Star Red

Not to be confused with Red star.
Star Red
Stylized illustration of a white-haired woman posing in a red-and-white outfit
Volume 1 tankōbon cover, featuring Sei
スター・レッド
GenreScience fiction
Created byMoto Hagio
Manga
Written byMoto Hagio
Published byShogakukan
ImprintFlower Comics
MagazineShūkan Shōjo Comic
DemographicShōjo
Original runMay 28, 1978 – February 5, 1979
Volumes3

Star Red (Japanese: スター・レッド, Hepburn: Sutā Reddo) is a Japanese science fiction manga series written and illustrated by Moto Hagio. It was serialized in Shogakukan's manga magazine Shūkan Shōjo Comic from 1978 to 1979.

Synopsis

In the near future, overpopulation on Earth has led humanity to colonize space. Mars was colonized in 2050, though extremely high rates of stillbirth among the colonists made long-term colonization impossible; the planet was transformed into a prison in 2070 before being abandoned in 2150. Some children born on Mars developed genetic mutations giving them parapsychological powers, which became more potent across subsequent generations of Martians. When humanity attempted to re-colonize Mars in 2264, they discovered the surviving Martian population, and attempted to exterminate and experiment upon them.[1]

The primary action of the series focuses on Sei Red (レッド・星, Reddo Sei), a fifth generation Martian possessing the power of telepathy, telekinesis, and teleportation. She is exiled to Earth in 2276, where she is forced to conceal her Martian identity.[2] There she encounters Erg (エルグ, Erugu), an alien who comes into conflict with both humanity and the Martians.[3] Sei ultimately dies, but her consciousness survives in a sort of limbo; there she meets various spirits with vague sexual identities, which allow her to be reborn as a sixth generation Martian.[4]

Production and release

Star Red was conceived after Hagio's editor at Shūkan Shōjo Comic suddenly asked her to create a new manga, and informed her that she had three days to produce a full-color ad page promoting the series.[5] The author, intrigued by the planet Mars,[6] elected to create a story about a Martian child raised on Earth who returns to Mars.[7] To create the Martian landscapes, Hagio used photographs taken by NASA during the Viking 1 Mars exploration mission as reference material.[8]

The first chapter of the series was published in Shūkan Shōjo Comic on May 28, 1978.[9] Because of its rapid production schedule, the series began publication before Hagio had planned its ending; this is why the character of Yodaka, who gives birth to Sei, changes sex from male to female over the course of the story.[5] The final chapter of the series was published on February 5, 1979.[9]

Reception

In 1980, Star Red was awarded Best Comic at the Seiun Awards.[10]

References

  1. ^ Long 2014, p. 11.
  2. ^ Long 2014, p. 12.
  3. ^ Maejima, Satoshi (June 10, 2016). "6月10日は火星探査機「スピリット」打ちあげの日。本日読むべきマンガは……。". Kono Manga ga Sugoi! (in Japanese). Takarajimasha. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  4. ^ Long 2014, p. 18.
  5. ^ a b Hagio, Moto (1983). スター・レッド, vol. 1. Shogakukan. ISBN 4-09-190717-2.
  6. ^ Hagio 2016, p. 168.
  7. ^ Hagio, Moto; Onda, Riku (October 31, 2006). "原点"との邂逅". SF Japan. Tokuma Shoten.
  8. ^ Hagio 2016, p. 20.
  9. ^ a b Hagio 2016, p. 14.
  10. ^ Clute, John; Langford, David, eds. (December 20, 2021). "Seiun Award". The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Retrieved January 14, 2022.

Bibliography