Masami Tsuda

I began this series quite a while back, but it has always stayed in my mind. It is one of the more memorable mangas I've encountered. I was FINALLY able to find the next installment today when I went to the library. After reading it though.....I felt a little empty. I hated that Soichiro was away, because I enjoy reading about his and Yukino's relationship. I understand that he returns and such but still....kind of a disappointment. However, I must say it was nice to see how Miyazawa's show more parents came to be together. It was very different than what I usually see and I appreciate this series more because this side story was included. I cannot wait to begin vol. 6. Thankfully, Arima will be back by then so things should hopefully get back to normal. =) show less

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Kare Kano: His & Her Circumstances #3
Author: Masami Tsuda
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 192
Words: 6.1K

Synopsis:

Miyazawa takes her two younger sisters over to Arima's house and they go show more nuts planting sunflowers in the big yard. Asaba walks out of the house in just a bathrobe and starts needling Miyazawa. Once he sees what her little sisters are doing though, he starts helping them out. Miyazawa and Arima discuss the recent final exams and feel like their relationship has taken a toll on their grades. The next day at school the results are posted and both have dropped in the rankings. They are called to the main office and several of the teachers tell them to stop dating and concentrate on their schoolwork.

Miyazawa breaks out into her “home mode” attitude and tells the teachers they are wrong. When they begin to remonstrate, Arima steps in and says that they're grades will improve so there is no need to worry. Miyazawa realizes that her goals have shifted from wanting to be Number One to wanting to be a real genuine person and that Arima wants the same and is supportive of that goal. The chapter ends with Yukino's parents (Miyazawa) being called to a parent/teacher conference at her school.

Yukino relates how her parents reacted, which was for her dad to go all gung-ho in her defense, as he and Yukino's mom were married young. Both of her parents promise to bring weapons to the conference and “fight” for their daughter! At the conference both sets of guardians and the 2 students are there. The teacher outlines his worries and asks the guardians to step in and prevent the relationship from interfering with the students' academic life. Yukino's dad pretty much tells the teacher to stuff it (very politely) as their policy is to let their children choose their own path. Arima's Aunt and Uncle also say that Arima acting like a normal teenager is actually a comfort to them and they will not interfere. Yukino and Arima apologize to the teacher for their reactions to his statement and he admits he didn't handle things in the best way, so peace is achieved and both of the kids realize they do need to concentrate on their studies.

It is Make-Up day at school, so both Yukino and Arima have the day off. Yukino heads over to Arima's house and gets all flustered and girly when Arima tells her that his guardians won't be there. So when she arrives she's prepared for some sort of seduction. Only to find Asaba in the kitched cooking and acting like Arima's house maid. Asaba failed most of his classes but didn't realize today was Make-Up day, so they hustle him off to school, like parents of a not-particularly bright child. They end up in Arima's room....reading. Yukino pesters Arima until he pays attention to her and they share another kiss. Yukino feels very grown up and Arima lets her know how much self-control he exerts when around her.

The girls of Yukino's class are discussing her and Arima and another girl starts talking about how fake Yukino is and casting doubt into the minds of the other girls about whether Yukino is actually so good. She says that Yukino has captured Arima's heart through false pretenses and causes the girls to turn against Yukino. Tsukino (the new character) begins a campaign of smear tactics and little by little turns the class against Yukino. Tsukino was head of her class in middle grade and resents that Yukino has eclipsed her. Yukino admits to herself that it bothers her but vows to keep on going and let the chips fall where they may.

My Thoughts:

Reading this, I was struck by how much I actually agreed with the teacher about the relationship between Yukino and Arima. Now, I completely disagreed about how he handled things, ie, calling them into the office and forbidding them from seeing each other, but I wonder/suspect if that is more a cultural thing. Tell an American he can't do something and chances are he'll just tell you to go to Tartarus as he's an Independent Entity. With the Japanese being much more Group Oriented, the behavior of the teacher makes more sense. I would have talked to the parents alone and gotten their input first and foremost. But yep, I agreed with him that putting a highschool relationship before your grades is a big no-no.

I had to laugh when Yukino went over to Arima's and they ended up reading together. Mrs B and I do that all the time and thankfully, we're both content in that. I think a big part of that though is that we're mature, married and a lot more confident about the other person then when we had first gotten married. So I totally understood Yukino's reaction to it.

The introduction of Tsukino as a character and her “snake in the grass” approach is definitely very high school drama'y. Her campaign to turn the girls against Yukino, which works and happens in like 2 days, is sad in how much truth it contains about how easily kid's minds are manipulated. I don't remember what happens, so I have no idea whether she'll end up like Asaba (starting out as an enemy and turning into a friend) or if she stays a nemesis. My goodness though, makes me glad I'm not a girl.

Overall, I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting but I think my one volume per month rule is helping in that regards. Not sure I could handle more than that and not burn out. My emotions, while not burning so bright, are steady. After the turbulence of my own teen and 20something years, I welcome that steadiness. I guess I am liking this series because it is helping me see how I have changed over the years and that just fascinates me!

★★★☆½ show less

It's hard to believe that Tsuda has only written two ongoing series because her manga are so polished both in terms of art and narrative.

This story is very different from Kare Kano in some ways but when examined closely it's clear that Tsuda is addressing some of the same themes, if in a lighter way: love between opposites, jealousy, the difference between the inner self and the one shown to the world...

Nanoha is not a particularly good student or athlete but no one can dislike her. She is show more simply good and nice to everyone. Almost. Nanoha can't stand the beautiful, intelligent and princely (read egotistical) Hazuki. And there is a little monster in her that causes her to be incredibly mean and rude to him. She can't help it. She tries to avoid him but eventually that fails and she tells him exactly what she thinks of him.

Hazuki's world view is shattered. He reevaluates his life and his behaviour. Though he is outraged at first, he comes to believe that Nanoha has done him a favour and has helped him improve himself. Stripped of his narcicism, Hazuki is a very nice guy. He tries, despite her resistance, to befriend Nanoha and eventually falls in love with her.

Though nothing much happens in this two volume series, it is incredibly charming. The character's over the top reactions are amusing but at the same time these characters are very real, unique and endearing with realistic faults that they struggle to overcome. Hazuki and Nanoha are not simply the leads that we are told are great, that all the other characters love or are jealous of; I grew fond of them too, watching them grow.

One of the narrative techniques she uses, showing the same scenes from the perspective of each of the leads, is wonderfully executed. The misunderstandings between them are revealed by this format and drive a lot of the humour. But it is not over used. In fact it is used less and less as they come to understand each other.

Though the second volume was a bit weaker than the first, the series as a whole is surprisingly fun and heartwarming. It'ss bound to bring a smile to your face. show less

It's hard to believe that Tsuda has only written two ongoing series because her manga are so polished both in terms of art and narrative.

This story is very different from Kare Kano in some ways but when examined closely it's clear that Tsuda is addressing some of the same themes, if in a lighter way: love between opposites, jealousy, the difference between the inner self and the one shown to the world...

Nanoha is not a particularly good student or athlete but no one can dislike her. She is show more simply good and nice to everyone. Almost. Nanoha can't stand the beautiful, intelligent and princely (read egotistical) Hazuki. And there is a little monster in her that causes her to be incredibly mean and rude to him. She can't help it. She tries to avoid him but eventually that fails and she tells him exactly what she thinks of him.

Hazuki's world view is shattered. He reevaluates his life and his behaviour. Though he is outraged at first, he comes to believe that Nanoha has done him a favour and has helped him improve himself. Stripped of his narcicism, Hazuki is a very nice guy. He tries, despite her resistance, to befriend Nanoha and eventually falls in love with her.

Though nothing much happens in this two volume series, it is incredibly charming. The character's over the top reactions are amusing but at the same time these characters are very real, unique and endearing with realistic faults that they struggle to overcome. Hazuki and Nanoha are not simply the leads that we are told are great, that all the other characters love or are jealous of; I grew fond of them too, watching them grow.

One of the narrative techniques she uses, showing the same scenes from the perspective of each of the leads, is wonderfully executed. The misunderstandings between them are revealed by this format and drive a lot of the humour. But it is not over used. In fact it is used less and less as they come to understand each other.

Though the second volume was a bit weaker than the first, the series as a whole is surprisingly fun and heartwarming. It'ss bound to bring a smile to your face. show less