Manga like Metamorphose no Engawa

Skip to Loafer

Also known as Skip and Loafer.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life

Excellent student Iwakura Mitsumi has always dreamt about leaving her small town, going to a prestigious university, and making positive change in the world. But she’s so focused on reaching her goals that she’s not prepared for the very different (and overwhelming) city life that awaits her in a Tokyo high school. Luckily, she makes fast friends with Shima Sousuke, a handsome classmate who’s as laid-back as she is over-prepared. Can this naive country girl make it big in Tokyo with Sousuke by her side?



Notes:
Nominated for the 2020 Manga Taisho Award.
Winner of the Best General Manga category at the 47th Kodansha Manga Award in 2023.

Tags: Coming of Age , Female Protagonist , Primarily Teen Cast , School , Heterosexual , Male Protagonist , Iyashikei , Seinen , Rural , Urban , LGBTQ+ Themes , Acting , Transgender , Love Triangle

Umi ga Hashiru End Roll

Also known as The Credits Roll into the Sea.

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

Umiko, a grandma, realizes that she has the same desire to make movies as university student Kai—and soon she enrolls in Kai's film school!

"It's not the movies you like…you like watching the people watching the movies."

Just what are you going to do with the rest of your life? It's the question you'll always have to answer, no matter your age. Umiko Chino is a 65-year-old retired woman in mourning for her late husband. Remembering how they used to watch films together, Umiko goes to the movie theater for the first time in years, where she meets Kai, an attractive, ambiguous young man who studies filmmaking at a nearby art school.

They would seem to have nothing in common, except for this—both of them sometimes like to look more at the way the audience reacts to a movie than the movie itself. Kai believes Umiko has the same deep desire he possesses to experience how people respond to something they made… and challenges her to stake the rest of her life discovering that thrill.

Soon Umiko surprises herself by enrolling in the same film school as Kai. But sailing into this new sea, she's suddenly inside the currents of her fellow students' lives, a much younger generation that she struggles to understand, driven by their own passions and their own relationships. Who's really experienced at life, and is it old age or observation that brings wisdom? And does what you're looking for change when you look with your eyes instead of through a camera lens…?



Tags: Female Protagonist , Elderly Protagonist , Filmmaking , Photography , Primarily Adult Cast , College , Shoujo , Iyashikei , LGBTQ+ Themes , Asexual , Aromantic

Hirayasumi

Also known as Hirayasumi.

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

With a carefree outlook on life, Hiroto knows better than anyone that slowing down is sometimes the best way to move forward.

At 29 years old, carefree Hiroto Ikuta doesn’t have a girlfriend, a full-time job, or a plan for the future—and he couldn’t be happier. Hiroto’s breezy attitude isn’t easy for everyone to understand, though. In a world filled with anxiety, confusion, and grief, Hiroto and the people who surround him are all just doing their best to figure out this thing called life.

After developing an unlikely friendship with the grouchy old granny who lives in his neighborhood, Hiroto suddenly finds himself inheriting not just her house, but some rather difficult emotions as well. His 18-year-old cousin Natsumi moves in with him, but as a struggling art student, she has her own troubles to deal with and may just put Hiroto’s easygoing lifestyle to the test.



Tags: Seinen , Iyashikei , Family Life , Urban , Primarily Adult Cast , Work , College , Drawing , Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , Ensemble Cast , Female Protagonist , Filmmaking , Love Triangle

Ikoku Nikki

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

The manga centers on 35-year-old novelist Makio Koudai and her 15-year-old niece Asa, who live together under one roof. Makio took Asa in on a sudden impulse after Asa's parents, which included Makio's older sister, passed away. The next day, Makio returns to her senses and remembers that she does not do well in the company of other people. So begins their daily life, as Makio attempts to acclimate to a roommate, while Asa attempts to get used to an adult that never acts like one.



Note: Includes eight extra chapters.

Tags: Family Life , Female Protagonist , Josei , Adoption , Coming of Age , Writing , Estranged Family , Primarily Female Cast , Parenthood , LGBTQ+ Themes , Yuri , Aromantic , Food , Primarily Adult Cast , Transgender , School Club , Disability

Barakamon

Also known as Barakamon.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

For a certain reason, a handsome, young calligrapher by the name of Seishuu Handa uproots himself and moves to an island on the westernmost edge of Japan. "Sensei," as he comes to be known, is a city boy through and through, and has never experienced rural life until now. And by the looks of it, he has much to learn! Luckily(?), he has a willing teacher in Naru, the energetic expert islander, to help show him the ropes. But can Sensei keep up with the plucky first-grader, or will he get schooled?! Here unfolds a heartfelt island comedy about a gruff on the outside, soft on the inside urbanite teacher and his new, unfailingly kind island neighbors!



Notes: One extra and four side stories are included in volume 18+1. Original serialization was completed on 2018-12-12 with 18 volumes (139 chapters). A new limited-run serialization was started on 2023-04-12 and ended on 2023-09-12 in Monthly Shounen Gangan, in conjunction with the TV-drama adaptation. This new run adds 7 chapters and 1 volume to the total count.

Tags: Iyashikei , Calligraphy , Found Family , Rural , Family Life , Coastal , Rehabilitation , Work , Male Protagonist , Food , Teacher , Fishing , Tomboy , Cars , Shounen , Agriculture , Crossdressing , Cycling

Hana Monogatari

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

The manga centers on Hanayo, an elderly woman whose husband of many years has only recently died. After finishing a Buddhist service for her husband, she finds herself walking out in town alone for the first time in a long time. She stumbles onto a cosmetics store, and meets a beautiful woman named Yoshiko Doujima, and falls in love at first sight. Hanayo had long given up on makeup after her husband nagged her about it, but putting some on with Yoshiko's help brightens her heart.



Tags: Female Protagonist , Yuri , LGBTQ+ Themes , Primarily Adult Cast , Elderly Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Bisexual , Makeup , Classic Literature , Fashion , Seinen , Iyashikei , Work , College

Uchi no Musuko wa Tabun Gay

Also known as I Think Our Son Is Gay.

Status: Finished
Genres: Slice of Life

Despite belonging to a family of four, the Aoyama residence is typically home to three due to father Akiyoshi's job. While he's away at work, mom Tomoko and her two beloved sons Hiroki and Yuri go about their everyday lives--going to school, making dinner, doing homework, etc. But now that Hiroki's in his first year of high school, his thoughts are turning ever so slightly to sex and romance...and his mom can't help but notice his slips of the tongue when he's talking about who he likes. Supportive Tomoko has an inkling Hiroki might be gay, but she's going to let him figure it out for himself. Unfortunately, Hiroki has little talent for keeping his "secret," so he might die of embarassment before all is said and done!



Note: Originally published on Twitter and collated by Square Enix for print release.

Tags: LGBTQ+ Themes , Family Life , Bullying , Female Protagonist , Parenthood , Slapstick , Josei , Episodic , Asexual , Unrequited Love , School , Work , Love Triangle , Boys' Love

Kemutai Hanashi

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

These two men are not friends, not lovers, not family. But they still want to be near each other. A chance encounter leads to two former classmates living together.

A very relaxed slice of life manga series, trying to break free from the urge to label relationships a certain way.



Note: Nominated for the 2022 Next Manga Award (Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Taishou) for Best Web Manga.

Tags: Iyashikei , Male Protagonist , Aromantic , Primarily Adult Cast , LGBTQ+ Themes , Asexual , Josei , Teacher , Cute Boys Doing Cute Things

Kakukaku Shikajika

Also known as Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

High schooler Akiko has big plans to become a popular mangaka before she even graduates, but she needs to get much better at drawing if she ever wants to reach her goal. Looking for an easy fix, she signs up for an art class, thinking all her problems will soon be solved. She’s in for a surprise: her new instructor is a sword-wielding taskmaster who doesn’t care about manga one bit. But maybe this unconventional art teacher is just what she needs to realize her dreams!



Notes:
Kakukaku Shikajika is an autobiography detailing the life of author Akiko Higashimura.
The manga won the Grand Prize at the 8th Manga Taisho Award in 2015.

Tags: Drawing , Coming of Age , Otaku Culture , Autobiographical , Teacher , Josei , Female Protagonist , Tragedy , Non-fiction , College , Time Skip , Meta , Work , Writing , Primarily Adult Cast , Rural , Swordplay , Philosophy , Educational , Mopeds

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 , Tragedy , Heterosexual , Age Gap , Adoption , School Club , Love Triangle