Kusano Kouichi

I think I enjoyed this a bit more than the previous book, partly because it seemed to set out its stall more clearly as a ridiculous comedy. In the first book, while I enjoyed it, I wasn't quite sure just what it was doing. In this book, the whole thing feels better-established. The fueding girls shift to handling their rivalry as a sort of game, to the point where they're doing joint surveillance and exchanging their reports on the day's attempted flirtations, and maintaining a competitive show more friendship over it. I'm liking the characters now that many of them have been a bit more fleshed out. show less

So, ah, yeah. This is about a girl who discovers she's adopted, which is really handy because she's lusting after her older brother (and vice versa). Mostly the story's about the way she tries to keep his attention, when he thinks they're blood relations and fights against his inclinations. It's entertaining enough, with a mix of embarrassment, comic lust, and the very serious ways teenagers go about things. I did enjoy the very straight-faced and deliberate way she works towards her goal show more via various quite comical methods - but it's rather strange at the same time. I think the cultural gulf here is broadish, because I really can't imagine the like coming out in English? show less

The series takes an unexpected turn for the serious - in some senses at least.

Shuusuke seems to grow up a bit, and maybe learn something. Not too much, but it's nice to see what might be a morsel of self-improvement.

Nao discovers that their tutor Matsuhiro is a bit like her, and is forced to do some thinking about what she really wants out of the fun game of romance and rivalry she's been indulging in.

I wasn't really expecting this, but in some ways it's a refreshing counterpoint to the show more assumptions of the series so far. Interested to see what happens now. show less