaka

Ao Haru Ride

Name: Ao Haru Ride
Mangaka: Sakisaka, Io

Volumes: 13 (Complete)
Licensed: Viz (13 Volumes: Digital/Physical) – (Complete)
Type: Manga
Genre: Slice of Life
Age Group: Teen

Summary:  
Yoshioka Futaba has a few reasons why she wants to “reset” her image and life as a new high-school student. Because she’s cute and had a demure personality she was ostracized by her female friends in junior high, and because of a series of misunderstandings and mishaps, she couldn’t get her feeling across to the one boy she has always liked, Tanaka Kou.

Now in high school, she is determined to be as unladylike as possible so that her friends won’t be jealous of her. While living her life this way contentedly, she meets Tanaka-kun again, but he now goes under the name of Mabuchi Kou. He tells her that he felt the same way as she did when they were younger, but that they cannot go back. Will Futaba be able to continue her love that never even started from three years ago?
–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 4/5
Plot Rating: 3/5

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Screenshot from Takane and Hana. A highschool girls is asleep leaning on an older man who is also asleep.

Takane and Hana

Name: Takane and Hana
Mangaka: Shiwasu, Yuki

Volumes: 18 (Complete)
Licensed: Viz (Complete – Digital/Paperback)
Type: Manga
Genre: Comedy
Age Group: Everyone

Summary:  
Hana is a high schooler who ends up replacing her big sister at a marriage interview. Little does she expect that the potential groom, a handsome 26-year-old businessman named Takane, immediately insults her and calls her a gold digger! Furious, Hana throws her wig in his face and leaves.

Against all odds the two end up going on dates on a regular basis. Takane is a rich kid who’s much more immature and inexperienced than his good looks and flashy manners suggest, so they find it easy to forget that their ages are ten years apart. But how will these two ever find love when they’re so busy teasing each other?
–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 3/5
Plot Rating: 3/5

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Screenshot from Demon Prince of Momochi House, Young Man leans into a young woman with a soft expression

Demon Prince of Momochi House

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Name: Demon Prince of Momochi House
Mangaka: Shouoto, Aya

Volumes: 16 (Complete)
Licensed: Viz (Complete – Digital/Paperback)
Type: Manga
Genre: Supernatural
Age Group: Teen

Summary:  
Momochi Himari, despite being an orphan, unexpectedly inherits an old house. Despite warnings she receives on the Momochi House being haunted, she decides to go live there anyway. She soon learns that the house is already occupied by three somewhat strange men, Aoi, Yukari and Ise, all of whom may or may not possess supernatural abilities to combat evil spirits. What happens when stubborn Himari decides to stay, despite being told to leave?
–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 5/5
Plot Rating: 5/5

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Scene from manga Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai - A woman grins at a man while he looks at her annoyed

Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai

Name: Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai
Mangaka: Aya Nakahara

Volumes: 10 (Complete)
Scanlations: V.10 Ch.40
Type: Manga
Genre: Slice of Life/Josei
Age Group: Older Teen

Summary:  
The unemployed Shibata Michiko is betting everything she has on her romance with a younger man—literally. In order to keep him happy, she deprives herself of the things she wants and buys him expensive clothing and accessories. Since she’s flat out broke, she needs to find a job before she starves to death and loses her young love interest. However, Michiko discovers that the boy was never interested in her romantically. Depressed at being dumped and after a series of unsuccessful interviews, she bumps into Kurosawa—an intimidating former boss she used to dislike.
–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 3/5
Plot Rating: 3/5

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Crown of Thorns Manga by Kamio

Crown of Thorns

Name: Crown of Thorns (Ibara no Kanmuri)
Mangaka: Yoko Kamio

Volumes: 2 (Complete)
Licensed: Viz (2 Volumes – Digital only)
Type: Manga
Genre: Supernatural
Age Group: Teen

Summary:  
Nobara, a high-school girl who lives alone in a western style house, has a curious power. She can see things others can’t. Three months ago, a curious blonde guy appeared in front of her, but she is the only one who can see him…
–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 4/5
Plot Rating: 4/5

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