Mars by Fuyumi Soryo

Dear Cyberspace,

So, it seems my internet popularity has increased within the last day! In spite of the fact that I am acquainted with my one follower, I am overjoyed that my reviews are being read by more people than yours truly. :3

After a stressful day debating in french (oui, je parle francais, mais jusque un peu), learning 'u substitution' in calculus, and writing an essay on the reasons I know what I know, I've decided to pick a school related manga. Even when I'm out of school, I just can't help but love manga with school themes! Though, I must admit the adorable uniforms are a definite perk! Ironically, the manga I've chosen (Mars by Fuyumi Soryo) doesn't actually have any uniforms... Anyway, I'll stop rambling and start reviewing!

'Mars' is a manga series by Fuyumi Soryo. It was released in english language through Tokyopop, but is now considered out of print, though it can be found on most online manga sites. The series was released in 1996 and ended in 2000, which makes the clothing and art style a little dated. In spite of this, it's really one of the best manga series I have ever read. 'Mars' follows the romance between Kira Aso and Rei Kashino, who are opposites in every way, but both come from troubled backgrounds. Rei is a professional motorcycle racer with a bad reputation for using girls and starting fights, while Kira is an introverted artist who spends most of her time hiding from people. Even though, Kira and Rei live different lives, they're drawn to each other and eventually fall in love. Through their journey together, they learn about each other's dark pasts, which both are filled with pain, loss, and sadness.

'Mars' follows a traditional shoujo plot with romance and high school themes, but it's very unique in its character depth. The characters, Kira and Rei, are lost in their dark pasts and show growth as they learn to move on to make the best of their lives. Aside from the romance, 'Mars' has sports, drama, psychological, and mature content. It's action packed and fast paced, but classic in all aspects of the word. 'Mars' will make you laugh, cry, smile, and cringe with the story Soryo brings you. I'm actually really disappointed I wasn't reading manga when this came out, because I would have loved to forum or talk about this manga in the decade it came out! :3

Anyway, I really loved this series and definitely recommend it to everyone. It has aspects that make it interesting for all manga readers. Its fifteen volumes can be found at: http://www.mangareader.net/mars
(I'm going to start linking the manga sites from now on!)

In case anyone is interested, Mars has also been made into a live action drama in Taiwanese! I can't attest to whether it's any good, but I imagine it's very entertaining. Soryo also made a prequel to the series called 'Mars: A Horse By No Name' in 1999, though most reviews say it's way overdone to be taken seriously...

Well, I should stop procrastinating my work!
Best,
~Pseudonymous Jayne ;)