Manga like Akane-banashi

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu

Also known as Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

This multi-generational epic dives deep into rakugo, a rich form of Japanese storytelling theater. Small-time crook Yotaro has never forgotten the rakugo tale "The God of Death," which the master Yurakutei Yakumo performed for Yotaro during his time in prison. After his release, he goes to Yakumo's theater and pleads to be made his apprentice. Yakumo reluctantly accepts, but Yotaro quickly finds the world of rakugo is complex and grapples with a growing bond with Yakumo's ward, Konatsu. Meanwhile, the two young people bring reminders of Yakumo’s own inescapable past.



Note: Won the 38th Kodansha Manga Awards for Best General Manga and the New Creator Prize of the 21st Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2017.

Tags: Rakugo , Josei , Male Protagonist , Tragedy , Primarily Adult Cast , Historical , Acting , Family Life , Love Triangle , Work , Afterlife , Suicide , Yakuza , Oiran , Tsundere , Crossdressing , War , Adoption , Heterosexual , Elderly Protagonist

act-age

Also known as ACT-AGE.

Status: Cancelled
Genres: Drama , Psychological , Slice of Life

Lights! Camera! ACTION! Kei Yonagi wants to be an actress! But an already-difficult dream to achieve has become much harder since her father left and her mother died. She's now taking care of her two little siblings on her own.

Without much money left, will she have to give up her dream?!



Tags: Acting , Work , Female Protagonist , Coming of Age , Filmmaking , Shounen , Philosophy , Educational , Primarily Adult Cast , Twins

Blue Period

Also known as Blue Period.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

The studious Yatora leaves a dry life of study and good manners behind for a new passion: painting. But untethering yourself from all your past expectations is dangerous as well as thrilling…



Note: Nominated for Manga Taisho Awards in 2019, Kodansha Manga Awards in 2019 and the 24th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2020. Winner of the 13th Manga Taisho Awards. Winner of the General Manga category of the 44th annual Kodansha Manga Awards.

Tags: Drawing , Coming of Age , College , Seinen , Male Protagonist , Educational , Philosophy , Primarily Adult Cast , LGBTQ+ Themes , School , School Club , Tragedy , Transgender , Bisexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Crossdressing , Suicide , Gender Bending , Nudity , Tomboy

Chihayafuru

Also known as Chihayafuru.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Sports

Chihaya is a girl in the sixth grade, still not old enough to even know the meaning of the word zeal. But one day, she meets Arata, a transfer student from rural Fukui prefecture. Though docile and quiet, he has an unexpected skill: his ability to play competitive karuta, a traditional Japanese card game.

Chihaya is struck by his obsession with the game, along with his ability to pick out the right card and swipe it away before any of his opponents. However, Arata is transfixed by her as well, all because of her unbelievable natural talent for the game. Don't miss this story of adolescent lives and emotions playing out in the most dramatic of ways!



Notes:
It won the 2nd Manga Taisho Award and the 35th annual Kodansha Manga Award for Best Shoujo.
It was nominated for the 20th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2016.

Tags: Karuta , Josei , Female Protagonist , Coming of Age , School Club , Unrequited Love , Card Battle , Love Triangle , POV , Primarily Teen Cast , Educational , Ensemble Cast , School , Tomboy , Heterosexual , Bullying , Slapstick

Show-ha Shou-ten!

Also known as Show-ha Shoten!.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Slice of Life

A high schooler who submits jokes to radio shows and a former child actor aim for the top of the comedy world!



Tags: Slapstick , Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , Shounen , Acting , Educational , School , Manzai , Heterosexual

Joshiraku

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

A joint effort between popular illustrator Yasu and Kouji Kumeta, creator of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, this manga features female rakugo storytellers. After stepping off the stage, these comedians chit-chat in the girl's dressing room. This is a comedy that begins after the storyteller has said goodbye to the audience!

Tags: Rakugo , Meta , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Shounen , Primarily Female Cast , Primarily Adult Cast , Surreal Comedy

3-gatsu no Lion

Also known as March Comes in Like a Lion.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Rei Kiriyama is a child prodigy. Rei Kiriyama is also an orphan who lives alone in an empty apartment. Rei Kiriyama is a teen working in an adult's world. Life is complicated for Rei. He's an up-and-coming shogi player on the verge of turning pro, but he has no homelife, or much of a life period,outside his board game, but thankfully with the help of some life-long friends he has an opportunity start all over again.



Notes:
Winner of the Grand Prize at the 4th Manga Taishou Award in 2011.
Winner of the 35th Kodansha Manga Award in 2011.
Winner of the Grand Prize at the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2014.
Winner of the Grand Prize at the Japan Media Arts Festival in 2021.

Tags: Coming of Age , Family Life , Philosophy , Rehabilitation , Seinen , Shogi , Found Family , Male Protagonist , Bullying , Iyashikei , Board Game , Food , Heterosexual , Tragedy , Age Gap , Adoption , School Club , Love Triangle

Uchi no Shishou wa Shippo ga Nai

Also known as My Master Has No Tail.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Fantasy , Slice of Life

Mameda is a tanuki who was born in the wrong era - all she wants is to trick humans, but that age of tanuki shenanigans is over. But one woman, a rakugo master named Bunko, shows Mameda it's still possible to cast magic on humans...only with words, not illusions. Mameda is determined to become Bunko's apprentice, but can she convince the stoic master to take her on...?



Note: Nominated for the Tsugimanga 2020 Award in the Manga Category.

Tags: Seinen , Rakugo , Youkai , Female Protagonist , Historical , Kemonomimi , Shapeshifting , Age Gap , Yuri , Demons , Afterlife , Educational , Found Family

Moebana

Also known as Moebana.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

High-schooler Tsukumo Fukakusa is obsessed with an anime about human characters based on flowers. He secretly enjoys looking at the flower arrangements displayed in front of the back entrance of his school. Then, one day, his knowledge of flowers is noticed by the ikebana club, who suddenly recruit him! This otaku, guided by his favorite idol character, enters the world of flower arranging! Thus begins this ikebana youth drama!



Tags: School Club , Male Protagonist , Otaku Culture , School , Time Skip , Coming of Age , Shounen , Twins , Kuudere , Crossdressing

[Oshi no Ko]

Also known as [Oshi no Ko].

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Psychological , Supernatural

Gorou is a gynecologist and idol fan who’s in shock after his favorite star, Ai, announces an impromptu hiatus. Little does Gorou realize that he’s about to forge a bond with her that defies all common sense! Lies are an idol’s weapon!



Notes:
Nominated for the 14th and 15th Manga Taisho.
Nominated for the 26th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.
Nominated for the 67th Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category.
Nominated for the 46th Kodansha Manga Award.
Winner of the 7th Next Manga Award in the print category.
Includes two extra chapters.

Tags: Revenge , Idol , Acting , Tragedy , Male Protagonist , Reincarnation , Seinen , Female Protagonist , Twins , Detective , Work , Time Skip , Urban Fantasy , Otaku Culture , Age Gap , Love Triangle , Suicide , Anti-Hero , Heterosexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Female Harem , Bullying , Educational , Denpa , Tsundere , Primarily Female Cast , Urban , Pregnancy , Filmmaking , VTuber , Cosplay , Incest