Will the series end on a somber note or a boisterous climax before the curtain falls?
Creative Staff
Story/Art: kakifly
Translation: Jack Wiedrick
What They Say:
As the second school term begins, so do preparations for the upcoming school festival! The Pop Music Club starts working on some fresh lyrics as they tune up their act for their live show. Then, the third-year girls find themselves practicing for a performance of another kind when Ritsu and Mio are selected to play the lead roles in their class production of Romeo and Juliet! With the rest of the girls tied up in play rehearsal, Azusa spends her afternoons alone in the clubroom… Will the show be ready to go on?!
The Review!
After a quick bout of impersonating one another (made humorously effective by the artist’s style), the girls find that it is once again time for the school festival. In order to prepare for the coming concert, the girls decide to each come up with lyrics for a new song. Everyone begins failing in their own unique ways, but fortunately Ui steps in to ensure that Yui’s lyrics aren’t terrible.
Next, Mio and Ritsu are cast for their class’s play, with Mio as Romeo and Ritsu as Juliet. They predictably fail horribly when practicing, which leads into several attempts to make Ritsu more ladylike. When these also fail things seem hopeless, but Ritsu and Mio are able to reach a breakthrough by mockingly copying each other. With practice (and a little help from Sawako and Nodaka), the concert and play are able to go off without a hitch.
Following a few small sidesteps, such as paying a visit to a sick Sawako, things get serious as the girls approach the end of their time in high school. This means that all the girls must work extra hard to meet their goal of getting into the same university. By looking for help in the usual places and working together, even the slackers are able to make that goal in the end.
With their tests passed, it finally comes time for graduation. After one last farewell party, it comes time for the girls to graduate, leaving Azusa behind and in charge of the club. Though their farewell is a tearful one, with it comes the revelation that Ui and Jun are joining the club, meaning it will go on even after the girls continue on to a new and exciting college life.
In Summary:
By bringing things to a close, this volume manages to recapture a lot of the fresh feel lost by the previous book. Though there is a lot of familiar material being played with, there is a definite focus on how things are changing and coming to a close for the group. Azusa seems to be particularly affected by the ways that she is being left behind, and yet at the same time she is shown growing into a leader capable of running the club on her own. While this book may not necessarily be that much funnier than what came before it, it certainly has a lot of heart. Though the girls’ parting may be a little bittersweet, the author manages to convey that these events aren’t just endings, but new beginnings as well, bringing the series to a touching and satisfying conclusion.
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: B+
Package Rating: B+
Text/Translation Rating: A-
Age Rating: 13+
Released by: Yen Press
Release Date: December 13th, 2011
MSRP: $11.99
