I've been thinking of recommending a few manga/anime names in time for the holiday period. But coming up with a theme was difficult. Should I throw in shows/episodes set in the Christmas period? Or should I stick to listing stories that will make folks happy? Well, so I went for a bit of both. The one thing all stories have in common is that all of them have a wonderful message about love, life and finding your innerself. 

Tokyo Godfathers

This one's a tearjerker. It is a 2003 animated movie which is set during Christmas time. It basically follows the footsteps of three strange characters who live on the street. They all have their own little secrets, their own reasons for being homeless. But everything changes when they find a newborn baby in the trash. Whilst looking for the baby's family, each character finds out more about each other and even end up facing their own demons. This movie is filled with a number of feel-good moments as well as those 'I know I'm going to bawl like a baby' instances. A lot of horrid wrongs which will initially get you down are corrected as the movie progress as is typical of a Christmas movie.

Chocolate Christmas

If you are looking for a bit of cheesy romance, this one's for you. Chocolate Christmas, which is a slice of life manga from 1988, has plenty of love, friendship and of course, just a little bit of heartache. The artwork takes some getting used to, especially if you are used to the snazzier look of Ouran Highschool Host Club and such. However, where it lacks in the lovely swirls of the latter, it matches it with a quirky little story. There is a school girl who is in love with the local DJ, Choco. However, there seems to be a love triangle of sorts with a senior boy in school called Keiki. Will it end in heartache or is everyone happy in the end? 

Chibi Vampire

I think this one works nicely for the holiday period. Well, do keep in mind it's great for folks who want a bit of feel-good romance set for a teen audience. It certainly has more dignity than sparkly vampires. The story follows Karin, a vampire mutant born into a family of vampires. She is quite different from her family members; they are the normal blood-sucking variety whilst she has nosebleeds whenever she freaks out/is stressed/ is near the boy she likes. As if that's not bad enough, she has trouble fitting in in school, hiding her mutant traits from the rest of her human classmates. One day, after a few strange encounter, she meets one boy in school will help her deal with her little secret. Whilst this anime was a bit tiring at times (I have not read the manga, which seems to be darker and bit less full of angst), it still has a great message. You know, one about being who you are, staying true to yourself, finding your inner-self, being accepted by others, etc. It's all there and it wraps up quite well, giving you a warm fuzzy feeling at the end of the show.  

Nodame Cantabile

Yet another romance-based manga/anime but one that goes along with the festive season. It is not based in the holiday period nor is it about Christmas itself. On the contrary, it is its cozy 'take risks if you want to live life fully' theme that grants it entry into this list. Nodame Cantabile is about two music players (a pianist and violinist) who fall in love. They are both starting out on their career path or at least thinking about it. Because they are standing at such turning points, they are scared and worried about a number of impending changes. Then they meet each other and their lives change. This one is touching and sweet because it shows folks who reach out and expand their horizons once they learn to face their fears and prejudices.