MARS GAIDEN: NAMAE NO NAI UMA

DESCRIPTION

CAST

CHAPTERS

MANGA DramaMARS

REVIEWS

• 

  RoseFaerie

  100/100
  An endearing prequel to the manga Mars begins what is now my favorite oneshot anthology.

  I feel like since I reviewed Mars, I'd have to do the spin-off, which is really just a collection of three oneshots, only one of which has to do with the original manga. I actually really loved all the oneshots, which is rare in anthologies like this. Usually there will be at least one that's kind of weird that I didn't like or didn't care about. Even in Wild.com the Yumi Tamura anthology I read, I didn't love all three stories, and I adore Yumi Tamura.

  The first story is called A Horse with No Name. It takes place before Rei and Kira get to know each other, and instead focuses on Rei and his friend Tatsuya Kida. However, before they were friends, Tatsuya disliked Rei out of general jealousy. However, after Tatsuya sticks up for Rei after some bullying goes too far, the two begin to bond, and even have to get out of some trouble with some bikers who are after Rei.

  I thought it was fun to see the characters before the drama started. This is the Mars where Rei protected Kira from getting bullied. This is the Mars where Kira lent Rei some money and they went their separate ways. This oneshot is very simple, but it's just a lot of fun. I just feel so happy when I imagine Rei having a fun time with a friend after all he went through as a child. Their friendship was super endearing, and it felt natural watching them bond.

  I also loved how the seemingly insignificant song that Tatsuya was listening to but couldn't remember the name of: Horse with No Name was connected to the series. That song is about the joys of solitude and being alone, which I find interesting seeing how much of Mars is about loneliness. It's interesting how that song really does define Rei and his outlook on life. How he rides on his motorcycle all alone and how he doesn't have to think about or worry about what happened in the past. He doesn't have his father or his trauma to bother him. All he has is his bike.

  The second story, Sleeping Lion, is about a young man named Isamu, who pretends to fear nothing, even death. But one day he meets an eccentric girl named Ayame who doesn't want to feel fear. The two of them form an unusual friendship. On Ayame's birthday, they engage in all sorts of shenanigans, but then a small incident reveals something tragic about both of them.

  This story had a more overt message about fear and death. When someone expects to die or is faced with death, their lives change. They can no longer experience the world the way they used to. Someone who watched a friend die because they are paralyzed by fear is bound to be burdened by guilt. They might want to die themselves or pretend that they can handle whatever comes their way so that they will not feel regret about what happened. Meanwhile, someone with only a small amount of time left to live might fear death. All people are worried about their ultimate ends, but it can be more terrifying when you know exactly when you will die and that you will die young with your dreams unfulfilled. Death is scary, but all you can ultimately do is move forward and live. That was the message of Sleeping Lion.

  1 Karatto no Kajitsu is the third story. Nina's father is having an affair, which is tearing her family apart. She does not think highly of love since her own parents can't even stay together and be happy. When Rui Asakura goes on a date with Nina's friend, she assumes they will start dating, but he's interested in Nina, but for a different reason than she first thought.

  This story was probably my favorite. It's the story of two kids whose parents are having an affair with each other and their relationship. It's the story of how Nina deals with her parents' impending divorce and her own growing feelings for Rui. Nina doesn't understand love anymore. She worries about her parents' relationship and whether or not they even loved each other in the first place. She doesn't understand her boy-crazy friend Ryoko. She even worries that her parents regret having her. It's only when she understands her own feelings and receives reassurance from her mother that she can move forward and pursue a relationship without fear.

  The art is amazing, as expected of Fuyumi Ono. It's minimalistic with few backgrounds, but it's effective and able to convey a lot of emotion. The character designs from all the oneshots were diverse, and I loved the effort put in with the assorted styles and hair given to all the characters, especially the guys, since I know how same-y shoujo guys can get. The ethereal sketchiness and simplicity make it incredibly beautiful, and I could talk about it for hours.

  I have to say that this is my favorite oneshot compilation, and I'm extremely attached to it now. These stories are all so beautiful and emotional. I've read many shoujo oneshots that were just about telling a cute story, which isn't bad, since not every story needs to have something deep to say, but it's refreshing to find an anthology with a lot of depth, good stories, and all of them are enjoyable for me. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it to any fans of Mars, Fuyumi Souryo or fans of shoujo in general.

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