Kare Kano Volume 4

Kare Kano is a Japanese high school drama that my girlfriend got me into. As a guy I am embarrassed to say that I like it. I am, however, hooked and I will own the whole series before the year is out.

Finally, I got volume 4-7 and number 9. Number 8 was on backorder from the website I ordered it from. I have to admit that this volume was a little confusing. Things went by a little fast, and new characters were introduced almost immediately which made things a little difficult to follow probably. But, I did enjoy it. Maho and Tsubasa hates Yukino. People are still ignoring Yukino and she seems to realize that they found her out, and she's willing to admit it. Can she deal with this? This was a great volume and I recommend you to continue the series to see what's going on.

Unbelievably fantasic manga series! It is a must read for the accurate depiction of the inner world of teenagers. Not the teenagers as depicted by American TV and film: angst ridden, rebellious, under crippling pressure to conform, continuously chastized by adults for trying to act older than they are. The teenagers in Kare Kano are closer to what most teenagers (in my experience) are really like: responsible, totally emersed in their own world, think grades are actually important!!, and are already incorporating adult decisions into their lives. At its heart, Kare Kano is a beautiful love story between two souls, whose tender years only adds to the poignancy of the story. Arima and Yukino's love grows from affection into a grand passion almost too overwhelming for their still maturing minds. What I love the best in this series is how in the midst of the action are 'pools' of quiet, in which the emotions of a character can be felt with such forceful purity,like the striking of a bell.

This is NOT your typical romance. The author does a wonderful job of putting the thoughts of his main characters down. I've honestly never read a series that I've found myself so close to the changing personality of the characters. It's like looking into somebody's heart. It's so smooth. Yes, smooth is a good word. Oh, it's wonderful! And the television series is just as good!