Ready for Dessert?

Misc #Dessert #Josei Manga #Shojo Manga July 24, 2026

Those who know the Kodansha deep lore may be aware of Dessert.
But for those of you who aren’t, allow us to introduce you!

Since its launch in 1996, Dessert magazine has been bringing shojo and josei manga titles to the masses every month. Here is a selection of some of our favorite Dessert titles! Which ones have you read?

A Condition Called Love

Hotaru is a 16-year-old high school first-year who has always been ambivalent about love, preferring instead to have a lively life with her family and friends. So when she sees her schoolmate, Hananoi-kun, sitting in the snow after a messy, public breakup, she thinks nothing of offering to share her umbrella. But when he asks her out in the middle of her classroom the next day, she can’t help but feel that her life is about to change in a big way…

A Sign of Affection

Yuki is a typical college student, whose world revolves around her friends, social media, and the latest sales. But when a chance encounter on a train leads to her meeting friend-of-a-friend and fellow student Itsuomi-san, her world starts to widen. But even though Itsuomi-kun can speak three languages, sign language isn’t one of them. Can the two learn to communicate the budding feelings between them?

Choking on Love

An art student named Hibari dreams of becoming a designer, but she has a complex about how “normal” she is compared to those around her. One day at a ramen shop, she meets a boy in a band, Gaku, who goes to the same school as her. While being strung along by the free-spirited and pushy Gaku, Hibari discovers a whole new world she did not know existed and now…?!

Fall in Love, You False Angels

Meet Otogi Katsura, the captivating First-Years’ Class President who has become the talk of the school. Her angelic demeanor and adorable looks have earned her the endearing moniker of Heartthrob Angel from her admirers. Yet, beneath that lovely exterior lies a less-than-angelic side, a facet she accidentally reveals in front of Toki Ninomae, the Vice-President of their shared year, who also happens to be the object of her recent interests! Little did she know, however, that the cherubic boy also had a hidden side to him…

First Love, Worst Love

“So don’t go off and start dating someone else just yet!” Hatsuho has just moved to Tokyo after getting into college and is looking forward to a dazzling college life until…she realizes that her next-door neighbor is none other than her one and only ex-boyfriend from junior high school that she had an awkward breakup with…! Even though he’s a bit condescending, his good looks make him hard to hate… Hatsuho’s days of being pursued by her problematic (?!) ex-boyfriend have just begun!!!♡

How I Met My Soulmate

Yuuki is a 20-year-old college sophomore who has wished for one thing since moving to Tokyo: to find her soulmate. Growing a bit desperate after a long drought, she goes along with a friend to a club for the first time. Her friend thrives, but it’s chaotic and loud…just not Yuuki’s scene. Just when Yuuki begins to despair that she’ll ever find a real, adult relationship, she meets Iori, a man with bleached hair and a slightly scary demeanor…but first impressions don’t always tell the whole story. Could destiny still have more cards to play?

In So Deep It’s Love Already

Because of a heartbreak in her past, Kirino decided to live more for her idol than for actual boys, but one day, transfer student Kametani-kun comes, who has a somewhat similar vibe to her idol! When Kametani-kun glares at the girls saying, “Don’t even think about talking to me!” on the very first day of transferring to the school, Kirino gets intrigued by him and learns his secret and…?!

In The Clear Moonlit Dusk

Yoi Takiguchi has long legs, a deep voice, and a handsome face…in other words, Yoi is such a good-looking guy that most people don’t notice or care that she is, in fact, a girl. Indeed, she’s had the nickname “Prince” as long as she can remember. That is, until she met Ichimura-senpai…the only person who’s really seemed to see her for herself. To her surprise, she’s not sure how to handle this new relationship, especially when her newfound friend is a prince himself (and a guy prince, at that). The story of the two high school princes starts here!

Love, That’s an Understatement

Spare eraser? Check. Extra folding umbrella? Check. First aid kit? Check. Cool and collected high school student Risa Amakawa has something in her heavy bag for every situation, and the last thing she needs—or knows how to ask for—is anyone’s help. When she saves a beat-up delinquent in the park one rainy evening, she refuses any sort of repayment. But it turns out that saving the notorious Zen Ohira buys her the attention of some unsavory characters. As Zen keeps swooping in to help her out of one pickle after another, her feelings about relying on anyone but herself—and her feelings toward Zen—slowly begin to change… A new romcom from the author of Lovesick Ellie!

Tell Me, Dear Butler

“If you understand, don’t cheat on me, dummy.” Kikyo has been in unrequited love with her butler, Hanayagi, since the day they met. No matter how many times she tries to get his attention, it doesn’t seem to have any effect on him…? In response to overwhelmingly positive reactions from readers, this popular one-shot is finally getting its long-awaited serialization!

You Might As Well Be The One

“I want you to never stop smiling.” Ichika, a college student, just wants to have a normal romance for once, yet because of her flashy appearance, she is often misunderstood. Not ready to give up on a romantic encounter, Ichika joins a drinking party and meets a kind boy named Kosei. They immediately click and Ichika has a great time talking to him about their mutual interests and other things, and she finds herself falling for him after he tells her that he likes her for who she is. However, he has a secret…?!