Mink

    (Tokyopop, 2004-2005)
™ and © 2000 Megumi Tachikawa

Finally, here’s a 14-year-old school girl who gets a magical item (in this case, a CD–ROM from the future) that allows her to become an older, more idealized version of herself. Unfortunately, she has zero interest in fighting for peace and love, let alone against crime.

Instead, she uses it to become pop star Cyber Idol Mink (though the self-imposed title doesn’t make much sense) for three hours. After that time, as was the case with Cinderella, she reverts to her regular self. She’s aided by her two best friends, who know her secret, and Om, the CD–ROM’s overly cute installation wizard, as she tries to make her dreams come true.

She performs in concerts, participates in interviews, crushes big–time on her teen–age agent, and finds out that being a star is harder than it looks. Be prepared: This is a story that is not simply cute; it is overwhelmingly cute. On the other hand, it has so much obvious wish–fulfillment appeal for pre–teen girls it could easily become a Disney Channel original movie.

— S.A. Bennett
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