They said Aia was destined to be a model, and Jun was bullied for her freckles. Together, they will take back the power to define themselves in an inspirational fashion manga that asks cutting questions about what it really means to be beautiful--and what it takes to overcome an arbitrary system that seems to respect talent over hard work.
At a young age, Aia Utagawa was scouted as a model, but his real ambition is to become a makeup artist. But, even as the end of high school approaches, it's a dream he hides inside, afraid of stepping outside his prescribed role as a pretty face. Then, one day, he meets Jun, a quiet classmate who hunches because she's ashamed of her face, covered in freckles. He convinces her to enter a school runway fashion contest together--with him doing her makeup. They make an incredible team, with Jun discovering a confidence she never knew she could show and Aia finally learning that, while it may be tough to open yourself up to failing at the one thing you care about, the difficulties can be worth facing.
Yukino Sonoyama won immmediate acclaim for her debut manga series Bless in 2022. The series is being published in English by Kodansha.
"One of the best manga of the year... This beautifully illustrated book crushes boundaries, encouraging teens to forgo expectations and pursue their dreams." –School Library Journal
"I appreciate stories that just make me want to work harder at whatever it is that I'm doing. If you're looking for a story to get you in a similar mood, then I don't think you can go wrong with Bless." –Anime News Network
They said Aia was destined to be a model, and Jun was bullied for her freckles. Together, they will take back the power to define themselves in an inspirational fashion manga that asks cutting questions about what it really means to be beautiful--and what it takes to overcome an arbitrary system that seems to respect talent over hard work.
At a young age, Aia Utagawa was scouted as a model, but his real ambition is to become a makeup artist. But, even as the end of high school approaches, it's a dream he hides inside, afraid of stepping outside his prescribed role as a pretty face. Then, one day, he meets Jun, a quiet classmate who hunches because she's ashamed of her face, covered in freckles. He convinces her to enter a school runway fashion contest together--with him doing her makeup. They make an incredible team, with Jun discovering a confidence she never knew she could show and Aia finally learning that, while it may be tough to open yourself up to failing at the one thing you care about, the difficulties can be worth facing.
Creators
Yukino Sonoyama won immmediate acclaim for her debut manga series Bless in 2022. The series is being published in English by Kodansha.
"One of the best manga of the year... This beautifully illustrated book crushes boundaries, encouraging teens to forgo expectations and pursue their dreams." –School Library Journal
"I appreciate stories that just make me want to work harder at whatever it is that I'm doing. If you're looking for a story to get you in a similar mood, then I don't think you can go wrong with Bless." –Anime News Network
