Stories and Book Talk

Category: Manga Mania Fanclub

Sharing some of the best mangas in the genre, and their creators.

3 Manga With That Shōjo Toxic Love We Love To Read

Some days you want wholesome fluff; other days you crave a hero who’d burn the world for his girl—then ask if she’s eaten yet. If you’ve been missing the delicious drama of Unhinged heroes, buckle in. I’ve unearthed three titles that deliver that “this-is-so-wrong-but-I-can’t-stop” adrenaline hit: Firefly Wedding (Vol. 1–3), Yakuza Fiancé, and Yakuza Lover. Grab your emotional popcorn.

It’s been a beat since Hana Yori Dango, so it’s always fun to uncover interesting manga with that toxic love energy that we all love to hate, but actually love to read about, and I feel like I’ve unearthed three titles that fit right in to this trope. Either way, when the hero says, ‘I think people who hurt my wife should be erased from the world.’ We’re there for it. It’s the love for that totally unhinged hero who is totally crazy to read on the page, but we all refuse to meet in real life. So, let’s jump in!

Firefly Wedding (Hotaru no Yomeiri) by Oreco Tachibana

On the surface, Satoko has it all—she’s beautiful, the daughter of a nobleman, and at a prime age for marriage. Unfortunately, she is also quite ill and only has a short time left to live. Before she can secure a marriage that will redeem her worth in her family’s eyes, she finds herself the target of the mysterious assassin Shinpei, and her plans are put in jeopardy. In order to save herself, she makes a desperate proposal—of marriage! When it comes to love, however, Shinpei takes “until death do we part” seriously.

Why it clicks: Satoko has a weak heart, but she has a strong will and does all she can to survive in the face of unprecedented danger.
Read if you like: damsels-in-distress, instant “I love you” demands.
Age : Firefly Wedding is marked ‘Teen Plus’ 17+

Yakuza Fiance (Raise wa Tanin ga Ii) by Asuka Konishi

In this critically acclaimed romantic crime drama, a yakuza granddaughter is sent from Osaka to marry the grandson of a rival family in Tokyo.

Yoshino grew up the sheltered yakuza princess of the largest crime family in Osaka, the Somei. Due to her resting bitch face and dangerous family, no man has ever approached her. When her grandfather signs a truce with the Tokyo-based Miyama crime family, he offers her up as a truce bride to the Miyama leader’s grandson! Kirishima Miyama is popular, charming, and seems totally normal.

But behind his smile is a violent sadomasochist who thirsts for her dominance even more when she impresses him with her moxie! Even though she knows how bad yakuza can be, she’s stunned by Miyama’s viciousness. She can’t turn him down with the East-West peace treaty on the line…so instead she steels herself to play ball!

What it is: A political engagement between rival crime families, think Romeo and Juliet with more knives and fewer apologies.
Why it clicks: Both leads are terrifyingly competent in their own dark ways, so the relationship feels like two predators pacing the same cage.
Read if you like: power couples who treat threats as foreplay, strategic marriage pacts, heroines who can shoot straight.
Age: Yakuza Fiance is rated Teen Plus 17+

Yakuza Lover by Nozomi Mino

When feisty college student Yuri is attacked at a party, she’s saved by Toshiomi Oya, the underboss of a yakuza syndicate. Despite her obvious attraction to him, she convinces herself that she’s not in the market for a bad boy type. But when they meet again, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him—kicking off a steamy and dangerous love affair that threatens to consume her, body and soul.

What it is: A college girl meets a Yakuza boss during a brawl and tumbles into an all-consuming romance of silk kimonos, scarlet tattoos, and constant danger.
Why it clicks: This is pure, high-octane fantasy: the heroine’s sweetness collides with the hero’s lethal devotion.
Read if you like: possessive declarations, R-rated chemistry, “ride or die” loyalties that could actually get you killed.
Age Rating: Yakuza Lover is rated Teen Plus 17+

Toxic-But-Tempting: Why We Keep Turning Pages

This trope is fascinating in that there is a thrill to reading danger on paper, as there is the perceived buffer that fiction creates a safe distance. However, any friend experiencing these things in real life, and we would be the first to seek help for them. So, red flags are not beautiful, cannot be sugar-coated, but we can say that we read them so that we can identify them in real life (Yes, we’re going with this to the end of that last chapter, don’t judge).

There is the fantasy of absolute devotion. We can’t lie. There’s a serious guilty thrill in a hero who will raze down obstacles for love. We totally can’t resist an unhinged hero.

At the end of the story, there is always growth potential. A well-written one will nudge the couples toward mutual respect, eventually.

Your Turn

Which “love-to-hate” manga has swallowed your weekend lately?

Theria Guild Guardian: Code and Courage

August 19, 2025
February 2025 Reading List

The Apothecary Diaries by Nekokurage, Natsu Hyuuga (Original Story), Itsuki Nanao (Composition), Touco Shino (Character Design)

THE GREAT DETECTIVE OF THE INNER PALACE IS BORN…?!

Maomao, a young woman trained in the art of herbal medicine, is forced to work as a lowly servant in the inner palace. Though she yearns for life outside its perfumed halls, she isn’t long for a life of drudgery! Using her wits to break a “curse” afflicting the imperial heirs, Maomao attracts the attentions of the beautiful Jinshi and is promoted to attendant food taster. But Jinshi has other plans for the erstwhile apothecary, and soon Maomao is back to brewing potions and…solving mysteries?!

I’m totally in love with this manga! It’s so much fun to read, and a great watch if you prefer Anime. I recommend it! Maomao is so much fun!

7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! by Hinoki Kino (Artist), Touko Amekawa (Original Story), Hachipisu☆Wan (Character Design)

KEEP YOUR HANDMAIDENS CLOSE, AND YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER

Every time Rishe turns twenty, she dies and is reincarnated to the day her engagement is broken off. This time around, she winds up the fiancee of the man who killed her in her previous life: the crown prince of the Galkhein Empire, Arnold! Knowing from her past lives that Galkhein is on the path to war, Rishe is determined to prevent it. She starts by turning the royal villa into a training ground…for handmaidens! Will her unorthodox plans be enough to keep disaster at bay?

I love this one for Rishe’s openminded attitude, and her can-do policy. She knows her limits, and her strengths, and brings her ideas to life. This is a story to push your imagination. I still recommend it. February was a month full of manga volumes. So much life here.

Cheers to Manga mania!

March 26, 2025
Nostalgic Gems: Why These 90s Shoujo Manga Are Still Must-Reads Today

Mars

by Fuyumi Soryo

Popular Rei and shy Kira are worlds apart until one fateful day brings them together. Rei stumbles upon Kira in the harassing hands of her sleazy art teacher and saves the quiet girl from his clutches. And when the jock plants a kiss on a statue of Mars in the studio, Kira finds herself drawn in and even summons up the nerve to ask him to model for her!

This manga is a college romance. It is a fast read and strikes the right beats. I loved everything about it. It is a 90s creation, so expect the standard 90s period cliche tropes, but that is what is so fun about Mars. It does have these triggers: sexual harassment and bullying.

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 1

by Karuho Shiina, Tomo Kimura (Translator)

Sawako Kuronuma is the perfect heroine…for a horror movie. With striking similarities to a haunting movie character–jet-black hair, sinister smile, and silent demeanor–she’s mistakenly called Sadako by those around her. But behind her scary façade is a very misunderstood teenager. She is too shy to fit in, and all she wants to do is make some friends. But when the most popular boy in class befriends her, she’s sure to make more than just that–she’s about to make some enemies too!

This manga is to read for fun. If you’re looking to hook more emos on it…uh, don’t. Read it for fun! So, Just. Read. It. That’s it! It’s an awesome manga.

Hana-Kimi: For You in Full Blossom, Vol. 1

Hisaya Nakajo

THE PRETTIEST BOY IN SCHOOL…ISN’T A BOY!
Japanese-American track-and-field star Mizuki has gotten herself a transfer to a high school in Japan…but not just any school! To be close to her idol, high jumper Izumi Sano, she’s going to an all-guys high school…and disguising herself as a boy! But as fate would have it, they’re more than classmates…they’re roommates! Now, Mizuki must keep her secret in the classroom, the locker room, and her own bedroom. And her classmates–and the school nurse–must cope with a new transfer student who may make them question their orientation…Plus a bonus story, “The Cage of Summer”!

This little gem takes on the ‘Gender-bender‘ trope that was so popular in the early 2000s. Hana Kimi may not be so original. Mizuki is a girl who joins an all-boys school to chase a boy, which in our current social/cultural climate may seem a bit insane, but this manga was so entertaining that it made the list for how popular it was.

Fruits Basket, Vol. 1

Natsuki Takaya

A family with an ancient curse…And the girl who will change their lives forever…

Tohru Honda was an orphan with nowhere to go until the mysterious Sohma family offered her a place to call home. Now, her ordinary high school life is turned upside down as she’s introduced to the Sohma’s world of magical curses and family secrets.

Fruits Basket is a shoujo manga at its best. The art is beautiful, and Tohru is cute and sweet. Her character is overly optimistic and makes Fruits Basket too sweet. She allows the reader to easily digest the darker nature of the relationships found in this manga. Fruits Basket tackles parental abuse and neglect and various painful issues in life. In truth, the essence of Fruits Basket is that all the characters are damaged in some way and end up together, creating a blended family.

August 26, 2024
Hana Yori Dango Vol. 1 by Yoko Kamio: A Captivating Manga Story of Love and Adversity
Hana Yori Dango Vol. 1

by Yoko Kamio

When her only friend, Makiko, accidentally offends F4 leader Tsukasa, Tsukushi boldly defends her. Enraged, Tsukasa puts the dreaded red tag in Tsukushi’s locker — a sign that she is now a target for the abuse of the F4 gang and the entire school. But when Tsukushi fights the gang with their own weapon, Tsukasa finds himself falling for her! Find Volume 1 Here.

About Yoko Kamio

Yōko Kamio is a popular Japanese manga artist and writer. She is most famous for Boys Over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango), for which she received the Shogakukan Manga Award in 1996. Her work has been translated and distributed in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Thoughts:

Hana Yori Dango has this amazing story that struck me at the first volume, and sort of held on to the last volume. Hana Yori Dango has 37 Volumes of story. I borrowed this manga’s volumes from a library in high school and would always look for the next volume like crazy. I loooved! the discovering days of Hana Yori Dango and the question of ‘Will it be Rui or Tsukasa?’ Oh, the angst! It was awesome.

Hana Yori Dango which translates to Boys Over Flowers is a story about a girl doing her best to achieve her dreams despite the adversity she faces in an elite school filled with affluent classmates. She has a fiery temper, and is very loyal to her friends, so when she sees her friends suffering she does her best to ease their pain and help.

When Tsukushi Makino joins an elite school and manages to make a friend, she feels compelled to stand up for her new friend when she gets in trouble. Through this encounter, Tsukushi ends up offending the biggest elite classmate of their school, Tsukasa Domyouji, the leader of ‘F4’.

Hana Yori Dango chronicles how Tsukushi survives through a severe hazing experience at the hands of ‘F4’ led by Tsukasa Domyouji. Her encounters with the four ‘F4’ members who rule the elite school’s student body, and how she changes Tsukasa Domyouji. Domyouji and Tsukushi’s story leads to an unforgettable romance, in between, she discovers her true path.

Hana Yori Dango has captured audiences worldwide. This manga is so popular that it has been turned into dramas across different Asian countries and Europe.

Tsukushi Makino has an endearing spirit. You want to root for her as she faces the many challenges in a school filled with affluent classmates, who are more privileged than her. At the same time, there is the discovery of Tsukasa Domyouji who may seem overprivileged, but it turns out he is drawn to Tsukushi because of her fierce loyalty and pure nature.

“I like to believe if I wear great shoes, they’ll take me to great places.” – Shizuka to Tsukushi, Chapter 10, Hana Yori Dango.

Hana Yori Dango is a great story to read, the art has a distinctive style and is quite easy to follow. However, if you prefer to watch, check out the following adaptations. My personal favorite remains the 2005 TBS Japanese Version. However, you can check out the following adaptations too.
- Meteor Garden (Taiwan, 2001)
- Boys Over Flowers (Japan, 2005)
- Boys Over Flowers (Kdrama, 2009)
- Meteor Garden (China, 2018)
- F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers (Thailand, 2021)
June 2, 2024
Discovering Ai Yazawa: Nana and Paradise Kiss Creator
There are amazing women artists in the world of Manga. Today, let’s discover more about Ai Yazawa, the memorable Nana and Paradise Kiss creator. Both mangas have adaptations into anime and live-action movies.

About Ai Yazawa
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Ai YAZAWA (矢沢あい) is a Japanese manga author. Her pen name comes from Japanese singer Eikichi Yazawa, of whom she is a fan.

Yazawa started her manga publishing life in 1985; throughout 15 years of publishing, she wrote over ten series on Ribon magazine. While most of her manga continues to be published in Japan by Shueisha, publishers of Ribon and Cookie (in which Nana is serialized), series like Paradise Kiss now appear in other magazines such as Zipper, published by Shodensha.

Yazawa's most famous manga include Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai (I'm Not an Angel), Gokinjo Monogatari (Neighborhood Story), Paradise Kiss, and Nana. In 2003, she was awarded the Shogakukan Manga Award for Nana. Some of her manga works were made into anime, and live action movies too.

Yazawa's works are most popular among women and young girls. The storylines generally are centered on young women and their relationships, something with which her young fanbase identifies. The characters are always very stylish, and she is known especially for her hip sense of fashion. Yazawa herself attended a fashion school after high school but did not complete her studies there. Another key point is her strikingly unique, often rebellious characters, who tend to be juxtaposed against the more traditional ones.

She has also published three artbooks. Source : Goodreads.com/ai yazawa
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Nana

Nana Komatsu is a young woman who’s endured an unending string of boyfriend problems. Moving to Tokyo, she’s hoping to take control of her life and put all those messy misadventures behind her. She’s looking for love and hoping to find it in the big city.

Nana Osaki, on the other hand, is cool, confident and focused. She swaggers into town and proceeds to kick down the doors to Tokyo’s underground punk scene. She’s got a dream and won’t give up until she becomes Japan’s No. 1 rock’n’roll superstar.

This is the story of two 20-year-old women who share the same name. Even though they come from completely different backgrounds, they somehow meet and become best friends. The world of Nana is a world exploding with sex, music, fashion, gossip, and all-night parties.

All Art by Ai Yazawa

The most endearing part of this story is the friendship that grows between Nana K. and Nana O. They are vastly different women, from their fashion style to their beliefs and their past. Despite boyfriends, career decisions, and an unexpected pregnancy, these two young women are determined to keep their friendship going. The most tragic thing about Nana is that it remains on hiatus after 21 volumes.

All Nana fans eternally hope that Ai Yazawa will one day complete this beautiful saga. Despite the hiatus, Nana has two compelling live-action movies (Available on Apple+ or Viki) and a very entertaining anime (Available on Netflix or where you get your anime fix). Nana is a great story to check out and the art is so beautiful, the characters come to life with every panel. Nana has mature themes and is recommended for ages 16- 18. Grade 10-12.

Paradise Kiss

Yukari wants nothing more than to make her parents happy by studying hard and getting into a good college. One afternoon, however, she is kidnapped by a group of self-proclaimed fashion mavens calling themselves “Paradise Kiss.”

Yukari suddenly finds herself in the roller coaster life of the fashion world, guided by George, an art snob extraordinaire. In a glamorous makeover of body, mind, and soul, she is turned from a hapless bookworm into her friends’ exclusive clothing model.

Paradise Kiss has a truly tumultuous relationship between George and Yukari. The decisions they both make at the end of this five-volume series are realistic and very human. Yukari and George fall in love and must decide what to do with their relationship to fulfill their dreams and gain what they most want. Paradise Kiss has a live-action movie and an anime too.

Ai Yazawa has a fantastic body of work. Her art is always unique, and colorful, using sharp, elegant lines. She depicts stories rooted in a realistic world and characters that are easy to relate to. Check out her other work Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai (I’m No Angel).

Art by Ai Yazawa – Instagram | Facebook
May 20, 2024
Three Favorite CLAMP Manga
About CLAMP
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Clamp, stylized as CLAMP, is an all-female Japanese manga artist group that was formed in the mid-1980s. Many of the group's manga series are often adapted into anime after release. The Artist Group currently consists of their leader Nanase Ohkawa, who provides much of the storyline and screenplay for all their works and adaptations of those works respectively, and three artists whose roles shift for each series: Mokona, Tsubaki Nekoi, and Satsuki Igarashi. Almost 100 million Clamp tankōbon copies have been sold worldwide as of October 2007. (Source: Amazon.com/CLAMP)
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CLAMP has a long list of works often discoverable as Anime with a very distinctive art style. I first met them through Magical Knight Rayearth. This artist group has been a favorite since. Here is my list of three unforgettable favorite mangas by CLAMP.

xxxHolic Volume One Front Pages

xxxHolic by CLAMP

Kimihiro Watanuki is haunted by visions of ghosts and spirits.

He seeks help from a mysterious woman named Yuko, who claims she can help.

However, Watanuki must work for Yuko to pay for her aid.

Soon Watanuki finds himself employed in Yuko’s shop where he sees things and meets customers that are stranger than anything he could have ever imagined.

I always love the art found in xxxHolic. I read the manga first before I watched the anime. The manga is much more detailed, so check it out if you get a chance.

Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE

Childhood friends Princess Sakura and Syaoran, the son of an archaeologist, become entangled in a series of events that force them to traverse through alternate realities on an action-packed and unforgettable adventure!

In the Kingdom of Clow, an archaeological dig unleashes an incredible power, causing Sakura to lose her memories. To save her, Syaoran must follow the orders of the Dimension Witch and travel alongside Kurogane, an unrivaled warrior; Fai, a powerful magician; and Mokona Modoki, a curiously strange creature, to retrieve Sakura’s dispersed memories! But first, there is a price to be paid…

Check out the first volume here.

Tsubasa is an adventure manga. Syaoran and Sakura end up on an unforgettable journey accompanied by their friends, Kurogane, Fai and Mokona. Syaoran works at getting stronger through each arc. This is an easy, fun read. You can also watch the anime if you prefer to watch it. The manga is full of gorgeous art pieces. Check it out when you can.

Chobits

After moving from the countryside into the big city, poor college student Hideki Motosuwa finds himself down on his luck. All he wants is a good job, a girlfriend, and his very own “persocom” – the latest and greatest in humanoid computer technology.

Hideki’s luck changes one night when he finds Chi – an adorable, but seemingly broken, persocom thrown out in a pile of trash.

After taking her home, Hideki discovers that Chi is more responsibility than he expected – and that there’s much more to his cute new persocom than meets the eye.

Chobits is so memorable and another CLAMP production that pulled me into the world of manga. Chobits is a sci-fi story that tackles the theme of ‘what it means to be human.’ Hideki picks up Chi who is a persocom (humanoid computer) from a pile of trash and takes her home. Chobits explores their adventures as Hideki gets used to taking care of Chi. The Anime does have filler episodes, but the manga is so full of story and beautiful art and is definitely worth a read.

Chi from Chobits

CLAMP remains one of my favorite manga-kas. The artist group has a massive body of work. Once you fall into their manga world, you will definitely have discovered endless adventures. Most of CLAMP’s manga is available as Anime. So, if you prefer to watch instead of read, then check out the artist groups body of work here.
May 14, 2024
A Sign of Affection

A Sign of Affection

by Suu Morishita, Translated by Christine Dashiell

Yuki is a typical college student, whose world revolves around her friends, social media, and the latest sales. But when a chance encounter on a train leads to her meeting friend-of-a-friend and fellow student Itsuomi-san, her world starts to widen. But even though Itsuomi-kun can speak three languages, sign language isn’t one of them. Can the two learn to communicate the budding feelings between them?

Thoughts

This manga is quite special. The protagonist, Yuki, is deaf. She has her own world in a world full of sounds she doesn’t hear. So, when she meets someone she wants to know more, there is this gap they both have to bridge in order to better understand each other. The art is so clear cut and I love the progress through each panel. Yuki wants to get to know Itsuomi better, and their journey towards connecting is the cutest thing ever.
Suu Morishita takes her time to explain the use of sign language, and the differences in sign language styles in Japan. This manga becomes quite special when you understand that Yuki’s language is sign language and it is how she communicates best. A Sign of Affection is engaging, cute, and full of warm feels.

February 19, 2024
The Dragon King’s Imperial Wrath

The Dragon King’s Imperial Wrath

Written by Aki Shikimi | Art by Akiko Kawano

Thirteen clans rule the land, and the Rat Clan is the weakest. Ruiying, the princess of the Rat Clan, is summoned to the land of the dominating Dragon Clan along with princesses from the other clans. The Dragon King seeks a bride, and they are all candidates! Yet instead of vying for the Dragon King’s favor, Ruiying takes refuge in the palace’s enormous library–a place she can read to her heart’s content. It’s there that the Dragon King discovers her by chance, sparking an immediate connection that will change Ruiying’s life forever!

Thoughts:

The artwork is so beautifully done, I love it. I enjoyed the world-building in this volume. And Princess Ruiying is a great protagonist. This reads like a cute, fast romance story, that is not asking too much from the reader. The series is a fast read, I loved how easy going I felt reading it.

February 12, 2024