This was such a cute start to the series!! Definitely going to get my hands on volume 2 as soon as possible. This is a childhood friends to lovers where one character is a model and actor and becoming more famous. Chiaki has a crush on Subaru but doesn’t think she’s enough for him, but she doesn’t know he has a crush on her too! Their friendship was so cute and I loved the development in this one.

Childhood friend trope anyone? Subaru is a model who made his first foray into acting, and goes to school with his childhood friend Chiaki. Chiaki helps out by making sure he gets up on time as well as feeding him when his mom is not around. Both his mom and her mom tend to be busy, so it seems like she cooks often for him. Chiaki is also in love with him, but does not think he is or that he could fall in love with her. He seems to treat her differently from other girls, but she is insecure about how she looks, so I don’t think she would believe him even if he did say he was in love with her.

The dynamic between the two is great. The bantering is pretty common for childhood friends in manga and anime, but it really is still fun to witness. I think Ammitsu did a great job with how they interact with each other. Chiaki tries to do whatever she can to help him, but will try to cover it up if it even hints at her crush towards him. She has even helped him run lines for his show. Subaru, on the other hand, does his best to protect her when he is able. I really loved this volume, and I know this is one I will be wanting to keep up with. Not to mention that I just love the art style. It is just so pretty! The second volume of this series is available as of today, May 7th.

Thank you Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for a copy of Gazing at the Star Next Door Vol 1.

"Chiaki is a pretty normal teenage girl. Since they were kids, she's had a thing for her best friend Subaru--who's fast becoming the hottest young actor in Japan! With Subaru threatening to slip away, Chiaki has a decision to make: Will she finally take her shot, or give Subaru up to his adoring public?"

This is perfect for Kimi ni Todoke fans!! A great one-shot if you want a short, sweet high school romance. Childhood friends to lovers and great art as well!

This was such a delightful read, but then again I am a sucker for the childhood friends romance trope. I love the tension that is set up between Chiaki and Subaru, even if they themselves don't realize it's there. I love her need to take care of him, while he has his need to protect her from harmful situations. Overall it's a cute read, and I can't wait to read more from this author.

I really enjoyed this manga. While it wasn’t my favorite, I can’t wait to continue this journey and see where and his the characters grown and development. It was such a light fast read after all the long books I’ve read so far this year

The story is cute and the drawing style is appealing. I like the fact that Subaru is a sweet guy rather than the generic arrogant celebrity. Chiaki is fine, but her lack of confidence in herself is quite annoying. I am looking forward to see their romance blossoms.

I wasn't super convinced with the premise at first, but the execution of this manga is definitely great!

The drawing style is incredibly beautiful, and there is depth to the characters, even if there's a good dose of comedy.

If you like romance, even if you don't like elements like idols or celebrities, I'd say give this story a try. It won't disappoint you. (In fact, it will make your heart race!)

Such a lovely manga and overflowing with cuteness, hearts 💕 and flowers. What happens when the boy next door, who is your childhood friend and buddy, becomes a model, an actor and the nations darling?

Chiaki has always had a crush on the boy next door, Subaru, who is a rising star in Japan and growing away from Chiaki and home. How can she who is plain, or thinks she is, compete with the fame, stars and bright lights?

Possibly not, but still a very entertaining and heartwarming story. This is the kind of story when the reader has to cheer for the underdog, hope for a miracle and cling on for the rollercoaster of emotion that you know is coming.

A lovely story and definitely a series to follow cheering the girl next door.

Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I have added a copy of this to my wishlist.
I like the cover of this book also.
The artwork of this is great also.

4⭐️

It was very enjoyable !
It was a good intro with really nice art..
This is a great starter manga for people who have never read it, and it’s good for those that are fans.
Overall, a fun experience.

This one was sweet, but I wanted more from the POV of the MC H. From where I was standing, it didn't look like he had a thing for her as much as she did for him. He was WAAAAY to cool and casual about it. The MC h, on the other hand, was more obvious, but then again, we see things more from her POV, so we get to see her internal dialogue and how she feels.

We also have the trope of "she defends him to people who take offense at her calling them out, so the MC H has to end up saving her" trope, which seemed slightly OTT, both with her screaming at the dude in question and his grabbing her, in public. I get that they are young, but that just seems to be a bit much.

All in all, not a bad start to a series and I want to see where it goes.

3, why didn't I have a childhood friend/neighbor who ended up being hot and famous it's not fair, stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for an eARC of this book to read and review.

I couldn't really get into this, but it definitely scratches that particular shoujo itch of girl-and-star-boy that seems to have never go quite out of popularity.

This was a very cute read! I loved the characterization of the characters and how their storyline flowed. I found it interesting how she was in charge of waking him up for school, too.

This was such a cute read! The next door neighbor/friend trope is a fave of mine. The art style was also very nice. Can’t wait for the next volume!

Thank you Netgalley for approving this arc for me to read and send an honest review.

I have now found a new romance manga series to add to my favourite list, and also ever growing collection. This story started off adorable, and I love the characters.

I'm so glad that I could read this first volume of this series. I need to find the next volume as soon as it comes out. Subaru is the boy next door, who just happens to be the latest star on the rise. The artwork for this series is so cute. This was such a fun story and I will be reading the rest of the series as it comes out.

I received this from the published in exchange for a review. All opinions are mine and are uninfluenced.

This is a cute coming-of-age high school romance between childhood friends, one being an ordinary girl and the other a model/actor. I don't mind stories like this every so often. It's cute and refreshing. My only issue is that I'm tired of very insecure and naive female leads which is what most shojo manga main characters are. I don't know if I'll continue this series because of it, but I definitely think if you like childhood friends to lovers then you'll enjoy this

Chiaki's best friend Subaru is a rising actor and gaining popularity. She thinks she's not the kind of girl he would date and firmly tries to be his friend while keeping her feelings to herself. However, Subaru clearly values their relationship and makes an effort to stay connected. Overall, a cute manga of two friends who seem to be drifting apart but want to be together. Looking forward to volume 2.

Chiaki has been best friend's with Subaru since they were kids and had an unrequited love for him. However, Subaru is a famous actor and model who is becoming more popular. Chiaki constantly feels like they are drifting apart and that she is not good enough to be with him. However tenuous their relationship has become, she sometimes thinks there could be something more.

Gazing at the Star Next Door was such a sweet manga. I enjoyed the characters and their friendship. They had such cute chemistry. I also really enjoyed the story. It was hard to out down and after I finished it, I desperately wished the next one was out. I cannot wait to read more of this story as it comes out. I will have to check out other works by this author as well because I enjoyedd this one so much!

4.5 stars

Childhood best friend / neighbour / human alarm clock and personal chef. I absolutely loved the tropes found in this story, where two friends from childhood find themselves in high school and the guy, a model and now actor, begins to grow in popularity while his friend pines over him. I really can see this developing into a lovely storyline, the characters are likeable (and somewhat relatable) with real concerns about distance and sentiment in a digital age of followers and celebrities. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

<i>I received a complementary copy of this manga volume by Kodansha via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily</i>.