Yura Onozuka is lost, caught between the glamour lives of her famous parents and her own normalcy.  The goals and dreams she has are destroyed when she finds her best friend (and love interest) sleeping with her mother!  How can she forgive her mother's deliberate betrayal, and her father's absolute non-existence, particularly when they remain perfect in the eyes of the world?  After all, the media never lies.  Does it?

Yura decides to show everyone the truth, and fight on her mother's terms — becoming an actress herself.  This seems the only way to make the media listen to her side of the story.  But can she, the shy normal girl, really become a star?

In her way are some serious hurdles:  from backstabbing actresses, to talent artists only looking to become famous themselves.  And then there are the guys.  Famous musician brothers,  Q-Ta and Haruka are bitter rivals in separate bands, and both of them have an interest in Yura!  Does Q-Ta really mean to date her, or are his intentions less honorable?  Is Haruka as cruel as he seems, or does he try and hide something more chivalrous beneath his childish grumpy side?  Can Yura avoid falling in love with them both?  It hardly seems likely, as they seem to be the only ones to take her seriously.

Highlights

In this volume, Yura finally makes it through her first rehearsal — and comes out a winner!  She can act, but only if she keeps the world at a safe distance.  The disapproval and sheer presence of her coworkers has her shaking in her boots — until she looses a contact and gains instant spine!  I laughed out loud at such a straight forward cure for stage fright.  I'd never heard of anyone using the trick!

Keiichi, her agent seems to be cold-blooded, but does he really not care about Yura's feelings?  His years of experience in the business and determination to help the unknown Yura make a splash seem to indicate otherwise.  Even then poor Yura seems to be having trouble staying on track to her goal — becoming a better actress than mother-dearest, when faced with all these lovely guys, and concerts to go to, and friends to make.    Her infatuation with Q-Ta seems to be bordering on the stalker-fan syndrome, but her honest sweetness makes even this adorable.  Can she fight her fears and her crushes long enough to make it through to stardom?

Honey Hunt (the weirdest title ever) is a great blend of gritty truth and high school romance.  The lives of the famous aren't kind or loving or anything like our own, and the cruelties they inflict on their offspring could break them, turning them just as cruel as their parents.  Seeing Yura struggle to remain herself while learning a whole new person to become is an uplifting experience for anyone who has had to overcome their deepest fears. Yura is doing it without anyone she feels she can really trust, and yet she keeps reaching out to others and extending kindness, even when met with hostility.  She has learned from her mother to not become her mother, and she is stronger because of it.  In this volume you begin to see her realize this fact, and use it to build support, and trust where she had none.

Overall

Sweet and charming, the characters come alive and in the endearing artwork, focusing on expression and grace, rather than on hard lines.  The very soft quality of the art brings home the gentle, young nature of the protagonist — she is the genuine article, and all others pay homage to her wondering, captivating eyes.  You might think her plain until you meet her gaze, and then you are under her spell.  Because no one can lie with eyes that clear, and kind.  I know I could never say no to her, and I doubt you could, either! 

I can't wait to read the next installment of Honey Hunt.  We'll just have to wait and see how far Yura, Haruka, Keiichi and Q-Ta all go in the biz, and whether the adults will take the criticism and competition lying down, or will fight with tooth and claw to keep their lies hidden.  And their careers intact!

I give this series 5 solid gold stars out of 5 solid gold stars!