I’m absolutely hooked after reading the first volume of Roar! The story is drenched in mystery, nostalgia, and grief – my heart was aching from the build up of the backstory. This volume set the stage well for all of the characters in the story and where the tendrils of resilience and revenge sprouted from.

With similar themes of Cinderella, this is the arc of an underdog protagonist who is both loving and a little bit lost in the world. The final pane and artwork was just *chefs kiss* a work of art, tying in the title to the story.

I can’t wait to see where the threads pick up with the other characters that are being woven back into the storyline in the next volume!!

This graphic novel completely pulled me in from the first page. The combination of stunning artwork and emotionally resonant storytelling made it impossible to put down. The characters felt fully realized, and the pacing was tight without ever feeling rushed.

In the first volume of Roar, we follow Misato, a young girl whose peaceful childhood on a Japanese island is turned upside down when she’s cast as an extra in a TV show. What seems like a harmless chance soon spirals into a series of events that force her to move into a glamorous but toxic household full of schemers and liars. As Misato struggles to find her footing in this dangerous new world, she realizes that seeking revenge might be the only way to take back control of her life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the e-book copy!

This is my first work from this author but I have heard good things about their previous series so I was excited for this release. This first volume gives you a lot to think about as we get the set up for the main character and her impending journey to stardom. There is a lot of betrayal and abuse that the main girl experiences in this volume that it leaves you wondering if she will catch a break. I was on the edge of my seat till the end of the volume and I will be awaiting the next volume. Give this a read if you are a fan of revenge stories like "Burn the House Down".

Thank you, NetGalley and Kodansha, for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was a tough read because of how rushed and messy everything felt. I liked the premise and the idea they have for the characters, but everything is so surface level and fast-paced that I couldn't connect. Maybe they are trying to lay a lot of groundwork for the next volumes, but I don't think I will continue.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for allowing me to read this novel. I feel better for this little girl and how she be treating with that fake ass woman's family. I don't know why that lady and the daughter treat her shit and to their blood son wtf. I am pissed but at the same time I hope that Misato find her family/friend asap and hope she can help the "brother." I just wonder why that mean lady take Misato and lie that she her real mother she is not. Geez I look forward to read the novel book 2. I giving this book a 4 stars.

#NetGalley
#KodanshaComics
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A tragic yet compelling manga, the introductory lines really gripped my attention and made me read the entire volume in one sitting. I loved the author's use of a non-linear narrative structure, it truly added mystery and suspense to the story. All the characters were sufficiently developed, I'm hoping to see more character depth for the step-mother and the father in the upcoming novels. Overall, a solid manga which grapples with the themes of grief, lonliness and trauma.

I don't know what I was expecting when I decided to read this manga, but did it surprise me. I'm not someone who necessarily likes intense, dark or tragic stories, but this manga was able to grab me and keep me locked in. There were times where I felt like I couldn't stomach it and had to speed read or completely skip over parts because they were a bit much for me. However, I really did enjoy it. I am routing for Misato and I hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel for her. I would definitely pick up the next volume that comes out.

Wow. This was dark, twisted but intriguing. Misato is treated so poorly and its so tragic and sad everything she goes through but the story keeps you reading and interested. I would love to continue the series but please, keep in mind its not a light read. Dark, interesting, sad, angering.

A baby not supposed to be born but saved by a doctor who couldn't kill. A glimpse of a life well-lived... stolen in a blink of an eye. What is the value of living when no one around wants you?

Roar: A Star in the Abyss 1 begins the story of Misato, that baby, as she starts her life.

Since this first volume covers many years, character development is a bit weak and time jumps are large. The story itself, is alright but as far as I can tell, there is nothing exceptional about it. Still, the story flows well and is easy to understand. I recommend it to only mature readers as their is some nudity.

Misato wants to be an actress. Surprisingly, she's actually really good at it. Unfortunately, her world comes crashing down because of a fire. Now, thrown into a house where everyone seems to hate her, how will she ever dream again?

I like this. I'm interested to see how this plays out. It is difficult to assign stars to something that is obviously incomplete (this is just Vol. 1). I may continue this.

The story feels like the early 2000s korean melodrama but I am intrigued with the plot. I like the background story of the MC, her happy childhood with her doting parents and close friend, Junya at the small island before a tragic event leading to the death of her beloved parents and her being whisked away by a woman who claimed she was her birth mother to the city. The drawings and illustration are gorgeous.
However, there are some parts that feels choppy especially the storyline pace and how some characters were introduced and portrayed especially the villain(s) in the story.

I don't know but this is a bit bothering me. My only issue is with the translation. Some of the informal word choices, like using “ya” instead of “you”, pulled me out of the story a bit. It didn’t match the tone of the dialogue or the serious themes, and I wish the translation had been a bit more polished.

What a heart wrenching story!

Roar tells the story of Misato, who grew up on a remote island with parents who cared and a best friend she defended. When she's cast as a simple extra, her whole world comes crashing down. A woman claiming to be her mother whisks her away to world she is desperate to escape.

This short manga had me crying! Misato just wants to live her life and receives nothing but suffering in return. This first volume is just the tip of the iceberg, and I can tell things are only going to get more dramatic from here.

The title was one of the first things that attracted me and I loved the moment it came up in the manga. A literal cry of pain, anguish and so many emotions when classified as a roar feels so powerful.

Little Misato's life is a happy one, she practices karate along with her best friend Jun and always defends him from bullies. Her life takes an amazing turn when she's selected as a child actor and her acting is so real and powerful, the director decides to keep the single shot practice scene in the movie. Misato now famous faces off with the bullies even more but when she hears of a rumour of her being adopted, it breaks her heart and she confronts her parents. Her mother gets angry at her and Misato decides to spend the night at Jun's house. Her life takes a tragic turn when her house with her parents inside, burns down the same night, turning everything into ashes, including her life.

A mysterious woman claiming to be her real mother snatches her away from the tiny island and her best friend and she, her daughter and the negligent father make misato's life a living hell. She finds solace with their 2nd sickly child and as they grow up, they decide to run away.

However their plans are foiled, everything falls apart and Misato escapes the house alone, and sings into the night while tears flow from her eyes.

This was a very touching and tragic tale and I definitely can't wait to read volume 2. Everyone should give this one a read, trust me.

3.5 stars

This manga took me on an emotional rollercoaster. Misato is a compelling protagonist, but the first volume mostly focuses on her early life, and even that is presented somewhat vaguely. I wish the author had provided a bit more background to help ground the story, though I’m hopeful we’ll explore that in more depth in future volumes. I’m especially looking forward to the promised revenge arc.

Wonderful manga if you love drama and having your heart strings tugged at the very beginning and throughout the book. I have been in a reading slump for manga for a while and Roar got me over it.

Thank you for this ARC.

Unfortunately this comic/manga wasn’t for me. I finished the whole thing hardly. i am sure the upcoming volumes will have a better plot and the main character will get a better life, but it is a no from me for now. It was gut wrenching to read, and I didn’t really liked the plot.

Thank you for the ARC.

At first, I wasn’t really liking the comic and where it was going. I also thought the hick-ish (for lack of a better word), was annoying, distracting & unnecessary (still think it’s unnecessary), but by the end, I was engrossed. I think we could have started at the end and then had flashbacks of the beginning/backstory (so the beginning was slow). I also still have no idea why she was taken by her birth mother. And why her dad tried to get rid of her (so confusing).
However, I will continue the series because by the end, I was fully invested.

Though there was an intriguing story, there were too many issues. The execution made it hard to follow. It was choppy and the pacing and story become too confusing too quickly. Though I enjoy the art style, it is hard to look past the fact that I just quite couldn't make sense of it. There is potential, but it would need better pacing and telling of the story. Overall was not my favorite and most likely will not be continuing.