Full Moon: 4 /À La Recherche De La Pleine Lune

満月をさがして [Full Moon wo Sagashite] #4

by Arina Tanemura

Mitsuki n'a plus qu'un an à vivre. C'est la révélation brutale que lui font deux « shinigami », des esprits chargés de conduire les humains vers la mort. La jeune fille, qui va sur ses 13 ans, est en effet atteinte d'un cancer de la gorge incurable. Mais Mitsuki ne se résigne pas à mourir si jeune. Pas avant d'avoir pu, au moins, remplir la promesse qu'elle a faite avec Eichi, son ami d'enfance : celui d'avoir réalisé son rêve lorsqu'ils se retrouveront.
Aussi, les shinigami acceptent de conclure un marché avec elle : pendant un an, ils feront tout pour faire d'elle une star de la chanson et l'aider à retrouver celui qu'elle aime. Grâce à leurs pouvoirs, Mitsuki pourra ainsi se transformer en une jeune femme et user normalement de sa voix. C'est le début d'une carrière périlleuse dans le show business...

Full moon wo sagashite est l'oeuvre d'une mangaka reconnue pour une oeuvre antérieure : Kamikaze Kaitô Jeanne . Avec Full moon , elle détourne les codes du manga dit de « Magical Girl » dans lesquels des très jeunes filles sont capables de changer d'apparence grâce à la magie, et offre une histoire à la fois drôle et romantique, mais aussi dure et terriblement poignante. Le parcours tumultueux de l'héroïne ne sera pas sans rappeler celui des « académiciens » et autres « nouvelles stars » bien connues du petit écran. Le manga a fait l'objet d'une adaptation en dessin animé au succès retentissant au Japon, qui a connu un grand succès outre-atlantique parmi les initiés.

Genres: Manga, Romance, Fantasy, Shojo, Graphic Novels, Comics, Young Adult

192 pages, Paperback

First published August 8, 2003

About the author

Name 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.

Reviews

[☾❀Apple✩ Blossom⋆｡˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Meroko, I wish for a happy ending for her too 😞

[Lindley Walter-smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The uneasy balance between cute magical girl/pop idol/bunnies and cats and tragedy in this story, always inherent in a magical girl story about a twelve year old with suicidal ideation dying of throat cancer, tips firmly over to the morbid depressingness side of things in this volume. The first half is about Mitsuke's unbearable pain, the final bit is Meroko's horrible backstory - I ended the volume in tears. Except for Meroko playing a fairy bunny rabbit for Mitsuke's family, this volume is all on the melodramatic side without much lightness. Mitsuke's career as Full Moon is barely touched on - just some vague guff about her not singing as well as she could because it's not from the heart, and learning to become a true singer by making up lyrics as she goes along and only doing one take (great professional advice, here), it's all about the tears.

Also, the creepiness inherent in the age differences in the romantic triangle are a bit hard to ignore here - sixteen year old/twelve year old romantic kissing scenes are just not fun.

The art and the character designs are however, as always, beautiful. It's the best kind of pretty shojou art, with great clothes. I was still drawn into the story and the strength of the characters emotions. I'm going to follow this one to the end.

[Tinka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread!

So, another intense volume. And it’s only getting more intense from here on.

This volume could basically be split into two different main storylines. The first one deals with the fall out of the Eichi-kun reveal and focuses on Mitsuki. The second part reveals Meroko‘s backstory and dives deep into her feelings.

I love Meroko as a character, but the second part still brings the volume down a bit.

But let’s focus on part 1 first. The fall out from Eichi-kun reveal is probably as heartbreaking as the reveal itself. The Shinigami don’t know how to act around Mitsuki anymore and try to avoid her and Mitsuki herself is unaware of what’s going on. It’s relatively real depiction of how most people react around those who are grieving. You want to help, but you don’t know how to. It’s Jonathan who then tells Mitsuki that they found out about Eichi, causing her to run away. It’s the first moment where Jonathan doesn’t come off as the inconsequential comic relief character, hinting that there is more to him than meets the eye.

Mitsuki’s feelings are complex and relatable. It’s heartbreaking to see her lashing out at her loved ones, to run away from her pain and to finally break down. If you have ever lost someone you truly loved, you know how this feels. The unbearable pain, the confusion, the anger. And Mitsuki is going through all of it and finally starts dealing with the feelings she pushed aside for too long. She starts to accept the painful reality that Eichi is gone, but that she is still alive. And it hurts. It puts her into a downward spiral, but it’s necessary for her to come to terms with her situation and reality. She is forced to admit that she refused to really fight for her life, because of Eichi and starts to take a step forward with the help of Takuto.

Takuto has his own dilemma being confronted with his own feelings for Mitsuki after trying to push them away for the longest time. He admits that he has fallen for her and vows to save her life. I do think it was an ill-timed confession of love, since she is still grieving Eichi, but at the same time it was so heartfelt and at least gave her something to hold on to. Takuto is torn between wanting to fight for her feelings, despite him not being exactly alive and available either, and taking in all her anger, because she needs to lash out on someone.

Mitsuki’s and Takuto’s budding romance leads to the second part of the story and the exploration of Meroko‘s character.

I always liked Meroko, but it’s not until this volume that you finally start to understand her. So far it seemed like she fell in love easily or rather loved Izumi deeply, got hurt and in the end refocused her feelings on Takuto, but not being genuine about it. Kind of like Mitsuki does as well to protect herself.

By chance Meroko starts to bond with Fuzuki, Mitsuki‘s grandmother. Due to spending time with her Meroko‘s memories are triggered and she remembers her life as Moe, who used to be Fuzuki‘s best friend when they were both teenagers.

Now, why I don’t dislike the twist exactly, I‘m kinda getting a bit tired of all characters being linked in a way. It worked with Takuto‘s backstory in the last volume, but Meroko now suddenly being linked to Mitsuki’s grandmother feels a little bit too convenient, at least for my personal liking.

The story that comes with it is about Fuzuki being engaged to a man her parents chose, both girls meeting a man they both fall for and Fuzuki and the man going behind Moe‘s back and starting a relationship. This causes for Fuzuki‘s engagement to end and Moe getting engaged to the sleazy fiancé instead. And he tries to rape her. And now seriously, what is it with Arina and always having those rapey situations as plot points? It happened in Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne and, though to a lesser extant, in Time Stranger Kyoko as well. I‘m just really uncomfortable with that. But at least here she treats it in a more serious manner and as the horror it actually is. Feeling betrayed by everyone Moe takes her own life, and thus Meroko is born.

After remembering it she attacks Mitsuki, because she is the grandchild of the people who betrayed her in life, causing Takuto to step in and protecting her, which finally pushes Meroko over the edge. She runs back to Izumi, asking him to leave with her.

I do like how the backstory explains all of Meroko’s behavior though. Her obsession with love, the jealousy and insecurities. Meroko is someone who always feels like second choice. Her best friend betrayed, the man she loved chose someone else, her parents offered her up like a business deal, then she fell in love again with Izumi and got her heartbroken. Enter Takuto, and he falls in love with Mitsuki of all people and chooses her over Meroko as well. It makes sense she lashes out. It’s sad and tragic, which really seems to be the tagline of the last two volumes.

Izumi is also very interesting in this volume, since he finally starts to soften around Mituski and all jokes aside, shows genuine feelings towards Meroko.

This volume also includes an extra chapter about Route L around the time they met Oshige-san and reveals that Takuto was actually the one naming Mitsuki, which is a cute little detail (despite the age creepiness).

[Katheryn Haskell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm gonna start off with this has a lot of bad tropes. It's a product of its time, but it's uncomfortable. There's a lot of males forcing selves on females, and a lot of older forcing self on younger. That itself is not my fav, and not cool. It's also hard ish to keep in mind because of the art style and the fact that, in terms of attitude, they've all 100% been aged up. This 100% should have been about adults, and it's unfortunate that it's not.

That being said, I was so close to tears for this one. This one is so heart felt, and holy moly.

But MEROKOS BACK STORY. Damn. Just. Damn. Honestly I don't know how there are 3 more volumes of this, cause damn there's a lot going on but it all spells death for Mitsuki.

But yeah, definitely enjoyed the feelsyness of this one. This is a lot more of what I thought the whole series was gonna be like. I'm here for it.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since the start of the series I've been troubled by the age problems with who likes who. We have a girl who is really twelve - inside she IS A CHILD and yet she keeps winding up in situations which are not something a 12 year old should find herself in. Crushes this intense, the suicide thing...my gosh, this isn't a story which should have been written with children as the main characters.

This whole story was just sad. I'm giving four stars because it made me feel something, but note there are some really triggering moments in here, especially in regards to grief.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think I am too old to enjoy this, or even remember what I liked about it. This has all the bad tropes of shoujo manga, and I know it is an unpopular opinion. Even when authors intellectually age up children in their stories, this doesn't work here. Eichi, a ten year old, forcefully kisses a six year old, and leaves. And the six year old is madly in love with him six years later? That just doesn't work. In no world does it work, and in no world do children that young experience attraction like that.
I want to enjoy the story, but the pacing, the art, the men being attracted to an actual child is too much.
This is not something I can in good conscience recommend to anyone, especially young girls, unless they have an adult that can tell them that the messages in this are not good.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was always my favorite because Takuto announces he loves Mistuki and the whole scene gave me chills. It didn’t really do that this time around and I guess it’s because I didn’t fully believe the love story and have some issues with the story’s speed. It was still nostalgic to read it again and I love the romance but it didn’t move me as it once did. Yes, I’m very sad about it.

[Sabrina "Look At My Books" · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Meroko... I really get why she killed herself. I hope she is happy at the end of the last Manga.
She was sweet before but now I really love her. I want to hug her :)

I started to like Mitsukis grandma in this Manga but the end....

Now I some sort of hate her... She saw what feelings Moe had... And still didn't tell her. She didn't behave like a best friend should do...

[˚⊱ Avi ⊰˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this concept and it has beautiful art to match! It deals with some pretty heavy themes and I think it handled them appropriately. There's a good balance of humor, drama, romance, and it just holds a special place in my heart ❤ The ending is quite different than the anime adaptation, but I still think it was good.

[Bibliothecat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for complete series



Twelve-year-old Mitsuki loves to sing - but a tumour in her throat and her overprotective grandmother prevent her from pursuing any serious music career. One day, two figures glide through her bedroom wall and introduce themselves as shinigami - angels of death - who have come to investigate some strange circumstances of her upcoming death. Knowing that she will die in a years time, Mitsuki entreats the shinigami to help her become a singer before her time runs out. She does not, however, tell them that it is more than just her love for singing that drives her.

This is one of the few manga where I can tell a big difference between my perception of it now compared to when I first read it some odd ten years ago. It was one of my first manga and it was a big favourite of mine - nowadays it is still a favourite, though to a certain extent more due to nostalgia. Some of the things that already bothered me ten years ago bother me even more now. However, it is still a lovely and heartfelt manga that I would prefer over many others.

I like Mitsuki as a character. She can be incredibly naive but I find it more believable in her considering her age and the fact that she's had a very sheltered life. I love how she is a tad traditional and even starts crying if someone starts cursing. I wouldn't call her a particularly strong character, though she does go through quite a bit of character development. At least her attitude towards life and death changes considerably.

The shinigami are a fun bunch of characters. The two main ones, Takuto and Meroko, who first introduce themselves to Mitsuki add a lot of fun to the series. Later we also get Izumi who comes across as rather sinister until he falls in with the rest. Although these characters are fun, much like Mitsuki, they have their own secrets and dark past.

Essentially, I feel as though Full Moon wo Sagashite goes into two very different directions - on one hand, it's a fun story of a twelve-year-old who gets to be a singer by the help of angels with animal characteristics. There's a lot of shenanigans with transformations, hiding true identities and coming up with enough cover up lies. But then, on the other hand, it tells a dark tale of lost opportunities, suicide, betrayal and terminal illnesses. I can't help but feel that these two don't work all that well together.

Most of the characters have a dark past - or so it would seem. I find that some of the 'sad' stories aren't all that sad and are trying to be more dramatic than what they actually are. But then, some of the other scenes are truly sad and can really give you that pang in the heart.

Idols always seem to be a popular theme for manga, and it's a theme I've never cared for much. Full Moon wo Sagashite is a unique one among them in that it doesn't have its main focus on the petty rivalry between the stars. It is more about the characters and their relationships, family, friendship and love. I loved the system behind the shinigami and Mitsuki was just the right character to be among them. So despite its shortcomings, it is still - and probably always will be - one of my favourite manga. Oh, and I love the art!

[The Book Dragon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't think I'd have to do this but, Trigger Warning for sexual assault, self harm, and suicide.

So Mitsuki knows that Eichi is dead, but has been pretending that he made it to America to keep her heart from breaking because she didn't tell him she loved him back before he left. And all the shinigamis know too... then Mitsuki runs away (why?) when she finds out that they know.

This prompts Takuto to confess his feelings to Mitsuki (even though he's dead and she's only 12). This means that Meroko's heart is broken (again) so she's wandering around avoiding them... only to run into her own back story... which of course is directly tied to Mitsuki's life as well.

And there's an extra prequel chapter where Mitsuki's dad gushes about his unborn daughter and asks a then 12-year-old (alive) Takuto to name said baby.

This series has 7 volumes.

[♡Kayla♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"But, this pain is the only bond left between you and me... so I will cherish it."

This stupid series is making me cry way too much!! Every. Single. Character. has the most upsetting and painful history, my heart really hurts after every chapter. Mitsuki's grief is palpable; her pain and misery is eking off of every page. I hope that she can find a way to not have it consume her, and can live her life (and when she eventually passes away (as an old lady), she can be reunited with Eichi, like in Titanic).

On another, less sad, note the love triangle is just as confusing as before. Every time we get more pieces of the full picture, my heart gets pulled into two different directions even more, so that's fun....

[Maya Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Como mostrado na capa, o foco do volume é tanto na consequência de descobrirem que a mistuki nega a morte do eichi quanto sobre o passado da meroko.
Como previ a mitsuki se negava a aceitar a morte do eichi, porque isso alteraria para sempre suas lembranças com ele. Ela predere viver com o laço da dor do que velo esmaecer pelo ar. E também mostra que ela precisa de tempo para curar essa ferida.
Tinha esquecido completamente a backstory da meroko (que esta conectada com a vó da mitsuki). Até na pod vida fadada a sofrer por amor coitada. Não culpo muito ela pelas atitudes do final.
Mesmo sendo mais fraco que o anterior, esse volume ainda mantém minhas expectativas pro próximo!!

[Soobie has fog in her brain · Rating 4 out of 5]

E no, continua a piacermi!!

E mi chiedo per quale arcano motivo io non l'abbia minimamente considerato nel 2007. Dov'ero nel 2007? Beh, ancora all'uni più o meno ma forse non c'era più Sabrina al negozio di fumetti. Però perché ho preso Jeanne, allora?

Va beh.

Non è solo la storia di Mitsuki a essere estremamente ben fatta. Ma anche i comprimari hanno il giusto spazio e le dovute attenzioni. Anche Meroko è tenerissima, specialmente quando incontra la nonna di Mitsuki.

Su, continuiamo, che ormai non manca molto alla fine!

[Betz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tatsächlich für mich auch wieder einer von den Bänden, der ein bisschen schwächer ist. Ich mag ihn trotzdem und er ist noch immer sehr stark, aber bei weitem nicht so stark wie andere Teile der Geschichte. Vielleicht liegt es auch daran dass wir in der Mitte der Reihe sind uns man hier so ein bisschen einen Durchhänger hat? Nichts desto trotz ist das hier auch so eine Reihe, wenn ich sie einmal in die Hand nehme kann ich nicht aufhören, sie zu lesen und wenn ich meckere, dass die story mich vielleicht nicht so sehr berührt wie andere Teile, dann ist das meckern auf sehr sehr hohem Niveau.

[Buchstabenschloss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meinung

Mitsukis Geheimnis ist gelüftet: Sie weiß, dass Eichi bereits verstorben ist. Takuto verliebt sich in Mitsuki und Mitsuki fängt endlich an um ihr Leben zu kämpfen. Und währenddessen werden Izumi und Meroko ein Paar…

Für mich war es wenig verwunderlich, dass Izumi und Meroko ein Paar werden. Das hat sich schon vorher angebahnt. Ich bin aber froh, dass die Beiden endlich zueinandergefunden haben. Ich mag einfach Happy End Geschichten.

[Emilou · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate that the author address's Meroko's actual age (as old as Mitsuki's grandmother), but it doesn't seem to matter how old Takuto is? Let's see... He was in a band with Mitsuki's father, and even if he was 16 at the time, he was probably about 18 when Mitsuki was born. He died two years ago when Mitsuki was ten, which made him 28. And it's acceptable to have him fall in love with a twelve-year-old?

This story is sending a wrong message. Don't let children read this story.

[Jessica Lower · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars tw: rape, suicide, grief, death of a loved one

This series continues to be about really deep topics that surround love, grief, and death all wrapped in a cute package. Though this volume had a bit of a disconnect as it tried to cover both the big reveal of the previous volume and also tell more about Meroko's back story.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this volume is devastating. Mitsuki dealing with her grief over Eichi in the first half, followed by Meroko finally getting focus in the second half. Meroko is always trying to vet between Takuto and Mitsuki and is never really sure what her place is, and as we now get to see what her life was like it goes to some dark places.

[Cassy · Rating 3 out of 5]

ermmmm mitsuki’s dynamics with like every male in this universe are soooo icky. like is everyone forgetting she is 12 years old. she can not consent to ANYTHING she is a child, she is a baby. takuto u freak stay away from her. need meroko to take her away. learning so much about their backstories is interesting though.

[Albert Sr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

El cuarto tomo me ha gustado bastante, me ha resultado más dramático e intenso que los anteriores, no obstante, le retengo la valoración de cinco estrellas por los pelos. Ha habido momentos en los que me he perdido un poco por en la trama, pero la experiencia de lectura ha sido excelente.

[✮Octjillery✮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't believe I read this volume nearly a decade ago when I first started this series, so this was a fresh volume for me.

I really liked a number of the scenes for how powerfully they were portrayed, namely Takuto and Mitsuki's "confrontation," the song at the end, and Meroko's backstory.

[Em Mirra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pending.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh wow!!! We learn more about Mitsuki and Eichi’s relationship!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Several character's pasts come to a head and all we're left with is: it's a small world.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series! I love the flashbacks and finding out how they are all connected.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this series because I had loved the anime. I'm so glad I started reading because even only 4 volumes in and I'm realizing the anime left so much out!

[Kurtis Burkhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great Shoujo manga, really great and adorable story and loved the art😁👌❤️

[Candis · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's nothing but pain~

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

meroko's backstory is *chef's kiss*