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Monday, 09 April 2007 |
 | | ▪ | PUBLISHED BY: | | VIZ MEDIA | | | ▪ | ART/AUTHOR: | | SAKI HIWATARI | | | | ▪ | FORMAT/COLOR: | | JAPANESE FORMAT / BW | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 188 | | | ▪ | RATED: | | T+ | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 08/15/2006 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 04/10/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD | | |
The latest volume finds Mizuki with an empty wallet and in desperate need of a job. Luckily, glam fashion photographer Akiha gets her a job helping out makeup artist Ebi. Unfortunately, Mizuki’s string of bad luck strikes when she spills tea all over their top super model, a beautiful man named Alex. Now animosity reigns in the work place. When Mizuki discovers Alex’s secret, will it see her job go up in smoke?
Ever charming, this romantic dramedy keeps the story alive and interesting with some of the most gorgeous artwork yet and also by giving readers back stories on some of the supporting cast of Hana Kimi. Alex is one of, if not the, most beautifully rendered male character yet seen in the manga. There’s a lot of stand out pencil work in this volume. The other attractive aspect is the opportunity the writer takes to give fans a deeper look into the lives and characters around Mizuki and Sano. First, there’s a funny arc involving Himejima and the Dorm Three crew. The second is a more dramatic story about the introspective Kayashima. Readers get the chance to find out how he and Nakatsu first met and the sadness surrounding Kayashima’s early years before arriving at the academy.
The added depth into some of the supporting cast gives a more full bodied feel to this endearing shojo series. There are also a few comedic moments involving Umeda and Akiha.
IN SUMMARY:
Volume 13 of Hana Kimi sees Mizuki either making a new enemy or winning a new friend. This volume also holds an intriguing back story involving Kayashima and Nakatsu. |
