Many shojo manga fans know that when they embark on a journey to read a series, be it old or new, they must be prepared for the long haul. It is not uncommon for a shojo series such as Skip Beat! to be over forty volumes and still ongoing. One test of patience for fans is the long-running shojo classic D.N.Angel. It ran from 1997 until January of 2021 with two hiatuses, each lasting several years.
What if shojo fans want just a dash of the romance, comedy, or school life for which the genre is often known, without having to commit to decades worth of publication? Here is a list of 10 shojo titles that, although short, leave a lasting impression.
10 I.O.N - Accidental Psychic Powers & First Love
I.O.N is one of the early works of mangaka Arina Tanemura, the Gentlemen's Alliance Cross artist. The manga is only one volume and tells the story of Ion Tsuburagi. Ion gains psychic powers, including levitation and telekinesis, after being exposed to a special substance that Mikado, the president of the psychic research club, was developing.
Ion quickly begins falling for Mikado because she admires his dedication to his dream of gaining psychic powers to be a hero. Ion has always felt that chanting her name has the power to make miracles occur. Whenever she chants her name, it allows her abilities to grow stronger. Ion and Mikado grow closer despite Mikado's ex Ai, and Kouki, the student council president who has a crush on Ion, trying to come between them.
9 Please Love Flowers - Love's True Meaning Amidst Flowers
In the single-volume Please Love Flowers, 17-year-old Shion Adachi has been orphaned by her mother and abandoned by her gambling father. She begins working at a flower shop as a live-in employee thanks to the kindness of the owner, Shun. Shun teaches Shion all about flowers and gives her the faith to believe in herself and her father. Shion also helps Shun move on from a painful past so they can bloom together
8 Meteor Prince - The Queen Of Bad Luck & An Alien Prince
Meteor Prince comes in at just two volumes and tells the story of Hako Natsuno, a high schooler known as the "Queen of bad luck." One day, a young alien named Io arrives from planet Yupita, intent on mating with Hako. The president of the occult research club, who promised to discover the source of Hako's bad luck, decides to be Io's wingman and help him win Hako's heart.
Io's curiosity about Earth, his naivete, and his determination to get Hako to fall in love with him are reminiscent of Night from Absolute Boyfriend. Even when it is revealed that Hako and Io's wavelengths don't match, meaning they aren't soulmates, they fight to stay together. Io and Hako are determined to defy fate and Hako's bad luck.
7 Codename Sailor V - The Original Sailor Guardian
In the two-volume Codename Sailor V, 13-year-old Minako Aino, with the help of her faithful cat Artemis, must fight agents of the Dark Agency. An evil organization intent on stealing energy from the public. Artemis tells Minako that she has a great destiny to fulfill as a soldier of justice.
Although the story takes place a year before the events of Sailor Moon, fans may find Sailor V familiar. Minako, A.K.A. Sailor Venus, uses her Sailor V alias during the first arc of Sailor Moon to train the other Sailor Guardians and try to protect Princess Serenity. In this prequel, fans can discover why Minako always wears a bow, why she dreams of being an idol, and why she ultimately forsakes love for her duty to protect Earth and Princess Serenity.
6 I Am Here! - A Girl, A Blog, & A Sunflower
I am Here! is a two-volume omnibus series centered around a shy, quiet eighth-grader named Hikage Sumino. Hikage is an expert at being invisible - accidentally, of course. She simply goes unnoticed by others despite her best efforts. Her first two friends are known as "Black Rabbit" and "Mega Pig," two people who regularly comment on her sunflower-themed photography blog and encourage her.
After being accidentally locked inside of the school and being found by the popular boy Hinata, Hikage strives to be more like a sunflower reaching for the sun. Hikage learns it's not so easy to change one's nature. With the help of Hinata and his best friend, Teru, Hikage tries her best to come out of the shade.
5 Shuriken And Pleats - A Ninja's New Mission
Mikage Kirio is a modern-day teenage ninja who loses her way when her original master, who hoped to adopt her, is killed. Wanting to fulfill her master's last wish, she goes to Japan searching for an ordinary life as a high schooler. Unfortunately, when Mikage first arrives, she saves the life of Mahito Wakashimatsu when a band of ninjas attacks him.
Mahito has an unexpected connection to Mikage's original master whose dream was to end world hunger. Mahito hires Mikage to get an antidote after his sister has poisoned him for allegedly selling the family's medicinal secrets. After Mahito's name is cleared, Mikage discovers her beloved original master is still alive, but can she save him?
4 Love In Focus - A Girl Views The World Through The Lens Of Her Camera
Mako Mochizuki, the protagonist of Love In Focus, loves photography. She treats her camera as another limb. Mako is often so consumed by her photography that she usually doesn't notice seemingly obvious things going on around her, including the fact that her childhood friend and fellow photography club member Kei is in love with her.
Mako is a nature photographer who usually shows no interest in human subjects until she meets Amemura-kun, her classmate who hates having his photo taken. As Mako and Amemura spend time together, Amemura, a former child model, becomes Mako's muse and a love triangle ensues between Mako, Kei, and Amemura, all within three volumes.
3 Pixie Pop - Fairies, A Cafe, & First Crushes
In Pixie Pop, Mayu is 12 years old and has just begun middle school. Mayu is happy to have a fresh start because she wants to forget being rejected by her first love Shinya Amamiya. Unfortunately for Mayu, Shinya is now her classmate. At home in her mother's cafe, Mayu laments her fate, and after drinking a mysterious drink, she meets Pucho, a magical drink fairy. Pucho enlists Mayu's help to recreate the rainbow drink that Mayu accidentally drank, granting her magical powers.
Due to the effects of the rainbow drink, Mayu gains special abilities whenever she drinks something. For example, drinking water grants her temporary transparency. Will Mayu help Pucho and turn the tide of her first love all within three volumes?
2 Anti-Gravity Boy - A Boy With Powers That Defy Explanation
In the three-volume series Anti-Gravity Boy, 16-year-old Fuko Konami discovers her classmate Ruka Funakashi's secret: he can manipulate the gravity around him to his will. After Fuko discovers his unique ability, Ruka tries distancing himself because his power is contagious. Soon, Fuko begins mastering anti-gravity abilities as well.
Fuko often gets herself into dangerous situations, such as when she nearly floated away after making herself too light while trying to catch a balloon for a child. Ruka's friends from middle school, Natsuki and Yumi, also try to keep Fuko and Ruka apart at first because they also share Ruka's powers. Yumi soon roots for the pair as Fuko realizes she's in love with Ruka.
1 Kitchen Princess - A Recipe For Romance
Najika of Kitchen Princess is a 13-year-old girl on a mission to find her beloved prince. The prince in question isn't royalty. He was a kind boy who gave Najika flan to cheer her up after rescuing her from drowning. Najika's only clue to his identity is a spoon from the prestigious Seika Academy.
Najika's dream is to become a chef so she can keep her promise to her "flan prince" to make him the best dessert in the world. With her unique skills in the kitchen and unmatched sense of taste, she catches the eye of two brothers Daichi and Sora. One is her prince and the other a fraud in love. The omnibus is just four volumes long.