Best Slice of Life Manga of 2013

When the responsibilities of being an adult and the ugly side of corporate bullying betrays one's childhood dreams, many would wish to return to their innocent childhood to relive their life and make the right decisions. Dumbfounded by the offer presented to him, 27-year-old Arata Kaizaki hopes to turn his life around through a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Returning home from his part-time job, Arata is persuaded by Ryou Yoake, an employee of ReLife Research Institute, into participating in an experiment which will help him overcome his difficulties and re-enter corporate life. As part of the ReLife experiment, Arata's physique is reverted to that of a 17-year-old, and all he must do is relive his high school life for one year. Waiting for him at the end of the experiment is a job offer that he has been struggling to get ever since he left his first company. With few other options, he decides to go along with this plan. However, with adult-like tendencies and many years since his last formal education, Arata steps into an unexpectedly challenging territory—a normal day of high school.

For Kobayashi, every workday is the same tiring routine, followed by a night of drinking with coworkers to let herself loose. However, her stale life changes one morning when she is greeted at her front door by the huge face of a dragon. Introducing herself as Tooru, the dragon transforms into a young woman in a maid outfit. Having met Kobayashi drunk in the mountains the night before, she accepts Kobayashi's invitation to live with her as her personal housemaid. Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon follows the daily life of Kobayashi, her dragon maid Tooru, and various other dragons as they move past their differences to grow closer together.

Kouhei Sugihara lives in a world of total isolation due to him being hard-of-hearing. However, when the loud and boisterous Taichi Sagawa comes into his life, Kouhei discovers that Taichi's voice alone shines as bright as the sun. Easily misunderstood by most people, Taichi is taken aback when Kouhei notices his good-natured personality. Taichi's valiant personality urges Kouhei to demand more for himself, pushing him into the lively world that he had always yearned to live in. Through this, Taichi helps Kouhei find a community of people who are willing to listen and understand, though they might have to repeat themselves more than once. Through the ups and downs of living in two very different worlds, Taichi and Kouhei find a connection that transcends all barriers and runs deeper than just a regular friendship. Hidamari ga Kikoeru is a touching story about loneliness, self-respect, and finding a bond through the commonalities that we all share as people.

If there is one thing that Tanaka wants more than anything, it is a quiet, uneventful day. With the help of his caring and reliable best friend Oota, as well as various other classmates, Tanaka strives to spend his high school days in the most peaceful way possible. Whether it be sleeping in the perfect spot at school or idly staring out of a window, his friends can count on finding him trying to live life as listlessly as possible. With the constant threat of everyday annoyances surrounding him, Tanaka uses every chance he has to avoid high-energy situations and just lie down for a good nap.

Following the death of his beloved wife, high school teacher Kouhei Inuzuka tried to cook a meal for his five-year-old daughter Tsumugi despite his poor cooking abilities. But after one disastrous attempt, they began relying on food from convenience stores instead. While flower-viewing, Kouhei and Tsumugi run into Kotori Iida, one of Kouhei's socially awkward students. Once she spots Tsumugi trying to take a bite out of her lunch, Kotori invites them to her mother's restaurant. In an attempt to feed Tsumugi something delicious, Kouhei barges into the restaurant in the middle of the night—only to find Kotori waiting for them and willing to help him in the kitchen. Although Kotori is as helpless as Kouhei when it comes to cooking, the two manage to make a simple dish. It turns out that, due to her mom's job, Kotori has been eating dinner alone for a long time. For the sake of Tsumugi's happiness, Kouhei promises her and Kotori that they will all eat together—thus marking the first of many sweet moments while sharing meals.

Hitori Bocchi suffers from extreme social anxiety, she's not good at talking to people, takes pretty extreme actions, is surprisingly adept at avoiding people, her legs cramp when she overexerts herself, gets full of herself when alone, will vomit when exposed to extreme tension and often comes up with plans. Now she is entering middle school and her only friend, Yawara Kai, is attending a different school. This leaves Bocchi alone, surrounded by new classmates with whom she must make friends before Kai will talk to her again.

Sung-Gi Jang is cursed with the persona of a complete pervert! To all his peers, he is a fiend who only hungers for women. Yet in reality, he just has terrible social skills, making him incapable of properly expressing his intentions and feelings to the women around him. On top of that, he seems to have the worst luck there can be. This all turns around when Jae Hwang, a fellow student and good friend, witnesses Sung-Gi completely shattered and decides to help him out. What Sung does not know is that Hwang is actually a master in attracting the opposite sex—a pick-up artist! From square one, Sung-Gi builds up his conversation and interaction skills with women through several trials and tribulations. He soon learns how much depth and finesse there is in properly conveying intimate emotions to others. As he learns about the subconscious signals sent out by people, Sung-Gi finds himself paying more and more attention to a particular girl in his class, and he puts to use the skill that he was lacking before: The Skill of Lure.

In the spring of their high school days, Yuiji Hasegawa suspects that his kind but quiet classmate, Yamato Yoshinaga, has feelings for his straight best friend, Kyousuke Hongou. Ending up in the same study group, he stumbles upon Yamato holding a sleeping Kyousuke's hand, with embarrassment apparent on his face after being exposed. Despite having qualms about Yamato's homosexuality, Yuiji keeps what he saw a secret, thus marking the beginning of their friendship. The two boys' experiences with love differ vastly, but their bond seems to grow as they try to understand each other. However, the question remains: could their relationship evolve into something more?

Who needs dialog when you're this cute? The beautiful (but unlucky) Momoko, the cool, collected Shibumi, and the refreshingly innocent Mayumi star in a "silent manga." No speeches, no dialog! Just pictures, sound effects, and three high school girls living their daily lives.

Third season of Cheese in the Trap.

On his way back from work on Christmas night, Yamada (26) discovers a drunk and crying high school boy and takes him home. That boy was mulling over being in love with someone of the same sex. A straight adult and a gay high-schooler. It is a piece that sets gender aside as their hearts grow ever closer.

A story about a medicine seller and his son and their struggles with each other after losing someone precious to them. A father who never really raised his son because he is always out doing his trade, but when suddenly his wife dies he must adjust his solitary journey to include his son.

A slice-of-life story about "life-less" brother and sister, both jobless shut-ins.

Togeun used to work for his father's company without any passion, so he quits his job and moves out from his parents' house in order to follow his dream in drawing. At the homecoming party (reunion party), Togeun begs Sonagi, a great illustrator, to teach him how to draw.

Welcome to the bumpy, yet easygoing slice-of-life comedy of a certain father and son. The unpredictable and wild son, Shou. And the former gangster, hands-on father who looks out for him, You-san. Follow the lively father and son pair, as their everyday life is sure to eventful.

When Kanade was very young, she went to a ballet performance of her neighbour, Lisa, and was overwhelmed by her amazing dancing. She decided then and there that she wanted to dance like Lisa, and her parents agreed to let her take ballet lessons. Ballet is much harder than Lisa's beautiful dancing may have led her to believe, but Kanade is determined to endure and become a wonderful ballerina!

Scottish adventuress Isabella Bird journeys to Japan in 1878 and becomes the first Westerner to travel to many remote locations, heading northward towards Hokkaido to study the aboriginal Ainu people. Based on a true story.

All guests are gods. The Death Office exists on the border of the mundane world and the afterlife. All the deceased visit this office, whether it be deaths from suicide, murder, illness, accident... Innocent people go to heaven. Guilty people go to hell. Or... Are there any wishes that persist after death? These are soul-stirring conversations with the dead.

Mizuki, an adult manga artist (and a virgin), has begun to live on her own. She now spends her days with Saki, her assistant (and BL author), in an unending quest to create the ultimate adult manga. Even Mizuki's new editor can't stop himself from shrinking in the face of this font of infinite lewdness...

It features three friends, all women aged 29, who get together and socialize regularly and indulge in their common passion: drinking. Michiko Takase, the office lady heroine, prefers beer; Misono Miyauchi, a short-haired, muscular book store worker, likes sake; and Yuki Shinonome, the feminine housewife, drinks everything. The manga follows them as they visit hot springs, beer gardens, bars and more to sample different drinks, pair them with delicious side dishes, and chat about work, their family, how to keep warm while wearing skirts, etc.

Tamako knows just about everything there is to know about mochi, the traditional Japanese dessert treats. When she's not attending her first year of high school, she even invents new flavors and varieties for Tama-ya, her family's mochi shop. School and growing up, on the other hand, are some things that she's still trying to find the right recipe for. But with the help of her best friends Kanna and Midori, two girls whose parents run businesses in the same shopping district, Tamako's determined to make the best of things. It's complicated though, especially when it comes to emotions and her relationship with her best boy friend Mochizou, whose family runs a rival mochi shop. And lately, Midori's been feeling a little odd about her feelings towards Tamako as well. And what's with up with that strange bird fluttering around, the one that speaks fluent Japanese? It's all very mysterious and overwhelming, but at least Tamako always has one thing she can count on: No matter if your day's been good or bad, there's certain to be something sugary and delicious waiting at the end of every adventure whenever you take a walk through Tamako Market!

A boy loses his parents in a supernatural disaster known as a "Curse" and is then adopted by the Tsuchimikado family; a family that exorcises curses. Ten years later and the boy has become the head of the family and now goes about exorcising curses all the while trying to balance his job as an exorcist and his life as a student in high school.

The new series from Tomoko Ninomiya, creator of Nodame Cantabile, turns its focus on the world of jewelry! Shinobu, a second-year in high school, is part of the family that runs Kurata-ya, a storied pawn shop based in a breezy central Tokyo neighborhood. She helps run the place when school isn’t calling, and she has a natural gift that aids her a great deal—the ability to see the “aura” released by gemstones! Shinobu doesn’t have a boyfriend, but she does have a fiancé handpicked for her by her grandfather—Akisada Kitagami, a man from a prestigious family who wound up being taken in by Kurata-ya at a young age. He now works as a salesman for a first-class jewelry brand, but he’s also got more than his fair share of secrets…

Fall, when graduation is only half a year away. Haruki Kitahara, the final member of the light music club that dissolved, plays his guitar by the window after school in preparation for the school festival. It was the one and only adventure of a good student who spent two diligent years on his studies. But when a flowing piano melody and a voice as a clear as bell harmonize with his guitar... He goes from being alone, to being two, then three in the light music club, as the semester he dreamed of, no, hoped for, began.

At the popular Japanese-style tea house Rokuhoudou, customers can count on receiving not only excellent food and drink, but - if they wish for it - a helping hand in solving any problem that may be plaguing them. Serving in Rokuhoudou are four men who are consummate professionals in their individual fields: tea expert Sui, latte artist Gure, pâtissier Tsubaki and chef Tokitaka.

When a boy's divorced mother returns from America, she brings a blonde haired girl. "She is your sister," she says, and we are going to live together.

Riki was a child when his parents died, leaving him hopeless and depressed. What saved him was a group of four kids calling themselves the Little Busters. They took Riki out and played with him during his time of need. He really enjoyed being together with them, and his grief gradually faded away. Now in his second year of high school they still hang out, fight and live together, and enjoy their school life.

Mizukami-sensei tells the story of his life as a mangaka!! An autobiographical "column manga" in which Satoshi Mizukami recounts the beginning of his career as a mangaka.

A slice-of-life comedy about close friends! Mayo nee-chan goes for it today too!

Professional shogi players are representatives of humanity! They make a living by playing shogi. They study diligently, play about 50 matches a year, and if they win, they laugh; if they lose, it's their own fault. It's a world dominated solely by wins and losses, much like a microcosm of life. What kind of people are shogi players? What do they eat, and how many hours do they sleep?

The happy children (4 boys and one girl) of the Suzuki family are living on their own. Their parents live overseas, so this year on the birthday of the youngest, Asahi, they send the kids a video letter. When they happily start watching it... It turns out that the only girl among them, Haruna, is adopted! What's more, she has to marry one of her 4 brothers! To Haruna, who is confused, the brothers present an idea: "Have sex with us all to decide which one." Haruna can't turn down the idea, so she goes to bed with her brothers and...?! She loses her virginity to her younger brother, and her older twin brothers touch her from the front and the back... "Mom, I... went crazy with pleasure... again..." Don't miss this outrageous "marriage arranging"!

Kanade is a high school student who, due to various circumstances, decides to attend school in the country, far from any city. The series chronicles her humorous school life in this new environment.

The autobiographical manga utilizes both drawings and photos of cats to chronicle the life of a woman who lives by herself in order to live with her cats. She is described as a "himono-onna," a Japanese slang word that means "a woman who is proper in public but lazy at home."

The "cultural exchange" comedy as seen through the eyes of other mangaka in the Kirara family of magazines.