Futatsu no Spica

Asumi Kamogawa is a 14-year-old girl with a deep passion for the cosmos, particularly fascinated by stars. Since her early years, she has been mentored by a mysterious figure she calls "Lion-san," a friendly ghost with a giant lion head who imparts wisdom about space. Despite facing challenges within her family, Asumi chooses to enroll in the Tokyo Space School. At school, Asumi forms friendships with several classmates: Shinnosuke Fuchuuya, her childhood friend known for his glasses and blunt honesty; Kei Oumi, an enthusiastic girl inspired by Neil Armstrong's photos of the first moon landing; Marika Ukita, a beautiful yet unsociable girl with her own secrets; and Shuu Suzuki, a bold and intelligent boy with a relaxed attitude. Set in an alternate future where Japan's first man-made rocket crashed in 2010, "Futatsu no Spica" is a coming-of-age story centered around these young high schoolers as they pursue their dreams among the stars. "Futatsu no Spica" was first published in English as "Twin Spica" by Vertical from May 4, 2010, to March 6, 2012, in twelve condensed volumes. Vertical later re-released the series digitally in sixteen volumes, from May 14, 2013, to May 27, 2014.