Shoujo Classics from the Masters
Genre-defining, highly popular, and influential classics of Shoujo (girls') manga, with a focus on the Year 24 Group. The Year 24 Group was a group of women mangaka who redefined shoujo manga in the 1970s, focusing on contemporary problems and high-stakes, emotional drama.
Expect sparkles, pounding hearts, and romance, and BL, but also science fiction, fantasy, action and melodrama!
created by farron
last updated February, 2026
Comments
farronOP
So this is how I find out just how damned inaccessible a bunch of the Year 24 Group stuff is if you don't read Japanese. I wanted to include more but we still don't have an official English translation of Kaze to Ki no Uta?? In the year of our god 2026??
farronOP
For the sake of having a variety of entries I will be adding other influential shoujo manga, especially from famous creators, but it needs to have run in a shoujo magazine or otherwise adhere to the conceits of the genre.
Other works of interest I don't know much about, but would probably include if I could find out more and there were official English translations: 夢の碑 (Yume no Ishibumi, Monument of Dreams) by Toshie Kihara 摩利と新吾 (Mari to Shingo, Mari and Shingo) by Toshie Kihara 綿の国星 (Wata no kuni hoshi, The Star of Cottonland) by Yumiko Oshima, or other works Shoujo works by Minori Kimura
This is such a cool idea for a list, thank you for making it!! And right? I can’t believe Kaze to Ki no Uta and Oniisama E are still without EN translations in 2026! I would’ve expected a company that covers more “niche” works to have picked them up by now—maybe UDON since they did ROV, or Fantagraphics since they did the Poe Clan?? Either way, it’s wild that they’re not yet officially licensed in English. My girlfriend is super into shoujo history, so she’s often lamenting the lack of EN accessibility to it, and rightfully so!!
farronOP
Thank you!! I was surprised we didn't have a more precise shoujo listing that I could find, but then I remembered not everyone spends every waking moment obsessing over the history of yaoi and BL or the Year 24 Group like me.
I haven't checked out the new ROV or Poe Clan printings, but I like what I've seen of Fantagraphic's work publishing Yudori's Raging Clouds (even though I ... didn't care for the story), and given what's in that I could see them embracing the more iffy content that seems to be a bugbear for Kaze. Honestly I'd be quite curious to see their sales metrics because it feels like smaller publishers may be the way to go, as a lot of these series are sadly only growing less known and less relevant (to Westerners) over the years. On the other hand, these series have done pretty well in Europe, though they have different legacies there.
My white whale would be Moto Hagio's A Cruel God Reigns Over All which I read via Italian-to-English fan-translations from magazine scans ages ago. I can't truly argue that it has cultural significance like much of Hagio's other work, it's just my personal favorite. 😭
I totally agree about smaller publishers! I’ve always wondered the same thing about sales metrics, I wish I could see those details. It’s something I really wish I was privy to LOL 😭 I’m not super in the know when it comes to Y24 works, but I know that my girlfriend’s personal wish for a translated English title—aside from Oniisama E—is Ayako or Shoko no Etude by Ikeda. In terms of newer shoujo, I am personally very partial to CLAMP, but I’m lucky in that their stuff is more translated!!
farronOP
CLAMP has a ton of crossover appeal, so between that an the extreme marketability of Cardcaptor Sakura (not that it isn't also a delightful series) I think it makes a lot of sense how much attention it gets! I really love CLAMP's older stuff, like X and RG Veda and Rayearth, but that's probably not a surprise coming from an old fogey like me. I do think even they are starting to become less relevant as younger fans are naturally more attracted to more recent series.
Here is a list of manga I would like to include on this list that don't have official English translations as far as I know. You may be able to find them in other language translation editions or fan-translated on the internet, and of course, in Japanese.
おにいさまへ… (Oniisama ee..., "Dear Brother") by Riyoko Ikeda ガラスの仮面 (Garasu kamen, "Glass Mask") by Suze Miuchi 風と木の詩 (Kaze to ki no uta, "The Song of the Wind and Trees") by Keiko Takemiya 日出処の天子 (Hi Izuro Tokoro no Tenshi, "Emperor of the Land of the Rising Sun") by Ryoko Yamagishi パタリロ! (Patalliro!) by Mineo Maya
oh my god so many peak titles in this one 🤩 this is a fantastic list, farron thank you for putting this together!
thanks for making this!! love seeing Riyoko Ikeda, Ai Yazawa, Banana Fish and Clamp on this list 🩵 as a side tangent, Im curious if Oniisama-e by Riyoko Ikeda also counts as a shoujo classic? :0
farronOP
I would absolutely count it, I'm actually working on a comment with a list of titles I would have preferred to include that don't have official English translations. I'm pretty appalled that title and Kaze to ki no uta don't have one.
Ahhh I love this list! Fruits Basket really takes me back. 😭💖
I have only heard of the Rose of Versailles so I’m excited to see more! Going to use this list to refer back to when I find any of them to read. 😍
Well small correction now that there is more added I have read some others. Definitely welcome more new potential faves. 👍🏻
Omg, From Eroica with Love 🥺💕 It has a special place in my heart as it brought me so much joy in my scariest, loneliest months. I'm a sucker for their dynamics, action and humour.
Also X/1999!! S'been so long I've heard of that name!! I remember rooting for Sorata and Arashi 🤣
Too bad both are on an indefinite hiatus... 🥲
farronOP
I haven't gotten to From Eroica with Love yet but I'm hoping to get to it this year! Its influence is legendary!
I admit to being a toxic Seishiro/Subaru shipper. Actually, now that I think about it, it might be the origin of some of my preferences. 😅
It's so sad they're on hiatus! Nana too!!! And these days shoujo manga hardly breaks through in popularity compared to them! 😭
Ooo yes, it's a fun read! Hope you get to find them! 👀
Omggg Seishiro/Subaru was GOLD! 🤣 I heard there's also more of their storyline in Tokyo Babylon but I have not read that one. Even so, I love their arc a lot in X/1999. 🥲
Aye 😭 At present, there are a lot more choices (manhwa, manhua) so reading is probably more spread out now. 🥲
farronOP
Tokyo Babylon was... cute, from what I remember, but I read it a loooong time ago, same with Duklyon: Clamp School Defenders and Clamp School Detectives. Those two I remember feeling rather rough and dated even back when I read them.
I think there's a lot going on with demographic blurring and online distribution right now! I'm glad that there's more variety to choose from, and the lower financial risk of online distribution has already led to some really interesting things that might not have gotten picked up getting more popular (The Summer Hikaru Died is a good example, I think), but I'm always going to wish that various platforms did more to encourage innovation. I feel like there's an expectation that "female readership" in manga will always be on board for things with "male readership" so girl and women oriented titles have been allowed to languish.
