The Japanese name is an abbreviation of Mukuro Naru Hoshi, Tama Taru Ko (骸なる星 珠たる子), which roughly translates to Corpse of a Star; A Precious Child.

In North America, it was licensed by Dark Horse Comics and serialized in Super Manga Blast!.

Shadow Star, written and illustrated by Mohiro Kitoh, was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Monthly Afternoon from 1998 to 2003.

[3] Kodansha collected its chapters in twelve tankōbon volumes, released from August 19, 1998, to December 22, 2003.

[12] Tasha Robinson of the Sci Fi Channel described the anime series as "transformed" from "fascinatingly quirky" to "slow but expressive".