Exciting Shoujo Summer Announcements
some of the anime/manga license announcements that got me hype
This summer was a great one for shoujo lovers! I feel like we’re starting to have a shoujo renaissance and can only hope it continues!
This is a little round-up of some of the license that have me most excited! I’ve divided them by Anime and Manga releases separately.
Anime
A Sign of Affection
AAAH! I CANNOT CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT ABOUT THIS ONE. I THOUGHT THE DAY WOULD NEVER COME!!! I /love/ A Sign of Affection and to see it animated, and in such a beautiful way from the trailer I am so excited. I’ve never heard of any other projects by this studio so I’m a little nervous but the Teaser looks so cute. Really looking forward to this one.
Airing: January 2024
The Demon Prince of Momochi House
I haven’t read the manga for this one, but I’ve heard it’s really good and really dark so it’s definitely on my TBR list. Some people made some comparisons to Tomoe from Kamisama Kiss and fans in the comments were very quick to declare the comparison invalid. I’m honestly so excited about the story and the animation looks gorgeous.
Summary: Himari Momochi inherits a mysterious house that comes with its own gorgeous demon guardian.On her sixteenth birthday, orphan Himari Momochi inherits her ancestral estate that she's never seen. Momochi House exists on the barrier between the human and spiritual realms, and Himari is meant to act as guardian between the two worlds. But on the day she moves in, she finds three handsome squatters already living in the house, and one seems to have already taken over her role!
Airing: Unknown
A Condition Called Love
An anime for A Condition Called Love has also been green-lit! I’m excited about this one too. The manga took me a while to get into, but after about the 6th volume I really began enjoying it and felt each volume got better than the last with a lot of great payoff for character development and plot arcs that were slow to build. The male lead in this one starts off as being too much and borderline toxic, however the storyline is intentionally about his growth to realize how troublesome and harmful his views are to both himself and others. I really love the character growth in this manga and am looking forward to it being animated!
Airing: 2024 (probably the summer or fall)
Bonus: Insomniacs After School has been renewed for a second season. While not a shoujo, it has a very lovely shoujo-esque storyline that pulls at the heartstrings and feels extremely realistic and well developed.
Manga
Loving Yamada at LVL999 by Mashiro
OOH! The one I’m most excited about. I’ll definitely be picking this one up. So happy that this story got both the anime treatment and English physicals.
Recently dumped, Akane is just about to quit the game she used to play with her boyfriend, when she meets Yamada in the same RPG. Yamada in real life turns out to be somewhat of a legend. The only problem is – he is ONLY interested in the game. As Akane’s feelings grow, will Yamada’s focus stay on the game?
Print Release: Spring 2024 by Penguin Random House’s new imprint: INKLORE
A Sign of Affection Omnibus by suu Morishita
This one seems a bit strange to me as there’s only 6 physicals out so far, but it’s great that the series is so popular to receive the omnibus treatment! I’ll be continuing to collect the singles and their adorable rainbow spines :)
Yuki is a typical college student, whose world revolves around her friends, social media, and the latest sales. But when a chance encounter on a train leads to her meeting friend-of-a-friend and fellow student Itsuomi-san, her world starts to widen. But even though Itsuomi-kun can speak three languages, sign language isn't one of them. Can the two learn to communicate the budding feelings between them?
Print Release: Spring 2024 by Kodansha
Anyway, I’m Falling In Love With You By Haruka Mitsui
An irresistible shojo manga offering an all-you-can-eat buffet of high school drama, adolescent crushes, and childhood nostalgia.
Brand-new manga from the author of I Fell in Love After School!
Mizuha's seventeenth birthday is the pits. Her parents totally forgot, and the senpai she likes isn't interested in her. But when her longtime childhood friend asks her out, Mizuha has to sort out what this change could mean…and all in the middle of a global pandemic!
I didn’t love “I Fell in Love After School!” (it was totally fine, just didn’t stand out to me/I didn’t get attached to the male or female leads), but the cover on this one looks very cute and pretty. I’m not sure about the pandemic plotline, but it’s nice that the author was able to find inspiration through the obviously dark time! I’ll definitely give it a try!
Print Release: Spring 2024 by Kodansha
Gazing at the Star Next Door By Ammitsu
The latest shojo from the creator of Ran the Peerless Beauty!
What do you do when your best friend (and secret crush) becomes a national sweetheart? This story of unrequited love between a girl and her best friend, whose acting career is pulling him further and further away, is perfect for fans of In the Clear Moonlit Dusk and Kimi ni Todoke.
Ran and the Peerless Beauty was very cute and I also love In the Clear Moonlit Dusk so I definitely will be checking this one out too! I read all new manga digitally before I know if I’ll like it enough to buy it!
Print Release: Spring 2024 by Kodansha
I See Your Face, Turned Away By Rumi Ichinohe
From the creator of My Sweet Girl comes a new manga about four teenagers and their four stories of unrequited love. When you don't want to lose a friendship but long for something more, the only thing you can do is gaze at your beloved's face, turned away...
One might call Hikari extraordinarily ordinary. One day, she takes up a new hobby--imagining what a romance would be like between her pretty friend Mari and the cute guy in their class, Otani. It's all in harmless fun, until the roles start to get tangled in Hikari's mind. Does she really have to be just the best friend in this love story? And just who is on Otani's mind when his eyes drift?
I love the cover design on this one too (honestly, do shoujo covers miss? They’re all adorable!). The art looks very pretty here. I haven’t read My Sweet Girl yet, but the summery looks promising. This year there were so many more shoujo license announcements from Kodansha vs last year.
Print Release: Spring 2024 by Kodansha
Number Call By Nagisa Furuya
From the creator of My Summer of You comes a new high school romance about the power of numbers—the author’s Japanese debut, now available for the first time in English!
High schooler Eighto Tachibana has always hated his name, and the "8" jokes that came with it. One day, he meets a classmate named Tomoya Hatta, aka Hachi—the Japanese word for "8." What begins as casual greetings and small talk in the hallway soon becomes something much deeper, and Eighto realizes that it's more than just a similar nickname that draws him to Hachi. Could the number that Eight resented for so long finally bring him something he'll love?
I haven’t read a lot of boyslove manga, but Kodansha seems to license some works with beautiful art and cute concepts, so I’m going to try and pick up a few more this year to find out if I like them or not!
Print Release: Spring 2024 by Kodansha
The White and Blue Between Us By Kiyuhiko
Is it ever too late to make up for a lie? Or can the opportunity be swept away, like white clouds across a blue summer sky?
It's been seven years since Hozumi left behind the island town he grew up in, and Mishima—his close friend and first love from high school—with it. The two haven’t spoken since Hozumi rejected Mishima and lied about his own feelings. When Hozumi returns for his high school reunion, he wants nothing more than to make amends, a task easier said than done.
A moving, dramatic, BL one-shot, perfect for fans of My Summer of You, Seven Days, or I Hear the Sunspot.
I Hear the Sunspot was a really lovely manga I picked up earlier in the year, and one-shots can be really sweet to read on a cozy afternoon so I’ll give this one a try too!
Print Release: Spring 2024 by Kodansha
Which new releases are you looking forward to most? Did I mention it? If not, please let me know–always looking for more recs!
Have been anxiously and excitedly following all these announcements. Shoujo renaissance, let's go!!
Omg a sign of affection looks GORGEOUS!!! I'm so excited for it 😭
A lot of the manga sounds super good too!! Anyway, I’m Falling In Love With You and Gazing at the Star Next Door sound the most enticing to me. But chances are I'll be checking out a lot of them 😆
Loved this round up so much!! 🥰