Synopsis
Before Arisa Date can prove herself, people have already decided what she is: a pretty face, an outsider, a mistake waiting to happen. Vermilion Stella: Illustrated Memoir of Arisa Date is a quiet, deeply felt memoir about judgment, persistence, and the pain of being misunderstood in public. It follows Arisa as she keeps showing up, not for a single moment of vindication, but for the long, difficult work of being seen clearly.
A Wholesome Mahjong Story
I first heard about Arisa Date from her role as Narumi Momose in Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for an Otaku. When I first got into mahjong, I didn’t know the same Date was a mahjong professional, and a well-accomplished one to boot. So, when Mahjong Pros licensed a two-volume memoir series about her, I was happy for the chance to see how the journey started for one of M.League’s most popular mahjong players.
The manga starts off with scenes from Date’s official debut on M.League, Japan’s most popular professional riichi mahjong league, and her state of mind around that time. From there, it goes into how Date got started with mahjong and her rise from being a casual player to the pro that she is today.
We learn that Date got into mahjong through the anime Saki. This is extremely relatable to a lot of riichi mahjong players—many I know personally were introduced to the game through that series. What I like about Vermilion Stella is how it showcases the feeling one gets when it’s clear to others that they’re very good at something. Date turning into a full-blown mahjong addict over time is cute and charming to see. Of course, everyone who tries to get good at a hobby they love faces a wall they need to climb, and readers see that with a certain moment in Date’s early days when she fails during a series of matches where the stakes were really high. The art shows Date’s expressions very well during that period and right after when she’s determined to get stronger. Any competitive mahjong player will empathize with Date.
A Satisfying Climax
I also give kudos to the climax of this volume, where readers see Date talk about the criticisms female mahjong players sometimes get if they happen to be physically attractive and/or celebrities. Date realizes that she’s no exception because of her other career as a voice actor/idol. We get to see how Date proves viewers who are skeptical of players like her wrong during a 2021 M.League match. In it, she makes an extremely pro move that not many mahjong players would dare to do to stay on top. I never saw this moment live, so I can’t imagine how people who followed M.League at the time felt when they saw Date do what she did. But I was left impressed and inspired by Date’s resolve when many eyes were on her.
Ultimately, Vermilion Stella is a simple and wholesome story about a beloved Japanese voice actor who plays mahjong. Despite the many mahjong terms thrown into the manga, Mahjong Pros is there to provide extensive notes for those who need them. The art by Ayato Sasakura, who is famous for creating Shakugan no Shana, also helps a lot in telling the story. Sasakura makes Date look adorable throughout the manga, and considering Date’s popularity, it’s a strong selling point.
The Verdict
Vermilion Stella Volume 1 is a good read for anyone who loves manga memoirs. It’s hard not to root for Date because she really cares about being one of the best mahjong players today. Seeing her passion for mahjong in manga form makes me understand how beloved M.League players are all over the world. I’m eagerly anticipating the last volume whenever it’s released. In my opinion, Date can serve as an ambassador to bridge the gap between anime fans and mahjong because of her duality. Anime is often the biggest gateway for riichi mahjong players, so I hope more people read titles like Vermilion Stella to get inspired to learn mahjong and become real-life anime protagonists like Date herself.
Vermilion Stella: Illustrated Memoir of Arisa Date Volume 1 is available in print and digitally from the publisher Mahjong Pros, Bookshop, Amazon, and Merry Manga.
Credits
Story and Art: Ayato Sasakura
Translation: Harrison Doan
Letterer and Front Cover: Skylar Rutan
Back Cover: Lynn Vuong
Editor: Dr. Hemathja “Theja” Lanka
Published in English by Mahjong Pros
Thank you to Mahjong Pros for providing a review copy. Receiving this copy did not affect the reviewer’s opinions as expressed here.
Article edited by: Anne Estrada
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