Manga Review: Anonymous Noise, Volume 1, by Ryoko Fukuyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: March 7, 2017

Volumes: 11+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Music and longing collide in this ballad of unrequited love!

Nino Arisugawa, a girl who loves to sing, experiences her first heart-wrenching goodbye when her beloved childhood friend, Momo, moves away. And after Nino befriends Yuzu, a music composer, she experiences another sad parting! Both boys promised Nino that they would find her one day through her singing, so she holds on to that hope and continues to reach out with her voice. Now in high school, Nino serendipitously reunites with Yuzu, but she yearns to see Momo again…

Review:

 I hadn't realized that this was by the author of Nosatsu Junkie, which I read when Tokyopop released it. I was a rather big fan of that series, and was annoyed when they discontinued it. This gives me hope for Viz possibly picking up that series, at least digitally.

Nino had a childhood best friend, Momo, and they would sing together when they felt like it. And then he moved away one day, without a word. While she's struggling with that, she meets Yuzu, who writes music, and writes her a couple songs to sing. And then he disappears one day, too, without a word, and she has no way of finding either one of them.

It's been years since then, and now Nino is starting high school, and she stumbles upon Yuzu, though Momo might not be too far away.
Yuzu is rather brush and rude, though it's obvious he's putting up a front. His friends seem odd, in a fun way, and I'm intrigued to get to know them. I'm confused for why Momo hasn't already confronted Nino, but I do already like him more, I think; I'm a sucker for puns.

I love the element of voice in this so far. Nino sings for no reason with Momo, then quits altogether until Yuzu gets her to start again. And now she does it at specific times, in the hopes that both of them will hear her and come back. Yuzu is also in a band, possibly a two-faced one, and it's clear Nino's going to be added to it in some way.

This was surprisingly enjoyable, actually. I was a little wary. I am a fan of music in books, to be fair, plus I'm already a fan of her art and writing. This was a very good starting point, and I'm intrigued to see where it progresses from here.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!