St&rs

[cyberdemon]

On August 10 of 2019, humanity received a signal, which was verified for its integrity by hundreds of scientists, from an alien life form containing one message: let us meet on Mars on July 7, 2035. Thus began the creation of a space agency representing Earth as a whole named ST&RS. From there, things progressed quickly with man re-landing on the moon in 2022 and constructing many space stations orbiting Earth and the moon. The Space Academy was created to train the upcoming generation of ST&RS.

The same August 10th that Earth received the message, Shirafune Maho spoke his first words and it was “Mars.” Since then, Maho has been an astronomy freak who has nothing but the universe on his mind. He decides he is going to apply for the Space Academy along with his childhood friend, Hoshihara Meguru, and recent transfer and super smart classmate, Amachi Wataru. The trio begins their almost impossible journey of being accepted into the school where only 1% of the applicants are allowed into the academy.

just read the first 2 chapters of this manga and it seemed to be pretty interesting

[Johnny]

It's not bad and with the touch of unknown thrown in about Maho is a nice addition whether it's nothing or not...

[Aesthetic Shampoo]

I like. Nice art, story is appealing and interesting.

[cyberdemon]

kinda reminds me of Tantei Gakuen Q only with Astronauts rather than detectives

[Lummie]

Personally didn't think much of it but then again, astrology is not my thing. Art looked good though but uncertain about it's future.

[Nightengale]

Really liked it so far.

The setting is the real clincher here. Astronaut and space stories aren't the first anywhere, but it's rare to see Shonen Jump take it on. Furthermore, I like it in the sense that it has the combination of what seems to be a 'coming-of-age' story revolved around budding astronauts while still introducing a science-fiction twist to the story that can essentially... go anywhere.

Still, I honestly hope they won't be going Ender's Game or Childhood's End on us.

The characters are, imo quite endearing and natural. There's a bit of convenience factor, but that is acceptable considering we're supposed to believe that a bunch of 15 year olds would be able to beat university students and older in these exams. I really like the 3-person dynamic so far, where the characters weren't forced into any signs of enmity or discomfort, but yet there's clear signs that Wataru hasn't really connected with both of them.

The pacing is nice, I feel. It focuses on the characters significantly, yet still has time to give in decent info and story-dump on the overall setting.

Originally Posted by cyberdemon

kinda reminds me of Tantei Gakuen Q only with Astronauts rather than detectives

Strange, it actually reminds me more of the beginning of HxH.

The problem with Q was that everyone knew that after the initial 'Q Class Entry Detective Examination Arc'... it was just going to be just another Kindaichi-esque detective manga with all the school/learning elements put on a back-burner.

But a story about astronauts is not 'Adventure X, rinse repeat.' It's 90% preparation, and the end of the adventure is more pronounced that Q's... which was 100% reliant on when Q Class was going to take on final boss King Hades.

[MeroBAKA]

Nice to see something different in WSJ.

I agree with Nightengale on his points about character and story development. For a shounen manga it was well executed. I look forward to seeing the next chapters.

A story about Mars exploration is quite ambitious, since it may be the next possible big objective in space exploration. Characters stories in the big history would have produced an excellent manga, so I wonder what they have added extraterrestrial beings and a story about a destined child. Editors may have found the story too realistic (or too far from other WSJ mangas) and without the elements that create mystery and suspense, but they seem out of place for me. If other beings can travel across the galaxy to our solar system, why can't they go to Earth directly and have to stop by Mars?
From such a distance how can they interact to create a destined child?

Too early to speculate, but I suspect these beings to be former residents of the Earth.

For a sci-fi manga they could have tried to invent a more technological future. No 3d TV, clothes are the same. in school they still use desks and a blackboard. Where are the multitouch tablets in classes? And no autonomous robots.That was disappointing.

So, it has a few holes as a sci-fi story for the moment, but it is not too important, because we can't expect too much complexity from a shounen and this manga has the possibility to deliver a great story about an extraordinary human adventure.

[Nightengale]

Originally Posted by MeroBAKA

A story about Mars exploration is quite ambitious, since it may be the next possible big objective in space exploration. Characters stories in the big history would have produced an excellent manga, so I wonder what they have added extraterrestrial beings and a story about a destined child. Editors may have found the story too realistic (or too far of other WSJ mangas) and without the elements that create mystery and suspense, but these seem out of place for me. If other beings can travel across the galaxy to our solar system, why can't they go to Earth directly and have to stop by Mars?
From such a distance how can they interact to create a destined child?

Too early to speculate, but I suspect these beings to be former residents of the Earth.

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised that the 1st message and Shirafune turns out to be nothing more than a red herring.

Part of me feels that the injection of the 'unique child foretold by aliens' concept is a combination of both the story element of building suspense + preparing the story for any potential need to shift it into more... shonen-esque elements.

To parallel Childhood's End, maybe Shirafune is the first-born of evolving humans who is born with unnatural spatial awareness and psychic newtype powers that allows him to hear the message via psychic powers.

I would be perfectly fine if Shirafune turns out to just be a normal human by the end of it.

Originally Posted by MeroBAKA

For a sci-fi manga they could have tried to invent a more technological future. No 3d TV, clothes are the same. in school they still use desks and a blackboard. Where are the multitouch tablets in classes? And no autonomous robots.That was disappointing.

I don't know... frankly, I rather liked the fact that the technological setting of the story feels grounded. The story is just 20 or so years into the future. The peak of technology would have shifted, but for everyday common uses? What you say may be so for the perhaps universities, but we're talking jr.high school here. I believe that conventional desk, blackboards and glass displays would be here to stay 20 years from now.

Furthermore, the story isn't set in Tokyo or any urban city centre, but rather just a more modest town.

[Grey]

I like the art and the space story. Definitely interesting! Shirafune's special ability and the undecoded message give a nice little mysterious twist to it too.

[MeroBAKA]

Originally Posted by Nightengale

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised that the 1st message and Shirafune turns out to be nothing more than a red herring.

Not sure if it the sense of your remark, since I don't understand English idioms too well, but, when I read the very first pages of the manga, I thought that this child scientist made up these messages to promote the preparation of a travel to Mars, then I forgot about it. After reading your message I remember my thought and actually now I think it is the grandfather that faked the aliens' message deceiving his granddaughter and the whole world for the sake of going to Mars. And Shirafune would just be a coincidence.

If that happens to be true, it is quite smart, since it makes echo to the worldwide situation of the current programs of space exploration, who have been seriously been reduced and seem to suffer a lack of interest in public opinion.

On a side note I remember having heard a piece of news about the stop of a program that searches for aliens' presence because of the lack of fund. After some research I found this one
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Telescope_Array

[kayote]

i am falling for this series. it's only been 2 chapters but, i'm looking forward to the next chapter. i'm a huger Sci-Fi fan anyway, so this is something that i can really get into. hope it has along life.

it feels a little like Bakuman when i started reading it.

i can kind of see a shift in jump a little, with Enigma and this. there doen't need to be fights and distruction all the time to make something good and intresting.

[Endscape]

Just recently read this after hearing about it for a while and I have to say I was very impressed. The plot, characters and setting is very well done from what we've seen so far, and I feel it will only get better with time.

Really looking forward to more of this.

[MeroBAKA]

Amachi is not the Sasuke of St&rs. It is another person that is 1st everywhere. I now wonder how Amachi will progress in the story.

Marca vs. Fifi for Usubaru. Who will win? Love rivalry between female astronauts (or space lover) can be harsh sometimes.

Will the series be cancelled? When two series were launched consecutively in WSJ, as far as I can remember at least one of the series was stopped. Maybe it is just a coincidence. I don't see Kagami be cancelled, since there is no other ecchi series in WSJ. It remains Ikkyu, which is in early days. Well I find this series interesting
Actually the line-up is strong and I don't see the place for testing new series except they increase the pages of WSJ or a series finishes in WSJ.

[Nightengale]

I thought Yuria was a guy...

Originally Posted by MeroBAKA

Marca vs. Fifi for Usubaru. Who will win? Love rivalry between female astronauts (or space lover) can be harsh sometimes.

I think it's a bit too early to jump to conclusions in regards to whether or not Fifi might have a thing for Usubaru... though if she does, he must have some sort of lolicon power to him.

Originally Posted by MeroBAKA

Will the series be cancelled? When two series were launched consecutively in WSJ, as far as I can remember at least one of the series was stopped. Maybe it is just a coincidence. I don't see Kagami be cancelled, since there is no other ecchi series in WSJ. It remains Ikkyu, which is in early days. Well I find this series interesting
Actually the line-up is strong and I don't see the place for testing new series except they increase the pages of WSJ or a series finishes in WSJ.

ST&RS and Kagami needs another 5 weeks or so before we can gauge how it's doing as a series. At the very least, it looks to be doing better than Meister.

Magico seems to have dropped a bit this week... ranking 2nd last to Ikkyu. ( that seems to be in a predicament. )

[Nightengale]

ST&RS 5 is out.

Man, I'm so hooked the wait each week is killing me.

And hmm...

Spoiler:

I initially thought it was going to be some sort of 3D virtual world examination, but to be actually motion-controlling robots on moon.

[KLGChaos]

Loving the series so far, but chapter five did make me facepalm a bit, if only for the Sasuke-type rival-- Ie, the serious, overconfident rival who does everything right all the time, but will inevitably fall due to some fatal flaw and lack of growth as the lead surpasses him. It's a trope that's way too overused in shounen mangas. I'd love to see a rival that isn't presented as this unbeatable power in the beginning of the manga (only to trounced later on) and instead see someone around the characters level who challenges and grows with him.

[Nightengale]

Originally Posted by KLGChaos

Loving the series so far, but chapter five did make me facepalm a bit, if only for the Sasuke-type rival-- Ie, the serious, overconfident rival who does everything right all the time, but will inevitably fall due to some fatal flaw and lack of growth as the lead surpasses him. It's a trope that's way too overused in shounen mangas. I'd love to see a rival that isn't presented as this unbeatable power in the beginning of the manga (only to trounced later on) and instead see someone around the characters level who challenges and grows with him.

I don't mind the overpowered, genius rival trope so much so long as it's not designed to humiliate the other characters... While it's true a dynamic, equal rival is generally better, we can't get everything our way.

If I have one complaint about ST&RS thus far, it's more of the fact that thus far, the portrayal of dynamic mutually-reassuring teamwork is still pretty superficial. Sure, there were stuff Shirafune and Arashi couldn't do alone ( in context of a forced teamwork assessment ), but none of it really demanded a strong sense of 'we can't make it if we don't work together.'

[KLGChaos]

Originally Posted by Nightengale

If I have one complaint about ST&RS thus far, it's more of the fact that thus far, the portrayal of dynamic mutually-reassuring teamwork is still pretty superficial. Sure, there were stuff Shirafune and Arashi couldn't do alone ( in context of a forced teamwork assessment ), but none of it really demanded a strong sense of 'we can't make it if we don't work together.'

You're right on that one. The sense of teamwork isn't there. The same kind of thing is actually happening with the rival (forgot his name). There's a lot of talk about teamwork and trust, but it's mostly him just giving orders to people and them following blindly. That's not a team, that's a corporation.

[Nightengale]

Amachi will probably have a lot of explaining to do once he gets home to his father who wants him to be a doctor... in more ways than one. >.>

Spoiler for ST&RS 11:

Looks like Amachi has finally gotten himself a Russian waifu...

There's nothing like being confessed by a Russian girl while walking in the deep seas~

[Nightengale]

Chapter 9 is out. 2 more chapters until catch-up!

... No love for this series? ;_;