, also known as Twinkle Stars, is a Japanese

Japanese language

is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...

 shōjo manga by Natsuki Takaya

Natsuki Takaya

is the penname of a Japanese manga artist best known for creating the series Fruits Basket, which at one time was the best selling manga in the world. She was born on July 7, 1973. Takaya is left-handed and once revealed that she wanted to be a manga artist since first grade, when her sister...

, the author of Fruits Basket

Fruits Basket

, sometimes abbreviated , is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Natsuki Takaya. It was serialized in the semi-monthly Japanese magazine Hana to Yume, published by Hakusensha, from 1999 to 2006. The series was also adapted into a 26-episode anime series, directed by Akitaro...

. It was serialized by Hakusensha

Hakusensha

is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.The company mainly publishes manga magazines of various genres and is involved in certain series' productions in their games, original video animation, musical and their animated TV series....

 from 5 June 2007 to 20 January 2011 in the manga magazine Hana to Yume

Hana to Yume

is a semi-monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Hakusensha.The magazine is published on the 4th and 22nd of every month. It is often nicknamed as among the readers...

, with serial chapters collected in eleven tankōbon

Tankobon

, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...

volumes under the Hana to Yume Comics imprint. A drama CD

Radio drama in Japan

Radio drama in Japan has a history as long as that of radio broadcasting in that country, which began in 1925. Some consider the first Japanese radio drama to have been "" which was a radio broadcast of a stage play. Others consider the Japanese translation of Richard Hughes's "Danger" or to be...

 based on the series was released in February 2010.

Plot

Sakuya Shiina is the president of a star-gazing club at her high school. On her eighteenth birthday, she receives a pink dress from Chihiro, a handsome and mysterious boy around her age who suddenly appears at her birthday party. She initially believes that Chihiro is a friend of Kanade, her guardian, but she later learns that Kanade had invited him to the party thinking that he was her boyfriend. Kanade then becomes offended for being deceived, but Sakuya becomes even more intrigued by Chihiro. She finally gets her chance to meet Chihiro again, and during a discussion about the stars (in which Sakuya says that the star Alphard

Alphard

Alphard is the brightest star in the constellation Hydra. The name Alphard is from the Arabic الفرد , "the solitary one", there being no other bright stars near it. It was also known as the "backbone of the Serpent" to the Arabs. In ancient China it formed part of an asterism called the "red bird"...

, the brightest star in the constellation

Constellation

In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....

 Hydra

Hydra (constellation)

Hydra is the largest of the 88 modern constellations, measuring 1303 square degrees. It has a long history, having been included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy. It is commonly represented as a water snake...

, is her favorite), Chihiro suddenly exclaims that he hates Sakuya and disappears once again. Sakuya becomes even more troubled when, a few days later, Chihiro suddenly enrolls at her school and becomes a classmate. As the story goes on, Sakuya's feelings towards Chihiro grows, and Chihiro starts warming up to her.

Characters

The heroine of the story. She lives with Kanade in a house close to the sea and works part-time at a shop run by the family of her friend Yūri. She left her own home because she was receiving no support from her father, and her step-mother was psychologically abusing her. She has always had a fascination with stars, and studies them with the encouragement of her teacher. The first chapter begins the day of her eighteenth birthday, when she first meets Chihiro. She has two friends: Hijiri Honjō and Yūri Murakami. After her sudden meeting with Chihiro, she begins to develop romantic feelings towards him.

A mysterious boy who shows up at Sakuya's eighteenth birthday party, even though he was a total stranger both to Sakuya and Kanade, her guardian. As the story progresses, Sakuya falls for him and he warms up to her, despite his own troubling past. It is hinted that Sakuya reminds him of his first love Sakura during his middle school days. As the story progresses, he develop feelings for Sakuya often showing kind emotions toward her. He have also gotten jealous of Sakuya and Yuri's close relationship.

Kanade sheltered Sakuya after she was given up by her father; he and Sakuya are cousins (Sakuya's father is the younger brother of Kanade's mother). He comes from a family where his parents expected him to be perfect. When Kanade eventually reaches his limit regarding this, his parents disown him and he goes to live on his own, taking Sakuya with him at the request of her father. He is an artist (potter) and university student, but has made few friends and is apparently "taking a break", according to Sakuya. He is presented as a lazy and difficult person, making people younger than he is (like Sakuya) work. Sakuya defends this behavior, as she doesn't mind working and because Kanade saved her. Despite this, Sakuya is very important to Kanade, though at first he found her annoying and a nuisance. After struggling with himself, Kanade decides to get a regular job as a construction worker to show some responsibility towards her.

One of Sakuya's best friends. He calls Kanade a "lowlife" because he thinks Kanade takes advantage of Sakuya. Yūri lives with his older brother Yūto and their grandmother (his parents are deceased). His family owns a shop in town, where Sakuya works part time. Yūri first met Sakuya at the high school opening ceremony and, unintentionally, verbally bullied her about her sad attitude at school. But after quarreling with his older brother he then understood Sakuya's feelings of being abandoned and later apologized to Sakuya, who forgave him and smiled. Yūri is protective of Sakuya and defends her whenever he catches someone at school tormenting her. He is in love with Sakuya and becomes upset whenever people around him hint that he might have romantic feelings for her. Although he is popular among his classmates, Yūri is short for his age and is sensitive about that, but he excels at sports and often becomes conceited when complimented on his athletic abilities.

Another one of Sakuya's best friends. Hijiri comes from a wealthy family, who seems to own a lot of land in town, including the land where Yūri's family's shop is built. Hijiri is also very protective of Sakuya. She is very beautiful, but has a dark and menacing side. An intimidating person, Hijiri has been referred to as a "wolf in sheep's clothing", and even overwhelms the majority of her teachers. She initially seems to have feelings for Kutani, even after he rejects her confession, but later reconciles that her feelings for Kutani may have developed in response to her belief that Saki would never fall in love with her. When she realizes Saki's feelings for her are genuine, Hijiri begins to reciprocate. Though her name is "Hijiri", she is referred to as "Sei" by Sakuya because the kanji in her name can be alternatively pronounced as such. She is also the president of her class.

A long-time servant for the Honjō family who serves as Hijiri's butler. He is completely devoted to Hijiri, though she thinks he is annoying and treats him like a dog. A cheerful and kindhearted young man, Saki is very attuned to Hijiri's moods and behaviors, more so than Hijiri realizes. His devotion to Hijiri and his cheerful nature stems from meeting her when he had been at the lowest point in his life - despite being only a young child, she dragged him all the way to her house and he came to believe that she had given him a second chance at life. His regular declarations of love and gestures of affection to Hijiri are largely met with a violent reaction from her, but are entirely sincere, which Hijiri has difficulty accepting.

Sakuya, Chihiro, Hijiri and Yūri's homeroom teacher and also a math teacher at the high school. He is the sponsor for the Star-gazing Club and encourages and supports Sakuya. Yūri calls him "Shizuka-chan" and accuses him of making fun of his height. Kutani also seems to have the habit of losing his contacts and glasses. Apparently, he has a girlfriend.

Yūri's older brother. He is in charge of the family shop where Sakuya works. Yūto acts more like a parent to Yūri and still treats him like a child. On Children's Day, he hung up Yūri's koinobori

Koinobori

, meaning "carp streamer" in Japanese, are carp-shaped wind socks traditionally flown in Japan to celebrate , a traditional calendrical event which is now designated a national holiday; Children's Day. These wind socks are made by drawing carp patterns on paper, cloth or other nonwoven fabric. They...

 although Yūri is already past that age (he's 18). Although he is generally a gentle person, it is hinted that Yūto used to get into a lot of fights when he was younger.

Chihiro's first love, a girl he met in middle school who was frequently bullied in school because she came from a wealthy household, so was treated as an outcast. She and Chihiro became close because of their mutual feelings of loneliness, but her fragile emotional state resulted in an attempted suicide by hanging herself. She remains comatose and hospitalized in Tokyo. Sakura eventually awakens and calls Chihiro, resulting in him visiting her.

Chihiro's uncle, the brother of Chihiro's mother who took Chihiro in when Chihiro's mother abandoned him. He is a good-hearted man who hopes that by moving away from Tokyo, Chihiro can begin high school with fewer emotional burdens. As result, Yuichi and his wife worry about Chihiro, but are delighted when they learn that Chihiro has friends.

Manga

Hoshi wa Utau is written and illustrated by Natsuki Takaya

Natsuki Takaya

is the penname of a Japanese manga artist best known for creating the series Fruits Basket, which at one time was the best selling manga in the world. She was born on July 7, 1973. Takaya is left-handed and once revealed that she wanted to be a manga artist since first grade, when her sister...

. It has been serialized by Hakusensha

Hakusensha

is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.The company mainly publishes manga magazines of various genres and is involved in certain series' productions in their games, original video animation, musical and their animated TV series....

 in the shōjo (aimed at teenage girls) manga magazine Hana to Yume

Hana to Yume

is a semi-monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Hakusensha.The magazine is published on the 4th and 22nd of every month. It is often nicknamed as among the readers...

since the 5 June 2007 issue. The untitled chapters have been collected in eleven tankōbon

Tankobon

, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...

.

The series has been licensed for an English release in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment

Madman Entertainment

Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...

, under the title Twinkle Stars, and in Singapore by Chuang Yi

Chuang Yi

Chuang Yi Publishing Pte Ltd. is a publishing company based in Singapore that specializes in producing domestic and imported comics and comics-related merchandise, in English and simplified Chinese. Chuang Yi distributes all or some of its products in Singapore, Malaysia, India, and the Philippines...

, which also uses the title Twinkle Stars. The series is also licensed in France by Delcourt

Delcourt (publisher)

Delcourt is a French publishing house that specializes in comics and manga.It was founded in 1986 through the fusion of the magazines Charlie Mensuel and Pilote...

, in Italy by Panini Comics

Panini Comics

Panini Comics is an Italian comic book publisher. A division of Panini Group, best known for their collectible stickers, it is headquartered in Modena, Italy...

, in Spain by Norma Editorial

Norma Editorial

Norma Editorial is a Spanish comics publisher, with its headquarters in Barcelona.Founded in 1977 by Rafael Martínez, it publishes both original Spanish comics , Spanish translations of Japanese manga as well as Spanish translations of American or European comics and...

, in Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing, and in Germany by Carlsen Comics. In a press conference held on 2 September 2009, Tokyopop

Tokyopop

Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...

 expressed an interest in licensing Hoshi wa Utau. However, this would not be possible, as Tokyopop closed their doors in May 2011 due to bankruptcy.

Drama CD

In 2010, a drama CD for Hoshi wa Utau with an original scenario written by Natsuki Takaya was released in Japan.

External links

• Official Hakusensha website