Maid Sama!, Volume 2

I think I like this volume even more than volume 1--we get the introduction of some bigger antagonists in the form of Koganei, the Chess Club President at the exclusive Miyabi Gaoka Academy (school for snotty rich kids), and Miyabi Gaoka's super-unsavory Student Council President, Tora Igarashi. Needless to say, Misaki conducts herself with impressive restraint and dignity in the face of the elitists' taunts and snobbery. The bad guys still get to be rich and evil at volume's end, but at least they stop harassing Seika (and Igarashi at least had to pause a moment to realize this FEMALE president of a "low-class" school was able to stand up and face him as a strong and competent equal--even when dressed as a maid! I'm sure that situation was embarrassing, but good for Misaki for standing firm anyway!). Misaki just gets cooler and cooler--in one of the chapters, Satsuki hosts a special "Men's Dress Day" at Maid Latte, in which the maids dress up as cute guys/butlers to expand their female client base. Needless to say, Misaki is a natural and has the girls swooning left and right without even trying. Usui is a bit threatened by Misaki's unexpected pleasure at playing the sort of "ideal guy" that she can't find in real life (Utena's prince complex much? :D), and reminds her that she is still a girl. Mixed feelings about that--he does help her keep a grip on reality, but it feels a bit self-serving on his part to keep Misaki in the strong-female-antagonized-and-belittled-by-men mold (after all, he wouldn't be as interested in her if she weren't cutely dressed as a maid half the time, right?). Still, Misaki's valiant and unending fight to win respect in the face of all that adversity is part of what makes her so awesome, so I guess that's okay. (though Misaki cross-dressed is really cool~) The volume ends with the first half of Seika High's annual Sports Day event, which has an interesting twist--each event's winner gets one "right" to control some element at school (such as what channels are on the TV in the dining hall, what music is played over the PA system during lunch, etc). The biggest prize is for the obstacle course event--a kiss from Misaki's adorable friend Sakura, who was voted "the girl we most want to be kissed by" in a school-wide survey. @_@ To protect the poor, unwilling Sakura's virgin lips from her many suitors--and also to win the rights to all the privileges and make the school a more female-friendly atmosphere--Misaki is entering nearly every event and kicking butt. But by the time the obstacle course comes along, she is tiring, and some of Sakura's more aggressive pursuers will stop at nothing to win, which means trouble for Misaki--unless Usui can save the day! :D Last thing--AWESOME bonus section starring the Idiot Trio! Apparently, Lala Magazine had readers send in name ideas for them (cuz they didn't have individual names yet), and the bonus comic contains their idiotic discussions over which names they like best. Some su