What is Contemporary Fantasy manga?

Contemporary fantasy, also known as modern fantasy or indigenous fantasy, is a sub-genre of fantasy, set in the present day. It is perhaps most popular for its sub-genre, urban fantasy.These terms are used to describe stories set in the putative real world (often referred to as consensus reality) in contemporary times, in which magic and magical creatures exist, either living in the interstices of our world or leaking over from alternate worlds. It thus has much in common with, and sometimes overlaps with secret history; a work of fantasy in which the magic could not remain secret or does not have any known relationship to known history would not fit into this subgenre. Occasionally certain contemporary fantasy novels will make reference to pop culture.Novels in which modern characters travel into alternate worlds, and all the magical action takes place there (except for the portal required to transport them), are not considered contemporary fantasy. Thus, C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, where all fantasy events take place in the land of Narnia which is reached via a magic wardrobe, would not count as contemporary fantasy; on the other hand, the part of The Magician's Nephew, where the Empress Jadis gets to London, tries to take over the Earth and clashes with police and a crowd of cockneys, would qualify as such.Contemporary fantasy is also to be distinguished from horror fiction, which also often has contemporary settings. When encountering magical events and creatures, the protagonist of a horror novel is horrified, while the protagonist of a fantasy novel (contemporary or otherwise) is filled with a sense of joy and wonder. Horrifying events may happen, but the fundamental distinction is vital.In his preface to That Hideous Strength, one of the earlier works falling within this sub-genre, C.S. Lewis explained why, when writing a tale about "magicians, devils, pantomime animals and planetary angels", he chose to start it with a detailed depiction of narrow-minded academic politics at a provincial English university and the schemes of crooked real estate developers: "I am following the traditional fairy-tale. We do not always notice its method, because the cottages, castles, woodcutters and petty kings with which a fairy tale opens have become for us as remote as the witches and ogres to which it proceeds. But they were not remote at all to the men who first made and enjoyed the tales". The same is true for many of the later works in the genre, which often begin with a seemingly normal scene of modern daily life to then disclose supernatural and magical beings and events hidden behind the scenes.Source: wiki

Random Contemporary Fantasy Manga You might like

Ayakashi Ko

7.72

Description:

Sixteen-year-old Miyatsuka Mahoro is the manager of a certain mansion located in downtown Asakusa. The name of the mansion, Ayakashi-sou is inhabited by a glutton Zashikiwarashi, a Kitsune who loves to play pranks and a Yukionna that likes to sleep in the refrigerator. Even though they are poor, they spend each day having fun and causing trouble. Welcome to the life of living with Ayakashi!(Source: MAL)
Type

manga

Volumes

8

Chapters

64

Status

finished

Started

2015-03-27

Jingai no Yome to Icha Icha suru - Anthology Comic

7.3

Description:

A collection of oneshots about monster girl wives (and more!). (Source: MU) Volume 1: 1. ,,Heart-wringing Yamanba-sensei'' by Hattori Mitsuru, 2. ,,The Youth of Haruse, the Dullahan'' by Rishin, 3. ,,An Odd Pair for Life'' by Amatou, 4. ,,Our Mascot Cat'' by Gum, 5. ,,Rise up! Mandragora-senpai!'' by Yuugo, 6. ,,A Human, a Tiger and a Wizard'' by Takaho Tadachika, 7. ,,I'm Dating a Vampire'' by Kagamitsuki, 8. ,,A Life in the Shadow'' by Soropip B. Volume 2: 9. ,,Wankomplex'' by Mintarou, 10. ,,Living with a Fox'' by Amatou, 11. ,,My Sluggish Wife Leannan-san'' by Nishizono, 12. ,,The Dullahan Haruse and Her Friends'' by Rishin, 13. ,,Legend of Ogres'' by Hiyama Daisuke, 14. ,,Good Luck, Shitori-chan!'' by Takaho Tadachika, 15. ,,I'm Dating a Vampire'' by Kagamitsuki, 16. ,,Soul-sucking Demon'' by Rage, 17. ,,The Yearning of the Forgotten Bones'' by Soropip B.
Type

manga

Volumes

2

Chapters

17

Rating

Status

finished

Started

2016-12-05

Gakusen Toshi Asterisk

(The Asterisk War)

6.96

Description:

The Academy City on the water, Rikka (otherwise known as Asterisk) is the world's largest stage for the integrated battle entertainment, "Star Wars Festival." The young boys and girls of the "Starpulse Generation" belonging to the six academies made their wishes with Shining Armaments in their hands, vying for supremacy—Amagiri Ayato is one of them. Ayato arrived at Rikka at the invitation of the Student Council President of the Seidoukan Academy, Claudia, and right after that he incurred the wrath of the "Petalblaze Witch" Julis, and ended up having to duel her. The greatest academy battle entertainment begins here! (Source: jCafe24)
Type

manga

Volumes

5

Chapters

37

Rating

Ecchi

Status

finished

Started

2013-05-27

Ghost Teller

(Ghost Teller)

8.19

Description:

When people tell scary stories, they always tell ghost stories.But when ghosts tell stories, they tell ones far scarier and terrifying: human stories.(Source: Batoto)
Type

manhwa

Chapters

90

Status

finished

Started

2017-04-02

Succubus & Hitman

7.1

Description:

The "violence gun action" manga's story centers on a dual gun-wielding protagonist who makes makes a deal with the devil to reap the souls of sinners. (Source: ANN)
Type

manga

Status

current

Started

2020-02-19

Hell's Kitchen

7.45

Description:

Dogma, the Earl of Poor eating comes to train high school student Satoru into the perfect chef. But what awaits Satoru at the end of his training is only death. His teacher is not an ordinary noble but a demon from hell who promises to eat his soul, spiced with a lifetime of cooking expertise. Will Satoru abandon his normal life to become the puppet of this demonic earl? How will he cope with his life's expiry tag? Let's have a taste of this Heresy Gourmet! (Source: Easy Going Scans)
Type

manga

Volumes

13

Chapters

53

Rating

Status

finished

Started

2010-02-04

Asmodeus wa Akiramenai

(Asmodeus will not give up)

6.81

Description:

The manga centers on a second-year high school student who is standing in for his Catholic priest father to protect their church while his father is away. He saves a troubled beautiful young girl who is in front of his church one day, but she turns out to be the demon Asmodeus. (Source: ANN)
Type

manga

Volumes

8

Chapters

52

Rating

Ecchi

Status

finished

Started

2017-05-26

School Ningyo

(School Mermaid)

6.73

Description:

Two girls go hunting for mermaids to win their true love. Featuring very nontraditional mermaids. (Source: MU)
Type

manga

Volumes

5

Chapters

32

Rating

Horror

Status

finished

Started

2006-10-26

Yojouhan Isekai Kouryuu Ki

6.6

Description:

Welcome to the first other world exchange program. An encounter and everyday life with people from other world in a 4.5 tatami mat room. (Source: MU)
Type

manga

Volumes

4

Chapters

16

Rating

Ecchi

Status

finished

Started

2017-12-25

Melancholia

7.59

Description:

An omnibus collection of short stories. (Source: MU)
Type

manga

Volumes

2

Chapters

26

Status

finished

Started

2017-01-19

Imawa no Kuni no Alice Retry

(Alice in Borderland Retry)

7.15

Description:

Alice Ryouhei, now a grown adult and married to Yuzuha, who is expected to give birth to their first child any day now, suddenly finds himself back in the Borderlands, the land between Life and Death, after getting into an accident. Will he be able to make it out of the Borderlands once more...? (Source: MU)
Type

manga

Volumes

2

Chapters

13

Status

finished

Started

2020-10-14

Monogatari Series: Off Season

7.94

Description:

Monogatari Series: Off Season consists of additional stories that occur throughout the main series timeline. Included volumes: Vol. 1: Orokamonogatari Vol. 2: Wazamonogatari Vol. 3: Nademonogatari Vol. 4: Musubimonogatari
Type

novel

Volumes

4

Chapters

12

Rating

Status

finished

Started

2015-10-05

Sprite

7.31

Description:

Yoshiko is a hardworking high-school student whose free time is almost entirely taken up by attempts to help out a hikikomori childhood friend and an odd, reclusive uncle. While on a visit to her uncle's penthouse with two of her friends, Yoshiko notices a black substance that resembles snow beginning to fall from the sky—but her friends see nothing. Soon afterwards, a massive earthquake shakes the city, and Yoshiko, her friends, her uncle and his dog, all find themselves trapped in a strange world they do not recognize...with an assortment of weird people to keep them company. (Source: MU)
Type

manga

Volumes

15

Chapters

135

Rating

Horror

Status

finished

Started

2009-04-24

I.O.N

(I.O.N)

6.84

Description:

Ion Tsuburagi is a simple but cheery girl that decided to devote herself to a man that is serious to make their own dreams come true. She then found out that Mikado, one of her classmates, is building up a club for psychic investigators. She fell in love with the guy because he is the one she's been longing for. She planned to join the club but she ended up being the club president. Then after that, an experimental object that Mikado made suddenly changes Ion, giving her psychic powers.
Type

manga

Volumes

1

Chapters

6

Status

finished

Started

1997-05-01

Monogatari Series: Monster Season

8.03

Description:

Vol. 1: Shinobumonogatari Vol. 2: Yoimonogatari Vol. 3: Amarimonogatari Vol. 4: Ougimonogatari Vol. 5-6: Shimonogatari "It's chic to go saving a girl who has nothing to do with you every once in a while." Female students from Naoetsu High School have gone missing one after the other. When the mummified bodies of the girls are discovered, there's a very distinctive marking left on the napes of their necks...? Koyomi Araragi, now a first year university student, goes on the move to track down the culprit! (Source: Kodansha, Bakemonogatari Wikia)
Type

novel

Volumes

6

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Started

2017-07-20

Kimi to Korekara

7.77

Description:

Konya mo Nemurenai spin-off series, focusing more on Gorou and Verde's relationship.
Type

manga

Volumes

2

Chapters

14

Rating

Status

finished

Started

2014-09-22

Daidai wa, Hantoumei ni Nidone suru

7.44

Description:

The bizarre everyday life stories of the citizens of a coastal port town.
Type

manga

Volumes

2

Chapters

15

Rating

Status

finished

Started

2013-04-09

Frau Faust

(Frau Faust)

7.67

Description:

More than a century after an eccentric scholar made an infamous deal with a devil, the story of Faust has passed into legend. However, the true Faust is not the stuffy, professorial man known in fairy tales, but a charismatic, bespectacled woman named Johanna Faust, who happens to still be alive. Searching for pieces of her long-lost demon, Johanna passes through a provincial town, where she saves a young boy named Marion from a criminal's fate. In exchange, she asks a simple favor of Marion, but Marion soon finds himself intrigued by the peculiar Doctor Faust and joins her on her journey. (Source: Kodansha Comics USA) Included one-shot: Volume 1: Toumei Hakubutsukan (Transparent Museum)
Type

manga

Volumes

5

Chapters

20

Rating

Status

finished

Started

2014-10-07

Wanko ni Kuchizuke

7.5

Description:

Kazura has an unusual job in a department that handles clearing out demons and spirits. Her teammates include a super-otaku, a former delinquent with fire powers, a drunken magic sword wielder, a British exorcist and a powerful Buddhist monk. Kazura's role is not so glamorous, though. She forms a team with her manager, as a vessel for the dog spirits he controls. When he kisses her, she is possessed by the powerful dog spirit Bentengou for about five minutes, after which she usually wakes up to herself doing something embarassing, like licking her "master's" face! (Source: MangaHelpers)
Type

manga

Volumes

6

Chapters

24

Rating

Status

finished

Started

2011-08-11

Majo to Houki to Kurobuchi Megane

7.43

Description:

This is the story of two girls. Rhianna and Noriko. One day Rhianna moves in next door to Noriko and they soon become friends. Rhianna comes from a family with a magical background, yet she struggles to do even the most basic spells. This leads Noriko to assume she’s just cosplaying as a witch. She also lacks everyday common sense and knowledge. Noriko on the other hand is pretty level headed, but likes... really likes cute things. (Source: Batoto)
Type

manga

Volumes

3

Chapters

45

Status

finished

Started

2011-04-22

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