Top Kabuki Manga Recommendations

Hanakoi Tsurane

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

The self-destructive type, Sougorou is the heir of one of the well-known families in Kabuki world. He has no interests in other actors his age with the exception of Gensuke who he recognizes as his rival and never wants to lose to no matter what. However, fate plays a cruel trick on him and the two of them end up as classmates... How will their relationship develop...?

Note: There are two different endings to this manga. The difference starts in the middle of the last chapter. The tankoubon version is a bit longer and more fleshed out compared to the magazine version.

Tags: Acting , Boys' Love , Primarily Male Cast , Work , Kabuki , Male Protagonist , LGBTQ+ Themes , Tragedy

Gakuyaura Ouji

Also known as Backstage Prince.

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

Akari is totally clueless about kabuki--and boys--but she's eager to learn about both. Her first encounter with Ryusei doesn't go very well, but with the help of a cat named Mr. Ken, the two teenagers quickly become prince AND princess of kabuki. Love was never so dramatic!



Tags: Shoujo , Acting , Love Triangle , Heterosexual , School , Work , Tsundere , Female Protagonist , Kabuki

Akaki Tsuki no Meguru Koro

Status: Finished
Genres: Fantasy , Mystery , Romance , Supernatural

Riu Rokugiya, is the only daughter of a famous Kabuki theatre house.Since she was small, she had always dreamt the same weird dream about meeting a man under the red moon.She didn't know him until she attended one of the performances of her brothers. The man turns out to be one of the Akatsukiya's heir, Rui.
The Akatsukiyas were distant relative of the Rokugiyas. Just recently, its Head, Ashikawa Enjuuro died. The family is on the process of choosing its successor among the three adopted sons, one of which is Rui.

What relation will Rui have with Riu? Why was she dreaming of him dying every night?

Tags: Shoujo , Female Protagonist , Heterosexual , Kabuki

Kunisaki Izumo no Jijou

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy

Izumo Kunisaki, a descendant of Izumo no Okuni, is often mistaken as a girl. It is the bane of his existence. His father and best-friend (i.e. the girl he likes) often laugh about it. To top it off, he plays the girl roles in his family's Kabuki troupe. In this short, he discovers that that curse is also his greatest source strength and will prove just how much of a man he is.

Tags: Crossdressing , Boys' Love , Shounen , School , Female Harem , Kabuki

Pin to Kona

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

In the world of Kabuki, where family social standings are highly valued, Kyonosuke is inept even though he is born as the son of a duke of a famous household. Ichiya while being born in a family that has no connection to Kabuki, is trying to move from the absolute lowest rank to the top using just his ability. Through some kind of karma, these two completely opposite boys have fallen in love with the same girl, Ayame.
That’s where the story begins.
Kyonosuke, who wants to be liked by the Kabuki loving Ayame, cries tears of regret because he would throw away all his powerful connections if he could only have real ability. But what if Ichiya, who wants to be the center of Ayame’s attention, was adopted into a famous household…?



Included one-shots:
Volume 1: Tanaka-san Chi no Takaya-kun Volume 4: Utakata no Mirai

Tags: Shoujo , Acting , Male Protagonist , Love Triangle , Heterosexual , School , Primarily Teen Cast , Kabuki

Dawn Dance

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama

Despite being the adopted son of a Kabuki actor, Teruchika has no interest in Kabuki and is a terrible actor. On the other hand, although Kuni is a talented Kabuki performer, she is unable to go on stage because she is a woman. Teruchika tries to use his ability to "copy" her performance to indirectly bring Kuni to the stage, but...?



Tags: Shoujo , Acting , Kabuki , Dancing

Sen

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Romance , Supernatural

An unlikely pair and their adventures in the mythical past. Burly ronin Kusanagi looks after the physical well-being of various characters the two come across, while the slight, "blind" Sensai attends to their spiritual predicaments, granting wishes in exchange for souls.

Tags: Boys' Love , Historical , Episodic , Tragedy , Disability , Samurai , Travel , Curses , Reincarnation , Revenge , Torture , Swordplay , Royal Affairs , Kabuki , Youkai , Conspiracy , Gangs , Incest , Suicide , Sumo , Drawing , Crossdressing

Kabuki Hime: Tenkaichi no Onna

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

Set in the 1590s, this manga tells the story of the rise of kabuki theater. Kiki is traveling with her mother, Izumo no Okuni, as she tries to spread the popularity of her new style of dramatic dancing. They face a lot of difficulties in this politically tumultuous period of history, as the warring states period comes to a close and Japan moves towards unification.

Tags: Historical , Kabuki , Seinen

Doku to Hanamichi

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological

Mizuki Saeki was raised by his aunt and her family. He was scorned for his effeminate behavior and forced to hide his face, isolated from everyone around him. But when the kabuki actor Danbara Sanshiro invites him to join his theater troupe, Mizuki steps into the world of kabuki. When the boy goes on stage, his prodigious natural ability is finally allowed to blossom! Note: Includes one bonus chapter.

Tags: Shoujo , Acting , Male Protagonist , Crossdressing , Kabuki

Kokuhou

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama

Tags: Acting , Yakuza , Male Protagonist , Seinen , Kabuki

Juntaro

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

Tags: Kabuki , Male Protagonist , Seinen , Historical , Acting , Crossdressing

Koihime

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

A collection of stories:

1-2. Koihime (恋姫); Magazine BE×BOY 1995-11~12
A Kabuki actor is in love with an author but the man is married and is a player...

3. Toshishita no Otokonoko (年下の男の子)
4. 2-gen Chuukei de Okurishimasu. (2元中継でお送りします。)
5. Kaya no Soto (蚊帳の外)

Note: Shinsouban edition includes the one-shots "Unmei no Hito (運命の人)" and "Koharu Biyori (小春日和)", instead of "Toshishita no Otokonoko".

Tags: Anthology , Love Triangle , Boys' Love , Cheating , Age Gap , Kabuki , Historical

Kubukumono

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

The pleasure of kabuki! "Kabuku" refers to the act of capturing the hearts of the audience and moving them as the actor pleases. It is the greatest joy for an actor! So the goal is to make it make it interesting for the audience, right? Shinkuro, a genius who seeks to “kabuku" his audience, will strike back against the traditional world of kabuki! He cares nothing for tradition or formality, he just wants to "blow the heads off" the audience”! Starting from the streets of Shinjuku, Shinkuro Ichisaka, a fledgling actor, will pursue his artistic vision in a grand and reckless way!

Tags: Male Protagonist , Acting , Seinen , Kabuki

Kabuki Drop

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Supernatural

Tags: Kabuki

Kabuki Nasai

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

Tags: Josei , Kabuki

Iroka Neru

Status: Finished
Genres:

Tags: Shoujo , Kabuki

Kabuki Iza

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

Tags: Kabuki