Manga by the Ocean
If I've missed any or am mistaken on any of these, make sure to tell me.
Among the seaside town of Izu's ocean waves and rays of shining sun, Iori Kitahara is just beginning his freshman year at Izu University. As he moves into his uncle's scuba diving shop, Grand Blue, he eagerly anticipates his dream college life, filled with beautiful girls and good friends. But things don't exactly go according to plan. Upon entering the shop, he encounters a group of rowdy, naked upperclassmen, who immediately coerce him into participating in their alcoholic activities. Though unwilling at first, Iori quickly gives in and becomes the heart and soul of the party. Unfortunately, this earns him the scorn of his cousin, Chisa Kotegawa, who walks in at precisely the wrong time. Undeterred, Iori still vows to realize his ideal college life, but will things go according to plan this time, or will his situation take yet another dive? [Written by MAL Rewrite]
In a seaside town where very little happens, middle school students Keisuke Isobe and Koume Satou live a rather dull life. But when Koume's crush breaks her heart, their situation becomes quite unordinary. She starts a "no-strings-attached" relationship with Keisuke, whom she had previously rejected, both finding solace in the other in order to fill the emotional voids in their lives. However, being "friends with benefits" becomes complicated when real feelings begin to develop, as the consequences of their relationship start to take their toll on those around them and themselves. Umibe no Onnanoko takes a harsh look at love, relationships, and the emotional price that will be paid as the result of a decision made between two teenagers. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
In the distant future, humanity has terraformed Mars into an oceanic planet to suit their needs. Now known as Aqua, the planet serves as a new home for people discontent with living on Manhome—the planet formerly known as Earth. Being a perfect imitation of Manhome's Venice, the town of Neo-Venezia has inherited all of the rustic charms of the original. Gondolas weave their way through the waterways of the dreamy town while nostalgic alleys await those who travel on foot. Akari Mizunashi, a young Manhome native, has recently made Neo-Venezia her new home. To pursue her dream of becoming a gondolier tour guide—or Undine—Akari joins the Aria Company, one of the most renowned water guide companies in town. As she basks in a simple lifestyle unavailable on Manhome, Akari cheerily ambles through her daily life in Neo-Venezia: the town where magic and miracles abound. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
On a sleepy island, aspiring novelist Shun Hashimoto lives out each passing day in the same dreamlike haze, having broken off ties with his family for being gay. He now soaks in the scorching heat and picturesque ocean view, but one day, a lone figure on the beach catches his interest. Mio Chibana is a recently bereaved orphan who spends his free time gazing into the endless expanse of sea. The unlikely pair begin to forge a bond, but before they know it, Mio must leave to study in the city. As Mio boards the ferry, he promises to call and asks only one thing of Shun: to wait for him. Three years later with no call, Mio returns, declaring his romantic feelings for Shun—but why is Shun so hesitant? [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Goto Nagi has travelled to the southern island of Okitsushima, and ventures out to see Umi no Misaki, a striking cape jutting out into the ocean. But when he arrives, he finds that there is much more to this cape than a wondrous view. There is something peculiar about the cape, and about the island's inhabitants. (Source: Solaris-SVU)
Ruka's dad and the other adults who work at the aquarium are only distantly aware of what the children are experiencing as they get caught up in the mystery of the worldwide disappearance of the oceans' fish. (Source: VIZ Media)
Poor Mugi Tadano... The sixteen-year-old is heartbroken after his girlfriend moves away. To ease his troubled state, Mugi takes a summer job at his friend Kazuki's beach-side snack bar/hotel on a tropical island. It seems like the perfect plan-until Kazuki sets Mugi up on a date with Yuu, who's supposed to be, well, a little less than perfect. When Yuu arrives, however, she's not the monster that either of the boys had imagined. In fact, Yuu is about the cutest person that Mugi has ever seen. But after Mugi accidentally walks in on Yuu in the bath, the girl is steamed. When trying to apologize the next day, he discovers that Yuu has left the shores of paradise. Mugi vows to search high and low for the beautiful Yuu, but will he ever see her again? (Source: Del Rey) Included one-shots: Volume 11: Candy Girl ni Hanataba wo. Volume 13: Apricot Girl Volume 24: Happy Ice Cream Volume 34: Otoko wa Sore wo Gaman Dekinai!! Volume 42: Weapon!!!
Yosuke Yashiro's family has a strange, unique tradition—once every 60 years, they receive an egg from a mermaid where it sits protected in a shrine. After the egg matures, the family dutifully returns it to the sea, and the process is repeated. In exchange for this favor, the merpeople bless their coastal town with bountiful catches of fish and calm seas. However, commercial developers encroach on the sleepy seaside hamlet and Yosuke's father is lured away from tradition toward modern prosperity, turning the mermaid's egg into a tourist trap. What will happen to the promise their family made to the mermaids all those years ago? Included one-shot: Volume 1: Summer of Tension
The near future, in a quiet seaside town. Yoshioka, who had recently lost his wife, just wants to spend the rest of his days in peace. However, Yoshioka's children, worried about their father's health, sent a housekeeping robot to help him. Yoshioka's quiet life is now changing. (Source: Shogakukan, translated)
Hikari Kohinata is a cheerful 15-year-old girl who lives near the ocean and she spends much of her time diving as a result. On her first day of high school, she meets a teacher who also likes scuba diving. There's also a 16-year-old classmate, Futaba, who gets dragged along in Hikari's maelstrom as soon as they meet at school.
The sea in our world has been polluted. All sorts of trash were thrown into it, making it unpleasant deep down in the sea. One of the inhabitants of the sea, Ika Musume (Squid Girl) seeks to exact revenge on humanity for throwing trash into the sea. Clueless about the surface, she seeks to invade humanity alone, trying to rule over the world... only to find herself enslaved by one of the nearest beach-houses for breaking one side of the wall! (Source: Hidoi~! Translators)
Meet hard-boiled cop Boyle Samejima. He's just been assigned to the remote Ogasawara Islands. There he finds coworkers, a mysterious young girl and a dolphin for a partner?! Cop x girl x ocean! Welcome to the craziest hard-boiled cop story you'll ever read! (Source: MANGA Plus)
Yukito Kunisaki is a man traveling Japan in search of the "girl in the sky." Eventually he makes his way to a sleepy seaside town where he meets a strange girl named Misuzu Kamio who has dreams of flying in the sky. During his stay in the town, Yukito meets other unique people and begins to learn more about Misuzu and the town she lives in. (Source: AnimeCouncil²)
Mayumi lost her fiancee to the only person she called a friend. Throwing everything away, running from it all, and starting a new life in the countryside was her plan, but what awaits her is a blonde yankee, Rin (the manager of the housing complex Seagull Villa), that she doesn't deal well with. A story about the daily lives and the relationship between these two women as well as the people in this seaside town! (Source: Ichijinsha, translated)
This is the story of Nanase Iruke. She's short, tomboyish, and her one joy in life is volleyball. On Iruka's 17th birthday her Volleyball club is disbanded. Feeling somewhat depressed she and her friends from the club take a trip to the beach and discover Beach volleyball. Iruka cant wait to play and rushes to the court only to be told to give up being a player because of her short stature by the local Volleyball Diva. In a rage Iruka challenges her to a match to prove her abilities. It doest look like she has a chance but Iruka has a secret weapon and nobody will ever make fun of her on the beach again....well....Not about her ability to play Volleyball anyway... (Source: MU)
Every morning high school student Nanami catches sight of this one surfer he secretly begins to admire. Incidentally, however, it is later on a certain day that they reunite in a classroom! Turns out that this one-year-older senpai, named Shuu, is in fact one who, while characteristically mature, is unsociable to the extent that he's even notorious for being someone difficult to approach. Even so, for some reason, Nanami becomes the sole person that he can smile at and laugh with, over and over again... As they repeatedly spend more time together after school, by midsummer, Nanami finds himself receiving a kiss near the seaside?! And so, a story of dazzling first love ensues. (Source: Moi-xRyu Scanlations) Included one-shot: Kamatte Kawaii Hito.
"I've come to eat you," so softly utters the mermaid Shiori as she emerges from the sea and takes high school girl Hinako by the hand. Hinako lives alone in a town by the sea and possesses an unusually delicious body that is irresistible to nearby monsters. To ensure that she matures to the best condition, Shiori seeks to protect Hinako—all so that someday, she can devour every piece of her. What will become of Hinako's feelings as this looming unjust death closes in on her...? (Source: Yen Press)
Kaoruko Mochizuki runs an herb shop in a small seaside town. One day, a mysterious man dressed in black named Kaname Hibiki enters her shop and reveals that Kaoruko is actually a witch. And what’s more, Kaoruko needs Kaname to help control her awakening power! (Source: VIZ Media)
The manga takes place at a seaside town laundry shop called "Kinme Cleaning," where the proprietress Takana Kinme is a cheerful, hardworking girl who loves hot springs. The "bittersweet" story stars Kinme and the people around her. (Source: ANN)
The bizarre everyday life stories of the citizens of a coastal port town.
Anzu currently works part-time at a beach house however when it comes to serving male customers, she can't help but be cold and shy. When she accidentally spills a drink on one of them, a male co-worker saves her who ends up being her childhood friend Rei. Anzu is happy to reconnect with Rei, however, Rei might be after a bit more...? (Source: Shoujo Crusade, Chibi Manga) Included one-shot: Volume 2: Vitamin Shounen
Tokiko "Toki" Aoyama and her father move from Tokyo to stay with her grandmother in the sleepy coastal town of Sunimori. However, under its serene veneer, Sunimori is fabled to be near an ocean full of mermaids and mermen. One of Toki's earliest memories is of a merman saving her from drowning in the ocean. Although she clearly remembers the experience, Toki meets Yousuke Narumi, a boy skeptical of these beings' existence. As Toki settles into her new surroundings and makes new friends at school, she learns about an annual Sunanomori tradition where a summer festival is held in gratitude for the merfolk and Wadatsumi, the spirit of the sea. With the many mysteries surrounding the local folklore filling her mind, perhaps only during the festival will the answers be revealed to her, much like the tide leaving behind seashells in a town of sand. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
The story takes place in Okinawa, where Haruka forms a beach volleyball pair with Kanata. Kanata, who couldn't handle the pressure put on her by her short height, had given up on beach volleyball already, but is convinced by Haruka to step back on the sand once again and aim for the junior tournament. (Source: MU)
