“Why… won’t you tell me anything?! Is it because it has to do with me?” – Honda to Kaido
In Super Morning Star Volume 2, the relationship between school friends Kyosuke Honda and Ryo Kaido faces significant challenges. Now in their early twenties, the two have been living together for three years, but their physical relationship has stalled, largely due to their busy lives. Honda, a final-year university student, juggles clubs and academics, while Kaido, a professional tokusatsu suit actor, is gaining traction in his career with more acting gigs and fashion shoots.
Despite their love, the stress of career demands and societal pressures begins to strain their bond. In this volume, we see how these factors impact their relationship, forcing them to confront both internal and external conflicts.
Pressures of Career and Love
As Kaido navigates the complexities of his rising career, including an agency’s push for a magazine feature profiling their stars’ home lives, he refuses to expose his relationship with Honda. Kaido’s decision to protect their privacy is met with resistance from fellow actors, leading to subtle but increasingly harmful bullying. Kaido, not wanting to add more stress to Honda’s already hectic life, keeps his troubles hidden. Yet Honda, fueled by his friends’ comments about the lack of progress in their relationship, feels guilty for not being more attentive to Kaido’s emotional needs.
A secret photograph of the two together worsens the situation, placing Kaido in an uncomfortable spotlight at work. As these pressures mount, Honda’s misguided attempts to fix their relationship only lead to more misunderstandings.
The dynamic between Honda and Kaido is increasingly strained as they struggle to navigate the intersections of love, career, and societal expectations. Kaido, often more mature but vulnerable, finds himself unsure of how to handle Honda’s advances and the growing tension between their professional and personal lives.
Realism in Romance
This is no light-hearted romantic comedy. As indicated by the publisher’s warning about “homophobic bigotry and violence,” Volume 2 of Super Morning Star dives deep into the challenges of being in a same-sex relationship. Kaido and Honda love each other deeply, but that doesn’t mean their relationship is immune to real-life hurdles. The fact that Kaido works as a superhero stunt actor adds a layer of irony—despite his tough exterior, he’s still vulnerable to the pain of discrimination and bullying.
Mangaka Kara Aomiya deserves praise for her raw and realistic portrayal of the characters’ emotional struggles. While Kaido and Honda’s relationship may look ideal from the outside, Aomiya doesn’t shy away from the messy and complex realities of keeping a relationship alive in your twenties, particularly a same-sex one. Her ability to depict the characters’ feelings, from Kaido’s endearing blushing moments to Honda’s internal turmoil, makes this Boys’ Love manga stand out for its emotional depth.
Artistic Challenges
However, not everything is perfect. One of the key issues with Volume 2 lies in the clarity of the graphic storytelling, particularly in Chapter 10. Critical events unfold through Kaido’s memories, but the grayscale panels are murky, making it difficult for readers to fully grasp what’s happening. While subtle hints can work in some cases, here the ambiguity detracts from the story’s impact, leaving readers to piece together crucial moments through dialogue and reactions alone.
Despite these challenges, Aomiya’s art overall continues to be vibrant and expressive. The colour page at the front of the volume showcases her exuberant style, capturing the energy and emotions that define the story.
A Cliffhanger Ending
Just as things come to a head, Super Morning Star Volume 2 ends on a dramatic cliffhanger that leaves readers anxiously awaiting the next installment. The emotional weight of Kaido and Honda’s struggles feels palpable, and with Volume 3 slated for release in late March 2024, fans won’t have to wait too long to see what happens next.
For those who appreciate a lighter tone, there is a bonus chapter at the end, taking readers back to high school days where Kaido and Honda face off in a school sports festival. This brief reprieve provides a nostalgic glimpse of their early relationship, offering some comic relief amid the emotional tension of the main story.
Conclusion
Kara Aomiya continues to impress with Super Morning Star Volume 2, a Boys’ Love manga that goes beyond the surface to explore the difficulties of maintaining a relationship in the real world. While the plot’s emotional realism and raw portrayal of homophobia set it apart from lighter BL series, it’s the complex and lovable characters that keep readers hooked. Kaido and Honda may frustrate you with their misunderstandings, but their love for each other is undeniably sincere, making this a compelling read.
Translation by Andria McKnight for Kodansha remains smooth and engaging, with EK Weaver’s lettering adding to the overall polish. The only downside is the occasional lack of clarity in the artwork, but this doesn’t detract too much from the overall experience.
Fans of emotionally charged romance will want to see this story through to its conclusion.
