Top Ballet Manga Recommendations

Jing Jiu

Also known as Pirouette into My Heart.

Status: Finished
Genres: Romance , Sports

Known as “the little swan” of his ballet studio, Shen has big dreams of leaving the humble farming town he grew up in and shooting to stardom. Though soft-spoken and timid, he meets his match in the stoic, wealthy, and equally as intense Jinyi, who pursues boxing next door. An unlikely pair, they cheer each other on and raise each other up through thick and thin. Determined to achieve their separate ambitions in the midst of their personal troubles, will their deep connection be strong enough to endure the journey and take flight?

Note: Season One has 74 chapters, plus prologue and two extras. Season Two has 69 chapters, plus prologue, extra, and three epilogue chapters, followed by a 10-chapter side story.

Tags: Boys' Love , Dancing , Full Color , Boxing , Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , Ballet , Urban , Rural , Foreign , Time Skip , Iyashikei

Dance Dance Danseur

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Romance , Slice of Life , Sports

Junpei is happily snoozing away during his sister's ballet recital when a male ballet dancer steps onto the stage. Moved by the strength and skills the dancer displays, the boy discovers his love for this art.

But after a certain tragedy happens, he vows to leave his past behind and turn into the epitome of manliness. What will he do when his love for ballet reignites?!

Tags: Dancing , Male Protagonist , Ballet , Seinen , Foreign , Heterosexual , School , Disability , Amputation , Crossdressing , Love Triangle , Primarily Teen Cast

Subaru

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological , Sports

A small five-year-old girl named Subaru no longer has time for friends and play. Why is this? Her twin brother Kazuma is dying...and gradually forgetting everything. Even Subaru. And so the girl visits him every day, talking with him and dancing for him, trying to make him remember her. And he always does by the end of the day. Encouraged by a friend to join ballet classes, the girl does so and falls in love with the dance.

Tags: Seinen , Dancing , Tragedy , Female Protagonist , Time Skip , Ballet

Nabillera

Also known as Navillera: Like a Butterfly.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

After the funeral of an old friend, Deok-Chul Sim resolves to pursue something he had always wanted to try: ballet. Much to the surprise (and maybe~ horror) of his wife, children, and other acquaintances, this 70-year-old throws himself into following his heart and his passion. With the help of his young instructor Chae-Rok and others hoping for their own ambitions to take flight, Deok-Chul shows the importance and joy of pursuing one's dream… even in the face of hardships and our own mortality.



Tags: Dancing , Family Life , Disability , Iyashikei , Ballet , Primarily Adult Cast , Amnesia , Full Color , Male Protagonist , Time Skip , Foreign , Elderly Protagonist

Kenrantaru Grande Scène

Also known as The Magnificent Grand Scene.

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

Kanade, a girl gifted with an observing eye and an ability to get things done. This is the story about her journey discovering the beauty of classical ballet and the joy of dancing. From the popular author that brought us Vanitas, comes a romantic story that makes the beauty of classical ballet come alive.



Tags: Dancing , Coming of Age , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Shounen , Foreign , Travel , School , Pandemic , Ballet , Language Barrier , Classic Literature

SWAN

Also known as Swan.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Sports

Masumi Hijiri is a 16-year-old ballet student attending a small school in Japan. When she unexpectedly recieves an invitation to attend a special ballet competition, and later gains admission to a renowned ballet academy, she embarks on a grand adventure of friendship and hardship. She is the weakest of the students, and as such encounters several challenges, but her determination and faith in herself help guide her through the fierce world of ballet.



Tags: Shoujo , Dancing , Coming of Age , Heterosexual , Female Protagonist , Ensemble Cast , Ballet

Princess Tutu

Also known as Princess Tutu.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Romance

13-year-old ballet student Ahiru is clumsy, good-hearted and sweet... and has a big secret. The mysterious Drosselmayer morphed a young duck into a girl to give her a mission: help a Prince to get the parts of his heart back. With that in mind, she morphs into Princess Tutu, whose magical dances ease the pain and purifies the bad feelings.



Tags: Magic , Fairy Tale , Henshin , Heterosexual , Foreign , School , Dancing , Primarily Child Cast , Female Protagonist , Shounen , Meta , Animals , Ballet

Houkago no Etude

Also known as After School Etude.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Romance

When Minobe Chihiro is admitted to a private arts academy to study ballet, the last person he expects to train with is surly second-year student Ichinomiya Shun. Yet by some stroke of luck, the two are paired up for their school's mandatory pas de deux practice. While Minobe has fallen at first sight for Ichinomiya's superior dance sense, the second-year's attitude leaves a lot to be desired. For Ichinomiya, being paired with Minobe as a dance partner is just one of the ways he'd like to be together with his new partner. It's not just grades that have Ichinomiya dancing with Minobe—he's head over heels, and he's after Minobe's heart!



Tags: Boys' Love , Primarily Male Cast , Dancing , Male Protagonist , School , Tsundere , Ballet

Yumemiru Prima Girl!

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy

Miyu is an amateur ballerina who wants to become a real star of the stage in the future. Unfortunately, not only the school club is empty but also Miyu's loneliness and lack of skill is a tall wall between her and her goal. But suddenly, there are people who want to join the club...! Yet, the problem is that both their styles and personalities are the exact opposites. Are they capable enough to stand and support each other?

Tags: Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , School Club , Primarily Female Cast , Dancing , 4-koma , Yuri , Seinen , School , Tsundere , Ballet

MOON: Subaru Solitude Standing

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

After the events of Subaru, the ballet dancer Miyamoto Subaru works in a German ballet company. However, after using pneumonia as an excuse to cancel at the last minute on her company's tour of Japan, she is forced to accept the damage she has done to her professional career. As she struggles with her sense of self-worth, she meets Nico, an amazing, handicapped ballet dancer. Nico lost his vision, in addition to his ballet partner and lover, in a tragic accident. Will Subaru be able to reach out to him, and help him to once again dance with a partner? In doing so, will she be able to find her own place in this world?

Tags: Seinen , Dancing , Female Protagonist , Rehabilitation , Disability , Ballet

Shoudou

Status: Finished
Genres: Romance

Nagisa Yamagami is a high school student in her rebellious period. She repeatedly violates school rules, and she quit ballet to be defiant towards her parents. One day on her way home, she meets a blind young man. This man is the son of a handicraft shop and often came to ballet classes for helping out with delivering costumes.



Tags: Disability , Amputation , Female Protagonist , Dancing , Coming of Age , Heterosexual , Crossdressing , Seinen , Primarily Teen Cast , Ballet

Korisu Ballet

Status: Finished
Genres: Slice of Life

A girl who, despite her boyish appearance, is secretly in love with ballet dancing...

Tags: Shoujo , Dancing , Female Protagonist , School , Ballet

Tenshi no Kiss

Also known as Forbidden Dance.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

When a young girl loses her confidence to dance, she fears she'll never set foot on the stage again. But then she falls in love with an all-guy avant-garde dance troupe and their leader...and everything changes. Soon, her primary goal in life is to join the troupe and snag the guy. So what if she's missing a Y-chromosome? She's got spunk, skill, and passion--and, in the end, she hopes that love will conquer all.



Chapter count includes four extras.

Tags: Shoujo , Dancing , Female Protagonist , Ballet

Inochi wo Odoru

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

Shishima Sakura, penname Ouga (19) winner of the 2018 Niigata Manga Award & the 96th Tezuka Manga Award for her debut, "I want to date you", bring you a one shot about Laila and Anastasia, who inspired each other through ballet.



Tags: Dancing , Foreign , Yuri , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Slavery , Time Skip , Shounen , Ballet

Kaname étoile

Status: Finished
Genres: Sports

1-3. Kaname étoile
Will Kaname's destiny as ballerina change?
Because she wished to become a great ballerina, Kaname followed Miki-sama and entered in the prestigious ballet of her school. Kaname will secretly develop her talent as ballerina there.


4. Futari, Kataomoi
5. Kimi ni Zettai Koufuku

Tags: Shoujo , Dancing , Ballet

Arabesque

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Sports

Nonna Petrova, a tall, sixteen-year-old ballet student in Kiev is unaware of her unique balletic brilliance. Having low self-esteem due to the unwanted comparison with her talented older sister, Nonna is “discovered” by leading ballet dancer Yuri Mironov, and, under his guidance, is led to stardom.

Notes:
- Includes the oneshot "Hello! Young Young" (ハロー！ヤング・ヤング); Ribon Comic 1969-12
- Includes the oneshot "Eikou no Green Field" (栄光のグリーンフィールド); Ribon Comic 1970-10
- Includes the oneshot "Miss Megane wa Otoshigoro" (ミスめがねはお年ごろ); Ribon Comic 1970-2
- Includes the oneshot "Ashita wa Aozora" (あしたは青空); Ribon Comic 1969-7

Tags: Shoujo , Dancing , Female Protagonist , Foreign , Ballet

Maihime Terepsikola

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Sports

The story focuses on classical dance and its meaning for the three teenage protagonists: Yuki, who is ending the first primary; Chika, her older sister by one year; and the strange Kumi, whose family has fallen into disgrace by the debts of her father (because of which Kumi is also forced by her mother to pose for pictures). The aunt of Kumi, Michiko, was once a prima ballerina, and perhaps, the girl has inherited her talent…



Note: Won the 11th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2007.

Tags: Shoujo , Dancing , Ballet

Hoshi wo Tsumu Donna

Status: Finished
Genres: Sports

The main character is a student at a ballet school. Her sister is a famous prima ballerina whose grace shows in every move and expression. How does it feel to be compared to a sister like this? In fact, the girl is very talented. She doesn't practice nearly as much as her classmates, yet her performance is always superb. She dances without any pretension because she has no knowledge of her gift...


Tags: Shoujo , Dancing , Female Protagonist , Ballet

Mou Hitori no Marionette

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

Ballet is Nanami's life and passion, but what happens when her father passes away due to an illness and she has been entered into a famous theatrical troupe by a mysterious man who is deeply attracted by her potential in acting? Will she survive in the harsh surroundings in the theatre?

The drama of Nanami's life as an actor and the circumstances of a small theatrical troupe are carefully woven into this manga.

Tags: Shoujo , Acting , Dancing , Dissociative Identities , Ballet

Do Da Dancin'!

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Sports

Sakuraba Taiko has been into ballet since she was a kid. Her mother also used to dance, although she gave it up to take a more traditional life path. Therefore, she was eagerly supportive of Taiko's interest in ballet. Taiko's life was staggered by the death of her mother in a car accident, but she has continued to dance, although her heart is no longer in it. Her remaining family and childhood friends support her as she chases her dream to become a famous dancer.

Her latest role is in the ballet "Giselle" as Myrta, the queen of the Wilis, spirits of young, virginal women who died before their wedding day. One day when she comes to the studio, she meets a beautiful, famous male ballet dancer, Mikami Akira, and she instantly crushes on him. Will she be able to dance well enough in her role to impress him and live up to the expectations of the whole ballet group? Will she be able to sort out her own feelings towards ballet and her mother's death?

Tags: Josei , Dancing , Ballet