Basically the manga equivalent of that movie "Ice Princess"…. there's so much potential in a story about ice skating but no one ever seems to get it right. And sadly this author's art is too stiff to see any real motion in the limited skating that is shown. But at least it's G rated so it's a good series to give a kid.

This tale was very pretty and inspirational; it was just right for a young girl, perhaps one who really loves the world of ice skating.

It isn't about the "romance" of Maya and Shun; rather, it is about the "romance" of helping one another to shine. It does have a heart flutter or two, though, and they were entirely innocent and wonderfully sweet.

The shoujo style aspects of flowers and emotions are all tastefully and moderately done; there are no overly flowery scenes or high melodrama, but it still runs at a fast, clippy reading pace. I think this partly had to do with the unusually short chapters, running around 15 pages, verses the 40 or so that I'm use to with more mature titles. Regardless, my interest, even as a...er..."seasoned" adult was completely captivated.

Maya is similar in personality to Tohru, from Fruits Basket, and just as cute and likeable. Shun is appropriately dark and mysterious with a serious, sad past, though never as intensely tragic as Kyo or Yuki. The older coach fits the bill as the the funny and clever Shigure character. Yup, a lot of parallel FB characters...

A large part is the bright, spacious and alive-with-movement art, but what really makes this predictable story sparkle is its delivery through the world of ice skating itself. While reading, I could almost feel the triumph of the skaters, the magic of what happens when you accept the partnership of another, and the delicate beauty of "concentrating with your whole body."

This would be an ideal read for a young person who has not seen much darkness in the world, or perhaps someone of any age who has seen woeful troubles, but still appreciates something that sparkles with a simple joy.

... Last updated on June 26th, 2010, 2:39pm

I am just a bit confused on whether this story ends on Chapter 22 or not. Either way, I enjoyed this story a lot, and thought the main characters were very interesting and was looking forward to further developments in the story. Unfortunately, the story seems cut off, and the art style is just not Nakajo-sensei's best. Proportions are often wrong, and there is a lot of ugly messy line work. Sometimes I wonder if she started this story because she was going through a "skating" phase, and once she was over it, she got bored and left the manga unfinished. The Viz edition signs "The End" at the end of Chapter 22, so who knows if it will ever be continued? Shame, because Maya was a really interesting character! And I wanted to see her grow in the world of ice skating.

It's a pretty cute manga... the art is really nice, and the story is really happy-happy.. XD I like it, though it's a pity that it was never finished.. a few more chapters and we could have gotten a nicer resolution! Ah, wells. XD Cliched, but still a pretty enjoyable read.

well everyone, i have seen that you said that the ending sucks, well im not sure that the ending sucks but that is not the ending. It is still going, so i guess it does since it didn't finish. But i really like it.(story and characters) I wonder if it will be like Hana-Kimi....
Good story!

Cute characters. If you ever read Hana Kimi you'll understand. However...is the ending really a ENDING ?? Is chapter 15 really the end? If it is, then it's not worth it. Nothing solve.

... Last updated on August 10th, 2007, 9:27pm

This manga is not as good as the ealier works done by the mangaka. The art is great but the story lacks interest.