Best Romance Manga of 2002

At Ouran High School, an academy where only the children of the rich and powerful attend, there exists a club consisting of the most elite of the student body: the legendary Host Club. Within the club's room, six beautiful, bored boys spend their time entertaining equally beautiful and bored girls. Haruhi Fujioka, a poor scholarship student, has no interest in the Host Club—until she breaks a valuable vase in their clubroom. After being mistaken for a boy, Haruhi is forced by Kyouya Ootori to work for the Host Club to repay her debt. Tamaki Suou, the princely leader of the club, eagerly takes her under his wing to teach her the ways of the host. Things, however, are never quite so simple with the Host Club around. Even the most mundane events can turn into huge spectacles with the likes of prankster twins Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, stoic Takashi Morinozuka, and sweet Mitsukuni "Hunny" Haninozuka. The crazy adventures of the Host Club are just beginning, and Haruhi must learn how to survive in the glitzy world of the hosts.Note: The final volume contains a special bonus chapter where the group travels to Spain.

Lucy is a special breed of human referred to as Diclonius, born with a short pair of horns and invisible telekinetic hands that lands her as a victim of inhumane scientific experimentation by the government. However, once circumstances present her an opportunity to escape, Lucy, corrupted by the confinement and torture, unleashes a torrent of bloodshed as she escapes her captors. During her breakout, she receives a crippling head injury that leaves her with a split personality: someone with the mentality of a harmless child possessing limited speech capacity. In this state of instability, she stumbles upon two college students, Kouta and his cousin Yuka, who unknowingly take an injured fugitive into their care, unaware of her murderous tendencies. This act of kindness will change their lives, as they soon find themselves dragged into the shadowy world of government secrecy and conspiracy.Included one-shots: Volume 1: MOL Volume 2: Digitopolis Volume 3: Memoria Volume 5: Elfen Lied

Sixteen-year-old Kyouko Mogami followed her childhood friend and love interest Shoutarou "Shou" Fuwa to Tokyo to support him while he works toward his dream of becoming a top idol in the entertainment industry. But after finding out that Shou considers her as little more than a mere housekeeper, she swears to enact revenge by entering the entertainment industry herself and beating him at his own game! However, Kyouko's revenge plan suffers a setback almost immediately when she is rejected by the talent agency of her choice. Fortunately, the president of the agency gives her a second chance, and places her in the newly made "Love Me" section. Kyouko then begins her long journey to stardom, cultivating her skills as an actress and forming relationships with new friends along the way.

All 15-year-old Nanami "Nana" Takahashi wants in high school is to make as many friends as possible. However, her inability to follow along with the general gossip of the school, coupled with her failing to remember people's names, gets in the way of her ambitious goals. One day, Nana has the displeasure of meeting the popular Motoharu Yano—whom allegedly two-thirds of the girls at school have fallen head-over-heels for. Irritated by Yano's mischievous antics and carefree attitude, Nana declares her hatred for him. But unbeknownst to her, Yano hides a somber burden under his charismatic demeanor: his ex-girlfriend died in a tragic car accident the past summer, and he has since not come to terms with his new reality. To make matters worse, the accident has distorted not only Yano's perception of the world but also his ability to trust those around him. As Nana gets closer to the boy, she only finds herself pushed further away. But with her feelings toward Yano beginning to shift, Nana is determined to reach out and help him—or is the problem simply impossible for both of them to handle?

Strawberry panties backdropped against a sunset sky—that was aspiring film director Junpei Manaka's introduction to a mysterious beauty at his middle school. Suspecting the girl is his classmate Aya Toujou, Junpei sets out to get in touch with her to refilm that skirt flip for "artistic" reasons. However, when he bumps into her the next day, he sees a girl that looks vastly different from the one in his memories. Just when Junpei thinks he is back to the drawing board, he runs into the school's darling, Tsukasa Nishino, boldly declaring that she is wearing strawberry panties for the day. Convincing himself that Tsukasa is the girl he has been looking for all along, Junpei starts planning his confession—all for the sake of becoming her boyfriend and filming her panties!

On the surface, Jin Kanzaki may seem like an ordinary street urchin, but he possesses a supernatural strength that he uses for the welfare of his fellow man, or so his grandfather wishes. Much to his chagrin, his grandchild demands 10,000 yen for every good deed that he carries out. However, Jin's modest life is suddenly thrown into disarray when he encounters a player, a deadly entity possibly responsible for several mysterious murders. As Jin attempts to navigate the situation by punching his way through every obstacle, a group of mysterious men desperately hunt down an individual with a ring-shaped mark on their hand. As they continue their investigation, various secrets surrounding the world begin to unravel—and it seems like Jin himself might be the solution to the puzzle.

Mikan Sakura and Hotaru Imai are inseparable best friends, even if it seems like the latter does not reciprocate the same sentiment. Mikan naively believes that her aloof best friend would always be by her side until Hotaru decides to depart for Tokyo to attend Alice Academy. The school is home to gifted children who possess unique abilities known as Alices. Heartbroken and feeling abandoned, Mikan runs away from home in pursuit of her friend, hoping that she too can enroll in the prestigious institution. As Mikan gets accepted as a student at Alice Academy and reunites with her friend, she quickly learns that the academy is not all fun and games. The school itself is divided into a hierarchy system based on the strength of their Alice, behavior, and academic performance, as well as classifying each student under a specific Alice subgroup for a more personalized education. When she finds herself in the lowest rank, Mikan faces bullying from her classmates who all believe that she does not belong. Natsume Hyuuga, one of the academy's highest-ranking students, is especially vitriolic towards Mikan for seemingly no reason. The students begin to discover that the special academy has hidden secrets—many of which are a lot darker than one might think. As they unravel these mysteries, Mikan and her friends find themselves entangled in something far bigger than they could imagine.

Shuuichi Nitori is a 5th grade student who likes to bake and has always been something of a feminine boy. When he transfers to a new school, Shuuichi is mistaken for his 6th grade sister on his first day. Then he ends up sitting next to Yoshino Takatsuki, a tall, boyish girl who everyone calls "Takatsuki-kun." They both have secrets they can't let anyone know... The series deals with issues such as being transgender, gender identity, and the beginning of puberty.

She...is a second-year high school student with a single all-consuming question: Will the boy she likes ever really notice her? He...is the school's most notorious juvenile delinquent and he's suddenly come to a shocking realization: He's got a huge crush, and now he must tell her how he feels. Life-changing obsessions, colossal foul-ups, grand schemes, deep-seated anxieties, and raging hormones—School Rumble portrays high school as it really is: over-the-top comedy!

It is said that the longer one's punctuality streak is, the better a boyfriend they will have. In accordance with this, Airi Hoshina strictly follows her routine in preparation for her dream life: to have a loving, wholesome husband and family. However, Airi's life takes a fantastical turn when a young boy appears from her hand mirror. Named Aram Astale Ei Daemonia Eucalystia, the young prince of Astale is fleeing his kingdom to evade a magical spell. Unknowingly, his portal leads directly to Airi's hand mirror. Though he avoided the brunt of the spell, his escape did not completely save him from the magic's effects: a spell that was originally supposed to turn Aram into an old man instead ages his body to that of a 17-year-old whenever it is dark. Now, the only way to turn him back is a kiss from his beloved maiden. Busy trying to find her one true love, Airi wants nothing to do with it, but Aram insists his soulmate must be her!

Kippei Katakura is a high school playboy who fills his days with any girl he can. In reality, he only has eyes for one girl in particular—Kokoro Tokunaga. One day, Kippei's family introduces him to his five-year-old cousin, Yuzuru Sakashita, whose mother has abandoned her. Kippei is assigned the task of being Yuzuru's caregiver until her mother returns, and the young girl quickly grows attached to him. Through Yuzuru's influence and the intimate bond that forms between them, Kippei learns not only about childcare, but also about developing meaningful relationships. As Kippei balances his time between Kokoro and Yuzuru, they all grow together and learn more about each other, their feelings, and the true meaning of family.

Seiji Sawamura is the toughest seventeen-year-old in town, feared by all for his fighting prowess and his deadly "Devil's Right Hand." But at heart, Seiji is a softy, and all he wants is an end to his seventeen-year history of being a lonely single guy. Unfortunately, his tough-guy reputation only serves to decrease his popularity with the ladies, until one day he wakes up to find a girl named Midori has replaced his right hand, and admits she has had a crush on him since middle school.

1. Hanauta Nagaruru 2. Hotarubi no Mori e 3. Kurukuru Ochiba 4. Hibi, Fukaku

Randou Masashi is a brash karate star who strikes fear in everyone around him. But despite his intimidating presence, he is secretly in love with the sweet and beautiful Rina Kurimi. Unfortunately, Randou is involved in a horrific bus accident, which leaves him comatose and with a disfigured face. A year later, he awakes to discover something utterly shocking—his face now resembles Rina's! Randou learns that he has been under the care of a surgeon named Jun Manabe, who reconstructed Randou's face based on a picture he had of Rina. Moreover, Randou is presumed dead, and his parents have moved away as a result. Distraught, Randou crosses paths with Rina and is mistaken for her twin sister Yuna, who fled from her house two years ago. Although Randou initially wished to restore his face, seeing Rina elated makes him reconsider his decision. However, a boy disguising himself as a girl is as absurd as it sounds, and being surrounded by troublesome individuals only makes it more difficult. Nevertheless, Randou is adamant about concealing his identity until he finds the real Yuna.

After failing the entrance exams to her school of choice, Hiyo Osora gets an acceptance letter from SM Academy. But she didn't even apply or take its exam! When she arrives, there's something amiss—all the students are... monsters!? And the head of the student council says he's her fiancé right before he sprouts giant black wings! What strange fate brought Osora to SM Academy, and what supernatural fate awaits her after this!?

Shinjuurou Mamiya works as an embalmer—a profession seen as "unclean" by Japanese society due to religious traditions and lack of demand for the service. Driven by his passion to preserve the dignity of the deceased, he has resigned himself to the outcast lifestyle that comes with his job. Though his clientele is lacking, he is exceptionally skilled. Shinjuurou does not shy away from opportunities to show off his ability to transform a corpse into a state that makes a loved one believe they are just sleeping peacefully. Shigeshoushi explores the delicate psychological relationships between life, death, loss, and mourning. With each embalming, Shinjuurou brings the inner beauty of the deceased back to life to give their loved ones a chance to properly say goodbye.

Poor Mugi Tadano... The sixteen-year-old is heartbroken after his girlfriend moves away. To ease his troubled state, Mugi takes a summer job at his friend Kazuki's beach-side snack bar/hotel on a tropical island. It seems like the perfect plan-until Kazuki sets Mugi up on a date with Yuu, who's supposed to be, well, a little less than perfect. When Yuu arrives, however, she's not the monster that either of the boys had imagined. In fact, Yuu is about the cutest person that Mugi has ever seen. But after Mugi accidentally walks in on Yuu in the bath, the girl is steamed. When trying to apologize the next day, he discovers that Yuu has left the shores of paradise. Mugi vows to search high and low for the beautiful Yuu, but will he ever see her again?Included one-shots: Volume 11: Candy Girl ni Hanataba wo. Volume 13: Apricot Girl Volume 24: Happy Ice Cream Volume 34: Otoko wa Sore wo Gaman Dekinai!! Volume 42: Weapon!!!

After the death of her beloved cat, orphan Karin Hanazono is left lonesome and empty. As she does not have any friends and performs poorly at school, her mean-spirited aunt resents having to take care of her. Wholeheartedly believing that God will grant her salvation one day, she tightly holds onto the ring that her mother passed down to her. Seeking solace by spending time at her late cat's grave, Karin unexpectedly meets a boy named Kazune Kuujou, who claims he is looking for God. However, Kazune calls her weak for relying on her deceased cat for comfort. Angered by the insult, Karin subconsciously channels energy into her mother's ring. Soon enough, she begins to excel at school and classmates compliment her for the first time. Unbeknownst to her, the ring has bestowed her godly powers. The revelation of the ring's transcendent strength catches the eyes of not only Kazune but also more sinister figures who wish to take advantage of Karin for nefarious purposes. Karin must now use her newly acquired gift to fight back against these malicious forces, unaware of the truth behind her heritage and the existence of others with similar abilities.

Monarchy laid extinct in Korea since long ago, but what if Korea had continued monarchism? What if all the beautiful abandoned palaces were still actually filled with the royal families? What if the royal families continued with the normal royal customs? Welcome to the world where Korea never ended monarchism! Che-Gyeong, the high-school girl protagonist, ends up in a tragic moment in time when it has been found out that she has been promised in marriage (by her grandfather) to the current prince...who's actually not at all what he seems to be from his good looks—in one word, he's a big jerk.

All that matters to 15-year-old Nobara Sumiyoshi is volleyball—she's an awesome player with big-time ambitions. But sometimes it seems like a girl just can't get a break in the competitive world of high school volleyball.Included one-shots: Volume 15: "Second" Volume 16: Sugar

Invaders from the Crimson Realm have descended upon Earth looking for something called the Power of Existence. Whoever possesses this power will control the very fabric of existence. To the rescue comes an otherworldly young girl with fire in her eyes. She may be cute and petite, but she's endowed with enough preternatural strength to save the entire universe. Plus, she's got a really big sword!

Tatsuhiro Satou, a university dropout entering his fourth year of unemployment. He leads a reclusive life as a hikikomori, ultimately coming to the bizarre conclusion that this happened due to some sort of conspiracy. One day just when his life seems entirely unchanging, he meets Misaki Nakahara, a mysterious girl who claims to be able to cure Tatsuhiro of his hikikomori ways. She presents him with a contract basically outlining that once a day they would meet in the evening in a local park where Misaki would lecture to Tatsuhiro in an effort to rid him of his lifestyle. During these outings, many subjects are discussed, though they almost always pertain in some way to psychology or psychoanalysis.

Meet Pamela, a tarot card reader who helps supernatural beings living in the human world. She'll help anyone, whether they're a love-stricken cat, a vampire spending eternal life running from his one true love, an unattractive waitress looking for the man of her dreams, or even a magician who creates a humanoid doll to serve the woman he loves. Although she is good-natured, there is a deep dark secret that she must deal with before she can move on to the next life.

Lena Ha is a beautiful and tough girl who is the captain of Kendo team. She meets Hye-Min Kang, the son of the president of a big company in Korea, and the two seem to feel love at first sight. But when Lena learns that she and Hye-Min are half-siblings, she runs away and falls into a strange body of water. When Lena comes to, she finds herself in a strange kingdom...and learns that she may be its only hope.

At Ryokuyo High School, rings that showcase one's relationship status are the latest trend. Matching rings on the left ring finger signify a committed relationship, while a ring on the right middle finger shows that one is single. When Wataru Fujii runs into super popular upperclassman Yuichi Kazuki in the restroom, they accidentally swap their shockingly identical rings. Wataru does not realize it until Yuichi comes to his classroom to correct the error. Rumors are now swirling about the two boys wearing matching rings, but Wataru is more troubled by the way Yuichi treats him—despite Yuichi's princely reputation, he shows nothing but disdain for Wataru. As circumstances keep bringing them together, Wataru starts to wonder what Yuichi really thinks about him and the rings they share.

Sagara Yuuki is a high school student who's shorter than all the other guys in his class. Moriyama Miki is the girl who admires him despite his small stature. Follow the hijinks and the romance between Sagara and Moriyama as they become closer and conquer the obstacles to their love!Included one-shots: Volume 1: Mamotteagetai♥ (I Want to Protect You) Volume 4: Ookami nanka Kowakunai!? Bangai-hen: Valentine nanka Kowakunai!? Volume 6: Mousou♥Virgin (The Delusional Virgin)

Shinya doesn't get stellar grades, he's not athletic, he's a coward, he's a wimp...he's a general good-for-nothing. One day, he meets Haruna, a girl that could change his life forever. Haruna tells Shinya he is the Messiah. The Lord chosen to save her world and that she is his shield. Could it be true? Could Shinya's life of ineptitude be balance for this one grand cause? Is he really the Messiah? If he is, can he save himself, let alone an entire world?Included one-shots: Volume 4: Night Keeper Volume 6: Exorcist

Everyone dreams about Seung-Ha, the perfect prince, the shining star of the school. Chasing after the perfect prince is definitely not easy. For Nan-Woo, Seung-Ha was just a dream far, far away. However, sometimes dreams exist to come true! But when Nan-Woo’s dream comes true, it comes at an expensive price. Who knew the perfect prince was actually a big jerk?!

Chiruha lives alone in a small secluded house deep in a mountainous forest, the TV her only connection to the outside world. After years of watching and dreaming of what life must be like in the outside world, she has gathered up her courage to venture out and explore the local village. However, she must be careful not to stand out among the humans, for Chiruha holds a secret... Kisara also holds a secret...and a grudge. He's searching for who—or whatever cursed him, and he may have finally found the answer...

Merleawe has left her hometown and moved to the capital city of Viegald to attend wizard school. On her way to her first day of school, she bumps into a man who kidnaps her and takes her to the castle, where she is charged with an awesome task—impersonating the kingdom's master wizard! Fearing war would break out if it was known the master wizard, Slythfarn, was missing, Slythfarn's inner circle has decided someone must pretend to be him. Merleawe tells them that she will take the job! But not only does she lack the ability to cast more than simple magic, she also has no idea who the master wizard was! Unraveling the twisted threads of Sylthfarn's disappearance and keeping up the appearances of both master wizard and first year wizard student makes Merleawe's every day challenging, magical and amazing!

There's something mysterious happening at the old school building. People say it's haunted, but Fuuko knows better, and she has the pictures to prove it! It's Fuuko's first year at high school, and a classmate has caught her eye. Maybe it's because he's cute and mysterious -- or maybe it's because she's seen him walk up walls! Fuuko will do what it takes to get close to Ruka, but at what cost to herself?Included one-shot: Volume 3: H²Love

Diligent 25-year-old novelist Yukari Nagaya is completely content living alone in the spacious apartment she purchased after her older twin sister, Ayaka, got married. The pair of siblings have grown apart over the years since their parents' divorce, and as such, Yukari is left taken aback when Ayaka visits her home one day with an odd request—to let a friend temporarily stay over. This friend, Naomi, is an avid traveler who became friends with Ayaka when he helped her catch a purse-snatching thief during her honeymoon in Hong Kong. Suspicious of their relationship, Yukari reluctantly agrees to let him live in her apartment until he finds a job with a stable income. Thus unfolds Futago, a story of love, marriage, family, and sisterhood.Included one-shots: Volume 5: Papa Mama Futago, Eri-chan no Kare

Meet Momoko, a "Lolita" decked out to the nines in the finest (and frilliest) of Victorian haute couture. The only scion of a drunken interlude between a cowardly yakuza and an inebriated bar-hostess, Momoko's mom has since split the scene, and, after various ill-fated scams that involve imitation brand name merchandise, Momoko's dad relocates them to the boondocks of rural Ibaraki prefecture. To escape her humdrum existence, Momoko fanaticizes about French rococo, dreams of living in the palace of Versailles, and buys all her extremely lacy clothes from an expensive Tokyo boutique. Meet Ichiko, a tough-talking motorcycle grrrl (on a tricked-out moped) who leads a ladies-only biker gang known as the Ponytails. Together, this unlikeliest of duos strike out on a quest to find a legendary embroiderer, a journey on which they encounter conniving pachinko parlor managers, legendary street-punks, and anemic costumers. Who knows, they might just make it big...if only Ichiko would stop head butting Momoko in the forehead. Novala Takemoto's break-though novel Kamikaze Girls, already a cult-classic in Japan, is more than a wry coming-of-age picaresque, it's a new way of life.