As have all the volumes of Hara Yuriko’s series, Mayu, Matou, Volume 4 (繭、纏う) begins with a short scenario. In this one we meet younger Youko and her onee-sama Reina, who is headed to Hoshimya Academy ahead of her, which is why Youko was motivated to go to this elite school. Age has brought Reina neither wisdom nor kindness, and we are fleetingly glad that Youko has grown beyond her.
This is followed by the obligatory, “holy shit, this school and it’s clothes and all the people who attend, are SUPER CREEPY” story….
…and then the story settles back in to talk about the struggle between Kujou and Youko for Hana’s soul. This is not a love triangle, it is a death match and I’m getting nervous about the outcome. Two of three people in the triangle are currently waging an all-out war for the third.
At the end of this volume, I actually breathed a sigh of relief that there will be another volume. I’ve never wanted someone to come to such a bad end as I currently hope for Kujou. At this point, I know exactly what I want for the climax to be. Hana is a prince in serious need of rescuing.
Hara-sensei’s art is genuinely amazing this volume. I know I keep joking about the hair in this series, but the textures, and movement here is nothing short of outstanding work. The use of light, shadow, reflection…every page just stopped me moving forward as I had to actually look at it and admire the skill.
For a series I didn’t want to start all that much, I definitely am looking forward to the next volume and what I hope will be a decisive climax.
Ratings:
Art – Honestly 9
Characters – 8
Story – 8
Service – 5 This volume amps up the creepy, the sex, and the dark
Yuri – 8 See above.
Overall – 9
Cocoon, Entwined, Volume 4 will be arriving on US shelves in December 2021 from Yen Press. I’d really like to know what you all think of this volume, because I was super impressed (also horrified, creeped out, annoyed, lots of other emotions) by it. ^_^
I was just posting this, and even the covers have changed in tone. Wow.
It sounds like the character you’re calling Hoshimiya is actually Kujou.
Also, Rena is Youko’s childhood friend. She was kind enough to hand over a chunk of money for Youko when she wanted to very publicly skip school to go to Yokohama, and then try to comfort her afterward.
You are right, I totally borked on Kujou. I didn’t get Reina being kind at all to Youko, she seemed to me to be very dismissive.
She takes Youko to stay over so she could look after her, makes an effort to get Youko to open up about what happened, tells Youko to not give up on being herself whatever happens, and thinks of Youko as “Polaris” for herself and other girls.
In the childhood scenes where she tries to discourage Youko from applying to Hoshimiya, it was out of concern and understanding of Youko because she knew the reality wouldn’t match the image that attracted Youko to the school.
Okay that’s reasonable. I just read her as having a different agenda.
Has it been confirmed that vol 5 will be last?
Nope. I’m guessing based on the story pacing. I could be wrong.