Orange Planet by Haruka Fukushima

Title: Orange Planet
Mangaka: Haruka Fukushima
Age Group: Teens
# of Pages: Approx. 200
# of Volumes: 6
My Rating: 3.5/5

Rui's parents died when she was a young girl. She ran away from their funeral for a brief time and tearfully bumped into an older boy. He promised her the brightest star in the sky and that her parents would always be watching over her. Feeling much better, she came home to find a teddy bear with a letter waiting for her. It was from him. It read, "Whenever you get sad, write a letter to Haru-san."

Now in high school, Rui lives by herself and continuously writes letters to the mysterious "Haru" ever since. He never replies back but she hopes in her heart that he reads them.

Planning to give a love letter to her crush, Kaoru, at his apartment, Rui accidentally witnesses a guy making out with some a girl. Embarrassed, she runs away before she could give the letter.

Later in the day, she comes back for her second attempt. Except one of the apartments is on fire! Without a second thought, she dashes to the burning area to find the same playboy from before. He saves her when a lamp comes crashing down upon them. So in return for saving her, Eisuke now lives with her!

Life just got interesting because not only will Rui see Eisuke at home, but at school as well! He is an intern and will be teaching her class from then on! Surprises keep popping up and she does not know that three boys like her at once, including her cute next-door neighbour/old friend, Taro! But, who will truly pull the strings to her heart?

I did not like the manga for the first couple of chapters. It was the art that bothered me instead of the plot. It was cute but at the same time, bothersome because of the way the eyes were drawn and lines used on the character designs. Eisuke looks nothing like a college student. In fact, he appears to be the same age as Rui and her friends! When I can't distinguish age in the manga, it gets a little frustrating because I know how old the character really is. I got used to the art toward the end of Orange Planet but I still wish the style is a little more different.

The manga is simplistic in the simplest way possible. It's a story where the orphan protagonist gets confused by her new and sudden "love" life. Your typical shojo. There is nothing fresh to the same old and reused plot so therefore, it is hard to get into it without the special "thing" that would entice you to continue.

The mangaka did not create anything original that makes me eager for the second volume but she knows how to leave a cliffhanger so her audience will be curious. Recommended for Zodiac P.I. and Instant Teen fans.

Review copy provided by Del Rey.