Popular Rei and shy Kira are worlds apart, until one fateful day brings them together. Rei stumbles upon Kira in the harassing hands of her sleazy art teacher and saves the quiet girl from his clutches. And when the jock plants a kiss on a statue of Mars in the studio, Kira finds herself drawn in and even summons up the nerve to ask him to model for her!
The unforgettable classic shojo manga about two young people against the world who overcome their pain by relying on each other returns, in a glittering metallic hardcover with all-new cover illustrations and translation! Kira's life has been marked by pain. Gang violence took her father when she was young, and her mother's remarriage only inflicted even more appalling scars. She has no trust left to offer the world, so when a ravishingly handsome boy asks her for directions one day, she draws a map and hands it to him without a word. On the other side of the map is one of her drawings, which catches the eye of the boy, a motorcyclist named Rei. When the two end up in the same class, an outrageous incident will bind them together—Rei promising to model for Kira, in exchange for more of her art. But Rei has also suffered a family tragedy that has worn down his temper to a short, flashing fuse. Can these two damaged souls with nowhere else to turn heal each other, or will they burn themselves out first? Upon its release in English in 2002, MARS quickly became of the best-selling shojo manga of all time, on par with Nana. But this beloved classic has been out of print for decades—until now. Kodansha is bringing MARS back for its 30th anniversary with an all-new translation in collectible, 2-in-1 hardcovers featuring glittering metallic covers and new cover illustrations from creator Fuyumi Soryo. The new edition will be complete in 8 volumes.
No one expected Kira and Rei’s relationship to last. He’s a street-wise biker with a dark past, she’s a shy art student who’s picked on by her peers. When another student steals Kira’s painting and uses it to win an art show, Rei shows his love by socking the guy in the face. The meek Kira wonders if maybe they aren’t made for each other after all.
Kira is a lonesome waif who cares more about her art than anything else. Rei is an arrogant, rebellious and tough playboy who wears his delinquency like a badge. When these two opposites find each other, the sparks fly, but they also attract some unwanted attention. While Kira deals with Rei’s jealous suitors, Rei has to confront demons from his past.
When old friends of Rei show up at the school fair, Kira finds that she may have some heated competition for his love. His old flame, Shiori, confesses that she never gave up loving Rei, and she now wants him back. To make things worse, Kira uncovers more about Rei’s dark past and his brother’s suicide. Would she be better off if she just let Shiori have him?
A bad boy can change a good girl forever. Rei is the school delinquent. Kira is shy and studious. What they see in each other is a mystery to their friends. What they find in each other is a miracle to themselves. With a style that is artistic and chic, this tale of restless and confused high school love is an absolute classic of shojo manga!
Kira and Rei are definitely in love, but no one said love was easy. When a new guy enrolls in their school, he instantly develops a big crush on both Rei and Kira. Gulp! To make matters worse, it turns out that this mysterious stranger is actually a face from Rei’s violent past. Slowly, Kira begins to discover Rei’s darker side, but she’s not so sure she likes what she sees. As scandalous stories and shocking secrets are revealed, Kira hopes beyond hope that their love will be able to conquer all.
Kira and Rei are made for each other ... but no one said love was easy. Masao directs his violent temper at Kira. When Kira’s mother is unexpectedly hospitalized, Rei and Harumi offer their undying support. Masao, who hates seeing Rei’s sensitive side, is outraged and attempts to put Kira out of the picture ... forever. As murderous plots are hatched and hidden secrets revealed, Kira and Rei must fight for each other—and for their lives.
Rei is the school delinquent. Kira is shy and studious. What they see in each other is a mystery to their friends. What they find in each other is a miracle to themselves. With a style that is artistic and chic, this tale of restless and confused high school love is an absolute classic of shojo manga!
The unthinkable has happened! Rei and Kira have finally broken up and it’s the talk of the town. Kira can only stand by helplessly as Rei walks out of her life. Though Rei feigns indifference and walks into the arms of waiting suitors, he begins to realize that he may have been too hasty in his decision to break up. Kira struggles to come to grips with being alone and also questions what she has done. At her friends’ advice, she decides to try and make up with Rei before it’s too late, but he is nowhere to be found. With her family life also paying the price, Kira has no idea who to turn to. Find out what happens next in this nail-biting volume of Mars.
Now that Rei and Kira are an "official" couple, Kira experiences a refreshing taste of freedom for the first time in her life. She is finally able to leave her troubled past behind and give in to a newfound joy. As the happy couple takes a deep look at what they have together, they find themselves at one of life’s major crossroads. The two must decide how school and work will play into their future. Kira decides to take a job in order to secure her independence, while Rei contemplates quitting school in order to support Kira and become a respectable member of society. Just when you think you have your future all mapped out, love enters the picture and changes the scenery.
Nearly tragic domestic disturbances highlight this compelling volume. Stepfathers and fathers figure prominently and futures hang in the balance— as if Kira and Rei needed any more complications!
Kira leaves home with her mother’s blessing. When Kira goes with Rei to meet his father, she realizes that he is the elegant man who tried to buy her painting of Rei. It comes out that Rei is actually the son of his father’s brother, who Rei’s mother had an affair with. Rei’s father invites Kira to come live at his house with Rei as his fiance until they graduate from high school. As Kira and Rei explore the giant mansion together, Kira learns details about Rei’s life, and Rei is also beginning to remember things that he had long forgotten. When Kira and Rei go exploring alone (Kira to Sei’s room and Rei to his mother’s room) they both discover things that were held secret for years. Kira finds a suicide note painted into one of his paintings, in which he shows his true colors, which are far darker than anyone could’ve imagined. Meanwhile, Rei remembers things about his mother’s illness that shock him?
Rei remembers more events from his childhood, and discovers the truth about his mother’s mental illness. The complicated relationships within his family are all brought out into the open, including the fact that Rei’s real father was a racecar driver who died in a horrific crash.
Rei begins his training to become a professional racer and Kira must come to grips with how dangerous the sport really is. There are many people who have high expectations of Rei and he performs wonderfully. Kira is pleased that Rei is finally following his true passion in life but her happiness turns to anxiety when she discovers that Masao has been released from the psychiatric center.
Rei and Kira decide to get married right away after all, but what kind of damper could a newly released Masao put on the relationship? Irrational and showing a mixture of false and true emotions, he will lash out ... violently... Will Rei be all right? What kind of dangers await? You won’t want to miss the stunning conclusion to MARS!