Potential Projects

This is a list of interesting manga I’ve found, many by artists who have never been scanlated. We’ll pick most future projects from this list, but we’ll never get to all of them; I do have raws (scans or digital) for many of them, if another group is interested in starting any. Do let me know if you see another group planning any of them (so we don’t overlap) and feel free to spread the word about anything you like!

Notes:
1) Summaries are rough translations, without context, from publisher summaries. I haven’t actually read any of these. Expect errors.
2) Download samples are often LQ and are not necessarily the raws I have to work with.
3) Happily accepting freelance editors for any of these titles. See our FAQ.

Note: We’re not updating this blog list. It’s grown to near 200 possible titles, but we’ll leave this list here so you can get an idea of the variety of manga we like.

(Download Sample) Ai o Misero (Fushimi Ami)
“Show Me Love”
lovely > josei > 1-vol slice of life/drama
Publisher summary: Middle school student Nanami, who was abandoned by her father. Nagakawa, whose wife left him and took their son. Nagakawa’s son Kenta, who was abused by his mother’s boyfriend. These three injured souls meet in a shabby apartment building, and rusted gears begin to turn.
(Download Sample) Mugi no Wakusei (Torino Shino)
“Planet of the Wheat”
lovely > josei > 3-vol sci-fi slice of life
Publisher summary: Near his mountainside bakery, the young baker Konta meets Mamita, an alien whose spaceship crashed and is looking for food. Konta winds up taking the stranded alien in as his little brother. This is the diary of a baker and an alien as they live together as “siblings”.
(Download Sample) Cherof-san no Mahou Ningyou (Hoshikawa Chidori)
“Cherof’s Magical Doll”
strange > seinen > 3-vol wacky fantasy
Publisher summary: This is a slightly different world. Normal humans exist, but so do magics and monsters. The witch Cherof’s specialty is making magical medicines, to the extent that many people travel from far away to buy them. Cherof’s servant Lololojio is a time-worn doll. When she was little, Cherof wanted a friend, so she made the magical doll — and now that she’s all grown up, he spends his days serving her.
(Download Sample) Shiro ga Ite (Nishi Keiko)
“Shiro is Here”
lovely > josei > 1-vol slice of life
Summary: A family moves into a new home and finds the kitten Shiro. These are snippets of their lives as Shiro grows from a kitten to age 17 — and the young family grows up alongside him.

babel-cover
(Download Sample)
Babel (Shigematsu Narumi)
strange dark seinen > 5 vols, virtual reality, mystery
Summary: The year is 2050, and all books have been digitized in a virtual Bibliotek. Oreson’s dad has the job of fixing the digital books that “break”. One day a chained book is brought to the house by 3 hooded figures, and Oreson opens it at the urging of a strange man despite his father’s warning. A plume of black light consumes his father as Oreson loses consciousness, and when he comes to everything is gone. Now an adult, Oreson is training to repair the Bibliotek himself, in an effort to understand what happened all those years ago… as well as the true nature of the black light that’s consuming the Bibliotek data.
waltz(Download Sample) Bumbougu Waltz (Kawachi Haruka)
“Stationery Waltz”
lovely josei > 1-vol slice of life, romance, fantasy
Publisher summary: Nazuna, who struggles to tell the difference between dreams and reality. Yagami, who’s fallen in love with her. Hatano, an manga artist who can’t catch a break. And next to each of them, unbeknownst, are little “beings” supporting them…
chousounobabel.jpg
(Download Sample)
Chousou no Babel (Ninomiya Shirou)
dark seinen > 4 vol supernatural action mystery
Summary: A thunder bird has started appearing out of nowhere and devouring people. Those devoured are brought back to life in a new body. Kase’s old teacher Suruga was killed by the birds, so he takes in Suruga’s daughter Mari. However, a corpse matching Mari is soon found, and Mari is kidnapped. Kase is determined to find Mari and discover what’s going on.
douwa-meikyuu-tsurimaki-nodoka-cover
(Download Sample)
Douwa Meikyuu (Tsurimaki Nodoka)
“Fairy-tale Labyrinth”
strange dark seinen > 2 vols, dark fairy-tales, connected stories
Publisher Summary: Welcome to the labyrinth of stories—-. Authored by Mimei Ogawa, whose works stand alongside Grimm and Anderson. In this work, Tsurimaki Nodoka has drawn our generation and all future generations into the author’s beautiful fairy-tale world. Together with Ogawa, a boy lured in by a strange signboard, please take your time and have your fill of this space between dreams and reality. And please, make sure not to lose your way in this vibrant world of fairy-tales…
eshikarunte-mori-kazumi-cover
(Download Sample)
Eshikarunte (Mori Kazumi)
lovely dark seinen > 2 vols, kids, supernatural, post-WW2 Japan
Summary from MU: Ever since Chizuru survived the air raid in Tokyo that killed her mother and older brother, she has been unable to speak and her memories are confused. However, once they began their journey to Nochiu, she has had the same dream every night. She’s in a forest, and someone is calling her name. When she meets Shizuko, she is surprised to realize that Shizuko is the one calling to her in her dreams. Why is Shizuko calling for her, and what are the secrets she seems meant to learn?
hoshinoann.jpg(Download Sample) Hoshi no Annainin (Uemura Isuzu)
“Star Guide”
Lovely seinen > 4 vols, slice of life
Summary: An eccentric old man built a private planetarium. It’s a place where the shy boy Tokio can be at ease. But that once peaceful place has now been invaded by a careless novelist, a lively high school girl, and a popular transfer student…!? A gentle story of the cosmos and the people whose lives unfold on the stage of that planetarium.
hoshigahara-aomanjuu-no-mori-iwaoka-hisae-cover
(Previous Releases)
Hoshigahara Aomanjuu no Mori (Iwaoka Hisae)
“Hoshigahara Aomanjuu Forest”
lovely strange seinen > 5 vols, spirit friendships, slice of life
Summary from Batoto: There stands a house in the forest where the wind blows and ‘monsters’ frighten children. A man lives in this house, as well as a number of spirits.
ikigami-no-fatima-mizushima-raika-cover
(Download Sample)
Ikigami no Fatima (Mizushima Raika)
“The Living God Fatima”
josei > 2 vols, fantasy, romance
Publisher Summary: In a desert world where the one who controls the river has immense power, what is the destiny of the boy made supervisor of the living god who manipulates water, when he must choose between his feelings for her and his duty?
ikki-yakou-cover
(Download Sample)
Ikki Yakou (Komatsu Emeru/Morikawa Yutaka)
“A Demon Wanders at Night”
lovely seinen > 3 vols, spirit friendships, historical
Publisher Summary: Adaptation of a popular novel. Five years after the Tokugawa shogunate collapsed– Kizou is the dour, mysanthropic owner of a used-good store. One night, out of the blue, the demon Koharu wanders into his house, having gotten separated from his group of wandering spirits. Koharu impudently assumes he can stay there for free, and Kizou unwillingly relents. The two of them wind up getting involved in the affairs of various spirits… A story of empathy among spirits during the Meiji era that will move you with kindness.
Future project @ Agent of Change Translations.
joou-no-hyakunen-misshitsu-mori-hirosh-suzuki-yuka-cover
(Download Sample)
Joou no Hyakunen Misshitsu (Mori Hiroshi/Suzuki Yuka)
“The Queen’s Hundred-Year Locked Room”
strange seinen > 3 vols*, fantasy, mystery
Publisher Summary: It’s 2113. Michiru has to make an emergency landing with her small airplane in an unfamiliar land. With her companion Rodi, she eventually arrives at an isolated fortress city inside a forest. It’s like a tiny paradise ruled by the queen Debou’suho. However, what starts with a murder on the festival night turns into a hidden secret in what should be a perfect city, a secret that ties in with Michiru’s own past.
*Note each volume is based on a separate novel with stand-alone plot and shared characters.
kami-no-sumau-tokoro-cover
(Download Sample)
Kami no Sumau Tokoro. (Arinaga Ine)
“This is Where God Lives”
lovely josei > 3 vols, supernatural, drama, romance
Publisher Summary: Welcome to the world of endless troubles that temple construction workers live in! Loveless and jobless, 24 yr old Kamio Mitsuki returns to his hometown. Even though he’s the grandson of the master carpenter, he’s afraid of heights! Though his talented younger brother Koujuurou ignores him, he works hard. It’s at this point that the god of a tree, Niki, appears, and Kamio falls in love with her…!
tomodachi(Download Sample) Kimi ni Tomodachi ga Dekiru made (Hotani Shin)
“Until You Make a Friend”
lovely > seinen > 5-vol cute slice-of-life, school life
Publisher summary: First-grader Ryuutarou is so shy he can only communicate in writing. His cousin Kiyonosuke, an elite high schooler, has been tasked with helping him make a friend. Ryuutarou thinks it’s a waste of time, and by working with him, Kiyonosuke winds up growing himself.
kirakira-hikaru-uso-no-tsubu-kamu-cover
(Download Sample)
Kirakira Hikaru Uso no Tsubu (Kamu)
“A Shiny Grain of Lie”
josei > 1 vol, fantasy, romance
Publisher Summary: The Lady Diviner’s prophecies are heard throughout the islands. Since her prophecies are so accurate, she has one rule: to never tell a lie. But when she meets the master of lies Yajirou, she tells her first lie and leaves the kingdom on a journey as their relationship gradually changes.
koipon(Download Sample) Koi Pon! (Kisaragi Sono)
“Love Yip!”
lovely strange > shoujo > 3-vol supernatural rom-com
Summary: Fukuko is an average girl. She’s chubby and has a crush on the nicest guy in her class, Kiyohara. Then she turns fourteen, and her “normal” family reveals they’re all actually shape-shifting tanuki! Big surprise!! What’s more, she can gain Kiyohara’s affections by shape-shifting into the woman he has an (unrequited) crush on. Things are looking up! Until Konno, the guy in class who always picks on her, turns out to be a shape-shifting fox and sets out to ruin it all. Huge surprise!! The utterly bizarre story of a tanuki’s shape-shifting first love.
koisuru(Download Sample) Koisuru Butsuzou (Aida Kaoru)
“Beloved Image of Buddha”
lovely josei > 2-vol slice of life drama
Publisher summary: Two childhood friends — the shy and socially awkward Muga, and his polar opposite, the popular Reo — have both devoted themselves to carving statues of Buddha ever since they were children. Muga, who was told he’s been curbing his own abilities in order to match Reo, is now gradually coming into his true talent and realizing the joy of carving. On the other hand, Reo gets impatient with the change in Muga.
kuon-no-mori-tsurimaki-nodoka-cover
(Download Sample)
Kuon no Mori (Tsurimaki Nodoka)
“Eternal Forest”
lovely strange seinen > 6 vols, fantasy, fairy-tales, school kids
Publisher Summary: Shiorigahama, a town where only bibliophiles live. High schooler Uozumi Yuushi moves with his parents to Shiorigahama, to his late grandfather’s house. Yuushi is a “bookworm” like his grandfather, and has a special skill in that once he reads a book, he never forgets its contents. After changing schools, Yuushi finds his way to the Shiorigahama library and there swallows a letter-eating fish (the silverfish). Then a mysterious girl appears right in front of him…!?
kuusou-yuubinkyoku-asahi-noboru-cover
(Download Sample)
Kuusou Yuubinkyoku (Asahi Noboru)
“Fantastic Post Office”
LSD seinen > 3 vols, purgatory, supernatural, helping others
Summary adapted from MU: Makoto’s normal, happy life is abruptly ended. He wakes in a kind of purgatory, and is offered a deal: If he works as their miracle deliveryman, he can earn back his life. As a miracle deliveryman, Makoto re-enters the world as a kind of ghost, providing people with letters or packages that give them just what they need in a difficult time.
lyrebird(Download Sample) Lyrebird (Wakita Akane)
lovely strange seinen > 4-vol drama, psychological
Publisher summary: Yotaka is a young man who loves the guitar and works at a music lounge in Kyoto called “Lyrebird”. There are three things he cherishes in life: the guitar, music, and Lyrebird. He’s stubborn and doesn’t let friends get close to him. Then one day, a simple girl named Koto barges into his life. Guitar riffs that Yotaka can’t pull off no matter how many times he tries — Koto can hear them just once and then perform them. A story about two polar opposites, a musical and human drama.
polvoron(Download Sample) Mahiru no Polvoron (Itoi Nozo)
“Polvoron at Midday”
lovely dark > josei > 3-vol drama
Summary: The nine-year-old girl Rutsubo doesn’t like her father, and has made up her mind to never forgive him for abandoning her right after she was born. But when her guardians take a two-month vacation, she’s forced to live with him for the first time. Live with him, fine — but that doesn’t mean she has to talk to him. This is the story of a silent, withdrawn girl and the complicated father who hopes to win her over.
maigo-kamoshirenai-cover(Download Sample) Maigo, Kamoshirenai. (Nanamaki Kanako)
“You’re probably lost.”
lovely shoujo > 2 vols, fantasy
Publisher Summary: “I’ll take you anywhere.” Chizuya lives in Ame Town, a place visited by both the living and dead. He deals in maps that can take you to any place in any time. Various people who have lost track of the place they’re supposed to go visit him… A mysterious heart-warming story!
majo-maria-amano-taka-cover (Download Sample) Majo Maria (Amano Taka)
“Maria the Witch”
lovely seinen > 2 vols, fantasy, fairy-tales, witches
Publisher Summary: Is she real or an illusion? Maria is called a witch, and quietly watches the everyday lives of humans from a god’s point of view. At times she appears as a character in a story, and at times she guides the story. Is she alive or dead? What is the witch Maria…?
miyori-no-mori-oda-hideki-cover
(Previous Releases)
Miyori no Mori (Oda Hideki)
“Miyori’s Forest”
lovely strange seinen > 3 vols, spirit friendships, slice of life
Summary from Batoto: Sent to live in the country with her grandmother after her parents’ separation, young girl Miyori spends most of her time daydreaming to escape her harsh reality. When she sets foot into her new home’s nearby forest, she encounters a series of curiosities: a tree struck by lightning, but still yielding new blossoms; the inexplicable appearance of a tiger–could this be a forest of spirits?
mizu-no-hakoniwa-andou-ikori-cover(Download Sample) Mizu no Hakoniwa (Andou Ikori)
“The wonderful aqua garden”
lovely seinen > 2 vols, loss/moving forward, kids
Publisher Summary: One sea angel, 3980 yen. It can live in a regular refrigerator. But there are surprising requirements… Asaka Mizuki’s older brother disappeared at the same time that their home burned in a suspected arson. In order to chase after her brother, she begins a job at a tropical fish store like an aquarium. She waits and struggles through her days taking care of various aquatic creatures she’d never heard of.
muyung(Download Sample) Muyung – Kagenashi – (Takahashi Tsutomu & Kim Jung-Hyun)
“Muyung – The Shadowless -”
dark seinen > 5 vols, supernatural historical action
Summary: The woman Kiku, who by drawing the dead can resurrect them. The young man Biryuu, who possesses the mysterious power to see spirits of the dead. The two meet, and this story “Muyung” begins. The setting is ancient China during a period of great turmoil. The king is slain while Biryuu is in command of the troops. Biryuu and his father Hobeku meet Kiku during their grieving. Hobeku compels Kiku to resurrect the king, and Kiku revives him. However, those who are resurrected… have no shadow. They are “other”, having the same appearance but a completely different personality…
nejimaki-no-niwa-kayase-shiki-cover
(Previous Releases)
Nejimaki no Niwa (Kayase Shiki)
“The Wind-Up Garden”
lovely dark josei > 2 vols, school kids, mystery
Summary from Batoto: Tucked away in the mountains and cut off from the rest of the world, Rosa Academy is your typical boarding school… at least on the surface. Like most schools, it has its share of urban legends. But, as Raum and his friends—Tulli, Yan, and Karel—are to find out, there is more to Rosa Academy’s legends than meets the eye…
onore(Download Sample) Onore Free! (Sakura Chika)
“Free of You!”
lovely > josei > 2-vol fantasy comedy
Publisher summary: In order to fulfill her dream of following in her mother’s footsteps as company president, Itsuki spends her days at the office hard at work. One day, an “angel” and “devil” appear in front of her…!? Against her will, they wind up living together, and the angel’s tactlessness finally brakes her patience! A modern coming of age story with a light fantasy twist.
onsanohibiki.jpg(Download Sample) Onsa no Hibiki (Izu Toru)
“Like the Sound of a Tuning Fork”
lovely dark seinen > 3 vol slice of life
Summary: Sixth grade. The rather timid boy Junki winds up changing schools and hasn’t quite found his place. The search for his missing cat leads him straight to Eto, a delinquent boy in his class. Eto himself is something of a mystery: he seems to live on the streets, looking forward to each day as a new adventure. This is the story of two very different boys as they experience, overcome, and rejoice in “life” as it occurs — from the cruelties of the world to the simple beauty of nature. (Note two side stories are published in the author’s oneshot collection Henkyo de.)
oto-no-hako-iwaoka-hisae-cover
(Download Sample)
Oto no Hako (Iwaoka Hisae)
“Sound Box”
lovely seinen > 1 vol, school life, choir
Publisher Summary: “Great! Let’s create it together.” High school freshman Tanabe Kimi joined the school youth choir. A story of youth and the love of singing! She’s often been told she has a “strange voice”. But, Tanabe Kimi can’t help but be curious about the singing she’s heard echoing ever since she entered high school. She winds up joining the chorus club, but is that really OK…? From distress over her voice to love troubles, a story about the young days of a youth choir.
pied-piper-asada-torao-cover
(Download Sample)
Pied Piper (Asada Torao)
dark seinen > 6 vols, sci-fi, action
Publisher Summary: In the ruins of Tokyo, a vigilante corps faces off against a group of middle schoolers they expelled there. Into this tense situation comes our protagonist after a 4-year trip abroad…
rafnas(Download Sample) Rafnas (Shirai Yumiko)
strange seinen > 2 vol sci-fi adventure romance
Publisher summary: It’s been hundreds of years since mankind immigrated to the planet Rafnas. The planet is abundant in the natural anti-gravity substance called “Rafna”, and the humans there unknowingly took it up inside their bodies and gained the ability to fly at will. Our story starts one day as the woman Lima, who has strong abilities and came to the village to investigate the river, meets Ragi, a man who has no Rafna inside him and can’t fly.
rasen(Download Sample) Rasen-jikake no Umi (Nagata Reiji)
“Helixed Ocean”
lovely strange > seinen > 2-vol episodic sci-fi drama
Publisher summary: The world has advanced and genetic manipulation is now an industry. Among the people living in the wreckage of a flooded city, there are heterogenic individuals called “chimera carriers”. The bio-manipulation expert Otokita makes a living altering genomes. He himself also carries several chimeric genes, and he finds people like himself who are in precarious situations.
saihate-arcade-arinaga-ine-cover
(Download Sample)
Saihate Arcade (Arinaga Ine)
“Arcade at the Edge”
lovely dark josei > 2 vols, between life & death, supernatural
Publisher Summary: It is a miraculous arcade that spans life and death. It is “where the end of life begins”. In the most quiet arcade in the world, employees each with their own vice stand in a row. And I, as the owner who watches over them, each day meet the visitors. But for some reason, all the visitors smell of “death”. Why does the arcade exist…!? —hope, at the end of the world!!
seikan(Download Sample) Seikan Bridge (Kyukkyupon)
“Interstellar Bridge”
lovely > shounen > 4-vol historical drama
Publisher summary: Set in the “Sin City” of Shanghai during the Second Sino-Japanese War, a coming of age story about a Japanese girl Haru and Chinese boy Xin. The two meet, connect, and then the war starts. What will become of the two as they’re torn apart!?
sennotsuki.jpg
(Download Sample)
Sen no Tsuki (Kayase Shiki)
“Thousand Moons”
strange dark > josei > 1 vol, drama
Publisher Summary: In different world, two young men investigate incidents for the government: Seki, a sociable and agreeable guy; and Hai, a serious and strong-willed guy. The two of them always get strange cases. A butterfly birthmark on someone’s face; a girl raised in a church in the slums; an orphan boy searching for a song; a one-eyed boy who stops a streetclock; a wax model maker that can bring back the dead…. Granting the broken wishes of people, what is it that the two guys are after…? This city is full of wonder and dreams.
sennen-mannen-ringo-no-ko-tanaka-ai-cover(Download Sample) Sennen Mannen Ringo no Ko (Tanaka Ai)
“Apple Children of Aeon”
lovely josei > 3 vols, supernatural, slice of life
Summary from MU: Yukinojo was abandoned on the grounds of a Tokyo temple soon after his birth. He meets and marries Asahi, the daughter of an Aomori apple farmer, and moves to the deep, snow-covered apple country of northern Japan. Far from the social turmoil of the period, Yukinojo lives a quiet family life that warms his heart and fills the void of never having known his parents. But one winter everything changes when he brings his wife, who has fallen ill, a forbidden apple. Reviving a rite that should have died out some 60 years earlier, Asahi becomes the consort of a local deity known as Obosuna-sama. Delicately yet boldly, with richly expressive touches, this series depicts villagers who hold fast to the traditional customs they have inherited and the natural environment of a bygone Japan.
shiawasenomachi(Download Sample) Shiawase no Machi (Iwaoka Hisae)
“Joyous Town”
Lovely josei > 1 vol, supernatural slow romance/slice of life
Summary: The cafe owner Mikumo and general store shopkeeper Yano have their shops directly above and below each other in the same building. The two seem so close, but aren’t a couple — and their oh-so-frustrating “romance” is being silently witnessed by the most unlikely of beings.
shinizokonai-no-ao-yamamoto-kotetsuko-cover
(Download Sample)
Shinizokonai no Ao (Yamamoto Kotetsuko)
dark seinen > 1 vol, supernatural horror, school kids
Publisher Summary: A grade school boy relentlessly bullied by his teacher. The only one who understood Masao’s pain was Ao. Otsuichi’s work turned into a manga, also contains two other stories: “We meet in a dark place” and “Happiness is the sight of kittens”.
shiroi-hon-no-monogatari-shigematsu-narumi-cover
(Download Sample)
Shiroi Hon no Monogatari (Shigematsu Narumi)
“The White Book Story”
lovely seinen > 1 vol, books, character growth
Publisher Summary: After his bibliophile father passed away, the boy Ryuka sees a beautifully decorated book in a shop window in Paris. The book decorator there, Stefan Bosch, takes him to his publishing house, and he wanders into the studio of Stefan Louie. Ryuka is enchanted by the book making world of the two Stefans, who his father loved, and he takes up training at their studio. To find the place where he belongs–
tsuzuki-wa-mata-ashita-konno-kita-cover
(Previous Releases)
Tsuzuki wa Mata Ashita (Konno Kita)
“To Be Continued Tomorrow”
lovely josei > 4 vols, slice of life, kids
Summary from Batoto: Haruka and Saya spend their days living peacefully with their father in a small town. However, when a new neighbor moves in, unusual events suddenly start taking place. Strangely enough, they all seem to be related to Haruka and Saya’s mother who passed away some time ago…

12-shoku(Download Sample) 12-Shoku Monogatari (Sakaguchi Hisashi)
“Twelve Color Stories”
LSD > seinen > 2-vol collection of varied classic oneshots
Publisher summary: Oneshots exploring human nature with the theme of 12 different “colors”.
bokunchi(Download Sample) Bokunchi no Yuurei (Kasahara Chizuru)
“The Ghost at my Place”
lovely josei > 1-vol oneshot collection, slice of life/romance/fantasy
Publisher summary: A collection of warm stories about people’s lives. One about a librarian protecting his books; one about young couple bonding over the cinema; one about a boy moving into a haunted house.
focus(Download Sample) Focus & Contrast (Machimura Chez)
lovely dark josei > 1 vol psychological drama oneshots
Publisher summary: A collection of two stories. The title story: The woman and young lady live together: Kyouko, a model and stylist who used to be brilliant, and Haru, the young photographer. The two used to be as close as siblings, but each with their own inner demons, the relationship crumbles.
Machimura’s second oneshot collection, “Sweet Home Syndrome” is also lovely dark.
fumikiri-kimi-no-te-sakuramichi-cover
(Download Sample)
Fumikiri, Kimi no Te, Sakuramichi. (Masuda Riho)
“Train Crossing, Your Hand, Sakura Road.”
lovely shoujo > 1 vol, sweet romantic oneshots
Publisher Summary: Atsumi Kohaku, middle school sophomore, 14 years old. She’s perplexed by her physical changes as she grows up. She’s slowly finding herself unable to see her good guy friend Toya as “a friend”. What answers will she arrive at in her journey from “girl” to “woman”? A bittersweet tale of youth that everyone can empathize with. Also contains short stories “Summer Capsule – What’s Reflected in your eyes”, “For instance, if whales flew in the sky”, and “Boyfriend”.
hakoniwa-mushi-cover
(Previous Releases)
Hakoniwa Mushi (Kondou Akino)
lovely strange seinen > slice of life/bizarre oneshots
Short, surreal stories.
hoshinoko(Download Sample) Hoshi no Ko (Hashiba Mao)
“Star Child”
lovely shoujo > 1 vol slice of life oneshots
Publisher summary:A person’s life is like the twinkle of a star: sometimes brilliant, sometimes subdued. The title story, in three parts, chronicles three points in the life of Ruka — from a baby boy, to an adolescent, to an adult. Also included are two short stories, “afterglow” and “Nemureru Mori no Shoujo”.
hoshinosuna(Download Sample) Hoshi no Suna (Ameno Sayaka)
“Desert of Stars”
lovely seinen > 1 vol oneshot collection slice of life
Publisher summary: Have you ever thought, “I’m so glad we met”? The novelist Haru moved to a new home with an “interesting history”. There she met a girl who was crying alone in the closet. In addition to the title story “Desert of Stars”, this also contains “Matatakuma Highlight” and “Rikka no Kubi”. A heartwarming collection of short stories filled with unforgettable encounters.
inu-naki-ishikawa-yugo-cover
(Download Sample)
Inu Naki (Ishikawa Yugo)
lovely dark seinen > 3 vols, dogs, slice of life
Stories revolving around the unforgettable dogs in the characters’ lives — the joy they bring and the sadness that comes with parting.
jinsei-wa-futsuka-dake-tsutsumitani-nao-cover
(Download Sample)
Jinsei wa Futsuka dake (Tsutsumitani Nao)
“Life is Only Two Days Long”
lovely seinen > 1 vol, slice of life, oneshots
Publisher Summary: A female scientist artificially produces babies to make a ton of cash. However, her gay guy friend proposes that she raise a baby herself… Beginning with the stunning debut work “Birthday”, this also contains “Right Nightlight”, about a lazy boy being pushed around by his unstable cousin; “Kin ringo-chan no koi”, about a Lolita’s pure love; “Usagi no Naru Ki”, about a female high schooler haunted by her dead brother; “Bianca”, a SF work taking place in a plant at the bottom of the Mars’ ocean; and “Jinsei wa Futsuka dake”, the title work about a sullen young man in front of whom suddenly appears a little girl, and how they get along.
konchuu(More Info) Konchuu Kagyou (Akiyama Ayuko)
“A Bug’s Work”
lovely strange seinen > 1 vol fantasy slice of life oneshot collection
Summary: A collection of somewhat surreal oneshots featuring human-like bugs in otherwise normal rural/historical settings.
kontou-shoujo-ando-yuki-cover
(Download Sample)
Kontou Shoujo (Ando Yuki)
lovely shoujo > 1 vol, sweet romantic oneshots
Contains: Hot Ice Tune, Kontou Shoujo, Afureru, Honoo no Yukue, Party.
magarikado-no-bokura-nakamura-asumiko-cover
(Download Sample)
Magarikado no Bokura (Nakamura Asumiko)
“Us at the Corner”
lovely josei > 1 vol, slice of life/romantic oneshots
Contains: Tonari no Kyuuketsuki, Sakurafubuki ni Saku Senaka, Magarikado no Bokura, Minna Kirakira, Abe-kun to Kuroha-san.
mahou-jika-hatsuden-tani-kazuno-cover
(Download Sample)
Mahou Jika Hatsuden (Tani Kazuno)
“My Private Magic Generator”
lovely josei > 1 vol, fantasy slice of life oneshots
Publisher Summary: “It is a miracle that I, a beast, and you, an angel, both live in the same world” — an angel meets an ugly beast while riding the train. Also contains 5 other short stories.
nagi-o-sagashite-wakita-akane-cover
(Download Sample)
Nagi o Sagashite (Wakita Akane)
“Searching for Nagi”
lovely seinen > 1 vol, oneshots, slice of life
Publisher Summary: Title Story: Kawai works hard every day and keeps her feelings bottled up. It’s all to keep her pet cat Nagi happy. But one day Nagi suddenly vanishes… I want to see that cat once more— A missing cat, a cat she used to have, searching for a cat on an island… A beautiful collection of short stories which delicately express the intricacies of a five women’s hearts — all shown through their beloved cats.
shounen-shoujo-nemu-youko-sample
(Download Sample)
Shounen Shoujo (Nemu Youko)
“Boys & Girls”
lovely shoujo > 1 vol, sweet romantic oneshots
Publisher Summary: Hanna goes to her grandpa’s house in the country, and the ring she got from her boyfriend falls into a tank with goldfish. As Hanna tries to get the ring back, a boy passing by calls out to her… Contains 6 stories.
step-by-step-yasunaga-chisumi-sample
(Download Sample)
Step by Step (Yasunaga Chisumi)
lovely strange seinen > 2 vols, slice of life/bizarre oneshots
Slice of life trending to the bizarre/surreal.
suiton(Previous Release) Suiton Kikou (Komatsu Shinya)
strange seinen > 1 vol surreal oneshot collection
Summary: A collection of interconnected, bizarre vignettes.
yuki(Download Sample) Yuki no Joou to Itsutsu no Kakera (Hako Tomoko)
“The Snow Queen and Five Fragments”
lovely shoujo > 1 vol fairy-tale oneshots
Summary: Adaptations of 5 of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy-tales: Thumbelina, The Little Mermaid, The Tinderbox, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and The Snow Queen.
Tomoko also has two other fairy-tale oneshot collections that are just lovely!

12 Responses

  1. zakkyliar says:

    ohhhhhhh this is a big list no doubt. I have a suggestion but couldnt find your mail address Kalendel. Want to see more of her manga in english. Only read kagome kagome so far and its pretty good. (translated it to turkish right away lol)

    http://myanimelist.net/people/35615/Aoi_Ikebe

    • kalendel says:

      My email’s on the About page… =P

      Thanks for the rec! I checked her out, and her stories look very soft, kind of like Aoi Uroko. Based on the summaries, I’m most interested in Princess Maison, which is still ongoing. I’ll check periodically to see when it wraps up and get a better feel for it 🙂

      • zakkyliar says:

        Yeah hope they can get translated. kagome had a really soft deepness in it and captivated me right after I started ? It will be worth the wait, (if you ever translate her works) LSD doesnt disappoint me on the josei department. overall great choices!

        Btw ptc is going really great Im craving for more lol. Wish her works were a little bit longer ?

  2. N. Schist says:

    Seeing the psychological/sci-fi/mythology themed titles makes me really happy and excited for those series! (but I’d be excited for anything you release, since they seem to fit my tastes perfectly~)

    Really happy Nejimaki no Niwa is being considered. I’ve loved Kayase’s [zion] since I read it years ago, and I’ve read some of her Arcana one-shots, so I know she’s definitely one to keep an eye out for (: Also, Shirube no Machi – I’ve kept this in my reading list for so long, so just that it’s being considered is much relief.

    I see Nemu Youko’s name around a lot, so I wonder if you’d consider her “Pandora”, since it’s stuck at 2 released chapters as Blue Flor is now gone ;___;

  3. kuyuma says:

    Have you thought about picking up “Hokuhokusei ni Kumo to Ike”? It’s Aki Irie’s new series <3

    • kalendel says:

      We’re absolutely following all the LSD authors =D But we only consider doing a series when it’s completed. Volume 1 of that just came out, so it’ll probably be a long while before it finishes. And considering the author’s popularity, another group will likely pick it up while it’s still serializing.

      But if not, we’ll be here <3 It is gorgeous!

  4. cain says:

    Thank you for all of your hard work! LSD always brings great series for us. ^^ Potential projects… I want to read all of them! xD 😀 *She is serious pretty much.*

    Well, do you have any plan about this author’s works? https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=16253
    I couldn’t find any public raws of her(?) series…

    Kalendel-san, you could add the author your secret list or something for future, maybe…? ^^

    • Kalendel says:

      Sure, I came across Hotel Salamander raws a while ago, but it was kinda silly. Just looked at the rest of her works… a couple look more serious. I bookmarked 3 of them to check out later and add to my secret list 🙂 Thanks for the rec!

      • cain says:

        Woah, really? Where did you find the raws…? Are they public…?

        Yes, HS looks like a bit like that to me, too… ^^’ 😀 However, I usually like Itan series and HS is the most popular serie of her, probably… 😀 But actually her other ones caught my attention like Machi Kinema, Watchan wa Fuurin etc…

        Shortly, thanks for everything. That makes me happy. ^^ I’ll be waiting, then. ^^

        • Kalendel says:

          No, it’s a friend’s raws 🙂

          The problem is all the previews are soooo short for all her things that it’s hard to tell if I like them. Because if they turn out to be silly like HS, it’s not my thing. Anyway, I’ve got them bookmarked and if I see one on sale I’ll grab it~

  5. Eric Henwood-Greer says:

    Great list–I’d LOVE to see more of the Keiko Nishi. Back when I was 12 (ack!) my world was turned around when I saw an issue of Viz’s old magazine MangaVizion which had their first ever shoujo story–by Keiko Nishi (they eventually did six of her stories) so she holds a soft spot with me. And, I mean… cats….

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