Kodocha—Sana’s Stage Comic

(Tokyopop)
™ and ©2002 Mixx Entertainment, Inc. ©1994 Miho Obana

If you’re expecting a cloying, hearts-and-flowers manga story about the private life of a child star — think again. This series digs deep to get underneath the too-cute surface, creating a pre-teen soap opera that deals with playground power struggles in a serious fashion.

But expect rough stuff — the lead, Sana, calls her manager her “gigolo” (because he’s paid to be with her), and a classmate has a rude term for her. Overworked and overwhelmed at both work and school — and because there isn’t a truly grown-up adult in her world — she’s left alone to deal with class bully Hayama. He’s a good-looking, violent sociopath, and — knowing manga — future issues will probably have them getting involved in a perverse, prepubescent “relationship.”

But maybe not. So far, this series has shown a refreshing emotional honesty, due in no small part to the English adaptation by Sarah Dyer. (Hey, Sarah, long time, no new issue of Action Girl.)

— S.A. Bennett

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