Yazawa, Ai

Nana Komatsu is a naive, unmotivated girl who spends her high school days chasing one crush after the other. Despite continually facing failure in her quest for love, her spirits have never dampened. At the age of 20, she finds herself on a train to Tokyo with hopes of reuniting with her current boyfriend.

Nana Osaki, on the other hand, is feisty and prideful. After joining a local band during her high school days, she falls in love with music and one of the band members. However, when faced with the choice between her relationship and her musical career, she chooses the latter and separates from her boyfriend. On her 20th birthday, she boards the same train to Tokyo, like her namesake, where she aims to become a top vocalist.

The two girls with the same name but very different aspirations find themselves sitting together on their journey to the city, and, as fate would have it, eventually share the same apartment. A deep and unique bond is then forged, where they will support each other in this saga of love, music, friendship, and heartbreak.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Nana

NANA

Sakura, Amyuu

Following the graduation of every other member of the Koto Music Club, Takezou Kurata is left alone as the new club president. Now burdened with the arduous task of rebuilding membership, he struggles to recruit anyone due to a lack of interest. Just as Kurata has lost nearly all hope in keeping the club alive, the feared delinquent Chika Kudou appears, claiming he will join and become the club president himself.

At first, Kurata refuses to admit such a troublesome person, aware of the dark rumors that have been circulating about Kudou. However, after discovering a more vulnerable side to Kudou and his mysterious connection to the club, Kurata rethinks his decision. The soon-to-be defunct club is saved with the help of koto prodigy Satowa Houzuki, who uses her charms to recruit Kudou's lively friends Saneyasu Adachi, Michitaka Sakai, and Kouta Mizuhara.

With sufficient numbers to retain the club's status, Houzuki declares that they will aim to become the best koto players in the nation, much to Kurata's dismay. This ragtag bunch of young musicians have a road filled with challenges and adversities ahead of them, and by overcoming their fears and differences, their aspirations may very well come true.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kono Oto Tomare!

この音とまれ！

Arakawa, Naoshi

At a very young age, Kousei Arima was strictly taught how to play the piano and meticulously follow the score by his mother, to the point where he dominated every competition he entered with ease. He earned the title of "Human Metronome" for performing almost perfectly. Every musician of his age looked up to him. However, after his mother suddenly dies, he became tone-deaf due to the shock and then disappeared, never to be seen onstage since.

Two years later, Kousei lives a monotonous life with his childhood friends Tsubaki Sawabe and Ryouta Watari supporting him. He continues to cling to music, although performing is still an impossibility for him. This is until his unexpected encounter with Kaori Miyazono, a violinist who performs freely without the dictations of a score. A story of friendship, love, music, and a single lie, Kousei's life begins to change and gain color as Kaori helps him to take up music again.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso

Your Lie in April

四月は君の嘘

Kodama, Yuki

Constantly transferring schools since childhood, Kaoru Nishimi has always been seen as a social outcast when he transfers due to his intellectual nature and wealthy background. But after moving to Kyushu for his first year of high school, things begin to change. Kaoru befriends the class president, Ritsuko Mukae, and, unexpectedly, the notorious school delinquent, Sentarou Kawabuchi. While Kaoru is an honors student, Sentarou is constantly getting into fights and skipping class. However, these two opposites find a common ground in one thing—music.

One day, Kaoru is invited by Ritsuko to visit her family's record store, where he finds Sentarou in the basement showcasing his skill in jazz drumming. Kaoru, being a classical pianist, knows nothing about jazz. But inspired by the performance, he begins to open his mind to the genre alongside Sentarou. The duo begin to practice in after-school jazz sessions in the record store's basement. As he spends more time improving his skills in jazz, Kaoru finds a person whom he can truly call his friend and comes to learn the joys of playing music.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Sakamichi no Apollon

坂道のアポロン

Kizu, Natsuki

There is a tune stuck in Mafuyu Satou's head. As he clutches the guitar in his hands, this melody swirls around and around, screaming words of regret, longing, and loss. But with his careless expression that always seems to be up in the clouds, no one knows his true feelings. However, a chance encounter with classmate Ritsuka Uenoyama may finally give Mafuyu the push to let his voice be heard.

Uenoyama is the guitarist of a band, whose fellow members include the kindhearted bassist Haruki Nakayama and rough-looking drummer Akihiko Kaji. Even without a vocalist, their ragtag group has done well as an instrumental-only band. However, their chance to reach even greater heights may have arrived when Uenoyama hears Mafuyu's voice—Uenoyama is enchanted, inviting the reluctant Mafuyu to join.

Working in a band is a difficult task; often, emotions threaten to break it apart, but they can also bring its members closer together. With Uenoyama's help, Mafuyu may finally be able to express the feelings that fight to break free from within his heart.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Given

ギヴン

Osada, Yu-Ko

Machida, Kazuya

Shiori was once a guitarist in a light music club in high school, but her first live performance was dashed when her brother ran away from home with a lot of debt to become a musician in Tokyo.

A decade later, Shiori is now a high school teacher, leading a boring, uneventful life and paying off the debt...until she runs into the ghost of none other than famous guitarist Jimi Hendrix.

The story of a 27-year-old woman on her way to becoming a music legend begins here.

(Source: MU)

Shiori Experience: Jimi na Watashi to Hen na Ojisan

SHIORI EXPERIENCE ～ジミなわたしとヘンなおじさん～

Ninomiya, Tomoko

Shinichi Chiaki, the perfectionist son of a famous pianist, is in his fourth year at Momogaoka College of Music, hoping to achieve his secret dream of being a conductor. His admiration for his father led him to pursue a career in music. As much as he wants to return to Europe, his phobia of flying traps him in Japan where he now lives.

One night, he passes out, and ends up being taken in by Megumi "Nodame" Noda. Upon first glance, Nodame is a talented pianist, but she is also slobbish and eccentric. What's even worse is that she is his neighbor and he ends up forced to work with her. Though it sounds like a recipe for disaster, Chiaki is drawn to this girl who makes him remember the love for music he once held. Just what does the future hold for this musical duo?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Nodame Cantabile

のだめカンタービレ

JUNS

Conor, a Korean-American, lives in a city where same-sex marriage has been legalized, but where racist and homophobic hate crimes are still frequent. He joins a band with the blonde hair, blue-eyed Simon and the two go on to create their own "dark heaven" in an abandoned church. Feelings develop between the pair, but light cannot dwell with dark, and their time together will soon come to an end...

(Source: Lezhin Comics)

Dark Heaven

다크 헤븐

Ishizuka, Shinichi

Dai Miyamoto's jazz journey continues in Germany with the goal of starting a band and moving on to the world stage.

(Source: MU)

Blue Giant Supreme

BLUE GIANT SUPREME

Hamaji, Aki

High school student Hitori "Bocchi" Gotou has no social life or any friends—unless you count her guitar. She dreams of creating a school band in the hopes that using her instrument will elevate her social standing. However, despite spending the last two years diligently practicing guitar, she is no closer to her goal.

Although she has gained a following online for her guitar covers of popular songs, Bocchi's lack of social skills means that her dream may ultimately be impossible. But one day, drummer Nijika Ijichi spots Bocchi with her guitar alone in a park. Desperately in need of a guitarist, Nijika quickly recruits Bocchi to the band that Nijika has formed with bassist Ryou Yamada—Kessoku Band. Though overwhelmed and left floundering at the sudden social interaction, Bocchi realizes this may be the start of something bigger.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Bocchi the Rock!

ぼっち・ざ・ろっく!

Once again, we join Sentarou, Kaoru and their friends in a short jam session of friendship, music and love.

1. Junichi and Yurika, after Junichi's move to Tokyo
2. A short story about Kouta, Ritsuko and the guy who answered the phone when Kaoru called Ritsuko
3. Tsutomu Murae (Ritsuko's dad) and how he finds his way into Jazz
4. Sentarou Kawabuchi and how he discovers his new resolve
5. After story...

Sakamichi no Apollon: Bonus Track

坂道のアポロン BONUS TRACK

Shikke

Hailing from the countryside, Yuuki Haiga, an endearing and approachable freshman, quickly adapts to university life, easily making friends and winning the favor of girls. But senior Ryou Kanae is the only person that manages to leave Haiga awestruck: with his glorious long hair, stunning features, and incredible musical talent, Kanae finds a lasting spot in Haiga's mind.

When Haiga loses a bet against his friends, he finds himself at a box spa—a secluded place that offers intimate same-sex services. Fostering lingering doubts about being bisexual, Haiga sees this as an opportunity to come to a definitive answer. However, in his nervous state, Haiga is unaware that he bought time with none other than his beautiful senior, Kanae.

All Haiga asks for is an honest conversation about sexual identity, but Kanae insists on a more hands-on approach. Unable to stay away, Haiga continues returning for more, but he must determine if his feelings are genuine love or merely admiration.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

12 Manga Like BanG Dream!