Mars Vol.02

• CATEGORY: Manga
• SUB-CATEGORY: Shoujo, Adult Audience
• GENRE: Drama, Psychological, Scholastic, Romance, Slice of Life
• AUTHOR: Fuyumi Soryo
• DESIGNER: Fuyumi Soryo
• PUBLISHING HOUSE: Kodansha in Japan; Star Comics in Italy
• NATIONALITY: 🇯🇵 Japan
• SERIALIZED ON: Bessatsu Friend
• STATUS: Completed in Japan and Italy
• YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 1996 - 2000
• VOLUMES: 02
• PLOT: It tells the story of Kira Aso, an introverted girl, and Rei Kashino, a boy without rules, both with a difficult past. Their souls, marked by the god of war Mars, meet and support each other to overcome their respective darkness.

The manga is known for its elegance and sinuous lines, very attentive to the expressiveness of the characters. “Mars” is considered a cult thanks to its intense love story, the themes covered, such as bullying and the psychology of the characters, in particular the female one, with a narrative that leaves nothing unsolved and a credible and well-defined psychological depth. represented.

• MAIN CHARACTERS: Kira Aso and Rei Kashino
• DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: The art, fashion and character design are based on classic shoujo styles and the elaborate and stylized representations of the characters, in particular the male ones who have ephebic and soft features. The influence of Ai Yazawa and Riyoko Ikeda is evident, but Fuyumi Soryo maintains a distinctive personal touch.

• THEMATIC CONNECTIONS: The work explores themes of personal growth, confrontation with one's dark side, management of suffering and loss, as well as facets of love and violence that are intertwined in the protagonists' relationship. The complexity of the characters reveals complex aspects such as managing one's identity, trauma and the search for meaning in a world that often appears cold and insensitive. The story unfolds at a narrative pace that captures the reader, taking him through moments of emotional tension and revelation.

• CULTURAL IMPACT: “Mars” achieved enormous success both critically and with the public, becoming a point of reference for the shoujo genre and influencing subsequent works for its mature and reflective approach to the themes covered.