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Similar Faster than a Kiss, Meteor Prince, Omukae desu, Chotto Edo Made, Nosatsu Junkie | ||
Pearl Pink (天然パールピンク, Tennen Pearl Pink) is a manga series written and illustrated by Meca Tanaka. Originally serialized in Japan in LaLa from April 2002 through April 2004, the individual chapters were collected and published in four tankōbon volumes by Hakusensha. The series follows the romance between Tamoko, the daughter of a top idol who must keep her identity secret, and her childhood friend Kanji, whose talent agent father represents Tamoko's mother.
Contents
The series is licensed for English language release in North America by Tokyopop, which released the series volumes from January 2007 through January 2008. The series was adapted into a drama CD spin-off by Geneon Entertainment.
Plot
While going to his father's business, high schooler Kanji runs across some bullies robbing an elementary school student. Before he can come to their aid, a blond boy jumps in a beats the bullies up but they escape on Kanji's scooter. The boy gives chase, promising to catch them while Kanji wonders how the boy knows his name. Later, he learns the boy is actually a girl named Tamako, the daughter of his father's talent agency's top talent, idol Shinju Momono. They were actually friends ten years before, but Kanji doesn't appear to remember Tamako though she hasn't forgotten him. Tamako was living with her grandmother until now, as Shinju was only a teenager at the time she became pregnant and wasn't able to support a child. However, if it were revealed that Shinju had been an unwed, teen mother when her "image" was built on being innocent and pure, her career would be ruined so the agency demands that Tamoko's relationship to her be kept a secret and Tamako must go to live with Kanji and his father.
Manga
Pearl Pink premiered in Japan in LaLa magazine's April 24, 2002 issue where it ran monthly until its conclusion in the April 24, 2004 issue. The individual chapters were collected and published in four tankōbon volumes by Hakusensha, with the first volume released December 5, 2002. The final volume was released July 5, 2004.
The series is licensed for English language release in North America by Tokyopop, which released the first volume on January 9, 2007. The final volume was released on January 8, 2008.
Drama CD
A drama CD adaptation was released by Geneon Entertainment on January 23, 2004, containing ten tracks containing original spin-off stories of the series.