We often abandon our goal because we stumble upon a massive obstacle that seems to be impossible to overcome. When such a thing happens, the most important thing is actually to press on forward and find other people that may be able to help us solve those problems. After all, collaboration and brainstorming is often the best thing to do whenever we are stuck and can’t find a way out.

That is precisely the theme of Smile Down The Runway. Because you see, Chiyuki Fujito always wanted to be a supermodel, but unfortunately she is just not tall enough. Ikuto Tsumura has always loved to design new clothes for his family, but they don't have the financial means to support his dreams to be a renowned designer.

Nevertheless, both of them press on and stay true to their passions while keeping an eye out for every opportunity. And it doesn’t take a long time before people start to notice their talent and determination. And through the spirit of learning and collaboration, they finally find their path to success.

In May 2025, Mutta Namba lost his job. He decided to go back to his hometown to live with his parents as he tries to find what he should do with his life. Meanwhile, his younger brother, Hibito Namba, is now at NASA as part of the crew that will soon launch to the moon.

Both brothers used to dream of being astronauts and exploring space together. Somewhere along the line, though, their paths started to diverge and Mutta ended up abandoning his dream while his brother pushed on forward. However, now that Mutta no longer has anything to do, he finally decides to once again try to follow that long-forgotten dream so that he can stand proudly beside his brother. So at the age of 32, Mutta Namba decides to become an astronaut.

When we were small, we all had a dream job that we’d like to do in the future. But then the future comes, and we find ourselves abandoning those dreams. The story of Space Brothers is about somebody who is determined to pursue his dream for one last time. There are people who would laugh at his decision. Even Mutta himself has doubts about it. But still he soldiers on, because the reward is certainly worth the risk and effort.

It’s easy to dismiss the themes and stories presented by the manga on this list because they are works of fiction. The characters in these titles can do what they do because they live in a fictional world. Real life is way harder than that. Well, if that describes your way of thinking, then you should read Blank Canvas. Because this is an autobiographical story of its author, Akiko Higashimura.

Ever since she was young, Akiko always wanted to be a shoujo manga artist. Thanks to constantly drawing her favorite characters, by the time Akiko enters her third year in high school, her drawing skills are quite decent. But since her dream is to become a manga artist, she is determined to learn more about art and improve her drawing skills by entering an art college.

That being said, she soon finds out that getting into a well-known art college is incredibly hard. And that’s when she is introduced to a mentor who will change her life forever. He’s a spartan middle-aged man who teaches fine arts at a small, wooden house near the ocean. The lessons are hard and exhausting. There are countless times when Akiko wants to quit. But whenever she remembers her dreams to create manga just like the ones that she loved to read when she was small, she comes back to the class and pushes herself forward.

Unlike other manga on this list, the story of Arte takes place in the early 16th Century in Firenze, Italy. This is the height of the Renaissance era, and everybody wants to be an artist. Unfortunately, just like most professions at the time, being an artist is a job for men. It is unheard of for a woman to be a painter, a sculptor, an architect, etc. Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop a young lady named Arte from pursuing her dream to be a professional painter.

Arte is a daughter of a minor nobleman. However, unlike other noble girls who learn how to sew dresses and cook food, Arte’s father hires a painter to teach the art to his beloved daughter. That is why, despite her mother’s refusal, Arte decides to leave her house and live like a commoner in order to be a proper apprentice of a professional painter.

Given the norms of society at the time, she knows that the journey ahead will be a lot more difficult than she ever imagined. But none of that can stop Arte from pursuing her passion and making her dreams come true.

Sometimes, the reason why it’s hard to stick to your resolution is simply because you’re the only one who’s doing it. Your hobby, or your objective, is quite niche to the point that none of your family and friends are doing the same thing as you do. That is precisely the case for Miyamoto Dai, a highschooler who dreams to be the world’s greatest saxophone player.

Needless to say, none of his friends understand what he’s doing. After all, most of them never even touched a saxophone before in their life. Not only that, but maybe only a handful of them like to listen to jazz. So for all intents and purposes, Dai is truly alone in his passion. Fortunately for him, though, he has a great teacher who is willing to guide him properly, and his family is also very supportive of his decision despite not really understanding jazz.

After graduation, Dai decides to come to Tokyo to pursue jazz full time, because he realizes that Tokyo is the place to go if he wants to submerge himself in jazz culture. However, to say his journey is hard is truly an understatement. He needs to work part time in multiple places in order to earn a living, and no club is willing to let him play.

Nevertheless, every night after work, Dai brings his beloved sax to the bridge near the river bank, and practices his favorite tunes for hours. Because he understands that even though things may seem hopeless right now, if you stick to it and keep working hard, things are bound to go your way soon.