Mars

I initially found Volume 1 at my neighborhood library, but I kept postponing reading it. The sole reason I decided to give it a try was because I admired the artwork. After reading the first 15 pages, I simply couldn't put it down. Kira and Rei are incredibly relatable characters. I devoured the entire series in roughly four or five days because I was constantly eager to see what would unfold next. The art is breathtaking; I've become utterly enchanted by it. Even though the plot isn't entirely original, it resonated deeply with me. It's a love story centered around a rebellious boy with a passion for bikes and a timid girl who loves art. However, the narrative delves much deeper than that simple premise. And that's precisely why "Mars" holds such a special place in my heart.

I just finished reading Mars and felt compelled to write a review. I'm thrilled to share that this manga far exceeded my expectations. The story was intense, loving, and truly amazing. Its depth left me in awe, and I can't help but want to dive back into it all over again.

Story: I rated the story a perfect 10. This is hands down the best manga I've ever read. It's filled with such profound emotion and heart that I devoured it in a single day. The unpredictability of the plot kept me on edge—would they stay together? Would they break up? Could they overcome their significant issues? These questions raced through my mind as I eagerly turned each page from start to finish.

Art: I also gave the art a 10 because, in its unique way, it was beautiful. It perfectly complemented the characters and the narrative, making it one of my favorite aspects of this manga. Everything seemed to have more meaning than met the eye. While the artwork may not be the pinnacle of perfection, once you're immersed in the story and grow attached to the characters, it takes on a deeper significance. That's just my take, though.

Characters: I awarded the characters a 10 as well because they were nothing like I anticipated. They were so much more complex and intriguing. In most romance shoujo manga, there's usually a pretty, ordinary girl torn between two guys—one good, one bad. I thought Mars would follow this formula, with Kira being a typical, unassuming protagonist. But I was mistaken. The author imbued the main characters with deep, intricate issues, adding layers upon layers of complexity that surpassed any other manga I've read. This elevated my appreciation for character development to new heights.

Enjoyment: I gave enjoyment a 10 as well. Reading Mars felt like riding an emotional roller coaster. I've never been so engrossed in a manga before, experiencing moments where joy and sorrow brought tears to my eyes because I felt deeply connected to the characters. Whenever I could relate to their struggles or triumphs, it kept me glued to my seat, savoring every second.

Overall: Overall, I gave it a 10. This is unequivocally the best manga I've read thus far. I loved every bit of it, from the storyline to the characters. I highly recommend Mars; you won't be disappointed. I certainly wasn't.

OMG OMG OMG.
So like, I'm not good with words, and this is my first ever review on MAL, but I don't even care.
This is the best Shoujo manga I have ever read!!!
If you enjoy romance, read, read, read, read this! OR ELSE! D:
The main guy (Rei) is incredibly hot; he's my ideal man—so freaking uh, I don't know, fabulous. I'm in love with him, he's a sex god! And the girl is really sweet! I can't help but adore her, she can be such a crybaby at times, but I don't mind because I love her!
Ummm yeah, if you like romance, you'll definitely love this underrated manga. I've read this manga more times than I brush my teeth in a week! (OMG and like, I'm totally OCD with teeth brushing, so it's not like I brush my teeth once a day, I brush them like 3 times a day!).
Sooo Sooo Sooo great! Awesome romance, great characters, great story!
I hope I managed to convince you to read this super fun, fantastic manga!
If not, then Boohoo! (T_T)
If I did, then yayy! You're welcome, very welcome.
Just do yourself a favor and read this, okay?

Mars is undoubtedly a timeless series. It encompasses everything one could desire in an exceptional romance manga, and even more. Whether you're drawn to stunning artwork, intricately woven plots, or characters with haunting pasts, you'll find yourself captivated by this series from the first volume.

My introduction to Fuyumi Soryo began when I read her psychological sci-fi series, Eternal Sabbath, a few years back. As one of the first manga series I ever read, ES left me amazed. Despite still being relatively inexperienced in the realm of manga, when I sought a new obsession, I turned to the classics. Upon discovering that Soryo was also the author behind this fan-favorite, I couldn't resist diving in.

Mars has all the elements necessary for a richly developed romance manga. Heart-warming romance is complemented by intense drama, bullying, sociopathic tendencies, tragic histories, and even darker themes like murder and child abuse. If it were any longer than its 15 volumes, it might have felt overly indulgent, akin to a soap opera. However, Soryo skillfully balances these elements, ensuring the narrative flows seamlessly. The pacing is perfect, never feeling rushed or sluggish, aligning perfectly with the unfolding events.

One issue I often encounter with high school romance manga is their tendency towards immaturity, filled with whiny teenagers complaining about trivial matters. Such stories can feel patronizing or preachy. Despite Mars centering on high school students, the challenges they face are far more mature and complex than expected. Initially skeptical, by the second volume my doubts had transformed into deep intrigue. The realistic portrayal of tough topics—tension, suspense—was what truly hooked me.

Having previously experienced Soryo's work, seeing her art again evoked a nostalgic joy. Her style, while recognizable, exudes elegance that continually impresses. She strikes a balance between detailed illustrations and a gentle touch, making her clean panels charmingly simple yet profound. Even as she explores dark themes, her diligent and lovely artwork makes the content more accessible.

Mars stands out as a superb romantic manga series. Fuyumi Soryo excels here, crafting a beautiful story both in terms of plot and visual presentation. I wholeheartedly recommend this to any manga enthusiast looking for a serious, suspenseful read. My rating for Mars is easily a full ten.

I'm so disappointed I had to write a review. To keep it short, Kare Kano has a better plot.

Story: I never thought I'd find such a hardcore soap opera in a shoujo manga. I've seen drama and love drama, but well-written drama is borderline with just soap. Every single chapter had subtle mistakes that I couldn't overlook.

Characters: Even in mangas, female leads don't deserve great character development, right? Being successful and fulfilled—if they're married and giving free therapy to a broken guy—is enough, right? Don't get me wrong; Rei was a victim of circumstances, and everything that happened to him made sense. But he was so selfish, and in volumes 8 and 9, he did horrible things. Yes, he made a huge change, but I didn't like how they handled the heroine's arc. She was a painter, and I wish they could have used that to show how many pictures she drew and how successful she became with the correct help, and how her paintings touched so many hearts. I don't know; I think I was expecting too much from a shoujo manga from the '90s. She ended up with the rich, hot guy—wasn't that the best?

For real, so much wasted potential. This could have been a masterpiece, but it was average at best. I enjoyed it though... fully into it. I guess it's because I like K-dramas, and they're full of soap operas. But this is a manga, so I was waiting for something else, especially with that make 10s rating.

I absolutely adored this manga; it's one of my all-time favorites. The artwork by Fuyumi Soryo is stunning, perfectly capturing the essence of the story and characters. The narrative itself is captivating, drawing you in and keeping you thoroughly engaged from start to finish. This stands out as one of the finest shoujo manga available.

The story delves into serious societal issues such as mental health, depression, suicide, and domestic abuse, making it both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. The romance develops at a well-balanced pace, and the evolution of the characters' relationship over time is beautifully portrayed. Overall, this manga is a must-read for anyone who appreciates romantic stories. It provides an immersive experience that will leave you deeply invested in the characters and their journey.

Mars is somewhat like a coming-of-age story, and it exceeded my expectations when I first read it. The characters have depth and behave quite authentically like teenagers, even though some concepts are a bit dated. Despite this, I find myself returning to it every now and then.

Story: 10/10 - The narrative is excellent, sticking to its plot while adding layers of intrigue as you delve deeper into the story.

Art: 9/10 - Although somewhat "outdated," the art style has its own unique charm.

Character: 9/10 - The characters felt genuine and surprisingly used common sense, which isn't always the case in shoujo manga these days.

Enjoyment: 8/10 - There was one character I didn't particularly enjoy, but she only appeared in one volume and wasn't mentioned much afterward.

Overall: 10/10. I truly enjoyed this manga, which I stumbled upon by accident after being intrigued by its synopsis (thanks to a video from Anime America). This is definitely a manga I will revisit time and again.

I particularly enjoyed this manga; in fact, it's the best one I've ever read. However, it's quite challenging to read a lot at once because the plot is intense, dealing with morals and, of course, love. If you're looking for something light-hearted like a Naruto/Sakura type of childish romance, this isn't for you. It's a great story, and I highly recommend it. You can never predict what will happen next, but despite its complexity, the writer, Fuyumi, presents it in an easy-to-follow sequence and format that's very understandable and friendly. I hope you'll love it as much as I did.

(P.S.: This is a rare manga, meaning it's very hard to find another story plot like this out there.)

I can't find the words to express how incredible this manga was! It not only features impeccable artwork that demonstrates every page's importance, but it also boasts a captivating story with characters you'll either love or hate, just as the author intended.

After finishing the book, like me, you'll realize how oversimplified or even distorted its description is. Since I read this before having a MAL account, when I saw their summary, I thought I wasn't picking the correct manga! As a typical shoujo fangirl who must've read dozens of cliché mangas about "a jerk pervert hot guy seducing a quiet, innocent girl who does nothing but cry for no reason" (if you're a fangirl/guy, think about it if you disagree), yes, she does cry a lot in this one, but it's not the kind of crying that makes you want to slap her. For me, at least, I could empathize with her. She has real reasons to cry, not because "You were talking to that GIRL cashier about getting the receipt or not! You bastard!" Besides, the guy isn't a jerk pervert. He's actually dreamy throughout the whole thing. Although he was [super] violent, he had so many compelling qualities that overshadowed his flaws. Despite all that, I wouldn't want to break them up if I were a rival to either of them. The author truly made me believe they were in love. Not the cheesy kind where "I get jealous because I love you, don't talk to another girl again or I'll tie you to the end of a car and drive to Canada with you still on it." They do get jealous, but for understandable reasons. Anyway, I'll stop rambling and give you an overview of my ratings.

Story: 10!
Fantastic. I'm such a dork that I stayed up all night reading this. Alluring, interesting, surprising, and heart-racing. Whatever adjectives or descriptive verbs you can think of, this book has them! Just know that the story is not only very sad but also quite violent. But seeing that I, the girl who can't kill a fly because she's afraid it might... *ahem*... eat her (it could happen), managed to get through it, I think you can too.

Art: 11!
I say 11 because I won't settle for 10. Maybe it's just me, but throughout the book, I admired how much effort the mangaka put into some of the stunning artwork! It was dreamy even on small pages. Perhaps it's because my artistic abilities are, let's say... at a five-year-old level, so maybe I'm over-exaggerating, but I don't think so. Just be aware that if you can only appreciate 'cute' art, then beautiful, proportionate people might not appeal to you. In that case, look elsewhere.

Character: 10!
As I mentioned earlier, the author placed the hatred correctly. And the characters you should like, you'll actually come to admire. Their love endured so much, yet they're still together. If you don't understand, please start reading the book!

Enjoyment: 113%
It was a wonderful experience I want to relive. Such exceptional mangas don't come around often.

If you read my review and still have questions, feel free to comment on my wall, and I'll respond as soon as possible! Or just comment if you liked it ^.^

Do I even need to pen a review? This is unequivocally the finest piece I've ever had the pleasure of reading in my entire existence. If you choose not to read this, one might question the very essence of your being.

Mars, by Souryou Fuyumi, ran from 1996 to 2000, which justifies its dated yet astonishingly beautiful drawing style.

As I often say, all my posts contain spoilers. You have been warned.

Story: Aso Kira is a very shy teenager who seldom speaks to anyone and prefers solitude, finding freedom in her exceptional talent for drawing. One day, while sketching at a park, she encounters Kashino Rei, who asks her for directions. Without uttering a word, she draws him a map and walks away. She knows about Rei: he's the most handsome guy at school and somewhat of a rebel, passionate about motorcycles and indifferent to everything and everyone else. He is her complete opposite, someone who could intimidate her the most. As for Rei, he had never noticed Kira before, but something about how she gave him the map piqued his curiosity—especially the image on the back of the sheet: a mother holding a child. They meet at school the next day, with Rei persistently trying to talk to Kira. She gradually opens up to him and musters the courage to ask him to model for her drawings. He agrees. Thus, these two opposites begin to grow closer, learning more about each other, caring for one another, and realizing that sometimes what we need is someone different from us to fill our gaps. The story follows their relationship development as they uncover each other’s personal tragedies and learn how to cope with them and the world around them.

Kashino Rei: Rei is a twin. His brother, Kashino Sei, committed suicide during junior high, and Rei has always blamed himself for it. Little does he know about his twin's true identity, which Kira slowly begins to understand. The reasons for Rei's guilt are gently revealed to the reader (and to Kira): perhaps because he took his brother's girlfriend, or because he was always defending Sei from bullies, making Sei feel weak, or most importantly, because he told Sei that their father wasn't their real father. But the real truth is something completely different, relating to Sei's true self, which surprises everyone. This is his personal tragedy. After his brother's death, Rei became more rebellious, leaving his father's safe house to live alone in squalid conditions and dedicating himself to racing, his greatest passion, almost recklessly. That is until he meets Kira. Kira tames the rebel in him, bringing him back to life and its responsibilities, making him want to be responsible for someone again after Sei's death. Besides the guilt, Rei also deals with his feelings towards his ex-girlfriend, whom he took from Sei, who still has feelings for him and keeps stalking him. This plot occupies several chapters, with Rei struggling between past and present, reality and fantasy.

Aso Kira: After Rei's past is revealed and dealt with, Kira's darkest secret comes to light. Rei had always found it strange how she recoiled from him when he kissed her more passionately or how she always ran away from sex despite telling him she loved him and being there for him. One day he decides to test his theories, and indeed they are correct: Kira was raped as a child by her stepfather, which made her shut herself off from the world, pouring her soul into her drawings. Kira tells Rei that her stepfather no longer lives with them, but the moment she says this, he returns home, telling Kira's mom that he has changed and promising economic stability for their family, which Kira's mom gladly accepts. Rei feels infuriated by Kira's passive attitude after her mother chose stability over her daughter's safety and even more so with Kira's naivety in believing her stepfather had truly changed. So he breaks up with her, which is the worst thing he could do, but well, this is a dramatic manga, so such situations are inevitable. Luckily, the breakup is short-lived and serves to show Rei how deeply he loves Kira and how he can't return to his previous lifestyle. And just in time, since Kira's stepfather tries to abuse her again. She runs away from home, moves in with Rei, they finally have sex, and Kira discovers a whole new way of life.

This is melodramatic manga at its best. In fact, I think Mars is everything NANA wanted to be but failed at. And I’m a hardcore NANA fan, so it must really mean something if I'm saying this. The difference is obvious: Mars knows where to stop the tragedy. Sure, that last episode was a bit unnecessary, but since it ended well and contributed to moving the story further, it doesn’t cause much harm. With NANA, Yazawa didn't know where to stop. The tragedy kept coming, never stopping, and it has now reached a point where I believe she doesn't know what to do anymore. I know she had health issues, but she has been working on song lyrics for a while now, leaving NANA behind. So yes, I feel she doesn’t know what to do with the plot she created anymore, which is a shame. I might be wrong. I want to be wrong. But Mars completely wins because of this. There's nothing unnecessary. Everything is in its right amount: drama, romance, tension, everything. And guess what, Yazawa? Everyone does live happily ever after.

I give this a 10/10. It's undoubtedly a masterpiece I strongly recommend.

Mars was a delight to read. The story was amazingly well-written.

Mars is about a young girl named Kira. Kira is a shy student who believes that all men are dirty. Because of this, she stays away from her classmates and hides in her art. Then she meets Rei, who is an arrogant, rebellious, and violent playboy. They are exact opposites, yet when she sees Rei kiss a statue of Mars, the fighting god, she becomes a little brave and asks him to model for her. They start off well, but as they get to know each other's secrets, they become involved in more complicated matters.

I liked Mars because it was a very realistic story. It doesn't happen to just anybody, but some may have had to deal with some of the issues in the manga. Mars is a very psychological story. It's a strange romance in the book, but I was happy with the ending. The art is simple yet beautiful.

Well, I hope you will read it too because it was the best manga I ever read.