High School Never Ends: School Life Manga
If you’re a fan of love triangles, afternoon clubs, and general acts of over-the-top tomfoolery, then you’re probably a fan of School Life manga. It’s exactly what it sounds like: manga that take place in or revolves around schools, usually middle or high school.
Battle manga may be the bread and butter of the manga world, but school life manga are just as all consuming. The turbulent teenage years are prime fodder for stories that explore burgeoning feelings of love, anger, resentment, and self-actualization. Without the pressures of adult life, teens are free to act impulsively and whole-heartedly. They can devote themselves completely to their favorite after-school club or spend their time learning from experienced mentors. With so many different personalities crammed into one classroom, things are bound to get interesting!
Because any genre can be a school life manga, readers can have fun jumping from stories about kids training to be top notch assassins to the shenanigans that go on at the Ouran High School Host Club. Romantic comedies, serious coming of age dramas, and high-octane battle academies await!
School-Based Manga
Again!! by Mitsurou Kubo; translated by Rose Padgett; lettering by E.K. Weaver; lettering assistance by James Dashiell
What would you do if you had the chance to do everything… again? Kinichiro isn’t even that bad. It’s just that on the first day of high school, his eyes made him look shifty, so people assumed he was trouble. Now it’s graduation, and he’s looking back on three years with no friends. He never even joined a club. But after a bloody collision and an accidental fall, he wakes up a high school freshman, with the chance to try it all over… AGAIN!!
Aho-Girl by Hiroyuki; translated by Karen McGillicuddy; lettering by Maggie Vicknair
Yoshiko is a hopelessly clueless high school girl. Her rock-paper-scissors strategy is “rock.” She somehow gets zeroes on multiple-choice tests. And she has an often-nearly-fatal weakness for bananas. Her devoted friends have no choice but to hang around and make sure nobody takes advantage of her. (Of course, the entertainment value might have something to do with it, too.) Cute characters, weird gags, and lots and lots of bananas!
Assassination Classroom story and art by Yusei Matsui
The students in Class 3-E of Kunugigaoka Junior High have a new teacher: an alien octopus with bizarre powers and unlimited strength, who's just destroyed the moon and is threatening to destroy the earth--unless they can kill him first! Meet the would-be assassins of class 3-E: Sugino, who let his grades slip and got kicked off the baseball team. Karma, who's doing well in his classes but keeps getting suspended for fighting. And Okuda, who lacks both academic and social skills, yet excels at one subject: chemistry. Who has the best chance of winning that reward? Will the deed be accomplished through pity, brute force or poison...? And what chance does their teacher have of repairing his students' tattered self-esteem?
Beastars story and art by Paru Itagaki; translation by Tomoko Kimura; English adaptation by Annette Roman; touch-up and lettering by Susan Daigle-Leach
At a high school where the students are literally divided into predators and prey, it's personal relationships that maintain the fragile peace. Who among them is a Beastar, an academic and social role model destined to become a leader in a society naturally rife with mistrust?
Blue Exorcist by Kazue Kato; translation and English adaptation by John Werry
Fight hellfire with hellfire! Raised by Father Fujimoto, a famous exorcist, Rin Okumura never knew his real father. One day a fateful argument with Father Fujimoto forces Rin to face a terrible truth—the blood of the demon lord Satan runs in Rin's veins! Rin swears to defeat Satan, but doing that means entering the mysterious True Cross Academy and becoming an exorcist himself. Can Rin fight demons and keep his infernal bloodline a secret? It won't be easy, especially when drawing his father's sword releases the demonic power within him!
Boys Run the Riot by Keito Gaku; translation, Leo McDonagh; lettering, Ashley Caswell.
High schooler Ryo knows he's transgender, but he doesn't have anyone to confide in about the confusion he feels. He can't tell his best friend, who he's secretly got a crush on, and he can't tell his mom, who's constantly asking why Ryo 'dresses like a boy.' He certainly can't tell Jin, the new transfer student who looks like just another bully. The only time Ryo feels at ease is when he's wearing his favorite clothes. Then, and only then, the world melts away, and he can be his true self. One day, while out shopping, Ryo sees someone he didn't expect: Jin. The kid who looked so tough in class has the same taste in fashion as him! At last, Ryo has someone he can open up to, and the journey ahead might finally give him a way to express himself to the world.
Daytime Shooting Star story and art by Mika Yamamori; translation by JN Productions; touch up art and lettering, Inori Fukuka Trant
After arriving in Tokyo to live with her uncle, Suzume collapses in a nearby park when she remembers once seeing a shooting star during the day. A handsome stranger brings her to her new home and tells her they'll meet again. Suzume starts her first day at her new high school sitting next to a boy who blushes furiously at her touch. And her homeroom teacher is none other than the handsome stranger!
Food Wars!: Shokugeki No Soma story by Yuto Tsukuda; art by Shun Saeki; translation by Adrienne Beck
When Soma Yukihira's father enrolls him in a classy culinary school, Soma must learn if he can make the grade in such a prestigious environment.
The Golden Sheep by Kaori Ozaki; translation Daniel Komen
Tsugu, Sora, Yuushin and Asari were the best of friends in grade school. For a few years Tsugu moves away and returns back in high school. She is happy to be reunited and believes that her friends didn't change, but that doesn't turn out to be the case.... A story about coming of age, friendship and the growth of 4 high schoolers.
Horimiya = Hori-san and Miyamura-kun by Daisuke Hagiwara; translation by Taylor Engel; lettering by Alexis Eckerman
"A sweet 'aww'-inspiring tale of school life begins!! At school, Kyouko Hori is known for being smart, attractive, and popular. On the other hand, her classmate, the boring, gloomy Izumi Miyamura, tends to get painted as a 'loser fanboy.' But when a liberally pierced and tattooed (not to mention downright gorgeous) Miyamura appears unexpectedly on the doorstep of secretly plain-Jane homebody Hori, these two similarly dissimilar teenagers discover that there are multiple sides to every story... and person!
I am Here! By Ema Toyama; translated and adapted by Joshua Weeks; lettered by North Market Street Graphics
Invisible to her classmates, Hikage Sumino is an eighth grader with no self-esteem. Her only friends are the visitors to her Internet blog. One day, the most popular boy in the grade suddenly talks to her. Encouraged by this twist of fate, Hikage determines to transform her life.
Komi Can't Communicate story and art by Tomohito Oda; English translation and adaptation by John Werry; touch-up art and lettering by Eva Grandt
Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi would love to make friends, but her shyness is interpreted as reserve, and the other students keep her at a distance. Only timid Tadano realizes the truth, and despite his own desire to blend in, he decides to help her achieve her goal of making 100 friends.
Orange story and art by Ichigo Takano; translation by Amber Tamosaitis; adaptation byShannon Fay; lettering and layout by Lys Blakeslee
Everyone has regrets in life. So who wouldn't take the chance to change the past if given the opportunity? When sixteen-year-old Takamiya Naho receives a mysterious letter, claiming to be from her twenty-seven-year-old self, her life is suddenly thrown into flux. The letter informs her that a new transfer student by the name of Naruse Kakeru will be joining her class, and to keep her eye on him. What is Naho to make of the letter's contents and its cryptic warning?
Sayonara Football by Naoshi Arakawa; translation by Devon Corwin; lettering by Allen Berry; additional layout and lettering by Belynda Ungurath
Midori and Sumire are soccer stars at rival middle schools, destined to collide : one's a striker, the other's a goalie. But the two girls end up in the same high school, with a lazy coach and a bizarre teammate, Nozomi, who brags that she's a soccer prodigy but can't seem to stop kicking the ball into her own goal. To become champions, Midori and Sumire will have to get over their rivalry and work some magic on the field—not to mention the challenges of growing up.
Those Not-so-Sweet Boys by Yoko Nogiri; translation by Alethea Nibley and Athena Nibley; lettering by Sara Linsley
Midori drops her wallet on her first day of high school, but her new classmate Ichijo swoops in to help. She wants to thank him, but he’s part of a tight-knit trio and none of them are ever in class! Rumor has it that they all got expelled for acting up, and studious Midori’s actually at risk of expulsion, too… In order to help support her family, she has a part-time job, which is against the school rules. When the chairman of the school board catches her leaving work, he says he’ll let it go—but only if she’s up to the task of bringing the three boys back to school. Well, why not? It’ll be a piece of cake…right?
School Life Romantic Comedies
Anonymous Noise story and art by Ryoko Fukuyama; English translation and adaptation by JN Productions; touch-up art and lettering by Joanna Estep
Nino Arisugawa, a girl who loves to sing, experiences her first heart-wrenching goodbye when her beloved childhood friend, Momo, moves away. And after Nino befriends Yuzu, a music composer, she experiences another sad parting! Both boys promised Nino that they would find her one day through her singing, so she holds on to that hope and continues to reach out with her voice. Now in high school, Nino serendipitously reunites with Yuzu, but she yearns to see Momo again.
Bloom into You story and art by Nakatani Nio; translation by Jenny McKeon; adaptation by Jenn Grunigen; lettering and retouching by CK Russell
Yuu has always loved shoujo manga and yearns for the day when someone might give her a love confession that would send her heart aflutter. Yet when a junior high school classmate confesses his feelings to her--she feels nothing. Disappointed and confused, Yuu enters high school, where she sees the confident and beautiful student council member Nanami. When the next person to confess to Yuu is Nanami herself, has her romantic dream finally come true?
Boarding School Juliet by Yousuke Kaneda; translation by Amanda Haley; lettering by James Dashiell
The prestigious Dahlia Academy educates the elite of society from two countries: to the East is the Nation of Touwa; across the sea, the Principality of West. The nations, though, are fierce rivals, and their students are constantly feuding—which means Romio Inuzuka, head of Touwa's first-year students, has a problem. He's fallen for his counterpart from West, Juliet Persia, and when he can't take it anymore, he confesses his feelings. Now Romio has two problems: a girlfriend, and a secret...
Kaguya-sama: Love is War story and art by Aka Akasaka; translation by Emi Louie-Nishikawa; English adaptation by Annette Roman; touch-up art and lettering by Stephen Duro
Two geniuses. Two brains. Two hearts. One battle. Who will confess their love first...?! As leaders of their prestigious academy's student councilm Kaguya and Miyuki are the elite of the elite! But it's lonely at the top... Luckily for them, they've fallen in love! There's just one problem—they both have too much pride to admit it. And so begins the daily scheming to get the object of their affection to confess their romantic feelings first... Love is a war you win by losing.
Kimi ni Todoke = From Me to You story and art by Karuho Shiina; translation by Tomo Kimura
Sawako Kuronuma is the perfect heroine...for a horror movie. With striking similarities to a haunting movie character—jet-black hair, sinister smile and silent demeanor—she's mistakenly called Sadako by those around her. But behind her scary façade is a very misunderstood teenager. Too shy to fit in, all she wants to do is make some friends. But when the most popular boy in class befriends her, she's sure to make more than just that—she's about to make some enemies too!
Kiss Him, Not Me by Junko; translation by David Rhie; lettering by Hiroko Mizuno
Hi there! My name is Serinuma Kae. I’m the kind of girl who loves checking out boys and fantasizing about them getting friendly (and more) with each other—I’m what you might call a fujoshi. One day, my beloved (yes, he’s an anime character) died, and the shock of it all was more than I could have ever prepared for! My grief over his passing resulted in some ridiculous weight loss! And you won’t believe what happened next! Soon after my change, the four most divinely gorgeous boys in my school asked me out on dates! I accepted them all, and you’d think I’d be happy with my sudden popularity, but the truth is, my heart only yearns for a prince to be next to his prince. Ahh, yes, boys, I’d much prefer that you turn your affections elsewhere and kiss him, not me!
Love in Focus by Yoko Nogiri; translationby Alethea and Athena Nibley
Mako’s always had a passion for photography. When she loses someone dear to her, she clings to her art as a relic of the close relationship she once had … Luckily, her childhood best friend Kei encourages her to come to his high school and join their prestigious photo club. With nothing to lose, Mako grabs her camera and moves into the dorm where Kei and his classmates live. Soon, a fresh take on life, along with a mysterious new muse, begin to come into focus!
My Monster Secret: Actually I Am story and art by Eiji Masuda; translation by Alethea and Athena Nibley; adaptation by Lianne Sentar
High school student Kuromine Asahi is the kind of guy who literally cannot tell a lie.Whether it’s trying to maintain a poker face in a simple game of cards, or keeping scurrilous gossip to himself, Asahi is a total failure when it comes to the art of deception. So what happens when he stumbles upon the most shocking secret of his life? When Asahi learns that Shiragami Youko, a beautiful girl of few words, is actually a vampire. Can Asahi possibly keep his lips sealed?
Nameless Asterism story and art by Kina Kobayashi; translation by Jenny McKeon; adaptation by Lora Gray; lettering and retouching by Ray Steeves
Tsukasa, Nadeshiko, and Mikage have been inseparable since they began junior high, but Tsukasa has a secret she’s been keeping from her best friends–she actually has a big crush on Nadeshiko! Not wanting to risk their friendship, she planned to keep it a secret forever, but when Tsukasa learns that Nadeshiko has a crush on Mikage, her desire to support her friends now conflicts with her own feelings. First love blossoms in unexpected ways for these three young women and their circle of friends.
O Maidens in Your Savage Season story by Mari Okada; art by Nao Emoto
As a teen, how do you start thinking about sex? This debut manga from anime legend Mari Okada (Maquia) follows five girls and their five moving, funny, and mortifying answers. Join their bittersweet (and a little spicy) journey from girlhood to … whatever comes next! Kazusa’s first high school literature club meeting starts with five girls being asked, “What’s one thing you want to do before you die?” When one of them blurts out, “Sex,” it launches these new friends down a raucous, embarrassing, all-too-relatable path.
Ouran High School Host Club story and art by Bisco Hatori; English adaptation by Gary Leach; translation by Kenichiro Yagi
In this screwball romantic comedy, a poor girl at a rich kids' school ends up working for the school's swankiest club—and gets mistaken for a boy!
Our Wonderful Days = Tsurezure Biyori story and art by Kei Hamuro; translation by Katrina Leonoudakis; lettering and retouching by Erika Terriquez
As children, Koharu and Mafuyu were best buds until Mafuyu moved away to Tokyo. But now, several years have passed and Mafuyu is back, attending the same high school as Koharu. As the two girls explore their sleepy hometown, Koharu can’t help but develop a crush on her childhood best friend…
Say I Love You by Kanae Hazuki; translation by Alethea and Athena Nibley; lettering by John Clark; editing by Ben Applegate
Mei Tachibana has no friends—and she doesn't need them! Ever since her "friends" betrayed her in elementary school, she's sworn off friendship entirely. All it leads to is betrayal and heartbreak, and she's well enough on her own. But everything changes when she accidentally roundhouse kicks the most popular boy in school! However, Yamato Kurosawa isn't angry in the slightest—in fact, he thinks his ordinary life could use an unusual girl like Mei! He won't take no for an answer, and soon Mei and Yamato embark on an unwanted friendship that will change both of them forever.
Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie by Keigo Maki; translation by Karen McGillicuddy; lettering by Mercedes McGarry
A high school romantic comedy with a sassy twist that follows the daily life of Izumi and his amazing but sometimes intimidating girlfriend Shikimori.
Strobe Edge story and art by Io Sakisaka; English adaptation by Yesabet MacFarlane; translation by JN Productions; touch-up art and lettering by John Hunt
What is love, anyway? Ninako Kinoshita's friends tell her it's one thing, but Ninako wonders what this mysterious feeling really is. When she meets Ren Ichinose, the handsome, enigmatic guy that all the girls worship, her life takes an unexpected turn. With just a few words and a smile, Ren changes her world… then Ninako's friend Daiki throws her for a loop when he expresses romantic interest in her. She cares for him, but can she return his feelings? As she tries to sort out her confusion, Ninako realizes there are many different facets of love—strange and wondrous.
Sweet Blue Flowers story and art by Takako Shimura; translation and adaptation by John Werry; touch-up art and lettering by Monalisa De Asis
Akira Okudaira is starting high school and is ready for exciting new experiences. And on the first day of school, she runs into her best friend from kindergarten at the train station. Now Akira and Fumi have the chance to rekindle their friendship, but life has gotten a lot more complicated since they were kids. Fumi is glad Akira is back in her life. Even in kindergarten, Akira knew how to stand up for herself, and she was always willing to stand up for Fumi too. But Fumi's first love recently got married, and Fumi is grappling with a broken heart and the fact that her sweetheart was another woman. Can Akira's open heart help dispel the gloom Fumi has been caught up in?
Tomo-chan is a Girl! story and art by Fumita Yanagida; translation by Jennifer O'Donnell; adaptation by T. Campbell; lettering and retouching by Carolina Hernández Mendoza
Boyish high school girl Aizawa Tomo finally manages to tell her childhood friend Jun that she's got a crush on him. Unfortunately, her confession goes right over his head—he didn't even realize she was a girl until middle school, and even now, Jun still thinks of her as a bro! How can Tomo-chan possibly convince him otherwise and win Jun's heart?
A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow story and art by Makoto Hagino; English translation and adaptation by John Werry; touch-up art and lettering, by Eve Grandt
When her dad gets a job overseas, Konatsu Amano has to leave the Tokyo life she's always known and relocate to a small seaside town to stay with her aunt. The move also means starting a new school surrounded by complete strangers, and it's a lot to handle for a girl who has trouble with change. But on her first day in her new town, Konatsu is instantly drawn to Koyuki, an older girl who is the sole member of the Aquarium Club. Konatsu's introverted tendencies are hard for her to overcome, but maybe she's found something worth coming out of her shell for?
Waiting for Spring by Anashin; translation by Alethea and Athena Nibley; lettering by Sara Linsley
Mizuki is a shy girl who’s about to enter high school, and vows to open herself up to new friendships. Of course, the four stars of the boys’ basketball team weren’t exactly the friends she had in mind! Yet, when they drop by the café where she works, the five quickly hit it off. Soon she’s been accidentally thrust into the spotlight, targeted by jealous girls. And will she expand her mission to include … love?
That Wolf-boy is Mine! By Yoko Nogiri; translation, Alethea and Athena Nibley ; lettering, Sara Linsley ; editing, Haruko Hashimoto.
After some traumatic experiences, Komugi Kusunoki has transferred from the city to start a new life in rural Hokkaido. But on her first day of school, the school heartthrob Yū Ōgami blurts out, 'You smell good!' Despite the hijinks, Komugi tries to adjust to her new school, but it's not long before she stumbles across Yū dozing off under a tree. When she attempts to wake him up, he transforms...into a wolf?! It turns out that Yū is one of several eccentric boys in her year--and she's the only one who knows their secret!
School Life Comedy
Azumanga Daioh by Kiyohiko Azuma; translation by Stephen Paul; lettering by Hope Donovan
The best high school stories are simultaneously funny, warm, and endearing—but most importantly, the characters come alive on the page. Get to know the girls who set a new standard for the high school experience! The original phenomenon from Kiyohiko Azuma, beloved creator of YOTSUBA&!, is collected in this deluxe edition and is an absolute necessity for any manga enthusiast's library!
Interviews with Monster Girls by Petos; translation by Kevin Steinbach; lettering by Paige Pumphrey
Vampires, dullahans, succubi, snow women. These are just a few of those beings once known as "demi-humans," and high school Biology teacher Testsuo Takahashi has always wanted to meet them. He gets his chance when the new term starts, and there are four "demis" in his school! Join the caring, bumbling Tetsuo in his quest to get to know these adorable monster girls, while helping them navigate the highs and lows of high school!
My Neighbor Seki = Tonari no Seki-kun by Morishige Takuma; translation by Yoshito Hinton
Toshinari Seki takes goofing off to new heights. Every day, on or around his school desk, he masterfully creates his own little worlds of wonder, often hidden to most of his classmates. Unfortunately for Rumi Yokoi, his neighbor at the back of their homeroom, his many games, dioramas, and projects are often way too interesting to ignore; even when they are hurting her grades.
Nichijou = My Ordinary Life by Keiichi Awawi; translation by Jenny McKeon
In this just-surreal-enough take on the 'school genre' of manga, a group of friends (which includes a robot built by a child professor) grapple with all sorts of unexpected situations in their daily lives as high schoolers. The gags, jokes, puns and haiku keep this series off-kilter even as the characters grow and change. Check out this new take on a storied genre and meet the new ordinary.
No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular! by Nico Tanigawa; translation and adaptation by Krista Shipley and Karie Shipley; lettering by Lys Blakeslee
Tomoko Kuroki naturally assumed she'd be popular when she got to high school—but then cold, hard reality swooped in for the attack! Turns out all the popularity points she'd racked up in her video game dating sims are worth squat in real life, and Tomoko's far from prepared to navigate high school! How can she possibly hope to impress her classmates when she can't even talk to them?! A new high-school heroine is born (maybe?)!
Prison School by Akira Hiramoto; translation by Ko Ransom; lettering by Anthony Quintessenza
Note: Sex Comedy
On the outskirts of Tokyo stands Hachimitsu Private Academy, an all-girls boarding school for elite young women. But as the new school year rolls around, one tradition is going out the window: For the first time in the school's long history, boys are being allowed to enroll. On the first day of school, though, it turns out only five boys have made the cut. Thrilled by this discovery, these young men's adolescent hearts leap with joy at the thought of being surrounded by all those girls, but little do the five boys suspect the shocking fate that awaits them…
Toilet-bound Hanako-kun by Aidalro; translation by Alethea Nibley and Athena Nibley; lettering byJesse Moriarty and Tania Biswas
At Kamome Academy, rumors abound about the school's Seven Mysteries, one of which is Hanako-san. Said to occupy the third stall of the third floor girls' bathroom in the old school building, Hanako-san grants any wish when summoned. Nene Yashiro, an occult-loving high school girl who dreams of romance, ventures into this haunted bathroom... but the Hanako-san she meets there is nothing like she imagined! Kamome Academy's Hanako-san...is a boy!
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Did we miss a title? Feel free to comment below with any titles that we missed or make a recommendation for the collection here!
Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.