chomiji | Your Chance to Make Me Read Shoujo Manga! (Reply)

I have been reading manga since about last October. I realize that's less than a year, but I can read a lot of stuff in that time. And I have been working on four series faithfully (SDK, Saiyuki, Vagabond, and Death Note) and am starting another (Blade of the Immortal). (I will not count Basilisk because IMO, it sucks.)

And I thought to myself, y'know, Cho, these are all shounen manga.

The trouble is, I'm not real girly, so I need some help here ...

To give you some idea of the issue: I read science fiction and fantasy, and I don't like squishy fantasy with sweet widdle unicorns either (P.C. Hodgell and Tanith Lee both have some real kick-ass unicorns). I used to practice martial arts (Aikido, and Uechi Ryu karate, if anyone's keeping track). I'm not scared of bugs, spiders, or snakes. I code HTML by hand. I don't wear lacy stuff and ruffles, and the makeup and perfume get used maybe half a dozen times per year. You get the picture ... .

But I hate being at a loss when people are talking about use of frames (or no frames) or backgrounds or whatever as being "typical of shoujo manga." I need to get educated!

So I would very, very much appreciate some recommendations for classic shoujo manga that will make me understand what folks are talking about, and preferably not send me screaming for the hills, dying of pink/fluffy/cuteness/ruffles/sparkles.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!