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Crescent Moon #1
Crescent Moon, Vol. 1
Mahiru Shiraishi has an uncanny ability to bring good luck to everyone she touches—except herself. She's constantly haunted by a recurring nightmare that ushers her to a dreamworld. There, she encounters a tribe of demons—a werewolf, vampire, fox and bat—called the Lunar Race. Destiny calls when they need her help to recover their source of power, the stolen "Teardrops of the Moon". In this fantast adventure, Mahiru must battle the rage between the human race and the Lunar Race, whose powers are awakened by the dark side of the moon.
178 pages, Paperback
First published February 25, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
May 20, 2013
Bad things just keep happening to Mahiru Shiraishi.
Because of her unusual ability to take away her luck and it give to someone else whenever she touches them, she's always in the dumps.
Her parents died when she was young, her brand new clothes are always getting dirtied up, she gets pushed in the pool. All of this seems to connect to a strange dream that's she's always had about a demon boy and a Princess, singing a melody about betrayal that nobody but her seems to know.
When Mahiru encounters two boys named Nozomu and Mitsuru who claim to know the meaning of her dream, will she follow them to find her answer? And if she does what consequence must she face?
Because of her unusual ability to take away her luck and it give to someone else whenever she touches them, she's always in the dumps.
Her parents died when she was young, her brand new clothes are always getting dirtied up, she gets pushed in the pool. All of this seems to connect to a strange dream that's she's always had about a demon boy and a Princess, singing a melody about betrayal that nobody but her seems to know.
When Mahiru encounters two boys named Nozomu and Mitsuru who claim to know the meaning of her dream, will she follow them to find her answer? And if she does what consequence must she face?
September 24, 2017
This is a great start to what I hope will be a fantasic fantasy series. The story's main character is Mahiru Shiraishi, a junior in high school who seems to pass on good luck to those who ask for her help. It turns out that she may be related to a separate group of people known as the Lunar Race. The source of their power are the Teardrops of the Moon, which were stolen from them by humans. They need Mahiru's help to retreive these teardrops. My own theory as to why Asians handle fantasy stories so well is that their civilizations have been around so long and have a shared history of mystic characters. Thank you for a great read!
February 24, 2016
I found the art a little confusing, as it skipped over some of the action in some scenes, leaving odd transitions, but the story is very engaging and I liked all the characters! It's sweet and friendly.
June 19, 2022
Mahiru is a girl who only seems to bring good luck to others. Watching everyone around her win big when her own life seems to be a series of hazards is not much fun. But when she meets members of the Lunar race, who ask her for help, she starts to realize she might have more significance than she knows . . .
I decided to re-read this series since it's been years, curious if my view on things had changed at all. On the one hand, this is very much a collection of the popular tropes at the time: phantom thieves who are supernatural guys (including the obligatory vampire and werewolf, which is probably why the tengu is my favorite). On the other, there's enough unique about this that I still enjoy it for what it is.
Mahiru is drawn to an old song about a princess and a demon, and the underwater imagery that usually accompanies this tends to be really pretty. Her "powers", such as they are, are entirely outside her control. Anyone else only has to touch her to get lucky (or for the Lunar race, to gain the powers they would naturally have on a full moon regardless of the actual moon phase).
The guys are fairly interchangeable at this stage, with only a few things to differentiate them. Which, again, is where the tengu stands out. He's the only one adamantly opposed to Mahiru, and although he's not always mean about it, it's clear he has no intention of changing his mind. He doesn't want her powers, finds her humanity disgusting, and can't wait to get rid of her. Yet his story is drawing up more of a Beauty and the Beast parallel, once it reveals a few things about his past.
I don't actually like most of the art that much. It's not ugly, or bad, but it's too hard for me to tell characters apart, especially some of the secondary characters. The underwater scenes are nice, but in general this isn't a manga I read because I adore the art.
Overall I'm still enjoying this, although I can tell why it never really differentiated itself enough to get an anime. I rate this book Recommended.
I decided to re-read this series since it's been years, curious if my view on things had changed at all. On the one hand, this is very much a collection of the popular tropes at the time: phantom thieves who are supernatural guys (including the obligatory vampire and werewolf, which is probably why the tengu is my favorite). On the other, there's enough unique about this that I still enjoy it for what it is.
Mahiru is drawn to an old song about a princess and a demon, and the underwater imagery that usually accompanies this tends to be really pretty. Her "powers", such as they are, are entirely outside her control. Anyone else only has to touch her to get lucky (or for the Lunar race, to gain the powers they would naturally have on a full moon regardless of the actual moon phase).
The guys are fairly interchangeable at this stage, with only a few things to differentiate them. Which, again, is where the tengu stands out. He's the only one adamantly opposed to Mahiru, and although he's not always mean about it, it's clear he has no intention of changing his mind. He doesn't want her powers, finds her humanity disgusting, and can't wait to get rid of her. Yet his story is drawing up more of a Beauty and the Beast parallel, once it reveals a few things about his past.
I don't actually like most of the art that much. It's not ugly, or bad, but it's too hard for me to tell characters apart, especially some of the secondary characters. The underwater scenes are nice, but in general this isn't a manga I read because I adore the art.
Overall I'm still enjoying this, although I can tell why it never really differentiated itself enough to get an anime. I rate this book Recommended.
September 26, 2018
The artwork seems to be a confusing mess and it looks like it wasn't cleaned up well. I'm wondering if this is just a TokyoPop thing or what. The beginning is confusing, but it pans out by the end of the book. One of those "Weird poem/song lyrics that make no sense because you haven't been introduced to anything couples with visuals that don't go along with it, with a bad translation of what's going on."
The overall story of volume one is pretty weak as volume 1s go. We have Mitsuru that wants to kill our MC (he's the main romance option here) because he had a messed up childhood and that's pretty much what happens in every chapter. Mahiru somehow touches Mitsuru and he turns into a tengu and the rest of the posse has to restrain him. I don't get why this is such a big thing for the first volume as it's resolved by the end. It's something that can simmer for all the volumes.
The overall story is alright though. Legendary monsters are real and are dying off and need Mahiru's help and there was a promise long ago and it didn't pan out and people are angry today about it.
The overall story of volume one is pretty weak as volume 1s go. We have Mitsuru that wants to kill our MC (he's the main romance option here) because he had a messed up childhood and that's pretty much what happens in every chapter. Mahiru somehow touches Mitsuru and he turns into a tengu and the rest of the posse has to restrain him. I don't get why this is such a big thing for the first volume as it's resolved by the end. It's something that can simmer for all the volumes.
The overall story is alright though. Legendary monsters are real and are dying off and need Mahiru's help and there was a promise long ago and it didn't pan out and people are angry today about it.
December 20, 2022
I've owned the whole series for awhile now and I *know* I've read this one before, but I feel like I never actually gave this series the time it deserved... so now I'm trying to get through each book for real!
The pacing is a mess, but the characters are very strong so far, so I'm still invested. Nozomu did have me squealing in bed late last night. The others are cool too. Do they all just transform into gigantic beast things all the time??? What even is Mitsuru... guy's a little brat but I get the feeling he'll grow on us.
And Mahiru is my favorite! Poor girl. She just wants to enjoy her life, and yet things can never go as expected for her. I tend to rag on main characters, so when one sticks out to me, I really get invested in a series. I want good things for her <3
lol that part they were all tossing her around like a baseball
Kind of standard setting-up in this manga but I'm excited to see more!
The pacing is a mess, but the characters are very strong so far, so I'm still invested. Nozomu did have me squealing in bed late last night. The others are cool too. Do they all just transform into gigantic beast things all the time??? What even is Mitsuru... guy's a little brat but I get the feeling he'll grow on us.
And Mahiru is my favorite! Poor girl. She just wants to enjoy her life, and yet things can never go as expected for her. I tend to rag on main characters, so when one sticks out to me, I really get invested in a series. I want good things for her <3
lol that part they were all tossing her around like a baseball
Kind of standard setting-up in this manga but I'm excited to see more!
October 2, 2018
That was bad!!
The first thing that caught my eye were the eyes. Big eyes, very un-Japanese eyes: I couldn't read any feeling in them. And they were so confusing.
The story was confusing, as well. I couldn't understand the direction the author wanted to take, I couldn't remember all the characters' names. I couldn't even tell the characters apart.
There's a girl who brings luck to everyone apart to herself. There are five-six characters who need her to find something and who are vampires, werevolves and so on. There's a police officer trying to catch the critters. That's all I could understand.
I'll drop the series with no regrets whatsoever.
The first thing that caught my eye were the eyes. Big eyes, very un-Japanese eyes: I couldn't read any feeling in them. And they were so confusing.
The story was confusing, as well. I couldn't understand the direction the author wanted to take, I couldn't remember all the characters' names. I couldn't even tell the characters apart.
There's a girl who brings luck to everyone apart to herself. There are five-six characters who need her to find something and who are vampires, werevolves and so on. There's a police officer trying to catch the critters. That's all I could understand.
I'll drop the series with no regrets whatsoever.
October 3, 2018
Although so enjoyed this series, I had some major issues with it. The story was all over the place and there were these weirdos time lapses that didn’t fit or make sense, which made certain areas really confusing. Also the romance had a lot of buildup then just smacked you in the face without any warning, which just seemed odd. I loved the idea of this book and the various demon species, but just didn’t understand a lot of areas. It was almost like a lot of points of this series weren’t thought out. I do like the main characters though and the overall story so I was tempted to give this a 3, but settled in a 2 because the story was so all over the place that it was hard to follow.
November 6, 2018
This book has a magical tale and it keeps you hooked this book tells the tale of the moon people and there secret Shiraishi is this young girl in high school she is a from a long line of moon princesses and she can sense the power of the teardrops of the moon this story really appealed to me because its filled with mystery and wonder things that you cant really get in the real world so it transported me into there's which is always a good thing to have in a book that's why I injoyed it. I do suggest this manga to people I hope they injoy it as much as I did.
August 3, 2019
I first read this series when I was younger and remembered it being good. I used to write the whole "Princess, Princess" song on the front of all my school binders. Rereading it, I found I still loved it just as much. The classic art style, great cast of characters, and the concept of monsters and demons re-imagined. What's not to love? This time around I plan to read the whole series!
~Ashley~
~Ashley~
March 9, 2022
It’s a fascinating story but the artwork is confusing and the panels are all over the place. It makes it confusing when you are trying to know what is happening next. Some panes are hard to decipher what is going on at all because the artwork is just a bunch of lines mixed in together. I would be interested to know what the purpose of this was, is it to create chaos and if so why? The plot is pretty simple so what was the need for the chaotic panels?
January 2, 2018
3.5 stars. I read this ages ago, and really liked the artwork on it. Its for a slightly youngerish reader but still enjoyable. I especially liked the artwork on it, and the collection of 'monsters' who were chibi-ish and cute. Its a different take on the magical girl premise though of course there is the sulky silent hero who's meant for the heroine. Lovely series!
June 10, 2019
I first read this series when I was younger and remembered it being good. I used to write the whole "Princess, Princess" song on the front of all my school binders. Rereading it, I found I still loved it just as much. The classic art style, great cast of characters, and the concept of monsters and demons re-imagined. What's not to love? This time around I plan to read the whole series!
May 5, 2025
I read half of this series in highschool and then lost the last few books to a former friend and I’ve been meaning to pick it back up for YEARS and it’s just as good as I remember.
This series has stuck with me for so long and is so under appreciated and such a unique story.
Mitsuru my poor, broken boy. I just adore you so.
This series has stuck with me for so long and is so under appreciated and such a unique story.
Mitsuru my poor, broken boy. I just adore you so.
October 31, 2019
This series is really enjoyable, the downside being that the pacing is kind of odd and the characters lack depth sometimes. That being said, I really like the art style and the way it plays around with Halloween/Japanese folktale monsters. For a true romantic, reading all the way to the end is pretty satisfying. For someone looking for a deep story, this one might leave you hanging.
July 18, 2020
Tbh it’s a little confusing to read. But I don’t have a werewolf manga in my classroom so I think the kids will like it.
February 26, 2022
This is probably at least the fifth time I've read this series and I love it so much. Definitely an under-rated series.
May 22, 2022
Decent read, a little bit confusing but started to make more sense in the second part. Very classic shoujo fantasy manga.
March 26, 2024
I think I need to read the rest to know what is going on?
December 26, 2025
Loved the artwork, but the story felt choppy and confusing.
January 3, 2026
Super excited to find my original copies in a box. This series is a cozy nostalgia read for me. Love it.
October 19, 2024
Read:
October 15 - 18,2024
Full review soon.
October 15 - 18,2024
Full review soon.
October 9, 2011
Crescent Moon Review
Art: BIG eyes very off putting. The art is shonen with pretty boys besides the pretty boys the art is lacking and the eyes are just so big something is very wonky with the art but you can't tell what but its something.... C
Characters: There's a girl and some people. There is no characterization here we barely know who are protagonist is before being thrown more characters and the names are forgettable they are forgettable nothing is unique about the characters and we are given very little about them F
Story: D.U.L.L This is the most Dull confusing slow going manga ever it drags and drags and you want nothing better to do then get it done with. There is a girl who is a decedent of the moon and these monsters need her for something. This story is confusing and it gets worse by page 124 you are still utterly confused the pacing is choppy nothing makes sense and if there is a plot then it is hidden behind a story that only the author knows. The creators wrote this story in a way that they know whats going on but you and any other reader will be lost, poor transitions, lack of characterization, lack of proper knowledge of the setting, story or characters this story isn't even that. There is nothing to say because it was hard to understand girl has powers monsters need powers but the hows whys whens and wheres are thrown out the window for “oooo pretty” F
Cover:Two of our MC's the Demon boy and the girl in a “evil” star surrounded by symbols. This is an amazing and well done cover striking and eye catching the art is amazing although their eyes look wrong on closer inspection. This is a magical and amazing cover B
Rating: T for teen
Company: Tokyopop (out of business)
My rating : 1 of 5 This was a horrible story because there was no story! I forced myself though this just to review it and in the end came up with nothing. This story is NOTHING but pretty art and WHAT? I could not under stand this AT ALL and I'm sorry for the confusing review but sadly there is NOTHING to review with this this is a throw is against the wall manga.
Art: BIG eyes very off putting. The art is shonen with pretty boys besides the pretty boys the art is lacking and the eyes are just so big something is very wonky with the art but you can't tell what but its something.... C
Characters: There's a girl and some people. There is no characterization here we barely know who are protagonist is before being thrown more characters and the names are forgettable they are forgettable nothing is unique about the characters and we are given very little about them F
Story: D.U.L.L This is the most Dull confusing slow going manga ever it drags and drags and you want nothing better to do then get it done with. There is a girl who is a decedent of the moon and these monsters need her for something. This story is confusing and it gets worse by page 124 you are still utterly confused the pacing is choppy nothing makes sense and if there is a plot then it is hidden behind a story that only the author knows. The creators wrote this story in a way that they know whats going on but you and any other reader will be lost, poor transitions, lack of characterization, lack of proper knowledge of the setting, story or characters this story isn't even that. There is nothing to say because it was hard to understand girl has powers monsters need powers but the hows whys whens and wheres are thrown out the window for “oooo pretty” F
Cover:Two of our MC's the Demon boy and the girl in a “evil” star surrounded by symbols. This is an amazing and well done cover striking and eye catching the art is amazing although their eyes look wrong on closer inspection. This is a magical and amazing cover B
Rating: T for teen
Company: Tokyopop (out of business)
My rating : 1 of 5 This was a horrible story because there was no story! I forced myself though this just to review it and in the end came up with nothing. This story is NOTHING but pretty art and WHAT? I could not under stand this AT ALL and I'm sorry for the confusing review but sadly there is NOTHING to review with this this is a throw is against the wall manga.
May 15, 2015
As most the reviews say, it's hard to understand what's going on in this volume. I had to double-check the internet a few times to keep the characters straight, and would have benefited from keeping a cheat sheet nearby if I'd wanted to trouble myself to make one.
Essentially, a human girl named Mahiru (not to be confused with Mitsuru or Misoka) is descended from a human princess who once promised to love a demon but went back on her word. For some reason, this means she has the magical power of giving people who touch her good luck. Four "demon"(maybe?) boys show up and need her good luck to help them do a jewel-recovery mission on the night of the new moon, since they only have their powers around full moon. The cops have clued into a gang that acts up on the full moon, and they are dubbed the "Moonlight Gang."
One of the four moon boys is particularly kind (the vampire Nozomu), and one was somehow raised by humans therefore he's got massive issues (Mitsuru). Another looks like a girl and can shapeshift (Misoka) and the fourth looks like a child (Akira). I don't know what supernatural creatures Mitsuru or Akira are, but the first few times he's touched by Mahiru, Mitsuru accidentally transforms into some tall guy with pointy ears and nose and stripes on his face.
Other characters randomly show up in scenes without explanations or names. Which seems to be done on purpose to create mystery/suspense, but merely adds to the confusion.
And, yes, that was pretty much a layman Western-hemisphere-raised explanation.
I will probably give Volume 2 a go.
Essentially, a human girl named Mahiru (not to be confused with Mitsuru or Misoka) is descended from a human princess who once promised to love a demon but went back on her word. For some reason, this means she has the magical power of giving people who touch her good luck. Four "demon"(maybe?) boys show up and need her good luck to help them do a jewel-recovery mission on the night of the new moon, since they only have their powers around full moon. The cops have clued into a gang that acts up on the full moon, and they are dubbed the "Moonlight Gang."
One of the four moon boys is particularly kind (the vampire Nozomu), and one was somehow raised by humans therefore he's got massive issues (Mitsuru). Another looks like a girl and can shapeshift (Misoka) and the fourth looks like a child (Akira). I don't know what supernatural creatures Mitsuru or Akira are, but the first few times he's touched by Mahiru, Mitsuru accidentally transforms into some tall guy with pointy ears and nose and stripes on his face.
Other characters randomly show up in scenes without explanations or names. Which seems to be done on purpose to create mystery/suspense, but merely adds to the confusion.
And, yes, that was pretty much a layman Western-hemisphere-raised explanation.
I will probably give Volume 2 a go.
December 28, 2015
I picked up this manga and couldn't put it down. I meant to read most of it before I went back to sleep tonight, but I ended up finishing it. I wish the store I got it from had the second volume. I will have to find it somewhere else.
The artwork is gorgeous. The names are very interesting and well thought out. The title definitely drew me in. I was a bit sad to see that the werewolf character was kind of goofy, but that's okay. There are worse things. I really enjoyed the little section from Iida at the end. The cat was adorable and it was pretty awesome to have some background on the story.
I mean to read more, but I really don't know how to feel about what I assume will be the two main characters. Mahiru is really interesting and likeable, but I don't understand her fixation with Mitsuru, who was nothing but abrasive the entire volume. They did a great job showing why he was abrasive and I can see why Mahiru was sympathetic to his plight, but I can't see why she was so into him.
Thankfully she didn't moon over him, but she repeatedly made a point to try to get on his good side before they explained to her why he was being such a jerk.
I have an issue with jerks being romanticized, like they're some gift to the world.
I feel like I shouldn't judge the entire manga series by the very first manga though, and I am desperately hoping the characters will be further developed. I can't wait to find out what happens next.
The artwork is gorgeous. The names are very interesting and well thought out. The title definitely drew me in. I was a bit sad to see that the werewolf character was kind of goofy, but that's okay. There are worse things. I really enjoyed the little section from Iida at the end. The cat was adorable and it was pretty awesome to have some background on the story.
I mean to read more, but I really don't know how to feel about what I assume will be the two main characters. Mahiru is really interesting and likeable, but I don't understand her fixation with Mitsuru, who was nothing but abrasive the entire volume. They did a great job showing why he was abrasive and I can see why Mahiru was sympathetic to his plight, but I can't see why she was so into him.
Thankfully she didn't moon over him, but she repeatedly made a point to try to get on his good side before they explained to her why he was being such a jerk.
I have an issue with jerks being romanticized, like they're some gift to the world.
I feel like I shouldn't judge the entire manga series by the very first manga though, and I am desperately hoping the characters will be further developed. I can't wait to find out what happens next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2014
Well... I'm not really sure what to think about this first volume... in the beginning, I was really confused as to what was going on. There really seemed to be no introduction at all to the story, it seemed like it just hopped right in. I felt like I was reading the second or third volume. But then a bit into the story, the intro seemed to happen. The intro to the Lunar Race was all well and good, but the introduction to our lead was awful and very confusing.
After the confusing beginning, it seemed to pick up and get pretty interesting. The art is.......... different........... but the story seems kind of fun. Though Mitsuru is SOOO much like Kyo Sohma that it pisses me off again (can we say Hello Father Abel! Ugh!)
I'm hoping the second volume can be a bit more sturdy and less confusing because the storyline seems pretty rad. So here is hoping!
After the confusing beginning, it seemed to pick up and get pretty interesting. The art is.......... different........... but the story seems kind of fun. Though Mitsuru is SOOO much like Kyo Sohma that it pisses me off again (can we say Hello Father Abel! Ugh!)
I'm hoping the second volume can be a bit more sturdy and less confusing because the storyline seems pretty rad. So here is hoping!
January 18, 2011
Despite some small issues with believability, I really rather liked this series. There are only six volumes, but that's really all it needed to wrap up everything (except the romance...). The characters are cool, the premise is fairly interesting, and the romance is decent. Unfortunately, I wasn't exactly satisfied by the romance because it was resolved too quickly. The build up was nice, but then they seemed to just decide that all their differences weren't enough to keep them apart (without resolving the fact that the guy hates his own kind, her kind and basically himself). Other than that (and the slight ridiculous nature of the cops and the main enemies), the story works rather well and I wouldn't mind seeing it animated.
September 20, 2015
The concept of this manga is really neat - Mahiru brings good luck to anyone who touches her, but she can't catch a break herself. Turns out her extreme bad luck has something to do with her ancestor, a princess who promised to love a demon but lied. She becomes involved with the Lunar Race and a lot of paranormal folks with very similar names (almost all start with "M"); there's so little characterization (at least in this volume) that it's tough keeping all the characters straight. The story is a bit confusing and not very much is explained. The artwork is alright, but it's not my personal favorite. Though I considered looking for the next volume at my local library, I never did continue the series.
May 10, 2024
Where do I begin with this story?
I've always felt this manga series was very undersung and underloved, even when it was being released as I was in high school. The art is still beautiful with a unique style, and the story, the characters, the mythology woven and built in here is phenomenal.
This first volume is PACKED. You're going to get a lot, you're going to learn a lot, right out of the gate. And it's worth it. It always has been.
This series is my baby and it's been far too long since I've revisited it. If my review can convince anyone to pick it up, I sincerely hope it does, even sparse as it is. Trust me, it's worth hunting down all six volumes and reading them.
I've always felt this manga series was very undersung and underloved, even when it was being released as I was in high school. The art is still beautiful with a unique style, and the story, the characters, the mythology woven and built in here is phenomenal.
This first volume is PACKED. You're going to get a lot, you're going to learn a lot, right out of the gate. And it's worth it. It always has been.
This series is my baby and it's been far too long since I've revisited it. If my review can convince anyone to pick it up, I sincerely hope it does, even sparse as it is. Trust me, it's worth hunting down all six volumes and reading them.
June 1, 2015
ALL THE CHARACTERS NAMES SOUND THE SAME! Observe:
Mahiru
Mitsuru
Misoka
Mutsura
Another weird thing is the big eyes. Very odd. Also, the storyline is SO confusing at first. But despite all my criticism, This was my first manga and just like you never hate your first movie or your first teacher, you never hate your first manga. I would not recommend this for someone starting out with manga, because you WILL be confused. But I did love it.
Mahiru
Mitsuru
Misoka
Mutsura
Another weird thing is the big eyes. Very odd. Also, the storyline is SO confusing at first. But despite all my criticism, This was my first manga and just like you never hate your first movie or your first teacher, you never hate your first manga. I would not recommend this for someone starting out with manga, because you WILL be confused. But I did love it.
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