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Mars [マース] #2
Mars, Vol. 2
Rei promised Kira that he would protect her from anything and everything, but he never knew how soon his chance would come. When a conniving classmate steals Kira's original painting, Rei quickly stands up for her, but his efforts are hardly rewarded. He gets kicked out of school, and now it looks like he might become a permanent dropout. Suddenly, "good girl" Kira finds herself in the middle of a bad situation. She'll need more than a little luck if she ever wants to rescue Rei and salvage her hopes for a future romance.
208 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 1996
116 people are currently reading
555 people want to read
About the author
Fuyumi Soryo
149 books351 followersFuyumi Soryo (惣領冬実) is a Japanese manga artist from Beppu, Oita, Japan. She is a graduate of the Oita prefectural Geijutsu Midorigaoka High School.
She was born into the home of a master of the Kanze school of Noh. In her childhood she liked to draw pictures of horses and things but had no special interest in manga. While enrolled in fashion college, she happened across Shogakukan's Rookie of the Year Contest and applied to raise money for the Sōen fashion contest. There she received an honorable mention, and debuted with "Sunspot Visitor" (Hidamari no hōmonsha) published in the April 1982 edition of Bessatsu Shōjo Comic (now Bestucomi).
Her works translated abroad include Mars and Eternal Sabbath. In 1988, she was awarded the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo manga for Boyfriend. Currently her last manga series is Cesare which centers around the infamous Borgia family of the Italian Renaissance and Cesare Borgia himself.
She was born into the home of a master of the Kanze school of Noh. In her childhood she liked to draw pictures of horses and things but had no special interest in manga. While enrolled in fashion college, she happened across Shogakukan's Rookie of the Year Contest and applied to raise money for the Sōen fashion contest. There she received an honorable mention, and debuted with "Sunspot Visitor" (Hidamari no hōmonsha) published in the April 1982 edition of Bessatsu Shōjo Comic (now Bestucomi).
Her works translated abroad include Mars and Eternal Sabbath. In 1988, she was awarded the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo manga for Boyfriend. Currently her last manga series is Cesare which centers around the infamous Borgia family of the Italian Renaissance and Cesare Borgia himself.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
October 28, 2015
Not really any worse than Vol. 1, but I'm not sure how long the slight plot can sustain a series. I guess they can always show more motorcycle racing...
I like that, contrary to the blurb, Rei and Kira are not really a "bad boy" and a "good* girl" but a boy who is dealing poorly with trauma and a girl who also clearly has some issues.
*Actually, it is kind of disturbing how a girl being pathologically shy and unable to stand up for herself still gets shorthanded as "good".
I like that, contrary to the blurb, Rei and Kira are not really a "bad boy" and a "good* girl" but a boy who is dealing poorly with trauma and a girl who also clearly has some issues.
*Actually, it is kind of disturbing how a girl being pathologically shy and unable to stand up for herself still gets shorthanded as "good".
August 30, 2023
Even though at first I was put off by this art style, I still think it shows great skill and some pages are downright beautiful. The story so far is so good, and has no dull moments throughout. I don't know if the author is going to keep this pace until the end, but anyhow this manga is very impressive. No wonder so many people love it! Not to mention that the romance between the characters has some of my favourite tropes so 🤌
July 6, 2022
The plot is getting thicker
First, I can't believe I fell asleep literally four pages to the end! I mean, it was already 4am what do you expect.
Anyway, this is actually better than the first volume. I love how this volume went deeper to discuss about Rei's mental health and his traumas. And also let us on Rei and Kira's relationship getting stronger. Those were pretty wholesome moments. Rei needs Kira. With her, he's peaceful and calm, and he can be honest. I love how it complete changed course. And why is the art so pretty, I'm crying!
Also, comiXology zoom feature is such a delight (all manga here should be like this!)
First, I can't believe I fell asleep literally four pages to the end! I mean, it was already 4am what do you expect.
Anyway, this is actually better than the first volume. I love how this volume went deeper to discuss about Rei's mental health and his traumas. And also let us on Rei and Kira's relationship getting stronger. Those were pretty wholesome moments. Rei needs Kira. With her, he's peaceful and calm, and he can be honest. I love how it complete changed course. And why is the art so pretty, I'm crying!
Also, comiXology zoom feature is such a delight (all manga here should be like this!)
May 12, 2021
➳ My full review to come...
TRIGGER WARNING: Contains bullying, abuse, violence, suicide, and psychological content.
➦ I was able to access this manga content exclusively from comiXology via Amazon Prime Reading.
TRIGGER WARNING: Contains bullying, abuse, violence, suicide, and psychological content.
➦ I was able to access this manga content exclusively from comiXology via Amazon Prime Reading.
March 19, 2025
Oh nooon…… j’ai peur que la fin m’apporte un nvx trauma
January 4, 2023
Un sacco di dramma in un solo volumetto.
November 1, 2021
Definitely enjoying this 90's era series. Glad it's free with my Prime membership 😂
December 1, 2024
Rei would joke around with people a lot and it usually ended up getting him and/or Kira in trouble. You would think he would learn not to be so sarcastic all the time.
The teachers all claiming that they had thought Rei would be “the best student in the history of the school” sounded so outrageous and dramatic. Putting that kind of pressure on a student could be a lot no matter the kid's circumstances, and Rei was going through a lot emotionally. If the teachers had known that he was struggling so much, maybe he could have gotten the right support from the school.
It was great that Rei tried to defend Kira when her artwork got stolen, but he took it too far. The way he went about it was why he got suspended from school. Surely there were other ways he could have handled that situation.
The girls in Kira’s class were insane. They would witness a small scene of something that was going on in her life, and then they would make up a story to make it sound like Kira was a player. Where they even got these kinds of theories from doesn’t make sense. These girls were just bullies.
It was nice to see Rei and Kira being able to support each other through their trauma. Rei had lost both his mother and his twin brother, while Kira lost her father. I can’t wait to hear more about what led up to the incident with Rei’s twin brother, Sei.
The teachers all claiming that they had thought Rei would be “the best student in the history of the school” sounded so outrageous and dramatic. Putting that kind of pressure on a student could be a lot no matter the kid's circumstances, and Rei was going through a lot emotionally. If the teachers had known that he was struggling so much, maybe he could have gotten the right support from the school.
It was great that Rei tried to defend Kira when her artwork got stolen, but he took it too far. The way he went about it was why he got suspended from school. Surely there were other ways he could have handled that situation.
The girls in Kira’s class were insane. They would witness a small scene of something that was going on in her life, and then they would make up a story to make it sound like Kira was a player. Where they even got these kinds of theories from doesn’t make sense. These girls were just bullies.
It was nice to see Rei and Kira being able to support each other through their trauma. Rei had lost both his mother and his twin brother, while Kira lost her father. I can’t wait to hear more about what led up to the incident with Rei’s twin brother, Sei.
August 9, 2023
«Las heridas psicológicas no son como las físicas, no se trata de estar mejor o no. Sino de vencerlas».
Es una historia sobre «lo que opinan de ellos» y «lo que son en realidad». A Rei lo tienen encasillado en un estereotipo que en su mundo interior no cumple. Me hace pensar en Ash de Banana Fish. Ponen demasiadas expectativas sobre un personaje mentalmente inestable y que está atravesando las fases del duelo.
Kira es otra idea, lo que suponen de ella. Lo que creen que debería hacer. También se encuentra superando una muerte. Aunque a ratos me hace rabiar los comentarios adolescentes de los demás personajes, esta historia se encuentra escalando en profundidad.
Me parece innecesario que hayan agregado un suicido y un intento de, en un sólo volumen. Suficiente impacto. Necesito un descanso.
Es una historia sobre «lo que opinan de ellos» y «lo que son en realidad». A Rei lo tienen encasillado en un estereotipo que en su mundo interior no cumple. Me hace pensar en Ash de Banana Fish. Ponen demasiadas expectativas sobre un personaje mentalmente inestable y que está atravesando las fases del duelo.
Kira es otra idea, lo que suponen de ella. Lo que creen que debería hacer. También se encuentra superando una muerte. Aunque a ratos me hace rabiar los comentarios adolescentes de los demás personajes, esta historia se encuentra escalando en profundidad.
Me parece innecesario que hayan agregado un suicido y un intento de, en un sólo volumen. Suficiente impacto. Necesito un descanso.
June 19, 2023
*3.5 stars ⭐️
this is very reminiscent of the good girl x bad boy stories i used to read on wattpad and im not complaining its very nostalgic and im enjoying the story. Rei and Kira are cute together although the romance is very fast paced. Also Rei’s past is very interesting and I cant wait to find out more about his backstory
this is very reminiscent of the good girl x bad boy stories i used to read on wattpad and im not complaining its very nostalgic and im enjoying the story. Rei and Kira are cute together although the romance is very fast paced. Also Rei’s past is very interesting and I cant wait to find out more about his backstory
June 17, 2020
4.5 -
This was better than the first! It was so sweet but realistic at the same time. Some shojos are just so overwhelming with their naivety. This one isn’t.
It’s so dated though! In one scene, Rei is playing on a Gameboy. I think he’s playing Marioland but I’m not 100% sure.
TW: Suicide (mentioned and briefly shown), PSTD, panic attacks
This was better than the first! It was so sweet but realistic at the same time. Some shojos are just so overwhelming with their naivety. This one isn’t.
It’s so dated though! In one scene, Rei is playing on a Gameboy. I think he’s playing Marioland but I’m not 100% sure.
TW: Suicide (mentioned and briefly shown), PSTD, panic attacks
May 17, 2023
Every time I reread this series I fall in love even more with Rei and Kira. ❤️
June 19, 2019
Very intense! Trigger warnings so suicide!!!!
I hope we start to talk about it!!
(3.5 stars)
It’s interesting learning about the characters but this is a heavy drama!!!
I hope we start to talk about it!!
(3.5 stars)
It’s interesting learning about the characters but this is a heavy drama!!!
February 9, 2022
So ends Vol 2 in the Mars series.
Rei and Kira grow closer when he models for her drawings (fully clothed, of course). But stress comes in the form of another art student who is jealous of Kira's talent, as well as a group of seniors who rough up Rei. Or they attempt to rough him up only he gets them back so badly that he gets suspended. When his suspension is up, Rei still isn't back in school, so Kira plays hooky and tracks him down. During their special day together, Kira learns some of the truth to Rei's personality and when a panic attack sets in, he lets her in deeper than he's ever let anyone else. Psychological damage is the name of the game for Rei, but it seems that just maybe Kira's the person who can pull him back from the edge.
Oh my gosh, I love this series. It's insane and brilliant at the same time.
We learn a little bit more about Rei in this volume, but at this point going forward, I can't say too much or I'll start giving away plot points, and I don't want to do that.
One of the best things, though, and I can say this, is Rei is changing. He's maturing from the horny teenage boy who's fine sleeping with any girl who shows an interest. He's taken a genuine interest in Kira, and as he discovers just how inexperienced she is with romantic relationships, he knows enough to take it really slow. Kira's so inexperienced, she didn't know when to breathe as they share their first kisses so she almost passed out, sending him into absolute panic mode! I mean, really, they're supremely cute.
Another thing I love is that they're openly affectionate. Society around them gawks and stares, but they don't care about any of that. As their fondness for one another is developing into something deeper, they don't feel like they should have to hide what they're feeling. And I'm not even saying that they're making out on the street, because they're really not. He hugged her in the mall, one of those lifting the girl off the ground hugs. That moment makes me smile every time.
Content has a bit more of a shounen leaning in this one. Rei's vicious in a fight and he's a biter, something you don't see in shoujo manga normally. Which is why I continue to believe that Mars is in a genre all its own, a unique blending of boy's and girl's manga that I've never found anywhere else.
On to Vol 3!
Rei and Kira grow closer when he models for her drawings (fully clothed, of course). But stress comes in the form of another art student who is jealous of Kira's talent, as well as a group of seniors who rough up Rei. Or they attempt to rough him up only he gets them back so badly that he gets suspended. When his suspension is up, Rei still isn't back in school, so Kira plays hooky and tracks him down. During their special day together, Kira learns some of the truth to Rei's personality and when a panic attack sets in, he lets her in deeper than he's ever let anyone else. Psychological damage is the name of the game for Rei, but it seems that just maybe Kira's the person who can pull him back from the edge.
Oh my gosh, I love this series. It's insane and brilliant at the same time.
We learn a little bit more about Rei in this volume, but at this point going forward, I can't say too much or I'll start giving away plot points, and I don't want to do that.
One of the best things, though, and I can say this, is Rei is changing. He's maturing from the horny teenage boy who's fine sleeping with any girl who shows an interest. He's taken a genuine interest in Kira, and as he discovers just how inexperienced she is with romantic relationships, he knows enough to take it really slow. Kira's so inexperienced, she didn't know when to breathe as they share their first kisses so she almost passed out, sending him into absolute panic mode! I mean, really, they're supremely cute.
Another thing I love is that they're openly affectionate. Society around them gawks and stares, but they don't care about any of that. As their fondness for one another is developing into something deeper, they don't feel like they should have to hide what they're feeling. And I'm not even saying that they're making out on the street, because they're really not. He hugged her in the mall, one of those lifting the girl off the ground hugs. That moment makes me smile every time.
Content has a bit more of a shounen leaning in this one. Rei's vicious in a fight and he's a biter, something you don't see in shoujo manga normally. Which is why I continue to believe that Mars is in a genre all its own, a unique blending of boy's and girl's manga that I've never found anywhere else.
On to Vol 3!
December 19, 2019
The art was so pretty and the story is still so fun to read, even for someone like me who can’t understand grown up books.
October 14, 2020
This kind of feels like banana fish(if it was straight) a lot of scenes were sad,but they still looked adorable in their little museum date<3
December 4, 2020
Reread - still pretty good there were some parts that didn't age well but it didn't detract from the story for me
March 26, 2022
Not your typical happy shojo. Lots of dark topics, but gently expressed. 4, I am definitely hooked, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2022
We'll we are slowly learning why Rei acts the way he does sometimes.
November 17, 2022
I did not expect to be thrown into such an emotional rollercoaster 🙃
December 18, 2023
3.75 stars.
January 14, 2024
están idos de la olla todos me encantan
March 23, 2024
this is a lil more intense than i expected… sm drama. the romance is actually the cutest thing ever tho, my heart hurts from how adorable they are together ♡
December 10, 2025
Still a bit confused, but intrigued!
July 1, 2019
4 stars leaning towards 4.5 stars
January 16, 2022
3.75 stars. This is where the series becomes new to me. I didn't get far into the series when I was younger despite loving volume 1. This was a better improvement upon the first volume and it begins to develop and lay out the directions of the relationship of the main characters as well as psychological trauma and how they are grappling with that. Being a teenager is hard and this series does a good job of showing that emotional and mental stretch.
December 18, 2022
Feels very 90s shojo for how intense the school bullying is. Also suicide and related trauma is definitely going to be a big theme in this series
May 25, 2024
Same as the first volume. Not a lot of substance, or anything that's not been told before. Probably won't continue.
June 22, 2022
OK, jetzt wurde etwas kitschig und übertrieben, auch wenn ich immer mal wieder über die Szenen lachen musste.
August 11, 2022
Trigger warnings for Q slur, attempted suicide, suicide, loss of loved ones, slight ptsd, violence, bullying.
This volume definitely got dark and grim very quickly. There are some aspects to the story that really reflect the times it was written in (the off handed comment that was homophobic), but it is hard to dismiss the story to just that. It’s harsh, and rough, but it’s also dreamy it a nightmare-ish way with the heavy emotions set deep into the characters and this story.
The mangka really is building that tension since the first volume, and you can feel that things are much worse for our protagonists than it may first seem, setting anxiety within the reader.
I guess a complain I have is I wish Kira had a more stronger part to the story right now. She doesn’t need to be loud to be well written, but often times I wish she would try to do more in situations. Hoping for some characters growth though!
All in all, the art and story was beautiful and heart breaking in this volume, and I can’t wait to pick up the next volume.
This volume definitely got dark and grim very quickly. There are some aspects to the story that really reflect the times it was written in (the off handed comment that was homophobic), but it is hard to dismiss the story to just that. It’s harsh, and rough, but it’s also dreamy it a nightmare-ish way with the heavy emotions set deep into the characters and this story.
The mangka really is building that tension since the first volume, and you can feel that things are much worse for our protagonists than it may first seem, setting anxiety within the reader.
I guess a complain I have is I wish Kira had a more stronger part to the story right now. She doesn’t need to be loud to be well written, but often times I wish she would try to do more in situations. Hoping for some characters growth though!
All in all, the art and story was beautiful and heart breaking in this volume, and I can’t wait to pick up the next volume.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews