The josei manga demographic has a rich history of providing stories with immense character depth, impactful narratives, and taking a deeper look into mature, romantic relationships. Being something of the shoujo demographics older sister, josei manga is typically aimed at older teens and young adults, similar to seinen manga.
Notable manga that fall under this demographic are series like Ai Yazawa's Paradise Kiss, Fujita's Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku, Yuki Kodama's Kids On the Slope, and Yuki Suetsugu's Chihayafuru. However, there are plenty of josei manga that deserve far more recognition for their impeccable stories and gorgeous artwork.
Something's Wrong With Us
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Blending a bone-chilling murder mystery with steamy romance, Natsumi Ando's Something's Wrong With Us is a compelling look into the world of traditional Japanese sweets. Following Nao, a young woman pursuing her dreams to become a traditional Japanese sweets maker like her mother, she's quickly hired by a world-class confectionary for her unparalleled skills and artistry. It's here that Nao encounters the cold, handsome Tsubaki -- her childhood friend, crush, and the boy who accused Nao's mother of murder fifteen years prior. Believing her whole life that her mother was wrongly accused, Nao chooses to conceal her identity from Tsubaki in order to get closer to him and finally uncover the truth of that faithful night.
From the same creator as the classic shoujo manga Arisa, Natsumi Ando has spun a truly suspenseful tale through Something's Wrong With Us. Perfectly playing the role of a compelling murder mystery with major plot twists and terrifying revelations while simultaneously delivering a heart pounding, steamy romance is no easy feat, and yet, Something's Wrong With Us manages to excel at both of these key components. The series is also an excellent introduction into the rich culture of Japanese sweets, offering an insightful look at how much dedication is required to produce high quality desserts.
Something's Wrong With Us is available in English through Kodansha International.
Run Away With Me, Girl
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Perfect for fans of intense drama series like Akiko Higashimura's Princess Jellyfish and Ai Yazawa's Paradise Kiss, Battan's beautifully illustrated Run Away With Me, Girl is one of the best yuri romances out there. Maki's first love, her high school classmate Midori, breaks up with her at graduation declaring that they're "too old to be fooling around dating girls." Nearly a decade later, the two women are reunited in a chance encounter. Maki realizes that she still feels exactly the same -- but Midori has moved on; in fact, she's engaged. The more Maki hears about Midori's husband-to-be, the more red flags she begins to notice, not to mention a bombshell secret that could change the trajectory of both women's lives forever.
Run Away With Me, Girl is a bittersweet and visually stunning tale of seemingly star-crossed love, and what it means to come to terms with your sexuality as an adult. The series beautifully explores both women's inner turmoil with accepting who they are, and accurately depicts how complicated the journey can become. It's also quite rare to see a yuri series so expertly handle the complexities of comphet relationships, something that Run Away With Me, Girl explores with insightfulness and grace.
Run Away With Me, Girl is available in English through Kodansha International.
My Broken Mariko
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Waka Hirako's haunting oneshot, My Broken Mariko, uncovers the harsh aftermath of suicide. Tomoyo Shiino spent her life standing beside her dear friend, Mariko, through years of abuse, depression, and abandonment. Tomoyo worked hard to ensure that no matter how nightmarish and dark Mariko's circumstances became, she could always act as a shining light to keep her safe. Blindsighted by the news of her best friend's sudden death, Tomoyo is determined to liberate Mariko's ashes from her abusive family, and to take her on one last ride to liberate her dear friend, and to set free her broken Mariko.
Though short, My Broken Mariko is an incredibly powerful story that, in its limited page count, dives into the effect suicide can have on somebody's family and loved ones. Tomoyo is a hard-headed, devoted best friend who, even in her best friend's untimely death will do anything she can to help her. The oneshot is an absolute must-read for anyone who enjoys a darker, psychological tale. The manga was also recently adaptated into a live-action film.
My Broken Mariko is available in English through Yen Press.
Double
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Ayako Noda's powerhouse acting drama Double is a visually stunning character drama exploring the price of fame, and the collapse of a friendship. The award-winning manga follows Yuujin Kamoshima and Takara Takareda, two young actors aspiring for success while working in a local theater troupe. Yuujin quickly took notice of Takara's incredible acting talent after he was cast as his double in a play, and from that moment forward devoted his time to make Takara into the best actor he could be. When the acting world begins to take notice and Takara is picked up by an agency, his ego -- and his friendship with Yuujin -- is put to the test.
Double is a beautiful character study, with incredible illustrations that perfectly depicts primal human emotions. The series not only embraces why the art of acting is important to so many, but how challenging it is for new actors to establish themselves within the industry. The story is incredibly ambitious and insightful, and deserves far more recognition. Double has also been adapted into a live-action drama series.
Double is available in English through Tokyopop.
Tokyo Tarareba Girls
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Blending Akiko Higashimura's beautiful art style, a delightful sense of humor, and just a dash of Sex and the City, Tokyo Tarareba Girls is an infectiously entertaining story of three women just trying to do their best. Rinko is the classic definition of a hustler. She worked hard through her twenties to get everything right, becoming a successful screenwriter and renting her own office in a trendy Tokyo neighborhood. Despite her success, at thirty-three, Rinko feels like she's missing something in her life. One night, drunk and delusional while spending time with her two best friends, Rinko swears that she'll finally land a husband by the time the Tokyo Olympics roll around in 2020. To her dismay, the world of adult love may be too cutthroat for a hopeless romantic like herself.
Tokyo Tarareba Girls is a charming tale made for adult women who love manga. Rinko and her best friends are experienced career women choosing to take their chances with romance, making the series an absolute joyride as each of the main characters tries to find "the one". Oftentimes, aging is treated as the worst thing that can happen to a woman, and Tokyo Tarareba Girls challenges this idea by giving a rare insight to the lives of three confident, accomplished adults. As is the series didn't already sound perfect for an adaptation, Tokyo Tarareba Girls has been adapted into a live-action television drama.
Tokyo Tarareba Girls is available in English through Kodansha International.