License Request: Fukumenkei Noise

September 7, 2016

Fukumenkei Noise is a series by Ryouko Fukuyama, who has been previously published in North America by Tokyopop. This newest series of hers has been running in Hana to Yume manga magazine since 2013. It was recently announced that it would be getting an anime. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we get it streamed over here. The series would do really well if a publisher happened to get the license in North America and bring the books out in the same time-frame with the anime.

L to R: Nino, Yuzu, and Momo

The Gist: Fukumenkei Noise is about childhood love and music. Main character Nino grew up next door to her childhood friend Momo. When the kids were coping with problems they would often sing together out the windows of their houses. One day Momo moves without saying goodbye, and Nino struggles to cope with the loss. She promises she will sing loud enough that Momo will one day find her. A couple years later while singing out to the ocean, she encounters Yuzu, another young boy who composes music and songs. When he hears her sing, he decides she is “the voice” that he’s been looking for. He begins to write songs for Nino. Then suddenly Yuzu stops showing up at their meeting place. Now Nino has lost Momo and Yuzu.

Flash forward several years to high school. Nino has continued to sing for Momo, but has not found him. She is in much pain with no way to express it. She wears a mask over her face to suppress herself from screaming. Meanwhile, Yuzu has gone on to form a band, in NO hurry to shout, that is at the top of the charts. Yuzu rediscovers Nino and promises to help her find Momo by making her the lead vocalist in their band. Yuzu loves Nino and wants her to love him back, but Nino already loves Momo. Momo is also in the professional music industry and will encounter Yuzu and Nino at poignant moments in the story.

The “Give Me” Factor: It’s a high-tension love triangle with music at the core. Childhood love, two boys loving the same girl. One boy can’t bear to watch the other hurt her because he loves her so much (Yuzu), while the other loves her so much he lies and runs away to avoid his own influence on her (Momo). Ughh, it’s sooo good! You end up picking a side – Yuzu or Momo. Fukuyama’s art style also really seems to fit this story well. I love all the concert costuming and the colored pieces, too. I really, really like this series, and would LOVE to see it get licensed here in North America.

The Audience Reception: This series would appeal to drama lovers as well as those who enjoy music. I think once the anime comes out, there will be girls asking for this series in order to read the whole story.

Editor’s Note: The majority of this article was taken from a previous post here.

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Laura

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Super mom and teacher until the kids go to bed, then romance manga addict and writer until the caffeine wears out! Specializes in the shoujo and josei genre of manga and anime.

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