Yeah, fruits Basket is awesome, but its not really short by any stretch of the imagination (currently 15 volumes, but it's still running in Japan.) If you still want information on it, I wrote my most comprehensive review of that series in another thread and I can re-post it here if you want.
So, I'll suggest Asumanga Daioh. It's really funny, and it's only 4 volumes. As fas a comtent to be wary of: There are quite a few anatomical jokes (A few of the young ladies have abnormally large busts and this is a point that is discussed amongst themselves on more than one occasion.) There is some cussing in the manga, but I don't remember it ever being excessing. Lastly, one of male teachers is a bit of a pervert and stares at the afforementioned anomolous figures of some of the girls. This is played for laughs. (I didn't think it was fun.
)
Also, because of the mangas you mentioned liking, I'll throw in Wolf's Rain. It's only two volumes and it's pretty clean. The things you have to worry about it:
There was only one really voilent instance in this manga. A certain characters is bitten on the throat by and wolf and then-- we'll you know what happens "then." There's blood every where. That's the only violence that struck me as excessive of really gross.
There is some language. Mainly, D**n and H*ll.
ON the sexuality score, there were only two things that struck me as provacative at all. First, Cheza's (one of the few female characters) wears an outfit that I would liken to an Evangelion plug suit. It's form fitting, but, luckily, Sheza's figure isn't exaggerate. There is a diamond cut out at her belly button and at her bust. I had read half way through it before I really even noticed, though, so that tells you that it wasn't very obvious.
There's my picks. I'll come and add somemore later as they come to me.
Every year in Uganda, innumerable children simply. . . disappear. These children all stolen under the cover of darkness from their homes and impressed into the guerilla armies of the LRA [Lord's Resistance Army]. In the deserts of Uganda, they are forced to witness the mindless slaughter of other children until they themselves can do nothing but kill.
Kill. These children, generally ranging from ages 5-12, are brainwashed into murdering in the name of the resistance and into stealing other children from their beds to suffer the same fate.
Because of this genocide of innocence, hundred and hundreds of children live every night sleeping in public places miles from their homes, because they know that if the do not-- they will disappear. They will become just another number in this genocide to which the international community has chosen to turn a blind eye. They will become, in affect, invisible-- Invisible Children.
But there are those who are trying to fight against this slaughter of Uganda's children. They fight to protect these "invisible children." Please, help them help a country full of children who know nothing by fear. Help save the innocence. For more information concerning how you can help and how you can get an incredible video about this horrific reality,
visit the Invisible Children home page.