Okay, so, I was actually going to post in this thread back when it was started, but didn't have the time right then to do good write-ups on all the manga I was going to suggest, and then I kinda forgot.
Now that the thread has been revived, however, I'll go ahead and post my current thoughts. (Oh, and just as a note, I do have some more shojo on my plan-to-read list that I suspect I might have also added to this post, but obviously I'd need to actually read them first to confirm that, so right now I can only work with what I've got.
) Anyway...
10/10 (Masterpiece):Fruits Basket:
There's definitely a reason that it still is (and, in fact, likely always will be) my #1 favorite manga. First, there's the main character, who is absolutely amazing-- she just pours light and hope and life into everyone around her, no matter what. So, when she comes into contact with this big extended family of generationally-cursed (and thus, at this point, pretty seriously screwed-up
) people, the effect is truly awesome. Add to that the fact that (despite their large number) all of the characters, complete with their personalities, mental states, emotions, relationships, and etc., are fleshed out well and are very believable (even the outrageous ones); the drama is (at times) fairly intense; the humor is absolutely hilarious; and the finale is so emotional and so perfectly beautiful that it left me both speechless and in tears (in a VERY good way!!)... and there you have my reason. In terms of fiction (manga or regular novels), I can honestly say that this is one of the best things I have ever read.
Amatsuki:
A joke was made in one of the volumes that this series is a 'Science Fiction Historical Supernatural Fantasy Romance Mystery', which is funny not only because it's true, but because it
*works.* It does indeed have all of those elements, and yet somehow they're all blended perfectly into one awesome package. Add to that the fact that the plot is really intriguing, the characters are well-developed and endearing, and the art style is interestingly unique, and you have a winner. (In fact, since this series is currently ongoing, I'd originally rated it a 9 with the intention to give it a 10 if the end is pulled off well; but, at this point, I'm just going to go ahead and trust the mangaka and give it the 10 until and unless I see something to the contrary, because right now it's literally
just that good.)
9/10 (Awesome):From Far Away (a.k.a. Kanata Kara):
(Hmm... tried to write a synopsis, but for some reason I wasn't getting it to do the plot any real justice,
so here's it's MAL entry.) Anyway, while there's obviously plenty of fantasy elements in this series, one of the great things about it is actually its realism in little details-- like the fact that the place's language is totally different from the main character's own, so she has to learn to speak it; etc. Plus, the art (while obviously a bit older-styled) is great, the characters are well-done, and both the romance and the story are excellent.
Kieli (including the novels):
This series is quite interesting. The main characters are a girl who sees ghosts (and feels more at home with them than with living humans), a radio possessed by a snarky old soldier, and an attractive Undead guy
... and it has a good, supernatural-sci-fi story, too. Minus the main characters' sometimes-fairly-vocal agnosticism
, it's great.
Akagami no Shirayuki Hime:
Everything about this is excellent-- the art, the setting, the characters (lead female: an apothecary who is smart, capable, and strong *without* being a tsundere; lead male: also smart, very perceptive, and warm; other characters: equally great), and the main relationship (which is actually completely straightforward, progresses in a realistic manner at a realistic pace, and {despite some of the other characters' agendas/likes/desires} has pretty much no significant interference).
Kimi ni Todoke:
An excellent, very clean, sweet and innocent romance series. Nothing more really needs to be said.
Otomen:
While the overall premise-- a manga about a bunch of guys who have really 'girly' personalities and/or interests-- is already cute, the best thing about this series is the fact that everything about it (and I do mean EVERYTHING... from that premise, to all the mini-plots, to the characters, to the relationships, to literally every single other detail-- even right down to the extreme use of hearts, flowers, and {in particular} *sparkles* in way too many panels
) is actually one big on-purpose, good-natured meta-parody of shojo in general-- which, as you can imagine, is really amusing. (And as a bonus, the characters are fun, too.)
8.5/10 (Great/Awesome; likely to end up as 9/10's when completed):Dengeki Daisy:
Some of this series' dialogue and humor can get fairly edgy at times, but for me the art, characters, and story make up for that. The characters and their relationships are both interesting and amusing; there's a good technological conspiracy plot alongside the romance; and even when a well-used plot device is occasionally included, there's always a really nice twist on it.
Natsume's Book Of Friends (a.k.a. Natsume Yuujinchou):
The overall feel of this series is pretty unique (and really likeable). Also, Natsume's innate kindness and desire to help others (be they human or yokai), no matter the cost to himself, is something to look up to; and the slow and subtle plot progression and character development winding throughout the series is great, too.
8/10 (Great):Land Of The Blindfolded (a.k.a. Mekakushi no Kuni):
Mixing up a school romance plot with some neat supernatural qualities (plus some likable characters) made this series quite enjoyable.
Hug! (one shot by Yuka Fujiwara):
A girl who adores her cute little dog meets a cute boy who not only has the same name as her dog, but also looks just like him and even has the same personality, too. Which then of course sets off the exact same impulses in the girl to want to hug and kiss him like she does with her dog (though her best friend restrains her when she can
). Needless to say, this ends up being 50 or so pages of absolute adorableness.
D.N.Angel:
This series has a fun premise, an interestingly tangled knot of relationships, and some great magical-fantasy mythology (artworks with souls, etc.). The only current downside is that it's ongoing, but on hiatus (on a cliffhanger, no less
)-- its mangaka is apparently notorious for having multiple ongoing series and switching back and forth between them in long chunks, rather than finishing them one at a time. The mangaka's writing habits aside, however
, it's quite good.
Lovely Complex (a.k.a. Love*Com):
This series could have done without a lot of the Seiko stuff, and it did seem to lose a bit of steam towards the end (though the final volume pretty much makes up for that), but otherwise it was quite good (and quite funny) overall.
*Whew!* That's all I can think of for now... hope it helps!
Hope you enjoy! 
