I’ve said this repeatedly, but it bears repeating once again. When I began reading Eku Takeshima’s school romance Whisper Me a Love Song, I was fully prepared to not like it, because really do we need another school life romance? The answer to that question is…YES, yes, we need this school life romance. We need it like we need air and water. Our lives would be less fun and colorful and shiny without it. ^_^
Whisper Me a Love Song, Volume 3 is effervescent with joy and friendship and sympathy and love. The air sparkles around it, while guitar riffs of catchy pop tunes play in the background. Everything about this series is so honest, it ought to hurt, but instead it’s just darling beyond my ability to describe.
In Volume 3, Himari is faced with a decision. On her own, she thought she might just one day realize she was in love with Yori-sempai, but that doesn’t seen to be happening. When Aki tells Himari about her feelings for her best friend, Himari realizes that she’s using up Yori’s precious time. Then Momoka-sempai shakes up Himari’s world by explaining that people’s shapes of love aren’t always the same.
And then Yori gets on stage and sings a love song she wrote for Himari…and Himari realizes what she feels, that thing she couldn’t define, looks awfully like love after all. I mean…who wouldn’t fall for an incandescently cool sempai singling a love song that she wrote special for you?
Once again, I think the translation by Kevin Steinbach is outstanding. Characters sound like people the age they are supposed to be (with exceptions, Kaori is just kinda weird. Her cute thing is not going to age well…and Shiho. What the heck are we going to do with this cartoon villain of a character? Make her sound like a cartoon villain!) Kudos to Kevin and TJ, Jennifer and the entire Kodansha team.
Ratings:
Art – 7
Story – 8 Two girls who are having a great time as they learn to love one another
Characters – 9
Service – 10000 where the “service” is two girls who are having a great time as they learn to love one another
Yuri – 8
Overall – 8
This volume is 100% pure, unadulterated squee. Any other series might end here, but…no, the story develops a plot and it’s just as wonderful as when it really didn’t have one. ^_^
Tune in for Whisper Me a Love Song, Volume 4, out now from Kodansha!
