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隣のステラ [Tonari no Stella] #2
Gazing at the Star Next Door, Vol. 2
What do you do when your best friend (and secret crush) becomes a national sweetheart ? This story of unrequited love between a girl and her best friend, whose acting career is pulling him further and further away, is perfect for fans of In the Clear Moonlit Dusk and Kimi ni Todoke .
Chiaki is a pretty normal teenage girl. Since they were kids, she's had a thing for her best friend Subaru--who's fast becoming the hottest young actor in Japan! With Subaru threatening to slip away, Chiaki has a decision to Will she finally take her shot, or give Subaru up to his adoring public?
Chiaki is a pretty normal teenage girl. Since they were kids, she's had a thing for her best friend Subaru--who's fast becoming the hottest young actor in Japan! With Subaru threatening to slip away, Chiaki has a decision to Will she finally take her shot, or give Subaru up to his adoring public?
192 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2022
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87 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 13, 2024
almost kiss scene plus jealous scene… oh it’s wraps for me
May 15, 2024
SCREAMING!! CRYING!! THROWING UP!! THIS SERIES IS SO GOOD!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭
As soon as I took out the manga of the package it arrived in, I was flipping through pages and reading it because I NEEDED more after volume one!! 🤩🤩🤩
This volume definitely lives up to the excitement I felt in volume one, but it also poured out alllll the angst! As someone who isn't overly fond of angst, I sure enough was eating it up when reading this volume and had no problem with it! LOL!
I'm not even fully sure of what to say because once again I loved every single moment. Chi's internal struggle truly is "overflowing" into every part of her life and she's saying things and doing things that make her feel regretful. She doesn't want to be mean or standoffish but she feels SO certain that her feelings can never be returned, and therefore, must be buried deep in her heart.
Yeah, how is that working out for you Chi? LOL!
I super love her though and find her story such a compelling one! I think because of what happened when she was sick, we now see how Subaru has feelings for her.
At least I hope I am right and not just just wishfully thinking he does! LOL! I'm not going to front though that it's almost SUPER subtle and definitely in the small moments. I blame his good acting skills helping him stay more composed whereas Chi is obviously NOT composed. LOL!
I am already eagerly looking forward to the next volume and hope that Chi can move forward and make her feelings known! I'm scared to know if she'll be able to or if she'll be interrupted before having a chance to say something! COME ON, CHI! YOU CAN DO IT GIRL!
HIGHLY recommend this story especially if you like slowburn childhood friends-to-lovers with a good amount of angst!
As soon as I took out the manga of the package it arrived in, I was flipping through pages and reading it because I NEEDED more after volume one!! 🤩🤩🤩
This volume definitely lives up to the excitement I felt in volume one, but it also poured out alllll the angst! As someone who isn't overly fond of angst, I sure enough was eating it up when reading this volume and had no problem with it! LOL!
I'm not even fully sure of what to say because once again I loved every single moment. Chi's internal struggle truly is "overflowing" into every part of her life and she's saying things and doing things that make her feel regretful. She doesn't want to be mean or standoffish but she feels SO certain that her feelings can never be returned, and therefore, must be buried deep in her heart.
Yeah, how is that working out for you Chi? LOL!
I super love her though and find her story such a compelling one! I think because of what happened when she was sick, we now see how Subaru has feelings for her.
At least I hope I am right and not just just wishfully thinking he does! LOL! I'm not going to front though that it's almost SUPER subtle and definitely in the small moments. I blame his good acting skills helping him stay more composed whereas Chi is obviously NOT composed. LOL!
I am already eagerly looking forward to the next volume and hope that Chi can move forward and make her feelings known! I'm scared to know if she'll be able to or if she'll be interrupted before having a chance to say something! COME ON, CHI! YOU CAN DO IT GIRL!
HIGHLY recommend this story especially if you like slowburn childhood friends-to-lovers with a good amount of angst!
July 13, 2025
THE ANGST IS SO GOOD
May 11, 2024
Subaru is heading ever upward and Chiaki feels that means he’s ever more out of reach. As she alternates between beating herself up and following her heart, how long can she stand to see herself hurt?
The best part of this volume is at the very beginning, when Chiaki’s mom bodily throws her out of the house while Chiaki is trying to avoid Subaru after the events of the previous chapter. It is a genuinely laugh out loud moment and the art nails it.
Would that I had enjoyed the rest just as much, but this story is kind of a downer with some humour bits sprinkled throughout, just not enough. It leans so much into Chiaki being miserable and hard on herself that it gets kind of dour.
The way of shojo means that progress is slow and misunderstandings and miscommunications abound. I wouldn’t read the genre if I didn’t accept (and ofttimes enjoy) the tropes, but Chiaki’s just so earnestly mean to herself that it’s not great.
Obviously, this will be a feature, not a bug, for some readers and I could definitely see the appeal. There’s a solid fantasy (or a whole genre) to be wrung from having somebody who will validate you when you feel your worth is suspect at best.
It’s just that all the self-immolation feels to no great purpose; it’s not even because she’s after Subaru, more like she’s actively trying to shut her feelings down entirely. And, rather importantly, he doesn’t do a thing wrong here - he’s thoughtful and kind and utterly doing proper romantic lead stuff.
Actually, let’s be absolutely clear: Subaru does all the very best work in this volume. He’s as charming as his occupation would require, he’s very thoughtful to Chiaki, he reassures her every time she’s down (which is a lot), he flirts real hard. Rarely does the male steal the volume, but Subaru saves this one.
The way Chiaki gets crushed and then gets hope and then crushes herself again makes for an especially exhausting treadmill. It’s this repetition that makes the volume drag - we’ve gotten the point after two chapters and watching Chiaki spiral over and over didn’t work for me at all.
It’s a reasonable exploration of how hard it is to overcome crippling self-doubt, but also a very long one. There comes a point where it feels like it’s just hitting the same note over and over while just swapping out the backdrops.
Toss in a sledge of typical tropes - here comes the local pervert on the loose (and this whole section is weirdly drawn to the point of pointlessness), Subaru’s new job means steamy scenes, here’s a cold, etc - and it’s something that is fine, but also a bit of a chore.
Which is a bummer. The first volume came out like a shot and established a good baseline that this doesn’t take enough advantage of and instead makes a vulnerable and likeable protagonist into a sad sack who appears to learn nothing (minus the ending, which is arguably too little too late).
3 stars - it’s not bad, but I kept reading this and trying and trying to find the greatness before I realized that if it was that great I wouldn’t have to look for it. Weaker than volume one, sadly.
The best part of this volume is at the very beginning, when Chiaki’s mom bodily throws her out of the house while Chiaki is trying to avoid Subaru after the events of the previous chapter. It is a genuinely laugh out loud moment and the art nails it.
Would that I had enjoyed the rest just as much, but this story is kind of a downer with some humour bits sprinkled throughout, just not enough. It leans so much into Chiaki being miserable and hard on herself that it gets kind of dour.
The way of shojo means that progress is slow and misunderstandings and miscommunications abound. I wouldn’t read the genre if I didn’t accept (and ofttimes enjoy) the tropes, but Chiaki’s just so earnestly mean to herself that it’s not great.
Obviously, this will be a feature, not a bug, for some readers and I could definitely see the appeal. There’s a solid fantasy (or a whole genre) to be wrung from having somebody who will validate you when you feel your worth is suspect at best.
It’s just that all the self-immolation feels to no great purpose; it’s not even because she’s after Subaru, more like she’s actively trying to shut her feelings down entirely. And, rather importantly, he doesn’t do a thing wrong here - he’s thoughtful and kind and utterly doing proper romantic lead stuff.
Actually, let’s be absolutely clear: Subaru does all the very best work in this volume. He’s as charming as his occupation would require, he’s very thoughtful to Chiaki, he reassures her every time she’s down (which is a lot), he flirts real hard. Rarely does the male steal the volume, but Subaru saves this one.
The way Chiaki gets crushed and then gets hope and then crushes herself again makes for an especially exhausting treadmill. It’s this repetition that makes the volume drag - we’ve gotten the point after two chapters and watching Chiaki spiral over and over didn’t work for me at all.
It’s a reasonable exploration of how hard it is to overcome crippling self-doubt, but also a very long one. There comes a point where it feels like it’s just hitting the same note over and over while just swapping out the backdrops.
Toss in a sledge of typical tropes - here comes the local pervert on the loose (and this whole section is weirdly drawn to the point of pointlessness), Subaru’s new job means steamy scenes, here’s a cold, etc - and it’s something that is fine, but also a bit of a chore.
Which is a bummer. The first volume came out like a shot and established a good baseline that this doesn’t take enough advantage of and instead makes a vulnerable and likeable protagonist into a sad sack who appears to learn nothing (minus the ending, which is arguably too little too late).
3 stars - it’s not bad, but I kept reading this and trying and trying to find the greatness before I realized that if it was that great I wouldn’t have to look for it. Weaker than volume one, sadly.
September 22, 2024
I’m gonna keep saying this but WHY do I keep picking up ongoing manga 😭 I just want to binge.
THE ALMOST KISSSSS
RECAP: continues from previous volume. Chi gets sick, Subaru comes to visit her bringing childhood faves but she says something that hurts him so he leaves. She runs after and yells and he hugs her as she faints. Then she’s at work, Subaru shows, she and coworker are bantering and Subaru obviously is jealous and blurts out he’s starting in a new drama. It’s a romance one. She realizes he’ll need to kiss others and gets disheartened. Subaru forgets his script, she runs it over for him in the rain, trips, and watches the photo shoot. Subaru BLUSHES from her praise hehe and then her mood switches when FL of the drama shows. She leaves, Subaru chases and gives her his shirt for her to wear and volume ends.
THE ALMOST KISSSSS
RECAP: continues from previous volume. Chi gets sick, Subaru comes to visit her bringing childhood faves but she says something that hurts him so he leaves. She runs after and yells and he hugs her as she faints. Then she’s at work, Subaru shows, she and coworker are bantering and Subaru obviously is jealous and blurts out he’s starting in a new drama. It’s a romance one. She realizes he’ll need to kiss others and gets disheartened. Subaru forgets his script, she runs it over for him in the rain, trips, and watches the photo shoot. Subaru BLUSHES from her praise hehe and then her mood switches when FL of the drama shows. She leaves, Subaru chases and gives her his shirt for her to wear and volume ends.
June 11, 2024
DONT JUST END THE VOLUME LIKE THAT!!!!!! AHDJFNEHDKSNDHSKS!!!
June 12, 2024
they care for eachother sm i hate them
August 4, 2024
wen junhui core <3
February 20, 2025
HOLY SHIT EVERYBODY STAY CALM
June 23, 2024
Maybe too little progress for me and Chiaki is really hard on herself in this one. I wish Suburu gave us a little more but the cliff hanger. I just can't wait till the next one.
May 10, 2024
4.5 stars.
June 7, 2024
i love the complexities we can notice here: chiaki feeling like subaru is an unattainable star but he just wants to be her subaru, her best friend. i love that so far there's no need for a 2nd ml bcs they both are basically alr in love w her e/o. he's not confessing bcs he doesn't want her to face the backlash that comes with being the lover of a famous person and she isn't confessing bc of her insecurities. i feel like she rlly rlly needs to work on her insecurities bc she always talks abt how plain and boring she is compared to him. i rlly need subaru's pov bcs i feel like she is the most important person to him. acting is his job so she needs to work on her jealousy issues too.
January 6, 2024
Ooh, the tension is really increased! It's so interesting to see how Chii keeps putting herself down mentally, and how Subaru (when he's made aware of it) just won't stand for it. Really love Haa-chan next to the end of the volume, she's a girls girl for real. Also, it's really fun to see that the main couple fits into the trope of "They both like each other, but they're both idiots about it". It's one of my favorite tropes!
October 6, 2024
i forgot i read an arc of the first volume at the beginning of the year and loved it so much!!!! and picking up right where it left off had my stomach filled with butterflies! chii is so sweet in her growing crush on her childhood friend turned superstar and subaru despite being a growing star still stays so grounded and steadfast and SWEET. i love them so much and just want them to be happy TOGETHER PLEASE.
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August 13, 2024Chiaki’s inferiority complex is annoying. She’s been friends with him forever, so it’s weird to think she’s somehow not suited to be with him. As if all relationships need equally attractive people - of course, this being a manga,it’s hard to see how she’s supposedly ordinary lr below average in looks…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2025
Totally amazinggg! I love these two, obviously Subaru also likes Chiaki but does not act on his feelings, now Chiaki is going to try to confess to him but will it be that easy?
Chiaki is always there for Subaru to help him wake up and also helped him bring his script to his workplace… now she has met some famous people. I like that Chiaki is trying her best to support Subaru!
Chiaki is always there for Subaru to help him wake up and also helped him bring his script to his workplace… now she has met some famous people. I like that Chiaki is trying her best to support Subaru!
April 12, 2023
Subaru me sigue dando malas vibras, tiene algo que no me gusta.
Al fin Chii se confiesa (aunque sea de manera accidental)!!!! Cómo responderá Subaru, su actitud celosa me dice que corresponderá los sentimientos, pero algo me dice que va a rechazar a Chii. No sé que pensar.
Al fin Chii se confiesa (aunque sea de manera accidental)!!!! Cómo responderá Subaru, su actitud celosa me dice que corresponderá los sentimientos, pero algo me dice que va a rechazar a Chii. No sé que pensar.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2024
The story is so sweet. I love the characters, although feel for Chi as she doesn't seem to have a lot of confidence in herself. She is clearly so important to Subaru and doesn't realise it.
I really love the art, it's illustrated so well and it's just gorgeous😍
I really love the art, it's illustrated so well and it's just gorgeous😍
November 23, 2024
I’m not fond of some tropes used in this volume (sickness, sketchy dude) and it’s made worse because the execution was so brief… like what was the point?! the whole maybe we practice for work shenanigans was on point.
January 26, 2026
we’re getting a bit tropey here with the one of them gets sick and there’s a creep around the neighborhood but the cliffhanger was good. also leaned into the practice kiss trope even if it didn’t end up happening but you bet i ate it up
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2023
Oh no I really love this Manga 😭😭😭
July 4, 2023
I really love this manga, I really like the main character 🫰🏽
July 16, 2023
THE CLIFFHANGER AHHHHHH
July 18, 2023
Ok so this manga is soooo adorable and I love the relationship between Chi and Subaru! I wish this would get published in the US!
August 7, 2023
oh there's going to be sm drama in this one
May 15, 2024
the drama... the tension.... my heart was racing alongside Chi's
May 18, 2024
Ohhhh I love this series. I love these two. I totally relate to Chi and how she talks down about herself. But I think she’s amazing. She’s so thoughtful and sweet. We all know Subaru agrees! Lol
June 4, 2024
MUST READ SERIES!!!!!
June 30, 2024
enthralling
I love this series! The setting and characters are enthralling and pull you in so you lose track of where you are when you read!
I love this series! The setting and characters are enthralling and pull you in so you lose track of where you are when you read!
July 13, 2024
3.5stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews