Mars (manga)

This page is about the manga. You may be looking for the 2004 Taiwanese drama adaptation, or the 2016 Japanese drama adaptation.
Mars （マース) is a shojo manga by Fuyumi Soryo, published from February 1996 to December 2000 in Bessatsu Friend, and later published in paperback form from May 13, 1996 to December 13, 2000. The manga revolves around Kira Aso, a shy girl who meets Rei Kashino, a playboy motorcycle rider and falls in love with him after seeing him kiss a statue of Mars. They begin dating, but have to deal with jealous ex-girlfriends, a sociopath from Rei's past, the dangers of racing motorcycles, and most importantly, the trauma both of them have from their pasts. The manga was brought worldwide on April 23, 2002, where it was published until November 11, 2003. The manga received rave reviews, with reviewers praising the quality of the artwork and its realistic portrayal of mental illness. A prequel, Mars: Horse With No Name was published on December 9, 1999.
==Volumes==
Cover	Volume 	Published	Synopsis
 	Volume 1 	May 13, 1996 (Japan)
April 23, 2002 (worldwide)	Popular Rei and shy Kira are worlds apart, until one fateful day brings them together. Rei stumbles upon Kira in the harassing hands of her sleazy art teacher and saves the quiet girl from his clutches. And when the jock plants a kiss on a statue of Mars in the studio, Kira finds herself drawn in and even summons up the nerve to ask him to model for her!
 	Volume 2 	September 13, 1996 (Japan)
June 18, 2002 (worldwide)	No one expected Kira and Rei's relationship to last. He's a street-wise biker with a dark past, she's a shy art student who's picked on by her peers. When another student steals Kira's painting and uses it to win an art show, Rei shows his love by socking the guy in the face. The meek Kira wonders if maybe they aren't made for each other after all.
 	Volume 3 	January 13, 1997 (Japan)
August 20<, 2002 (worldwide)	Kira is a lonesome waif who cares more about her art than anything else. Rei is an arrogant, rebellious and tough playboy who wears his delinquency like a badge. When these two opposites find each other, the sparks fly, but they also attract some unwanted attention. While Kira deals with Rei's jealous suitors, Rei has to confront demons from his past.
 	Volume 4 	May 1, 1997 (Japan)
September 24, 2002 (worldwide)	When old friends of Rei show up at the school fair, Kira finds that she may have some heated competition for his love. His old flame, Shiori, confesses that she never gave up loving Rei, and she now wants him back. To make things worse, Kira uncovers more about Rei's dark past and his brother's suicide. Would she be better off if she just let Shiori have him?
 	Volume 5 	September 12, 1997 (Japan)
October 22, 2002 (worldwide)	Kira and Rei's roller-coaster romance continues! When Rei suddenly gets ill, Kira takes care of him at his apartment...and ends up sleeping over. After their night together, Rei finally tells Kira the real reason his twin brother Sei killed himself: Rei told him a secret he knew Sei would never be able to handle. Kira tries to comfort Rei, but secretly wonders if mere words have the power to ease the pain Rei harbors deep inside. Meanwhile, Kira's best friend, Harumi, warns Kira if she doesn't start sleeping with Rei soon, he'll probably break up with her. Ouch! Kira's worries deepen when Rei's ex-girlfriend tells him she's still in love with him - and will do anything to win him back. With the pressure mounting by the minute, Kira is about to make the biggest decisions of her life!
 	Volume 6 	January 13, 1998 (Japan)
November 19, 2002 (worldwide)	Kira and Rei are definitely in love, but no one said love was easy. When a new guy enrolls in their school, he instantly develops a big crush on both Rei and Kira. Gulp! To make matters worse, it turns out that this mysterious stranger is actually a face from Rei's violent past. Slowly, Kira begins to discover Rei's darker side, but she's not so sure she likes what she sees. As scandalous stories and shocking secrets are revealed, Kira hopes beyond hope that their love will be able to conquer all.
 	Volume 7 	May 13, 1998 (Japan)
December 13, 2002 (worldwide)	Kira and Rei are made for each other ... but no one said love was easy. Masao directs his violent temper at Kira. When Kira's mother is unexpectedly hospitalized, Rei and Harumi offer their undying support. Masao, who hates seeing Rei's sensitive side, is outraged and attempts to put Kira out of the picture ... forever. As murderous plots are hatched and hidden secrets revealed, Kira and Rei must fight for each other—and for their lives.
 	Volume 8 	September 11, 1998 (Japan)
January 7, 2003 (worldwide)	TBA
 	Volume 9 	January 12, 1999 (Japan)
March 11, 2003 (worldwide)	The unthinkable has happened! Rei and Kira have finally broken up and it's the talk of the town. Kira can only stand by helplessly as Rei walks out of her life. Though Rei feigns indifference and walks into the arms of waiting suitors, he begins to realize that he may have been too hasty in his decision to break up. Kira struggles to come to grips with being alone and also questions what she has done. At her friends' advice, she decides to try and make up with Rei before it's too late, but he is nowhere to be found. With her family life also paying the price, Kira has no idea who to turn to. Find out what happens next in this nail-biting volume of MARS.
 	Volume 10	May 13, 1999 (Japan)
May 13, 2003 (worldwide)	Now that Rei and Kira are an "official" couple, Kira experiences a refreshing taste of freedom for the first time in her life. She is finally able to leave her troubled past behind and give in to a newfound joy. As the happy couple takes a deep look at what they have together, they find themselves at one of life's major crossroads. The two must decide how school and work will play into their future. Kira decides to take a job in order to secure her independence, while Rei contemplates quitting school in order to support Kira and become a respectable member of society. Just when you think you have your future all mapped out, love enters the picture and changes the scenery.
 	Volume 11	September 13, 1999 (Japan)
June 17, 2003 (worldwide)	Nearly tragic domestic disturbances highlight this compelling volume. Stepfathers and fathers figure prominently and futures hang in the balance— as if Kira and Rei needed any more complications!
 	Volume 12	February 10, 2000 (Japan)
July 15, 2003 (worldwide)	Kira leaves home with her mother's blessing. When Kira goes with Rei to meet his father, she realizes that he is the elegant man who tried to buy her painting of Rei. It comes out that Rei is actually the son of his father's brother, who Rei's mother had an affair with. Rei's father invites Kira to come live at his house with Rei as his fiance until they graduate from high school. As Kira and Rei explore the giant mansion together, Kira learns details about Rei's life, and Rei is also beginning to remember things that he had long forgotten. When Kira and Rei go exploring alone (Kira to Sei's room and Rei to his mother's room) they both discover things that were held secret for years. Kira finds a suicide note painted into one of his paintings, in which he shows his true colors, which are far darker than anyone could've imagined. Meanwhile, Rei remembers things about his mother's illness that shock him?
 	Volume 13	July 13, 2000 (Japan)
August 12, 2003 (worldwide)	Rei remembers more events from his childhood, and discovers the truth about his mother's mental illness. The complicated relationships within his family are all brought out into the open, including the fact that Rei's real father was a racecar driver who died in a horrific crash.
 	Volume 14	October 13, 2000 (Japan)
September 16, 2003 (worldwide)	Rei begins his training to become a professional racer and Kira must come to grips with how dangerous the sport really is. There are many people who have high expectations of Rei and he performs wonderfully. Kira is pleased that Rei is finally following his true passion in life but her happiness turns to anxiety when she discovers that Masao has been released from the psychiatric center.
 	Volume 15	December 13, 2000 (Japan)
November 11, 2003 (worldwide)	Rei and Kira decide to get married right away after all, but what kind of damper could a newly released Masao put on the relationship? Irrational and showing a mixture of false and true emotions, he will lash out ... violently... Will Rei be all right? What kind of dangers await? You won't want to miss the stunning conclusion to MARS!
Category:Manga
__INDEX__