Naoto Yanagi is the heir of a highly successful conglomerate. Even in school, he was very athletic, had very good looks and a great personality in addition to his wealth. This all started in elementary school and he had a very comfortable life in school. All was looking good for him until the sudden appearance of Mikoto Kujou, a seemingly gloomy transfer student. It was at this point that Kujou started acing all the exams and coming in first for all sports.
This left quite an impression on Yanagi who was used to being the best and being the one that was idolized. He was even more shocked when he realized that Kujou came from a poor family, adding to his chagrin. And so, the self-proclaimed rivalry between Yanagi and Kujou lasted all the way through middle school and to high school. Now in high school, Yanagi vows to make Kujou fall in love with him just so he could break her heart and claim his victory. However, as time goes on, he starts to realize that he was the one falling in love with her instead...
Last Game tells the story of an unlikely romance. What started off with wrong intentions eventually ends up in a tale of romance. Throughout the manga Last Game, you will see the developing feelings of Yanagi and Kujou. Both are unsure of their feelings as well as their partner's feelings. It doesn't help that the female lead is somewhat... dense, making the progression into the relationship somewhat difficult. If you are looking for a slice of life romance story, we have 6 other recommendations of manga like Last Game for you so let's get going!
Similar Manga to Last Game
1. Watashi ni xx Shinasai
- Authors: Tooyama, Ema
- Genres: Comedy, Romance, School
- Volumes: 19
- Published: 2009 – 2015
Unknown to most people in her class, Yukina Himuro is actually the much raved about cell-phone novelist, Yupina. In reality, however, she is known to be extremely cold and had an icy glare. Her nickname "Absolute Zero Snow Woman" does her no service either. As such, she has often seen alone and with not many friends. Recently, her ratings suffered a hit and to counter that, she decided to include romance in her works.
There is one problem however, she had no experience in the field of romance. During a chance encounter one day with the most charming guy in school, Shigure Kitami. Discovering his notebook with the names of girls that had confessed to him, Yukina decided to threaten him with his secret. In exchange for her silence, she develops missions of love in order to help her experiment with the concept of love. Will it backfire on her though?
The overall flow of the story is quite easy to catch. Most of the chapters involve the daily routines of Yukina and her missions of love which usually adds humor to the story. Just like Last Game, you can expect an easy read with bright characters. The story's premise is also somewhat similar in which the male lead tries to make the female lead fall in love him with but ends up falling in love instead. Just like Last Game, this manga series is a hit in and it's not hard to see why!
2. Beauty Pop
- Authors: Arai, Kiyoko
- Genres: Comedy, Romance, School
- Volumes: 10
- Published: 2003 - 2008
Kiri Koshiba is truly a talented hair stylist. Using her skills, she had managed to transform many ordinary girls lives. Despite her talents, she sees no reason to use it to pursue fame and recognition. On the other hand, the Scissors Project comprises of 3 boys that are just as talented as she is. Giving grand makeovers to selected participants, they are celebrated stylists within the school. However, the leader of the group, Narumi took notice of her and now Kiri is thrown into the spotlight of the world of hairstyling.
Both mangas feature a skilled heroine that the male lead will be competing with. What started as a competition eventually turned into infatuation and eventually love. In this respect, both mangas may feature different environments but possess similar flow. You can also expect light-hearted moments between the characters as they go about their daily lives. This is yet another manga like Last Game that we will recommend if you can't get enough of Last Game!
3. Kare Kano
- Authors: Tsuda, Masami
- Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Drama
- Volumes: 21
- Published: 1995 - 2005
Yukino Miyazawa is the embodiment of a perfect model student. She is good-looking, excels at sports and the top of her class. She is the envy of all her classmates and respected by her female peers. However, the truth is that Yukino is actually quite vain and the reason for trying to excel in everything is such that people will pay her compliments. All was well until she was usurped by Soichiro Arima. Vowing to destroy him one day, her chance arrives when he confesses his love for her. Through this, Arima also came to know about her true personality. Deciding finally that their facade doesn't work in front of each other, they resolved to be true to themselves and finally learn more about themselves more.
If the roles of the Last Game was to be switched, you will end up with Kare Kano. Instead of a female lead excelling in everything, in this series, it's the male lead that is excelling in everything. Both series feature both protagonists working together to fully understand themselves and their partner. It showcases that a developing relationship is quite difficult to maintain and that there are many trials and tribulations to overcome before true contentment can be found. It is actually quite startling just how similar both series are!
Any Manga Like Last Game ?
4. Katakoi Triangle
- Authors: Amano, Shinobu
- Genres: Romance, School, Drama
- Volumes: 2
- Published: 2008 - 2009
Kasumi and Aki both love books. That is why Kasumi secretly has a crush on Kasumi! However, Aki has a friend, Haruka who just can't seem to stop thinking about Kasumi. Aki, seeing this, is rooting for Haruka and Kasumi despite sharing a lot of common interest with Kasumi. This curse of a love triangle will never end. Will the conflicting feelings get them in the way of the pursuits of these three and end up ruining their friendship, or will everyone find true happiness in the end?
Remember that period of time in which Kei tries to go for Kujou but ended up failing? Those few chapters where there was a love triangle? Katakoi Triangle is just like that particular segment. The whole series basically deals with how to handle a love triangle especially if you have someone dense just like Kujou. The flow and the feel of the story will feel quite familiar to you. The reason? They are written by the same author so you know that it will contain elements of Last Game as well!
5. Horimiya
- Authors: Hagiwara, Daisuke
- Genres: Romance, School, Slice of Life, Comedy
- Volumes: ???
- Published: 2011 - Present
Kyouko Hori is admired in school for her friendliness and scoring high grades. At home, however, she takes care of her siblings and just don't seem to have much of a social life. Izumi Miyamura appears to be your everyday otaku. Donning spectacles and always looking gloomy, he doesn't get approached much. Outside, however, he is shown to have tattoos and piercings, a startling difference from his usual image. When these 2 polar opposites meet each other one day after school, they are both shocked at the vast difference in the image. How will their relationship develop from now on?
Horimiya features two protagonists that are extremely different from each other. Similar to Last Game, it shows just how two individuals who are unlike can eventually end up together (not confirmed, the manga is still ongoing). As they say, opposites attract. If you are into lighthearted and unorthodox romance, then Horimiya may just be the manga for you. Filled with unique characters and a memorable plot, it is sure to leave a lasting impression on you just like Last Game!
6. Special A
- Authors: Minami, Maki
- Genres: Romance, School, Slice of Life, Comedy, Drama
- Volumes: 17
- Published: 2003 - 2009
Both Hikari and Kei were introduced to each other by their fathers. Upon the first meeting, Hikari challenged Kei to a wrestling match of which she lost. Vowing to beat him one day, she proclaimed Kei her rival. In the present day, they both attend the highly prestigious Hakusenkan where they are the top students. Still considering Kei her rival, she failed to notice that Kei actually has a crush on her. Will Kei's love eventually be returned and will Hikari beat Kei one day?
Based on the synopsis alone, do you see the resemblance between Special A and Last Game? In this series, only the gender roles are reversed while the rest of the premise remains the same. Both protagonists also start off on amicable terms. Both series feature protagonists that start off as rivals (or rather, only one of them believes it to be so) and eventually ends up being lovers. The comedy in both series is ever-present which allows for an easy read. If you really enjoyed Last Game, this last entry is sure to meet your expectation and we highly recommend it!
Final Thoughts
With that, we come to the end of our recommendation list. Truly, Last Game is a manga that has a good premise and a fulfilling conclusion. That is why we feel that these 6 manga like Last Game carry the same potential as Last Game and provides for a satisfying read. Have you read any of the manga like Last Game listed above? We are interested in your opinions if you have a favorite manga like Last Game amongst them! Do leave us a comment and we will see you next time!
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