To stay or go.
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Maki Enjoji
Translation/Adaptation: JN Productions
What They Say
Our Valiant One and the Dark Lord are in mutual lovey-dovey mode! Or so they thought. Now their greatest challenge has arrived!
Nanase became a nurse to chase after Dr. Kairi Tendo. Now the two are finally starting to act like lovers. They’re busy enjoying blissful days until Kairi’s older sister Ryuko goes missing!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Ryuko, Tendo’s sister, suddenly takes off, because her family is pushing for an arranged marriage. She’s firmly against this and leaves to avoid the marriage. While she’s gone, Sakura gets mixed signals from Tendo about what exactly is her place in his life. While that isn’t exactly cleared up, she does get some reassurance from him. Sakura finds Ryuko but continues to want to hide from her family’s expectations.
A new doctor shows up to take the place of another doctor on maternity leave. In a strange twist of fate, this new doctor is Tendo’s deceased lover’s twin. Tendo did not even know his lover had a twin, so the shock of seeing someone like her is intense. Not only do things become tense between the twin, who confronts Tendo about his research related to her sister, but also between Tendo and Sakura, especially after she learns the truth about Tendo’s lover, her twin, and his research. Things get so strained that Tendo instructs Sakura to stay away from him. Sakura makes her wishes known that she wants him to study abroad and work on his research even though he realizes how important Sakura is to him.
Tendo studies abroad and the other nurses worry Sakura that Tendo might stay overseas longer than expected. It seems Tendo left for several days, came back after deciding where to study, and would leave in five months to start his research. Work is buzzing about this, and Sakura’s friend, Nishi from pediatrics speaks up to ask her about it. Nishi and Sakura become closer and Tendo is jealous and worried Nishi is going to go after Sakura when Tendo is gone. However, the truth comes out that the one Nishi really likes is Tendo.
In Summary:
I was really hoping this story would be better since anything medical took a back seat for the most part in this volume. But, there are so many super traditional and stereotypical situations that happen that it makes me wonder if people, in general, like this? It’s really a question to be considered since there was the assumption that if Tendo went overseas, Sakura can basically kiss her life with Tendo goodbye. The idea of possibly cheating or forgotten almost seems like a given. Also, the concept that the woman must follow the man wherever he goes and never vice versa seems to be loud and clear. In addition, Sakura’s fellow nurses basically called her “Christmas Cake”, which is a traditional Japanese idea that women, after they turn 25, are no longer “fresh” and marriable. It makes me wonder if that’s one reason Sakura is obsessed with her “feminine charm”. And lastly, why is Nishi, one of the very few (maybe the only) male nurse gay? Since both my husband and I are nurses, this stereotype is super frustrating. I’m guessing LGBT nurses are equally male or female in the nursing world! So overall, this volume still was not to my fancy. I think if you like old hospital soap operas, this might be the story for you.
Content Grade: C
Art Grade: B+
Packaging Grade: C+
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: 17+
Released By: Shojo Beat (Viz)
Release Date: January 5, 2021
MSRP: $9.99
