Manga like The Essence of Being a Muse

What is The Essence of Being a Muse about?

Status: Finished

Twenty-three-year-old art school reject Miyuu Seno has a blue print for the future, but it's not her own. Instead, she's stuck on the "secure"path her mom has laid out for her—from her office job, to her clothes, to the guys she meets—and it's making Miyuu more miserable by the day. When things come to a head between them, Miyuu leaves home with a blank canvas in tow, holding on to the hope that painting can somehow undo the phony she's become...

Note: Includes 3 extra chapters.

Tags: Drawing , Estranged Family , Seinen , Female Protagonist

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ComicWalker Nico Nico Seiga

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 , Gender Bending , Suicide , Nudity , Tomboy

Where to read?

K MANGA

Comic Days

INKR

More About This Manga

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 , Teacher , Autobiographical , Josei , Female Protagonist , Tragedy , Non-fiction , College , Time Skip , Meta , Work , Writing , Primarily Adult Cast , Rural , Swordplay , Philosophy , Educational , Mopeds

Where to read?

No reading links available

More About This Manga

Houkago no Salome

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

"Can you help me paint after school?" asks my classmate Naomi. Our feet carry us to the art storage room that no one goes to. I quietly become her assistant in producing artworks. Naomi suddenly arrived at an Osaka art high school. The pride of the gifted, hardworking Renji gets torn to shreds by her ominous talent. Renji bluffs "I can come up with something like that too." But, he gradually finds himself enthralled by her talent. He writhes in-between his self-consciousness and inferiority complex. Is she his rival or is she...?! They produce eccentric, sensual works after school. A striking story of art and youth released by a brilliant newcomer.

Tags: School , Seinen , Male Protagonist , Drawing , Female Protagonist

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