Hikaru in the Light! (Volume 1)

Best friends compete for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to become pop stars in this funny, feel-good manga series perfect for fans of K-On!, The Tryout, and The Baby-sitters Club.

Middle-school student Hikaru Ogino is known as the songbird of her family's bathhouse in Tokyo. Her beautiful singing echoes from room to room as she cleans up after school, but she dreams of holding a microphone, not a mop! When her best friend, Ran -- a former girl group idol -- invites her to try out for a pop star survival camp together, it's the chance of a lifetime to put her talents to the test. Can Hikaru outshine the competition and make her stage debut, or will she fall flat?

Praise for Hikaru in the Light!:

A Best Graphic Novel for Children, American Library Association

A Finalist for Best New Manga, American Manga Awards

Selected for 2025 Texas Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List – Grades 6-8

"[B]right, fresh manga perfect for younger readers... The gentle story, noticeably lacking in violence, focuses on friendship and self-determination, which is sure to appeal to younger readers looking for stories with heart, especially elementary-schoolers who dream of pop stardom." -- Booklist, starred review

"This exciting and uplifting manga is perfect for readers who love stories about music, friendship, and becoming brave enough to come out of one's shell." -- School Library Journal

"Hikaru's endearing attempts to believe in herself and dive into the unknown -- both during the audition process as well as her tumultuous transition into high school -- delight in this feel-good graphic novel." -- Publishers Weekly

"Potential pop stars sparkle in this intense series starter." -- Kirkus Reviews