Banri HidakaReseñas

Contains Chapters 54 - 59: This volume was a lot of fun and I enjoyed reading about the relationship between Arisaka and his mother as well as learning more about their past. I am looking forward to the next volume.

Contains Chapters 42 - 47: This volume was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed reading the photo shoot chapter and seeing Ageha, Arisaka, & Tsuyu dress up in the various outfits. I also enjoyed seeing how things have been evolving between Arisaka and Ageha now that they have finally admitted their feelings for one another. I look forward to reading the next volume.

Contains Chapters 48 - 53: I really enjoyed this volume & all the chaos involved in getting ready for the Bridal Fair. Valentine's Day was very lightly touched on in this volume as well but not much. Arisaka's mother shows up on the last page of this volume and I can't wait to read what happens next!

Contains Chapters 36 - 41: This volume was really fun and had a lot of relationship developments and chaos, especially near the end of the last chapter when Arisaka calls Ageha while she is being walked home by Nat-Chan. I look forward to reading the next volume.

Contains Chapters 30 - 35: This volume was so much fun! I loved the school festival chapter as well as the joint birthday party at the end. Seeing Ageha try to figure out what presents to give them was entertaining. I look forward to reading the next volume.

Contains Chapters 24 - 29: This volume was a lot of fun and introduced another new character from Arisaka and Mitsuya's past. The chapter about Arisaka and Mitsuya visiting after Hibari has her baby was fun as well. I look forward to reading the next volume in the series

Contains Chapters 1 - 5: This series looks like a lot of fun. All the characters seem to have entertaining personalities and it looks like the relationships will be fun to watch and see how they develop.

Contains Chapters 12 - 17: This volume was a lot of fun. I enjoyed learning more about Yukari Arisaka and his family as well as watching his relationship with Ageha grow.

Contains Chapters 6 - 11: I really enjoyed this volume and watching how the characters relationships are developing. This volume also introduced some fun new characters including Mitsuya Kuromine's younger brother.

Contains Chapters 18 -23: This was a great volume and I loved the Bridal Fair plot as well as seeing Arisaka and Ageha as they begin to grow closer and Arisaka begins to admit his feelings to himself. I am really looking forward to seeing what happens next!

This is a sweet romance between an avid teenage girl with a penchant for sewing and a wedding dress designer.

Massively cute. Although this piece fits squarely into the shoujo genre in terms of storytelling and conflict, the lovely bags of the "Ageha Colleciton" are tantalizing. Additionally the dress-making and barrage of other fashion present in this story is simply delightful. As a teenage boy i would often read fashion magazines with total envy and Velvet Blue Rose is the perfect mixture of inspirational textiles and teenage angst. Highly recommended!

I love how we keep going from day to day, following the whims of work, hanging out with friends, and a few events and surprises to keep things interesting! Eee~! How charming, charming, charming this all is~! There was so much more romance in this volume than in the others--yet that being said, it was surprisingly minimal for a shoujo manga! *Laughs* But let me save that for a bit later! We have so many fun get-togethers throughout this volume! Ageha, Mamoru, Rei and Shizuya have an epic battle where we have the normal fun toying with Mitsu's little brother. And then we have dress samplings at Rosa to check the style and order different types~! AND AND AND. THE BEST COUPLE OF PARTS!! BRIDAL FAIR AND YUKARI-KUN. BRIDAL FAIR AND YUKARI-KUN~!!

I don't want to spoil anything for those of you reading, so all I'm going to say is this: Mamoru is FANTASTIC. I love how she supports Ageha, but at the same time how she cleverly steals Ageha away to spend time with her, using her younger brother (as Ageha-bait~) if she has to! XD And Nagare-kun soooo does not complain. *Smirks* In fact... >83 We're beginning to see the first signs of another man in Ageha's life who is about to start an EPIC rivalry with Arisaka-san! >XD GAH! If you think how Nagare-kun is acting NOW is amazing, WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE WHAT HE DOES NEXT!!! 8DDDD I'm serious! This boy and his sister are absolutely THE most fantastic pair of siblings EVER!! Mamoru is so caring! And yet soooo devious~ And Nagare is absolutely sexy. Yes, I said it. He's sexy. He's collected and formidable, and when he's NOT "calm," oh ho~ You'd better watch out. *Smiiirks* Because that boy KNOWS how to play his cards, and he WILL mess you up. >:3!! GOD. I LOVE PEOPLE WITH GUTS! I just LOVE how Nagare comes in and is like, "Well~ I know I have competition, but... that's not going to stop me. *Insert confident, cool smile here*"
Oh but things are SOOO not over, no no! Yukari makes a LOT of progress in this volume. SO MUCH SO THAT~ You'll find yourself squeeing (or maybe it was just me... *Sweatdrop*) several times throughout this volume from the gorgeous, handsome, AMAZING moves he pulls! GAH. IT'S SO HARD NOT TO FALL FOR HIM!!!!! *Flailing and trying to keep herself afloat!* It's amazing how much he's changed too since Ageha came into their lives. He still has his very, very rough edges. *Laughs* But you can see how just the way he treats her has changed. The violence has died down, and instead... *Smiles* Well, you'll see that for yourself. It's absolutely gorgeous to watch, and I never get tired of following Arisaka-kun's progress. He truly is growing, and it's a bit scary in a way, because he's also growing... more vulnerable too. And with the pain that happened before, gosh... *Stays quiet a moment* We get another streak of it in this volume as well, and suddenly you realize just how fragile he is. It's frightening to think what might happen. Because he's so delicate, and Ageha is so emotional that... it could be really, really horrible if they do something wrong, even without meaning to.

Ah! But I don't want to keep pestering you with the serious side of things! Let alone my whirling thoughts~! There is also some PRETTY DARN EPIC STUFF that happens in this volume. So, like I said before... WEDDING FAAAIIIIRRR! It's where you go and get to see a wedding venue host all their lovely assets, designs, and so on! Dude. I won't say anything else, but... IT. WAS. EPIC! >XDDDD Not to mention it's tied into the introduction of a new character. o3o His name is Sekiguchi, and he's... er... well... Weird. '_' Just downright odd. He's way too creepy and mature to be perving around like he does! DXamusing when he's around Yukari. >3> ...plus the way that he, ahem. *Lifts up both her hands and brings them slowly closer together* ...yeah, you know what. Just read it and you'll see. *Coughs* Poor Yukari... ANYWAY~ Sekiguchi is the son of a wedding villa owner, so that's how the wedding fair gets tied in. He's got some history with Yukari and Ririko, and he's DEEEFINITELY a crack-tastic character, but MAN is he funny when he's around Yukari! XD It makes all his weirdness completely forgettable, just seeing the odd hilarious stuff he pulls when around him! >XD

The only other thing I'm going to say about this volume is that I am SO impressed and proud of Yukari! I know, I keep going back to him, but he truly is a character that can fast grow into such a huge love-bucket-- *Random affectionate term* --in so few volumes. The more you read about him, the more precious and cute and wonderful he becomes. Yet he always has that dry, "Whut? =O=?" part of him that makes him himself. X3 He's absolutely lovely! >3> ...but I still like how Nagare-kun freaks him out. >XDDDD

Okay! That's all for the review! Please do enjoy this series~! It's totally fun, and the drama is DEEEFINITELY starting for those of you wondering when it was going to come around. XD I'm afraid from this point on you're going to have a lot of it! *Giggles!* It'll be fun~!!

ARRGGGSGKHDFO:DGGFDGFDBD! *Messes up her hair and pants like a crazy woman* DID YOU SEE WHERE THEY LEFT OFF IN THIS VOLUME?! DID YOU SEE THAT?! OH MY GOD! TALK ABOUT CLIFFHANGERS! DX GAH! Hidaka-sensei likes torturing us, but THIS! ...THIS IS THE WORST TORTURE YET! AARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH! *Falls over; gets up after she's calmed down and continues her review* Okay, considering the fact that we are now almost halfway through the series, I love how things are swiftly and surely picking up. The relationships between most of the characters by now are so fleshed out and easy to understand for us that the entire volume was a big ball game of fun and laughs, and a few squeals of excitement at the progress that was made! At the end of this volume, you really feel that things are finally "settling down" into a pattern that we can understand and enjoy all the more fully because we know the characters so well now. ^__^ Even Tsuyu-kun, who we got introduced to only in the last volume is an intimate part of the cast of V.B. Rose too! Things are definitely, I would say, "comfortable."

...just don't expect it to last too long this way. *Smirks*

From having read the other volumes several times, I can tell you that all hell's about to break loose, veeeery soon. And it's going to be EPIC! >XD And let me give you at least one of the reasons for it. Ahem. In this volume we got introduced to yet another new character. The long talked-of, hinted-at, but unknown figure that is Kana-san. I had SO many mixed feelings when she was first introduced! At first I was expecting her to be some weird, fussy girl because of the way Yukari and Mitsu talked about her and the gruff, "RAWR"-like impression they had of her. At the same time, you could tell they considered her their friend, so I thought, "Eh! She'll probably just be another one of those wacky friends that they have. No big deal." And then as we read further we see some signs of her personality being demanding and the loner, and so on. But she does something that I thought was cute! She's fair-minded, seems tough, but overall I felt I was going to like her! Then we even got to see her in person! And she was kinda... huffy. O-o;; And looks like she'd be hard to get close to. o-o!! But even Tsuyu said that Kana-san was one of the few friends she had. And so with all these people we love clearly being good friends with her, I had the same reaction as Ageha did! I was excited to meet her! And she's clearly a talented girl since she does work in coordination with V.B. Rose (the store).

Then Mitsu says something about Ageha to Kana-san over the phone... and when I saw her response, I couldn't help it: I bristled with annoyance! I was indignant! What gave her the right to talk that way without even knowing the full picture! Grrr! She ticked me off from that moment on! *Huffs* I won't say much more. I just wanted to give you my honest first impression of her. And if I say any more, it'll spoil things for later. So this very minimal reaction is what you're going to have to live with for now. I will say this: My feelings for Kana-chan grew a lot since I met her. In ways that may surprise some of you, and maybe not. Let's just say... I got to know her, a lot more intimately. And... Well. You could say where I am now with my feelings about her, in comparison to where I was when I first got introduced to her, is a great distance from where it used to be. And that's all you're getting from me.

However, it should be obvious that it's due to Kana-san that a loooot of things are going to get pretty crazy soon. Though she's not the only one to blame. *Grins* Remember Yukari's competition? Yeah. Keep that boy in mind too! ;D

Anyway, to proceed with my overall thoughts about this volume~ I am absolutely in LOVE with this one! There are so many cool, and tense, and funny parts! In a way, that's what most of this manga is like! Balance, balance, Hidaka-sensei! You truly are a master! Mwah~! *Blows a kiss!* ;D series itself! Maybe it's just me and maybe some of you don't find it as funny as I do, but at the very least, Banri Hidaka's humor is charming and timeless. And unexpected at times too! 8D She has a way of catching you unawares that's delightful and absolutely indulging! XD You've just got to love this woman's talented way of portraying a story! The series is so lighthearted and yet so much fun. It can cheer you up so easily if you give it the chance, and it carries both its characters and its story well! I want to tell you all about how exciting it is, but I can't because everything in here is precious and refreshing somehow! I really must just leave it up to you as the readers to enjoy and experience for yourselves.
And now... ONWARD TO THE NEXT ONE SO THAT WE CAN END THIS CLIFFHANGER! XD

So much major cuteness in this volume! We finally get a somewhat less dramatic and therefore more relaxing volume this time around, which is a nice thing after the build-up of the last couple of volumes! Of course, "relaxing" doesn't mean boring. Not by a long shot. As you should expect from V.B. Rose by now, there's a ton of chaos, many cute things, and some delicious scenes thrown into the mix too! This entire volume focuses mostly on the Bridal Fair that we've been building up to over a couple of volumes as well. (By the way, anyone else love how Banri Hidaka-sensei is always so good at planning ahead with things and throwing you curve balls and fun surprises?!
We have a lot of new elements that we're getting used to in this volume again. I am in love with how Hidaka-sensei always knows how to space things out in the plot line and when she introduces new stuff. She can make a volume action packed or full of drama! But she always knows how to level us out in the end so that the story is in constant flux, working and succeeding in achieving balance, without ever losing interest. If you read the last volume, you'll know that this next bit isn't too big a spoiler by now. Ageha and Yukari's relationship is finally steadying too, which says a lot considering how up-and-down it's been throughout the entire manga. We've finally got some success there too though! Hooray!! Not to mention, if you didn't notice from all my "KANA!! SQUEEE~~~!" status updates during this volume, we have Kana interacting a lot more with our characters now. And we get to see more and more sides of her. In fact, she's come far enough to no longer just be that person that we knew about in Yukari's past, or even the threat to the future for him or Ageha. She's become a character that has come into our circle and who even Ageha hangs out with to some extent now! It's so cool seeing someone that at first ticked me off so much, and then who seemed so menacing, become such a great... well... FRIEND! =D

I swear, the changes in this manga are ones you would never expect. None of the characters are ever set in stone. Most mangas have set character types or actions or personalities for their people. But maybe it's the fantastic style that Banri Hidaka has that makes hers different. What you see is NOT what you get. And it's not even the matter of not all of a person's past or history being revealed. It's the simple and wonderful matter of seeing characters change as they interact with those around them. Very, very, very few mangas OR animes have that. Usually you see a character and they're basically the same from start to end. Not in V.B. Rose. Uh-uh. The characters, even and ESPECIALLY the main characters, are constantly changing and growing as they meet new people and go through different things with them. Ageha is not the same person she was in Volume 1, and I know she won't be the same at the end of this series as she is now in Volume 9. The same thing goes for every character, and that's what makes this manga so easy to get into and to enjoy.

I would like to go a little off to the side though for a moment here, just to say this: We've heard about our main couple's agonies forever, but I'm still dwelling on the one mystery to top even that. Mitsu... and Tsuyu-chan. I just... don't know what to make of them. Mitsu showed some very interesting qualities in this volume that have me absolutely... baffled! The way he looks at her when she's not aware of it is... so weird! It's like he doesn't have any expression on his face whatsoever, and yet you can just tell he's thinking about something at the same time as he's studying her! But the moment she looks again, it's back to "Mitsuya-sama" and all that thoughtful pondering and quiet, steady gazing goes RIGHT out the window~! *Facepalms and sighs* What do I do?! And Tsuyu has been so good about things. She doesn't try to burden Mitsu with her feelings for him, though the entire world knows she has a thing for him. Him included. Which is why he torments her so. I just... don't... GET it! Does he NOT like her? Is here merely FASCINATED by the fact that she likes him? Plenty of other girls fawn over him! He's a good looking guy, for crying out loud! So what's up with her?! Is it because they were friends once? But I'm sure he had tons of other friends. >_
Getting back on topic, things are going to be a little bit... erm... weird in this next volume. Volume 10 is the last one I've read before, and then start the ones I've never read. Therefore, I know a little of what to expect. The cliffhanger this volume leaves off on does not make me pleased. And I'm pretty sure that's going to carry over into the next volume's review/status updates. But I'm going to put my best face on it and see what I can make of things anyway. *Is a born optimist* I hope you all come and join me for the next volume! Things are going to be... very weird. And maybe a little unsettling. But, we'll make it through together.

I'm always amazed at how peacefully captivated I am while reading V.B. Rose. I know most shoujos are all about the drama, but I think it's nice to have a realistic level of drama as well. It's not because this manga is drama-less. Trust me, this volume is beginning the slow and steady haul into the various shenanigans that are going to have you--well, for the most part, pulling on your hair and going, "GRAAAHHHWRFGWLFFEGF WHY DON'T YOU JUST DO IT ALREADY!?!?!?!" The reason a lot of the things that go on in this series can be handled so well is because half the time you're just enjoying the people, and then in the middle of what feels like actual life, something happens or someone says something. Then! Suddenly an entire new situation we haven't gotten to yet is brought up. Except it's got enough crack to keep you going happily! XD No matter its resemblance to realistic situations, it has its moments of joyousness and cuteness, total fanservice (tooootally epic moments in the coming volumes. XD) and crack-tastic violence.

And it has its pain.... That is what began in this volume as well. You get your first real sign of it, in that moment when Yukari is honest enough with himself to admit something, and then you sense... how much of him is still cast in shackles, burdening him... ripping his happiness from him, until all that's left is... this broken kid. *Gazes at her lap quietly* But there's more to it than is even hinted at in this volume. Still... the reason he began feeling that way is mentioned. *Lifts her head, eyes glazed with quiet judgment* ..."that woman." *Purses her lips and shakes her head, then continues anyway* If she sounds bad, and if Yukari takes it so lightly, it's only because you haven't seen the half of it. Heck, you haven't seen the first of it! *Glowers* Ooohh! SHE TICKS ME OFF! I want to strangle that woman!!! DX
A lot of the characters that we know are about to get a lot more complex. Each of them has a few sides that we've seen in these past couple of volumes, but this one begins to introduce even more of who they are and what they have to deal with. We even get to see Hidaka-sensei expand on Hibari's and Makoto's personalities! =D How cool is that! With this mangaka, no one is a side character. Heck, we still get snippets of Ageha's mom and dad from time to time and their charming, hilarious selves! XD If there's one thing I respect about any storyteller, it is the talent to make every character count, so that they are integral factors to the story. True, the concentration is very clearly on Ageha, Yukari and even Mitsu, but the others are not forgotten. They each have a sense of self, and they're just as deep and passionate as the rest of our cast.

Not to mention! We had a group of new characters introduced in this one! 8D Okay okay, so~ Without spoilers, here's my (hopefully) minimal commentary. Nagare-kun: EPIC! This boy SCREAMS bad-ass and epic-sexy! 8DDDD So he's young, SO WHAT?! So Ririko's old! *Stabbed to death* WHAT! DXJOKING! Yeesh! XP Give me a break! He's absolutely adorable but with a mature twist that makes him faaaar more cunning than the gentle eye can tell. Hello! Come on! He's Mamoru's younger brother! Of COURSE he's going to be dangerously sexy!! Which makes him CUTE. Completely FAN-TAAAASSSSSTIC character! JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE WHAT HE PULLS IN THE LATER VOLUMES! You will DIE. Sakura-chan: WILL NOT TELL YOU ANYTHING. I don't want to spoil who he is. All I'm going to say is--DEATH BY CUTENESS! *FLAILS!* SERIOUSLY! MOST. ADORABLE. LITTLE. MUNCHKIN. EVER!!!!!!!! Ran-san: Technically this is not the first time she's introduced in this series. She's just finally given a face and a bit of a background story as to who she is. And I won't say much about her either. You can come to your own opinions about her, since almost everything concerning her is spoiler-rific.

And this isn't the full cast yet either. Oh no! We have a few good more people to go! Some that will give you mixed feelings, some that you can't possibly imagining taking seriously, and others that you have no clue AT ALL how to think of. *Laughs* But what else is new?! I really hope you'll stick around to see these characters. I know I'm not giving you much of a run-down of what happened, but it's just one of those "You've gotta see it for yourself" things~ I will tell you this: If you're not one for laid-back paces, good characters with lots of depth, and realistic emotional drama with a cracky twist, then you're probably not going to enjoy this manga. *Chuckles* Don't see why anyone wouldn't like it, but some people need more action in their stories. Not that with all the "battles" between mannequins and sticks and date planners and so on you don't have ACTION... >___> ...trust me, there's ACTION. Just maybe not the kind you're expecting! XD

As a last note, I just want to say that Banri Hidaka-sensei has some of the most perfect timing ever. There's one scene in this volume where everything is kinda stressed out and tense, and then out of the blue, she has her characters decide they need a break from that. And so they go for a quick trip somewhere--it lasts only a handful of pages. But those few pages were placed so perfectly in the midst of the story. It was such a relief! To not have all that heaviness weighing down on you and to just be able to have fun and be silly and relax! Completely relax!! You could feel all the tension easing away and the smile coming back, and the laughter too. And you just sit back and are amazed all over again at how pretty Yukari-kun is... Wait. >_> Uhh... MY THOUGHTS ARE ESCAPING! XD *Steals a line from the series* No, but really. As well-balanced this manga is, and as much as I babble on about how "perfect" it is, I know it's probably not going to be for everyone. But it's so well worth a look. When you read this manga, you can feel the heart that was put into it, and the more you read it, the more you realize that your heart goes into it too. Because this is a story that you can fall in love with and enjoy any time. *Smiles* So give it a shot, you people! Let it delight you! You might find it surprises you too! ^__^

OH MY GOSH~! It just gets BETTER and BETTER!! I know that from the way things began in this series, it was a really slow start. Ageha wasn't in her best state, things were dramatic in the more annoying way, and the time it took to build up to any sort of romantic interest was until about the last volume. In this one, WE MAKE PROGRESS THOUGH! 8D In fact, I loooove the progression of the relationships and drama in this part of the series. By the time you hit Volume 4, things finally begin to start moving in a way that you can feel them moving. By this volume, things are WELL on their way to moving forward! Even with all the moments of, "NOOO! DON'T GO BACKWARDS! DXPROGRESS! ;O;!!" But things are soooo moving forward on the romantic end~! It's absolutely DELIGHTFUL already! Even though you honestly want to facepalm and smack these two dunderheads for being so slow and inept when it comes to relationships, you can't help but see the way they're both growing. ESPECIALLY YUKARI. AGHHH! That guy is a man! 8DDD! Seriously, the way he just does some things, overcoming whatever it is that's bubbling up from the past, is absolutely amazing. It would be amazing even if he didn't have past influences to overcome! How much fun he is, and how FREELY he admits what he wants! Gotta LOVE a man who knows what he wants! And you've got to love a man who's taking every step to getting it even more. >:3 *Snickers/smirks*

Oh! Oh! 8D We got another new character too! Her name is Ichihashi Tsuyu-san! She comes off instantly as... weird! XD She definitely gives you the impression of being waaaaay too odd at first, but she grows on you so fast! I love how friendly and sweet she is! For all her funny, awkward, shy and oddball qualities--and she definitely has a lot! *Laughs*--she is true to who she is always and so honest with herself as well. She's a caring, considerate, and overall lovely person. She's become one of my favorite characters very quickly! And when you see the veeery interesting side she brings out in one of the characters.... *Cackles diabolically* Oh, when you SEE what happens when Tsuyu-san comes into the picture, you are going to be SO intrigued!! >8D At least I know I was! It's INTENSE. And kinda veeery sexy. XD Not to mention she has a GREAT relationship with one of our other characters! 8DDD Seriously! Watching them two together, you can just tell how great a friendship they have! They're so close! It's really a beautiful thing to be able to recognize such a strong bond so quickly, especially when you've just been introduced a brand new character that you've never seen before! Hidaka-sensei's skills continuously astound me. She's a master of relationships and people's interactions! I know it seems like something so little to comment on, but you don't find many mangas that have the same smoothness and feeling of being natural like Banri Hidaka's V.B. Rose.

I don't have much else to say about this volume, so it seems it's going to remain a short review! But if you've been keeping up with my other reviews, you should know quite a bit about my feelings as well! I'll try to continue to give character updates and comment on anything major going on in the plot/story without giving things away! (Which is why this one had to be so short. XD I cannot tell you all the juicy bits! You have to read that for yourself!!!) I can tell you this much though: The story only gets better and better from here on out. And the romance and drama increases to the point where there's awesome at every turn! IT GETS GOOOOD. So if you've had a chance to pick up the series, keep on going! And if you haven't by now, don't let the first couple of volumes dissuade you from trying it out further! It's a rewarding series if you give it the time.

Just a warning ahead of time. This review is going to be mostly me ranting. You're in for a fun change from the last reviews~ So let's get started.

There is one theme throughout this volume. Just one. And it upsets me and angers me more than anything else in the series! This volume... focuses on Ran-san: the woman that is Yukari's mother. And I tell you this... my hatred for her cannot be fuller or more complete. Yes, I would even say I hate her. I can't STAND her. And I truly deem her unworthy of the kindness shown to her! *Grits her teeth* When I first saw her appear at the end of the last volume, I wanted to shout, "What are YOU doing here?! LEAVE! We don't WANT you here! GET LOST!" And in a way, I did. She's just so...! OOH. You remember the parts at the beginning of the series when we were told about how Yukari's mom treated him and acted?! Well that's not even the HALF of it! No! Horrible as that stupid women was, THIS VOLUME JUST PROVES HOW MUCH OF A TWO-FACED, SELF-CENTERED, ASININE LIAR SHE CAN BE! And still is!

GAH. EVERYTHING ABOUT HER!!!! Everything about her pisses me off!! She comes off so BOUNCY and CHEERFUL. "What's wrong with that?" you say? "It's kinda like Ageha acts, so what's the big deal. You like Ageha." Yes, I do like Ageha! But Ageha is DIFFERENT from this woman! *Points viciously at Ran* THAT woman might act all bubbly and happy, be so nonchalant and excitable and ditsy, but she's being a complete JERK from beginning to end! For instance, when Ageha saw Sakura-chan and had the whole, "How'd you get so small Arisaka-san?!" reaction, it was from honest surprise and bewilderment. When THIS creep did it! She KNEW Aoi-san was dead. She KNEW Yukari was older! YET SHE HAS THE GUTS TO CALL YUKARI BY HIS DEAD FATHER'S NAME! How much of a PRICK can you be?! Can't you imagine how PAINFUL that must be?! What the heck is WRONG with you woman?! And then she goes and completely drags Ageha off without even asking her permission or whether she would want to even come with her somewhere! What the heck?! RUDE LITTLE--! *Cuts self off and mutters darkly, leering at Ran*

Oh but those are just small things. *Narrows her eyes and lets her voice become quiet* ...what really settled my opinion of her is when she tried to suck up to Ageha for sympathy by telling her the story about meeting Aoi-san, how they got married, and all that. You thought she was bad before? Just knowing she was a woman who couldn't keep her promises? Heh. Well you ain't seen nothing yet. What really ticks me off is that her life, her friendship, then her relationship, then her marriage and house and child were all so WONDERFUL. She had a life that any woman would ENVY her for a thousand times over! A husband more wonderful than the stars in the sky! A son who adored her and looked to her like a beacon of light! A home that doubled as a dream workplace for her husband, where they could raise a family together and continue following their aspirations. ...and this STUPID woman, this CRUEL--ARGGGHHHH!!!!!!--WOMAN!!! [Warning: Might be a little spoiler-filled/-hinting from this point on.] ...she threw that all away. She THREW that ALL away! FOR WHAT?! FOR WHAT?! *Shouts and slashes the air with her arm viciously* She wanted to be young and STUPID so she WAS young and STUPID. She broke Aoi-san's heart! She crippled Yukari-kun's hopes and dreams! AND SHE DARES SHOW HER FACE AGAIN, AND TO ASK FOR PITY INSTEAD OF CHANGING HERSELF?! [End Spoiler.]

She even blames how she acted on everything else BUT herself! Oh it was my environment! It was how I was raised! It was because I was young! It was because of this or that! BULL, LADY, BULL! You disappeared from their lives for EIGHT-TEEN-YEARSSSS. And you come back like THIS!? FOR WHAT?! To BLAME all the things you did on OTHER CRAP?! You've got to be joking! Okay, so you ADMIT your faults and whatnot openly. But why are you saying this to Ageha?! Go talk to your SON about it, for God's sake! That's not even the point though. The fact that you're just blaming all your mistakes on a bad personality is just disgustingly stupid of you. And REALLY low. You think I'd buy that? HA! You have another thing coming lady! Take a look at every single character in this series! Not a single one of them hasn't grown or changed in some way! Some of them had some really BAD problems, but they've overcome them. And they've overcome the selves that they used to be to get to where they are now. You had eighteen years to clean yourself up and change your life around. You had eighteen years to look over what you did and work hard to overcome your bad qualities! What did you do? You did absolutely NOTHING with yourself! You became famous and suddenly money was the solution for everything! "If I buy you gifts, you'll forgive me!" "If I buy you gifts, you'll love me!" BULL, LADY! I can't believe you'd think that! ESPECIALLY--and this is the most unforgivable thing--after knowing, loving, and marrying someone like Aoi-san. ...really? You can't change? More like you don't want to, *****. And you probably never will, either.

*Sighs* ...yet for all the bad things you did, you have one thing you can thank God for, lady. And that's that the people you deserted, and the people whose lives you invaded now with your garish stupidity and self-centered righteousness, are far more caring, loving, and forgiving than you are. They truly care about you. And that's more than you deserve right now. That's way more than you deserve. I want you to know this... I'm not happy with you as a person, as a character of significance, or anything else. But I am happy that Yukari ends up happy no matter what B.S. you try to pull. *Shakes her head* ...I hope you change. I sincerely do. Because seeing you in the past, and how you loved Aoi-san and even Yukari-kun, I can tell you would have been a great person. You just need to get your priorities straight, lady. You really do. Maybe it's how all these other characters bring me such hope, but... hate you as much as I do, I'll wait and see what happens. Because this manga has surprised me before, and if it surprises me with you... well then. It'll only be that much more worthwhile.

In the end, readers, this volume too gets a 5 out of 5. As much as I loathe this woman, and really cannot stand her or how the others give her a second chance.... It was a chaotically emotional whirlwind, and that makes for good drama, if nothing else! Plus, we got to see how amazing a man Aoi-san was even more. He will blow you away with his warmth, his kindness and his goodness. There is so much to love about him. But now, as always, I move on again! For those of you keeping up with my reviews, I'll have you know that you and I will both be surprised in the next volume, because this review officially ends the volumes of V.B. Rose that I have read so far! Next stop: Newness and adventure! Let's go! V.B. Rose Volume 11, here we come!

WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I now remember why this is my FAVORITE volume in the ENTIRE SERIES SO FAR!!! There are SOOOO many epic things to say about it!!! I don't know where to begin!!! Okay, okay, so calming down, we pick up right after the chaotic and crazy-awesome ending surprise of the last volume~! 8D Things only build up increasingly, and we have a lot of emotions flying all over the place in the beginning parts. Misunderstandings abound, but to conflict that we also have a lot of bold statements happening that throws the entire "love" issue for Ageha into the air and round-and-round! That poor girl. It's no wonder she's as crazy as she is! *Laughs* Mitsu proves to be the unexpected saving light for our dear lovebirds in a way. He has moments throughout this series where he really proves to be amazingly intelligent, perceptive and cunning. His guidance can be classified without a doubt as fantastic.
BUT. Getting back to the story~! (Sorry people for my little side trip into my mind. ^_^;;) I love how much this series can teach you, especially since it does it in such a wonderful way, with a brilliant and relate-able cast of characters that are awesome almost every other page. (My VERY frequent status updates should be MORE than enough proof of this. XD) And it only continues to teach and draw you even further in as you read! This volume especially has a lot of those moments! But after the "drama" at the beginning of this volume, we have "SOMETHING TOTALLY EPIC!!!!" happen! 8D I cannot even begin to tell you how amazingly "SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE~!" it is! You MUST read it. MUST MUST! D8
Anyway, after the drama and the EPIC! We go right smack into sexy, seductive gorgeousness. And BOY do I mean SEXY and SEDUCTIVE GORGEOUSNESS. There is a photo shoot! And guess who gets to dress up all sexy-like? That's right. Yukari. Ageha. AND TSUYU!!! OMG IT'S EPIC. Not to mention! *Grins* My favorite picture of Ageha and Yukari out of the entire series (at least what I've read so far) is right in this part! God... they just looked... so incredibly... awe-inspiring. *Smiles radiantly* They are so beautiful together right there in that moment... it's amazing to see. That smile he had, and those half-closed eyes and grin on her face.... It's one of the most alluringly beautiful facial expressions of the human countenance, I deem. And I fell completely, completely in love with them in that picture. That look... that smile... their body language.... It was... amazing.

Then! After THAT part~! We have one of my favorite parts of the entire series. It takes up quite a lot of space in this volume, but it's worth every page and more. We get to see Kana-chan's house. And to see... her past with Yukari. It is... such an amazing story. I cry every time I read it. Because, for me, I have experienced a lot of that in my past, and it strikes home so hard that I cannot shake the pain, though I have forgiven it and moved on to happier days with those memories it instigates. It's a story that maybe not many can understand, and many will not find so sad. But coming from that kind of background, I understand and appreciate Kana-chan with a sincerity and devotion that I am even prouder to give her because, unlike the me in the past that was going through those things like she did, she moved on~ She has grown. And the pain she had, while a part of her, doesn't control her life. The fact that she could rise above it and become such a tough, but truly wonderful character who cares about the people she chooses to let into her life is just... amazing. I really respect her for that. Plus, she is... so kind! And when she's being kind, even though she doesn't need to be, even though she doesn't like the person, it makes her all the more irresistibly and shockingly beautiful. The way the volume ends, with how she relives her relationship with Yukari for us... and then she gives us that last thought of hers.... It is a thought that is so amazingly different from how she acts, and how we expect her to feel... that if she doesn't win you over, I don't know what will.

Kana-chan is amazing. I absolutely love her. I know! So different from where I was just a couple of volumes ago, right?! It makes no sense, right?! And yet it's completely and wonderfully true. She's an amazing character, and I would say my favorite female character! But I love all the characters in this series so much that to be honest, choosing one over another is really like picking puppies out of a basket. I JUST WANT TO TAKE THEM ALL!!! >XD *Laughs!* This volume has so many reasons for being my favorite one out of the series. I've only read the first ten volumes, but it remains my all-time favorite. You've just got to keep reading. The absolutely amazing stuff comes through and through-out in V.B. Rose, and some of the really epic stuff doesn't go down until you're halfway through. This is definite proof of that. *Smiles* If you haven't picked it up yet, definitely give this series a try! It won't disappoint!

Wow. Just... wow! *Laughs happily* After that last volume and all the pain and hurt it ended with, I'm completely shocked by what happened here! I can't believe it could happen like that! I can't believe it happened so fast! I can't believe what HE did! I can't believe how they acted! Oh... my GOODNESS! *Blushes and twirls dizzily~!* Guys, you soooo have to read this series. I can't express to you how much it blows me away, and how awesome every single PART of it is! I wish you guys would stop listening to me and actually listen to me by going to get this manga for yourself! I know it's very hard to track down. 3 That always made me sad. But it's in more places than you might think! Ask your library or bookstore to order it for you! Then take a glance through it before you decide!! But remember those warnings about the beginning of the series! It starts slow and may come off initially as annoying. But God... when you're up to parts like these... you're completely swept up in the amazing-ness of it all. *Laughs and claps her hands*

Dude! It's SO epic! It's SOOOO epic!! You should all absolutely pick up this manga and give it the chance it deserves! If you read at least past the first three volumes and are not enjoying this series, then I don't know what to say other than: READ UP TO THE HALF POINT! (That would be Volume 7, my friends! And do we remember how epic Volume 7 was? We SHOULD~~~! XD) I'm seriously a major advocate for this manga! I know that if you love series like Fruits Basket then you're going to loooove this one! It has a lot of differences from Takaya-sensei's series, and they're both their own separate entities, but while they both take different routes to create great stories, they achieve the same enjoyable epic-ness that Fruits Basket became famous for. Now V.B. Rose just needs the support of crazy fangirls like myself to help boost its reputation! XD

So what can I say about this volume? Well we start off with more things concerning Mitsu and his past, especially the times that he knew Tsuyu. We get to see a lot of how they met, and also how they eventually lost contact with each other. The past follows Mitsu's side of the story since we've seen a lot of Tsuyu's side in previous volumes (and the last one) and it goes all the way from elementary school up until they meet again in high school. It's really nice because a lot of the things that I was flipping out about just in the last few volumes about how I didn't understand Mitsu's actions at all, nor Tsuyu's, no matter how hard I looked at them, were finally explained. Mitsu finally gets to share his thoughts and feelings with us, and suddenly we begin to understand everything we've seen from the beginning of this series up until this very point. You're sitting there every few pages and are struck with memories of times where he acted a certain way and you just couldn't figure out what the motive behind it was. We get that all explained to us step by patient step in this volume, and it's an amazing read when you get to see a character so complex and so profound revealed to us. And Mitsuya Kuromine only becomes more profound once we find out his feelings. They are unlike anything else expressed to us in this series. And to me... they are vivid and painful, but also beautiful, passionate, and full of power.

Kuromine-san has become a new man in my eyes after reading this volume, and the love that I had for him has expanded to include a deep-rooted and unshakable respect. Whether he grew or not, I can't say. I think in the end though, he was hiding this from us for so long. Just like Tsuyu was a little bit. But Kuromine-san especially. He was always this amazing man. We just couldn't see it because he didn't show it to us. When you finally see it all come, and man... the way it comes out...! *Smiles and sits back in her seat, looking into the distance thoughtfully as she runs over the memories* I must have read that part over ten times before I even put up my status updates as comments. And then another few times before I moved on in the actual manga. It was one of the best parts in this entire series. Seriously, it puts this volume on the same level of intense awesome as my other favorite, Volume 8. These two, Volumes 8 and 12, are my all time favorite volumes in this entire series. And I can't say a lick of what happened because it'll spoil the entire gosh darn thing for you readers. *Grins warmly* You seriously are missing out for not reading this series. Just saying. I know, for like the millionth time. so good. I want everyone in the world to read this series. *Laughs* And I know that's a high mark to hit, and I probably never will. But that's how much it means to me. And how amazing it is to me.
Anyway, back to the manga itself. Hidaka-sensei has a great sense of balance as usual. After the majority of the manga is filled with this immense revelation, we get a very hilarious concoction of humor in the ending parts. so many compliments and things I want to say! I can't! Because I want every single one of you to live through all the same moments I did with the same freshness and love that I went through. I will tell you this: By the time you're done reading this volume, your heart will be full of so many wonderful feelings. Somehow, someway, everything winds up better at the end than at the beginning. And you'll never know how much the better until you read it for yourselves. So do yourself, and Hidaka-sensei who wrote this great series, and also me a favor, and get this series already so you can see just how epic it is.
I want to make one more side note! Since I don't have Volume 13 yet, and I don't know the release date for the last volume, Volume 14, I may not update this for a while yet with my last two reviews. But for those of you following them, please don't wait for them all to be out. Just read them now. If enough time passes, you might even do like me and read them through from beginning to the end again then.

Oh wow~ I feel so comfortable in this world that Banri Hidaka created for this manga~ I also love the fact that she has a tendency to bring in a bunch of other characters from her other works! It's so cool seeing these awesome people that are all from other mangas she's done! They're so cooool! It really makes me want to read the other series she's made! But ah! XD I'm totally getting carried away by my happiness~! So in this volume we finally get to see the love interest developing. *Huffs happily and smiles* I was always really please with how Hidaka-sensei did this. Because Ageha-chan doesn't act stupid about it, or spend endless hours "wondering about her feelings" and other drab nonsense. She just comes right out and tells her best friend (Mamoru-chan) that she thinks she loves--OOPS. No~ Not telling, even though it SHOULD be obvious if you're paying ANY attention at all. ;3 The point being, Ageha still has her moments. She gets really emotional sometimes, and gets carried away by it. But because she's such a tough and gung-ho character the rest of the time, with a great heart and who brings a TON of fun into the series no matter WHO she's around~ I don't find myself holding it against her. *Smiles and bounces in her seat a bit*

In fact, I find that the more times I read through this series, the more I respect Ageha for feeling the things she does. She's not like other girls who feel one way and then act completely different or start exaggerating their situation. Mind, Ageha does have a tendency to--*Laughs* Well! To express her emotions on a bit of a LOUDER channel than most! *Chuckles* But she's authentic when she does it. Her fears and concerns, her desires and her loves, her passions and irritations are all so very her that I at least don't find they grate on my nerves. Sure at some times I frowned a bit and thought it was a bit much--I think she had one moment in this volume where I felt that way--but after a few more pages I just have to sigh and smile, because she always makes an effort to right however she's feeling. Especially and most importantly when she's feeling or acting stupid~ And that takes a lot of class to realize and admit, let alone correct at the threat of looking like a complete dumbass or jerk.

But besides that, I love the play on boundaries that starts in this volume. It's going to be brought up quite a few more times in the next few volumes as well, but I think it's a beautiful and intelligent addition to the series by Banri Hidaka. What V.B. Rose does right is the way it's set up to be so "every-day" that you can feel relaxed in it, no matter the situation~ God! I can't express how timeless this sensation is! Banri Hidaka is a master of taking the simple, everyday life--from job to school, to friendship and rivalries, your family versus how other people's families are--all these perfectly normal things, and making them the flawless nest into which to put these characters. I think that's what makes this manga stand out so much from the crowd. There's no real story here.... Like I wouldn't say there's a devious, diabolical and chaotic plot like you would expect from most mangas that count on their story to carry people through instead of the lackluster characters~ No, instead... there's just people. And watching them exist, live out their lives, interact and make mistakes and grow apart or grow together... it creates this beautiful masterpiece that doesn't need anything more than that natural human element, of which Banri Hidaka is so excellent at portraying. *Smiles happily* The story is our characters. And with the skill in which Hidaka-sensei has them act and interact, that's all that you need. Characters, above anything else, make or break all stories, whether written or drawn or both. *Smiles warmly* ...and V.B. Rose has a cast that I wouldn't ever discard from my heart~
So if you're looking for some great people to grow with, pick up this series! I promise it's worth the trip~!
Also, I know my reviews are a little short for this series, but this is just one of those that you have to enjoy for yourself~ Then you'll understand why it's so easy to enjoy~! ^___^

Oh, ho ho ho ho~ This is beginning to get good. To get really good. *Smirks and bares her teeth wickedly* Now this is drama that is unquestionably delicious. The way that we pick up from the last volume throws us right into the awakening of many things we've been waiting for for quite some time. But oh, it gets only cuter at first. It's a trip and a half of suspense-riddled adorableness topped off with "Squee!"-Cute. Then we get the next hit--and it's intense and ground-shaking. Kana-san will unravel your world~ *Grins deviously* But oh, that's not where the true threat lies, oh no. Not in Kana-san, though you go through the first half of the volume thinking the only problem is her. Heh. How perfectly wrong you are. But what hits you... will remain a mystery. I will not tell you what happens. In fact, I'm leaving out a lot as it is. *Smiles sweetly* But man will your world be thrown into disorder! I don't know how many of you feel about certain characters and the way that they've been acting in this series so far, but I can give you one hint:

Both of these two situations... make so much sense. dang does one look like it's about to completely pay off! *Grins*

Okay, so that's about all I need to say about this volume plot-wise. I'm finding it surprisingly hard to review mangas in comparison to actual books. o-o Maybe it's because a manga moves so much faster than most books that the entire thing is usually spoiler-ridden. D: And I don't support spoiling things, so it becomes a true difficulty to do anything except rant and rave about different things. However, I guess I can ramble about the characters a bit more!

I feel that Yukari is growing. Or perhaps we're seeing more of him that we haven't really had the chance to yet because both his feelings and daily situation is constantly changing. And that in part affects him as well. He's such a strong and bold character, yet seeing this other side to him, we've come to see so many shades that make him the full person he truly is. And the fact that he's so honest with himself is only compromised by his carefulness whenever he's doing (or wants to do) something inspired by his own desires. Sometimes I feel he needs to grow out of that, and yet at other times I love the fact that he's capable of both. I just think he isn't as balanced yet as he can be. And once he starts being openly honest about how he feels in front of everyone, then I think he'll change a lot, and for the better.

Mitsu is another case that I simply don't get. He's wonderful and pervy but dedicated. Not to mention the intimate and supportive relationship he has with Yukari is fantastically entertaining and even a little hot to watch! Yaoi fangirls will love this aspect of their relationship. However we've still got the fact that for all the good qualities and intelligence that Mitsu has, he's not really one to take things seriously (on the surface anyway), at least when it concerns his family. And then when it comes to Tsuyu... *Stares blankly ahead* I have no clue what to make of it. "Mitsuya-sama" has me baffled. Why he acts that way makes no sense since Tsuyu for her part is being absolutely amazing with him. Maybe he does only like taking advantage of the weakness he senses, and enjoys the fact that she gives him a boost above herself by knowing how she feels. But bah. I don't see a reason to antagonize her about it since she doesn't trouble him with expectations or her feelings! >_
Tsuyu and Kana-chan are absolutely awesome in this volume. We get to see very little of Tsuyu in this one, but how she goes out of her way to establish a connection with Ageha and try to guide her through something in the least painful way possible is so sweet! This woman is absolutely beautiful in how considerate and gentle she is. Her heart is so wonderful. You can definitely see it in the smallest, quietest things she does. not a cruel, cold person like she seems to be. She did it specifically because she has feelings too. And it was kind of her to do that thing. Whether you can see it or not, she stood up for Ageha there. And that's an incredible statement to make: especially after what we've found out in this volume.

As for our heroine, Ageha~ She's a bundle of confusion as always. Poor dear really is being torn every which way. It gets a little annoying seeing all the drama that she has to go through, but at the same time, going through it is... kind of exhilarating! I just wish she would handle it differently, even though I feel that a considerable amount of her thoughts and reactions are to be expected, because anyone would feel that way normally.

In a nutshell, things are going CRAZY! And in SUCH a good way! You've really got to go for this one! You're going to LOVE it. It's got so much emotional tension and tossing/turning that it'll leave you either thrilled or pulling your hair out--OR BOTH~! Definitely pick this up and read it!! The surprises are AWESOME in this book! Because MAN do these characters know how to carry out those actions! *Laughs* See you in the next review~!

SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO, SO, SO, SOOOOO GOOD! OH MY GOD THIS MANGA WAS GOOD! I WANT TO KEEP READING MORE RIGHT NOW. I SO BADLY WANT TO CHUCK THIS COMPUTER ACROSS THE ROOM AND PICK UP THE NEXT VOLUME! I MUST READ WHAT HAPPENS! I CANNOT WAIT! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! *Gets shot!* ...okay I think I can calm d--GYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! OH MY GOD! Readers!!!! YOU HAVE NO CLUE HOW INTENSE AND EPIC AND AMAZING THIS VOLUME WAS! SERIOUSLY AMAZING! SERIOUSLY AMAZING!!!!! The entire thing starts of with a flashback into the past about how Arisaka-san and Kuromine-san met each other for the first time, and how they became friends, and how Mitsu's entire life changed because of Yukari-kun~! And not to mention we got to see an adorable pre-teen Yukari being absolutely devious, wonderfully passionate and gorgeous, and for the first time...! We got to see flashbacks of how Yukari was like when he interacted with his daddy! 8D Not as a little kid but as a competent helper and growing kid~! He was so serious and distant in school, and yet so alive and wild and determined when he was at home! Seeing the drive with which Mitsu followed after Yukari, the delight in which he took to Aoi-san and the career that he followed... it was all so amazing!

Oh, oh! And before I go any further I HAVE to say this: Yukari and Mitsu... are totally V.B. Rose's... yaoi couple. *Laughs!* Even Hidaka-sensei mentioned how many people were like, "GASP! Is this Mitsu and Yukari's LOVE STORY?! 8DDD" XD That's gotta give you a sign! *Giggles!* I've got to say though, their relationship is such a special one. How they just wound up together like that out of the blue one day, based on a whim of Mitsu's, based on Mitsu's determination and perseverance.... It's a story that's worth a lot of points in my book. I advocate determination and having enough guts to do something about things plain and straightforward all the time. A guy like Mitsu who's not afraid to go up to someone, risk looking weird, like an idiot, be turned down, or anything else--is a guy who at least has enough confidence and dignity to be able to call himself a man. It's nice though~ Seeing their relationship from the start to the present time now. Finally~! *Laughs* It's really, really, really great to see how they both came to depend on each other, to live their lives together and work with each other. Two people that couldn't be more disengaged in all normal terms of life, on all the normal fields that people meet each other on. But the perfect simplicity of, "Hey! This is fun! I like this! I'm gonna do it!" is all that it ever takes~ *Smiles brightly* Even if they don't know it yet. These two are epic together. They make me feel like there's warmth inside my heart again, whenever I look at them. *Places her hands over her heart and smiles deeper* This manga... really lights up my soul with happiness.

I am grateful to Banri Hidaka for that. Eternally.
Now that I've calmed down a bit, which you can all completely see~ I have to change the subject again. Because if the first part of this volume was epic-ness and squeeing all over the place, then the second part of it was a weight like reality coming crashing down on top of you, that could sink you to the depths of the ocean. Dude... we find out about Kuromine-san's past with Tsuyu-kun. '_' ...and the reality of what really happened between them, the reason why she acts the way she does, and why he acts the way he does... is finally revealed. *Takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly* It upsets me. A lot. The way Mitsu acts suddenly makes... so much sense when you look at all the things he's done. And the way Tsuyu is always avoiding him, always cowering before him and being so submissive/flighty is... only reasonable after what she did. Man, but really. Both of them are so...! ARGH! They can be so... INFURIATING now that I think about it! Tsuyu was too much of a coward and Mitsu was too much of a villain! Mind, I love them both and I feel both of those (slightly over-emphasized) traits are very them and all. I don't have any complaints about how they act on a day to day basis really. But! For them to go to those lengths! BOTH of them are responsible for how things are now! Neither one of them is being let off the hook for this! *Grimaces and clenches her fist*

BUT DANG IT! THAT ENDING REALLY MAKES ME MAD! Or maybe it's just because I'm so scared and shocked, and surprised and worried. *Thinks about it for a few moments more* ... ARRRRRRRRRGGHHHHHHHHH!!! NOOO! NO YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME TSUYU! YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY THINK SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS GOING TO BE THE BEST SOLUTION TO ALL THIS!!! NOOOOOOOO. WHYYYYYYYYYY! DX
At this rate, I can't say anything else besides putting in more freaking out because of how "WHAT!? NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! DDDDDD'8
See you in my next review~! Volume 12 of V.B. Rose, here we come!

Okay, okay, so! This is one of my MANY times reading through this series! And I've got to say, it's fantastic!! It's so readable! You can just fly through these with such ease and eat them all up! I began to notice a pattern when my sister first bought this series with only the first several volumes. I read one...had to go pick up the other instantly. Then I read that one. And then I was after the next one! And before you knew it, I had gotten to the end of all the volumes that had been released in the U.S.! NOOOO! So what ended up happening is that the first time we got a new volume after waiting months for it to be released, I said, "I want to read it from the beginning!" And thus a trend started with this series. Every single time we get a new volume, I end up re-reading the entire series from the beginning! And I never get tired of it! I always have the same thought, and I'm worried when I pick up that first volume again: "Will I be bored of it? I've already read it so many times..." But by the time I muster up to a decision and inevitably open that book and begin reading, I'm swept away ALL OVER AGAIN! *Throws up her arms and laughs!* It is sheerly amazing to me how high a re-read value this series has. Everything is so fresh and enjoyable even on your second, third, fourth--my SIXTH read through!! The characters just don't get old. Somehow, they're timeless for me! But I feel that for such an unknown series, it's a shame, because I know exactly why it's such a fun series to me:

I can relate to it. Completely and perfectly! Sure it has its fairy tale-like resemblance. What girl doesn't dream of herself in that gown, getting married to the perfect man of her dreams? And to be able to work in a place like that--! Wonderful!! But that all aside, this series is charming and beautiful! I remember the first time I picked it up, I kind of blinked at it and turned to my sister and said, "There's not much here. The art style is so simple." I had been used to such overdone mangas, filled with details brimming over in every corner, that V.B. Rose's simplicity caught me off guard, and actually surprised me! *Shakes her head and smiles* But that was completely forgotten by the time I finished the first volume and was thick into the second. The minimality of over-complicating things here only makes everything so much more expressive! The emotions that carry across in the character's faces! The things they say! The way they feel~ Everything comes across so much more intimately because you have them to relate to, instead of being focused on a pretty face.

NOT... to say that Banri Hidaka's art is substandard. I will personally punch the person who says her artwork is anything less than lovely and refined!! And there are so... many...! GORGEOUS scenes in this series! It cannot help but stir your heart or rile the blood! Banri Hidaka in her art is perfectly in harmony as with her storyline. It is so easy to read, so easy to enjoy! And yet the significance and depth of the things she writes about are just as wonderful and flawless, just as elegant and precious as the lighthearted and cracky end of things.

There are a great many number of mangas out there, especially shoujo mangas, but the thing that makes V.B. Rose so memorable to me is that everything, everything is so easy to get into, so beautifully balanced and harmonious with each other. She has a talent for keeping you entertained and keeping you thinking and feeling. And she portrays it absolutely beautifully in this series. I am already looking forward to starting the next volume, and I cannot wait to get to the two volumes I bought last week that are responsible for my sixth read through! *Grins brightly* So come on! Read this one with me! I'm sure you'll love it.
Ah! But let me at least say a little bit about the characters. I think I'm going to have to get used to this~ Ageha Shiroi is the main character, a high school student, nonetheless, and yet! I have only one thing to say about her! ...she's a little dumb at first when it comes to others' feelings~ But she grows. *Smiles warmly* You see so much improvement in ALL of the characters throughout this series. You see their relationships get all tangled up and crazy as they try to better themselves and still continue to coexist with everyone else! And it's fantastic to watch that. I love how this book reads like real life. The things that go on in this are just like anyone's situation, if you just knew the right person. And you can pick out qualities in most of the characters that I'm sure you or someone you know has! It's a series that's so down to earth and engaging that it's exciting to see how everyone changes! And Ageha~ This silly, dorky, dedicated girl~ She really does have a lot to learn. *Smiles warmly* But that's the best part: so does everyone else.

Seeing them grow and watching her change even in this first volume from the beginning to the end! I was shocked! And I was happily surprised. So many of the pains and issues that she goes through and the other characters, Yukari and Mitsu, along with the additional ones that will later be introduced, are so much like what I can understand and have gone through. They're normal things...but they teach me so much about not just the characters in this series, but about myself too. *Smiles* Sometimes I wish I had read this when I was younger. Because I feel that if I had...I could have grown a lot more, and righted a lot of mistakes that I had to learn from and live through the hard, hard way. But these characters have to go through those too. *Laughs* And they do such a fantastic job of pulling through, or falling low and in pain... *Smiles gently* ...just like in real life. And yet, they keep going...somehow, they keep going. *Smiles warmly* The more you read, the more you'll see of it. I highly recommend this series. It may not be well known...but it's worth standing up there with the best of them.

The library doesn't have any more, and the story is dragging the uncertainty out waaaaaay too much. I'm done.