Retro, vintage, classic-- whatever you want to call it, here are some of our favorite vintage romance manga that are over 20 years old.
1) Mars by Fuyumi Soryo
Published: May 13, 1996
Kira, a shy high school student, lives only for her art. Rei, an arrogant, rebellious and violent playboy, wears his delinquency like a badge of honor. They are exact opposites in every way, but when Kira sees Rei kissing a statue of Mars, she overcomes her fears and asks him to model for her. And, to everyone's surprise, Rei agrees. (Source: Tokyopop)
2) Love★Com by Aya Nakahara
Published: Aug 13, 2001
When the taller than average 172 cm Risa Koizumi learns that her occasional nemesis, the shorter than average 156 cm Atsushi Ootani, is romantically interested in her friend, she decides to team up with him. After all, she also has feelings for his friend. Unluckily, however, their respective crushes fall for each other instead. Determined to find new love after their recent misfortunes, the pair decide to cheer each other on while maintaining their usual dynamic of constant bickering.
Although they continually deny it, Risa and Ootani are more similar than they like to admit: they both have unusual heights, failing grades, identical tastes in food, and a tendency to act extremely childish. Together, they inspire laughter among their peers as a so-called comedic duo. Could the love that these two are looking for be closer than they think? (Source MyAnimeList)
3) You're My Pet (Tramps Like Us) by Yayoi Ogawa
Published: May 8, 2000
Life was good for Sumire Iwaya... until the day she discovers her boyfriend is cheating on her, she gets demoted at work, and her life spirals toward the dumps. Things take a turn for the better when she crosses paths with Momo, a homeless guy with a colorful past who puts a bounce in her step and a shake in her hips. It takes two to tango, but when Sumire's first love reappears in her life, will this be the last waltz? (Source: Kodansha USA)
Note: won the 27th Kodansha Manga Award for shoujo (2003).
4) Cat Street by Yoko Kamio
Published: Aug 13, 2004
The story centers around Keito Aoyama, a former famous child actor. Due to a childhood incident, she retired from her career early and withdrew from normal society. Now 16, she passes her days in boredom and without purpose. But one day she runs into a stranger who takes her to El Liston—a free school for high school students like herself, who don't have a place where they belong. Though hesitant at first, Keito decides to enter El Liston and subsequently, she begins a new stage in her life. With the help of her only remaining childhood friend, Taiyou, and her new classmates Rei, Momiji, and Kouichi, Keito slowly finds the courage to open up to others and to accept their support. Will Keito return to acting? Will she find true friends? Love? (Source: Condensation)
5) Private Actress by Michiyo Akaishi
Published: Feb 23, 1991
Shiho Kobayakawa is the most popular girl at her school. She's pretty, polite, softspoken, booksmart... almost the spitting image of the Yamato Nadeshiko aka ideal Japanese woman. What her classmates don't know, however, is that Shiho has two part-time jobs to pay for her expenses and education. The first is as a simple movie extra... but the second is one as a private actress, meaning an actor and stand-in who is hired for personal purposes rather than fame. The manga itself dwells on Shiho's life and work, showing us some of the reasons and circumstances that would lead people to hire an actor. It also slowly shows us Shiho's real life, and the reasons why a girl like her would rather pose as a PA than going into stardom despite having both looks and talent to do so... (Source: tvtropes)
6) Red River by Chie Shinohara
Published: Jan 5, 1995
Yuri, a pretty Japanese girl, is ecstatic after passing her college entrance exam and having her first kiss with her childhood friend-turned boyfriend. However, her luck soon changes. She starts to notice that water becomes agitated whenever she goes near it. One night, hands appear out of a puddle on the street and drag her into the water! Transported to an ancient village in the Middle East, she is then captured by armed troops and taken to the Queen's palace for a human sacrifice. (Source: Viz Media)
Note: Winner of the 46th Shogakukan Manga Award in the shoujo category.
7) Honey and Clover by Chica Umino
Published: Jun 1, 2000
Takemoto lives in a run down student apartment, where his greatest worry is when he'll next be able to afford to eat meat and whether he'll get to class on time. Although he's away from home and living on his own, Takemoto is far from finished growing up. Along with his crazy cast of friends, Morita, Mayama, Yamada, and Hagumi, Takemoto sets out to discover life and his true self. (Source: Viz Media)
Note: Won the the 27th Kodansha Manga Award for shoujo in 2003.
8) Tokyo Crazy Paradise by Yoshiki Nakamura
Published: Dec 25, 1996
Life in the year 2020 in Tokyo is tough, as crime rates are high, and crimes against women rank second only to murders. To prevent their daughter from being exposed to these crimes, Tsukasa's parents raised her to be a male. Tsukasa aspires to be a policeman fighting against the yakuza, just like her parents. However, her parents died in the line of work, leaving behind Tsukasa and her 3 brothers to fend for themselves. Tsukasa must thus work as a bodyguard for her classmate, Ryuji, who happens to be the leader of the most powerful yakuza group in Tokyo, to pay off the family's debts. (Source: Anime News Network)
9) Suppli by Mari Okazaki
Published: Oct 8, 2003
Minami Fujii is an employee at a high-powered advertising firm. She’s good at her job but finds herself torn between the pressure and expectations of her career and her attraction to two of her coworkers: the younger, arty Ishida, and the classy, put-together Ogiwara! (Source: Tokyopop)
