While the characters themselves are somewhat predictable, they embody the art of ballet nicely. It's a good read if you like classic manga art styles.

I read the story years ago when I was a little, and now am planning to make a fan fic out of it. However, my books are long gone and I couldn't find any hard copy nor complete scanlation out there, and amazon is.. well.. amazingly killing me. So, if someone out there want to share the story of Masumi or continue the scanlation, please, inform me too here or to anindhitamn@yahoo.com. Thank you...

One of the best sports manga out there. IF you don't believe that ballet is a sport, you are terribly wrong, especially since most ballerinas suffer for their art. Their pains are portrayed realistically in this manga as well, and Ariyoshi-sensei does an amazing job on showing an incredible story. The art is incredibly beautiful and the character development for Masumi is great. It also teaches you about the steps of ballerinas and feels just like a great shounen sports manga, except with a girl and with romance. Its lovely how balanced and well paced this manga is, and its a tragedy that this isn't as popular as it should be.

This has been one of my favorite manga since I was really young, it even inspired me to create comics and art, and take ballet! It's such a shame it hasn't been scanlated by anyone, so I'm stuck at volume 15. It was a interesting take on ballet manga, with great, expressive art, and some really amazing interpretations of famous ballet (Masumi's version of Odette always had me in awe!) It's really a classic shoujo manga, and I never get sick of rereading the 15 volumes I have.

the manga is spectacular!!! i started reading the first volume at midnight but couldnt stop until i read up until the 5th one (which is all i have on hand right now). lovers of glass mask, please read this. the storytelling is similar in that a girl with a lacking background strives for her goal though dedication, passion, hard work and raw talent. its really inspiring and makes you feel something amazing!

its a pity the rest of this series wont be made avaliable in english anymore, as CMX is dead. *sigh*

... Last updated on August 3rd, 2010, 3:01am

I have up to volume 15 is definitely one of my favorites as it's classic shoujo + shounen (must work elements). I'm so sad CMX is dead and I'm stuck on volume 15, but yeah if you don't like classic shoujo the art will bug you.

... Last updated on July 18th, 2010, 5:50pm

After seeing all these positive comments, I almost want to pick it up again. Nah, maybe not.

I thought the plot was kind of interesting, but when I actually started reading it, I couldn't stand the art and Masumi's personality kept annoying me. I couldn't read past the second volume. Oh well.

I used to have a ballet lesson when I was a kid and I hate it with passion but this manga made me want to do ballet... or did I do ballet because I like this manga??

I like the tensions between characters, I like how the heroine starts from the bottom and EARNED her way up to the top... so humane and the drawing is just so pretty as if you can see her actually dance

I've only read half of the first volume of this and I already want more. It's really very good. The deus ex machina flow like water, but Masumi is so likeable it doesn't really matter. She lets the reader live the dream: ugly duckling in the midst of superstars who allll like her and alll think she's talented and alll want to help her. It's very good stuff.

This is a super super great manga in both plot and art!!! The heroine is a talented, strong and hard-working girl (she's cute and innocent too). There are many men who love her, but mostly she's unawared of their feeling T_T.

This is the summary from wiki:
The first volume begins with Masumi sneaking backstage after a Tokyo ballet performance in order to express her admiration for the lead dancers, Sayoko and Kusakabe . However, when she meets the young stars, Masumi becomes tongue-tied and clumsily begins to dance. Sayoko graciously excuses her, and Masumi returns home slightly embarrassed. Later, Masumi receives an invitation to enter a nation-wide ballet competition. The competition is being held to discover the best ballet students in Japan, in order to invite them to an exclusive ballet school designed to improve the quality of Japanese ballet. Her impromptu dance for Sayoko and Kusakabe captured the attention of one of the contest's organizers (Alexei), and so Masumi goes to Tokyo in order to compete.
Once there, Masumi encounters Sayoko and Kusakabe again - this time as competitors. However, the three become friends, along with Aoi, Kusakabe's friendly rival. Out of the eight finalists, Masumi and her three new friends are all accepted. However, Masumi is obviously the weakest of the eight. She must un-learn the bad habits she picked up at her former ballet school. Alexei Sergeiev, a young and famous (and cold, too) dancer of Bolshoi Ballet. He became a teacher of the National Ballet School in Japan. Alexei found the talent of Masumi and trained her. Masumi's talent flowered largely and excellently.
Future volumes continue Masumi's entrance into the competitive world of ballet.

... Last updated on June 1st, 2012, 11:21pm