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.

Fujishiro Nanaki, having been ostracized by her group of fashionable and popular girls, has found acceptance with the “nerd” group, Kurokawa’s friends Izumi and Iroha. Together they are on the school trip. As we established last volume, we might have expected Kurokawa and Fujishiro to have had the tension between them explored, but as they aren’t in the same room. We instead are, like Fujishiro, side-lined by a sudden confession in Dekisokonai Hime-tachi, Volume 4.

In discussing this series with the lovely folks on the Okazu Discord, I gained a lot of good perspective. And, to be very honest, I needed it, because I am having a very hard time caring about the characters of this school-life drama by Ajiichi. So when the consensus was that this series felt like an “antagonistic GIRL FRIENDS,” as farfetched put it, I felt validated. Also, I know this is petty, but I am now done with the color coded naming scheme. In any case, I really appreciated having had the conversation! If you want to talk out your deep feelings about a Yuri manga, drop by our Discord and have at it! Okazu Patrons have a room of their own, where you can make suggestions and ask questions of me ^_^

On the positive side – every volume has had one really excellent conversation that has kept me coming back to this series. Kurokawa explaining how their lives were too different to reconcile, Fujishiro confronting the teacher, then standing up to her “friends.”  In this volume a confession leads to a brief conversation about LGBTQ people, and ultimately to acceptance. If Nanaki is a little confused or awkward, we can give her the benefit of the doubt, as Izumi does, for trying.

Kurokawa’s relegated to the position of supporting role in this volume, for which the volume suffered. Fujishiro is a fine character, but if there is any energy at all, it is the two of them playing off one another.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 7
Characters – 7
Service – 6
LGBTQ – 6

Overall – 7

You’ll be getting this volume of Failed Princesses, Volume 4, in August, and Volume 5 of Dekisokonai Hime-tachi (できそこないの姫君たち) is already on Japanese bookstore shelves. I know already that the next volume simply adds another plot complication to the mix, which sure, keeps the series going, but I kinda want at least one important thing to resolve, or at least, be addressed,  before we move on.

You know how you feel after you’ve had a fever, when the fever breaks and you’re soaked in sweat? You don’t feel “good,” per se, but you feel better, somehow. Tsukiatte Agetemo Iikana, Volume 6  (付き合ってあげてもいいかな) by Tamifull, feels exactly like that, particularly after Volume 5.

Many things have happened to Miwa and Saeko since they met in Volume 1. Some good, some bad, some weird, but overall the story has not been about them as a couple but been about their growth as people by means of their relationship. This sounds complicated, but this story is complicated – and I like it best when it doesn’t shy from those complications.

Here in Volume 6, neither Miwa nor Saeko are the people they were. In my opinion as both a reader and a writer, this is the absolute best thing I’ve seen. It’s less like a manga, and way more like a story someone you know might tell you, in dribs and drabs over many conversations.

By now, Tamifull’s art is confident and the characters are finding themselves, as well. I don’t know – can’t, and wouldn’t want to guess – what is in store for these characters…which is exactly what will bring me back for future volumes. As a romance story, there’s only so much I can look forward to. As a “coming of age” story that isn’t about puberty, but about becoming fully formed adult individuals, people with experiences and desires and drives to do things that exceed school and romance, I’m all in.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8 Thing are changing.
Characters – 8 Rooting for them more, now
Yuri – 7
Service – 5

Overall – 8

I love that the cover design shifted for Volume 5. It suggests a shift in the story, a shift I welcome.  Also check out the difference in the cover art between Volume 1 and now. What a fantastic leveling up.

Volume 3 of How Do We Relationship? will be hitting shelves in a few weeks and I for one cannot *wait* for you all to read it. I want to real talk about this series and don’t want to spoil anything. ^_^