HIKARU IN THE LIGHT!

A Japanese teen auditions for a highly competitive musical group.

Hikaru, 14, sings while cleaning her family’s bathhouse—the high walls’ acoustics are perfect, and the elderly audience members are an encouraging bunch, even if they keep requesting American oldies. But she wonders if there’s more to life; for the past few years, her good friend Ran has been performing in a highly produced pop band. Ran shows up one night, declaring that she quit the group and that she wants to audition for a new ensemble being formed by a world-famous producer—and she hopes Hikaru will join her. Hikaru agrees, and the two dive straight into the rigorous competition together. Hikaru’s central struggle proves her greatest gift; she’s an amateur who performs with a mop instead of a mike, but she sings with her whole heart, captivating both the judges and her fellow contestants. Meanwhile, Ran wants to reinvent herself and prove she’s more than just a pretty face. This manga, originally published in Japan, focuses on the competition’s stages and personalities; the closest U.S. analogue is musical competition shows like The Voice, though this story has more grit than gloss. Full-color illustrations capture, with equal charm, Tokyo street scenes and idols sparkling onstage. Hikaru’s hyperexpressive face conveys a broad range of emotions, making her big eyes look even bigger; she’s a comedic, sympathetic central character.

Potential pop stars sparkle in this intense series starter.