Nostalgic shōjo manga from the Showa era. A collection of masterpieces representing the times.
Shōwa-era shōjo manga includes countless masterpieces—from sweet love stories that make your heart flutter, to sports manga brimming with fighting spirit, and even moving tales that bring you to tears.
Why not look back on the worlds you were obsessed with back then—reading after school with friends or sharing with your sisters? In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of shōjo manga that represent the Shōwa period.
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- A directory of popular women’s pro wrestlers from the Showa era: the star players who energized the times.
- Recommended love songs for people in their 80s: A collection of classic love songs that colored the Showa era
- The Complete Guide to Showa-Era Toys: From Showa retro to toys still loved today
Nostalgic shoujo manga from the Showa era. A collection of masterpieces representing the times (1–10).
Leisure Club
You won’t be able to take your eyes off the stories unfolding at this elite academy! Let me introduce The Absentminded Club (Yukan Club).
This shojo manga by Yukari Ichijo began serialization in Ribon Original in 1981.
Many readers probably admired the setup in which all six main characters—who serve as student council officers—are stunningly handsome and beautiful.
What’s more, the plot, which advances through each character’s special skills and personal connections, keeps you on the edge of your seat.
A TV drama adaptation aired in 2007, and the series has won support from a wide range of audiences.
Crest of the Royal Family
The artwork is beautiful, too! Let me introduce Crest of the Royal Family.
Chiéko Hosokawa and Fūmin’s Crest of the Royal Family has been serialized since 1976, and it was even adapted into a musical that was performed at the Imperial Theatre in 2016.
It’s a long-form romantic manga set primarily in ancient Egypt, and its scattered literary expressions lend it an air of refinement.
The characters’ personalities also shine and add a spicy kick to the story.
Students!
Introducing the popular school-based manga Students, Attention! (Seito Shokun!).
This work by Yoko Shoji began serialization in 1977 in the Japanese girls’ magazine Weekly Shoujo Friend.
Owing to its popularity, a live-action film was released in 1984, and it was also adapted into a TV drama and an anime.
Some readers probably couldn’t wait for each weekly installment.
In 2003, a sequel of sorts titled Students, Attention! Teacher Edition began serialization, and it too was adapted into a TV drama in 2007.
Many readers were likely deeply moved by the characters’ emotions and lines.
Nostalgic shoujo manga from the Showa era. A collection of masterpieces representing the times (11–20)
BANANA FISH
A shocking truth is revealed while investigating a mysterious word! Let me introduce BANANA FISH.
It’s a manga by Akimi Yoshida that began serialization in Bessatsu Shōjo Comic in 1985.
Its popularity led to radio dramas, stage adaptations, and an anime, showing its enduring fanbase.
It features many serious, nail-biting moments, and many readers say they can’t put it down once they start.
It’s a work that makes you think about various themes such as friendship and love.
It’s one of those manga that doesn’t lose its luster even when you read it years later.
Please Save My Earth
Focus on characters with mysterious abilities! Let me introduce Please Save My Earth.
It’s a manga by Saki Hiwatari that began serialization in 1986 in Hana to Yume.
Fans affectionately call it “BokuTama.” The premise is intriguing: an SF manga centered on seven men and women in contemporary Japan who retain memories of their past lives as extraterrestrials.
You can’t look away from the struggles and everyday lives of people living in the present while carrying memories of having once been aliens.
Candy Candy
Let me introduce Candy Candy.
It’s a shoujo manga created by writer Kyoko Mizuki and artist Yumiko Igarashi, which began serialization in the girls’ magazine Nakayoshi in 1975.
It was also adapted into a TV anime starting in 1976, and for kids back then, it was likely a weekly highlight.
Many people drew courage from watching Candy, a bright and positive orphaned girl, grow up without being defeated by various hardships.
It remains popular today and is one of the works loved around the world.
Hot Road
Hot Road is a work that portrays Kazuki Miyai, who, while struggling with inner turmoil, joins a biker gang and walks the path of a delinquent.
Created by Taku Tsumugi, it was serialized in Bessatsu Margaret from 1986 to 1987, and its popularity is evident from the live-action film adaptation released in 2014.
The appeal lies both in how the protagonist wrestles with her conflicts and ends up joining the gang, and in the human relationships that unfold there.
Its uniquely crafted world, drawn with fine lines and soft, pale colors, slips gently into the heart and pulls you into the story.
