10 Shojo Manga Where the Rival Steals the Spotlight (2023)

Rivalry is a river that runs deepin the pages of Shojo Manga. In some cases, it can even be the main premise of a particular series. Character rivalries are not unique to love triangles, in which characters compete for someone's affections. However, this type of rivalry abounds in shojo.

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Two or more characters can also be rivals for their talents. In many cases, a perceived rivalry is one-sided. Perhaps the best moments in a rivalry are when the antagonist has his moment to shine, but antagonists don't always lose. Sometimes the rivals show everyone who is the boss and who should be the real protagonist of the series.

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10 Ruka Nogi: Gakuen Alice - Two friends fall in love with the same girl

10 Shojo Manga Where the Rival Steals the Spotlight (1)

InGakuen Alice, also known as Alice Academy,Mikan Sakura enrolls in the mysterious Alice Academy and searches for her best friend, Hotaru. While there, she discovers that the school caters to children with unique abilities known as "Alices" and has several rare Alices, including Annul.

Mikan meets up with her best friend Hotaru, but also befriends Ruka Nogi. Ruka's best friend Natsume teases Mikan mercilessly. Ruka was one of the first students to show kindness to Mikan, they quickly became friends and he fell in love with Mikan. Ruka's feelings eventually lead to a rivalry between him and Natsume. Shortly after Ruka confesses to Mikan, she gives Natsume and Mikan her blessing to be together.

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9 Nana Yamamoto: Bokura Ga Ita - El fantasma del pasado de Yano

10 Shojo Manga Where the Rival Steals the Spotlight (2)

in the core, Bokura Ga Ita,also know aswe have been there, is the bittersweet love story between Nanami Takahashi and Motoharu Yano. The story that follows the couple from high school to their early twenties is also the story of two nannies. Nanami soon falls for the aloof Motoharu.

Motoharu spends much of the series struggling with his feelings for his late girlfriend Nana, who was killed in a car accident. Since his ex-Nana was with an ex-boyfriend when she died, Motoharu believes that he cheated on her for much of the series. Nana's spirit looms over Nanami and Motoharu's relationship until the two get back together years later, when they finally come to terms with their past.

8 Tadase Hotori: Shugo Chara - Der Möchtegern-König

10 Shojo Manga Where the Rival Steals the Spotlight (3)

Insugo chara, eleven years oldAmu Hinamorishe meets Tadase Hotori when Amu finds out that she has three guardian characters that allow her to transform into different versions of herself. Amu joins Tadase as a member of the "Guardians", a group of students with Guardian characters.

Amu has a crush on Tadase for much of the series. Tadase's guardian figure is a king because his biggest dream is to be the king of his world. When Tadase transforms, he is often comically self-centered. Tadase often argues with Ikuto Tsukiyomi, a boy he once considered his older brother. Ikuto's feline guardian is the opposite of Tadase's self-centered royal guardian, and when the two boys reconcile, it seems there is still a rivalry for Amu's affections.

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7 Kiri Koshiba: BeautyPop - El accidental rival

10 Shojo Manga Where the Rival Steals the Spotlight (4)

Inbeauty-pop, Shogo Narumi is a member of the "Scissors Project", a group of high school students who are makeover artists. Narumi is a beautician hoping to become the best beautician in Japan. When Narumi and her friends refuse to transform Kiri's best friend Koshiba, Kiri steps in to anonymously give her friend some of her "her magic".

After giving another miraculous makeover to a girl, Narumi challenges Kiri head on. Kiri, who is usually aloof, defeats him pretty thoroughly. As a result, Kiri gives Narumi a haircut that even he acknowledges is expertly done. Even after Kiri reluctantly joins Project Scissors, Narumi constantly challenges her. Due to her perceived rivalry with her, it takes Narumi a while to realize her romantic feelings for Kiri.

6 Kei Takishima: Special A - Seemingly Unbeatable

10 Shojo Manga Where the Rival Steals the Spotlight (5)

From the age of six, the protagonist ofA special, Hikari Hanazono, has seen Kei Takishima as her only true rival. Kei defeated the previously undefeated Hikari in a wrestling match. Since that defeat, Hikari has followed Kei to his elite high school in hopes of defeating him.

Much to Hikari's chagrin, Kei often calls her number 2 because he is constantly above her. Whether sporty or academic, Kei always seems to be the best Hikari. Hikari wins when it comes to how much Kei loves her, and every time Hikari is in trouble, Kei loses it.

5 Mikoto Kujou: Last Game - Clueless in Love

10 Shojo Manga Where the Rival Steals the Spotlight (6)
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Para Hisato Yanagi enLast gamehis life changes in elementary school when Mikoto Kujou transfers to his school. Before Mikoto came along, Hisato was always top of the class in both science and sports. Mikoto soon defeats him at every turn, which upsets Hisato immensely.

Mikoto is unaware that Hisato is following her to the university, hoping to one day beat her. Suspecting that Mikoto is as in love with him as he loves her, Hisato decides to play one last game for her heart.

4 Sora Kitazawa: Kitchen Princess - The False Prince

10 Shojo Manga Where the Rival Steals the Spotlight (7)

Inkitchen princessNijika Kazami enrolls in Seika Academy to find her "flan prince". The boy saved her from drowning and comforted her with a cake shortly after her parents died. She there she meets Daichi and Sora Kitazawa, two brothers.

Nijika soon falls for the knight Sora, especially when he tells her that he is the prince she has been looking for. When Sora dies unexpectedly, Nijika loses her sense of taste from pain. Shortly before his death, he admitted that he was not the flan prince. Nijika eventually falls for Daichi even before it is revealed that he is Prince Flan.

3 Yuki Sohma: Fruits Basket - Always fighting with the cat

10 Shojo Manga Where the Rival Steals the Spotlight (8)

From the beginningFruits Basket, Yuki Sohma, "the rat", and Kyo Sohma, "the cat" hate each other.The two cousins ​​are cursed with the spirit of the zodiac animals along with eleven other family members. The only outsider who knows of her strange condition is Tohru Honda, a young orphan who begins to live with the family.

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Kyo is promised his freedom if he can defeat Yuki at something before he graduates from high school. Unfortunately for Kyo, Yuki is a talented martial artist. Yuki is also considered by many to be the prince of the school and even has his own fan club for him. He even shows affection for Tohru, who Kyo loves. Yuki sincerely exchanges gifts with Tohru, constantly reminding Kyo never to make her cry.

2 Seiya Kou: Sailor Moon tries to steal Usagi's heart

10 Shojo Manga Where the Rival Steals the Spotlight (9)

In the magical girls seriesmoon sailor,It's clear from the start that Usagi/Sailor Moon and Mamoru/Tuxedo Mask are longtime lovers. In the final arc of the manga, when Mamoru travels abroad to go to school, she is introduced to Seiya Kou. Seiya is one of the members of a famous band called The Three Lights.

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Seiya is immediately attracted to Usagi and constantly teases her. Seiya's attraction to Usagi is partly due to the fact that Usagi reminds Seiya of his own princess. She professes her love for Usagi after Usagi discovers Seiya's true identity as a sailor guardian named Sailor Star Fighter who disguises herself as a man to find her lost princess Kakyu. Even Seiya admits that her love for Usagi is one-sided.

1 Kakeru Naruse: Orange inspires everyone to change their future

10 Shojo Manga Where the Rival Steals the Spotlight (10)

Inthe uniquely drawn orange,One day before going to school, Naho Takamiya receives a strange letter from her future self. The letter tells Naho all about the arrival of Kakeru Naruse and how Naho and his friends become friends with him. Through the mysterious letter and flashforwards, readers realize two things: Kakeru has died, and Naho is married to her boyfriend Hiroto Suwa. The two even have a child together.

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It becomes apparent to Naho and those around her, including future husband Hiroto, that Naho loves Kakeru. Although Hiroto also has a letter from his future self detailing his life with Naho, he helps Kakeru and Naho to be together. Much of the plot revolves around the characters trying to prevent Kakeru's death.

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FAQs

What is the best shōjo manga? ›

12 Must-Read Shoujo Manga
  • Nana by Ai Yazawa.
  • Nichijou by Keiichi Arawa.
  • My Love Mix-Up by Aruko and Wataru Hinekure.
  • Horimiya by Hero and Daisuke Hagiwara.
  • Orange by Ichigo Takano.
  • Snow White with the Red Hair by Sorata Akizuki.
  • Maid-sama! by Hiro Fujiwara.
  • Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori.
Feb 7, 2023

What is girly anime called? ›

Shōjo manga (少女漫画, lit. "girls' comics", also romanized as shojo or shoujo) is an editorial category of Japanese comics targeting an audience of adolescent females and young adult women.

Is there any good shoujo manga? ›

Sailor Moon, Fruits Basket and Searching for a Full Moon are a few examples of some of the most beloved series in this genre. It's often dramatic or romantic, but that isn't to say every shoujo manga is alike. Shojou can be just as complicated or even deeper than other manga genres.

What are the 4 types of manga? ›

Primarily, there are five demographics of manga:
  • Shonen: Manga targeted at tween and teen boys. ...
  • Shojo: Manga targeted at tween and teen girls. ...
  • Seinen: Manga targeted at adult men (18+). ...
  • Josei: Manga targeted at adult women (18+). ...
  • Kodomomuke: Manga targeted at young children.
Dec 27, 2018

What are the big 3 Seinen anime? ›

The Unrivaled Seinen Big Three

These three series: Berserk, Vagabond & Vinland Saga, embody the true potential of the seinen genre. Their art styles, blood-lined battles, and exceptional characters make them the ideal reads for seinen fans.

What is Lgbtq anime called? ›

There are also multiple sub genres that target specific consumers and themes: yaoi, yuri, shoujo-ai, shonen-ai, bara, etc. LGBT-related manga found its origins from fans who created an "alternative universe" in which they paired their favorite characters together.

What is LGBT anime? ›

What are light novels? Just like manga and anime, light novels are from Japan and are usually geared towards young adults, though there are also some for adults. Light novels are usually shorter than regular novels and usually have less than 300 pages per volume, but there are exceptions to that.

What is anime for adults called? ›

Seinen is anime aimed at older men than shounen, usually those over the age of eighteen. With this more mature audience, the content will often be far more mature as well - for example, the anime, Highschool of the Dead, is filled with explicit sexual content and graphic violence.

What is the most viewed manga? ›

Naruto (manga)

What is the longest lasting manga? ›

A limited edition single volume of the long-running manga One Piece is being billed as the longest book in existence.

What is the most successful manga of all time? ›

Coming in at first is One Piece by Eicchiro Oda. The manga has gone one to sell over 500 million copies since 1997.

What was the first shoujo manga? ›

Ribon no Kishi”, Tezuka Osamu's first full-length serial in a “Shōjo” magazine, was, according to Tezuka himself, “the first girls' manga with a Japanese storyline” (from the afterword to the Kodansha edition of the complete series).

What age is shoujo for? ›

Shojo (or Shoujo) translates into English as “comics for girls” and consists of manga stories aimed at young females aged 12 to 18.

Why is shoujo not popular? ›

While there are a good deal of shojo anime that aren't just about magical girls or high school romances, there are very few of them. This lack of variety is what prevents the genre from further expanding its audience. Anime with romance as its focal point also do not have the luxury of time on its side.

What is manga for girls called? ›

Shōjo manga (少女漫画, lit. "girls' comics", also romanized as shojo or shoujo) is an editorial category of Japanese comics targeting an audience of adolescent females and young adult women.

Why is it called a manga? ›

To put it briefly, manga is the Japanese word for comics published in Japan. The word itself is comprised of two characters: man 漫 meaning “whimsical” and ga 画 meaning “pictures.”

What are GL manga called? ›

Yuri (Japanese: 百合, lit. "lily"), also known by the wasei-eigo construction girls' love (ガールズラブ, gāruzu rabu), is a genre of Japanese media focusing on intimate relationships between female characters.

What are the golden 3 anime? ›

The Big Three was a term used to describe the three most popular running series during their golden age in Jump - One Piece, Naruto and Bleach. All three series got their common title due to their worldwide popularity and length.

What is the female version of seinen? ›

The female equivalent to seinen manga is josei manga.

Is AOT seinen or shounen? ›

Attack on Titan defies what the Shōnen genre offers and is better grouped as a Seinen anime – a demographic that houses titles that mirror the Titan-based show.

Is Devilman Crybaby LGBT? ›

The way it dealt with sexuality and its openly LGBT characters also received praise; Surat said "many strongly resonate with Crybaby for its emphasis on explicitly gay and lesbian characters in a dramatic presentation".

What is anime for men called? ›

These kinds of anime are not genres. One particular anime is called shonen. First, shonen anime is a category of anime made specifically for younger boys. Usually there is some type of main character, normally male, who has muscles, good martial arts abilities, and some type of ability to enhance their strength.

Is there any asexual anime characters? ›

Only a couple of characters, such as Durarara's Izaya Orihara and Seiji Maki from Bloom Into You, are more or less explicitly labeled as being asexual or aromantic in canon (albeit still without using these exact terms).

What are anime wives called? ›

waifu (plural waifu or waifus) (fandom slang, Internet slang) A fictional female character from non-live-action visual media (typically an anime, manga, or video game) to whom one is romantically attracted and/or whom one considers their significant other. quotations ▼

What does BL mean in Lgbtq? ›

Introduction. Boys' Love (BL), also known as yaoi, is a genre originating in Japan that focuses on male-male homosexual romance; the Chinese variant and subgenre of BL is known as danmei.

What is queer academia? ›

Queer Academia is an aesthetic that focuses on LGBTQ+ history, taking time to learn about the people history books left out and bringing attention to their work. Queer Academia is also centered around the freedom of literature, art, music, personal expression and experience.

What is R rated anime? ›

R — Restricted. Children Under 17 Require Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian.

What do you call anime addicts? ›

In fact, there is a term for people with anime addiction – they are called 'otaku'. A 2013 survey found that 42.2% of Japanese teenagers described themselves as a type of otaku. Outside of Japan, anime and manga addiction is also a growing problem.

What anime fans are called? ›

In Japanese, the word 'Otaku' is roughly equivalent to the English words 'nerd' or 'geek. ' The term isn't a bad one and is often used to the U.S. to refer to people who are particularly fond of anime, manga, and even cosplya.

What is the #1 manga of all time? ›

1 One Piece (516.6 million sold)

Eiichiro Oda's One Piece is the best-selling manga of all time by some margin. The manga is still ongoing, yet has already accumulated sales of over 500 million. In the last decade, the popularity of One Piece in the west has increased a lot too.

What is the #1 manga in the world? ›

1 One Piece

With well over 500 million copies sold, One Piece is by far the best-selling manga of all time. Eiichiro Oda began this series in 1997 and is still publishing new chapters, though he has stated that he expects the series to finish by 2025.

What is the No 1 manga in the world? ›

In 2021 the value of comics and mangas sales in Japan was 675.9 billion Japanese yen, which are the most popular manga of all time to date? The most popular manga of all time is One Piece.

What's the oldest anime? ›

The earliest anime that was produced in Japan to have survived into the modern day, The Dull Sword, was released on June 30, 1917, but there it is disputed which title was the first to get that honour.

How old is the oldest manga? ›

Manga is said to have been born in 1814. Back then, Hokusai Katsushika sketched a series of scenes from daily life… "whimsical stories": "manga" in Japanese. In 1902, Kitazawa Rakuten published the first modern manga with four boxes per page and typed texts.

How many manga exist? ›

There are 182 manga series from which 114 series are completed and 68 series are in ongoing serialization. Ongoing series are highlighted in light green.

What manga has made the most money? ›

As of September 2019, 'One Piece', written and illustrated by Japanese artist Eiichiro Oda, was the bestselling manga series in the world, having sold 454 million copies globally.

What does Yuri mean in Japanese? ›

Borrowed from Japanese 百合 (yuri, “lily”), by analogy to 薔薇 (bara, “rose”), indicating love.

What does shoujo mean in Japanese? ›

From the Japanese 少女 (shōjo, “young woman”).

Is shoujo anime for kids? ›

Shojo manga is aimed at young girls and will often feature romance, young love, drama, etc. There are shojo manga that feature girls going on adventures or fighting evil (similar to shonen), but these are typically aimed at high school-age teen girls and are few and far in between.

Is anime appropriate for 9 year olds? ›

Anime seen on the Cartoon Network (or other channels that show children's cartoons) before 9pm is probably safe for most children younger than 13. If it is on after 9pm, then you know it isn't appropriate for children younger than 13.

Can boys watch shoujo? ›

Yes. Only a few though because of the "girlish" art and that's what makes me want to avoid some or most shoujo series.

Do boys read shoujo? ›

Not that I don't like it but yes boys do read shoujo. Shoujo can also be put in a more broad spectrum of Romance, Slice of life, and even Psychological at times and those are my favorite genres so Yes i am a big fan of Shoujo manga such as Nisekoi, Ao Haru Ride, Lovely Complex and Orange.

Can you kiss in shoujo city? ›

The player can only do the kissing minigame once per day. In older versions of the game, the "Kiss" option was locked. In order to unlock the option, the player needed to have the love points reach 50.

Is Shoujo Ai same as yuri? ›

Following the pattern of shounen ai, Western fans coined the term shoujo ai (also rendered shōjo-ai) to describe yuri without depiction of sex.

Is Kageki a shoujo? ›

Kageki Shojo!!

(かげきしょうじょ!!, Kageki Shōjo!!) is a Japanese manga series by Kumiko Saiki. It was serialized as Kageki Shojo! (かげきしょうじょ!, Kageki Shoujo!) in Shueisha's seinen manga magazine Jump X from 2012 to 2014 and was collected in two tankōbon volumes. It was later re-released as Kageki Shojo!!

Which is the best shounen manga? ›

The Most Exciting Modern Shonen Manga
  • My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi.
  • Spy x Family by Tatsuya Endo.
  • Kaiju No. 8 by Naoya Matsumoto.
  • Noragami: Stray God by Adachitoka.
  • To Your Eternity by Yoshitoki Oima.
  • One Punch Man by ONE and Yusuke Murata.
  • Dr. Stone by Riichiro Inagaki and Boichi.
Feb 7, 2023

What is the most popular Isekai manga? ›

Best Isekai Manga
  • That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime by Fuse and Taiki Kawakami. ...
  • I'm in Love with the Villainess by Inori and Aonoshimo. ...
  • Ascendance of a Bookworm by Miya Kazuki and Suzuka. ...
  • Overlord by Satoshi Ōshio and Hugin Miyama. ...
  • Restaurant to Another World by Junpei Inuzuka and Takaaki Kugatsu.
Mar 30, 2022

What is the top 3 shonen anime? ›

As an anime fan, you are probably familiar with the titles: One Piece, Naruto & Bleach, collectively referred to as "The Big Three." A major contributing factor to the celebratory title, "The Big Three," is a result of the smashing successes of these titles in the Weekly Shōnen Jump manga.

What is the most popular shonen in Japan? ›

The 5 Most Popular Shonen Anime In Japan (& The 5 Most Popular In The West)
  • 9 POPULAR IN THE WEST: YU-GI-OH! ...
  • 8 POPULAR IN JAPAN: DETECTIVE CONAN. ...
  • 7 POPULAR IN THE WEST: ONE PIECE. ...
  • 6 POPULAR IN JAPAN: NARUTO. ...
  • 5 POPULAR IN THE WEST: BLEACH. ...
  • 4 POPULAR IN JAPAN: DRAGON BALL. ...
  • 3 POPULAR IN THE WEST: NARUTO.
Apr 8, 2020

What is the big 4 anime of all time? ›

Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach are known as the “Big Four.” In some fans' eyes, Dragon Ball is seen as the grandfather of Shonen while One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach are known as the “Big Three”. You can find inspiration from each of the “Big Four” in almost all Shonen anime.

Who are the Big 5 anime of all time? ›

Any manga reader as well as many other people could name you the names of the 5 largest names in the manga industry. Fairy Tail, Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach.

What is the oldest isekai? ›

The concept of isekai started in Japanese folk tales, such as Urashima Tarō. However, the first modern isekai works were Haruka Takachiho's novel Warrior from Another World and Yoshiyuki Tomino's television series Aura Battler Dunbine.

What is the number 1 anime in the world? ›

Anime Top 10
Top 10 Best Rated (bayesian estimate) (Top 50)
#titlerating
1Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (TV)9.07
2Steins;Gate (TV)9.04
3Clannad After Story (TV)9.02
8 more rows

Why DBZ is not in Big 3? ›

However, while Dragon Ball is undoubtedly great, it simply arrived too early to be viewed alongside Naruto, One Piece and Bleach -- it was already a massive franchise in its own right before the Big Three became a concept in the public consciousness.

Who is the strongest Big 3 anime? ›

Mirio is the strongest member of the Big Three in My Hero Academia. All Might considered him a worthy candidate for the One For All Quirk, but this was before he met Izuku Midoriya. This only speaks volumes about Mirio's power level.

Who is the grandfather of Shonen anime? ›

Osamu Tezuka (手塚 治虫, born 手塚 治, Tezuka Osamu;3 November 1928 – 9 February 1989) was a Japanese manga artist, cartoonist, and animator.

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