Full Moon: O Sagashite, Vol. 1 [Paperback]

Arina Tanemura (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 5, 2005

Young Mitsuki loves singing and dreams of becoming a pop star. Unfortunately, a malignant tumor in her throat prevents her from pursuing her passion. However, her life turns around when two surprisingly fun-loving harbingers of death appear to grant Mitsuki a temporary reprieve from her illness and give her singing career a magical push start.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Imagine a whimsical combination of American Idol, Cinderella and Showtime's Dead Like Me transposed to Japan and aimed at children, and you may have a sense of what this manga is like. It begins ominously: 12-year-old Mitsuki Koyama, an orphan living with her repressive grandmother, must have an operation to remove her vocal cords, due to a malignant growth. Yet Mitsuki refuses, because her dream is to become a professional singer. Mitsuki is even visited by two death spirits, Takuto and Meroko, who inform her she has only a year to live. But the two spirits, once human themselves, are hardly frightening (Meroko even wears bunny ears to amuse children) and Takuto decides to help Mitsuki realize her goal. He transforms her into a healthy 16-year-old, who takes the name "Full Moon" and begins her rapid rise to pop music stardom. A romantic tangle between the three and Eichi, Mitsuki's long-lost boyfriend, also ensues. Tanemura draws cute kids in conventional big-eyed manga style, though occasionally she creates romantic images of striking beauty, and her manic layouts drive the story forward. There is little to interest adults here, but girl tweens should identify with Mitsuki's ambitions and romantic dilemmas. (July)
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About the Author

Arina Tanemura began her manga career in 1996 when her short stories debuted in Ribon magazine. Tanemura gained fame with the 1997 publication of I*O*N, a high school romance with a supernatural twist. From 1998 to 2000, she worked on the popular series Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, about a young girl who is the reincarnation of Joan of Arc, followed by Time Stranger Kyoko in 2000-2001 and Full Moon in 2002. Despite Tanemura's intentions to draw in a style that makes her stories difficult to animate, both Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne and Full Moon have been adapted into TV series.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; Shojo Beat Manga Ed edition (July 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591169283
• ISBN-13: 978-1591169284
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #343,834 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book and anime ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, February 12, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Full Moon: O Sagashite, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

I bought this book from Borders(I get everthing from borders in the graphic novels section)and I read part of the first chapter and loved it. When I finally got a chance to read the whole book I was so entertained by the characters I couldn't put it down. It is pretty sad that the main character in the story has a sarcoma in her throat and she might die if she doesn't go through with the operation. The only reason she doesn't want to have the operation is becuase she will have to get her vocal cords removed and won't be able to sing. Singing is Mitsuki's dream becuase she had a friend that left for the United States two years ago and since she lived in Japan they are very far apart. Eichi her friend who is now 16 and Mitsuki being 12 wishes to become 16 . Her wish comes true by these two harbingers that grant her wish and now she has to find a way to become a singer even without her crude grandmothers disaprovele. Even though this book is rated 13 and up I think it can be read by children between the ages of 11 and 13. Either way the art is quite buetiful and I don't think Mitsuki's eyes are to big.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most amazing thing ever!!, May 19, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Full Moon: O Sagashite, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

When I saw a little picture of one of the main characters(Takuto), I was like "Hey! Kitty ears and wings!!" I asked my friend about it and she said she had the manga! Not only will you be hooked on the characters designs(which are awesome!!), you will also have a great time learning more about each character!

At first you may think that it's a cheesy story-line. A girl meets shinigami, she has sarcoma and cant sing so they turn her into a pop super star and she gets tons and tons of fans. NO. NONONO. Do NOT think like that. The depth of the story line and the connections between the characters are great.

This is the BEST manga and the BEST anime I have ever seen/ read. A must get for any shojo lover!!!!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!!!, April 22, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Full Moon: O Sagashite, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

I first picked up this book while browsing in a bookstore. Not knowing what to expect, I thought that the summary on the back of the book sounded cute, so I bought it. I read the whole thing in one day, I just couldn't put it down! So the very next day I bought the next two volumes! [hah] I highly recommend this manga! Especially if you love shojo!