The cover is a spoiler, there’s just no way to avoid the obvious, so let’s address that right away.

We last left Hana, reaching into blackness, looking desperate.  Now we see on the cover of Mayu, Matou, Volume 6 ( 繭、纏う) that she is reaching towards Youko. Then we see that the covers of Volume 5 and Volume 6 are a diptych which beautifully represent the transition from one to the other.

Kujou has taken her place at the head of the students and she delivers a cool, passionless speech about nothing ever changing at the school. That, as the students before them wore these uniforms so will the students after them, in a unbroken line without change.

Youko stands up in the middle of this to protest that she will change and runs off to find Hana. Predictably, Hana has weighed herself down with self-doubt. Youko finds her and reaches out to her and they find themselves alone, dancing in an empty room.

One of the students is found burning a uniform, which set the school all at odds, as hair is notoriously foul when burned.. Two of the teachers discuss that, just maybe, they have held on to that tradition too long, maybe it is time for change.

Graduation happens, of course. It will always happen. Youko leaves, but she does look back at the gates behind her before walking away.

The final chapter shows us Youko, her hair still shorn short, being met by Hana, also with short hair. Youko offers Hana some of Hoshimiya’s hair, but ultimately, they let it go into the wind, then head out on a date together.

When we open the cover of Volume 5, we see the true ending. Hana, no longer looking desperate, being pulled along by Youko, who is always moving forward. Released, at last from the cocoon that entwined them.

I found this series fascinating, occasionally creepy, always fraught…but this was exactly the right ending. And beautifully drawn as the whole series has been.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Characters – 8, Youko – 9 from beginning to end
Story – 9
Service – 4 The dance scene was evocative
Yuri – 8

Overall – 9

As a final punctuation on the tropes of private girls’ school Yuri from a century ago, this series was a perfect farewell. We await the final two volumes from Yen Press.