A Winter Star by Yuki Suetsugu

Sorry for not posting last week, but I've been preparing for this year's winter wonderland manga. I decided to do something different this year. Most 'Christmas' manga are usually hidden in a longer serial or they are simply romantic one-shots because the holiday in Japan is mostly seen as a couple's day instead of the full blown business most westerners are used to. So, this year I decided to have a '12 Days of Christmas' posting schedule. I will be posting a winter or Christmas themed one-shot every day until Christmas. It'll be festive and this way I will still have time to enjoy my own Christmas.



 ♪So, on the first day of Christmas My Manga Malady gave to me...♪

A Winter Star by Yuki Suetsugu


Genre: Shojo
Length: One Chapter – 62 Pages


             The art is fairly typical shojo manga, and it has a nice, strong look. I really don't think there’s anything I can complain about, really. Its just one of those types of manga. The faces are fun and easy to read, and emotions show through them well. The clothes are well done, and even though most of the clothes are just school uniforms, they still have a stylish look to them. It may not be a manga I remember stylistically, but its all done well.
            A couple in their senior year of high school during their last winter in school. They've been together all along knowing that he is going to a college far away when they graduate. Now, in the deepest part of wintertime, the realization of him going away is beginning to sink in and the feelings of regret are piling up like the snow.
            I don't know if its just the mood I'm in or what, but, this manga tried to make me cry! Splitting up or going it long distance is a common theme in shojo manga, but the way the emotions were played out in this one felt vivid to me, of course I'm a shy person so maybe I could just relate to their awkwardness. All the same, the two of them desperately trying to remain normal despite the fact that feelings are being simply pushed down instead of taken care of makes for a good read. 'Escalate the relationship or not?' and 'break up or not?' just lets you know feelings are going to get hurt and that just makes it a more juicy read. I appreciated how the mangaka handled the whole relationship, too, such as having them be a well established couple instead of a brand new one, which is how many other one-shots are started, led to much higher stakes emotionally. I went and looked up more of this author's works and I'm hoping for a longer story to see if the potential of this story translates well across a longer story, I liked it that much. Anyway, the cold of winter feels strong in this story. It feels like a good start to this season.





4/5 Strong in art and story, just a little bit trope-y.