#Kageki Shoujo!!

[sebbyisland]

This is a weird question but you have good vibes so do you know any good shoujos for beginners? If you dont then just delete this lol

OH this is the best question i have ever received! Thank you! I hope this can be a helpful resource for you or anyone else interested in getting into shojo!!!

I’m gonna define “Good Beginner Shojo” as stories with an interesting premise, strong narrative(? this is VERY subjective sorry?), and also lacks some of the more squicky/uncomfortable tropes: predatory romantic relationships, borderline sexual assault as flirting, or incest**. This list is split between short and long series. I’ll also try to keep the genres diverse! These are all stories I’ve personally read/watched and are popular enough that they’ve been officially translated in different languages.

Good Shojo for Beginners, Short Term Investment

Princess Tutu: A dark fairy-tale-esque anime about a young girl who studies ballet in the day and fights demons at night using ballet + emotional intelligence. The deeper plot is that the entire cast are treated like puppets by a grand and elusive storymaster, and they all must struggle to escape being doomed by the narrative. There’s a lot of references to Swan Lake, the girl keeps getting turned into a duck, many emotions are felt. Complete, one anime season.

From Me to You: shy young girl is a social outcast due to misunderstandings that blew out of proportion. She receives an olive branch from a boy in her class and this gives her the confidence to start making friends and support herself!! The aforementioned boy is also her love interest and is endearingly too flustered to make a move. high school drama ensues. Two anime seasons, manga complete ~120 chapters.

Magic Knight Rayearth: three girls get transported to a fantasy world and have to learn to work together in giant magic mecha suits order to rescue a trapped princess + save the world. They make friends along the way as they try to fight monsters. One anime season, manga complete ~30 chapters.

Kase-san: sapphic high school romance with a jock girl and gardener girl who plants flowers near her practice field… they are both kinda shy and build up confidence as their bond gets deeper. it’s just 100% fluff. anime OVA and complete manga, ~15 chapters, there's also a sequel-series though

Library Wars: what it says on the tin. militant librarians fight the government to stop book censorship. the story follows a soldier in training: a reckless young woman who dreams of meeting the "prince" who inspired her to take up arms to protect books. this is more of an action-comedy than a political drama, so don't expect too much from the plot, but it's fun to watch our failgirl get put into situations. one anime season, 73 chapter manga, live action movie. you'll be okay just watching the anime but obvi the manga expands more on the characters + world building.

Orange: high school girl receives letters from her future self that tell her that a boy from her friend group is planning on committing suicide. She works with her friends to prevent this from happening, but things are definitely more complicated than they seem. An emotional drama, discussion of mental health including depression and suicidal thoughts. It’s a really heartfelt series. One anime season, ~38 chapter manga. (originally published in a shoujo magazine, then switched to seinen probably for marketing reasons.*)

In the Clear Moonlit Dusk: Masculine studious girl feels distant from her classmates who idolize her as a “prince,” but then she catches the attention of the local sparkly bad boy “prince.” An innocent, fluffy high school romance about a prince and her prince. SO many sparkly anime eyes, if that's you're thing. It’s a simple plot, but I enjoy the execution a lot. Ongoing, currently ~27 chapters

Tokyo Mew Mew: Captain Planet but magical girl. group of teen girls get accidentally infused with the DNA of endangered animal species + magic and transform into a hero squad to fight aliens trying to destroy earth's resources! Their cover for their secret headquarters is a maid café, where they all work part time. Manga complete ~30 chapters, anime adaption complete + one season of anime reboot.

Good Shojo for Beginners, Long Term Investment

Yona of the Dawn: historic fantasy setting, coming of age for a naive young princess who grows into a capable leader by abandoning her sheltered life within palace walls for…plot reasons (major spoiler in 1st chapter LOL). there’s a slow but thorough exploration of the political issues in her kingdom, i would say the world-building is an unexpected strength of the story. She’s supported by her hot magical anime boy harem, but the story emphasizes found family dynamics over the romcom. there’s still a primary love interest established early on, it’s just VERY slow burn. one anime season, manga ongoing 300+ chapters

Kageki Shojo!!: Follow the adventures of an all-girls vocational school to train to become members of the historic Kouka all-girls musical theater troupe, where women play roles for all genders. The protagonist is a girl who grew up watching Kouka performances and never lost her sense of childlike wonder. Theater doesn’t come naturally for her, but she’s also very talented. Fun cast, lightly discusses social issues as they come up with sincerity and care. Very reminiscent of 80s shojo. One anime season, Ongoing manga 90+ chapters

My Love Mix-Up! what if there was an ACTUAL high school love triangle. boy likes girl who likes a different boy, but that boy is interested in the aforementioned boy. what if this was all a misunderstanding and actually boy and girl like the same boy. what if that was also a misunderstanding. have you ever been a dumbass high school student trying your best. protagonist is bi king. 120~ chapters, no anime, but a live action show.

Ouran High School Host Club: ah yes a classic romcom. girl gets a scholarship to an elite high school and accidentally falls into debt on her first day to the school host club (boys who professionally flirt with girls during lunch). To pay off her debt, she pretends to be a guy at school so she can work as a host. The comedy is a blend of making fun of shojo tropes and the disaster personalities that make up the supporting cast. it's funnier the more shojo you have read/watched before this one. one anime season, 200+ chapters, complete

BL Metamorphosis: elderly widow accidentally reads a BL manga and gets invested, she bonds with a high school girl who works at the bookstore about it. Very cute parallels between her late husband and the fictional love story. Depicts fandom culture without normalizing the creepy and invasive BL fan behavior. Reminds me a lot of spending time with my grandma, which makes me want to cry.~90 chapters.

Sailor Moon: I know i know everyone is going to tell you this but it's actually a classic for a reason. (Sapphic!!!) magical girls traveling across space and time? Fighting evil with the power of friendship and love? Cute character designs? It's a good time. Protagonist is a total brat (normal 14yr old!!!!) AND a good hero. I'm putting this last because I wanted the other stories to have a chance, but it's honestly so good like please. There technically an inappropriate age gap relationship but it's like the disney movie Tangled where you don't realize it until you literally look up their ages. 150+ chapters, complete.

**When I first read shojo, I was a very young child, basically the target audience, but there are things I read as a child that would make me feel a bit disgusted to read now. Knowing this, I want people who are new to shojo to make informed decisions. There are problematic tropes present in MANY well loved stories--and they are well-loved for a reason!!! These complexities are part of reading and enjoying fiction. I've excluded some of my all-time favorite stories from my childhood thanks to the criteria I set as good "beginner" shojo--but I also don't want to contribute to a world that divides stories as "problematic" and "unproblematic" as if such a binary exists. Ultimately, this list is just based on my PERSONAL taste, what I deem more comfortable to read than other stories, so I can't guarantee that you'll have the same experience. I can't even promise I would have the same experience re-reading some of these, since the stuff that made me comfortable/uncomfortable in the past has changed in the present. It's all very subjective. That's why I'm intentionally specific about the tropes I've excluded. Note that this doesn't mean the stories listed are not littered with their own flaws. I hope this disclaimer didn't seem too excessive, haha.

#sorry if this is overwhelming information um. shojo is kinda my passion actually!!!!! my first manga ever was shojo!! #'if you don't just delete this' that's the funniest thing i ever heard #ok. tagging time #princess tutu #kimi ni todoke #magic knight rayearth #kase san #library wars #orange #in the clear moonlit dusk #tokyo mew mew #yona of the dawn #kageki shoujo!! #kieta hatsukoi #ohshc #bl metamorphosis #sailor moon #shojo manga #shojo #I just don’t want someone to come away from this thinking they’re not ‘ready’ to read Cardcaptor Sakura or Fruits Basket.

[yonae]

Kageki Shoujo!! illustration by Kumiko Saiki

#kageki shoujo!! #Kageki shoujo #Kageki shojo #opera girl #Opera girl!! #Anisource #Animangaladies #Animangahive #Shoujoaisource #Shoujoedit #Shoujo-net #Manga #Shoujo #Shoujo manga #Mangaedit #Manga art

[hothotmiso]

#kageki shoujo!! #kageki shoujo #かげきしょうじょ!! #my gif

[yume-fanfare]

will you guys watch kageki shoujo if i ask really nicely

#but do check a trigger warning list maybe #kageki shoujo!! #kageki shoujo #mar's midnight rambles

[peachiecure]

To the 5 people that have read/watched Kageki Shojo this one is for you

#please get it #kageki shojo!! #kageki shojo #kageki shoujo!! #kageki shoujo #かげきしょうじょ！！ #sarasa watanabe #watanabe sarasa #渡辺 さらさ #princess peach showtime! #princess peach showtime #プリンセスピーチ Showtime! #princess peach #ピーチ姫

[haveyoureadthismanga-poll]

#kageki shoujo!! #kageki shoujo #kumiko saiki #2015 #2010s #2020s #ongoing #shoujo #melody

[rainbow-pop-arts]

Trigun MB Thoughts Part 5

Now we’re finally on the extras! This part have a bunch of mangakas but I only mentioned the ones who worked on mangas I know and might be familiar to you guys.

Thoughts on Trigun Badlands Rumble Cheerleaders under the cut!

Mangaka: Hiromi Arakawa

Manga: Fullmetal Alchemist

(I don’t read or watch the anime but I’ve seen fanarts of Edward together with Vash. That makes sense, cuz he wears a red coat, have blonde hair and have a prosthetic arm like Vash! Heck, he even has a brother too.)

Mangaka: Masakazu Ishiguro

Manga: Heavenly Delusion

Mangaka: Kumiko Saiki

Manga: Kageki Shoujo!!

(My friend said this is like Blue Period (Tsubasa Yamaguchi) but instead of art it’s acting. I know there’s an anime of it and I know that episode 3 is gut-punching messed up)

Mangaka: Boichi

Manga: Dr. Stone

Mangaka: Nobuhiro Watsuki

Manga: Rurouni Kenshin 

(Wait, didn’t this author got arrested? (o_O))

Final thoughts: Sorry that I didn’t show all of the mangakas, most of them worked on manga I’m not familiar with and others worked on anime and games. There should be more stuff in Trigun Badlands Rumble Cheerleaders, but they haven’t been translated yet and there are other mangakas that are currently missing. So when they come out I’ll post a part 6. 

Anyways, thank you so much for the translated scans of Trigun: Multiple Bullets, @trigun-manga-overhaul!

#trigun brainrot #trigunbookclub #trigun manga #trigun thoughts #trigun #trigun badlands rumble #vash the stampede #nicholas d. wolfwood #fullmetal alchemist #heavenly delusion #kageki shoujo!! #dr stone #rurouni kenshin

[shoujo-josei-anime-poll]

Favorite Shoujo / Josei Anime (Round 2)

#shoujojoseitournament #kageki shoujo!! #shugo chara #kageki shojo #opera girl! #the curtain rises #guardian character! #shoujo anime #round 2 #poll #polls

[anime-fl-competition]

#anime #polls #best anime fl competition #best anime fl #sarasa watanabe #kageki shoujo!! #hitori gotou #bocchi the rock!

[ultimate-anime-tournament]

Ultimate Anime Tournament: Round 1, Matchup 43

#kageki shoujo!! #luna varga #stars align #hoshiai no sora #polls #round 1

[miad1ary]

anime: kageki shoujo!! ☆゜・。。・゜

#kageki shoujo!! #ayako yamada #anime #tw ana diary #tw disordered eating #tw ed diet #sk11ny #thinspø #ana trigger #tw ana trigger #th1nsp1ration

[yonae]

Kageki Shoujo!!

#kageki shoujo!! #Kageki shoujo #Kageki shojo #Opera girl #Opera girl!! #Shoujoaisource #Anisource #Animangaladies #Animangahive #Shoujoedit #Shoujo-net #Shoujo #Shoujo anime #Anime #Animeedit

[hothotmiso]

#kageki shoujo!! #kageki shoujo #かげきしょうじょ!! #my gif

[yume-fanfare]

shes so real

#from what ive read so far the anime was a reeally good adaptation #added build up in just the right places 📈 #but unfortunately it cut off her weeb references gakdhskdjs #kageki shoujo #mar's midnight rambles #kageki shoujo!!

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group B Round 2: #B1 vs #B2

#B1: Coming-of-age story set in a “utopia”

#B2: High school performers

Titles, propagandas, trailers, and poll under the cut!

#B1: From the New World (Shinsekai Yori)

Summary:

In the town of Kamisu 66, 12-year-old Saki Watanabe has just awakened to her psychic powers and is relieved to rejoin her friends—the mischievous Satoru Asahina, the shy Mamoru Itou, the cheerful Maria Akizuki, and Shun Aonuma, a mysterious boy whom Saki admires—at Sage Academy, a special school for psychics. However, unease looms as Saki begins to question the fate of those unable to awaken to their powers, and the children begin to get involved with secretive matters such as the rumored Tainted Cats said to abduct children. Shinsekai yori tells the unique coming-of-age story of Saki and her friends as they journey to grow into their roles in the supposed utopia. Accepting these roles, however, might not come easy when faced with the dark and shocking truths of society, and the impending havoc born from the new world.

Propaganda:

Shinsekai Yori is not the flashiest show, or the fastest pace, but the slow and steady build of the horror and mystery will keep you entranced from beginning to end.

At its heart, this show is a coming-of-age story. We follow the protagonist from her childhood to adulthood, with all the messiness in between. From puberty and discovering sexuality, to learning the darker truths of society and having to live with unwanted knowledge, we see through Saki’s eyes. The setting of this world is a post apocalyptic future, and what society has been rebuilt as is one of the main mysteries we discovered.

This show is very complex and dark and sad, but it’s absolutely beautiful. The visuals, backgrounds, character expressions, music all come together to create something truly unique. The only show I know to compare it to might be Psycho-Pass, for it’s similarly deep deconstruction of society. However, whereas Psycho Pass is one of the most praised anime of all time, Shinsekai Yori is barely known. This is a shame, because it truly has something special to say that everyone can relate to. How hard growing up can be, fighting against your own hormones, traditions, adults, family, friends, your moral code.

This is not a happy story; it’s a bittersweet, cautionary tale.

Trigger Warnings: Animal Cruelty or Death, Graphic Depictions of Cruelty/Violence/Gore, Suicide

#B2: Kageki Shoujo!!

Summary:

After being forced to graduate from JPX48 following a controversial incident with a male fan, Ai Narata swears to never interact with another man ever again. Using her talents and strong desire to get away from men, Ai auditions for the exclusive all-female Kouka School of Musical and Theatrical Arts. The school is renowned for producing the best actresses that go on to perform in the famous all-female Kouka Theatre Troupe. Coming from the idol industry, Ai is the perfect candidate for the school's hundredth generation class, but her aloof demeanor alienates her from her classmates. The eccentric Sarasa Watanabe is the only person who wishes to become Ai's friend. She enters Kouka with the goal of becoming a top "otokoyaku" performer—an actress that plays traditionally male roles. After seeing a Kouka performance of The Rose of Versailles when she was younger, Sarasa dreams of performing as Lady Oscar one day. Unfortunately, Sarasa's inability to read a room causes friction between her and her classmates, including Ai, who reluctantly becomes her roommate and partner in many of their classes. Succeeding at Kouka will involve more than just raw talent for these young girls as jealousy, deceit, and the harsh realities of show business put their mental fortitude to the test. Will Sarasa and Ai be able to rise to the top and stand on the silver bridge?

Propaganda:

If theatre setting/schools is your thing, you’re probably going to love this series! We follow our protagonists and their schoolmates following their dreams to become actresses for the prestigious Kouka Revue. Not an easy road as they will have to face and overcome many challenges, the hardest ones coming from themselves. Indeed, the story is not afraid to address sensitive topics and their resulting traumas (see TW list) always rightfully handed. These episodes may be a bit hard to see if you’re sensitive to these topics, but the show never leaves you in discomfort: everything is properly addressed, and characters are cared for realistically.

The characters are all very well-written, portraying individuals with way more depth than they may appear at first glance. We follow their growth—or its start—during the series. Sarasa is a walking sunbeam, and her blooming friendship with the withdrawn Ai is a delight to watch. We learn to know—and love—all their classmates as well, as episodes switch focus to one or the other.

The OST is really good, with a catchy opening, and no less than five different versions of the ending song, a fabulous duet voiced by the cast! The animation features really pretty art with iconic details like the stars in Sarasa’s eyes. The series is a homage to Takarazuka and scatter references to famous real-life Revues and older famous shôujo manga series like “Versailles no Bara” or “Glass no Kamen”. Actually, it feels like a modernized version of their essence: roses, sparkles, spotlight, drama, all while staying safe!

This anime is like candy for eyes and soul, and I really hope we'll get a season 2 to explore the girls' voices further!

Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse, Pedophilia, Self-Harm

Nothing is too graphical nor explicit, just the right amount to let the unsettling situations be clear enough to watchers, and they’re always addressed correctly.

Child abuse/ Pedophilia: episode 3 (+4), about Ai’s traumas

Self-harm: episode 5 focuses on a girl with an eating disorder, forcing herself to vomit (not sure if that really counts as TW?)

When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.

Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how they’re presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form, where you can submit revisions for taglines, propaganda, trigger warnings, and/or video.

#anime #best underrated anime #polls #poll tournament #tournament #anime tournament #animation #group stage #group stage round 2 #tournament polls #from the new world #shin sekai yori #shinsekai yori #kageki shoujo #kageki shoujo!! #group b

[1petalrose]

Watched Kageki Shoujo recently and such a beautiful series I can't stop thinking about it... So here's a quick painting I did on my off time...

#kageki shoujo!! #sarasa watanabe #ai narata #fanart #digital painting