More and more people are reading manga as it continues to dominate popular culture on a global level. With its extensive list of genres, surely there’s a type of manga for everyone. One of the most popular ones is shōnen, which is a genre targeted at young boys.
Generally speaking, there is more known as mangaka that is male, especially in shōnen. However, a good number of fan favorites are actually written by women. Not only that, but they also span other well-loved genres.
Here are 3 amazing manga written by women.
Fullmetal Alchemist
Hiromu Arakawa is actually the pen name of Hiromi Arakawa. She moved to Tokyo in 1999 to get a kickstart on her career as a mangaka by working in Square Enix. In 2001, the first chapter of Fullmetal Alchemist was published.
This iconic shōnen manga tells the story of two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric. Set in a world where alchemy exists, these two tried to revive their dead mother with alchemy. Their attempt fails and Edward loses an arm while Alphonse loses his whole body.
We follow Edward and Alphonse on their search for the philosopher’s stone to get their bodies back. The vast setting and complex storytelling, alongside a diverse line-up of characters, will send you laughing, crying, and everything in between.
Fullmetal Alchemist has two anime adaptations, with the first one released in 2003. In 2009, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood was released, which is more faithful to the manga.
Arakawa’s other works include Stray Dog and Silver Spoon. Her most recent work is The Heroic Legend of Arslan, which started serialization in 2013 and is still ongoing.
Ouran High School Host Club
Bisco Hatori is the pseudonym of this mangaka. Her debut work was A Moment of Romance which was published in LaLa DX, a shōjo manga magazine.
She started Ouran High School Host Club in 2002. It tells us the story of Haruhi Fujioka, a commoner studying at Ouran Academy, a school for the elites. After breaking a vase at the Host Club’s room, she has to work as a male host to pay back her debt.
Ouran High School Host Club was serialized between 2002 and 2010. The anime adaptation is widely popular and a fan favorite. The anime only ran for one season and even though it’s been more than 10 years since the release, fans are still hoping for a second one.
The interesting personalities of these characters and their interactions with one another will definitely be a delightful experience.
Noragami
Noragami is written by Adachitoka, which is actually a combination of the names of the two creators—Adachi and Tokashiki. Adachi illustrates the foreground while Tokashiki does the background. From 2003 to 2009, they collaborated with Tadashi Kawashima on his work titled Alive. Noragami is Adachitoka’s first original work.
Yato is a god in a tracksuit without a shrine who takes requests for 5 yen. After an accident involving Yato, middle school girl Hiyori Iki gains the ability to have her soul leave her body. For 5 yen, she asks for his help to fix her. Alongside Yato’s weapon named Yukine, these three embark on various adventures.
Serialization began in 2010. Currently, the manga is still ongoing. In 2014, an anime adaptation was released by Bones. It ran for two seasons, and fans are awaiting the third one.
Noragami will make you feel happy and sad at the same time for the trio, especially after you find out how lonely it can get for a stray god such as Yato.
Related: The Difference Between Manga, Manhwa, and Manhua Explained
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