Kara Dennison
February 12, 2025 
Kazune Kawahara’s romance manga A Star Brighter Than the Sun will be getting its own anime this year. Never heard of it? You can start reading it in less than a month! Viz will be releasing Volume 1 in print and digital editions on March 4, so you can experience the love before the anime begins.
We got a sneak peek at the new translation—and we can absolutely see why this series is so beloved. Join us for an early look at Volume 1!
The Story
A Star Brighter Than the Sun starts simply enough: with childhood friends. Koki and Sae grow close in elementary school, but that changes as they get older. Koki grows from a shrimpy kid into a charismatic young man. Sae, meanwhile, just becomes “the big girl.” As time goes on, she feels more and more separate from him. After all, he’s handsome and popular. She’s just tall, making her the butt of her new high school classmates’ jokes. Before long, Sae realizes her affection for Koki has blossomed into love. But she can’t bring herself to tell him—especially when word reaches her that he has a crush, too!
It’s the sort of story we’ve seen time and again in high school rom-coms, but it still works. In particular, this series digs into the awkward changes that come with growing up. Who do we become as we get older? What is the “right” way to behave around someone you care about? Those questions and more surround the manga’s romantic plot.
The Art
A Star Brighter Than the Sun hails from the creator of My Love Story!! and High School Debut, so the art style may look familiar to shojo manga fans. Sae and Koki are unique-looking characters in their own right. Sae’s awkwardness about her height and strength are evident in the way she carries herself. And you may have noticed her favorite thing about Koki’s appearance: his prominent fang.
We can’t wait to see Kawahara’s soft shoujo style animated. For now, it’s an excellent complement to the slow-burn romance of the story.
Why It’s Special
The heroine of A Star Brighter Than the Sun is an absolute sweetheart. She’s awkward in her body and certain she doesn’t shine nearly as brightly as Koki. But even though we’re seeing the story through her eyes, Koki’s feelings aren’t difficult at all to parse. Watching her watch him, and hearing him describe the “mystery” girl he likes, both show just how unaware she is of her merits. While a heroine like that can often be unbelievable, Sae’s anxieties about herself are relatable enough to make them believable—especially for someone of high school age.
There’s something rather sweet about watching Sae fret about whether Koki likes her, when the reader can tell very quickly how he feels. The drama isn’t in wondering if they’ll get together. It’s all about when she’ll grant herself the same consideration that she grants her beloved childhood friend. Interesting without being frustrating, slow-burn without being ludicrous, this is a believable teen romance with a lot of heart.
