Welcome to the second and final volume of Tenbin ha Hana to Asobu (天秤は花と遊ぶ). I think I understand the title now.

But that’s the end of the story. Let’s start with the beginning.

Youko is a transfer student to this particular iteration of elite girl’s school and her guide around the school is the White Rose, Shuu (which means red. Ha?) Shuu, Yohko learns, is a blood-drinking human and, oh by the way, genderless until “she” turns 18 and takes the gender of the gender whose blood she drinks most. Yohko likes Shuu and is glad to be her soda fountain. But oh noes! someone knows Shuu’s secret.

Actually, no, the secret the secret letter writer knows is nothing to worry about, and the whole kerfuffle is clearly a clever way to introduce Popular Girl Aika and her Best Friend Forever, Rico.

Nudged on by her brother, Shuu is having issues with her feelings for Yohko, while Yohko is ferreting out the identity of the girl who wrote her a love letter. She is very sweet and kind about it when she does find the girl. Shuu is also dealing with underclassman Misora’s raging case of crush, but again, Yohko comes to the rescue and treats Misora with respect and kindness, even as she deals the final blow to Misora’s hopes.

Shuu tries to relax, but find herself getting all hot and bothered while reading a teen romance series – even going so far as to imagine herself and Yohko kissing! Shuu’s even more amazed to learn that it is Rico who authors the series, in a chapter where Rico goes missing and Aika becomes extremely depressed as a result. Aika tells Shuu that if they were male/female, she and Rico would definitely be considered “going out.”

Shuu tries to figure out what to do with her feelings for Yohko, and her brother points out that, if she continues to feed from Yohko, she’ll become a girl who is in love with a girl. Shuu pushes Yohko away for a while, but by the end of the book and the series, has decided that she really doesn’t care. The choice is not hard after all. She likes Yohko and likes her blood and that’s the way it is. The scales balance at last.

And, erm, the series ends there.

What made the series actually work is Yohko. She’s fun, lively, down-to-earth, but not stupid or provincial. The whole school steadily, irrevocably, comes to move at her pace – a smart, snappy pace into a bright future with a smile at what they might find there.

Fluff, fluff, fluff. Like cotton candy with a slight metallic aftertaste. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 6
Characters – 7
Yuri – 4
Service – 1

Overall – 7

The whole vampire thing could have been thrown out and everything left as is and it would have been fine. Really.

At the end of Volume 2 of Octave (オクターヴ), I expressed the sentiment that I did not want Setsuko to be hurt, even as I knew that there was no way to avoid it.

And indeed, as the pages of Volume 3 open, there is Setsuko, crying. It didn’t help that I expected Yukino to come home and lie about her evening. It did help that the characters of Octave are hyper real and they manage to deal with some very seriously drama-inducing situations in a way that few, if any, people would actually deal with them.

And so, as Yukino’s esteem issues come to a head, Setsuko and Mari’s calm sensibility and reasonable natures forced Yukino to grow the fuck up and take responsibility for her choices.

Phew.

On the bad side, Setsuko cried.

On the good side, Yukino comes out to her friend, the newly re-debuted idol and admits her jealousy of Mika. A pretty excellent scene – without “Afterschool Special” overtones, just one adult female having to verbalize something that is not real until it is actually verbalized – I am in a relationship with another woman.

On the best side, Yukino finally putting her past behind her and, with a little push from Mari and Setsuko as they close the laundromat, moving forward into a relationship of equals and life of her very own.

If this had been the final volume, I would have been satisfied. But it isn’t. The story continues. I’m…speechless.

What am I always saying here? That I’d like to see a story that goes past the happily-ever-after to the bits that aren’t so good and then are good again. Well…there it is.

Yukino meets Setsuko and they like each other. Not the end of the story. Not the end at all. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Yuri – 9
Service- 3

Overall – 9

I cannot *wait* until Volume 4. Please, those of you reading scanlations, do not helpfully educate me as to what is going to happen in later chapters. I’d much prefer to read it myself. Thanks. ;-)

Well, now. If you thought Assistant Denki Keika, (アシスタント伝奇ケイカ) Volume 1 was odd, you’d be right. Volume 2 is off the rails.

Tamae is in a match to see who is the best person for an assistant mangaka position. Her competition is a normal guy and some freaky alien who communicates by placard and says her name is Omugai Shoujo. After they all participate in a round of Kokurri-san (think Ouija board and you’ll get the point) they call up a vengeful spirit who chased them all out of the house. Relaying this to Keika, Tamae learns that Keika’s afraid of scary stories.

Tamae and Keika fight off an evil presence in their apartment, which turns out to be their boss…only it’s not really…wooooohhhhhh~~~

They hit up a sex club in order to “do research” and Tamae ends up with some good ideas for Keika, if not her manga.

And then the story gets weird.

Attacked by the forces of evil, Keika is saved by Omugai Shoujo, who Keika recognizes as her older brother (this is not a typo. Brother.) Omugai Shoujo says that they’ll never meet again as they part. Bets?

Tamae is attacked and saved by the motorcycle riding woman from the previous volume. The upshot – Tamae gets a new sex toy to try out on Keika.

After a chapter in which we follow the little cross-dressing guy from the first volume, and which ended rather happily ever after, the war really kicks in. The forces of evil gun after Keika hard, involving nearly every single character in the book so far, and they are saved by…Omugai Shoujo. Seriously…not even gone two whole chapters!

We get a break and follow Keika and Tamae to a hotel with the loudest people in the universe. They don’t get much work done because of the noise, and then they don’t get any work done as they become the source of the noise – if you get my meaning.

An apparent climax (herhn herhn) approaches as Keika is abducted by the evil baddies only to be brought face to face with their leader – her father. Oh yes. This war against assistant manga artists is a father’s disappointment in his daughter’s choice of occupation. All the characters from all previous chapters rolls out to save her from a fate worse than fate. The final pages finds Tamae, now an established mangaka, and her assistant, Keika, working harder than ever.

I really don’t even know what to say about this. It’s…strange. Strange in a totally strange way. Strange in a no-matter-how-hard-I-try-I-can’t-picture-an-editor-and-artist-having-this-conversation way.

Aside from strange, it’s kind of fun and kind of disturbing. Keika and Tamae are definitely, positively a couple. I like that. I’m having a hard time with the rest of it. ^_^;

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 5
Characters – 7
Yuri – 9
Service – 10
Strangeness – 154

Overall – 6

Today’s review marks a first! Today, we thank Okazu Superhero Ariel D. for being the first ever person to sponsor a review from the Amazon Japan Yuri Wish List! For that act of crazy generosity, Ariel, you go right on the Superhero list – I’ll email you your badge asap. Thank you, thank you!