Mars #1<small> by Fuyumi Soryo</small>

Star-Crossed Romance--Manga Style!

Over 46 (out of 51) Amazon Reviewers Rate this book 5 Stars

I was a little skeptical. Here I was an adult reader checking out a high school romance manga? That was when I picked up the first volume of MARS, Fuyimi Soryo's 15 volume manga series.

The verdict? By the end of reading the first I couldn't wait to find the second. To date I have the first seven volumes and am eagerly awaiting the eighth.

The basic storyline is pretty familiar: Kira Aso is a shy, but talented art student. Rei Kashino, a motercycle-racing, wild-living bad boy. The two are about to meet. But if you think this is a plain bad boy- good girl romance with a cast populated by light-hearted high schoolers, think again. This is no sitcom school story, and doesn't read like one. Kira's emotional intensity strikes an unfamiliar chord in Rei, one that he is drawn to. The bond between them is based on something that their peers can't begin to comprehend, leading to anger and violence. Both Rei and Kira have their personal demons to deal with, and their relationship is not an easy one.

If you don't have any interest in romance or manga, MARS probably isn't for you. But for what it is, this series is exceptional. I wouldn't recommend this for very young readers, since the violence is at times intense-although not graphically so, and the sexuality of the characters is defined for a teenage maturity. The artwork is amazing --combining a compelling sense of movement and moment with beautiful imagery and simple structures. The artist moves from multiple boxed images on a page to single breath taking pictures. The smooth and consistent quality here is one of my appreciations of the series. I will admit, the eyes are overly large in this manga, but that is artistic style and I found it easy enough to accept once I fell into the story.

For those unfamiliar with the traditional manga format, this series reads from right to left and can be a little disorienting for those not used to it. Check the back of the volume for the chart provided on how to read the manga page in this form. I personally prefer this format over for manga over the westernized (left to right) publications, it simply feels truer to form and style.

While there is no fantasy, tech, or sf involved, the story is a complex read and the graphic quality of the manga is excellent. Readers who have encountered and enjoyed shoujo manga series such as Paradise Kiss and Peach Girl, will definitely want to give this a try!

Happy Reading! ^_^ Shanshad

Mars #1