Kare Kano Volume 9

The Culture Festival is here and Aya's Steel Snow is underway. Although there is lots of humor in the series, this volume is mostly serious and even the play's story is pretty interesting. I've noticed how well Masami Tsuda expresses her characters through simple facial looks. Did anyone feel a little uneasy with Arima's look towards the end? It just makes me yearn that much more for volume 10. Also, Tonami makes a big decision despite the painful consequence it may hold for him. And Tsubasa is so *kawaii* as Antique! Fellow fans, the wait for each volume is so worth it.

This installment of Kare Kano has some cute side stories, but the main focus is Aya's play, Steel Snow. All three of the actresses (including Yukino, Tsubasa, and Maho) perform to their best ability a play that hits close to home for Arima. I think Masami Tsuda did a marvelous job tranferring a play into a manga form. But the end of the book is the most important of all; it ends the "Yukino arc" as Tsuda puts it and starts the arc of Arima. A must read for all Kare Kano fans!