Manga like With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child

What is With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child about?

Status: Finished

Born during the sunrise—an auspicious beginning—the Azumas' newborn son is named Hikaru, which means "light." But during one play date, his mother notices that her son is slightly different from the other children. In this alternately heartwarming and bittersweet tale, a young mother tries to cope with both the overwhelming discovery of her child's autism and the trials of raising him while keeping her family together. This is a story that resonates not only for those whose families have been affected by autism, but also for all past, present, and future parents.

Notes:
The chapter count includes the one-shot "Thank You Sensei!, Haru no Manazashi".
The English publishing of this manga only has 8 volumes, compared to the usual 15 in Japan.

Tags: Josei , Educational , Disability , Family Life , Coming of Age , School , Ensemble Cast , Female Protagonist , Parenthood , Work

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Here is a list of Manga similar to Hikari to Tomo ni...

Asper Kanojo

Also known as That's My Atypical Girl.

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

Yokoi Taku has trouble getting along with people, so he moved to Tokyo as soon as he graduated from high school. He now lives alone, making a living by delivering newspapers and drawing doujinshi, though people totally ignore his non-erotic works. One day, a girl named Saitou Megumi suddenly shows up at his door, claiming that she came all the way from Tottori to meet him because she's a big fan of one of his doujinshi. It ends up that she has faced many hardships herself, and with no intention of leaving, she ends up living with him.

Note: Current chapter count is based on the original serialization. Several chapters were combined into 100 chapters in the physical release.

Tags: Primarily Adult Cast , Rehabilitation , Bullying , Disability , Suicide , Heterosexual , Seinen , Philosophy , Psychosexual , Drawing , Male Protagonist , Writing , Estranged Family , Female Protagonist , Language Barrier , Tragedy

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Comic Days

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Muu-chan to Te wo Tsunaide: Jihen Shou no Musume ga Oshietekureta Koto

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Based on the author's own experiences, this is a story about a family filled with love for their autistic daughter.

Tags: Family Life , Disability , Parenthood , Josei

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No reading links available

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Hattatsu Shougai to Issho ni Otona ni Natta Watashitachi

Also known as My Brain is Different: Stories of ADHD and Other Developmental Disorders.

Status: Finished
Genres: Slice of Life

This intimate manga anthology is about the struggles and triumphs of individuals learning to navigate daily life with a developmental disorder. The comics follow the stories of nine people, including: a junior high dropout finding an alternate path to education; a former "troublesome" child helping kids at a support school; a so-called problem child realizing the beauty of his own unique quirks; and a man falling in love with the world with the help of a new medication. This inspiring volume illustrates their diverse anxieties and finding self-empowerment in a world not quite built with them in mind.

Tags: Educational , Autobiographical , Disability , Biographical , Rehabilitation , Non-fiction , Anthology , Hikikomori , Suicide , School

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Kimi to Uchuu wo Aruku Tame ni

Also known as Spacewalking With You.

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

Kobayashi just can’t focus—not on studying, not on work—and the adults in his life think he’s in danger of becoming a worthless dropout. Then, one day, a strange new presence arrives in his class: an energetic and naïve kid named Uno. Kobayashi saves Uno from getting scammed, and that close encounter launches a new friendship. Uno’s definitely a space cadet, but Kobayashi can’t help admiring the way he floats through life, and before he knows it, he might start feeling his feet lift off the ground, too…

Note: Winner of Manga Taisho 2024.

Tags: Disability , Male Protagonist , Seinen , Astronomy , Rehabilitation , School Club , School , Cute Boys Doing Cute Things , Work , Delinquents , Primarily Male Cast , Primarily Teen Cast

Where to read?

Comic Days

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Koe no Katachi

Also known as A Silent Voice.

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

Based on a one-shot that won the 80th Weekly Shounen Magazine Newbie Best Mangaka Award.

Shouya is a bully. When Shouko, a girl who can't hear, enters his elementary school class, she becomes their favorite target, and Shouya and his friends goad each other into devising new tortures for her. But the children's cruelty goes too far. Shouko is forced to leave the school, and Shouya ends up shouldering all the blame. Six years later, the two meet again. Can Shouya make up for his past mistakes, or is it too late?

Note: Includes 2 extra chapters.

Tags: Rehabilitation , Language Barrier , Bullying , Coming of Age , Disability , Time Skip , Denpa , School , Heterosexual , Suicide , Male Protagonist , Primarily Teen Cast , Female Protagonist , Ensemble Cast , Kuudere , Filmmaking , Shounen , Tomboy , Tragedy

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INKR Manga Planet

K MANGA

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Daisuki!!: Yuzu no Kosodate Nikki

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Yuzu, a 23-year-old mentally disabled woman with the mind of an 8-year-old, falls in love with Sousuke, a man with a similar disability. After Sousuke is involved in a fatal accident, Yuzu's family discovers she is 5 months pregnant with his child. Though Yuzu is intent on having the child, her mother, Miyoko, is immediately against it. After her family comes to terms with her pregnancy, Yuzu eventually gives birth to her daughter, Himawari. With many odds against her, Yuzu does her best to care for the daughter she so dearly loves.

Tags: Josei , Parenthood , Family Life , Disability

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No reading links available

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IS: Otoko demo Onna demo nai Sei

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

I.S. (Pronounced "Aiesu" in Japanese) is not your everyday manga, I.S. stands for "Inter Sexuality". This manga deals with very serious issues with intersexuality people. The pain they go through, the troubles they confront, and ultimately their inability to reproduce and even find a partner who will accept them as they are - It's all there in a form of manga. The series is consisted of 3 cases, each deals with different people though some cases are much longer and more dramatic than others.

Notes:
Includes 1 extra chapter.
Won the Kodansha Manga Award for Shoujo in 2007.

Tags: LGBTQ+ Themes , Josei , Time Skip , School , Found Family , Work , Family Life , Food , Coming of Age , Football , Disability , Surfing

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No reading links available

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Sekai de Ichiban Yasashii Ongaku

Status: Finished
Genres: Romance , Slice of Life

A cute and touching story of a single mother, Sumireko, and her daughter, Nozomi. The manga starts off with Nozomi being sixteen years old in the first chapter, then hops back to before she was born. Finally with the third chapter starts the "real" story, when Non-Non (Nozomi) is three years old.

Tags: Josei , Family Life , Female Protagonist , Parenthood , Tragedy , Episodic

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No reading links available

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Shussan no Shikata ga Wakaranai!

Also known as I Don't Know How to Give Birth!.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy

The humorous and heartfelt autobiographical comic essay of an otaku manga artist! Follow her journey as she learns the ins and outs of pregnancy and childbirth.

Tags: Autobiographical , Primarily Adult Cast , Non-fiction , Pregnancy , Family Life , Educational , Female Protagonist

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Comic Essay

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Liaison: Kodomo no Kokoro Shinryousho

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

Shiho Tono is a resident doctor specializing in pediatrics. She has a habit of being constantly late and forgetting things. Fed up with her behavior, her supervising doctor sends her off to a small affiliated clinic as a disciplinary measure. There, she receives a diagnosis from Saya, a child psychiatrist who awaited her arrival.

Amidst the buzz of domestic violence and child abuse cases, both adults and children struggle to find their place in the modern world. This story explores what is necessary to alleviate the pain in one's heart and live with laughter. It delves into the efforts of those in the fields of healthcare, administration, families, and education as they strive to make a difference.

Tags: Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist , Seinen , Medicine

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Comic Days

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