Yeah, I have Sand Chronicles in my head as a potential series for a great friendship, and I’m really hoping that the mangaka takes more time to show Ann and Shika’s relationship sans romantic entanglements.

Good point re: Her Majesty’s Dog! I wouldn’t include it because I’m unsatisfied with where the mangaka ends up going with the story… I really like Amane’s relationship with Takako in the beginning, but sadly, like many manga, it gets shafted a bit for the romance and for other plot stuff. I think Takeuchi tries to put it back in in later volumes, but it’s not always successful.

@Oyce – You’re right; the rivals in High School Debut *do* get more screentime than the friends, and that’s a shame.

Ouran is one of my exceptions; I love it a lot even though it is such a reverse harem series. I was so glad when Mei turned up; I just wished she had appeared earlier! (How far are you? I don’t want to spoil you?)

My feelings on Sand Chronicles are similar to yours. Though I wouldn’t put it on a list of series celebrating female friendship–family is really the theme that balances out romance in Sand Chronicles and makes it so appealing–I think Shika’s characterization had enough layers to avoid some of the usual traps. I can’t be quite as charitable about the depiction of the other girl who like Daigo, though at least that is more peripheral to the main plot.

I almost want to put Land of the Blindfolded on the list because I really liked Kanade’s friendship with Eri. I was still left wishing, though, that Eri had a slightly bigger role in the story.

I don’t remember Her Majesty’s Dog very well–it’s been so long since I read it!–but wouldn’t that qualify?

And it’s not licensed here (bah!), but so far, Takaya Natsuki’s Hoshi wa Utau has a female friendship that reminds me a lot of Tohru and Hanajima. Right now, there’s a lot of guy angst, but I’m trusting her writing and don’t think she’ll push aside the friendship for the romance.

I hope Hatori Bisco will have more with Haruhi’s friendship with Mei, as I love Ouran but really wish there were more women at times.

What do you think about Sand Chronicles? I feel that though a great deal of the focus is on romance and romantic rivalry, I also love Ann’s relationship with Shika and how it’s weighted in the series.

Unsurprisingly, Yazawa Ai’s Paradise Kiss, Last Quarter, Gokinjo Monogatari, and Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai (latter three not licensed, booooooo!) also have a lot of time dedicated to female friendships (I particularly love the ones in Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai), and I love how she neatly sidesteps issues of romantic rivalry between women.

… now I am tempted to make a list for non-shoujo series too, just because I feel good female friendships and/or romances can be difficult to find overall!