Comics / Manga

The Stellar Six of Gingacho Volume 1

By Chris Zimmerman
December 15, 2010 - 08:54

It’s not uncommon to want to return to one’s childhood. After all, when else was it OK to believe in outlandish ideas like Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny? The Stellar Six of Gingacho explores these feelings of nostalgia through the eyes of teens who have fallen out of touch and seek to reignite their bonds of friendship.

Growing up along Gingacho street, the six teens shared a common bond through their parent’s business profession, each one being a small business owner of the Gingacho street shopping district. As is common with the transition from childhood to adulthood, the six begin spending less time with each other, running with different social circles, only glancing each other during market hours. When a neighborhood business is vandalized, the group is brought together to raise funds for repairs.

The Stellar Six of Gingacho is a poignant story depicting the importance of community as well as the struggle to maintain friendships on a child’s journey to adulthood. The stories cover a range of different themes, from the six reaffirming their bond through teamwork, to true to life romance, in which two for the friends discover they have stronger feelings for one another.

The artwork isn’t especially strong, but it isn’t bad either. It’s simply average, displaying a distinct shojo influence, with characters that have large heads, slender bodies, and guys that have an almost girlish quality to them. Many of the pages are packed with panels thrown together with a seemingly youthful energy that shows the artist’s enthusiasm for her work.

The Stellar Six of Gingacho is a title that will appeal to anyone who thinks back fondly of their childhood. The volume contains identifiable characters that fight to preserve what little childhood memories afforded to them during their coming of age, transporting readers back the days in which friendships lasted forever and adulthood was a lifetime away.

Rating: 8.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12