The Star Seekers Volume 1 merges magic and kpop idols, crafting a unique story focusing on the struggles to achieve stardom in a cutthroat industry, especially with bad guys waiting in the wings. It works because many fans see idols as magical, so it seems a natural combination. The personalities of the members are not distinct. And their blessing might be more of a curse with danger around the corner. The Star Seekers Volume 1 feels like Sky High meets music. However, the first volume holds promise even if it feels less compelling than the plot suggests.
Created by Hybe with Tomorrow X Together—also known as TXT, translated by Webtoon, and lettered by Chi Bui, the story opens with narration introducing the world of magical idols. The Yen Press comic covers ten chapters with full-color illustrations. The volume feels like a kid’s “you are the one” tale that feels flat. The idea of kpop idols with magical abilities sounds enticing, but the execution drags in parts.
The Star Seekers Volume 1 Has Kpop Levels Based On Magic
It’s a story that follows a tier two, five-member kpop group, Star One. They have little success in the kpop world because successful people use magic in their performances. Their company supported them at first, thinking their magic would awaken later. But three years on, there is still no magic. So, Star One is on the brink of losing everything. But after an attack during their performance, their leader Soule’s powers awaken. Though the other members’ history is blank for now, Soule’s mother is an idol with magical powers, so their agency expected him to awaken sooner.
Some of the transitions between Star One and the group trying to capture them flatten the story. It’s too jarring, making it hard to connect with the story. Still, some readers might enjoy the series regardless since it’s an underdog story. But the industry aspects are fascinating, and there’s still a lot to learn about the members of Star One. The particular colors each character wears help readers to discern between members. Between Soule and Avys, there are some possible tragic backstories that The Star Seekers Volume 1 does a decent job of laying the groundwork for in this book.
A Sailor Moon Cat and Causality
The addition of a cat gave magical girl vibes despite this being a boy band. It’d be hilarious if one member went through a Sailor Moon-style transformation. Still, the variety of magic looks exciting and some cute, like Avys’ ability that manifests like adorable water blobs. Viken’s plants bring to mind Sky High, but it’s natural for magic to tie in with the elements. The only thing is some of the manifestations feel too standard.
Causality sounds like it has the potential to wreak havoc. It seems that Star One cannot do magic willy-nilly without repercussions. While the story sounds interesting, it doesn’t flow from one page to the next.
The Star Seekers Volume 1 is difficult to read. Most of it is not bad; however, little—save for the plot—stands out. As it’s an underdog story, that might be enough to get readers to return. Plus, the series has TXT as the characters, so their built-in fan base could love it regardless. A bit forgettable because even with color-coding, characters do not stand out, The Star Seekers Volume 1 is a lackluster start to the series. But that in itself has underdog potential.
