From just a brief glance through the raw manga scan, it seems that *shokku* the main chara of Lyrical Nanoha 4th series’ is a boy. Even the artist, Higa Yukari-sensei, was initially doubtful about this. Leaving aside how sidelining Yuuno in A’s contributed to that sequel’s enjoyment (and yuri!) factor, having three new main charas just exacerbates the problem of chara bloat that weighed down StrikerS. Why can’t they just concentrate on the existing cast?

The other thing that concerns me is how Nanoha Force seems to rehash old ground; the plot appears to be centred on the investigation of the Book of the Silver Cross, an ancient Belkan magical tome. Sure, there’s the possibility of seeing potentially interesting parallels with Team Book of the Night Sky but it’s more likely that it will find it hard to emerge from its popular predecessor’s shadow.

It made good sense to launch it as a manga-only release so as to test the waters. Though even if the manga is well received, an anime will probably cover different ground as past practice for this franchise did not repeat material in different mediums, spread out across anime, manga and drama CDs.

Let’s hope the Vivio spin off will do better. Especially with some Nanoha-mama x FEITO-mama love love!

Accompanying this prelude chapter was a series of 4koma, Lucky StrikerS. I’m not that keen on the particular style of this chibi art but there were a few laughs to be had. My favourite was the following:

[Preceding 4koma raised the issue about Teana's constant battle with her weight]
F: Eh? Exercise?

F: Indeed. On rest days, I do it together with Nanoha.

[LOL I'd love to know what was going through their minds in this frame.]

F: Of course, we do stretching and training.
T: There’s no need to explain like that. Sounds suspicious.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

One of the things that I was faintly dissatisfied with When The Ring Finger is Kissed was how most of the stories in the middle of the collection drifted away from Nana x Hitomi. In Girl Friends, the focus is fixed squarely on Mariko (Mari) and Akiko (Akko). It’s the kind of slice of life that I wanted to see wrt Nana x Hitomi. And still want to see since confession-acceptance is just another beginning of the relationship rather than the FINAL BOSS stage.

One of the side effects of this focus is lots and I mean LOTS of pages about hairdoes, nails, handphone accessories, clothes, gossip and that thing which maketh grown men weep and beg for mercy – shopping with girls. My mind still boggles when I learnt, via Erica’s review of the first volume, that this story runs in a magazine where “the intended audience is adult men.” It’s the kind of mind boggling when I heard (also probably via Okazu or the Yuricon Mailing List) that the majority of those who turn up for MariMite live events are men. I know I’m part of that crowd. What surprises (and frightens) me is that there are many others out there who share my erm… interests. (I do love the ambiguity and slightly seedy connotation of the word: 趣味)

This isn’t a case of Be Careful What You Ask For at all. I find myself disagreeing somewhat with Erica that

the story is about the hair, the clothes and the makeup. Mari’s struggle is happening in the margins of the story

I don’t dispute that the girly stuff is dead front and centre but Mari’s struggle with her feelings runs like a deep undercurrent beneath all that. Every word, every glance, every smile, every laugh, every little touch, everything seems charged. Partly because we know this is a Morinaga story, a yuri story. Particularly, in the first volume, that marginality reflects how Mari is just barely, gradually becoming aware of the existence and with, not insignificant trepidation, the meaning of her feelings wrt Akko. Beneath the gentle art and sweet mode, one feels, hears, initially faint but increasingly clear, the pounding heart of Mari’s escalating mix of exhilaration and bewilderment that leads to the ‘climatic’ event at the end of the first volume.

Erica’s review of the second volume delcares that

Morinaga Milk absolutely *nails* the exact level of self-inflicted torture of being >this< close to the person you want, and can’t have.

Or rather ‘thinks she can’t have.’ Mari has become certain about her feelings for Akko but, without specific justification other than a general one drawing on prevailing social norms, she is certain that those feelings cannot be returned. But I suppose she doesn’t know that, from beyond the fourth wall, being in a Morinaga Milk manga, she’s actually got a pretty even chance. This does nothing to take away from her agony. Indeed I just kept hearing and seeing KOTOKO’s ED for Kannazuki no Miko in my head as I perused the second volume.

I have to admit that I had no idea why she agreed to date her train stalker but having read Erica’s explanation that she was “pleased to have someone else to focus her attention on” – now it seems implicit, even painfully obvious. orz The way Akko prepped up Mari for her date must also have been such a slow torture for Mari and her sincere praise for Mari, in an unsuspecting effort to build up her best friend’s self-confidence to confess to the person she really loved, must have felt like such cruel irony to her listener, racked up to that point, we see yet another kiss but not one with the mutually sharing that makes it a real kiss.

These are such some of the deft touches, inducing in me initial incomprehension followed by slack-jawed awe, sprinkled by Morinaga all over the place which is another big reason (besides the art style) why I like her work – her characters can feel intensely real and often one not only feels empathy with them but, often, the feeling crosses into sympathy. While I also enjoy the humour of Hayashiya Shizuru, it’s this kind of thing that makes Morinaga Milk my firm favourite. If only she would do what Erica calls “happy lesbian couples all grown up and together” I would be an even bigger fan.

Looking forward very much to the third (and concluding?) volume.

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.

Dav also highlighted the above scene, from Vol.2 Ch 13, in her discussion of the challenges and expectations of the forthcoming Railgun anime. It shows why Mikoto is full of love and win and Oneesama. And we see Kuroko falling head over heels for Biri Biri all over again. 超電磁砲は超かこいい！！

And the manga just gets better and better… One of the concerns raised as been whether there will be enough material for an anime series or just an OVA. Having just glanced through the third volume, there should be enough material for one cour (12-13 eps) at least.

And definitely more chances for Mikoto to be oh so cool. I just loved the art in the top left panel above.

In Index, we often got Super Competitive Biri Biri (challenging Touma to fights) and Tsundere Biri Biri (struggling about her feelings for/against him) and both were great. But as the focus of the Railgun series, her portrayal is so much more balanced and we can really see her as the Main Heroine as she fights For Great Justice in Academy City – without all the annoying speechifying to boot!

©2012 hontou ni sou omou?. All Rights Reserved.