Keep in mind here, I'm absolutely crap at writing up descriptions of books, so these are going to be really brief.
Life (Difficulty **)
A shoujo series that deals with the topics of bullying, self-injury, and sexual assault, Life is a very emotionally intense series. The manga series really picks up as the friendship between the main character and her new best friend deepens, and the head bullies' emotional instability starts to rear it's ugly head. What starts off as a feel-bad manga ends up becoming very touching. Highly recommended.
Neighbourhood Story (ご近所物語) (Difficulty **)
Anyone familiar with the manga Paradise Kiss or Nana should check this one out. It focuses on a group of art students, in particular fashion student Mikako Kouda. Mikako dreams of starting her own fashion line, Happy Berry, while at the same time tries to figure out her feelings towards her childhood friend Tsutomu. One of my favourite things about Ai Yazawa manga is that her characters mature, learn from their mistakes, and become more confident in their relationships, and Neighbourhood Story is no exception. Plus the art is unique and beautiful, and there are some really cute clothes on display.
Oh, and both series contain furigana, so they're suitable for upper-beginners.
Life (Difficulty **)
A shoujo series that deals with the topics of bullying, self-injury, and sexual assault, Life is a very emotionally intense series. The manga series really picks up as the friendship between the main character and her new best friend deepens, and the head bullies' emotional instability starts to rear it's ugly head. What starts off as a feel-bad manga ends up becoming very touching. Highly recommended.
Neighbourhood Story (ご近所物語) (Difficulty **)
Anyone familiar with the manga Paradise Kiss or Nana should check this one out. It focuses on a group of art students, in particular fashion student Mikako Kouda. Mikako dreams of starting her own fashion line, Happy Berry, while at the same time tries to figure out her feelings towards her childhood friend Tsutomu. One of my favourite things about Ai Yazawa manga is that her characters mature, learn from their mistakes, and become more confident in their relationships, and Neighbourhood Story is no exception. Plus the art is unique and beautiful, and there are some really cute clothes on display.
Oh, and both series contain furigana, so they're suitable for upper-beginners.