Twinkle Stars

Twinkle Stars
Hoshi wa Utau volume 1 cover.
Genre	Romance, Drama
Manga
Written by	Natsuki Takaya
Published by	Hakusensha
Demographic	Shōjo

Hoshi wa Utau (星は歌う, lit. Stars Sing) is a Japanese shōjo manga series created by Natsuki Takaya (pseudonym), and is being serialized in the shōjo manga magazine Hana to Yume, which is published by Hakusensha. The first chapter was published on June 5 2007, and the first bound volume was released on January 18 2008.

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. She initially believes that Chihiro is a friend of Kanade, her guardian, but she later learns that Kanade had invited him to her birthday party thinking that he was her boyfriend. Kanade then becomes offended by what he perceives as trickery, but Sakuya becomes even more intrigued by Chihiro. Later on in the story, Sakuya meets Chihiro again, and during a discussion about the stars in which Sakuya says that the star Alphard (the brightest star in the constellation Hydra) is her favorite, Chihiro suddenly exclaims that he hates Sakuya.

Characters

Sakuya Shiina (椎名 サクヤ, Shiina Sakuya)

The heroine of the story. She lives with Kanade in a house close to the sea and has an odd job in a village not far from it. She studies the stars thanks to the encouragement from 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 meeting Chihiro, she begins to develop romantic feelings towards him.

Chihiro (チヒロ)

A mysterious boy with black hair who supposedly descended from stars. He appears on Sakuya's birthday and gives her a gift; it is only after he leaves that Sakuya and Kanade realize they do not know who he is. Sakuya searches for him soon after and finds him at the local train station. When Sakuya asks who he is, Chihiro asks her what identity would she prefer for him to take on instead. When Sakuya questions why he would ask this of her, he tells her to go home, that she should never speak to him again, and that he hates her.

He appears soon afterwards at Sakuya's school as "Chihiro Aoi" and reminds her that he hates her and to act as though they have never met. Later on, when Sakuya is trying to introduce a star-gazing club and is made fun of by her classmates, Chihiro runs up and hugs her. Chihiro's feelings for Sakuya are largely unknown.

Kanade (奏)

Kanade sheltered Sakuya after she was given up by her father, although their relation, if they even have one, is unknown. He is a 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 him (like Sakuya) work. Sakuya defends this behavior, as she doesn't mind working and because Kanade saved her.

Yūri Murakami (村上 優里, Murakami Yūri)

One of Sakuya's best friends. He is obsessed with being Spiderman and at one point wanted to be one of the X-Men. He calls Kanade a "lowlife" because he thinks Kanade takes advantage of Sakuya. He apparently has some vague romantic feelings for Sakuya as it is often hinted at that he sees her as more that just a friend and blushes furiously around her. Yūri constantly watches over Sakuya and reacts to any subject relating to her, indicating he is very protective of her. Yūri is short for his age and is sensitive about that, but he excels at sports and often becomes conceited when complemented on his athletic abilities.

Hijiri Honjō (本条 聖, Honjō Hijiri)

Another one of Sakuya's best friends. She is very beautiful, and often argues with Yūri. 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. Sakuya claims that Sei often tries to "put adults to shame." This may be because her parents make her work when they themselves have nothing to do. She is also apparently an intimidating person, and even overwhelms the majority of her teachers. In the ninth chapter of the manga, Yūri remarks that Chihiro seemed like a second Hijiri. She is the president of her class.

Shizuka Kutani (静か, Shizuka)

Sakuya, Chihiro, Hijiri and Yūri's homeroom teacher. 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.

Yūto Murakami (村上 優人, Murakami Yūto)

Yūri's older brother. He is in charge of the shop that Sakuya works at. Yūto still treats Yūri like a child and on Children's Day, he hung up Yūri's koinobori although Yūri was already past that age.

External links

• Hoshi wa Utau ({{{type}}}) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia