Stardust Family Manga Review (Minor Spoilers)

Synopsis:

It doesn’t take much searching to find a wide variety of reddit posts or even scholarly philosophical essays arguing that a license and examination should be required to become a parent. But what would a reality where that happened actually look like? What if children themselves were the arbiters of these examinations, choosing if more of their own could be brought into the world?

Stardust Family brings that world to life so that through the eyes of Hikari, one of the chosen examiners, we see the rot festering beneath the supposed utopia’s surface.

The Good:

I think every parent at some point has said, “that person shouldn’t be allowed to have kids.” As a parent myself, I know I’m included. Heck, I’ve even seen non-parents say things like that! It’s easy to make these snap judgments at a moment’s notice, made even easier if you’ve grown up with abusive parents and don’t want other children to experience the same terrible things you did. So Stardust Family has already set itself up with a compelling narrative to explore, and it absolutely delivers.

The story shows how having money or means to lavish attention on children during their in person examination is more important than their actual parenting abilities. This sets up how this new, “fair” society is causing new forms of inequity to blossom. In our current world, one of the biggest problems facing parents is that support which would allow them to build the village needed to raise their child is constantly torn away from them to grant rich people tax breaks. Stardust Family makes it easy to understand how the problems it raises reflect our real world

It also shows just how crushing the weight would be on whatever portion of society was forced to make these examinations happen. The emotional burdens placed upon healthcare workers and social workers in current times are bad enough, so imagine how much pressure would be placed on those deciding whether families could legally give birth to children. Doxing, assault and death threats only scratch the surface; Stardust Family shows how this could happen even if children themselves were the examiners.

Even if all of this wasn’t the case, the story itself is just so engaging! I found myself wanting to constantly flip to the next page, fighting distractions that might normally tear me away for a small break after a few chapters. This story is as heart wrenching as it is heart warming and I couldn’t be happier to ride the emotional roller coaster that Aki Poroyama has lovingly crafted.

The Bad:

This story does a solid job scratching the surface of its themes surrounding the horrors of a eugenicist society. But I wish it had sharpened its claws so it left more than a grazing wound.

For example, the story shows that there are academic inspections involved before the examiner even shows up in person. Historically, we’ve seen things like literacy tests used to disenfranchise people in countries like America, Australia, and South Africa. In the United States, 31 states legally allow forced sterilization of disabled people, including the intellectually disabled. Yet this part of the process and how it would clearly discriminate against certain people, deeming them not good enough to have children, is barely discussed.

One of the first laws that forced compulsory sterilization of disabled people in the U.S. was justified because people believed, “criminality, mental problems, and pauperism were hereditary.” We see that one of the characters in the book is haunted by the actions of her mother, and is shunned by the rest of the community around her because of it. This is another excellent example of how while there’s surface discussions of other parts of eugenics, the book has so much room to go deeper.

This particularly sucks because I was enjoying the story so much and wanted to read more! I know in my heart that this story works better as a one-shot than it would as a longer story across many chapters. But I wish even this little bit of extra story could have found its way into the pages.

The Verdict:

Today, influential segments of society—particularly in the U.S.—are reviving eugenics rhetoric and policy. While Stardust Family may not capture every nuance of this deeply harmful ideology, it reminds us just how much we stand to lose when society dictates who deserves to create life. It serves as an excellent primer that can hopefully inspire people to consider these issues. Not to mention, it’s a wonderful story with an ending that will warm your soul, which is much appreciated considering its difficult subject matter.

With a length that’s perfect for a straight-through read, this one-shot is absolutely worth picking up as soon as you get the chance.

If you liked Stardust Family, you might also like…

• A Smart and Courageous Child by Miki Yamamoto
• DeadAss by Hakei
• False Child by Taku Kawamura

Credits:

Writer and Artist: Aki Poroyama
Translation: David Quina
Lettering: Rachel J. Pierce
Published By: Yen Press

Thank you to Yen Press for providing a review copy. Receiving this copy did not affect the reviewer’s opinions as expressed here.

Article edited by: Adam Wescott

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