Can flat-chested Hana really have a lolita cousin with large breasts and tons of feminine mystique? The boys of the hockey club certainly can’t believe it.
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Ai Morinaga
Translation/Adaptation: Athena & Alethea Nibley
What They Say
Hana is invited to visit her friend Daisuke at his family’s inn at Mt. Iwate, where an abominable snowman has been sighted. Izumi can see through Daisuke’s innocent country-boy act, but can he save Hana from Daisuke’s advances? And will Izumi actually see an abominable snowman?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
This volume brings in plenty of new characters to keep the story rolling along, and Izumi actually shows some character growth. Enough growth that even Hana notices the improvement. The first new character in this volume is a childhood friend of Hana’s named Daisuke, who actually had a short cameo back in volume two. Daisuke is running his family’s country resort where a Yeti has been spotted recently. Some of the hockey club boys are excited for the chance to spot the Yeti, so the club decides to go to Daisuke’s resort for their winter training camp. Only there won’t be any training in the snow covered mountains, which is about par for this club. Unfortunately for Daisuke, Hana brings the whole hockey club to the resort and puts a critical crimp in his plan to seduce her. This scenario proves to be plenty comical as Izumi keeps catching Daisuke trying to be perverted to Hana (walking in on her changing, peeping on her bathing, etc.). Izumi is right in his suspicions, but Hana just sees Daisuke as her childhood friend and keeps defending everything he does. Will Izumi be able to prove Daisuke’s underhanded antics to Hana?
Back at school, Hana receives a surprise visit from her little cousin, Mei, who appears much more feminine than Hana probably ever will. This is even more surprising by the fact that Mei is five years younger than Hana. Mei has come to visit because she is obsessed with the idea of marrying into money, no matter what it takes. She quickly sets her target on Itoigawa, only his pet chicken might prove to be tough competition. Mei’s advances seem to have no affect on Itoigawa, but she has more than one trick up her sleeve. Will her plan work? Will Itoigawa keep his wits about him and not fall victim to a lolita complex? Will the chicken try and kill Mei to protect Itoigawa?
The new characters just keep popping up, seemingly in every chapter. Natsuki’s pirate-dressing-treasure-hunting-obsessed father makes an appearance, leading to more field hockey antics. Then the club goes to an island where they fall into the debt of a beautiful young widow living on a farm. Instead of repaying their debt the easy way, asking dad for money, the boys decide to help the widow work her farm and raise enough money to pay back her debt. This is quite the advance in character for Izumi. Then again, it does mean he gets to be around the widow for a longer time. Will Izumi and the other boys be able to see this work through to the end? Or will they just give up like they do in all their hockey matches?
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: B+
Packaging Grade: A-
Text/Translation Grade: A-
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Del Rey Manga
Release Date: May 27th, 2008
MSRP: $10.95
