Sensual Phrase 17
Posted: July 11, 2011 Filed under: Sensual Phrase Leave a comment »Mayu Shinjo – Viz – 2006 – 18 volumes
Ahh… the last volume. Volume 18 is just short stories. Actually, this volume has a little bit of a happy ending to the main story, then a bunch of short stories. The real meat was in volume 15-16. The conclusion here took up half a volume, but it was mostly one final all-out concert, Aine’s graduation, and then wrapping up some final loose ends, story-wise and also issues related to the Major Happenings from volume 15.
You know, I’ve always been a big fan of how devoted Sakuya and Aine were to each other. It made all the insanity acceptable and quite enjoyable, actually. But, you know… the sappy parts probably would have been way better if Sakuya had more than one facial expression. I was wondering why I just wasn’t feeling the ending. He’s good at looking cool, just not sincere, and sincerity was important through this volume.
The two short stories? It’s mostly more of the same, but I can’t say that I’m sorry to be reading just a little more of this series. One of the stories is another look at Atsuro and his sister, and how their relationship fares when another girl moves in on Atsuro.
What was much appreciated, however, was the story that covered Sakuya’s life. We’ve gotten mostly second-hand accounts, and we knew all that went on, but we didn’t really see it. I knew all about it, but it was still nice to get a good, long story before the end. And it went all the way to the first meeting with Aine, which was a wonderful way to end it.
I’ve got the last volume of short stories, of course, but I can’t help but be a little sad I finished the main story. I read more than half of it in one day, and I’m still devastated that there’s not more. I made fun of it the entire time, and it deserved it, but that’s why I loved it. It was just so utterly and perfectly unbelievable. All the stuff I’ve read before, but turned up to 11 and balanced with a really solid relationship. The perfect kind of story for shoujo manga.
