Full Moon (O Sagashite) Vol. 1

Title: Full Moon (O Sagashite)

Story & Art by: Arina Tanemura

Company: Shojo Beat Manga

Rating: T for Teen [Due to Themes of Death]

Manga Synopsis: A bitter-sweet tale of puppy love, tragedy, and aspirations of pop star fame. A spark of hope ignites to a blaze in twelve-year-old Mitsuki Koyama when a comical pair of magical beings appear to prove to her that dreams really do come true. 

Volume One Plot: Young Mitsuki loves singing and dreams of becoming a pop star. Unfortunately, a malignant tumor in her throat prevents her from pursuing her passion. However, her life turns around when two surprisingly fun-loving harbingers of death appear to grant Mitsuki a temporary reprieve from her illness and give her singing career a magical push start.

Now I know the main plots sound a little stale, but I have read many other bad synopsis that turned out to be interesting mangas. So I figured I'd give Full Moon a fair chance; Death, tumors, magical beings? Sounds good to me.

Yea. Not so much.

The story tells of Mitsuki's dream of singing. Her tumor causes pain for her whenever she speaks--let alone sings--too loudly. She then meets two Shikigami (same idea as Grim Reapers only they are crossed with animals **like they get wings or cat ears etc** for some reason) who inform her that she only has a year to live. Upon hearing this, Mitsuki feels more determined than ever to accomplish her dream before her time is done. Her new "friends" enchant her to have the appearance--and health--of a sixteen-year-old so that she can go out into a singing competition to be the next up and coming pop star.

For a story that centers around the fact that the main character is going to DIE in a year.... it's pretty goofy O_o.
There's really no real drama or seriousness in the story. I'm all for humor but you have GOT to have a balance. ESPECIALLY if the main character is facing death. 

The characters are almost always laughing about something (again, odd due to the theme) and our so-called Harbingers of Death are not the least bit intimidating. I realize it's a manga, so the cross over of human with animal ears/tails is common, but Tanemura didn't give them any depth, any essense.

Ironic of me to say, I know.

The story had all the makings for some potential but Tanemura didn't take it seriously at all.

I'm pretty sure Full Moon Vol. 1 will be the first and last volume I'll pick up.

Full Moon (O Sagashite) 0 out of 5 stars.