Sana Kurata, a child actress, faces many problems in her classroom, including a major one - her bullying classmate, Akito Hayama. Sana's outgoing and friendly nature leads her to work towards correcting all of the problems around her. Her 'meddling' irritates Hayama but at the same time captivates him, just as Hayama's gloomy nature irritates Sana and compels her to change him. As these two opposites attract each other, they face many hardships which bring them closer to a mutual understanding.... more>>

This manga won the 1998 Kodansha Manga Award for shoujo. <<less

The story centers around Keito Aoyama, a former famous child actor. Due to a childhood incident, she retired from her career early and withdrew from... more>> normal society. Now 16, she passes her days in boredom and without purpose. But one day she runs into a stranger who takes her to El Liston--a free school for high school students like herself, who don't have a place where they belong. Though hesitant at first, Keito decides to enter El Liston and subsequently, she begins a new stage in her life. With the help of her only remaining childhood friend, Taiyou, and her new classmates Rei, Momiji, and Kouichi, Keito slowly finds the courage to open up to others and to accept their support. Will Keito return to acting? Will she find true friends? Love? <<less

Yuu is a plain, boring, college girl from the countryside who is often made fun of for her outdated looks. One day Yuu happens to... more>> be invited to see a play. She discovers a passion for the stage she didn't know she had, and is determined to become a part of it. This is her drama. <<less

Act-Age centers on a young woman named Kei and a genius director Sumiji who meet at an audition for rookie actresses. Kei Yonagi comes from a poor family. Her father ran out on her and her two younger siblings, leaving her to fend for the family herself after their mother's death. When the opportunity comes to chase her dream of becoming an actress, Yonagi jumps at the chance. Catching the eye of Director Sumiji Kuroyama, Yonagi's opportunity to shine has come. However, Yonagi's talent for acting comes from her extreme and innate ability for Method Acting, one that various individuals note as potentially self-destructive. ... more>>

when the writer . <<less

Mitsuki loves singing, but a malignant tumor in her throat has prevented her from pursuing her passion. However, Mitsuki's life turns around when two shinigami appear to grant her a temporary reprieve from her illness--and give her singing career a magical jump-start.... more>>

*Includes a short story called Ginyu Meika in volume 2.

Akiyoshi Kiryuu attempts to practice for an upcoming piano competition; however, his practice continually gets interrupted by a girl named Kanon, who claims to be the spirit of a tree. <<less

High school student Yukari Fujimaru knows a potential star when she sees one…because she sees the special "aura" they give off, in the form of... more>> angelic wings. Yukari's fellow student, the beautiful Ryoko Katsuragi, has a small pair of wings herself, and is one of these aspiring talents. She's so talented, in fact, that no one even knows that "she" is actually a boy in disguise. Now, to make her own down-to-earth dream come true, Yukari must help her new friend become a star. <<less

Kyouko is an entertainment manager and a negative character. She always thinks of the worst. She is appointed to scout a troupe of actors, and... more>> there she meets Riku... <<less

Hwee Kang is in a band with all his friends and is recruited by a well known company called JBL, because they all have the looks of a star there are high expectations. During the audition, what surprise did they give everyone and what will Hwee Kang do?... more>>

Note - Discontinued due to the death of the author. <<less

Through round after round of extensive plastic surgery and vigorous maintenance, Ririko has become the absolute manifestation of beauty, and becomes a wildly successful model, actress, and singer. However, soon, her body, unable to withstand the burdens of surgery, begins to crumble, and along with it so does her mind, as she plummets towards a frightening and inevitable end.... more>>

Note: Won the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Grand Prize in 2004. <<less

In the play of life, all Hikaru Takabayashi wanted was to be part of the scenery. Tormented by jealous schoolmates ever since she appeared in a famous commercial in grade-school, Hikaru transfers to a prestigious all-girls' academy where she hopes to settle down to a quiet life of anonymity. But when her new roommate turns out to be the super-popular TV idol Izumi Kido, Hikaru finds herself thrown smack in the spotlight's glare once more! ... more>>

And as if living with a celebrity wasn’t bad enough, Hikaru discovers that there’s more to Izumi than her “good girl” image—she’s a he! And this is only the first of Izumi's many dangerous secrets! Now Hikaru’s the unwilling star player in a madcap tale of deception, abduction, humiliation and blackmail…you know—the usual romantic stuff. <<less

Yi Summer and Loshii are orphans, both having met each other at their adoptive parents’ home. Because of the shadows remaining from their childhood, they are both shrouded in the midst of wariness. However, when Yi Summer and her brother meet an embarrassing situation during a singing competition, Loshii helps them out, and the iciness that separates both of them gradually melts. Seeing what has happened, as well as in an attempt to break both of them up, Ozen, who deeply loves Yi Summer and is the heir to the company that founded their school, sends Loshii off to England to study… ... more>>

Five years later, Loshii has become a superstar, with countless number of fans to his name. Yi Summer, having become an orphan once again as her adoptive parents died the year Loshii left, is a new artiste of a records company, and meets Loshii. Ozen, on the other hand, having lost his memory of Yi Summer five years ago due to a car accident, also sees Yi Summer once again as well. With all three main characters back on the scene and their disputes of love and hate, what will happen between them then? Who will Yi Summer pick in the end? <<less

Ai is the only royal princess of Ai-Land, a magical kingdom caught in the midst of a horrific revolution. When Princess Ai makes a hasty... more>> escape from her war-torn land, she finds herself in modern-day Tokyo. Confused and in shock, Ai wanders the streets in this strange new land to unravel the secrets that could tear her and her kingdom apart... [Tokyopop] <<less

Saya is an ordinary, lethargic female high school student. While she was alone at karaoke, singing enthusiastically a song of her favorite artist, Takase Kazuki,... more>> the person himself was watching her…?! <<less

Fujisaki Maki once had a peaceful life, but one day, she decides to help Nobitani, who was being bullied, and now everyone's bullying her! Because... more>> Nobitani feels guilty, he gives Maki tickets to a famous local band called 'East Robo'. Maki decides to go and during the concert, the leader singer plays a ballad and is looking at Maki?! <<less

Drawn into the exciting world of kabuki theatre, young Akari spends her time after school assisting the famous actor, Shonosuke Ichimura. In the real world,... more>> however, this prince of kabuki is actually a high school cutie named Ryusei. The pair's relationship gets off on the wrong foot but eventually, with the help of a cat known as Mr. Ken, the two teenagers fall in love. <<less

Sagiri is Haru's childhood friend. Sagiri is also a popular model and the distance between the two becomes wider and wider. Will she be able to deliver her complex feelings to him? ... more>>

Also includes extra oneshot "Kamen no Pianist" about a shy boy who's teaching piano lessons to the girl he loves. <<less

We follow the bumpy and funny romance between bubbly Tamoko and the serious Kanji. With Kanji's father running an idol agency, and Tamoko being the... more>> daughter of their top-selling idol, Shinju, things get complicated. Tamako must hide the fact she is Shinju's daughter to save public face, and at the same time, she is determined to be Kanji's ideal wife (as was promised when they were little kids). It doesn't help that Tamako's pretty clumsy and poor of domestic chores, but no matter what comes down the road, she's not about to give up! <<less

High school first year Sara has a secret…she’s really the super-popular singer SALA! However, as an idol her gender is kept a secret from the... more>> world in order to sell her music. But can Sara win when she wants to be just Sara…? <<less

Yating was working in a recording company until she was fired by her boss (a famous movie actress with a spoiled temperament). Discouraged and jobless,... more>> Yating decided to work in a pub where a famous group called "Gangster" regularly played. Along the way, she gets to meet this guy who has the most divine voice. Yating's luck then began to change when her uncle decides to retire and set up his own record company. He asks her to join in his ambition to create the most famous rock group in Taiwan. This is the story of how Yating, being the new manager, tried to create the ultimate rock band! <<less

Jinny is a famous model with gorgeous long hair - but little does everyone know that she is in fact actually Ahjin, a high schooler... more>> who has short hair, wears glasses and only does modeling for the sake of her uncle! Ahjin has a crush on Dohoon, one of the coolest guys in school. When Ahjin, dressed as Jinny, finds out that she'll be living in the same apartment building as her crush, she's thrilled! But how can she keep her secret from Dohoon, when he himself adores the model Jinny?! <<less

Hagiwara Mio is a 14-year-old teen actor. She's currently in love with her neighbor, teen actor Morimoto Teruomi. She is given a role in a short drama, but is dissatisfied that her roles always involve being the bossy antagonist. She was cast as the rival of her friend, Sawagi Aya, in the drama.... more>>

Excited at the fact that Teru is also in the drama, Mio accepts the job. On the first day of the shoot, Mio meets Kumagai Ichiya who calls Mio a bad actress. With their first meeting getting off to such a bad start, a chain of problems for Mio began to pile up.

Volume 8 includes 2 Omakes (oneshots) entitled:

Angel & Adventure

Radical Romance <<less

The one-shot tells a story about the late Kenji Endō, the real-life musician that was the inspiration for Kenji from 20th Century Boys!

High schooler Rinko is the “mother” of her household. She cleans, cooks, and keeps the family in check. She’s so good at her motherly role that her nickname literally is “mom.” The reason she has to be the matriarch so to speak is because she lost her own mother long ago. Her father works for a talent agency and has such an erratic schedule, that someone had to fill that role (and it certainly wasn’t going to be him!).... more>>

Which is perfect when her father suddenly shows up with rising star Ryuuji. Ryuuji needs a place to stay, away from his obsessive fans and the paparazzi. Some place where he can relax and not be on edge. So why not the home of his boss? How will Rinko handle this new surprise? Taking care of her father is one thing, but an idol😕

(Source: SylphAlchemist) <<less

Shiho is a "private actress" who works for a production company. She also does personal assignments that needs her to pretend to be a different... more>> person. She takes on assignments for people and takes on the personality of the person who they are pretending to be. <<less

Miyamae Haruka, 22, is a soon-to-be graduate and at first glance a very unremarkable looking young woman. No one will even stop to help her up when she falls and each time she applies for a job, she's blithely passed over. Things are getting desperate and if Haruka cannot get a job soon, she may become known as a jobless university graduate -- a very unenviable title for any young graduate to bear.... more>>

So Haruka decides to lower her expectations. She goes to apply for a job she found on an ad and is shocked by how flippant the interview is. Little does she know, the job she really wanted is already taken and she is now interviewing for a spot as the newest idol... who is supposed to be 17 years old!

And so begins the birth of a new idol, Haruka 17, and follows the adventures and ordeals Haruka must go through as her star rises. She discovers that the world of an idol can be sleazy, terrifying, and a cruel competition. With the positive and negative relationships she develops with the other people around her, she begins to discover herself as well. <<less