Since we just did Volume 7, let’s jump right into Tsubomi, Volume 8, (つぼみ) shall we?
“Hoshikawa Ginza Yon-choume” begins with an anniversary. Minato and Otome apparently met two years ago (and I wonder why I thought it was six from the collected volume, but am too lazy to go find it wherever it ended up in secondary storage and figure out what I mis-read.) No surprise to anyone, Otome was, at the time, a badly behaved kid, acting out her frustration with adults in a variety of typical ways. This flashback gives us a chance to see just how far she’s come since then.
Morinaga Milk’s “Himitsu no Recipe” starts off with Wakatsuki’s romantic club time with the club president squashed as the previous president shows up. Now studying to be a pasty chef, the former President is clearly admired by Yuuko, and Wakatsuki is not happy about it *at all.* After a fight and making up, Wakatsuki’s plans are totally foiled by the President’s successful plan to make the club popular. Bwah~wah~waaahhh~
I was a little disappointed that “Lonesome Echo” ended with such a pat ending. Walking away from an abusive relationships is rarely that simple. But, happy ending, so I’m inclined to be forgiving.
“Green” sketches the crushes of several generations, centering on Ryouko, who is the object of a crush now, but fondly remembers one of her own back then.
Need. More. Sports. Yuri. Manga. In “Hana to Hoshi” a childhood ping pong rivalry turns into something different when an accidental, sleepy kiss turns Hanai’s life upside down.
Fuji-sensei realizes that she really needs Komomo in her life in the conclusion to “Metoraba” and won’t be stopped – even by tremendous distance – in her attempts to get her back. This story gets a little shiny star for the final line, too.
Haruka takes care of a sick Kuroi-sensei in “Renai Manga” but thinks she may have a serious rival in the chief editor. Rival for what? Neither Haruka nor Kuroi could answer that yet, I think. Maybe in a chapter or two.
The school festival is coming and the resident Ame-Onna (Rain Woman) is asked to make it rain in “Kami-sama to Omefurashi.” But when the day of the festival comes, it’s sunny, and neither girl seems to really mind.
Something we rarely see – a chubby chaser Yuri story. “Futo Metcha Club” follows a heavy girl and the girl who loves her for her cute roundness. This story is notable for actually showing a cute, round, heavy girl for the “fat” girl, rather than slightly less than anorexic.
“Tandem Lover” is not a series I particularly liked, I have to admit, but I did like the ending of this chapter, in which Meru gives Shima a letter to her future partner in the Tandem competition. This story could have been better without all the service and some decent art, but it wasn’t.
“Yume yori Sutekina” was creepy, but kind of adorable, as a careerwoman notices and follows a high school student and sees her head off hand in hand with her girlfriend. Stalker=creepy, youth being less closeted than adults=adorable.
Nawoko’s “Private Lesson” continues. Tamago-chan learns a little bit more about her beloved piano teacher, which galvanizes her into action.
Ratings are Variable:
Overall – 8
As always, these are not all of the stories, but the ones I found notable. And you’ll notice that there’s a bunch of them that I found notable this time. No longer do I sigh with resignation at the idea of reading or reviewing Tsubomi. That’s got to be a good thing.
