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時空異邦人KYOKO [Time Stranger Kyoko] #1
Time Stranger Kyoko, Vol. 01
Kyoko Suomi is the princess of Earth in the 30th century. Kyoko lives among the commoners, unwilling to reveal her true identity and ascend the throne. The king will allow Kyoko to live as she pleases if she can revive her twin sister Ui, who has been trapped in time since birth.
As Kyoko's 16th birthday approaches, crowds are rioting as Kyoko refuses to present herself to her subjects. But in order to revive Ui, she must find 12 holy stones and 12 telepaths to move the clock that has stopped time for her sister.
As Kyoko's 16th birthday approaches, crowds are rioting as Kyoko refuses to present herself to her subjects. But in order to revive Ui, she must find 12 holy stones and 12 telepaths to move the clock that has stopped time for her sister.
200 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2001
10 people are currently reading
751 people want to read
About the author
Arina Tanemura
183 books1,018 followersName in Japanese: 種村有菜 (Tanemura Arina)
Western Zodiac: Pisces
Arina Tanemura was born on March 12, 1978. She's the author of Full Moon O Sagashite, Time Stranger Kyoko, Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, Sakura Hime Kaden, and more.
Her favorite hobby is Karaoke. One song that she sings is Smile, originally by Myco. She has two cats, named Riku and Kai. She has one elder and one younger sister and one brother. She's the type who hates to lose in anything. She also likes Ribon.
Western Zodiac: Pisces
Arina Tanemura was born on March 12, 1978. She's the author of Full Moon O Sagashite, Time Stranger Kyoko, Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, Sakura Hime Kaden, and more.
Her favorite hobby is Karaoke. One song that she sings is Smile, originally by Myco. She has two cats, named Riku and Kai. She has one elder and one younger sister and one brother. She's the type who hates to lose in anything. She also likes Ribon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
April 21, 2020
I recently rearranged my bookshelves and realized that I still have this gem at home!
It's been ages I last read this and I guess I might give it a new try. Hopefully I'll like it as much as the last time around or maybe my opinion changed?
It's always interesting to reread older books (in this case Mangas) and to see how your personal opinion changed with the years. XD
Did any of you read this or am I the only Arina Tanemura fan? *lol*
It's been ages I last read this and I guess I might give it a new try. Hopefully I'll like it as much as the last time around or maybe my opinion changed?
It's always interesting to reread older books (in this case Mangas) and to see how your personal opinion changed with the years. XD
Did any of you read this or am I the only Arina Tanemura fan? *lol*
August 29, 2016
It had its cute moments but overall it wasn't for me. The story line and characters didn't really hook me. I won't be pursuing the others in the series.
March 11, 2018
Review for complete series
In the 30th century, Princess Kyoko lives among the commoners keeping her identity a secret. When her sixteenth birthday draws near, her father the King insists she prepares for her first public outing - or otherwise, find a way to awaken her twin sister Princess Ui who has been trapped in sleep since their birth. For her sister to wake, Kyoko must find the twelve Time Strangers who, when combined, can shift the clock which holds Ui captive.
Time Stranger Kyoko will leave me sad forever. Although set in the 30th century, the world seems more like an alternative universe. They have technology beyond what we know today, but most elements of this world seem more of a medieval-fantasy setting - a mixture I quite appreciate. This world does not only include powers to shift time but also holds fantasy creatures such as demons, dragons and shape-shifting humans.
Now add to this world the solid cast of the spoiled, stubborn but kind-hearted Princess Kyoko, her bodyguards the two Dragon Prince brothers who couldn't be more unlike, a giant-snake-riding thieving gang, and another lot of enigmatic Strangers to find. The author plays with humour which can sometimes go way over the top but works just right with these characters and their quest.
So what went wrong? I have no doubt that this story was axed. We are introduced to two of the twelve strangers within the first volume, three more in the second volume and - well that leaves the third and final volume to introduce the remaining seven characters. And all of that happens on hardly a page. I just can't imagine that this story, of which the first two volumes had great pacing, was meant to be wrapped up in three volumes. The Strangers are all unique in personality and design and I am sure the author had more in mind than just whacking them in the way she did.
As a result, the whole of the final volume is rushed. After quickly throwing in the rest of the Strangers, all open questions are tied up much faster than one would like and often brushing off serious incidents just in order for the plot to move on. Time Stranger Kyoko could have easily been one of the author's best works had she but had the time to let the characters and plot unfold - but as it is, the story is cut short when it would have needed far more than twice the amount of volumes it actually had.
Although I still love this - there is just so much fun in it - I will never get over thinking about how great it could have been.
February 9, 2018
5 Sterne
Time Stranger Kyoko ist die Serie, die Arina Tanemura direkt nach Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne erfunden und gezeichnet hat. Dieser Manga zählt zwar nicht zu den Magical Girls genre, ist aber schon im Fantasy genre eingereiht, zu Mal in der Zukunft spielt mit nicht menschenähnlichen Kreaturen und Welten.
Arina Tanemura hat in diesen Manga genauso viel Liebe hineingesteckt wie in Jeanne. Die Figuren sind toll gezeichnet und die Geschichte ist auch fässelnd.
Kyoko ist am Anfang eher gewöhnungsbedürftig und ist scheint sehr verwöhnt und selbstsüchtig. Doch nach ein paar Kapiteln ist auch klar, dass Kyokos Herz doch reiner ist als man anfänglich annimmt.
Die Geschichte, die im 30. Jahrhundert spielt, ist total toll. Auch die Idee mit den 12 Strangern und deren Kräften ist super.
Sakataki ist wohl mein Lieblingscharakter in der ganzen Serie.
Wenn ihr Jeanne mochtet und generell Arinas Werke super findet, dann ist Time Stranger Kyoko genau die richtige Geschichte für euch.
Dieser Band enthält vier Kapitel und ein Interlude über die kleine Kyoko, den kleinen Sakataki und den kleinen Hizuki. <3
Lieblings-Kapitelbilder: 2, Interlude
Time Stranger Kyoko ist die Serie, die Arina Tanemura direkt nach Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne erfunden und gezeichnet hat. Dieser Manga zählt zwar nicht zu den Magical Girls genre, ist aber schon im Fantasy genre eingereiht, zu Mal in der Zukunft spielt mit nicht menschenähnlichen Kreaturen und Welten.
Arina Tanemura hat in diesen Manga genauso viel Liebe hineingesteckt wie in Jeanne. Die Figuren sind toll gezeichnet und die Geschichte ist auch fässelnd.
Kyoko ist am Anfang eher gewöhnungsbedürftig und ist scheint sehr verwöhnt und selbstsüchtig. Doch nach ein paar Kapiteln ist auch klar, dass Kyokos Herz doch reiner ist als man anfänglich annimmt.
Die Geschichte, die im 30. Jahrhundert spielt, ist total toll. Auch die Idee mit den 12 Strangern und deren Kräften ist super.
Sakataki ist wohl mein Lieblingscharakter in der ganzen Serie.
Wenn ihr Jeanne mochtet und generell Arinas Werke super findet, dann ist Time Stranger Kyoko genau die richtige Geschichte für euch.
Dieser Band enthält vier Kapitel und ein Interlude über die kleine Kyoko, den kleinen Sakataki und den kleinen Hizuki. <3
Lieblings-Kapitelbilder: 2, Interlude
January 14, 2015
This looks like another great series by Arina Tanemura. The characters all seem interesting and the plot drew me I and made me want to see what happens next. I also thought the bonus chapter at the end about how Kyoko met Sakataki & Hizuki was really cute.
Contains Chapters 1 - 4
Chapter 01: There is but One Past: The Future is in Your Heart
Chapter 02: The Race Against Time
Chapter 03: The Timing of Two
Chapter 04: Because It's You, I Am Here
Bonus Story: Little Princess
Contains Chapters 1 - 4
Chapter 01: There is but One Past: The Future is in Your Heart
Chapter 02: The Race Against Time
Chapter 03: The Timing of Two
Chapter 04: Because It's You, I Am Here
Bonus Story: Little Princess
June 7, 2018
The pacing is bad, the gravity of situations terrible, the introduction to the world set up lacking... I get what the author was attempting to do, but it falls short in so many ways to be disappointing. I wanted to like it, but it's too choppy and ridiculous.
May 24, 2010
Very cute and original, I couldn't put it down.
!!!!
Re-read, I really like how it started out. The art is drawn very well and the story line is cute.
!!!!
Re-read, I really like how it started out. The art is drawn very well and the story line is cute.
October 5, 2009
Crossing the barriers of time, this princess loves her people, yet is a little bit selfish. Not the best Tanemura novel I have read
February 3, 2010
This manga is a really cool story and i like the world.
November 5, 2012
I'm hesitant to criticize because I know how manga writers take things to heart, and that these books are their artistic babies. I will just say this series is just not for me.
April 6, 2020
Reread!
Last year I decided to reread all my Arina Tanemura Mangas, to see if my opinions have changed since I was a teen. Due to renovations in my house and Mangas being packed away for a while, I didn’t get to finish it. So, I decided to continue it now with Time Stranger Kyoko one of my all time favorite series back in the day. I‘ve read it countless times when it first came out, but haven’t done so in ages. So, let’s if it still holds up.
It’s the 30th century and earth has become one big kingdom, inhabited by humans and kirit, hybrids between humans and other species (like dragons). Kyoko Suomi is Princess of the Earth Nation, but hides her true identity to live a normal live. When her 16th birthday approaches her father wants to present her to the public for the first time, but she is reluctant to give up her ordinary life. He suggests then that Kyoko should try to awake her twin sister Ui, who has been in a magical sleep since birth. To do so she has to find 12 magic stones and their owners. Together they have to to use their powers to move a giant clock to get Ui to wake up. Kyoko, aided by her bodyguards, brothers Sakataki and Hizuki, tries to solve the mystery of the 12 and her sister.
It’s a great fantasy story. It combines classic fantasy elements with modern technology and unique approaches to old tropes. The setting of the 30th century is interesting. It is modern, yet paired with medieval aspects and magic. Arina created a very interesting world to explore for the characters and the readers.
The kirit and different clans of people also work very well. We only meet a few in this first volume but it’s obvious that this world has a lot of unique characters and forms of magic.
The artwook is obviously amazing, though the character design is often criticized as being too close to Arina‘s previous series Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne. And yeah, I can see that. Kyoko is Maron with pointy ears and Sakataki basically Chiaki, but at least their personalities are different.
Kyoko is the kind of protagonist I personally find most interesting, because she is very flawed. Stubborn and selfish, mostly out to serve her own interests, she is not initially one heroine to root for. She wants to save her sister for her own sake or only helps Sakataki with a problem to make use out of it, but it becomes clear that there is more to her than meets the eye. She is a character constantly growing and evolving and aren’t those the best kind? Sakataki is serious and focused and portrayed as a bit of a buzzkill, but he as well has more layers. He is also noble and honorable, brave and loyal. His backstory is also very explanatory for his behavior. He has always been one of my favorite leading man when it comes to Arina‘s works and I‘m glad that hasn’t changed. His brother Hizuki is more carefree and open and kind, but there is a secret attached to him that is already set up in the first volume. The side characters are also fun. There’s Kyoko‘s friend Karen, who his very beautiful and kind, her over-the-top father and his android and mascot Chokora and robber Widoseek with his gang, who is brilliant and hilarious. I can’t believe I forgot about this character for so long.
The story is still intriguing and set up in a great way, so are the characters and their relationships. I still love the budding romance between polar opposites Kyoko and Sakataki top pieces. I‘m glad this first volume still holds up.
Last year I decided to reread all my Arina Tanemura Mangas, to see if my opinions have changed since I was a teen. Due to renovations in my house and Mangas being packed away for a while, I didn’t get to finish it. So, I decided to continue it now with Time Stranger Kyoko one of my all time favorite series back in the day. I‘ve read it countless times when it first came out, but haven’t done so in ages. So, let’s if it still holds up.
It’s the 30th century and earth has become one big kingdom, inhabited by humans and kirit, hybrids between humans and other species (like dragons). Kyoko Suomi is Princess of the Earth Nation, but hides her true identity to live a normal live. When her 16th birthday approaches her father wants to present her to the public for the first time, but she is reluctant to give up her ordinary life. He suggests then that Kyoko should try to awake her twin sister Ui, who has been in a magical sleep since birth. To do so she has to find 12 magic stones and their owners. Together they have to to use their powers to move a giant clock to get Ui to wake up. Kyoko, aided by her bodyguards, brothers Sakataki and Hizuki, tries to solve the mystery of the 12 and her sister.
It’s a great fantasy story. It combines classic fantasy elements with modern technology and unique approaches to old tropes. The setting of the 30th century is interesting. It is modern, yet paired with medieval aspects and magic. Arina created a very interesting world to explore for the characters and the readers.
The kirit and different clans of people also work very well. We only meet a few in this first volume but it’s obvious that this world has a lot of unique characters and forms of magic.
The artwook is obviously amazing, though the character design is often criticized as being too close to Arina‘s previous series Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne. And yeah, I can see that. Kyoko is Maron with pointy ears and Sakataki basically Chiaki, but at least their personalities are different.
Kyoko is the kind of protagonist I personally find most interesting, because she is very flawed. Stubborn and selfish, mostly out to serve her own interests, she is not initially one heroine to root for. She wants to save her sister for her own sake or only helps Sakataki with a problem to make use out of it, but it becomes clear that there is more to her than meets the eye. She is a character constantly growing and evolving and aren’t those the best kind? Sakataki is serious and focused and portrayed as a bit of a buzzkill, but he as well has more layers. He is also noble and honorable, brave and loyal. His backstory is also very explanatory for his behavior. He has always been one of my favorite leading man when it comes to Arina‘s works and I‘m glad that hasn’t changed. His brother Hizuki is more carefree and open and kind, but there is a secret attached to him that is already set up in the first volume. The side characters are also fun. There’s Kyoko‘s friend Karen, who his very beautiful and kind, her over-the-top father and his android and mascot Chokora and robber Widoseek with his gang, who is brilliant and hilarious. I can’t believe I forgot about this character for so long.
The story is still intriguing and set up in a great way, so are the characters and their relationships. I still love the budding romance between polar opposites Kyoko and Sakataki top pieces. I‘m glad this first volume still holds up.
January 23, 2022
My journey through reading Arina Tanemura titles I've never picked up before thanks to my sister not wanting them any longer continues! Yeah, that's right, I've also never read Time Stranger Kyoko, though I do remember my sister picking this up and being excited for it back in the day. (It even still has its price sticker from Borders, talk about a hit to the nostalgia!) Thankfully this series is only three volumes long, which means I'll be able to knock it out quickly and decide whether or not to keep it or to sell it as a set on Mercari. (Kind of dreading having to tackle The Gentleman's Alliance Cross.) I will say however, that after having read I.O.N., picking this volume up reminded me how much the samefacing in Tanemura's style has always irritated me.
Anyway, Time Stranger Kyoko. There isn't much that I can say here that isn't already summed up in the book description, at least regarding the plot. If you're a fan of shoujo, magical girls, or any of Arina Tanemura's other manga series, you're probably going to like this. I'm probably being a little harsh in my rating, but there's a lot of formulaic aspects to her work that are just as present here as they are in the other stuff by her that I've read, and I personally do tire of that rather quickly. This isn't to say that her work, much less this story, isn't enjoyable! It very much is, and it's lighthearted enough to serve as a good palate cleanser between other, heavier reads. It just tends to be a little stale, at least in my opinion, and for this trilogy, it's likely only the unique setting and world-building that has kept me invested in reading the rest of it. But do take that with a grain of salt, I'm not the easiest reader to please.
Anyway, Time Stranger Kyoko. There isn't much that I can say here that isn't already summed up in the book description, at least regarding the plot. If you're a fan of shoujo, magical girls, or any of Arina Tanemura's other manga series, you're probably going to like this. I'm probably being a little harsh in my rating, but there's a lot of formulaic aspects to her work that are just as present here as they are in the other stuff by her that I've read, and I personally do tire of that rather quickly. This isn't to say that her work, much less this story, isn't enjoyable! It very much is, and it's lighthearted enough to serve as a good palate cleanser between other, heavier reads. It just tends to be a little stale, at least in my opinion, and for this trilogy, it's likely only the unique setting and world-building that has kept me invested in reading the rest of it. But do take that with a grain of salt, I'm not the easiest reader to please.
December 27, 2025
(English copy from my Instagram @agamundisr_escritor / @leyendoconalice)
Konnichiwa, readers 🌸
Today I bring you a review of Time Stranger Kyoko, the manga by Arina Tanemura published in the early 2000s. A short work, yet one filled with ideas, aesthetics, and emotions very characteristic of shōjo manga of its time. With that said, let’s begin:
📖 Time Stranger Kyoko takes us to a future where Earth is unified under a single government. Kyoko Suomi is the princess heir, although her greatest wish is to live like a normal girl. To avoid becoming queen, she is given an impossible condition: gather the Strangers, individuals with special powers, and awaken her twin sister Ui, trapped in a sleep connected to time itself.
📖 Fantasy becomes a vehicle for deeply human themes. Tanemura reflects on identity, destiny, and the weight of roles imposed from birth. Time travel, prophecies, and cosmic entities are not mere spectacle, but clear metaphors for the adolescent struggle: growing up, choosing for oneself, and accepting the consequences of those choices.
📖 Romance and family drama complete the picture. Kyoko does not only face external threats, but also her own feelings, her responsibilities, and the idea of sacrifice. The story moves at a fast pace, alternating lighthearted moments with intense dramatic turns, very typical of early-2000s fantasy shōjo manga.
🌸 Conclusion: Time Stranger Kyoko is a concise yet emotionally powerful work. While not Arina Tanemura’s most mature title, it overflows with sincerity, symbolism, and passion. An ideal read for those who enjoy classic shōjo, tragic romance, and stories about choosing one’s own destiny.
Rating: 4🌸
Arigato gozaimasu for your time 🌸
Konnichiwa, readers 🌸
Today I bring you a review of Time Stranger Kyoko, the manga by Arina Tanemura published in the early 2000s. A short work, yet one filled with ideas, aesthetics, and emotions very characteristic of shōjo manga of its time. With that said, let’s begin:
📖 Time Stranger Kyoko takes us to a future where Earth is unified under a single government. Kyoko Suomi is the princess heir, although her greatest wish is to live like a normal girl. To avoid becoming queen, she is given an impossible condition: gather the Strangers, individuals with special powers, and awaken her twin sister Ui, trapped in a sleep connected to time itself.
📖 Fantasy becomes a vehicle for deeply human themes. Tanemura reflects on identity, destiny, and the weight of roles imposed from birth. Time travel, prophecies, and cosmic entities are not mere spectacle, but clear metaphors for the adolescent struggle: growing up, choosing for oneself, and accepting the consequences of those choices.
📖 Romance and family drama complete the picture. Kyoko does not only face external threats, but also her own feelings, her responsibilities, and the idea of sacrifice. The story moves at a fast pace, alternating lighthearted moments with intense dramatic turns, very typical of early-2000s fantasy shōjo manga.
🌸 Conclusion: Time Stranger Kyoko is a concise yet emotionally powerful work. While not Arina Tanemura’s most mature title, it overflows with sincerity, symbolism, and passion. An ideal read for those who enjoy classic shōjo, tragic romance, and stories about choosing one’s own destiny.
Rating: 4🌸
Arigato gozaimasu for your time 🌸
February 23, 2020
Ci ho messo solo sei anni per leggerlo... Era lì che mi guardava dal mucchio di numeri uno mai letti e adesso mi è venuta voglia di provare a leggere Arina Tanemura. Ho recentemente finito Ogni nostro venerdì e ho fatto una grandissima fatica a causa dell'età dei protagonisti.
Così, visto che le storie reali non le riescono bene, ho provato con una delle sue storie fantasy. Risultato: Meh!
Allora, Kyoko non vuole fare la principessa e il padre le dice: «Se svegli tua sorella, che dorme da sedici anni, lei prenderà il tuo poso e tu potrai essere libera!» Ok, ma chiedere il parere della sorella, prima di decidere tutto?
I personaggi sono anche simpatici ma ho fatto tanta fatica a leggere questo primo volumetto. Speriamo bene per gli altri due.
Così, visto che le storie reali non le riescono bene, ho provato con una delle sue storie fantasy. Risultato: Meh!
Allora, Kyoko non vuole fare la principessa e il padre le dice: «Se svegli tua sorella, che dorme da sedici anni, lei prenderà il tuo poso e tu potrai essere libera!» Ok, ma chiedere il parere della sorella, prima di decidere tutto?
I personaggi sono anche simpatici ma ho fatto tanta fatica a leggere questo primo volumetto. Speriamo bene per gli altri due.
October 7, 2023
Perfectly fine first volume. Kyoko is fun, somewhat vain but obviously cares about her friends and is willing to put herself on the line to save them. I always feel like there's something bigger beneath the surface for her, like how much she talks up being great and wanting nice things hides how much she really wants to meet her sister and speak with her. The actual premise of collecting mcaguffins to unlock a seal? Ehhhh. Immediately using time travel to get yourself a pretty dress? YEAHHHH
May 3, 2024
Sweet, magical, and lots of fun! I love reading Arina Tanemura's work. Her stories and art style always have an originality to them unique to this mangaka. I love these characters! The interactions between the princess and her bodyguards are so much fun! There are lots of sweet, fun, and amusing moments throughout this volume. I am looking forward to reading more from this series! I very highly recommend! The art in this series is so beautiful!
April 9, 2020
I first read this manga when I was in middle school and liked it a lot. This is my first time reading it again since then, and it’s not quite as much fun as I remembered. Or rather... it’s a bit more slapstick than I remember.
November 14, 2017
Not her best one. Hope the other two are better.
January 18, 2018
3.5 stars
January 31, 2018
Den är helt okej med underbara täckningar.
May 13, 2018
Loved this! May end up keeping the series for myself!
April 24, 2021
I liked this manga
June 5, 2021
Relectura de mi infancia, manga cortito, bien dibujado, y con su dosis de humor y romance.
December 2, 2021
I like it so far, but the pet cat/human Android Chocola really creeps me out.
June 30, 2022
This series is probably aimed at preteen girls, so an old man is not the best judge. I've seen better, I've seen worse.
February 16, 2023
Just too silly.
November 16, 2023
Eines meiner liebsten Arina Tanemura Mangas bis heute - immer wieder gut.
August 31, 2025
I'm obsessed 😍
January 1, 2026
DNF. It just feels to chaotic for me and I don't think I will read on :/
September 20, 2024
Heboh banget ya ceritanya. 🤣 Much more fun than Full Moon wo Sagashite, sih.
Di sini kekuatan Strangers yang bangkit adalah kekuatan Sakataki dari Klan Naga dan Karen dari Klan Bunga.
Di sini kekuatan Strangers yang bangkit adalah kekuatan Sakataki dari Klan Naga dan Karen dari Klan Bunga.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews