Ranked #173

Full Moon wo Sagashite (Manga)

Admittedly at first I expected this story to just be cute. Something light, something fluffy to "baw" at for a while. It is as sure as hell cute, but there is a hell of a lot more to this manga that initially meets the eye.

For one, it's PAINFUL. For all that the ending feels a little deus ex machina, there is a lot that is not idealized. Suicide, death, and loss permeate the characters' lives. There is a focus on letting go of loss, on being held back by past tragedies, and having the courage to keep living when you have to reconcile that your worst fears are, in fact, true, and are not going to change. Many of the characters have stopped LIVING because they do not want to let go of their pasts, and as Mitsuki discovers, the more you step forward, the more your past becomes detached from your heart. And it hurts, especially if that pain is the strongest link you have left.

At its core, this is a story about living one's life to the fullest and being willing to get go of the past for the sake of the future. Mitsuki gives the people around her, dead and live, the courage to let go of the tragedies chaining them to the past and move forward with their lives (or afterlives, as the case may be). Mitsuki's love for Eichi is heartbreaking, and anybody who has loved and lost has felt her gut-wrenching sorrow. This understanding of what she is going through makes her courage all the more remarkable.

I highly recommend this shoujo title to anybody who has ever known loss, who has ever wanted to give up, who has wanted to curl up in a ball and stop the world from turning while they stay in stasis. If you don't belong to that group, I have to wonder if you have experienced life yet. read more

A story that will have you crying, laughing, smiling and hoping throughout. Full Moon wo Sagashite is a manga for, mostly girls, or anyone who enjoys a classic love story... with a twist. Mitsuki is a character everyone will love, and will have you deciding who is best for her and who isn't the right guy. But anyway, onto the review!

Story - Arina Tanemura's best yet. I have never seen such a detailed and sad story about a tail of a love triangle(s) gone wrong. You find yourself wondering what will happen next with each page.

Art - I'm a real fan of her artwork. The shoujo-ness of her drawings leaps off the page and really gives you an understanding of what is going on.

Character - These characters are those types in which you will never find yourself hating any of them as you get to the end. One character, who will remain nameless due to spoiler issues, I had problems with until I saw what happened in the end; then I just couldn't help but love them.

Enjoyment - If you enjoy love stories, shoujo stories, stories that make you want to cry all the time; then this is definitely for you.

Overall - I must say, this is one of my favorite manga of all time... and probably the best one, in my opinion, for shoujo manga ever. read more

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? Arina Tanemura 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. read more

It was a wonderful manga! It really pulled me in, it almost hurt to take my eyes away from it (you know what i mean). Arina tanemura made her characters so likable, you get really attached!^^

All and all it was amazingly good, and by far one of the best mangas I've read!

This Manga is a must read! If you've seen the anime the manga in many points is alot better


More on Izumi's past! - In the anime his past is never even mentioned and displayed as a villain, meanwhile in the manga hit is, and reveals he's a tramatic boy who really suffered out of all the shinigami. Once you read the manga you'll really shed a tear for him, Unlike the anime that you just want to shoot him.



More on Meroko's past- Meroko isn't even explained either in the anime. Here you see that she really did have a sad and horrible events happen to her. Not to mention abuse, and that she also was connected to Mitsuki family somehow



The truth on Takuto- Ok the anime did explain on Takuto but there really was so much more to explain, including that Wakaojji was the surgen.



The truth on Eichi - Ok in the anime most people will hate Eichi lol I did even though I knew about the manga lol I hated how they protrayed him , really there more to him in the manga.He's the reason why Mitsuki can see shinigami, he was Takuto's first assignment, and he really love Mitsuki enough to leave her with Takuto with tears (that part was so sad).


More on Ojji and Oshige - Yes Ojige fans in the manga it went real far.


More on Madoka- Yes lots more on her she even gets a boyfriend.

More on Mitsuki grandma - Lots more on her that you really feel bad for her even more.


Happier ending- Even though the ending to the anime was beautiful Meroko gets a happier ending and also it's extended to when Mitsuki actually turns 16.



Great manga I've read it dozens of times .And if you're reading the manga and haven't seen the anime you should it's also another Masterpiece by Arina read more

Well, I though it was really: Funny, Sad, Touching, Cute, Sweet... and lots more! It can make you feel so many feelings at the same time!
Mitsuki's actions and emotions were sad yet touching... plus she can be really funny at times. She is really loyal to Eichi and it's funny how she always makes Takuto so jealous ^^ I think Meroko's story was quite touching too... the fact that she was so distant to everyone else... it was tragic really... but that doesn't stop her from being her!
The art is WOW... the best I've probably ever seen...
The characters are all really cute... but I thought the range was quite small and they were all quite similar as all of them have something happy and something sad. Mitsuki finally becomes a singer, but Eichi is dead. Takuto is happy with Mitsuki, but she doesn't love him (straight away). Meroko is always quite funny, but she's so distant and of course others which I can not be bothered to list... I've got homework T_T
I really enjoyed this series, a change from Magical Girl and Vampire manga but still great!
Overall, must read even if you don't like sad manga! read more

Full Moon wo Sagashite was a romantic "suspense" manga, as in every page turn it kept me suprised and frightened at the same time as of what would happen the very next page. The story isn't bad for a fantasy/romance. The fantasy could have at least been more original and more made-up. The romance part was amazing and it passes as being great. The art was very nicely drawn and it seemed like the 'always original shojo art'. The eyes are huge and the bodies all look similar. However they were able to pull it off. The characters seemed like they were not even involved in the story. They seem like rip-off unoriginal characters, but however they pass for a least being changed a bit. Since the story has 'fantasy-violence' and a whole lot of drama it passes in my standards as excitement. Overall it isn't bad and if you like romance, betrayal, and death, it definitely should be on your manga list. read more

aw man...tears were rolling down my eyes by the end of this series!!
Tanemura always does amazing work! to me i think she makes some of the most beautiful artwork ever!!
and I love this story and the characters...there are moments in there that literally make your heart break, but at the same time there a moments that make you feel all warm inside *sighs*


man i need to go re-read this now! AH!!
so check it out!