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Twin Spica / ふたつのスピカ Japanese Numbering #1
Twin Spica, Volume: 01
In a Tokyo in the not too distant future a young girl studies deligently with ambitions of soon attending space academy. If things work out just right, her future may very well be among the stars as well. And yet, every time she looks up to the stars there is a sense of melancholy in her heart. A sadness surrounds Asumi, as space exploration itself has profoundly impacted her life for as long as she can remember.
But she is not alone...A young man wearing a lion's mask is always beside her. He speaks of the constellations and galaxies as if he they were like home. He knows what it is like to love the stars--slightly bitter and yet always so warm and inviting. Truth is he has gone through much of Asumi is just experiencing. And now in spirit he will forever be with Asumi guiding her on her path to space.
But she is not alone...A young man wearing a lion's mask is always beside her. He speaks of the constellations and galaxies as if he they were like home. He knows what it is like to love the stars--slightly bitter and yet always so warm and inviting. Truth is he has gone through much of Asumi is just experiencing. And now in spirit he will forever be with Asumi guiding her on her path to space.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
17 people are currently reading
1383 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
July 28, 2011
[Review of whole series.]
There is this fine line, razor thin actually, between the base manipulation of a reader and the generation of emotional impact through honest means. You might not believe it exists and you’d be right to be skeptical. Books that straddle the line are rarer than books that praise the literary structure and depth of Stephenie Meyer novels. Or maybe not that rare. But still, pretty rare.
The thing is: most books that call out to the passions either a) do so quite honestly and work hard to elicit their response through genuine means or b) are contrived pieces of brute violence whose whole identity lies in the ability to wrench tears from the reader. There’s not a lot of writing out there that makes you wonder which side of the fence a book comes down on. It isn’t often that I’ll actually need to have a conversation with myself about whether or not a book earned its response from me.
Twin Spica is a book that plays against expectation, then.
Twin Spica composes so grand a wealth of emotive moments that if a reader is at all averse to misting up within sight of others, the book should not at all be consumed in public places. I typically have ended up reading each volume on lunch breaks in coffee shops or pizza parlours* and every last time I’ve been stuck staring at a page waiting for the lines to stop being so damned fuzzy and regain their composure. It’d probably be embarrassing if I at all cared what dining strangers thought of the thirty-seven-year-old man biting his lip and reading manga in a booth by himself.**
So yeah, Twin Spica delivers the emotionally devastating moments so frequently and with such apparent abandon that even though the book feels honest, I can’t help but remain skeptical. Could any book so frequently and so convincingly bring me to be whelmed with feeling without resorting to fakery? I mean, I don’t feel manipulated, not really. But maybe Yaginuma is really just tricking me with his winning characters and their lives built on hope and pain and their willingness to take on a world that’s clearly too real for their dreams.
The thing is: I don’t care.
Generally, I have a pretty good nose for contrivance. And once scented out, manipulation bothers me enough to strip me entirely of any ability to just go along with the story. But with Twin Spica I don’t even care to know whether Yaginuma comes by his power naturally or through foul literary sorcery. The book so thoroughly has both my attentions and affections that it really can do no wrong. I adore Asumi and Mr. Lion and treasure all the terrible things they’ve endured to get Asumi to the stars.
In the world of Twin Spica, the world’s third great astronautical disaster occurred in Japan in 2010. Japan’s first manned spaceflight goes awry when the rocket booster’s fuel errantly ignites, causing the rocket itself to veer into the nearby city of Yuigahama, killing many and leaving others injured, both physically and emotionally. Spica's story begins in 2024 and concerns fourteen-year-old Asumi, whose mother died in the accident. Asumi grows up speaking to the ghost of one of the astronauts aboard the Lion (the rocket’s name) and develops a passion for the stars. When an astronautical training school opens up to pave the way for Japan’s newly reopened space program, Asumi jumps at the opportunity to pursue her dream of space travel.
While the story largely unfolds in the present day, all of the volumes so far (1–7) have included back-up stories following characters when they were younger. This helps flesh out the current characters and halts them from merely being plot points that exist only to drive the story. These include heartbreaking memories of Asumi learning to deal with her mother’s five-year-long coma to sweet stories about how Asumi was inspired to take up her astronaut training even as a young elementary-schooler.
One of the more interesting aspects of the series is that, while it is pretty thoroughly grounded in an extrapolated science of the future, Twin Spica spends a lot of time developing the relationship between Asumi and the lion-masked ghost of an astronaut (Mr. Lion, he calls himself). For what amounts to a sci-fi drama, this is a curious choice. Science, being thoroughly materialistic by definition, should have no overlap with the metaphysical. Perhaps mythic systems operate differently in the day-to-day lives of the Japanese people, but this inclusion of the supernatural in an otherwise mundane story might take many American readers off-guard. In the end though, Yaginuma’s inclusions of ghosts and an afterlife allow him to explore numerous story avenues and character explorations that would be impossible to otherwise sound out. It’s this combination of the physical and the metaphysical that gives Twin Spica its strength and so the combination of the two comes off less corny than it does inspired.
Twin Spica thus far*** is absolutely worth your time as a reader. It is honestly one of my favourite series being published currently and I look forward to the new volume every other month. It gets me a bit teary-eyed almost every time, but in a way that feels satisfying—even if Yaginuma does seem to be suspiciously talented at drawing out an emotional response from readers.
[review courtesy of Good Ok Bad]
There is this fine line, razor thin actually, between the base manipulation of a reader and the generation of emotional impact through honest means. You might not believe it exists and you’d be right to be skeptical. Books that straddle the line are rarer than books that praise the literary structure and depth of Stephenie Meyer novels. Or maybe not that rare. But still, pretty rare.
The thing is: most books that call out to the passions either a) do so quite honestly and work hard to elicit their response through genuine means or b) are contrived pieces of brute violence whose whole identity lies in the ability to wrench tears from the reader. There’s not a lot of writing out there that makes you wonder which side of the fence a book comes down on. It isn’t often that I’ll actually need to have a conversation with myself about whether or not a book earned its response from me.
Twin Spica is a book that plays against expectation, then.
Twin Spica composes so grand a wealth of emotive moments that if a reader is at all averse to misting up within sight of others, the book should not at all be consumed in public places. I typically have ended up reading each volume on lunch breaks in coffee shops or pizza parlours* and every last time I’ve been stuck staring at a page waiting for the lines to stop being so damned fuzzy and regain their composure. It’d probably be embarrassing if I at all cared what dining strangers thought of the thirty-seven-year-old man biting his lip and reading manga in a booth by himself.**
So yeah, Twin Spica delivers the emotionally devastating moments so frequently and with such apparent abandon that even though the book feels honest, I can’t help but remain skeptical. Could any book so frequently and so convincingly bring me to be whelmed with feeling without resorting to fakery? I mean, I don’t feel manipulated, not really. But maybe Yaginuma is really just tricking me with his winning characters and their lives built on hope and pain and their willingness to take on a world that’s clearly too real for their dreams.
The thing is: I don’t care.
Generally, I have a pretty good nose for contrivance. And once scented out, manipulation bothers me enough to strip me entirely of any ability to just go along with the story. But with Twin Spica I don’t even care to know whether Yaginuma comes by his power naturally or through foul literary sorcery. The book so thoroughly has both my attentions and affections that it really can do no wrong. I adore Asumi and Mr. Lion and treasure all the terrible things they’ve endured to get Asumi to the stars.
In the world of Twin Spica, the world’s third great astronautical disaster occurred in Japan in 2010. Japan’s first manned spaceflight goes awry when the rocket booster’s fuel errantly ignites, causing the rocket itself to veer into the nearby city of Yuigahama, killing many and leaving others injured, both physically and emotionally. Spica's story begins in 2024 and concerns fourteen-year-old Asumi, whose mother died in the accident. Asumi grows up speaking to the ghost of one of the astronauts aboard the Lion (the rocket’s name) and develops a passion for the stars. When an astronautical training school opens up to pave the way for Japan’s newly reopened space program, Asumi jumps at the opportunity to pursue her dream of space travel.
While the story largely unfolds in the present day, all of the volumes so far (1–7) have included back-up stories following characters when they were younger. This helps flesh out the current characters and halts them from merely being plot points that exist only to drive the story. These include heartbreaking memories of Asumi learning to deal with her mother’s five-year-long coma to sweet stories about how Asumi was inspired to take up her astronaut training even as a young elementary-schooler.
One of the more interesting aspects of the series is that, while it is pretty thoroughly grounded in an extrapolated science of the future, Twin Spica spends a lot of time developing the relationship between Asumi and the lion-masked ghost of an astronaut (Mr. Lion, he calls himself). For what amounts to a sci-fi drama, this is a curious choice. Science, being thoroughly materialistic by definition, should have no overlap with the metaphysical. Perhaps mythic systems operate differently in the day-to-day lives of the Japanese people, but this inclusion of the supernatural in an otherwise mundane story might take many American readers off-guard. In the end though, Yaginuma’s inclusions of ghosts and an afterlife allow him to explore numerous story avenues and character explorations that would be impossible to otherwise sound out. It’s this combination of the physical and the metaphysical that gives Twin Spica its strength and so the combination of the two comes off less corny than it does inspired.
Twin Spica thus far*** is absolutely worth your time as a reader. It is honestly one of my favourite series being published currently and I look forward to the new volume every other month. It gets me a bit teary-eyed almost every time, but in a way that feels satisfying—even if Yaginuma does seem to be suspiciously talented at drawing out an emotional response from readers.
Notes:
*Do they still call them parlours? Parlour is a but quaint for my taste, but pizza restaurant sounds pretty clunky and pizza joint sounds too flip.
**The lesson here is not that I am a lonely lonely guy, but rather: if you work in a place where no other employees are in your age range or share your interests, you will eat alone a lot. Really. I promise.
***There are, as of this moment, nine more volumes waiting to be released and the series should wrap up in November of 2012.
[review courtesy of Good Ok Bad]
January 18, 2023
Interestingly for a story about atronaut school, so far there's been minimal science fiction and quite a bit of haunting.
December 9, 2010
Reason for Reading: This is a Cybils '10 nominee and required reading for me as a graphic novels panelist.
I think you could say I read my fair share of manga, and as time goes by I'm reading more and more; it has become one of my reading passions. I don't think I've ever been this enthused about a first volume since I've been reading manga. Absolutely brilliant! First off we have an utter realistic science fiction story, set in 2024, about a 13yo girl, Asumi, who wants to be an astronaut and takes the exams to enter space training school. Her mother died shortly after she was born when Japan's first ever completely Japanese made fully-manned rocket was unsuccessfully launched and crashed into a city causing many deaths. This rocket was named The Lion, which becomes a theme carried on in the story. Now Asumi and everyone who passed the space school entrance exams have been taken to the school and put under a 7 day confined space test in groups of three. What happens is an amazingly well-written science-fiction story.
While the present story is going on, we also learn much about her character and back story through frequent flashbacks to her childhood. It is at this point that an edge of fantasy, or perhaps magical realism is added to the plot, as Asumi had an invisible friend growing up called Lion, who looked like a man with a lion mask on. Now whether he was imaginary or a ghost from the past is something that is explored and though it sounds strange becomes integrated seamlessly into the story.
Asumi has been characterized with insightful skill, the reader gets inside her head and learns what makes this girl tick, what she feels and how determined she is. Asumi is also a nice person, regardless of who she meets up with she manages to let her own true character prevail through others often heated discord. This volume ends with the final selection of those who passed the test (which was very intense) and will make up the space program class.
Following this we get the *bonus material* which includes the original short story that was the inspiration for this series. Then Yaginuma followed the story up with a mini-series about Asumi's childhood, which follows next. That mini-series was such a success that he followed it up with this sensational series we are finally able to read in English. But that's not it! To finish up the book Yaginuma gives us one more extra short story about Asumi. The first four books are out and I plan on buying them, 5-10 are planned to be released in 2011 and the final 11-16 in 2012. This is a definite must read for me!
I think you could say I read my fair share of manga, and as time goes by I'm reading more and more; it has become one of my reading passions. I don't think I've ever been this enthused about a first volume since I've been reading manga. Absolutely brilliant! First off we have an utter realistic science fiction story, set in 2024, about a 13yo girl, Asumi, who wants to be an astronaut and takes the exams to enter space training school. Her mother died shortly after she was born when Japan's first ever completely Japanese made fully-manned rocket was unsuccessfully launched and crashed into a city causing many deaths. This rocket was named The Lion, which becomes a theme carried on in the story. Now Asumi and everyone who passed the space school entrance exams have been taken to the school and put under a 7 day confined space test in groups of three. What happens is an amazingly well-written science-fiction story.
While the present story is going on, we also learn much about her character and back story through frequent flashbacks to her childhood. It is at this point that an edge of fantasy, or perhaps magical realism is added to the plot, as Asumi had an invisible friend growing up called Lion, who looked like a man with a lion mask on. Now whether he was imaginary or a ghost from the past is something that is explored and though it sounds strange becomes integrated seamlessly into the story.
Asumi has been characterized with insightful skill, the reader gets inside her head and learns what makes this girl tick, what she feels and how determined she is. Asumi is also a nice person, regardless of who she meets up with she manages to let her own true character prevail through others often heated discord. This volume ends with the final selection of those who passed the test (which was very intense) and will make up the space program class.
Following this we get the *bonus material* which includes the original short story that was the inspiration for this series. Then Yaginuma followed the story up with a mini-series about Asumi's childhood, which follows next. That mini-series was such a success that he followed it up with this sensational series we are finally able to read in English. But that's not it! To finish up the book Yaginuma gives us one more extra short story about Asumi. The first four books are out and I plan on buying them, 5-10 are planned to be released in 2011 and the final 11-16 in 2012. This is a definite must read for me!
September 1, 2018
If a novel makes me cry the author needs roughly 300 pages to build up to the point where I'm a tissue-grabbing mess. So imagine my surprise when I noticed choking up and sobbing uncontrollably after only a dozen or so pages of "Twin Spica" and crying my heart out at the end of the first volume (in a good way, in case you're wondering).
I'm new to the world of manga, so I don't have much to compare it to, but achieving this level of emotional involvement in Volume 1 can't be a common occurrence.
In a Tokyo in the not too distant future a young girl studies deligently with ambitions of soon attending space academy. If things work out just right, her future may very well be among the stars as well. And yet, every time she looks up to the stars there is a sense of melancholy in her heart. A sadness surrounds Asumi, as space exploration itself has profoundly impacted her life for as long as she can remember. But she is not alone...A young man wearing a lion's mask is always beside her. He speaks of the constellations and galaxies as if he they were like home. He knows what it is like to love the stars--slightly bitter and yet always so warm and inviting. Truth is he has gone through much of Asumi is just experiencing. And now in spirit he will forever be with Asumi guiding her on her path to space.
I'm a sucker for astronaut stories. I try to watch every launch that takes place during a reasonable Central European Time, I cried when the Falcon Heavy launched, I read various biographies of famous astronauts (Mike Massimino's my favorite so far) and I follow lots of ISS astronauts on Facebook. When I stumbled over this series in a group here on Goodreads I had to check it out immediately. I had no idea what a treasure I had found!
I loved everything about it and to me, this is a perfect book. There was a huge chunk of death and loss in this book, something I usually don't gravitate towards, but it is balanced out so perfectly by love and kindness that it lifts the story from something that could have been depressing to just goddamn beautiful.
The art is gorgeous, very appealing and you can tell it was drawn with much love and dedication to the story and its characters.
The lion ghost is something I can see myself hating in other novels / manga, but for some reason this is just another wonderful and heart-wrenching addition to this incredible story, balancing the hard science world of space exploration with a touch of the magical and supernatural.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series and I will get on everyone's nerves around me to read it too.
I'm new to the world of manga, so I don't have much to compare it to, but achieving this level of emotional involvement in Volume 1 can't be a common occurrence.
In a Tokyo in the not too distant future a young girl studies deligently with ambitions of soon attending space academy. If things work out just right, her future may very well be among the stars as well. And yet, every time she looks up to the stars there is a sense of melancholy in her heart. A sadness surrounds Asumi, as space exploration itself has profoundly impacted her life for as long as she can remember. But she is not alone...A young man wearing a lion's mask is always beside her. He speaks of the constellations and galaxies as if he they were like home. He knows what it is like to love the stars--slightly bitter and yet always so warm and inviting. Truth is he has gone through much of Asumi is just experiencing. And now in spirit he will forever be with Asumi guiding her on her path to space.
I'm a sucker for astronaut stories. I try to watch every launch that takes place during a reasonable Central European Time, I cried when the Falcon Heavy launched, I read various biographies of famous astronauts (Mike Massimino's my favorite so far) and I follow lots of ISS astronauts on Facebook. When I stumbled over this series in a group here on Goodreads I had to check it out immediately. I had no idea what a treasure I had found!
I loved everything about it and to me, this is a perfect book. There was a huge chunk of death and loss in this book, something I usually don't gravitate towards, but it is balanced out so perfectly by love and kindness that it lifts the story from something that could have been depressing to just goddamn beautiful.
The art is gorgeous, very appealing and you can tell it was drawn with much love and dedication to the story and its characters.
The lion ghost is something I can see myself hating in other novels / manga, but for some reason this is just another wonderful and heart-wrenching addition to this incredible story, balancing the hard science world of space exploration with a touch of the magical and supernatural.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series and I will get on everyone's nerves around me to read it too.
September 1, 2014
Review for volumes 1 - 4
Twin Spica is a touching story about growing up and pursuing your dream.
For the characters in this one, the dream in question is to become an astronaut, but you can really replace it with anything else you're passionate about, because the emotions and struggles depicted here are universal. And even if you don't care much about outer space, the many images of starry skies and planets are always beautiful to look at.
For me the series has a very calming atmosphere, with some dramatic and sad scenes interspersed regularly. It probably qualifies as magical realism, since there are apparently real ghosts, and it is also extremely realistic Science Fiction. After 4 volumes we're still at the beginning of the story, so there isn't all that much to say. We're still getting to know the characters and their diverse, often tragic backgrounds and I enjoy their interactions and their complexity which is gradually being revealed.
The art is, well, cute, I guess. It makes Twin Spica look like a children's story, but actually the series is aimed at adults. It's not really my favorite style (even though Asumi as a child is simply adorable), but works rather well with this story. From a technical point of view it sometimes looks a bit weird, but I'm impressed by the way the author can use light and shadow to emphasize important and emotional scenes. His large panel drawings are usually very pretty.
In general, Twin Spica is a completely character-driven work. Of course, they take their classes and tests preparing them to become astronauts, but the main focus is really on the characters and their everyday lives (and pasts). It is a calm but extremely well done Slice-of-Life series that can turn tragic at times (some episodes are heart-breaking). There is a story to tell with interesting characters and things actually happen. Not in terms of big action, but of character development. It's just a mostly realistic and down-to-earth story. So if you like these, Twin Spica is definitely worth picking up. It's also interesting if you want to see what an “adult manga” free of any clichés looks like. I'm looking forward to the next volumes and to seeing which direction the story will take.
Twin Spica is a touching story about growing up and pursuing your dream.
For the characters in this one, the dream in question is to become an astronaut, but you can really replace it with anything else you're passionate about, because the emotions and struggles depicted here are universal. And even if you don't care much about outer space, the many images of starry skies and planets are always beautiful to look at.
For me the series has a very calming atmosphere, with some dramatic and sad scenes interspersed regularly. It probably qualifies as magical realism, since there are apparently real ghosts, and it is also extremely realistic Science Fiction. After 4 volumes we're still at the beginning of the story, so there isn't all that much to say. We're still getting to know the characters and their diverse, often tragic backgrounds and I enjoy their interactions and their complexity which is gradually being revealed.
The art is, well, cute, I guess. It makes Twin Spica look like a children's story, but actually the series is aimed at adults. It's not really my favorite style (even though Asumi as a child is simply adorable), but works rather well with this story. From a technical point of view it sometimes looks a bit weird, but I'm impressed by the way the author can use light and shadow to emphasize important and emotional scenes. His large panel drawings are usually very pretty.
In general, Twin Spica is a completely character-driven work. Of course, they take their classes and tests preparing them to become astronauts, but the main focus is really on the characters and their everyday lives (and pasts). It is a calm but extremely well done Slice-of-Life series that can turn tragic at times (some episodes are heart-breaking). There is a story to tell with interesting characters and things actually happen. Not in terms of big action, but of character development. It's just a mostly realistic and down-to-earth story. So if you like these, Twin Spica is definitely worth picking up. It's also interesting if you want to see what an “adult manga” free of any clichés looks like. I'm looking forward to the next volumes and to seeing which direction the story will take.
March 16, 2017
I guess I'm reading the whole manga, the story seems to be good.
September 24, 2011
One of my favorite manga series, this tells the story of Asumi Kamogawa, a young girl who dreams of being an astronaut, even though she has grown up in the shadow of a tragic shuttle disaster that took the lives of all aboard (including her teacher's fiance and Asumi's own mother). Asumi's father has given himself over to grief and self-doubt since the accident (he was one of the engineers involved in the project) and her mother's passing and buries himself in work. Asumi isn't lonely, however--she has a constant companion in the form of a lion-headed friend, whom is actually the ghost of her teacher's love, and serves as an embodiment of the accident and the sacrifices made for the program. In the meantime, and quite unbeknownst to her father, Asumi finds a way to get herself accepted into an elite space training program and put her on the track to her dream. The series follows her adventures as she fights to make her dream a reality. Although her Lion friend supports her, Asumi's own drive needs little stoking--as things progress it becomes more and more clear that her friend needs her almost more than she does him.
It's a surprisingly complex series. Asumi's naive openness and seemingly unlimited love and compassion for other people despite all that she has suffered---that's not new. We see these Cinderella-esque characters a lot, particularly in Shoujo manga series. Sometimes, it's a bit of a sweetness overload, but somehow that doesn't happen here. Part of it may be tempered by the personalities of her classmates, as pleasing assortment of hard-cases, eager enthusiasts, and sharp-tongued competitive types as you might expect would attend a school of this sort. Part of it too is that Asumi isn't one of those girls who is looking to be rescued. She may be small for her age and is about as cute as you can get for a non-chibi figure, but she's no victim, or delicate flower: when toe-to-toe with her classmates, she tends to be stronger than them all put together.
In spite of all the opportunities for things to become too sappy or maudlin, Yaginuma has a knack for avoiding the pitfalls and creating something that's alternately fun and genuinely moving, and it's good to see such a determined and strong young heroine figure.
There's a little sadness here sure, but I would recommend this particular series for as young as the last elementary crowd. Good message. Good characters. Totally unique story. It's about as close to perfect as you can get.
It's a surprisingly complex series. Asumi's naive openness and seemingly unlimited love and compassion for other people despite all that she has suffered---that's not new. We see these Cinderella-esque characters a lot, particularly in Shoujo manga series. Sometimes, it's a bit of a sweetness overload, but somehow that doesn't happen here. Part of it may be tempered by the personalities of her classmates, as pleasing assortment of hard-cases, eager enthusiasts, and sharp-tongued competitive types as you might expect would attend a school of this sort. Part of it too is that Asumi isn't one of those girls who is looking to be rescued. She may be small for her age and is about as cute as you can get for a non-chibi figure, but she's no victim, or delicate flower: when toe-to-toe with her classmates, she tends to be stronger than them all put together.
In spite of all the opportunities for things to become too sappy or maudlin, Yaginuma has a knack for avoiding the pitfalls and creating something that's alternately fun and genuinely moving, and it's good to see such a determined and strong young heroine figure.
There's a little sadness here sure, but I would recommend this particular series for as young as the last elementary crowd. Good message. Good characters. Totally unique story. It's about as close to perfect as you can get.
December 25, 2022
A sweet and a unique story. I tried reading it slowly bcz I didn’t want it to end. Adored every page of this manga.🌠
June 28, 2025
(*review for the whole series, vol. 1-16)
You and I, dreaming of space…
First and foremost, this is a story of Asumi Kamogawa, a diminutive high-schooler who yearns to reach the space. It’s a story of growing up, life, and… deaths.
While it has light supernatural and sci-fi elements, the majority of Twin Spica’s themes are firmly rooted in reality. The major incident that happened before the story—a disastrous crash of Japan’s first manned rocket—mirrors the real-life Challenger disaster, impacting a lot of the key characters and casting a huge shadow over the future of space project. Characters dealing with repercussions of the incident (and tragedy in general) is a recurring theme, not least the main character herself; Asumi’s father was the designer of the fatal rocket, her mother was a casualty of the crash, and her mask-wearing companion only she could see, Mr. Lion, was .
So yeah, the adorable protagonist and a seemingly light-hearted art style didn’t make it obvious, but it is a heavy story. It’s not always doom and gloom, though. The narrative flows like a slice-of-life coming of age story, not short of nostalgic warmth and a touch of humour, mostly coming from Asumi’s precocious friendship with her grumpy childhood friend, Fuchuya; the loudmouth and outgoing Kei; the standoffish beauty, Marika; and the easygoing prodigy, Shu. These five are the heart and soul of the story.
Ironically, for a story about aspiring young astronauts, Twin Spica remains earthbound for majority of its time. In fact, the scene on space . Those looking for more hard science and spacecraft stuff ala Makoto Yukimura’s Planetes might be disappointed at this, but it doesn’t necessarily devalue the manga. It’s just that instead of people exploring the space, it’s about people looking up to space, struggling to get there.
On broader terms, it’s more about the process and the journey, how one makes slow and steady progress while dealing with failures and unexpected setbacks. Depiction of high school life may not exactly be uncommon in manga, but the specialized field adds a lot of unique value here, as the kids engage in their daily astronaut training while living a dorm life, working part time jobs, hanging out, and just living that bittersweet adolescent life to their best.
Kou Yaginuma’s art may not immediately catch the eye, but it’s very charming in its own way. While the character design may not appeal to some and isn’t exactly consistent throughout the volumes (Asumi somehow looks younger at the end of the series compared to the beginning), the mangaka excels at depicting gentle yet emotionally-charged scenes, making good uses of silent panels and transition to create lovely moments such as the above.
Speaking of the author, you’d really get a good sense of his personality while reading through the series. The omake/bonus autobiographical content at each volume offers a very similar flavour to the main comic itself, as Yaginuma shares stories about the side jobs he used to have while pursuing his dream, the small but poignant encounters he had, and the memories of his unrequited love. Oftentimes when reading these, I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself and think, “Dang, what a sentimental dude… how relatable”. It’s such a lovely read.
The series can get a bit much with a couple of its sub-plots (e.g. Asumi’s early drama with a boy who looks like her late crush) and dramatic twists (Marika being revealed as a ), but at the end the execution tend to won me over. It does help that even at its most emotional, it remains very understated and grounded in delivery. And, of course, it eventually has one of the most gut-wrenching developments I’ve seen from a manga…
You don’t have to be passionate at stargazing or read Carl Sagan’s Cosmos--like Asumi—to appreciate Twin Spica (although that certainly won’t hurt!). At the end though, there’s universal message about coping with painful circumstances and learning to let go, whether it’s your loved ones, your bitterness over past incidents, and even your dreams that are no longer in reach. It’s a pragmatic, yet also a very, very, kind story—just like its group of protagonists. And like Yaginuma-sensei, I just can’t help but fall in love with the five of them.
You and I, dreaming of space…
First and foremost, this is a story of Asumi Kamogawa, a diminutive high-schooler who yearns to reach the space. It’s a story of growing up, life, and… deaths.
While it has light supernatural and sci-fi elements, the majority of Twin Spica’s themes are firmly rooted in reality. The major incident that happened before the story—a disastrous crash of Japan’s first manned rocket—mirrors the real-life Challenger disaster, impacting a lot of the key characters and casting a huge shadow over the future of space project. Characters dealing with repercussions of the incident (and tragedy in general) is a recurring theme, not least the main character herself; Asumi’s father was the designer of the fatal rocket, her mother was a casualty of the crash, and her mask-wearing companion only she could see, Mr. Lion, was .
So yeah, the adorable protagonist and a seemingly light-hearted art style didn’t make it obvious, but it is a heavy story. It’s not always doom and gloom, though. The narrative flows like a slice-of-life coming of age story, not short of nostalgic warmth and a touch of humour, mostly coming from Asumi’s precocious friendship with her grumpy childhood friend, Fuchuya; the loudmouth and outgoing Kei; the standoffish beauty, Marika; and the easygoing prodigy, Shu. These five are the heart and soul of the story.
Ironically, for a story about aspiring young astronauts, Twin Spica remains earthbound for majority of its time. In fact, the scene on space . Those looking for more hard science and spacecraft stuff ala Makoto Yukimura’s Planetes might be disappointed at this, but it doesn’t necessarily devalue the manga. It’s just that instead of people exploring the space, it’s about people looking up to space, struggling to get there.
On broader terms, it’s more about the process and the journey, how one makes slow and steady progress while dealing with failures and unexpected setbacks. Depiction of high school life may not exactly be uncommon in manga, but the specialized field adds a lot of unique value here, as the kids engage in their daily astronaut training while living a dorm life, working part time jobs, hanging out, and just living that bittersweet adolescent life to their best.
Kou Yaginuma’s art may not immediately catch the eye, but it’s very charming in its own way. While the character design may not appeal to some and isn’t exactly consistent throughout the volumes (Asumi somehow looks younger at the end of the series compared to the beginning), the mangaka excels at depicting gentle yet emotionally-charged scenes, making good uses of silent panels and transition to create lovely moments such as the above.
Speaking of the author, you’d really get a good sense of his personality while reading through the series. The omake/bonus autobiographical content at each volume offers a very similar flavour to the main comic itself, as Yaginuma shares stories about the side jobs he used to have while pursuing his dream, the small but poignant encounters he had, and the memories of his unrequited love. Oftentimes when reading these, I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself and think, “Dang, what a sentimental dude… how relatable”. It’s such a lovely read.
The series can get a bit much with a couple of its sub-plots (e.g. Asumi’s early drama with a boy who looks like her late crush) and dramatic twists (Marika being revealed as a ), but at the end the execution tend to won me over. It does help that even at its most emotional, it remains very understated and grounded in delivery. And, of course, it eventually has one of the most gut-wrenching developments I’ve seen from a manga…
You don’t have to be passionate at stargazing or read Carl Sagan’s Cosmos--like Asumi—to appreciate Twin Spica (although that certainly won’t hurt!). At the end though, there’s universal message about coping with painful circumstances and learning to let go, whether it’s your loved ones, your bitterness over past incidents, and even your dreams that are no longer in reach. It’s a pragmatic, yet also a very, very, kind story—just like its group of protagonists. And like Yaginuma-sensei, I just can’t help but fall in love with the five of them.
January 2, 2011
A real surprise, particularly for those folks who think they don't like manga. Since the death of her other in a tragic accident, Asumi has always dreamed of someday piloting a rocket to the stars. Set in the near future after a horrible attempt by the Japanese at spaceflight, the dream may soon be a reality. Asumi is accepted into a prestigious flight academy. Unfortunately, the academy has accepted too many students. There is a final test to weed out the attendees, and Asumi finds herself not only negotiating between two prickly roommates, but confronting her own horrors of the past. Two additional flashbacks in the novel tell more of Asumi's story. The storytelling is gripping in this YA graphic novel and the characters believable and three-dimensional right from the start. Though it's the first in a series, Yaginuma knows how to make a whole and complete story without leaving an evident cliffhanger at the end. This first Twin Spica novels stands on its own and is great as a result. - B
October 22, 2012
The artwork is adorable, even when illustrating a rocket exploding. I have to say, the lion character is the most interesting to me. But everything about this manga is interesting, through and through. It deals with love, loss, ambition, coming of age, realizing dreams, the afterlife, national tragedy, friendship, family...
Most series do not cover all of that, yet alone a single volume. This might be too much for me at this time. Even if that is the case, it would be worth and second, or even a third look.
Most series do not cover all of that, yet alone a single volume. This might be too much for me at this time. Even if that is the case, it would be worth and second, or even a third look.
January 5, 2019
A very endearing story on following your dreams but also being lead by destiny. In an alternate world there was a spacecraft, named the lion, leaving earth but ended up having a critical error leading it to explode before leaving earth. This story us about the first school for adolescents to learn about space travel since the 14 years of the explosion and one girls determination to become a "space pilot" I adored the characters and the slight world building, considering this isn't a fantasy yet this school does not exist, but very well could. I was surprised by how heartfelt and melancholic the story could be but does have a sense of child like wonder and awe of space. Minor complaints are to certain posturing of the characters in art feeling "been there done that" yet I enjoyed this volume nonetheless. Very imaginative book.
March 28, 2020
A solid five stars to the entire series. One of the best manga I've ever read. Untuk yg gampang banget baper sepertiku, cari waktu yg santai untuk baca komik ini, karena hampir di tiap volume dibikin nangis mulu perasaan.
October 13, 2018
I've been wanting to make a review of this series as a whole for a while now. I found it years ago from browsing at my local library and boy am I glad I did. It deserves more attention then it has and is very near and dear to my heart.
Twin Spica is about a young girl named Asumi. She has been deeply passionate about space nearly all her life and wishes to go to a prestigious astronaut school. This doesn't come easy for her though, because as a young child Japans first manned rocket, often referred to as "The Lion", crashed with many casualties.
Her mother died from this crash, and in addition her father was one of the engineers on the project. For many people the pain from this is still very fresh and real, and they are hesitant about her dreams as a result.
She passes the entrance exam, and eventually gets in the school. Most of the manga is about her and her friends at the school, and their lives and stories as they train to become astronauts. Most of it is in the present day, while some of it is flashbacks and memories of characters pasts.
This series has a very nostalgic feeling to it. The art isn't amazing and not the strong point of the series, but it looks nice on the eyes and gets the job done. Its very soft and gentle, and has a lot of landscapes. This is especially strong in Asumi's hometown, with many pretty woodland scenes in the background, and a few really nice 2 pagers scattered around.
While I'm a big space nerd, I must confess don't know much about how astronaut training works outside the basics. While its not my forte, its very clear by reading this that Yaginuma did his homework on portraying the process accurately. There was a lot of research put into what simulations and equipment they use in such a program and it shows.
Someone thats also particularly interesting is Mr.Lion. He is Asumi's imaginary friend, as well as the ghost of one of the astronauts who died in the Lion's crash. At first I found his presence a little off-putting compared to the rest of the characters, but as I continued reading the series he seemed to fit in it very naturally. Its never really explained how much he is grounded in reality or just exists in Asumi's imagination, but in the end it doesn't really matter. He encourages her with her dreams, consoles her when she's down, and overall is a very charming character.
In its core this is a very sweet, endearing story about hope and coping with trauma. Its sc-fi, with some fantasy, drama, and slice of life elements to it. Despite this it feels fairly grounded in reality the whole while. Loss and grief is portrayed very realistically here, in a way more compelling and accurate then in most stories. While this is a very emotional manga that often deals with serious subjects, it never feels overbearing or grim to read. Asumi and the other major characters are well written and easy to care about and root for, however some of the more minor characters weren't very memorable.
Overall this is a very good manga and one most people will find enjoyment out of. It gets a 5/5 from me
Twin Spica is about a young girl named Asumi. She has been deeply passionate about space nearly all her life and wishes to go to a prestigious astronaut school. This doesn't come easy for her though, because as a young child Japans first manned rocket, often referred to as "The Lion", crashed with many casualties.
Her mother died from this crash, and in addition her father was one of the engineers on the project. For many people the pain from this is still very fresh and real, and they are hesitant about her dreams as a result.
She passes the entrance exam, and eventually gets in the school. Most of the manga is about her and her friends at the school, and their lives and stories as they train to become astronauts. Most of it is in the present day, while some of it is flashbacks and memories of characters pasts.
This series has a very nostalgic feeling to it. The art isn't amazing and not the strong point of the series, but it looks nice on the eyes and gets the job done. Its very soft and gentle, and has a lot of landscapes. This is especially strong in Asumi's hometown, with many pretty woodland scenes in the background, and a few really nice 2 pagers scattered around.
While I'm a big space nerd, I must confess don't know much about how astronaut training works outside the basics. While its not my forte, its very clear by reading this that Yaginuma did his homework on portraying the process accurately. There was a lot of research put into what simulations and equipment they use in such a program and it shows.
Someone thats also particularly interesting is Mr.Lion. He is Asumi's imaginary friend, as well as the ghost of one of the astronauts who died in the Lion's crash. At first I found his presence a little off-putting compared to the rest of the characters, but as I continued reading the series he seemed to fit in it very naturally. Its never really explained how much he is grounded in reality or just exists in Asumi's imagination, but in the end it doesn't really matter. He encourages her with her dreams, consoles her when she's down, and overall is a very charming character.
In its core this is a very sweet, endearing story about hope and coping with trauma. Its sc-fi, with some fantasy, drama, and slice of life elements to it. Despite this it feels fairly grounded in reality the whole while. Loss and grief is portrayed very realistically here, in a way more compelling and accurate then in most stories. While this is a very emotional manga that often deals with serious subjects, it never feels overbearing or grim to read. Asumi and the other major characters are well written and easy to care about and root for, however some of the more minor characters weren't very memorable.
Overall this is a very good manga and one most people will find enjoyment out of. It gets a 5/5 from me
September 15, 2015
After reading vol. 1:
(3 stars)
Shojo sci-fi manga about a schoolgirl who wants to go to Tokyo Space School and learn to fly spacecraft. I've read to the end of volume 1 and so far its engaging enough to make me want to get hold of more. Its a bit on the sentimental side rather than straight up quirky and fun, but the art style suits the themes involved, and the characters are so far easy to understand and get on with. I would also recommend this for younger readers.
After reading up to vol. 6:
(4 stars)
I'm really enjoying this series now! I would say if you liked volume 1 at all then its well worth giving the next few volumes a chance to pull you in further.
This series is basically about the yearning some people have to travel into space, and astronaught training, mixed with a high school slice-of-life shojo manga, mixed in with some deaths and ghosts.
A big plus of this series is that, alongside the everyday lives and loves of our main characters, its not afraid to tackle some pretty serious questions about whether we should put humans into space. It starts off by detailing a massive shuttle crash and the impact that the subesquent deaths and injuries have on some of the main characters of the story. Plus, the students at the Space School have to deal with people protesting their training as a waste of money and too much of a risk to life.
Not that the everyday lives and loves of the characters aren't important though. Although the overriding theme of space travel is an interesting and compelling one for me, its the drama amongst the characters that keeps me hooked. The group of friends are believeably flawed, but you can't help but root for all of them in their own way.
The fantasical, ghostly, aspects of the series are perhaps the part that I could do most without, however they're not as overwhelming as volume 1 led me to believe. Although overall I find that the more fantastical elements don't mesh as well as everything else in the series, I do quite like the connection that some of the living characters still have to the dead throughout. The series seems to inextricably link space travel with hardship and death, which only makes the striving of the students for their goal of outer space more compelling: they know full well the hardships involved, and yet they still want to achive their dreams anyway.
This series has 16 volumes in all, so I guess there will be at least one more update to this review once I've finished it - here's hoping I can bump it all the way up to 5 stars next time :)
(3 stars)
Shojo sci-fi manga about a schoolgirl who wants to go to Tokyo Space School and learn to fly spacecraft. I've read to the end of volume 1 and so far its engaging enough to make me want to get hold of more. Its a bit on the sentimental side rather than straight up quirky and fun, but the art style suits the themes involved, and the characters are so far easy to understand and get on with. I would also recommend this for younger readers.
After reading up to vol. 6:
(4 stars)
I'm really enjoying this series now! I would say if you liked volume 1 at all then its well worth giving the next few volumes a chance to pull you in further.
This series is basically about the yearning some people have to travel into space, and astronaught training, mixed with a high school slice-of-life shojo manga, mixed in with some deaths and ghosts.
A big plus of this series is that, alongside the everyday lives and loves of our main characters, its not afraid to tackle some pretty serious questions about whether we should put humans into space. It starts off by detailing a massive shuttle crash and the impact that the subesquent deaths and injuries have on some of the main characters of the story. Plus, the students at the Space School have to deal with people protesting their training as a waste of money and too much of a risk to life.
Not that the everyday lives and loves of the characters aren't important though. Although the overriding theme of space travel is an interesting and compelling one for me, its the drama amongst the characters that keeps me hooked. The group of friends are believeably flawed, but you can't help but root for all of them in their own way.
The fantasical, ghostly, aspects of the series are perhaps the part that I could do most without, however they're not as overwhelming as volume 1 led me to believe. Although overall I find that the more fantastical elements don't mesh as well as everything else in the series, I do quite like the connection that some of the living characters still have to the dead throughout. The series seems to inextricably link space travel with hardship and death, which only makes the striving of the students for their goal of outer space more compelling: they know full well the hardships involved, and yet they still want to achive their dreams anyway.
This series has 16 volumes in all, so I guess there will be at least one more update to this review once I've finished it - here's hoping I can bump it all the way up to 5 stars next time :)
February 14, 2018
So melancholic and moody and atmospheric and ethereal! I loved this first tankobon of a—gosh, a nine year run. It’s obvious that the story can go deep into mindscrew territory but strap me in for volume two.
Ahmed’s rant time. We know how to train people to be the best. Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise collates all the lab studies of pro athletes, musicians, chess players, surgeons, pilots, et al., and gives us the recipe to crafting a training program for star starsailors. Brooke Allen is onto something big when he says, “My life was changed when I began caring about the people I did not hire”. Just because mindnumbingly atrocious interview/hiring/human-resources practices are universal today doesn’t mean we all can’t imagine a better way: find a few candidates, nurture them, love them, help them become elite, watch your company and your society benefit.
Aaaaaand then you have the author of Twin Spica attributing to the Japan space agency the exact opposite scheme for selecting teenage astronauts: stress them, isolate them, give them a pointless hoop to jump through, sit back and watch the blood flow.
Obligatory.
Why… why do we tell each other, with knowing eyebrow arches, that “Ring around the rosie” is a song about the Black Death based on hearsay, and find it impossible to believe that the song originates much later than the last big European plague outbreak—until we pause to reflect upon the perversity of trying to conceal in childhood innocence a horrible tragedy (c.f., Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends).
Love and nurture each other. Don’t harm each other for creepy kicks or plot convenience.
Ahmed’s rant time. We know how to train people to be the best. Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise collates all the lab studies of pro athletes, musicians, chess players, surgeons, pilots, et al., and gives us the recipe to crafting a training program for star starsailors. Brooke Allen is onto something big when he says, “My life was changed when I began caring about the people I did not hire”. Just because mindnumbingly atrocious interview/hiring/human-resources practices are universal today doesn’t mean we all can’t imagine a better way: find a few candidates, nurture them, love them, help them become elite, watch your company and your society benefit.
Aaaaaand then you have the author of Twin Spica attributing to the Japan space agency the exact opposite scheme for selecting teenage astronauts: stress them, isolate them, give them a pointless hoop to jump through, sit back and watch the blood flow.
Obligatory.
Why… why do we tell each other, with knowing eyebrow arches, that “Ring around the rosie” is a song about the Black Death based on hearsay, and find it impossible to believe that the song originates much later than the last big European plague outbreak—until we pause to reflect upon the perversity of trying to conceal in childhood innocence a horrible tragedy (c.f., Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends).
Love and nurture each other. Don’t harm each other for creepy kicks or plot convenience.
June 22, 2013
Wow. It's not often that a manga series will grab me like this one has. Twin Spica is utterly charming, beautiful, and thoughtful. It's a story about a girl, Asumi, who dreams of going to space. Tragedy has touched her past, but Asumi is cheerful and optimistic about her future. There's a quiet tone to the story, almost melancholy at times - I found my eyes tearing up more than once - but there is also a beautiful interweaving of spirituality and connectivity. Space may be vast, beyond our comprehension, but humanity is always around us, drawing us close together in relationships of family and friendship. Highly recommended.
*Unfortunately, the books have gone out of print, but Vertical is re-releasing the series for the Kindle. Since I don't have a Kindle, and since I prefer tangible copies, I have gone ahead and purchased the entire series - 12 books in all - from used booksellers. It cost me a pretty penny, especially considering that I've only read through volume 6 (library copies), but I know I won't regret it. Twin Spica will elevate anyone's personal library.
*Unfortunately, the books have gone out of print, but Vertical is re-releasing the series for the Kindle. Since I don't have a Kindle, and since I prefer tangible copies, I have gone ahead and purchased the entire series - 12 books in all - from used booksellers. It cost me a pretty penny, especially considering that I've only read through volume 6 (library copies), but I know I won't regret it. Twin Spica will elevate anyone's personal library.
June 17, 2011
Twin Spica, Volume 1 by Kou Yaginuma was on the short list for this year's Cybils. I'm glad it did as it is an excellent start to a science fiction manga series that I would have missed otherwise.
In this volume Asumi is roomed with two other girls during a test that will take all their cooperation if they want to pass and make it into the Tokyo Space School.
Intermixed with the test, the setting up of a huge number of dominoes, are flashbacks and insights into Asumi's past. Ever since she was a young child she has wanted to be an astronaut. Her mentor in all of this is Mr. Lion, the personification of the ship that crashed when Japan was first launching its space program.
I loved the psychological aspect of the domino test. While it seemed first too easy and then impossible it was a good test of teamwork and ingenuity. The next thing I loved was Mr. Lion and how he reveals bits and pieces of what happened during the crash.
I have since read volumes two, three and four and hope to keep going as time permits.
In this volume Asumi is roomed with two other girls during a test that will take all their cooperation if they want to pass and make it into the Tokyo Space School.
Intermixed with the test, the setting up of a huge number of dominoes, are flashbacks and insights into Asumi's past. Ever since she was a young child she has wanted to be an astronaut. Her mentor in all of this is Mr. Lion, the personification of the ship that crashed when Japan was first launching its space program.
I loved the psychological aspect of the domino test. While it seemed first too easy and then impossible it was a good test of teamwork and ingenuity. The next thing I loved was Mr. Lion and how he reveals bits and pieces of what happened during the crash.
I have since read volumes two, three and four and hope to keep going as time permits.
December 17, 2010
One Sentence Review: Surprisingly delightful and in spite of the fact that it's the first in a series it stands perfectly beautifully on its own.
April 21, 2011
This is a really cool little science fiction manga; it bangs on the heartstrings a bit, but that didn't seem over-done to me, and I love the mingled hope and sadness.
October 17, 2016
Rating sementara sampe bisa baca ulang.
September 27, 2023
I found the world created in this manga to be captivating. I like learning about Asumi's life and goals and how her past impacts her current life. This manga reminds me a bit of Ender's Game, with child prodigies competing in difficult challenges to advance through "space school." The art was excellent and allowed me to feel the emotions the characters were experiencing. However, towards the end of the manga, there were some scenes with fantasy characters that didn't really make sense to me and felt out of place. I think the manga would be better off as realistic fiction rather than with some fantasy elements to it.
July 25, 2021
This is a story about a young girl who has applied to study at the new Tokyo Space School. In this volume, we learn some of her back story (which is super sad and involves a dead mother and her seeing ghosts) as well as see her undertake the first tests for admission to the school. One of the tests is a practical test which really seems like the kind of thing that they put astronauts through in training. I'll look up more of these books.
June 27, 2019
3.5 stars. This was a pretty emotional book. I like Asumi, and the overall story was okay, but I can't say I'm all that interested in space travel. Plus, the book kept going back in time to Asumi's past, which was kind of jarring, even though it did help flesh out her character. I don't think I'll read the next one. It wasn't a bad story, but it wasn't really my thing.
April 25, 2018
A young girl dreams of going to space. She applies for space school and is bound to get far. An cute character who has a strong personality and a kind heart.
Beautiful art and story that I can't wait to get more of. It's heart warming, calm and still so quick, all at once.
Beautiful art and story that I can't wait to get more of. It's heart warming, calm and still so quick, all at once.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2020
Quick thoughts from the first volume: Man, people seem to love slapping this kid in the face. But the invisible talking lion is all right, and Goodreads has been bugging me about this one for ages. I like it enough to read a while more and see where it goes.
January 26, 2020
A group of young Japanese high school students, each of whom has extreme emotional baggage, train to become astronauts. Yaginuma really captures a flowing sense of bitter sweet memory in this excellent manga.
May 19, 2017
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😢😢❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
January 16, 2018
Such a sweet and heart wrenching story so far. Love the realistic feeling, too. On to the next volume!
November 11, 2018
The series plot, about a young teen's acceptance to astronaut school, takes up half the book; the rest is backstory about her family, which I preferred.
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