Full Moon wo Sagashite

This is one of the best shojo manga ever. At first I thought it would be just another girl-loves-boy, happily-ever-after story, and I wasn't exactly psyched when I saw the girl was a singer (I don't like celebrity manga too much). After I started reading, though, I realized it was so much more than you typical shojo flick. This story deals with pain and loss, and at times (especially when I'm reading the lyrics that Mitsuki sings) I just want to cry. Mitsuki's love is so sad and moving, it hurts to see her put on a happy face. The art is--what can I say? ArinaTanemura at her best. Her art in this story is simply amazing; the details really helped show the emotions and situations the characters are going through. Arina's art in this manga influenced me very much and raised my standards for great manga to another level. The characters are very well-developed, and this is the only manga which I can truly say I like all of the characters. Mitsuki is one of the few main characters in shojo manga that I like. But seriously, who can dislike her? She is so sweet and caring, and it hurts when you know she's just pretending to be brave. Her character is very deep and makes you think about the things you have in life. Eichi's character, despite not physically being there, developed throughout the story as well. The love the two have for each other is profound and truly heartbreaking. The shinigami, Takuto, Meroko and Izumi, not to mention the bosses, are also well-developed. Takuto is impulsive and energetic, making him the perfect character to cheer up Mitsuki. Even though Takuto and Eichi are rivals for Mitsuki's love, Arina makes it impossible to hate either of them. You can understand both of their situations perfectly, which makes this manga really rare in that you don't mind if Mitsuki ends up with either one. I was very angry when in the anime Izumi is depicted as evil. He is my favorite character in this manga, and he is not evil at all. Sure, he is sadistic and even a little masochistic, but when he reveals his true feelings he is heartwarming. Meroko is a little obsessive, but her story is good as well. All the main characters' pasts are explored in detail, so even though the story is about Mitsuki, you really do get to understand and appreciate the other characters. This is one of the most enjoyable manga stories out there. It's complicated but not confusing like some of the manga out there (Vampire Knight, for example). It doesn't drag on and on just to be long, although I think even if it did I would gladly read it. Everything that happens happens for a reason and there is never a dull moment. Sure, it is shojo, but it's nothing like the other shojo stories. The love part of the story is not imposing or suffocating like other shojo manga, but tender and sad and complements the story well. This story will definitely get you thinking about life and make you appreciate everything in it, especially when you compare your own life to Mitsuki's... no love is more tragic than hers. Please read this manga; I swear you will not regret it.

This Manga is a must read! The innocent-looking cover should not trick you into thinking this is a happy story for kids. It does have plenty of sweet, romantic and happy chapters and I still wouldn't call it a dark series, but it also deals with death, Shinigami, and even suicide. If you've watched the anime; the manga still has plenty of differences and details revealed that were not mentioned in the anime. More information is given about the Shinigami's past lives and their connection to Mitsuki. Izumi, for example, is a completely different character. In the manga Izumi was my favorite character, in the animeI just wanted to shoot him. Even characters such as Eichi, Oshige, Mitsuki's grandmother and Madoka were given more attention in the manga. Best of all though, the manga has an overall happier ending for all characters. The artwork is, of course, the detailed, cute, and innocent style of Arina, No complaints. I would say this anime and manga deserved more attention than what it got in the USA.

*Disclaimer: The TLDR is at the bottom.* Not your typical magical girl transformation shojo, to say the least: 'Full Moon o Sagashite' is much more than that. It's a story about second chances and the pursuit of self-love, forgiveness and redemption. The characters are layered so wonderfully, and grow naturally as the story progresses. Arina Tanemura does a fantastic job interweaving the relationships and back-stories within Full Moon's universe; you'll find yourself falling in love with all of her characters over and over again. She masterfully and delicately handles the topic of childhood illness and young love. Somehow, she is able to keep the atmosphere ofthe story lighthearted, though bittersweet, while still maintaining a believable fantasy universe where shinigami and ghosts not only exist, but are fully-realized main characters. Tanemura wonderfully builds her characters up bit by bit, all the while slowly revealing more of the darker elements of her story. Read 'Full Moon o Sagashite', and you'll not only be impressed, but you'll be laughing and crying along with its beautiful characters. However, if you're looking for a light and fluffy, easy to digest, magical girl transformation shojo, this may not be the right story for you. 'Full Moon o Sagashite' is much darker and more complex than its cute characters and gentle themes may imply; the story has magic, yes, but it also speaks on other topics such as suicide, cancer, death, heartbreak, betrayal, sacrifice, love, self-harm, depression, trauma, fame, etc. The themes in 'Full Moon o Sagashite' are very adult, despite its cute appearance and overtones. TLDR: Story -9 Art -8 Character -10 Enjoyment -10 Overall -9

Wow. I am not normally a big fan of supernatural works because often the scenarios are so outrageous the characters themselves become unbelievable and the story suffers. This, however, is a huge exception. I didn't really notice any "fluff" characters, even the supporting characters had their own backgrounds and seemed real. Unlike many similar works, where you have to make yourself believe everything, here you only have to believe in shiragamis. After that, everything just flows and the characters behave as, with their respective personalities, you would expect them to. I laughed. I cried. I cheered them on and at the end, felt like Ihad really learned a lot about life too. All this despite the fact I was a bit reluctant to read it and initially suspected that it wouldis be a bit too short to accomplish what needed to be (btw, I was wrong. It finished beautifully, coming to a natural conclusion). Whatever reason you think you have for hesitating to read this manga, forget it. I have read many manga, both shorter and longer ones, but this is the first one I took the time out to review. In conclusion, read it. The story and characters are fantastic, and you grow and learn right along with them. The art is good, my only possible criticism is the typical, eyes are half the head, thing that shows up in shoujo so often. But, it doesn't detract in any way from the fabulous overall work.