Full Moon wo Sagashite Review: A Terminally Ill Girl Becomes an Idol to Find Her Lost Love
by Arina Tanemura
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Quick Take
- The terminal illness + idol + shinigami premise sounds maximalist but Tanemura earns the drama
- Tanemura's art is some of shojo's most beautiful
- 7 volumes complete; one of Ribon's classic manga of the era
Who Is This Manga For?
- Readers who want emotional shojo manga with genuine dramatic stakes
- Anyone who enjoys idol stories with fantasy/supernatural elements
- Fans of Arina Tanemura's distinct shojo aesthetic
- Readers looking for complete classic shojo with satisfying resolution
Content Warnings & Age Rating
Age Rating: T (Teen) Content Warnings: Terminal illness as central premise; death themes throughout; shinigami (death gods) as characters; emotional drama
T rating — appropriate for most readers.
Yu's Rating
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story Depth | ★★★★☆ |
| Art Style | ★★★★★ |
| Character Development | ★★★★☆ |
| Accessibility for Non-Japanese Readers | ★★★★☆ |
| Reread Value | ★★★★☆ |
Story Overview
Mitsuki Koyama is twelve and has cancer in her throat. Surgery would remove her throat and her voice. She refuses surgery because she has promised to sing for Eichi — the boy she loves, who moved to America and she hasn't heard from.
Two shinigami (death gods) assigned to collect her soul in a year tell her she's going to die anyway. They give her the ability to transform into a healthy sixteen-year-old who can sing.
She becomes an idol. She's looking for Eichi through her music.
Characters
Mitsuki — Her stubbornness about the surgery is comprehensible; her dedication to singing is genuine; the discovery of what happened to Eichi and what it means to her remaining time is the series' emotional core.
Takuto and Meroko — The shinigami assigned to her; their relationship to Mitsuki and to each other has its own story running alongside hers.
Art Style
Tanemura's art is one of shojo's most distinct aesthetics — elaborate, detailed, expressive, with costume design that has influenced the genre for decades. Full Moon is considered some of her most beautiful work.
Cultural Context
Full Moon wo Sagashite ran in Ribon from 2002-2004. The early 2000s shojo idol premise was well-established; Tanemura's addition of the terminal illness and shinigami elements gave it a distinctive darkness within the genre.
What I Love About It
The shinigami's actual story. Takuto and Meroko have a history before they met Mitsuki, and it's as emotionally significant as the main narrative. The series gives its supernatural figures genuine human weight.
What English-Speaking Fans Say
Western readers describe Full Moon wo Sagashite as the emotional shojo of its era — specifically noted for Tanemura's art being exceptional, for the premise being more emotionally complex than the idol genre usually allows, and for the resolution being genuinely affecting. Frequently cited as a formative shojo read for early 2000s Western manga readers.
Memorable Scene ⚠️ Spoiler Warning
The revelation of what happened to Eichi — when Mitsuki's central motivation is retroactively recontextualized — is the series' most significant dramatic moment.
Similar Manga
- Vampire Knight — Tanemura-adjacent shojo with supernatural romance
- Ceres: Celestial Legend — Yuu Watase's emotional shojo drama in similar register
- Absolute Boyfriend — Emotional shojo with clear romantic stakes
- Sailor Moon — Classic shojo with idol-adjacent protagonist
Reading Order / Where to Start
Volume 1 — Mitsuki's situation and the shinigami's offer.
Official English Translation Status
Viz Media published the complete 7-volume English series.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Tanemura's art is some of shojo's best
- Terminal illness premise handled with genuine drama
- Shinigami characters have real depth
- Complete at 7 volumes
Cons
- Maximalist premise requires acceptance
- Early 2000s shojo conventions
- Some readers find the ending bittersweet rather than happy
Format Comparison
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| Individual Volumes | Viz Media; complete 7 volumes |
| Digital | Available |
Where to Buy
Get Full Moon wo Sagashite Vol. 1 on Amazon →
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*Affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Written by
Yu
Manga Enthusiast from Japan
I grew up in Japan and manga literally saved me during a tough time in elementary school. My English isn't perfect, but my love for manga is real — and I want to share it with you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.