Smile at the Runway starts with the story of Fujito Chiyuki, an aspiring fashion model and daughter of a fledgling Modeling Agency, Mille neige. Ever since she was little, Chiyuki's dream was to be the star model of her dad's agency and perform at Paris Fashion Week. With great looks and a gifted environment, it seemed like she was on the right track to fulfill her dream, but she soon found herself faced with a seemingly insurmountable wall when her height stopped growing at 158cm (5'2"), hopelessly too short to be a professional model.
Although Chiyuki still kept on believing in herself for years despite everyone telling her it's impossible, Chiyuki's resolve starts to crumble as she enters her last year of high school. This is when she meets Tsumura Ikuto, a lame classmate with a surprising talent for designing clothes, who is also considering giving up his dream due to unfortunate circumstances. Together, they begin the journey of doing the impossible in order to realize their dreams.
Smile Down the Runway has finished publishing and it has 194 Chapters. It is also Known as: ランウェイで笑って, Smile at the Runway, Shine
Genres: School Life , Slice of Life , Japan , Comedy , Drama , Coming Of Age
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Top 5 Manga Like Smile Down the Runway (Runway de Waratte) [2026 List]
5. Yesterday wo Utatte
After college, Rikuo Uozumi, a boy without much ambition in life, takes on a job at a convenience store. The days pass by uneventfully for Rikuo until he meets his former girlfriend and classmate, but especially thanks to the unusual Haru Nonaka, and her pet raven… Readers of Toume Kei’s other works- Hitsuji no Uta, Luno, Kurogane- will enjoy her unique style.
Sing "Yesterday" for Me has finished publishing and it has 113 Chapters. It is also Known as: イエスタデイをうたって, Yesterday wo Utatte
4. Ashita no Joe
Joe Yabuki is a troubled young man who runs away from an orphanage. Wandering through the Tokyo slums, he meets former boxing trainer Danpei. Joe is later arrested and goes to a temporary jail where he fights Nishi, his future best friend and leader of a group of hooligans. He and Nishi then go to a juvenile prison miles away from Tokyo. There Joe meets Rikiishi, a former boxing prodigy, and a rivalry develops between them. They face each other in a match in which Rikiishi dominates Joe until the latter hits him with a cross-counter, resulting in both being knocked out. This inspires the other prison inmates to take up boxing. Joe and Rikiishi vow to fight again.
Ashita no Joe has finished publishing and it has 171 Chapters. It is also Known as: あしたのジョー, Rocky Joe, Tomorrow's Joe
3. Hige wo Soru. Soshite Joshikousei wo Hirou.
Yoshida is just your average salaryman, drowning his tears in booze. On his way home one night, he finds a runaway high school girl sitting on the street. She offers to sleep with him in exchange for a place to stay―and Yoshida lets her off the hook and offers her work instead. A rom-com between the most unbalanced couple you'll ever find!
Note: Includes 1 extra chapter.
Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took In a High School Runaway has finished publishing and it has 67 Chapters. It is also Known as: ひげを剃る。そして女子高生を拾う。, I Shaved. Then I Brought a High School Girl Home., โกนหนวดไปทำงาน แล้วกลับบ้านมาพบเธอ, Higehiro. Me rechazaron. Me afeité. Una chica más joven se vino a casa conmigo., 刮掉鬍子的我與撿到的女高中生
2. Nana
Nana Komatsu is a young woman who's endured an unending string of boyfriend problems. Moving to Tokyo, she's hoping to take control of her life and put all those messy misadventures behind her. She's looking for love and she's hoping to find it in the big city.
Nana Osaki, on the other hand, is cool, confident and focused. She swaggers into town and proceeds to kick down the doors to Tokyo's underground punk scene. She's got a dream and won't give up until she becomes Japan's No. 1 rock'n'roll superstar.
This is the story of two 20-year-old women who share the same name. Even though they come from completely different backgrounds, they somehow meet and become best friends. The world of Nana is a world exploding with sex, music, fashion, gossip and all-night parties.
Nana has finished publishing and it has 84 Chapters. It is also Known as: NANA, Nana
1. Fruits Basket
Tohru Honda is a high school freshman who is having a serious bout of misfortune. Not only was she recently orphaned with the tragedy of her mother's death, but she also has no where to live and is currently residing in a tent! However, when her luck to seems to be at its worse, she meets the Sohma family - and is invited to stay with them in exchange for taking care of the household chores.
But it isn't long before Tohru discovers the Sohmas have deep a secret. The family is cursed by the spirits of the Chinese Zodiac, and some of the children born into the Sohma family are possessed by these spirits. When possessed, they cannot be "huggled" by the opposite sex, or they transform into their respective Zodiac animal!
However, this doesn't phase Tohru, who promises to keep their secret. She continues living with them, and her grave humbleness and thankfulness never wanes. As a result, they come to be very important people in her life, and the Sohmas begin to realize how very lucky they are to have her.
Fruits Basket has finished publishing and it has 136 Chapters. It is also Known as: フルーツバスケット, Furuba
