Idol Densetsu Eriko vol. 1

ISBN4-04-924107-2 369Y w/o taxes

This volume contains 5 chapters of Eriko manga and a short story from the mangaka called "Tondemo 8fun, koi wa itsushun". ^^

It follows more or less the anime story line, we get introduced to the main characters and the tragic accident of Eriko's parents along with the intial unfriendly posture between Rei and her.

But some things do differ from the anime, in the manga Eriko's introduction to the idol world is different, she gets to appear in a TV program w/o as much penalities as in the anime, though it's curious to see that in the manga version we get explained why Eriko wears such a cute short yellow dress ^^

Rei personality is kinda different, in the manga we see a much more selfish girl, more vengative and that actually acts against Eriko (in the anime she doesn't directly act against her), when she destroys Eriko's dress, for example. IMHO this side of Rei is one the public wanted her to show, more passionate in this way than in the anime ^^

Also Eriko meets Hiroshi way before what she does in the anime.

Idol Densetsu Eriko vol. 2

ISBN4-04-924147-1 369Y w/o taxes

The whole volume is dedicated to Eriko this time ^^

Things happen fast and Rei and Eriko start a good friendship after the "spot" scene (you'll read more about that when I do the anime episode summaries ^_-; ), Hiroshi stands out like Eriko's direct rival also.

Eriko's mother wakes up from her coma but can't recognize Eriko, so she decides to sing in the Sea Dome, the last construction from Eriko's father, the auditorium under the sea. ^^

New characters appear in this volume that we won't meet in the anime, like a competitor of Eriko in her first contest that gets fooled by Eriko's uncle to help him destroy Eriko (and so she having more options to win).

Eriko wins her first music contest at the end of the volume. And this is the "real" end of the manga...

Idol Densetsu Eriko vol. 3

ISBN4-04-924178-1 369Y w/o taxes

Last volume of this manga, it's all short side stories, serious and funny about the different characters of the manga. ^^

The most interesting of these stories is probably the first one, about a younger Rei while Eriko's father was still alive.

The art doesn't resemble a lot the anime style and it's not high quality art neither, maybe that contributed to the finishing of these series? I have no idea, but I wish they could have resolved some relationships in the manga as they didn't in the anime... ^^;;;

Oh well...

I didn't see any other manga from this mangaka being published by Asuka neither, any information about other works by KAWAHARA Ayumi will be very much welcome! ^^