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隣のステラ [Tonari no Stella] #1
Gazing at the Star Next Door, Vol. 1
What do you do when your best friend (and secret crush) becomes a national sweetheart? This story of unrequited love between a girl and her best friend, whose acting career is pulling him further and further away, is perfect for fans of In the Clear Moonlit Dusk and Kimi ni Todoke.
Chiaki is a pretty normal teenage girl. Since they were kids, she’s had a thing for her best friend Subaru–who’s fast becoming the hottest young actor in Japan! With Subaru threatening to slip away, Chiaki has a decision to make: Will she finally take her shot, or give Subaru up to his adoring public?
Chiaki is a pretty normal teenage girl. Since they were kids, she’s had a thing for her best friend Subaru–who’s fast becoming the hottest young actor in Japan! With Subaru threatening to slip away, Chiaki has a decision to make: Will she finally take her shot, or give Subaru up to his adoring public?
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2022
21 people are currently reading
562 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
July 13, 2024
this angst is so fucking good bitch
February 24, 2024
So this one is pretty cute. Its a childhood friends situation where she was the chubby kid, and he is the hot model, and has always been beautiful. Clearly they both have feelings for each other, so we are navigating them getting to where they can tell each other how they truly feel. I think I will collect this one digitally personally. The other series by this mangaka, Ran the Peerless Beauty, I am itching to get my hands on physical editions of those. I think this one is good, but not better than Ran.
March 6, 2024
Title: Gazing at the star next door by Ammitsu
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars
I received this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.
This was such a cute wholesome read!
Chiaki, a typical teenage girl, grapples with unrequited love for her childhood best friend Subaru. The twist comes as Subaru, now a rising star in Japan's acting scene, teeters on the edge of slipping away, straining the bonds of their longtime friendship.
This was a great start to the series. We can see that both sides have feelings for each other, more than friendship, but cannot grasp the reality of it. I will be looking forward to read the next one as soon as possible!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars
I received this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.
This was such a cute wholesome read!
Chiaki, a typical teenage girl, grapples with unrequited love for her childhood best friend Subaru. The twist comes as Subaru, now a rising star in Japan's acting scene, teeters on the edge of slipping away, straining the bonds of their longtime friendship.
This was a great start to the series. We can see that both sides have feelings for each other, more than friendship, but cannot grasp the reality of it. I will be looking forward to read the next one as soon as possible!
January 7, 2024
[Thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.]
Chiaki and Subaru have been friends forever, stuffing Chiaki into the dreaded ‘childhood friend’ category. To make matters worse, Subaru is now a model and star on the rise. Can these two catch a break and do they want to to begin with?
This is an interesting mash-up of two ideas, but what really piqued my interest was realizing that the mangaka behind it was Ammitsu, creator of the very good and very underrated Ran the Peerless Beauty (and the covers here aren’t nearly as dull as that series’ mercifully).
Ammitsu doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel in terms of plots, few shojo do, but she does know how to write really good characters and draw solid art; both strengths are put to very good use here.
Poor Chiaki is not only 80% tsundere with how much she refuses to admit her feelings, largely believing that Subaru is slowly leaving her orbit, never to return, but Subaru’s celebrity is absolutely wrecking her other chances at love because guys think they have to measure up to him.
Subaru and Chiaki make for a good double act - he is unflappably cool, but very honest about things. He just hasn’t said the like portion, but he clearly puts Chiaki head and shoulders above everything. Yet she’s too busy trying to hide her affection to notice.
And so it goes with them trying to be closer and not quite managing it. Another big plus is Chiaki’s other best friend, Ha-chan, who has a slightly detached and wry attitude that adds a lot. She’s a great sounding board for Chiaki, while also giving the two lots of chances for light banter.
In the author’s notes, Ammitsu has a fascinating story about how this mash-up came about, but either way it actually does really work when you look at it. There are a fair few of these ‘girl gets idol’ stories and even the good ones often hinge on contrivances.
Here, they’ve been friends long before Subaru got discovered and that fuels a lot of Chiaki’s inadequacies and the way that they interact, which is at times tinged with that somewhat too comfortable tone that friends can take that makes anything beyond that difficult.
Now, it’s not perfect. Some of this is absolutely taken from the usual playbook - the second Chiaki and Ha-chan are headed for a mixer you might as well set a countdown for one of the guys going too far and Subaru coming to the rescue. It’s still a good scene because of Chiaki’s reaction, but originality only goes so far.
Still, there’s lots of room to grow and I definitely had a good time, enough that I’ll be reading this one going forward. There’s a bonus Ran short as well, but it doesn’t exactly add much to that story or this volume, if I’m honest.
4 stars - this is a solid start to a story of childhood friends wrestling with feelings while one of them is dealing with their star on the rise. It’s a clever conceit being done rather well by a strong creator and worth a look if it sounds at all appealing.
Chiaki and Subaru have been friends forever, stuffing Chiaki into the dreaded ‘childhood friend’ category. To make matters worse, Subaru is now a model and star on the rise. Can these two catch a break and do they want to to begin with?
This is an interesting mash-up of two ideas, but what really piqued my interest was realizing that the mangaka behind it was Ammitsu, creator of the very good and very underrated Ran the Peerless Beauty (and the covers here aren’t nearly as dull as that series’ mercifully).
Ammitsu doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel in terms of plots, few shojo do, but she does know how to write really good characters and draw solid art; both strengths are put to very good use here.
Poor Chiaki is not only 80% tsundere with how much she refuses to admit her feelings, largely believing that Subaru is slowly leaving her orbit, never to return, but Subaru’s celebrity is absolutely wrecking her other chances at love because guys think they have to measure up to him.
Subaru and Chiaki make for a good double act - he is unflappably cool, but very honest about things. He just hasn’t said the like portion, but he clearly puts Chiaki head and shoulders above everything. Yet she’s too busy trying to hide her affection to notice.
And so it goes with them trying to be closer and not quite managing it. Another big plus is Chiaki’s other best friend, Ha-chan, who has a slightly detached and wry attitude that adds a lot. She’s a great sounding board for Chiaki, while also giving the two lots of chances for light banter.
In the author’s notes, Ammitsu has a fascinating story about how this mash-up came about, but either way it actually does really work when you look at it. There are a fair few of these ‘girl gets idol’ stories and even the good ones often hinge on contrivances.
Here, they’ve been friends long before Subaru got discovered and that fuels a lot of Chiaki’s inadequacies and the way that they interact, which is at times tinged with that somewhat too comfortable tone that friends can take that makes anything beyond that difficult.
Now, it’s not perfect. Some of this is absolutely taken from the usual playbook - the second Chiaki and Ha-chan are headed for a mixer you might as well set a countdown for one of the guys going too far and Subaru coming to the rescue. It’s still a good scene because of Chiaki’s reaction, but originality only goes so far.
Still, there’s lots of room to grow and I definitely had a good time, enough that I’ll be reading this one going forward. There’s a bonus Ran short as well, but it doesn’t exactly add much to that story or this volume, if I’m honest.
4 stars - this is a solid start to a story of childhood friends wrestling with feelings while one of them is dealing with their star on the rise. It’s a clever conceit being done rather well by a strong creator and worth a look if it sounds at all appealing.
February 9, 2024
Oh my gosh, I LOVED this story! I just thought it was so adorable. Funny, sweet...love the set up for this one. I was smiling through almost the whole thing! I will definitely be seeking out more in this series.
I loved how much Chiaki and Subaru are together. Love the closeness of their relationship with growing up together, but also having that bit of uncertainty and shyness with Chiaki's unrequited love she's harboring. Lots of sweet scenes that gave me butterflies and made me excited for them to really see each other...
I loved how much Chiaki and Subaru are together. Love the closeness of their relationship with growing up together, but also having that bit of uncertainty and shyness with Chiaki's unrequited love she's harboring. Lots of sweet scenes that gave me butterflies and made me excited for them to really see each other...
January 22, 2024
4.5 stars
This was a super sweet and wholesome volume! Gazing at the Star Next Door is about a girl named Chiaki who has an unrequited crush on her childhood friend and neighbor. Her crush is also a rising celebrity. She starts to wonder if she has a place by his side as his popularity grows. I'm definitely continuing this manga. I'm not usually a friends to lovers fan but this one is really cute. I'm left wondering if maybe her feelings are reciprocated already but she just does not realize it yet. I hope Chiaki gains more self-confidence in the later volumes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
This was a super sweet and wholesome volume! Gazing at the Star Next Door is about a girl named Chiaki who has an unrequited crush on her childhood friend and neighbor. Her crush is also a rising celebrity. She starts to wonder if she has a place by his side as his popularity grows. I'm definitely continuing this manga. I'm not usually a friends to lovers fan but this one is really cute. I'm left wondering if maybe her feelings are reciprocated already but she just does not realize it yet. I hope Chiaki gains more self-confidence in the later volumes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
January 24, 2024
With this second series released in English, Ammitsu has officially become one of my favorite creators. In Gazing at the Star Next Door, she takes the childhood friend trope, combines it with the celebrity romance, and somehow manages to come out with a story that's warmer and more appealing than 90% of the series that have tried that combo before. Chiaki and Subaru are both clearly struggling with his celebrity and what it means for their feelings, and she's desperately afraid that he's going to keep moving farther and farther out of her reach. He's trying to show her that he won't, but she's being fed a lot of social nonsense about how she's not a "threat" or "good enough" for him, and that does damage. Like Ran the Peerless Beauty before it, this story has a very comfortable human core, and ultimately I think that will prove to be its greatest strength as Chiaki and Subaru realize that they get to decide who they want to be with.
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January 21, 2024
I looooove the story! A short and light read if you want to wind down--something I really needed today. The characters are so adorable and the art style is so clean 💙
💎 Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily
💎 Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily
April 9, 2024
This one was sweet, but I wanted more from the POV of the MC H. From where I was standing, it didn't look like he had a thing for her as much as she did for him. He was WAAAAY to cool and casual about it. The MC h, on the other hand, was more obvious, but then again, we see things more from her POV, so we get to see her internal dialogue and how she feels.
We also have the trope of "she defends him to people who take offense at her calling them out, so the MC H has to end up saving her" trope, which seemed slightly OTT, both with her screaming at the dude in question and his grabbing her, in public. I get that they are young, but that just seems to be a bit much.
All in all, not a bad start to a series and I want to see where it goes.
3, why didn't I have a childhood friend/neighbor who ended up being hot and famous it's not fair, stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for an eARC of this book to read and review.
We also have the trope of "she defends him to people who take offense at her calling them out, so the MC H has to end up saving her" trope, which seemed slightly OTT, both with her screaming at the dude in question and his grabbing her, in public. I get that they are young, but that just seems to be a bit much.
All in all, not a bad start to a series and I want to see where it goes.
3, why didn't I have a childhood friend/neighbor who ended up being hot and famous it's not fair, stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for an eARC of this book to read and review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2024
What a fun and entertaining start to the series! In this volume we’re introduced to childhood friends, Chiaki and Subaru, both of whom are navigating the highs and lows of being a teenager. The only difference is that Subaru’s a newly discovered model/actor that’s quickly rising to stardom in Japan, and Chiaki’s simply your average highschooler on a mission to find love. How will things develop from here?
I’ve always been a sucker for the “childhood best friends” trope in manga series, but Ammitsu just does it so well! I love the cheeky yet caring dynamic between Chiaki and Subaru, and it’s so wholesome to see the ways that they look out for each other (whether that be Chiaki making Subaru meals or Subaru standing up for her in turn).
Chiaki’s character in itself is so refreshing to see as a manga heroine because she’s both caring and yet unafraid to speak her mind. She’s not timid nor scared to stand up for her friends, but she’s also innocent in the ways of finding true love. In comparison, we haven’t been given as much insight into Subaru’s thoughts nor feelings yet, however it’s still early days. I’m looking forward to seeing more scenes between them in future volumes, and some potential chapters from Subaru’s pov!
This manga would honestly translate so well into an animated series, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for that someday soon. But if you’re a fan of the “In the Clear Moonlit Dusk" series, then I’d definitely recommend checking this out!
Rating: 4/5
- Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for providing the eARC in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve always been a sucker for the “childhood best friends” trope in manga series, but Ammitsu just does it so well! I love the cheeky yet caring dynamic between Chiaki and Subaru, and it’s so wholesome to see the ways that they look out for each other (whether that be Chiaki making Subaru meals or Subaru standing up for her in turn).
Chiaki’s character in itself is so refreshing to see as a manga heroine because she’s both caring and yet unafraid to speak her mind. She’s not timid nor scared to stand up for her friends, but she’s also innocent in the ways of finding true love. In comparison, we haven’t been given as much insight into Subaru’s thoughts nor feelings yet, however it’s still early days. I’m looking forward to seeing more scenes between them in future volumes, and some potential chapters from Subaru’s pov!
This manga would honestly translate so well into an animated series, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for that someday soon. But if you’re a fan of the “In the Clear Moonlit Dusk" series, then I’d definitely recommend checking this out!
Rating: 4/5
- Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for providing the eARC in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
Read
March 13, 2024tl;dr
Competently hits most of the expected beats, with a nice twist about characters who might be growing further apart instead of closer together.
Thoughts
If you're an avid reader of shoujo manga, you know what to expect. Beautiful artwork with soft lines, and a plot packed with longing looks and light flirtation. We've got all the hits: Childhood friendship, the hottest guy in school, and even the ill-advised mixer with college boys. All of it is very competently done, with nothing to complain about, and plenty of very pleasing illustrations and sweet moments. The author's notes talk about the story being one of drifting further away from friends with the passage of time. It's an interesting twist on the usual: Most shoujo romance features our main characters slowly growing closer. In this case, they might actually be growing further instead. There's a bit of a bittersweet tone that comes through because of it, but nothing too sad. In the end, it's still a sweet and light romance with a very pretty boy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Competently hits most of the expected beats, with a nice twist about characters who might be growing further apart instead of closer together.
Thoughts
If you're an avid reader of shoujo manga, you know what to expect. Beautiful artwork with soft lines, and a plot packed with longing looks and light flirtation. We've got all the hits: Childhood friendship, the hottest guy in school, and even the ill-advised mixer with college boys. All of it is very competently done, with nothing to complain about, and plenty of very pleasing illustrations and sweet moments. The author's notes talk about the story being one of drifting further away from friends with the passage of time. It's an interesting twist on the usual: Most shoujo romance features our main characters slowly growing closer. In this case, they might actually be growing further instead. There's a bit of a bittersweet tone that comes through because of it, but nothing too sad. In the end, it's still a sweet and light romance with a very pretty boy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
March 1, 2024
I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
I just LOVE LOVE a friends to lovers story and that cover was also so cute! So this one I had to request! I am so happy I got the chance to read this one~
In this one we meet a girl named Chiaki who has a MAJOR crush on her childhood friend Subaru. There is just one problem. Subaru is now on the road to becoming the hottest model/actor in Japan. You can imagine that this makes confessing your feelings harder, especially when you think that you are not worthy enough to be with him. So I was rooting for Chiaki, hoping she would at least give it a shot, at least try it. And while we see she is trying to set her mind on other things, she is also falling harder and harder for Subaru. And who can blame her. I mean, he is hot that is for sure, but he is also quite sweet, adorable, and kind. One time when Chiaki was in trouble with a guy from a mixer (she fangirled hard on Subaru and the guy wasn’t happy) he came around to help her out and yes, I know that is bad for feminism these days (geez) but I found it utterly sweet and was swooning.
I loved that Subaru wasn’t just a childhood friend but also was often found at Chiaki’s home because his mom was working hard and he came to eat dinner, relax, help out Chiaki’s little sister, or just be there to have some company. I can however imagine that it makes it all the harder to confess as Chiaki at times feels a bit more like Subaru’s mom, haha.
There was just one thing, while I did like Chiaki in overall, I was a bit tired of her grumpy attitude/dere dere attitude. Subaru would do something or another and she would huff and puff. And while I guess Subaru found it adorable, I just wished she stopped doing that. It is not cute.
My favourite moments of the manga would be the pancake part (Chiaki made pancakes for Subaru) and how he reacted to it. But also the last chapter with them having to hide from fangirls had me go EEEP! You can just SEE the sparks fly between them even more than in earlier chapters. You can just SEE that all it needs is one of them to confess, to finally open up, and I am sure that they can start a relationship. Well, I guess the next part is figuring out how to do a relationship with Subaru’s fame, we all know how fangirls will get. Or how his management will react. But I do hope that in the next volume they are able to get those feelings out.
The art was just so gorgeous, I really love it. There are some scenes that just made me go dokidoki (I am sorry, but Subaru is normally already hot but sometimes he just levels up).
All in all, I love this childhood friends to lovers story and I do hope that we get to see them finally confess. Plus, I would like to see Subaru’s POV one day. Even a chapter would make me happy. I will keep on reading, looking forward to each new volume!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I just LOVE LOVE a friends to lovers story and that cover was also so cute! So this one I had to request! I am so happy I got the chance to read this one~
In this one we meet a girl named Chiaki who has a MAJOR crush on her childhood friend Subaru. There is just one problem. Subaru is now on the road to becoming the hottest model/actor in Japan. You can imagine that this makes confessing your feelings harder, especially when you think that you are not worthy enough to be with him. So I was rooting for Chiaki, hoping she would at least give it a shot, at least try it. And while we see she is trying to set her mind on other things, she is also falling harder and harder for Subaru. And who can blame her. I mean, he is hot that is for sure, but he is also quite sweet, adorable, and kind. One time when Chiaki was in trouble with a guy from a mixer (she fangirled hard on Subaru and the guy wasn’t happy) he came around to help her out and yes, I know that is bad for feminism these days (geez) but I found it utterly sweet and was swooning.
I loved that Subaru wasn’t just a childhood friend but also was often found at Chiaki’s home because his mom was working hard and he came to eat dinner, relax, help out Chiaki’s little sister, or just be there to have some company. I can however imagine that it makes it all the harder to confess as Chiaki at times feels a bit more like Subaru’s mom, haha.
There was just one thing, while I did like Chiaki in overall, I was a bit tired of her grumpy attitude/dere dere attitude. Subaru would do something or another and she would huff and puff. And while I guess Subaru found it adorable, I just wished she stopped doing that. It is not cute.
My favourite moments of the manga would be the pancake part (Chiaki made pancakes for Subaru) and how he reacted to it. But also the last chapter with them having to hide from fangirls had me go EEEP! You can just SEE the sparks fly between them even more than in earlier chapters. You can just SEE that all it needs is one of them to confess, to finally open up, and I am sure that they can start a relationship. Well, I guess the next part is figuring out how to do a relationship with Subaru’s fame, we all know how fangirls will get. Or how his management will react. But I do hope that in the next volume they are able to get those feelings out.
The art was just so gorgeous, I really love it. There are some scenes that just made me go dokidoki (I am sorry, but Subaru is normally already hot but sometimes he just levels up).
All in all, I love this childhood friends to lovers story and I do hope that we get to see them finally confess. Plus, I would like to see Subaru’s POV one day. Even a chapter would make me happy. I will keep on reading, looking forward to each new volume!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
February 16, 2024
MY HEART IS CAPTIVATED!!!!!
Oh my goodness, my heart is COMPLETELY captivated!!!
THIS WAS AMAZING!!!
I am a huge fan of childhood friends-to-lovers and this one is PERFECTION!
Truly, I had high expectations coming into this and I felt like a high schooler squealing over her favorite romance story! LOL! Such a wonderful feeling and I think I loved it so much because it captures the unrequited love SO well, which sounds weird to say because that's probably one of my LEAST favorite tropes, but Chiaki is the perfect heroine in this story. She says things she doesn't mean because she's embarrassed/trying to move on, playful banter that isn't hateful but does have some bite (LOL), and ultimately, super caring even if others may not think so.
And Subaru!!!
TOTAL HEARTTHROB!!
High school me would have been head over heels! LOL! Adult me is VERY excited to read more about him because it is obvious in very small ways that he definitely only has eyes for Chiaki! I don't know if he does or does not realize it, but I'm hoping he does and makes something happen because I'm STRONGLY shipping these two together!
I think the story itself is very good and really liked that this story didn't feel "far-fetched." There are strong touches of realism and a down-to-earth vibe that I haven't seen captured quite the same in other "idol" manga and not sure if that's because of the childhood friends, the leads being in the same high school, or a combination, but I'm very much here for it! I liked seeing the glimpses into the showbiz world, while still seeing Mr. Showbiz himself in school.
Truly, this first volume was incredible! I am DESPERATE for the next volume and already looking forward to rereading it!! HIGHLY recommend it!!
Oh my goodness, my heart is COMPLETELY captivated!!!
THIS WAS AMAZING!!!
I am a huge fan of childhood friends-to-lovers and this one is PERFECTION!
Truly, I had high expectations coming into this and I felt like a high schooler squealing over her favorite romance story! LOL! Such a wonderful feeling and I think I loved it so much because it captures the unrequited love SO well, which sounds weird to say because that's probably one of my LEAST favorite tropes, but Chiaki is the perfect heroine in this story. She says things she doesn't mean because she's embarrassed/trying to move on, playful banter that isn't hateful but does have some bite (LOL), and ultimately, super caring even if others may not think so.
And Subaru!!!
TOTAL HEARTTHROB!!
High school me would have been head over heels! LOL! Adult me is VERY excited to read more about him because it is obvious in very small ways that he definitely only has eyes for Chiaki! I don't know if he does or does not realize it, but I'm hoping he does and makes something happen because I'm STRONGLY shipping these two together!
I think the story itself is very good and really liked that this story didn't feel "far-fetched." There are strong touches of realism and a down-to-earth vibe that I haven't seen captured quite the same in other "idol" manga and not sure if that's because of the childhood friends, the leads being in the same high school, or a combination, but I'm very much here for it! I liked seeing the glimpses into the showbiz world, while still seeing Mr. Showbiz himself in school.
Truly, this first volume was incredible! I am DESPERATE for the next volume and already looking forward to rereading it!! HIGHLY recommend it!!
September 22, 2024
Another day, another new manga
Picked this up on a whim and it’s childhood friends to lovers?! (Well lovers to be seen but there’s a long-standing crush right now hehe)
FMC is next door neighbors with her best friend who has recently found fame in modeling and now acting. She's always been taking care and cooking for him, but doesn’t believe they’ll ever be together because he’s out of her league. Buuuuuuut maybe her feelings aren’t so one sided.
RECAP: intro, Subaru’s a mess lol, girls at school fan-girl, she goes on a mixer, she defends Subaru, Subaru comes and rescues her. She makes him pancakes, sees an interview where he eats expensive dessert, so tries to hide the pancakes after work and he eats anyway. Ends with their quick photoshoot where they hide from high school girls and she’s flustered.
Super cute!
Picked this up on a whim and it’s childhood friends to lovers?! (Well lovers to be seen but there’s a long-standing crush right now hehe)
FMC is next door neighbors with her best friend who has recently found fame in modeling and now acting. She's always been taking care and cooking for him, but doesn’t believe they’ll ever be together because he’s out of her league. Buuuuuuut maybe her feelings aren’t so one sided.
RECAP: intro, Subaru’s a mess lol, girls at school fan-girl, she goes on a mixer, she defends Subaru, Subaru comes and rescues her. She makes him pancakes, sees an interview where he eats expensive dessert, so tries to hide the pancakes after work and he eats anyway. Ends with their quick photoshoot where they hide from high school girls and she’s flustered.
Super cute!
April 22, 2023
A celebrity and his childhood friend! We know what’s going to happen, right? WRONG. The latest chapters (chapter 11 and 12) DESTROYED ME (emotionally). It’s so original I can’t wait to see what the author does with it.
I love the art style and the storyline sm. Also the main lead SLAYS she deserves better than the male lead.
I love the art style and the storyline sm. Also the main lead SLAYS she deserves better than the male lead.
July 12, 2025
This was super cute!
February 11, 2024
Omg how was this this cute??? It was a cute story about childhood friends where one is consistently telling herself and told by others how her bff would never be in to her. I need more now. This is the type of high school romance I’m looking for.
June 9, 2024
Overall rating: 4.5/5⭐️
I would like to thank NetGalley as well as Kodansha for providing me with an eArc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Subaru Hiiragi and Chiaki Amano have been best friends since they were kids. But while Chiaki went on to school as any normal kid would, Subaru is becoming the hottest young actor in the country. Chiaki has to decide whether or not she'll let the fame overshadow her feelings.
"So the uber-hot model just on tv? Well, you're looking at him."
What I loved💙
The more manga I read, the more I'm slowly starting to become a huge fan of childhood friends to lovers. The trope is so incredibly cute and sweet and it's always interesting to my how the feelings between the main characters go from being friends to being more. And, since these two are best friends AND neighbors, there's a large amount of complexity that goes with that as well so I look forward to what's going to happen in volume two. Additionally, this was my first celebrity main character romance manga. To make a long story short, I'm a bit apprehensive due to how some celebrity romance anime have ended, but I will say that I have high hopes for the outcome of this.
What I didn't love❌
My only critique of sorts was that I wish there was a little more backstory on Chiaki and Subaru's childhood. While it is just volume one and it's simply setting the scene, it would've been nice to also get some insight into how these feelings came to be what they are now and how Subaru was discovered in detail.
Tl;dr✨
I'm a sucker for unrequited love because... um.. relatable. But I enjoyed the art as that's always a big thing for me when it comes to reading manga. I love the cute and fluffy vibes I got from Chiaki and Subaru in such a short time and I can't wait to see more of them. I would 100% recommend this series for anyone who likes childhood friends to lovers, the boy next door trope, and unrequited love. Though, I hope as the story continues, it won't be unrequited forever :)!
I would like to thank NetGalley as well as Kodansha for providing me with an eArc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Subaru Hiiragi and Chiaki Amano have been best friends since they were kids. But while Chiaki went on to school as any normal kid would, Subaru is becoming the hottest young actor in the country. Chiaki has to decide whether or not she'll let the fame overshadow her feelings.
"So the uber-hot model just on tv? Well, you're looking at him."
What I loved💙
The more manga I read, the more I'm slowly starting to become a huge fan of childhood friends to lovers. The trope is so incredibly cute and sweet and it's always interesting to my how the feelings between the main characters go from being friends to being more. And, since these two are best friends AND neighbors, there's a large amount of complexity that goes with that as well so I look forward to what's going to happen in volume two. Additionally, this was my first celebrity main character romance manga. To make a long story short, I'm a bit apprehensive due to how some celebrity romance anime have ended, but I will say that I have high hopes for the outcome of this.
What I didn't love❌
My only critique of sorts was that I wish there was a little more backstory on Chiaki and Subaru's childhood. While it is just volume one and it's simply setting the scene, it would've been nice to also get some insight into how these feelings came to be what they are now and how Subaru was discovered in detail.
Tl;dr✨
I'm a sucker for unrequited love because... um.. relatable. But I enjoyed the art as that's always a big thing for me when it comes to reading manga. I love the cute and fluffy vibes I got from Chiaki and Subaru in such a short time and I can't wait to see more of them. I would 100% recommend this series for anyone who likes childhood friends to lovers, the boy next door trope, and unrequited love. Though, I hope as the story continues, it won't be unrequited forever :)!
January 15, 2024
How do you feel when your childhood friend turns into your crush, all the while he rises into stardom?
This is a cute shoujo manga, with your average highschool girl, Chiaki, who has to deal with her angst, insecurities, and confusion. And of course, there are sweet moments caused by her crush & childhood-friend/model/actor, Subaru.
I like the art style, and I can see that the author is taking her time developing the story and the characters. I'll be waiting for the next installments for sure!
Thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
This is a cute shoujo manga, with your average highschool girl, Chiaki, who has to deal with her angst, insecurities, and confusion. And of course, there are sweet moments caused by her crush & childhood-friend/model/actor, Subaru.
I like the art style, and I can see that the author is taking her time developing the story and the characters. I'll be waiting for the next installments for sure!
Thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
May 18, 2023
Childhood friends to lovers excellence! Kodansha please give us this one 😭
February 20, 2024
5 Stars out of 5
I really really enjoyed this! Kodansha hasn't let me down at all recently, it's just hit after hit! The plot of a girl liking her best friend who is famous wasn't that unique but I don't think I've ever seen a story like this done with such a mature main character and that wasn't very heavily focused on high school life. It has been a while since I've enjoyed a shojo story this much but this took me back to my preteen self just absolutely devouring whatever romance series I got ahold of. I definitely recommend this to shojo readers and it is a series I will immediately start collecting physically the moment I am able to!
Disclaimer: I received an arc copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Also, sorry about any poor grammar I maybe am very drunk but have to get my words out this instant because I loved this so much and just want more.
I really really enjoyed this! Kodansha hasn't let me down at all recently, it's just hit after hit! The plot of a girl liking her best friend who is famous wasn't that unique but I don't think I've ever seen a story like this done with such a mature main character and that wasn't very heavily focused on high school life. It has been a while since I've enjoyed a shojo story this much but this took me back to my preteen self just absolutely devouring whatever romance series I got ahold of. I definitely recommend this to shojo readers and it is a series I will immediately start collecting physically the moment I am able to!
Disclaimer: I received an arc copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Also, sorry about any poor grammar I maybe am very drunk but have to get my words out this instant because I loved this so much and just want more.
March 20, 2024
I received this from the published in exchange for a review. All opinions are mine and are uninfluenced.
This is a cute coming-of-age high school romance between childhood friends, one being an ordinary girl and the other a model/actor. I don't mind stories like this every so often. It's cute and refreshing. My only issue is that I'm tired of very insecure and naive female leads which is what most shojo manga main characters are. I don't know if I'll continue this series because of it, but I definitely think if you like childhood friends to lovers then you'll enjoy this
This is a cute coming-of-age high school romance between childhood friends, one being an ordinary girl and the other a model/actor. I don't mind stories like this every so often. It's cute and refreshing. My only issue is that I'm tired of very insecure and naive female leads which is what most shojo manga main characters are. I don't know if I'll continue this series because of it, but I definitely think if you like childhood friends to lovers then you'll enjoy this
February 18, 2024
Absolutely loved thisssss! What an adorable start to a new series and I loved that we got to see an extra for Ran the Peerless Beauty, too! Highly recommend this manga to anyone looking for something cute and fluffy that also makes you laugh! I can’t wait to see where this one goes!
March 2, 2024
Cuuuute!!! Subaru is a sweetie and the chemistry with Chi is too adorable 😭
February 3, 2025
This was such a cute and fun read! I loved seeing their dynamic and how much they leaned on each other! I can’t wait to see their friendship blossom into something more in the future volumes!
February 20, 2025
cute 😭
April 11, 2025
An instant fav! Which is not surprising because she wrote one of my other favorites ‘Ran The Peerless Beauty’
This was so cute, refreshing, and so funny! I needed a good laugh 😂
This was so cute, refreshing, and so funny! I needed a good laugh 😂
August 13, 2025
Cheesy junk food for the heart. Love the art style. Would make a fab kdrama.
December 2, 2025
They’re both so painfully oblivious it actually made me feral aaaaaa I tore through this volume and honestly had such a blast with it.
June 29, 2024
3.5 stars
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