Nanoha and Chidori have shared their first kisses and, frankly, they are pretty sure that they no one has noticed, even though it got a little weird between them for a while. Their partially right, because their friends haven’t noticed…but first-year Mai, who has had a crush on Nanoha for a while, sure has.

In Hana ni Arashi, Volume 6 (はなにあらし), by Kobachi Ruka, Mai tries to confirm her suspicions, and eventually asks Chidori, who  is pretty honest with a girl who fancies herself Chidori’s rival. All is well…except it’s not. Because, as Chidori and Mai patch over any awkwardness between them, Nanoha is feeling out of the loop. She’s presuming the worst.

Now Nanoha and Chodori, who couldn’t wait to go on the school trip together, are avoiding each other. Their friends notice almost immediately. They’d been so close and now they won’t even look at one another.  To their credit, the friends shove the two of them together, say, “Deal with it” and go off to see the powerspot.

Nanoha and Chidori have it all out and even as they do, realize how nothing it all was. Finally, kneeling at Nanoha’s feet, Chidori swears that she loves Nanoha. Then realizes that’s she’s in a church. Nanoha watches Chidori struggle with emotions and kisses her on the forehead. They return to their friends, united once again. Undoubtedly, they’ll deal with Mai when they get home.

This manga, which is a Shounen Sunday Comic, is slow, and surprisingly, maybe, genuinely sweet.  There is a little fanservice presented as Chidroi’s imagination running away with her, and aside from that, it’s really not. We don’t skirt-stare, no up-from-ground shots. Take out two panels and it’s…just romance.  Nice romance between two young women.  Sometimes, it’s just nice to read something nice. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 8
Yuri – 6
Service – 2 Less service, but the gaze is still creepier than I like. But I feel that way about almost everything these days.

Overall – 7

Volume 7 and Volume 8 are already available, Volume 9 is on the way in Japan shortly!

I’ll keep turning to this series when my brain needs a nice summer day and two girls in love.