My Girl (manga)

Pleasure to live with you...

Kazama Masamune is a 23 year old bachelor with an ordinary job. He had an old flame, Youko, who left him for some unspecified reason. But one day, he hears that Youko has passed away, leaving a child behind in the care of her mother. HIS child, who he didn't even know existed, and who also happens to be the reason Youko abandoned him because she didn't want to bog him down.

Naturally, Hilarity Ensued.

A manga by Sahara Mizu, it combines decent art with a heartwarming, captivating story. Can be read here. Also has a drama adaptation.

Not to be confused with the Macaulay Culkin movie My Girl, nor the unrelated manhwa, or the song by The Temptaions.

Provides examples of:

 * Cheerful Child: Koharu.
 * Children Raise You
 * Crowning Moment of Heartwarming: At least once in every chapter.
 * First-Name Basis: Koharu calls her father "Masamune-kun". Justified in that she didn't start living with him until she was at least five, so she's not familiar with the word "father".
 * Generation Xerox: Youko's mom is also a single mother.
 * Heroic Self-Deprecation: Masamune is prone to this.
 * I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: The reason Youko didn't tell Masamune about her pregnancy and ditched him (he was 18 at that time and she didn't want to ruin his future).
 * I Will Wait for You: Sadly, The Grim Reaper couldn't care less.
 * My Secret Pregnancy: Youko hid her pregnancy from Masamune.
 * Promotion to Parent
 * Real Men Wear Pink: Masamune is good at sewing (he made Koharu a reindeer costume for her Christmas play), handycrafts (he made ladybug shaped erasers that he gave to Youko as gifts), and cooking (at least, according to Shuu).
 * Seinen
 * Sink-or-Swim Fatherhood: Subverted; Masamune gets a lot of help from Youko's mom and his own parents (Although his mom is quite snarky about it).
 * Slice of Life