Beauty Pop

Beauty Pop
Cover of first manga volume featuring Kiri
ビューティー ポップ
(Byūtī Poppu)
GenreRomantic comedy
Manga
Written byKiyoko Arai
Published byShogakukan
English publisher
MagazineCiao
Original run2003 – 2008
Volumes10
Manga
Beauty Pop Returns
Written byKiyoko Arai
Published byShogakukan
MagazineCiao Plus
Original runApril 27, 2025 – present

Beauty Pop (Japanese: ビューティーポップ, Hepburn: Byūtī Poppu) is a Japanese shōjo manga written and illustrated by Kiyoko Arai. It originally ran in the manga magazine Ciao. Beauty Pop is published in English by VIZ Media under the Shojo Beat label. The manga focuses on the life of a naturally talented hairstylist named Kiri Koshiba and her problems with the Scissors Project, a group of boys determined to become the best makeover team in Japan. Beauty Pop went on short hiatus from Ciao, but returned under the title Beauty Pop Stage 2. The manga has also been adapted into a Drama CD, which was released on 25 November 2004.

Plot

High school student Kiri Koshiba uses her hairstyling talents to help brighten up the lives of girls often deemed as "ugly", but she does so anonymously. Due to her skill, Kiri becomes a rival to the Scissors Project, an infamous club consisting of self-proclaimed genius hairstylist Shougo Narumi, cosmetic expert Kazuhiko Ochiai, and nail artist Kei Minami. The Scissors Project is known for their showy performances where they give public makeovers to members of the student body, specifically already "beautiful" girls, and as a result attract an often-times overwhelming amount of attention.

After the rejection of Kiri's friend Kanako Aoyama when she professes her love to Ochiai, Kiri gives her a makeover in order to help boost her self-esteem. Interpreting this as a challenge to the supremacy of the SP, Narumi issues a formal challenge to the offender, whom he refers to as "X" due to their anonymity to ensure that his club remains on top. After "X" defeats Narumi and is revealed to be Kiri Koshiba, Kiri eventually becomes a reluctant member of the SP, whether or not Narumi approves.

Throughout the series, the SP continues to grow and meet the challenges of becoming the top team of beauticians in Japan, unless their interpersonal issues get in the way.

Characters

Media

Manga

Beauty Pop was serialized in Ciao magazine for a total of 51 chapters and bound into 10 volumes by publisher Shogakukan. Viz Media licensed the manga for an English release under its Shojo Beat line. The series underwent a short hiatus from Ciao, but returned October 2006 under the new title Beauty Pop Stage 2 and the volumes themselves stayed under the name Beauty Pop. The manga was also published in Vietnam by TVM Comics and France by Soleil Productions.

A sequel titled Beauty Pop Returns began serialization on Shogakukan's Ciao Plus website on April 27, 2025.

Volume listing

No. Original release date Original ISBN North America release date North America ISBN
1February 26, 20044091383823 September 5, 20061-4215-0575-4
2July 7, 20044091383831 December 5, 20061-4215-0576-2
3November 30, 20044091383882 March 6, 20071-4215-1009-X
4June 1, 20054091383904 June 5, 20071-4215-1010-3
5December 26, 20054091302955 Sep. 4, 20071-4215-1011-1
6June 1, 20064091304087 December 4, 20071-4215-1323-4
7November 29, 20064091306667 March 4, 20081-4215-1784-1
8April 27, 20079784091310965 June 3, 20081-4215-1927-5
9October 1, 20079784091312587 October 7, 20081-4215-2310-8
10February 29, 20089784091315007 April 7, 20091421525941

Drama CD

A drama CD adaptation of the manga was released on November 25, 2004. It stars Junko Minagawa as Kiri Koshiba, Tomokazu Seki as Shogo Narumi, Aoki Makoto as Kazuhiko Ochiai, Hiro Shimono as Kei Minami, Masayo Kurata as Kanako Aoyama, Hiroshi Shimozaki as Taro Komatsu, and Mitsuaki Hoshino as Seiji Koshiba.

References

  1. 1 2 "Beauty Pop". Viz Media. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
  2. 1 2 ビューティーポップDrama CD. Marine Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 12, 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
  3. ↑ Macdonald, Christopher (September 13, 2006). "New Manga in Japan". Anime News Network. Kadokawa Group. Retrieved February 11, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Best Manga Collection". TVM Comics. Archived from the original on January 18, 2009. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
  5. ↑ Arai, Kiyoko (June 6, 2007). Beauty Pop, Tome 1. Soleil Productions. ISBN 978-2849468258.
  6. ↑ Tai, Anita (April 27, 2025). "Beauty Pop Manga Returns With New Sequel Series". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
  7. 1 2 ビューティーポップ1 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  8. 1 2 "Beauty Pop Volume 1". Viz Media. Retrieved February 1, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  9. 1 2 ビューティーポップ2 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  10. 1 2 "Beauty Pop Volume 2". Viz Media. Retrieved January 17, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  11. 1 2 ビューティーポップ3 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  12. 1 2 "Beauty Pop Volume 3". Viz Media. Archived from the original on March 12, 2007. Retrieved February 1, 2007.
  13. 1 2 ビューティーポップ4 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  14. 1 2 "Beauty Pop Volume 4". Viz Media. Retrieved January 17, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  15. 1 2 ビューティーポップ5 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  16. 1 2 "Beauty Pop Volume 5". Viz Media. Retrieved February 1, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  17. 1 2 ビューティーポップ6 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  18. 1 2 "Beauty Pop Volume 6". Viz Media. Retrieved February 1, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  19. 1 2 ビューティーポップ7 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  20. 1 2 "Beauty Pop Volume 2". Viz Media. Archived from the original on December 28, 2007. Retrieved February 1, 2007.
  21. 1 2 ビューティーポップ8 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  22. 1 2 "Beauty Pop Volume 8". Viz Media. Archived from the original on April 27, 2008. Retrieved June 3, 2008.
  23. 1 2 ビューティーポップ9 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  24. 1 2 "Beauty Pop Volume 9". Viz Media. Retrieved February 1, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  25. 1 2 ビューティーポップ10 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  26. 1 2 Arai, Kiyoko (April 7, 2009). Beauty Pop Volume 10. Viz Media. ISBN 978-1421525945.