Last week, I reviewed Hana ni Arashi, Volume 10 and it reminded me that I had never finished reviewing this series…and then I remembered why.

Nettaigyo ha Yuki Kogareru, Volume 9 (熱帯魚は雪に焦がれる) is the final volume of it’s series, and was released last year. In English, this series is known as A Tropical Fish Yearns For Snow.  It is not a romance story, per se, although it is easy enough to feel that romance is a possibility. Certainly, on one of my previous visits to Tokyo, the Gamers store had a prominent display of this series and various goods in their Yuri section. So it’s very much one of those series that is up to the individual reader. This reader thinks it’s a possibility, not a probability.

That said, it really isn’t a romance, although it is absolutely about a bond of intimacy and friendship between two young women. Konatsu is a cheerful girl who has transferred in to a seaside town and Koyuki is a serious young woman who struggles with social relationships. Konatsu has spent 8 volumes getting to know Koyuki and become a friend that Koyuki can trust with her true self.

Now, Koyuki will be graduating. She’s grown quite a bit. In Volume 8, she found the strength to apply to a school in Tokyo, even though the city was overwhelming. But first, she’s going to have to make up for last year at the school festival. What Koyuki finds is that…she’s not alone. The aquarium club she leaves behind is full of energy and kouhai who respect her and a reputation for fun that comes from all of her hard work. And she has friends and peers who like and respect her. She’s able to step into the spotlight without fear of being ridiculed.

The climax of the story was perfect. Konatsu has spent 8 volumes trying to get through to Koyuki and, at last, she is one hundred percent sure that the message has landed. Although they will not be heading along the same paths into the future, they will be there for each other. The volume wraps up with a series of lovely color images, including a climactic final page in color. Which was nice, as the black and white art looked a bit more rushed than usual.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 7
Characters – 8
Service – 0
Yuri – 4ish

Overall – 8

Now I will share why it took me so long to read this. I was sharing my fandom of this series with a brilliant, funny woman named Claire Montserat Jackson. She died from COVID on August 28, 2021 and I couldn’t bring myself to read this final volume until now. Volume 9 of a Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow came out this past summer. I’m going to make sure I read it in English, so Claire can find out what happened.

It was a gentle series that was just….nice. Slice of life drama and a lovely, heartfelt relationship between two young women at it’s core.

High school is a weird time. So much is going on in your body, in your head, in your heart. It’s the last time to have fun as a kid, the first time to start building your life as an adult.

Nanoha and Chidori are trying to not be sad about having chosen schools that are distant from one another. They are having as much fun as they can – together and with friends. They are not thrilled to not be together in class for their final year, but they are finding ways to be together and to make time. It’s all really good. But…the future. It’s a thing that is sort of hanging over them. And there’s something else they’ve got on their minds….

They ask each other if it is time to tell their friends about the fact that they are a couple?

The thought makes them burst into flames of mortification, but…but…

They’ve come a long way, in small steps. At the beginning of this series I wasn’t actually convinced they were seeing each other. ^_^ Now, when they may have to be apart, at least for a while, there’s no doubt that they are. I can’t even call this a slow burn series, it’s more of a two girls together, growing up slowly series.  Nothing else has changed, really The art is a little bit tighter and the story telling feels more confident, but that could be because the characters have more confidence and maturity, as one does during high school.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 8
Yuri – 7
Service – 0 Thankfully

Overall – 7

The next volume, Volume 11 is the final one, and I definitely want to see this one through to the end. I kinda want to see them off on their way out of school into what we jokingly refer to as real life. ^_^