Mahoraba

Mahoraba, authored and illustrated by Akira Kojima, was serialized in Square Enix's Monthly Gangan Wing magazine from 2000 to 2006. The series emerged during a period of growth for the 'seinen' and 'shonen' romantic comedy genres, carving out its own space by blending supernatural elements with a traditional apartment-house setting. It centers on Ryushi Shiratori, an art student who discovers that his landlady, Kozue Aoba, suffers from multiple personality disorder, with each persona manifesting distinct supernatural abilities.

Kojima’s artistic approach prioritized a gentle, expressive character design that balanced the series' comedic moments with its more melancholic undertones. The work was generally well-received by fans of the slice-of-life genre for its heartfelt narrative and character development. Its popularity eventually led to a twenty-six episode anime adaptation produced by J.C.Staff in 2005, which helped cement the title's status as a notable example of mid-2000s character-driven manga.