Arisa Date steps into a national spotlight as a professional mahjong player with a reputation already decided for her. She is seen as a face chosen for attention, someone placed there to be watched rather than believed. Every appearance is public. Every mistake travels farther than the work behind it.

Vermilion Stella - Illustrated Memoir of Arisa Date has a story and art by Ayato Sasakura. English translation is done by Harrison Doan and lettering by Skylar Rutan. Published by Mahjong Pros (June 30, 2026). Rated T.

Erica Friedman
Rating:

Mahjong Pros' book Reform With No Wasted Draws was so outstanding. I was immediately thrilled to find that this is a story by one of the voice actresses from Saki, the mahjong anime. I couldn't wait to dive in.

There is a lot to like here. The story begins with a bout of stage fright, something we've all experienced. It immediately makes Arisa Date relatable, and we thrill when she finds a way to get past it as she becomes the first league-to-paid pro Mahjong player with M. League. Arisa's twin aspirations of voice acting and mahjong collide serendipitously with her role in Saki, but even she finds herself confused by mahjong jargon at first. Like every good spots/game protagonist, she is fueled by confusion, which drives her desire to play more and learn more. Through Arisa's experience, we can see the complexities and depth of mahjong, as well as the pressure of being watched and judged by fans.

The dialogue is sometimes illustrated with tiles instead of words that tell us which tiles, which means that exposition is even more difficult than usual for non-players to follow. From my perspective, this is an utterly charming, adorable, occasionally—sometimes intentionally— impenetrable manga.

Arisa makes mahjong look fun and exciting, and gives us a hero to root for—just like any good game-anime protagonist. With a compelling protagonist and solid art, and very fun, detailed notes and video links, Vermillion Stella: Illustrated Memoir of Arisa Date is a very entertaining book from Mahjong Pros.