A lot of shonen titles end up being reduced to the same archetypes like Bleach or My Hero Academia from those who don’t read Shonen Jump regularly. But for those who read a lot of the shonen demographic, there is a wealth of comedy, romance, action, and drama available. Sometime’s there even a little bit of all three put in one. Published in English by VIZ Media, Act-Age from manga writer Tatsuya Matsuki and illustrator Shiro Usazaki, the series focuses on a young high school girl named Kei Yonagi who dreams of being an actress.

But dreams of making it big aren’t the only focus, Kei is in a fact adept at method acting, to the point where she loses track of reality while acting. At an audition, some speculate that acting of this intensity could be self-destructive, and cite that as a reason for not accepting her. However, Kei catches the eye of the highly acclaimed director Sumiji Kuroyama, who steps forward in hopes of bringing out her full potential. That said, acting isn’t all Kei has to worry about, she also has to care two younger siblings, after their father left them and their mother died.

Act-Age Volume 1 consists of chapters one through seven which were first serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump and does a great job of introducing readers who may not understand the acting world. Every time there are terms brought up, Matsuki takes the time to weave expositional elements into the story that makes the definitions clear for the readers by either showing us examples in scenes or by providing us literal definitions in dialogue. By putting so much time into exposition, some writers would lose focus on their characters, and that was my concern after chapter one. Thankfully, Matsuki expertly uses the exposition in the volume directly to affect their characters, especially Kei.

Through her method acting, we get to understand who Kei is. Because she is an adept method actor, being able to morph into any scene and character which means that it would easy to lose her in her roles. But, her talent has one specific quirk – her acting talent has to be something she feels honestly. Using experiences she’s been in, Kei channels it into her acting, forcing vibrant and massive emotions to come out nearly immediately. This also means Kei’s interpretation of instructions isn’t always what the director has in mind.

The first scene that you understand this is when Kei is instructed with other prospective actresses to face a fearsome wolf in the forest. While the other girls feign fright, Kei channels her love for her siblings and leaps into action, fighting the wolf, using her body as well as her face to change the scene and to show power. Her imagination needs to be grounded in reality and in the moments when she acts you realize her strength and how its come from her hardships. But, the complication of Kei’s talent is showcased when she enters real acting gigs and her sense of self pushes against her instructions.

When her first job from Kuroyama comes, she’s tasked to make her father dinner. While she meets the task, she channels what it’s like cooking for her family, one that doesn’t have a father. While the clients are satisfied and the crew blown away, she isn’t happy with there performance, understanding the lie it tells. On her next job, she’s instructed to watch a young girl be cut down. But, that’s not her. Causing havoc on the set, she refuses to play the role of the extra as directed, instead, she leaps into action. While she loses herself in acting, Kei finds herself there too.

While we find ourselves getting closer to Kei, a former actress provides commentary on Kei’s method acting, which is sure to be a foreshadow. In doing so, we see the potential danger for Kei. The inevitable burn out, losing herself, and ultimately becoming a shell of who she is. With this undercurrent grounding Act-Age Volume 1, there is an ominous future on the horizon and Kei is sure to continue carrying this series forward. Overall, Act-Age Volume 1 is a wonderful shonen series, and one that is a must-buy. With chapters available on the VIZ Media’s Shonen Jump, no need to just stop at chapter seven.

(Longer review forthcoming). It's a great concept, and I'm interested to see how the series progresses.

Rating 4.5

The manga “Act Age” written by Tatsuya Matsuki was a feel good story about a young girl pursuing her acting career while taking care of her twin siblings. Kei Yonagi is sixteen years old and is now the guardian to her younger twin siblings. They struggle to get by so Kei works multiple jobs before school and after school Kei goes to auditions. In the beginning of the book we can see how new to acting she is. She is full of potential but needed help increasing her acting skills because she was not getting hired. I love how passionate she is about acting and no matter how many rejections she gets she keeps trying. She is filled with drive for her dreams but also the dreams of her siblings. She would never want to let them down. The side characters were likeable and added humor to the story which was nice. It was neat seeing behind the scenes of the acting world. What one goes through in order to come out on top. Overall, this was a cute introduction story into Kei’s world. The art style was great for the story and I did not mind that it was in black and white. I’m looking forward to reading the next volumes as they come out.

Should you read Act Age?
Yes! Such a cute story about family, pursuing your dreams, and what skills are needed to become a great actress.

**Received an advanced copy through NetGalley in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

GREAT, AMAZING, IMPRESSIVE, STUNNING, those are my instant expression as soon as I finished reading this manga.

The story reminds me of Glass Mask and Skip Beat! where the main character is a teen girl, high school age, had a sad history of her life and really loves acting. Not just like but love. However the plot is totally different, Kei Yonagi has been discovered by underrated famous director which successfully bring her total talent to become an actor. Starting from there, the world of Yonagi become more and more impressive, while she’s also learned how to “act” for real. She also had to learned a lot of acting method in order to give her best in a highest level.

The energy from the main character really brought me to the limit where I did feel really sad when she’s crying or shared her sad life along with her two siblings. The drawing also impressive, this is not a new thing for those who enjoying reading manga, it’s like watching a real movie while we also sinking into deeper conversations between characters, I didn’t read it, I jumped into the story.

While the theme is about pursuing Yonagi’ dream (which is act), it’s also inspiring the readers to do anything on your best to reach your dream. I had a feeling that there’ll be more competition between Yonagi and her fellow friends as an actor, and I am truly looking forward for what happened with her twin siblings and the director himself. Will she going to reach her passion for real, and how hard will be is her journey to reach that moment.

Thank you to NetGalley and VIZ Media for giving me approval to read this manga in exchange with my honest review
BRILLIANT manga!!

“Act-age” is about a girl who struggles to support her family and wants to make it as an actor. It’s not just her dream job, she wants to succeed so she can properly provide for her two younger siblings. And just like that, you can’t help but rooting for her from the beginning!

While this manga offers an interesting view of the acting industry, I’d say the real gem is the psyche of the aspiring young actor in here. Yonagi brings the acting career on a different level. When she acts, she summons real emotions from her own experiences, but then she gets so caught up in them that she completely forgets she is playing a role. While this can look like quite the gift, it actually backfires big time more times that one can imagine. Her skill needs to be improved if she really wants to make it as an actor, and when a director spots her talent and offers to help, her real challenge starts. Can she learn how to control her emotions and how to live the lives of the characters she is supposed to portray?

A good first volume in an acting manga that promises a psychological exploration of a fascinating character whose growth I’m curious to see. The entertainment industry just got even more interesting!

After her mom dies and her dad takes off, Yonagi is left to raise her younger siblings on her own. The teenager feels she is destined to be an actor, and if she can break into the business she will actually be able to give her brother and sister a decent life. The problem is, she's a method actress who can only play roles based on emotions she has experienced, and has zero chill when asked to do something that is out of her own personal character.
Taken under the wing of an eccentric indie director who thinks she has potential, Yonagi needs to figure out how to not just feel her own emotions, but actually become other people whose lives she has never experienced.

Act age is a tale of Yonagi becoming a professional actor. The fact that this so different from other Shonen Jump titles was interesting enough to want to check it out. Once I opened this book I was pulled into the world of acting, and I loved learning about this world. The characters introduced so far are interesting and likeable. They all have their own reason for wanting to act and what acting is. Watching Yonagi progress as an actor is extremely entertaining. The way she develops seems very natural and realistic. The art is the only thing I had a problem with in this volume sometimes coming across very plain or wonky, but other then a few panels like that the art was very nice and unique. Act age volume 1 was an enjoyable read, and I'm excited to keep reading this in the future.

This was a great manga opening volume. The art, themes, and characters would all be great for a graphic novel curriculum in an elective course, or to be recommended to students based on taste.

This was such a fun manga to read! The characters are genuine and real and the story moves along quickly. As someone who doesn’t read much manga, this was a good one.

Cute, quick read about an odd young woman raising her little siblings while trying to make it as an actress. Entices reader to continue with the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, VIZ Media, and Tatsuya Matsuki for the opportunity to read Act-Age Volume One in exchange for an honest review.

I like manga, and I have both been in plays and taught high school drama, so I thought this would be an applicable read to entice my interests.

Kei has no acting experience, but she's an amazing actor; she has to be! After the death of their mother, she takes care of two younger siblings and has to show them fun somehow. After a failed audition, Kei finds herself looking for a basic job once more. She needs to support the family somehow, even if she isn't working her dream job. When actor Akira pretty much shows up at her doorstep, Kei gets an unexpected second chance. No dice.

But director Sujimi sees potential in Kei's method of acting. He can tell she has been through a lot in life. While other directors might find this dangerous and unstable in an uprising actor, Sujimi sees the potential in using this skill. Method-acting is the use of a past experience and reenacting that experience. Because of Kei's experiences, this makes her acting genuine; she just needs a bit of proper coaching.

I enjoyed the exploration of the acting industry and craft, and the different views of how acting works as a career. This was certainly an enjoyable read and I sure wouldn't mind continuing this series!

I was very intrigued when I first heard about this series. This psychological take on a idol story was really interesting to me. Our protagonist is very much a method actor, but continues to not be hired by agencies. Most agencies are frightened by her, and think she may be a liability in the future.
One director sits in on an audition she is in, and sees her style of acting as brilliant, and decides to take her under his wing, and help her hone her talents. The big agency in town is worried about this course of action, and fears for our young protagonist, and for the siblings that she is raising after their mother's passing.
I am genuinely looking forward not only to this release, but to continuing on with this series. The dark undertone to it adds an element that is missing from some idol stories. I recommend giving this series a try!

It's not bad! A rags to riches (sort of) story about a teenager who is really gifted when it comes to acting. Our lead female is super likable, same can be said for the lead male. He's older than her, and that could sometimes lead to dangerous scenarios in manga, but he seems to be looking out for her best interests as far as her career goes. Art is solid. Secondary characters are introduced, especially in the final chapter. They're not as fleshed out as I'd like, but you can tell that is coming. No question that this one has teen appeal. And with its extremely praiseworthy protagonist, this one was a good read!

I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I loved this manga. This has become one of my manga favourites and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the rest of the series! I would highly recommend this manga if you are a fan of Skip Beat! I'm actually currently reading Skip Beat! But I've taken a bit of break as I did read almost 30 volumes in a month. Act Age Volume 1 is very reminiscent of the earlier volumes of Skip Beat!, so if you particularly like that period you should pick this manga up. I would say that it is slightly more realistic and slightly more serious than Skip Beat! though and it's a shonen manga as oppose to Skip Beat! being a shojo one.

I've started to realise that one of my favourite themes in mangas is fame, specifically people trying to become famous in acting. What I like most is having ordinary people thrown into the world of fame. This manga is working towards that as Yonagi is just going through her first few auditions in this volume. It's also fascinating to see Yonagi work as an actress because she's like the ultimate method actor. When she acts she transforms herself into that role so well that she take centre stage no matter what she does. As this is volume one in a continuing series it'll be so much fun to see how Yonagi will grow as a character. Especially seeing that she is motivated by her young twin siblings that she's essentially become the mother of.

This manga is a lot of fun and seeing Yonagi go through the training of becoming an actor is gripping because you want to see if she will make it. You also want to see what her mentor, the famous director Sumiji Kuroyama has in store for her in the future with his mysterious role.

Overall, I highly recommend this manga. It's a light, fun read, which will hopefully make you smile and laugh. I can't wait to see what's next in the series and see the person Yonagi will become!

For fans of Skip Beat, but way less drama and anime style art. This manga involves a family of actors and all their different challenges in the industry.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing this e-arc!

THIS. WAS. AMAZING. I didn't expect for this anime to be the best out of the 10 ones i have read this month already. Being someone who for a time was very close in the entertainment industry, it was fun to see the protagonist interact with the new ambient that she is put in.

Mangas that revolve around the acting industry are one of my absolute favourite tropes! And this manga did not disappoint! 🤩

I was so invested in Yonagi's story and it was amazing to see her abilities evolve with each chapter!!

I couldn't stop reading with the end of the first volume and had to continue straight on with the rest of the manga! 😍 I would love to see an anime adaption of this someday. I'm sure it'd be spectacular~ ✨

Rating: 5/5 ⭐


Thank you Netgalley and VIZ media for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A solid and promising beginning to a vividly illustrated series with a great cast of characters. I especially love the focus and commentary on what acting means to different people and the concept of the protagonist learning to develop and draw strength from what was initially an unhealthy coping mechanism for her.

<I> Thank you to Viz-Media for providing me with an eARC of this graphic novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This manga is set to be published in August 2020.</i>

If you are as into <u>Skip Beat!</u> as I am, then you will probably like <u>Act-Age</u>. There isn't quite the same amount of drama and romance, but the storyline of an aspiring method actress could prove to be interesting and draws some vague similarities. This one ended on a cliffhanger, which makes me want to read the next volume ASAP. Unfortunately ASAP could be a while...My main knock against this manga is the art style. I am having a hard time describing the discrepancy, other than the faces seem off-center with features that are too crowded together. It was visually unappealing in a number of different panels. I can overlook it to find out what happens next though.

I liked this and thought the story was interesting. It did feel a little shallow a times but this was a fun way to pass the afternoon.