Märchen...? That means fairy tale? How curious, there's an anime/manga series called Märchen Awakens Romance, I haven't watched or read it, but now the title makes so much more sense.

Speaking of fairy tales, I know you don't like anime, which is exactly why you should give Mushishi a try. =) It has the eerie, unsettling beauty of a fairy tale, a bizarre and inventive premise, painterly art, and avoids pretty much all of the usual anime cliches.