Nicole. A stack of romance mangas on a pink velvet background.
Romance Mangas With a Slightly Older Cast
This manga recommendation list is dedicated to romances with university-aged characters! I think these are a great in-between choice for readers who don’t want to read a high school romance, but are looking for something a bit fluffier than the usual adult romance story.
Therefore, I put together this list of titles that are romantic university mangas, most of which are shoujo (but not all). I hope you enjoy. (♡°▽°♡) Feel free to click on the title link of any of these recommendations to see an individual review of the series!
Small disclaimer: Although there are differences between a college and university, I often don’t notice which one is specified in a manga series, so I’ll be saying “university” in the recommendations below. Wording in individual reviews may differ.
1. Cinderella Closet
Author: Wakana Yanai
Number of Chapters: 8 volumes, 32 chapters
Status: Completed
Cinderella Closet Seven Seas Entertainment Page
Cinderella Closet is easily one of my favorite romance manga reads, yet I don’t see many people talking about it—so it gets to be at the top of the list, haha. This series is completed and fully translated into English volumes! It tells the story of Haruka Fukunaga, a university student who is ready to experience a full change during her university years.
Unfortunately, her plans to have fun and find a boyfriend are sort of interrupted by her school work and part time job. Regardless, the determined Haruka wants to gain the attention of her crush (a coworker at her job), and decides to try using make-up (something she isn’t very skilled at) at their first meet-up.
Luckily for her, she ends up running into a beautiful person named Hikaru. Hikaru has experience with doing hair and make-up, and becomes Haruka’s fairy godmother of sorts, helping her regain confidence and determination towards finding love.
This series is so incredibly cute and wholesome, I really love the romance and story throughout. I highly recommend this series if you are looking for a lovely, sweet university life romance manga.
2. A Sign of Affection
Author: Suu Morishita
Number of Chapters: 12 volumes / 56+ chapters (digital)
Status: Ongoing
A Sign of Affection Kodansha page
A Sign of Affection is a pretty well known series, but if you haven’t read it yet, consider checking it out! It’s a great option for readers who like really soft and fluffy romances, but want a cast of characters who aren’t in high school.
It follows university student Yuki Itose, who was born deaf. She attends school and has friends like everyone else, but of course navigates life a bit differently.
One day she meets a fellow student on the train, who helps her when she is approached by someone asking for directions. This helpful individual is Itsuomi Nagi, a handsome man who has a passion for traveling and a desire to understand others better.
These two naturally click, allowing readers to enjoy their romantic journey as they learn more about each other and grow closer. I really adore the slow-paced, soft romance found within this series.
It feels so cute and exciting, and the way the author has included different forms of communication throughout the plot is very well done! Be sure to check out my full review to read more of my thoughts on this adorable romance university manga series.
3. Choking on Love
Author: Keiko Iwashita
Number of Chapters: 4 volumes, 15+ chapters
Status: Ongoing
Choking on Love Seven Seas Entertainment page
If you love cheesy romances, this manga is perfect for you! Choking on Love is such a delight to read with its cliché romance tropes and dramatic events. It follows Hibari Akanishi, an art university student struggling to create something impressive in her assignments.
Just when she’s getting fed up with juggling school and work, her laptop is ruined by a group of rowdy boys at her job! Even after she reprimands them, one of them shows up later offering his help. This boy is Gaku Sousei, a fellow art school student who plays in a band.
These two have an amazing chemistry, and the romance is just so delightfully cheesy. Two creatives attending art school, one being in a band… like, come on! It’s so cliché! I love it so much. The romance is exciting and mature, and the character designs are fantastic. I really love this series, I hope you will too!
4. How I Met My Soulmate
Author: Anashin
Number of Chapters: 6 volumes, 28 chapters
Status: Ongoing
How I Met My Soulmate Kodansha page
If you are someone who enjoys a bit more melodrama and romantic struggle, you may enjoy this series! How I Met My Soulmate follows Yuuki Honda, a university student who is on a search to find “the one” for her!
She doesn’t want to go into things casually, and wants to fall deeply in love with someone meant for her. A supportive friend of hers supports her in this endeavor by taking her out to a club to meet people! But, rather than meeting lots of people, Yuuki instead ends up tending to a rude drunk man Iori Souma.
Apologetic for his rude drunk behavior, Iori later offers to help her in her love-focused goal. This starts a unique friendship as Yuuki searches for her soulmate! This romantic university manga has a lot of themes about fate, but also surprisingly involves a lot of drama and miscommunication. If you like romances with this sort of drama and struggle, check this story out!
5. Hitting Rewind With You
Author: Kira Hanamaru
Number of Chapters: 1 volume in English (Completed at 5 volumes in Japanese)
Status: Ongoing
Hitting Rewind With You (also known as Okuremashite Seishun) is getting published in English soon by Kodansha! I’m so excited for this, as the story is absolutely adorable, fun, and exciting. Readers who love cute, wholesome romcoms will love this romantic university manga series.
This story’s FL is Wakaba Kayano, a new university student who isn’t quite ready to move on from her high school youth. In one last attempt to relive her youth, she dresses in her high school uniform on Halloween, and goes out to have fun.
She meets another student who joins her on her little night out, only for them to eventually be questioned by a cop about curfew. Turns out, they’re both university students dressed in their old uniforms for fun! After escaping trouble, they become good friends who meet regularly to relive their youth via fun outings.
This manga is so much fun and a little bit cheesy. I really love the characters, the humor, and of course the romance so far. I’m sure this one will be a big hit, so don’t miss out on it!
6. Maybe Akira-kun, Maybe Akira-chan
Author: Yasuko
Number of Chapters: 2 volumes, 8 chapters
Status: Completed
This short, completed series has an absolutely lovely romance! It tells the love story of Iwagami Kazuma, a university student who fell in love with someone at first sight.
It occurred when he was overtaken by the boxing club on campus, and a beautiful girl helped him. He didn’t get to properly meet her, so he asks around the campus to find her!
It turns out his savior is Akira Haruna, but with their second meeting, Akira seems to actually be a man?! Iwagami is confused by Akira’s gender, but can’t deny that he adores Akira’s gorgeous face and wonderful personality regardless.
As these two become better friends, Iwagami begins to realize that his views on gender roles were narrow. He soon learns that your gender identity doesn’t have to dictate how you act, what you enjoy, or what you should look like. This lovely manga involves a lot of discovery for Iwagami, as he struggles to understand his feelings for the beautiful and mysterious Akira.
I really loved this beautiful message and really hope this series gets an official translation one day!
7. Love in the Palm of His Hand
Author: Rinteku
Number of Chapters: 3 Volumes, 17+ chapters (digital)
Status: Ongoing
Love in the Palm of His Hand Square Enix page
This super cute series follows a fast-paced romance between an education major student and a literature major student with a career in acting. This super sweet and cute series is a perfect university-age romance manga for those who want a fast-paced and fluffy BL. Here’s a little synopsis:
Aoi Fujinaga has a passion for expressive acting, meaning he wants to capture a story in a unique way and grab the audience’s full attention. However, he is often told his acting is “too much” or that it doesn’t match the other actors. His confidence is boosted when he meets Keito, a deaf student who signs as he speaks.
Fujinaga is good at creating a story through his expressive acting and gestures, which boosts his ability to learn sign, too. Keito is impressed by Fujinaga’s creative acting methods, and provides some encouragement that Fujinaga really needed!
They quickly form a connection through these means of communication (sign language and expressive acting) which soon leads them to the path of romance. Love in the Palm of His Hand is such a sweet and lovely read, I’ve enjoyed it a lot so far and can’t wait to see how it progresses.
8. Kimi ni Todoke: Soulmate
Author: Karuho Shiina
Number of Chapters: 3 volumes, 12 chapters
Status: Completed
Kimi ni Todoke: Soulmate on Viz Media
I’ll never stop recommending Kimi ni Todoke: Soulmate. If you read the original series, you’ll remember Kurumi—the sabotaging yet pretty girl who was after Kazehaya’s heart.
Although her romance didn’t succeed in Kimi ni Todoke, the author has blessed us with a spinoff series that follows Kurumi in her university years (featuring the beloved Sawako occasionally, too!). She finally gets her own romance story, and as expected from this author, the art and story is adorable and sweet.
This story was such a needed spinoff for those of use who adored Kurumi’s character in the original series! Additionally, if you’re a fan of Karuho Shiina, there are characters from her earlier work, Crazy for You, featured in this spinoff, too.
9. Blooming Love
Author: Daichi Kawada
Number of Chapters: 58 chapters (digital)
Status: Completed
If you’re looking for a more simple and sweet romance with no frills or crazy drama, Blooming Love could be perfect for you. Technically this manga starts with both of the main characters in high school, but the story quickly switches over to after their graduation, and most of the currently available chapters showcase this period of their lives and relationship.
There isn’t too much focus on “college life,” but I thought this manga could fit into this list well, as it follows a romance between two individuals of post high school age.
It follows an artistic boy, Shintaro Ibuki, who meets a girl named Kyoko Sugisaka, who has a stern face. They both stay after school (high school) to practice art—Shintaro does this because he intends to make a career from it, and Kyoko practices to improve in her own field: craftsmanship. This simple meeting leads to a very sweet… blooming love!
This manga is a very refreshing read, as it has such a natural, realistic depiction of romance without exaggeration or melodrama often seen in romance manga. It’s a good lighthearted read with a little humor and a super soft, sweet romance. The romance in this manga is so incredibly cute and wholesome, I’m sure you’ll love it!
10. Loving Yamada at Lv999
Author: Mashiro
Number of Chapters: 108+
Status: Ongoing
Loving Yamada at Lv999 on Mangamo
So I left this review for last because it technically only half-fits into this list. It follows a FL who is in her first year of university, and the ML is still in high school (if I remember correctly, his last year).
I’ll say that if this small age gap bothers you, maybe skip out on this one! However, this manga has a very lovely romance that doesn’t feel immature or focused on the age gap aspect at all.
This cute romance also has a fun video game theme, as the characters often interact in a mmorpg! The plot has a relaxed pace and sort of an opposites-attract trope, as the FL is more outgoing and the ML is more stoic and calm.
It’s a very cute romance with a slow-paced story and an underrated depiction of a modern relationship. The romance has such a natural feel to it, and I really enjoyed the slow growth of the romance between the main two characters!
I think this manga is a special romance for a lot of readers; if you haven’t read it yet, check it out!
Final Thoughts
“College life” or university mangas are great choices for those who enjoy a more mature romance or a more relatable plot setting. I feel like we are getting more and more university romance mangas lately, especially in the shoujo sector, which you’ll never see me complain about!
I hope we get plenty more to enjoy, as they meet a specific need in the reading community that I think was lacking! What do you think? Share your thoughts below! (´｡• ᵕ •｡) ♡
