Hoshikuzu Kazoku
Stardust Family

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As you read this story, please do NOT forget that, despite the slice-of-life and found family elements, that this series is of the mystery genre. In this, the series is unconventional and MEANT to make the reader question the utopian society under which the series is premised, that things are NOT as they seem.

After all, anybody who knows basic psychology will tell you that there's something off about HOW the society is doing things, but without going into spoiler territory, the series opens up with the inspector of the potential parents throwing a literal tantrum and the parents doing NOTHING about it lest they get ... a low score, when in reality, any child that did what the inspector did should at the very least be told they're grounded, which should give readers the understanding that in this society over polices what is or isn't abuse, including ANY form of punishment as a form of abuse.

And, as such, the reader should question the declared utopia from the very start, rather than accept it as what the creator thinks we should actually strive for in parenting. And keep in mind that in this society, you HAVE to have a license to be a parent in an attempt to negate the whole issue of not everyone who becomes a parent should be one. The flaws of this thinking are paramount to the plot of this particular story and thus should be kept in mind to properly enjoy what this particular piece is doing.

I could, I know, go into more detail, but I really wanted to make this a spoiler free review.

There's something so refreshing about this story. The pace it moves at is so gripping, but not at the cost of its characters. I can easily imagine, after reading these two short volumes, this story fleshed out and expanded. There is so much texture, and each reveal of another layer of information is so nicely done, building out the social world it occupies more deftly each time.

I really like the couple Hikari meets, the way they're explored as separate people and as a couple, it's just wonderful characterisation. Everything is in service of the plot and its dystopian ideas, but we waste no time on ... any ineffective detail, such that the more cartoon-y aspects of the premise don't feel too intrusive.

Some moments seem a little sudden or maybe unessecarily included, but ultimately I think the emotionality and the relationships at the heart of this are very nicely done. I want to know more about this society and the complex implications of its sytems and how they change. Very fun and meticulous and good.

As soon as I read the synopsis I was sold. A future where children hold the authority to decide who gets to become a parent? Instantly interesting. It actually reminded me of two things I'd already seen: The Assessment (2024) which has a lot of similarities, and "Pop Squad" from Love, Death & Robots S2. Very different in a lot of ways but it gave me a similar feeling.

And honestly it lived up to what I was hoping for.

The dialogue feels really authentic and especially in the first volume it genuinely made me laugh. The dynamic between the three main characters is really sweet and ... the art is clean and easy to read, a perfect fit for the kind of story it's telling. It also tackles some really sensitive topics and I appreciated that it didn't shy away from them.

The first 6 or 7 chapters are where this manga really shines, the quality drops off after that. The direction the manga takes in its later chapters felt like a step down from what came before. Some of the plot progression also feels contrived at times, though it never stopped being entertaining. A late reveal really hurt my emotional investment in the story and the characters, and while it does make certain previous dialogue and interactions make more sense in hindsight, it still didn't make it any less disappointing. And that's what's sad about it, because reading this you can really feel how much potential it had and how many directions it could have taken.

What saved it was the ending. It genuinely got to me, choked up a little if I'm being honest. It uses a trope I will always fall for and it was just beautifully done. Really pulled me back in.

Not perfect but absolutely worth reading. For only 2 volumes and 10 chapters it achieves things a lot of longer titles never do. The premise alone is worth it and the ending will stick with you.

Score: 7.5/10

Interesting premise, on top of a cute parent core manga? I would recommend it just for how cute the dad is in this alone. I would recommend it because it uses its premise exactly how God intended, to depict a small child being comforted by naive but well meaning people stepping up and into parenthood.

My biggest problem with this manga is that the conclusion is too okay for something this concise. Like, if you're going to write something with basically zero character development (until the very end), it'd better have a really good mystery or a crazy interesting use of ... the premise. The reason the dad wants to fail the examination is... kind of not that interesting, sorry? And I liked the ending. I cried a little bit during the last two chapters. But talk about whiplash, jeez.

There's a part of me that wishes it lingered on the character dynamics more, and for longer- as they were the clear strong suit of the manga. But As I sit on the ending and how I feel about jt, I can see a fatal error in the making from the start of this manga- there was never enough mystery to keep it going for that long. I still recommend it though, again, the premise alone is golden

You know, if a child is set to be a judge of something, it's expected for a person to always gonna have this lingering skeptical bit about their integrity and objectivity. And that's the viewpoint you'll need to have to understand a bit more about this work.

Set in a time where the rapid decrease in birthrate and all the more frequent cases of neglect and abuse becomes a massive societal problem, this work explores on one idea; a society where it is required for parents to have a license to be able to provides for children. See where this is coming?

It turn out to ... be as expected. Society now judges someone on whether or not they are capable for caregiving like they are directly asessing their humanity. Unable to pass the judgement of a dispatched caregiver inspector, you are automatically branded as a failure.

Though after reading this far, you'll expect this manga to be a case to case basis of the inspector's work, but no. Instead you will focus on one particular family that our protagonist is tasked as next to judge.

The thing is, our protagonist is nothing sort of ordinary child. He is among the caregiver inspectors chosen to determine whether parents deserve to have their license or not.

But why a child you may ask? Well, the government just said something along the line of "they are the best and brightest our nation can offer" and call it a day.

But a child is nothing more than a child. They are a learning individual. No mater how you train them, the gullible and easily influenced side will not cease to exist just like that.

And even more so when you are revealed that inspectors is a bunch of children without parents, are gathered by the bureau, and literally trained to judge if someone is able to be a parent. Pretty neat right? I hope nothing else of the sort happened...

This is where you find our protagonist now, after hundreds of judging gigs and when his heart starts to grow a wall to block himself from the many he continues to judge. What's next that awaits him?

...And... we're back. If you're interested after reading this, go check the manga out. It is some good read. Although, do not put that much expectation on a 2 volume manga just because of the foreword I put. While it does have some pretty good moment, but it's better if you instead treat this manga as a sort of glimpse of an idea. A sort of 'what if'. And, a moment of a time.

[Minor Spoiler Alert]
There's still much it can be improved upon that I could think of. One of the foremost is that it could use some more chapters for the last part of it, as it is a pretty straightfoward resolution and conclusion. So straightfoward infact it's like having a tunnel sight, and all I could see is the author panicking that the page count start to decrease fast as they tries to put a conclusion out of it.

Anyway. Personally, it's a 7.2/10. While there's so much it could be, it's not that I despise how it is. It's a pretty nice story. But just do not expect it to have some mindblowing thing (well, depends).

Child inspectors are sent to adults who want to be children, to determine whether they will be good parents or not. One inspector is sent to a family, which is divided on the question of children and is overcoming the prejudice of their society. Will they earn the qualification to have children?

The Premise:
A child inspector is sent to Daiki and Chisa Hirokawa's household to determine whether they should be allowed to be parents. Once there, he witnesses their struggle against societal norms and discovers his own thoughts on being an inspector of potential parents.

Thematic Analysis:
The manga presents very human characters, all flawed and going through ... the problems that a person can be expected to go through if they were in that situation. It handles the concept well and offers a profound view on the ongoing struggle with trauma, even when we accept it; the pull towards conforming with society; and the issues that arise from never belonging.

Critique:
The story's pacing is excellent and wraps up the story arc in a way that feels natural, even though the characters are made to confront various issues. It's a testament to the mangaka that these themes are brought up and wrapped up so naturally. The art is nothing exceptional but fits perfectly with the tone the mangaka is trying to project with this work. Readers will really feel for the characters during their triumphs and struggles.

Recommendation:
Anyone wanting a good, solid story will enjoy this. The story is not too overwhelming and is short enough to fit in one volume. A reader looking for a short, insightful take on human nature will enjoy the hour it takes to complete this whole manga.