12/6/2005

Full Moon, complete title Full Moon wo Sagashite (満月をさがして, meaning Searching for the Full Moon), is a shoujo manga and anime series by Arina Tanemura. The kanji in the Japanese title are read “furu mun” (i.e. Full Moon) and not “mangetsu” or “mitsuki”. The full title is always used in Japan whereas in the U.S. the full title is present only on the front cover of the manga.

Originally this manga was serialised in Ribon, a Japanese magazine for girls. As of 2004, it has become a completed series with a total of seven volumes, and an artbook. The manga is published in English by Viz Media with translations by Tomo Kimura. As the manga began to gain popularity, an anime version of the story was simultaneously made and completed before the manga’s ending. Produced by Nihon Ad Systems, the anime is one of the most popular series, enjoying high ratings. It aired on TV Tokyo and has yet to be licensed outside Japan.

Full Moon focuses on a 12-year old girl named Mitsuki Koyama (神山満月 Kōyama Mitsuki). While Mitsuki is a talented singer, and indeed dreams of becoming a pop idol, she is afflicted by throat cancer, which seems curable only through surgery that will destroy her voice. One day she discovers two shinigami, Takuto and Meroko, the “Negi Ramen” or “Onion Noodles”, whom only she can see. These shinigami tell her she has but one year left to live. She doesn’t look old enough to be a singer, so she makes a deal with one of the shinigami, Takuto, to transform her into a 16-year-old body who goes by the stage name of “Full Moon” in order to achieve her dream of becoming a singer. Not only does she become older, but when she is in this form her throat is healthy, and she is able to sing without any difficulty.

To start a career as a singer, 16-year-old Mitsuki auditions in a singing contest. Even though there is much competition, she is able to win over the judges with her enthusiam for singing and her good voice. Two years before the shinigami came to her, she promised Eichi, a boy she met in an orphanage, that they would both achieve their dreams together. Eichi wanted to become an astronomer and she wanted to become a singer. Since she found out she is fated to die, she wants to achieve her dream and meet Eichi. In addition, Eichi has emigrated to America and is uncontactable. Mitsuki hopes that one day her songs will be heard by Eichi who will come back to her so they can be together again.

Links:

Full Moon wo Sagashite - Tsubasa ga habataku kagiri ~
~*~ Full Moon ~*~
Dreaming Of… (Fanlisting)

Source:

Wikipedia